Finding Home

Untitled Part 5

With Emma asleep on her chest for some time, the brunette's ability to plot and scheme was almost thwarted. Almost, but not as she lies there with the weight of her beloved Princess to hold her down. The steady rhythm of her breathing indicating that Emma was most certainly asleep. The reality of the situation was far from lost on the Queen.

The actions of herself and Snow White combined had lead Emma right into enemy hands. How severely the chain of abuse went, Regina could only ponder. Anger swelled in her breast. Every party got a slice of it, she took double.

Musingly dreaming up ways to make their meaningless lives miserable. Her reach extended beyond the boundaries of Storybrooke. She would have to dig up the old files from Emma's first arrival in Storybrooke, but that was hardly a barrier. She knew exactly...

"Stop," Emma mumbled.

Soothingly running nails down the blonde's back, Regina wanted to coax her back to sleep. "Stop what?"

"Whatever you're beating yourself up over."

"It's not yet time to wake."

"I felt your growl."

"It's..."

"Don't lie to me." Silence swallowed Regina's unspoken word. Kisses followed.

"How?" Came the shattered words of the brunette.

"I've spent my entire life counting flaws. So many, that it didn't seem possible that I had anything to offer anyone. My own parents didn't want me."

"Emma, that's not..." A pale finger interrupted her words, as did the soft kiss that followed.

"All I could envision was how it was possible for anyone to love me. I mean, why?"

A broken sound emitted from the Queen. Nevertheless, she rolled them over summoning every bit of inner strength. "Ask me,"

Her lips traveled over Emma's lightly. Softly.

"Why what?"

"Why I love you."

"Why do you love me?" Emma challenged haughtily.

"You ignite a fire in me."

"And we know how you like to play with fire."

"When you opened that door at Granny's, I wanted to rip those red panties right off you."

Nestling into Regina's neck, taking her in. "Yet all you gave me were a basketful of threats."

"It wasn't the first time," Regina trailed her lips over Emma's face.

It was Emma grinning. "Shorter hair, shorter temper."

"That must have been it."

Moving dark locks out of her girlfriend's face, Emma's grin was quietly infectious. "Good can come from broken."

"You read that," Regina accused.

Emma snickered, pulling Regina so her full weight rested on her. "Some actress, but it fits us, right?"

"Right,"

Within their next kisses, Emma's weariness shines through. Sliding into the blonde's arms, Regina rests her head on her chest allowing her anger to sooth her to sleep. For a while yet, Emma remains awake. Needing to feel the steadiness of Regina's breathing and pepper her with sleepy affection. To revel in the distance come and the hurdles overcome.

The weight of her years catching up to her, as Regina slept. Unable to imagine how the woman held it together through the trials and tribulations of life and heartache, Emma felt her magic bubbling to the surface. Lovingly applying a low dose to her beloved as she stroked the bare arm next to her. Kissing her forehead and finally feeling sleep return for her.