Author's Note: This idea came from a gif I stumbled across and is set sometime during the second season. I know I have used some lines from later seasons, but it seemed to fit. This story is made for the fun of it and is an one-short, although it turned out to become deeper than first planned, I hope you as a reader still like it.

The Cabin Trip

"Anyways I rented us a cabin, and Henry will stay with my parents for the weekend, so are you in?" Emma held the papers with the rental contract up before Regina so she could see. It was an early morning in august and the mayor was wearing a black blazer over her red dress.

"Now I know you have lost your mind, Miss. Swan, why on earth would I agree to go on a cabin trip in this life or any other?" Regina eyed Emma up and down. Clearly the other woman couldn't be serious.

"I dunno, to try to mend fences for Henry's sake, to relax, to get drunk, whatever it is people do on cabin trips," Emma shrugged, adding, "Plus it is already paid for."

"I hardly need you to remind you that I am the Mayor of this town still, I can't just take off and..leave?" Regina made a hand gesture, hating to admit she found the offer intriguing.

"I don't think the town will fall apart with you gone for a few days, Regina, but suit yourself, I will be leaving at noon, you have to then to decide if you want to join or not," Emma said and casually started to walk casually towards her yellow bug.

"Wait..!" Regina called after her, making Emma turn on her heel to face her, "Yes?"

"What does one bring for such a trip, that is if I wanted to go?" Regina said, with a heavy sigh, knowing she would regret even considering it.

"Comfort clothes, books to read, walking shoes if we go hiking, sleeping bag, or bed covers if you want to borrow a bed there, pajamas, the regular stuff you need for a three days' vacation," Emma said and continued to her car whistling.

Regina was about to ask something else, but Emma was already gone. She sighed and went back inside the house wondering if she even had something that could be considered comfort clothes. She knew she had some old sweatpants somewhere in her wardrobe, she used them when Henry was younger, probably a t-shirt or something in there as well. She shook her head as she started to look around in her overfilled wardrobe.

Meanwhile Emma was up in the room she was borrowing at her parents apartment, packing what was most needed, pajamas, some old, worn t-shirts, socks, underwear, her hiking booths, some old paperbacks, charger for her cell, matches, a pillow and a pillow case, she hated borrowing what others had slept on, a blanket, in case it got cold there, a warm sweater for the same reason, and of course her toilet bag. When she was done she put on a pair of jeans, a singled, a squared shirt and a warm west over, in a addition to her old baseball cap and boots. She took the bag and walked down the stairs yelling, "Mom, you know where my sleeping bag is, I know I had one when I moved in?"

"In the storage room somewhere, why?" Snow looked at her daughter with wondering eyes.

"Need it, going on a cabin trip, oh and a deck of card and a chess board or something if you have one?" Emma said, walking towards the storage room.

"I will see what I can find and I think you should bring bug spray just in case," said Snow and started looking around in one of the shelves in the living room for a deck of cards. She soon found one, a chess board and shoots and ladders, she put it in a plastic bag along with bug spray, band aids, sunblock and three bags of chips she knew Emma liked. To be on the safe side she even added a bag of cookies. Just because Emma was an adult didn't mean she couldn't take care of her, at least while she lived under her roof.

Emma, that by now had found her sleeping bag, picked up her bag and headed for the door. Snow handed her the bag saying, "Be careful out there, minding me who are you going with ?"

"Just Regina, try to mend fences for Henry," said Emma with a half-smile, taking the bag from her mother.

"Regina, are you sure that is wise, what if you two end up killing each other?" Concern clearly showing in Snow's eyes.

"We will be fine," said Emma as she headed out the door with her belongings, while Snow wasn't all that sure. Still she would not stand between the two in a fight, and besides Regina probably wouldn't even show.

Emma made sure to by the glossaries she thought they would need in addition to some beer, wine and a ton of snacks to be on the safe side. When she had gotten all in the backseat she drove back towards Regina's house hoping she would come with her. She was gladly surprised seeing the brunette outside the house with a small suitcase, and cooler. The blonde was even more surprised to see that she was not wearing one of her usual suits. Instead she had on a pair of denim jeans, a black sweater and a black leather jacket, a black and red scar and ear muffs. Emma could hardly believe her eyes as she got out of the car and said, "Ready?"

"Yes as ready as I can be, I suppose, although I would prefer if we took my car, instead of your death trap," Regina shrugged.

"Don't worry, bug is a very sturdy car and she had not a single thing wrong with her, I recently had her checked," Emma said, petting the roof of her car lovingly.

"I am glad to hear that, for someone that doesn't seem to have much stable thing in the life you sure like that car of yours," Regina said as she carried her suitcase over.

"Well I had to for years, I even lived in it at some point," said Emma with a small smile as she made sure to get Regina's stuff in a back of the car. She then closed it properly, before went to the passenger side to open the door for Regina. The brunette got in and Emma closed the door, then going in on her own side. Once they were buckled up, Emma started the car and they were on the road.

As they neared the town line, Regina asked, "Why yellow, it is a bold choice?"

"What ?" Emma asked confused her eyes on the road.

"Your bug is yellow," said Regina with a shrug.

"I like yellow and I stole it, are you questioning my taste all of a sudden?" Emma wondered a bit curiously.

"I get it, you hold on to it because it is the last thing you have after Henry's dad?" Regina said, that had to be it, right.

"No, we both tried to steal it, he left it to me when he set me up for jail, it was mine fair and square. Besides as I said it was my home at a point in my life," Emma said, pretending it was no big dead.

"I am sorry, it is my fault that you didn't have a family and you have to live in a car," Regina suddenly felt guilty about it.

"No, you may have a part to play with it, but they chose to send me away on my own, not you," Emma took a deep breath.

"Yes, but they wouldn't have done that if I weren't so desperate for revenge, I almost wanted to kill you, a defenseless baby," Regina sighed. Surely Emma would dump her at the side of the road knowing that.

"I know, but you had your reasons, I just can't think about those if this is going to work. You may have been the evil queen in your world, but here you are just Regina. Mayor of Storybrooke and the woman that rose Henry," said Emma with a deep sigh.

"I did that too, although I didn't know he was your son," said Regina with a very heavy sigh.

"Crazy, our lives are crazy," Emma said shaking her head.

"Agreed," said Regina with a small laugh, noticing they left the town line behind. She felt a little less in control, but tried not to let it show, after all Emma wouldn't take her somewhere dangerous or so she dared to hope. She yawned a little, knowing she had been up too early that morning and too late the night before. She was working with something regarding the budget for the town. Gold had been nagging her about it for some time.

"You can sleep if you want," Emma offered polite, suddenly noticing how tired her friend seemed.

Regina nodded quietly as she closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift, listening to the sounds of the freeway they soon were driving on to. Emma didn't mind it at all, mostly since she knew that Regina's life had to be far more stressing than she ever would let herself admit. She had no idea what being the Mayor entitled, but she had a feeling even if the curse just was broken that Regina still had a lot of responsibilities, in addition to the fact that Henry seemed to turn against her. Sure Emma could understand why Regina had lied to him on some level, but she could also understand Henry's resentments for her doing so. Still she knew that deep down he loved the woman that raised him, and didn't want anything to harm her. Not that Emma every would, even if the towns people might hate her for her earlier doings, surely Regina would have changed somewhat now. Or so she hoped. She stopped at a red light, looking over at the other woman dead asleep snoring every once in a while.

Emma took of from the freeway onto a side way that in time lead her onto a forest road. She smiled knowing she neared the old cabin she had been to many times before. She used to rent it every once in a while over the years to get away from her life. She smiled seeing the black little building coming into view. She parked and got out to unload the car before waking Regina. She put Regina's things in one of the bigger rooms, then her own in one of the smaller. Even though she wouldn't have minded sharing bed with Regina, she made no assumptions the other woman wanted that, so for now she placed their things in the two separate rooms. She then went on to putting the food and drinks in the fridge. She noticed that Regina had brought with several bottles of her sider, but she didn't think much of it, she just made sure they all got in the fridge, along with some food she had brought with. She even saw some bread and rolls in the freezer box which she was sure the brunette had baked herself. She put it on the kitchen bench. She smiled by the thought all was taken care of and got back out to wake the sleeping woman.

She carefully opened the door and leaned in saying, "Time to wake, sleeping beauty."

"Mmmm," Regina let her eyes slowly flutter open, looking around, a bit confused at first, then remembering where she was. Or rather had been, looking at the building in dark wood in front of her. Then at Emma, asking, "I slept the whole way?!"

"Yes, I didn't feel like waking you, you looked so peaceful sleeping," Emma said in her defense. In addition the blonde had been completely mesmerized by it.

"Well that wasn't needed, but thank you," Regina said and got out, adding, "So this is the famous cabin?"

"Yeah, and don't worry it has indoors plumming so you can shower and such," Emma pointed out.

"To be fair I had none of that growing up, so I could have lived without for a few days, but I am glad I don't have to," Regina countered.

"Alright," Emma said with a nod, walking inside, letting Regina follow her, noticing the brunette's eyes on her behind as so many times before. Not that she really minded. Once inside Emma said, "I put your things in the bedroom third on the right."

"Thank you, so what now?" Regina wondered, not really being used to relax. Come to think of it she hadn't done it ever.

"You do what you want, I brought some games in case you wanted to play chess or cards or so even," said Emma, dissapering into her room to get one of her paperbacks. Upon return she saw Regina sitting on the couch with a book, hardcover and with tons of pages, far bigger than one she would ever consider reading. She smiled seeing that she had taken her shoes off and now sat curled up with her legs beneath her. So she was able to just relax after all.

Emma smiled going over to the fridge and took out a box with coke and settled in one of the nearby chair, opening the box, then the book and started to read.

Regina eyed her over her own book asking, "You read books as well?"

"Yes, Regina as surprising as it must seem, I do," Emma said with a nod, "Not that I have many since well my budget is quite small."

"I can get that, I don't have nearly as many here as I used to at the castle, there I had a library, many of them were my parents old books, both were avid readers, one of the many things they had in common," said Regina with a smile on her lips thinking of it.

"Wow, your parents had something in common other than you," Emma pretended to be shocked, adding, "And here I was under the impression that your mother used your father to gain and title and then you."

"Yes well…" Regina shut down again and returned the attention to her book.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Emma said, feeling badly, reminding herself to not speak of things she knew little about.

"Apology accepted," Regina gave her a polite nod.

"What was it like, growing up with them?" Emma wondered, looking at Regina with interested eyes.

Regina thought for a second, putting the book aside, "It was well I suppose a normal childhood at the time. My father was away a lot as he was a prince and my mother didn't have much time for me when I get old enough to read and play for myself. She wanted me to be independent and so I did. I had a doll though. Isabella, I used to pretend she was my sister. Sometimes we even sneaked into my mother's quarters which was strictly forbidden. It was where she kept her wand among other things. I mainly went in there because…"

Emma noticed the memory was hard for her, but still she encouraged, "Because?"

"Because it smelled like her, and if I did get caught well I had a little time with her, which was silly cause usually I got in trouble if I got caught. That would have consequences, but I got used to those so in the end I didn't care much. In any case I always saw both for supper and father used to read for me before I went to sleep. If he wasn't away. Some days we would all spend days in library reading, or go for rides on our horses. Those were happy days, also when we had something similar to mother and father's day, and birthdays. My mother used to give father gifts on those days, gifts he really did enjoy and had thought behind her. So even if she was without a heart for those years, she must have had some kind of it still. Otherwise she wouldn't have cared. And I know it cannot have been all because of me. She might harm me from time to time, but she never put a hand on my father, and to me that says quite a lot," Regina finished with a sigh.

"I agree it does, he was probably the only man that could reason with her sanity," Emma said thoughtfully.

"Well if she was insane, what does that make me?" Regina wondered thoughtfully, adding, "I have no regrets even though I know what I did was wrong."

"I honestly don't know, but a woman with a broken heart can do unspeakable things," Emma said in a sympathetic tone.

Regina didn't respond, just nodded as she turned a page in her book, continuing to read. This was nice she concluded, being away from everything and just focus on something as simple as a book. She let out a sigh, curling up a bit more on the couch letting her attention get fully turned into the words on the pages.

Emma did the same, letting out a comment now and again, occasionally taking a zip from her soda can. She didn't notice that her side comments she made more for her own benefit amused Regina from where she was sitting. Regina found it adorable that Emma could be so very into a book as she had never seen the woman read anything other than case files at the sheriff's office. Still there was something calming about it.

"Emma?" she wondered hearing another loud outburst.

"Oh sorry, I wasn't disturbing you, was I?" Emma's cheeks turned into a shade of light red.

"No, I just wanted to ask you something," Regina said calmly, putting her book aside.

"Oh alright?" Emma said, putting her book aside.

"I was thinking of making something to eat, maybe you are hungry too and we could do it together?" Regina said, realizing she hadn't eaten anything yet and it was nearing dinner time. Reading could do that to you she concluded.

"Sure, I can eat," Emma said, blushing as she knew how it sounded.

"I am quite aware you can do that, I have seen the way you do it at Granny's," said Regina shaking her head.

"Hey, I can be as civil as you eating, I just choose not to," Emma said, pretending to be insulted.

"I am sure if that was the case I had seen it already," Regina said in a sour tone, slowly getting up from the couch and walking to the kitchen area. Emma followed her, letting her eyes resting on Regina's ass for a few seconds longer than needed.

"See something interesting back there?" Regina rolling her eyes.

"Uh…no," Emma withdrew her eyes and joined her at the counter, adding, "So what are we making?"

"Burgers, from scratch, I mean I already backed the buns, but the burgers and whatever needed," Regina said, eying Emma.

"Cool, so what do you want from me?" the blonde asked enthusiastically.

"For you to cut vegetables," Regina shrugged as she went to find the meat and what she needed for the burgers itself.

Emma didn't object, she simply started on the task, halfway watching Regina to learn something. Unfortunately for her having her eyes on the other woman instead of the knife cutting vegetables caused her to cut her finger instead.

"Son of a bitch!" she let the knife fall to the ground as the blood poured out from her finger.

"Let me see," Regina said calmly, she needed to know if the cut needed medical air or not. Emma soon gave her the finger, Regina carefully held it a little under water, then found some paper drying off the still running blood. She held Emma's hand high, pressing to stop the bleeding or to calm it down. Whatever worked as she said, "See there is a reason you should watch you were doing rather than me."

"Well I was trying to learn something," Emma tried to shrug it off, but right now it really hurt.

"I know and I will teach you some day, I promise. Can you hold the paper for a second?" Regina ordered. Emma nodded and Regina went into her room, finding some gauze for Emma's finger. She also found needle and tread just in case. It was after all not the first person she had sewed together, and if she needed to she would. She took a deep breath returning to the kitchen where Emma was waiting patiently. Regina removed the paper towel, to get a closer look. It was ugly for sure, but it would mend on its own with time. She carefully tied some of the gauze round Emma's finger. Then she pressed a gentle kiss to the top of it, "There all better."

"Thank you, that was…thank you," said Emma and smiled shyly at her.

"You are welcome, why don't you go and lie down for a little while and hold your finger high to be on the safe side," Regina said in a gentle tone.

"Alright," Emma said with a small nod and vanished into her bedroom closing the door. Was this really happening, had Regina just mended her wound and pressed a kiss on top of the gauze, she wasn't dreaming right. No, it was happening, she was sure of it. Maybe the other woman didn't recent her as much as she thought, maybe it was all a cover to hide how she really felt.

Then again, she could have done so without thinking, after all she had raised Henry, he had to have had a ton of injuries growing up right? Maybe the motherly instinct slipped without Regina even realizing it.

Still Emma had a feeling that wasn't it. Not to mention Regina's choice of food just now, burgers. Emma had never seen the woman eat a burger in her whole life, and Emma was quite sure that was how she kept her figure. Even so here she was making burgers for them. Was it to please Emma?

The blonde rose from the bed and walked back into the kitchen only to find Regina crying, she was about to ask when she saw the other woman cutting onions. She smiled just a little, so not even the mighty evil queen was immune against onions. Emma walked closer, asking more for the fun of it, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, just the onions," a sob escaped Regina as tears run down her cheeks.

Emma looked at the onions at the cutting board, addressing them, "Guys can you stop this, there is no need to make her cry, she is a nice lady and all, so stop it!"

Regina couldn't help but to laugh as she said, "You are insane, Emma, but I love it."

"At least I got you to smile," said Emma with one of her goofy grins.

"Yes, that is true, I just need to fry these and then we can eat, I thought if we helped ourselves from the counter," said Regina, looking at Emma.

"That is fine by me, what do you want to drink to this?" Emma wondered curiously.

"Some cider would suffice," said Regina, focusing on what she was doing.

"Was it hard for you?" Emma wonder as she watched Regina frying the burgers with ease.

"If what was hard?" she asked without turning her head. After all Emma could mean any number to things.

"Coming to Storybrooke and learn about electricity and all, I mean your world and this must have been different right? surely you didn't cook much at the castle?" Emma clarified polite.

"No I did not, the only thing I might have done from time to time was getting dressed, and I slept alone mostly. So when I came here it was like starting over and getting a new beginning. The sink was easy enough so was the toilet, the shower I had some minor struggles with. And I couldn't even boil an egg in the beginning, but I watched the cooking channel, and I taught myself. I may not have had servants here, but my lover was here. Graham, or the hunter if you like," Regina shrugged.

"Wait you and Graham…Please don't tell me that was the reason why you didn't realize Henry was gone right away," Emma thought back to when she first showed up in Storybrooke, Graham had been at Regina's house.

"No, he was there because I was worried and I needed someone to find him, I could have hardly have known how far he had gone. Besides I never did that kind of activities in the house when I could risk Henry walking in on us. Besides once he got interested in you I saw no point of continuing it," said Regina with a shrug.

"Wait, are you saying you killed him because he went against you and wanted to try something with me?" Emma said, her eyes widened. Of course, she had suspected it, but there was no way she could prove it.

"I don't share my toys, and no one ever play with my heart," said Regina in a serious tone.

"You're just…wow…so you do kill all that gets in your way, you cannot get use of. Or you killed him because he came to close to me and you couldn't handle it?" Emma wondered, still in shock.

Regina put the frying pan aside as she was done with what she was doing. She walked over to Emma, without warning she let her hand went into Emma's chest cavity and drag her heart out, with ease. To Emma it seems as it was as easy as knife cutting through butter. Then again Regina had most likely done it a million times before. The blonde gasped more in surprise than anything else, surely Cora had tried to do this and failed. How could Regina do it, why didn't her parents love protect her from down that. But what the brunette did next surprised her even more. Regina took her own heart out, Emma could see it right in front of her, almost black, no doubt from her bad deeds, it was amazing she could feel at all. Emma watched as the brunette looked at them, two hearts, one in each hand. Emma's red with a small shadow of black and Regina's own surrounded by darkness. Both pulsating like any normal heat would inside a chest, but not on the outside. Emma couldn't even understand how this was fully possible, especially since they were outside Storybrooke, but she assumed that Regina's magic was strong enough to work on some level in the outside world and that both hearts were magical.

The brunette took a deep breath, before she pushed her dark heart into Emma's chest cavity. She looked at Emma, holding her heart protective in her hands, she would never hurt it she knew. Regina wasn't sure if her heart held her memory, but if it did, Emma would feel all she had felt over the years, over losing Daniel, the betrayal of Snow White, what her mother did to her, how she adored her father, how much she loved Henry and everything else. She simply hoped it would, so Emma could experience how her own emotions almost tore her apart. She stroked gently over Emma's almost red heart, wondering how long it was since her own had that very color.

Emma gasped again as she felt like a thousand emotions ran through her, so strong they brought her to her knees. She didn't even know a heart could hold memories, but she saw the choices that had torn Regina apart, how her own mother killed the boy she loved before her eyes. What her mother did to her before it, her road to become a Queen, how she killed the horse she loved so much for a curse, and how she had to kill her father instead. How that broke her further, and turned her fully into a Queen with no regrets of her evil doings. How she fell in love with young Henry Daniel the moment she lay eyes on him, the struggles they had while he grew up. How she felt when Emma showed up at her doorstep, how afraid she had been of losing Henry. Even the anger she felt killing Graham.

Emma couldn't take it anymore, the emotions connected to Regina's memories were simply to strong, too much for her to handle, "Take it out, please, Regina, I beg you!"

Regina watched as the other woman breaking down in front of her, she quickly removed her own heart and put Emma's heart back in her chest, and her own heart back in to her own chest where it belonged. She watched as Emma, overwhelmed continued to sob heavily on the floor. Of course, Emma had had a childhood, but it seemed like nothing compared to Regina's.

"I am so sorry, that you had to go through all that," Emma continued to sob. Regina knew she couldn't take it anymore, seeing the blonde in so much pain because of her, so she sat down pulling Emma into her arms, holding her close, stroking her gently to calm her.

"You were afraid of losing him, Henry, I never wanted to take him away from you, I only wanted to know he was alright. The things he was saying, I am so sorry, Regina," Emma sobbed as she leaned against her shoulder drenching it with her tears.

Regina didn't answer, she held Emma still comforting her, until she gathered herself enough to let go. Then the brunette slowly got up saying, "I am going to change my shirt, will you place find some plates."

Emma nodded, wondered what it had to be like holding so many emotions bottled up, for no one to see. To not share them with her single soul, her fears, her angers, her sorrow. Then it hit her, that one some level she already knew, she had been doing the same for years. She never really talked about what she called the lost years to anyone. She never shared how scared she was roaming the streets alone, not knowing if she would find shelter, or how upset she was whenever a foster family threw her out, how cold it had been in the bug on some nights. So cold she thought she would freeze to death, praying she would wake up the next morning. The resentment to the parents that left her as an infant. Then learning years later, they felt they didn't have any other choice. Still Emma still resented them in some way for feeling they made the wrong one, one of them should have come with her. Her hand holding the plates in her hand so hard she could feel her knuckles whitening in anger over the fact. She started feeling Regina's hand on her shoulder and her soft voice saying, "Hey, it is okay, it will be okay. Nothing can harm you here, I won't let it."

"They...they should have come with me back then," Emma let out, handing Regina one of the two plates she was holding, "My parents should have found a way. Your parents they…your mother might not have been the best mother, but your father loved you so much, still they never would have left you behind, or sent you on your own, unless they died."

"Most likely not as mother controlled almost my every move, but Emma don't forget they are here now, willing to try to make a manse and I know you feel it is too late, but they are still here. Mine are not," Regina said with a heavy sigh. She hated that she sometimes even missed her mother, even if it was her own fault her father died and her mother was cast into another round, how messed up was that.

"I know, I know, it's just hard, I still have trouble believing who they are, that I was supposed to be a Princess. I still in so many ways feel like Emma Swan, the lost girl, the orphan," Emma finished, looking into Regina's dark eyes.

"Well if we go by title I think you are supposed to be the savior, however I think of you as Emma Swan, Henry's birth mother, Emma the Sherriff and Miss. Swan the most annoying person ever," Regina rolled her eyes as she started to help herself, making a burger as she saw fit.

"If you find me that annoying why did you agree to come here?" Emma wanted to know.

"Maybe I don't mind it, maybe arguing with you is the only way I can interact with you," Regina said with a heavy sigh as she took a napkin then the walked over to the couch and sit down.

Emma didn't comment on that, so the arguing was the only way Regina could talk to her, because she was awkward about her emotions or something. And insults were better than honesty. Emma helped herself, then finding a bottle of cider in the fridge and some glasses before sitting down. She watched as Regina ate the burger with knife and fork saying, "You can eat with your hands you know."

"I am a Queen, I am bit more refined," came the answer before Regina took another bite of the burger, letting out a sigh of contentment.

"Regina?" Emma asked watching her, as she was sitting there in a pair of sweatpants she had changed into as she changed her shirt moments ago. Her shirt was a purple t with a picture of a black dragon.

"Yes?" Regina looked up at her.

"Do you fancy me?" Emma asked, looking at her with curious eyes.

"Even if I did, I would never let anything happen," Regina said, continuing eating, before she added, "Too complicated. Plus, your mother would surely kill me."

"Yes, like she is a match for you, reminding me clearly you could have killed her ages ago, but you never did, surely you could have poisoned the apple to kill her, not to put her into eternal sleep," said Emma, taking a huge bite of her burger.

"Where would be the fun in that, if I killed her I wouldn't have someone else to hunt," Regina shrugged, not caring to admit she deep down cared for Snow.

"Yes, where would be the fun in that," Emma said with a small laugh, adding, "I like you too by the way, you are one of the most sexy and complexed woman I have ever met."

"I know you do," said Regina with a casual shrug, adding, "Your eyes can't tell lies."

"So why don't we just do something about it then, when there are no interruptions?" Emma challenged her.

"Because as I said, too complicated, even if we did it and it turned out good here, what when we come back, I don't like sneaking around?" Regina said, intrigued by the idea.

"You did with Graham," Emma shrugged.

"Small town, everyone probably knew, but you of course," Regina took another bite shaking her head.

"So if I said I wanted you right here, right now, you would honestly turn me down?" Emma said with a sigh.

"Yes, just picture that something happens and it is all fun and game for a while, then it doesn't work out anymore and Henry gets in the middle," said Regina with a heavy sigh.

"I don't see how that is much different from now, even if I get your point," Emma said, but didn't push.

"I knew I should never have come here," Regina said with a heavy sigh, putting the plate down and walked into her rom with haste, shutting the door hard behind her.

Emma knew better than to go knocking, instead she finished her meal and put the leftovers in the fridge, before she continued to read, figuring Regina would come out when she was down pouting.

When evening slowly turned into night and Regina still hadn't come out, Emma could feel an inkling of worry, she still knocked on the door, before entering. She felt a stab in the heart when she found Regina crying inside. The brunette was faced back against the door on her bed, salty tears running down her cheeks. Emma came closer, and sat down beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder saying, "Hey, talk to me, please."

"It's just I feel so much for you, I have ever since you brought him back, Henry I mean, that I can't have you is almost tearing me apart," Regina faced her, her eyes red from crying.

"You can, Regina, I am yours from now until the end of time, if you allow yourself to put the fears aside," Emma whispered, carefully stroking her tears away, before she leaned down to kiss her lips. They tasted salty from her tears and something sweet Emma guessed was Regina herself. She could feel Regina turning so she was on her back, dragging Emma closer as she continued to kiss her. Emma didn't care that Regina was still crying, because she knew deep down she had managed to break through the first barrier with this woman.

"So what was my mother like when she was young?" Emma wondered, it was around noon time Saturday and they were sitting outside the cabin. They were playing a game of chess on the porch. They just had some breakfast, as the makeup sessions had ended in the early hours the night before. It had only been that though, making out as by the time they wanted to take it further both were too tired. Emma had found it a good thing though, just kissing and some touches upon the layers of clothing. It somehow reminded her a relationship she had with a boy when she was younger, until her foster parents found out and that was pretty much the end of everything.

With Regina it however felt different, it somehow was more sparks there and a mutual understanding. Emma knew better than to push for more and Regina had taken her sweet time with her. Like right now the two were very into the game, Regina had white pieces and Emma black. Regina moved one of rooks, taking out Emma's knight, before she answered, "Why don't you just ask her about that?"
"Because there is two sides of each story and she always tells it from her point of view," Emma rolled her eyes slightly.

"To be fair she wasn't all bad, it was just I couldn't get pass the loss of Daniel. Plus the fact that her father, my late husband spoiled her rotten. It hurt a but that he ignored me so much. It wasn't that I really liked him, how can you really like a man your parents age anyway, it was more that I was his wife. I deserved to be treated like an equal, and not to be ignored because of the wife he once had. I tried teaching her though the ways of being a fair ruler, but as her parents had not fully prepared her that way, it soon became too much. She learned in time though. She also was a bit too naïve for my taste, thinking good of everyone and everything, not seeing the bad sides of the world. I think in many ways she is still like that," Regina shook her head.

"Yes she is an eternal optimist my mother, I think it may because she is not like us, she hadn't had something really bad happen in her life. At least not the same way we have," said Emma in a sympathetic tone.

"Well she did loose her mother at a young age, why the king married me in her place, however as I got it, it was more her nanny that raised her than her parents. Why I tried to do my best even with my conflicting emotions towards her," she said with a heavy sigh, as Emma's piece took out her second tower.

"I can't even imagine what that must have been like, after all you must have hated her for the part she played in having Daniel killed," said Emma in a sympathetic tone, taking out one of Regina's pawns.

"Well…I just made the best out of it, so you want to tell me about how it was to grow up in foster homes?" Regina changed the subject, taking out Emma's bishop with a clever move.

"Nice move," said Emma as she hadn't seen it coming, making Regina give her a nod. She took a deep breath saying, "I don't remember much from the toddler stage you know, I mean I didn't think much about it that I was different back then, I had clothes and food and a couple of toys like most other kids. It was only when I was six and was moved to a new place I knew I was different. I started school then you know and everyone else had their parent along for the first days, they usually came and got them, but I had no one. I remember for the first years in school when the teacher listed your name, my name was Sullivan. I assumed I was born with that name, but turned out it was the name of the current foster family, they had a daughter named Elisa, but we didn't get along and so they sent me back. I then ended up with the Lawson's they didn't have children you know, and I behaved the best I could because I really liked them, the man was a carpenter and he made me some wooden animals that I still have. Then she got pregnant and I got sent back. I was nine by then. Then I ended up at the Rhine's, they had two boys and wanted a girl. They boys didn't like me though and so it didn't work out for more than a year. Then it was the Josephson's, they weren't all bad. They had a dog I used to play with, cute little mixed bread named Joe. Only he got promoted and they had to move and the new place didn't have room for me. Then I ended up with the O'Neal's they had more foster children, I was there for one and a half years, but it didn't work and so I took my things and ran. I was thirteen years and living on the streets, not for long though, some days maybe, when I meet this older kid, and he made me change the view of things. So well I went to the social service office and she asked me what my name was and I said Emma Swan due to the story of the ugly Duckling. I got placed in the house with many other children and when I was sixteen I couldn't take it anymore and I ran again, from then on to I meet Neal I lived on the streets. We meet cause we both tried stealing the same car, the bug. Of course I didn't plan on getting pregnant or end up in jail, but I did. When I get out fate turned me into a bail bonds person, then Henry showed up and the rest you know. It wasn't as much that it was hard, it was more…I didn't know where I come from and since no one wanted me I was lonely and ended up trusting no one, but myself," Emma finished, getting up from her seat, "I am getting a beer, you want one?"

"Yes please," Regina said with a soft smile, feeling she was getting somewhere.

Emma went inside to get some beers and few bags of chips and the cookies her mother had sent with her, before coming back out. She opened the bags and lay them on the table next to the chess board and pushed one of the beers towards Regina. Regina took the opened Emma had put on the table and opened her beer only to take a sip, before moving one of her pieces on the board. She looked at Emma and said, "You and Henry's father, what happened there why did he turn you in?"

"I don't know why and I fear I never will know. I thought…that he was the love of my life, we were together around the clock and we planned to run away and start over in Tallahassee. Okay so it may not have been ideal that we were thieves but that was a minor detail, he still cared for me deeply, that much I know. I also know he set me up and it was only my bad luck I found I was pregnant in jail," out of frustration Emma let her hand go out and strike the chess pieces off the board. She stood up and took another sip of the bottle as Regina gathered the pieces and put them back in the original positions. She sighed.

"I wondered what made him do that, set me up like that after all we had been through. I considered abortion you know, but I just couldn't do that," Emma shook her head. She could hear her phone ring from inside the cabin, she ignored it, whoever it was had to wait to Monday. This was her weekend.

"I can get that, I mean you must have been young when you found out right?" Regina questioned, looking at her with tender eyes.

"Seventeen, he was born on my eighteenth birthday, bet you didn't know that, that we share birthdays," said Emma with a laugh.

"I did actually, well when I learned who you truly were, considering I know when you were born," Regina said with a heavy sigh. She had cast the curse not long after Snow have given birth.

"I need to know something," Emma turned looking her in the eye, "If dad hadn't gotten me to that magic wardrobe in time, would you have killed me?"

"To be fair the plan was to hold on to you when the curse stuck and raise you as my own, after all the others lost their memories, Snow wouldn't have known if you were you until the curse broke. She would just assumed you were the Mayor's daughter. Just like Henry in time became my son," Regina answered honestly.

"It didn't turn out that way did it?" Emma said with a hollow laugh.

"No, things seldom does, like me punishing my mother, taking a potion to not be able to have a child ever, instead became a curse on myself, as it was really the only thing I ever needed and wanted it seemed," said Regina with a heavy sigh.

"Wait that potion was caused by magic right?" Emma wondered, looking at the other woman.

"Yes, it is, one of many magical mistakes I made," Regina said, her eyes went towards the chess board, she lifted up the two Queens, "If we lived in the Enchanted forest your mother would be the white Queen and I the black."

"My mother isn't as holy as you think. What I am thinking if that potion making you barren was made of magic, shouldn't you still be fertile in a land without," Emma wondered.

"No she is not and don't you think I thought of that. Before I adopted Henry, I went to see a fertility doctor here and he said that even if some of my eggs are still okay, the chance is slim to none as well as he explained it my body is a hostile environment and would kill any sperm coming inside me," Regina laughed hoarsely.

"I am sorry," said Emma in a sympathetic tone, knowing that if Regina had been able to have children, they would most likely turn out as beautiful as her.

"Don't be, you provided me with my son, so for that I am forever thankful," she said with a soft smile, taking some chips from one of the bags.

"You are welcome and I am glad you got him, you provided him with why could not, Emma bent down pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Hmmm, your move," Regina's eyes went back to the chessboard.

"Mind if we finish up later, I need to go for a walk, clear my head a little," said Emma, smiling at her.

"Alright, just bring your phone in case you get lost," said Regina in a serious tone. Emma nodded and went inside to get, smiling at Regina before she went into the forest. Regina shook her head taking another sip of her beer.

"Mmm," Regina let out, looking at Emma through beer googles. They were making out on the couch. Regina had initiated it almost as soon as Emma got home from her hike. By then the brunette had managed to finish her beer and a few glasses of cider.

"You are a really great kisser," Emma said, panting, breaking the kiss.

"I had practice," Regina said with a smirk.

"You don't say, want to do something crazy?" Emma said, pushing some dark strands of hair behind Regina's ear.

"Sure," Regina said looking at her with curious eyes.

"Let us dance," Emma said, finding her phone, putting on some music as she got up from the couch. She held out her hand for Regina to take, which she did, letting Emma led, laughing of how silly and absurd this was.

"I love that, seeing you happy," Emma said, pressing a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Hmm," Regina rolled her dark eyes, but she didn't stop smiling at the other woman as she easily turned her around. She pulled her closer, playing a hand against the small of her back. Regina didn't think as she moved alongside Emma, she just felt ecstatic and alive for the first time in ages. She looked into Emma's blue green eyes, they were shining. The brunette smirked, knowing the blonde was clearly turned on, still she didn't plan to take it further than kissing while they were there. She let her hand go to cup one of Emma's breasts though, cupping it outside the clothes, making the blonde savior turn her head back and moan. Regina used that to her advantage and sucked on her neck for a few seconds before she twirled her around. As she turned her back, their lips again locked, Emma letting her tongue slide into Regina's mouth and mingle with her tongue. Regina slowly broke the kiss, hissing, "Bedroom."

"So thank you for taking me with on the cabin trip," it was Sunday afternoon and Emma had taken Regina back to her house. They had ended up making out a lot, but not gone any further. They even made out on Regina's front steps moments before, and Emma was sure she had never seen Regina this relaxed.

"You are welcome, how about we make it an annual thing?" Emma suggested.

"I would like that very much," Regina said, her thoughts going to the night before where they almost had gone all the way. She could feel her body aching for more.

"Alright, so I see you when I see you?" Emma's voice insecure, her eyes filled with sadness.

"No, come over tonight after Henry and the idiots have fallen asleep. We can continue where we left off last night," Regina said with a smirk.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked, hope shining from those blue eyes.

"Yes, I am very sure," Regina said with a affirmative nod.

"Until then," Emma said, placing a loving kiss against her lips, before walking towards the car, whistling, feeling her emotions crashing inside her.

She heard the door to the mayor's residence close behind her, knowing that Regina had to change before going back to work. She had gotten some calls over the weekend and some things had been delayed. Emma smiled knowing she would delay her even further the same night and perhaps even the next morning. She decided to stop by Granny's before going home, kissing for almost three days did something with your appetite.

At the Mayor's residence, Regina turned on her laptop, when it came a text from Emma with a picture of the two of them in bed from the weekend, with the text, "Miss you already, hot stuff."

Regina took a selfie sending it back saying, "Miss you too, dear."

A smile graced her lips, she wasn't sure if it was love just yet or only desire, but she knew she would take the time to find out, as she made the picture of the two of them her screensaver. She would have no regrets going to the cabin with Emma, even if her lips were a little tender at the moment.

Feedback always welcome and very much appreciated :o)