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The hotel room was messy, clothes strewn all across the bed and floor, and travel brochures covering the office table. A laptop sat open on the desk, connected to bluetooth headphones which were currently blasting music into the ears of Emma Swan, travel videographer.
This is the life I've been dreaming about, She thought, as she flopped onto her back on the bed, ignoring the mess of clothes on it.
A knock on the door got her to stand up from the bed and open it, smiling broadly at the pizza box and tipping the delivery boy extra as she shut the door behind with her foot.
She hummed along to the music and set the box down on an empty spot on the table, grabbing her laptop and logging in to her email. Almost immediately her eyes fell on the topmost message.
One new message from: Mary Margaret
A wave of emotion hit her like a tidal wave, and suddenly her mood and appetite had vanished, leaving a quiet sense of dread within her.
I won't click it.
But I have to, she was once my closest friend.
She hesitantly clicked the message, and was met with a video attachment staring back at her, the grainy thumbnail image of Mary Margaret and what looked like David Nolan staring back at her.
She clicked the video.
Mary Margaret sat in front of the camera, smiling widely and a sort of giddiness in her demeanor.
"Hey Emma! I tried calling you the other day but I think you changed your number? Well, that kinda ruined my plan to surprise you, but no biggie, I'm always prepared with a plan B!"
She stood up and spun around excitedly. Her former pixie cut had grown out into a much longer mid-back length that cascaded in loose waves, and her style had gone from one akin to a meek elementary school teacher to a more mature, yet soft look that really suited her now. Emma couldn't help but smile fondly at the screen as she watched the woman move around excitedly.
"Alright, alright, I've always been terrible at keeping secrets, so I'll just spill it. David proposed!"
She jumped up and down and squealed excitedly, bringing the back of her hand to the camera to show off the delicate diamond ring on her finger.
She then calmed herself down, and sat in front of the camera again.
"Anyways, I'm sending you this video and updating you about my life because I want you to come to my wedding! I haven't seen you in forever and I miss you so much! Storybrooke isn't the same without you. And before you roll your eyes and make some joke about Storybrooke staying the same even if 30 years go by, I get it, but you know what I mean."
She smiled widely.
"I can't believe it, I'm getting married!"
Then, a voice from behind the camera spoke up, and David appeared in the frame.
"Well you'd better believe it, because the wedding's in a month."
David pressed a kiss to her forehead, and Emma groaned slightly, though her smile never changed. Mary Margaret flushed and pushed him away.
"David! I'm recording a video for Emma, behave. I need her to get her behind in Storybrooke so that she'll be at the wedding. Oh, Emma, you have to be in my wedding party, I'm not asking. David, tell her to get over here!"
She pointed at the camera, and David laughed, before waving at the camera.
"Heya Swan! It's been a hot minute since I heard your name. You'd better be coming to our wedding, I'll hunt you down if you miss it."
David hadn't changed much, appearance-wise, though his face had a bit of stubble, and he wore the Storybrooke Sheriff badge on his shirt proudly. Emma couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia at seeing the two of them after all of these years of barely any contact.
It had been three years since they'd last spoken on the phone, and even longer since they'd seen each other in person.
Of course, they kept up with each other through social media likes and reposts, but it wasn't the same. It would never be the same.
Emma paused the video and stared at Mary Margaret and David's frozen faces.
Three years? Has it really been that long?
Her heart ached as she thought about Storybrooke, the town where she'd spent most of her childhood longing to leave.
She thought about Mary Margaret, David, Ruby, Granny, Regina—
Regina.
The name seemed to hit her harder than a semi-truck.
She'd spent almost 8 years trying to escape that name, and the memories she carried with it.
I'm happy for you, Emma, really, I am.
Dark hair the color of burnt mahogany, brown eyes warmed as if lit from somewhere within, and a voice that haunted her dreams at night.
Emma's chest tightened and she grabbed a slice of pizza just to get her mind away from these thoughts, these thoughts which she'd thought she'd successfully evaded.
She stared at the video, still paused and showing Mary Margaret and David's smiling faces.
Is it worth it?
She bit into the pizza and played the video.
"The wedding’s gonna be huge, Ems, Mary Margaret's kinda going all out."
Mary Margaret cut in.
"The wedding day is December 12th! You better be there! We attached the digital invite below because I actually have no idea what address to send the invite to. By the way, your travel videos are so fun, I keep up with them every time you post! Agh, you have to tell me all about the wonderful places you've been when you get here! I can't wait!"
She cleared her throat.
"Anyways, the video's getting long, so I'll cut it off for now, but reply fast! I really hope you'll come! Okay, I'll let you go now, bye!"
The video cut off, leaving Emma to stare at a dark screen which reflected her own face back at her.
She wanted to go to the wedding. Of course she did. Mary Margaret had been like a sister to her throughout her childhood, and she wouldn't mind meeting her actual adopted sister (Ruby) after so long either.
But she didn't think she could handle being back at Storybrooke either.
She scrolled down on the email to see the invite, clearly displaying the date, time, and venue of the occasion. Emma pressed the reply button.
Congrats! Packing my bags already!
No. She deleted the message.
Can't wait!
Too short. She deleted it again.
I'll be there a week before the wedding, congrats!
There. It was perfect timing, really, because her travel show was ending just a week before the wedding, and she had about three weeks of break.
She'd already gotten a few offers for her next gig as well, and she was particularly excited about one of them, as it would mean she was the host of a program rather than just a videographer.
She could visit Storybrooke for a week or two, maximum, and then figure out the rest of the details later.
She pressed send, and then shut off her laptop, holding the (now cold) piece of pizza with barely any appetite left in her.
She stared at the sad slice and sighed, setting it back into the box.
"Fuck it."
In two weeks, she'd be going back to Storybrooke. Back to her childhood, and right back where she'd started all those years ago.
Emma sighed.
"I'm an idiot."
Then she stood up, setting the pizza down and shoving the clothes off of her bed.
Finally, something we can agree on.
An achingly familiar voice spoke in her head, a distant memory resurfacing that made her physically clutch her chest.
I'm not ready. I can't do this.
No. It's only for a week, Swan. Get yourself together.
She turned off the lights in her room and got into her bed, memories of dark hair and unspoken confessions haunting her dreams that night.
Storybrooke hadn't changed in the 8 years that Emma had been gone.
The old clock tower still stood proudly over the library and the diner still had its faded red awning. The buildings were the same, the streets were the same, even the trees lining the edge of the town line were the same.
She hated that.
She hated how the town stayed the same no matter what she did, and she hated that despite all of that, she missed it.
The late morning sun shined, a subtle contrast to how she was currently feeling as the taxi driver dropped her off outside of Granny's diner. She hesitated, before getting out of the car.
Here goes nothing.
She opened the door, and immediately locked her eyes on Granny Lucas, the woman who had practically raised her during her childhood, manning the counter. She looked up, and gasped, her mouth twitching into a small smile.
"Well, if it isn't Emma Swan, I knew I could recognize that leather jacket anywhere. Where have you been? It's been so long since I've spoken to you."
Granny walked out from around the counter and stepped up to Emma, pressing her hand to Emma's cheek and smiling softly. Emma smiled back awkwardly, feeling guilty she hadn't bothered to call Granny more while she was gone.
"Hey Granny.. I've just been around I guess. I'm sorry for not calling as much as I used to, I've been busy."
Before Granny could answer, she was interrupted by a loud squeal.
"SWAN! YOU'RE HERE!"
Ruby bellowed, rushing up to Emma and tackling her in a bear hug. Emma choked for air, but hugged Ruby back just as fiercely.
"Ruby! Oh my god, you're choking me!"
Ruby let go and immediately punched her arm.
"You asshole! You barely ever text anymore, and god forbid you call a girl once in a while! Did you suddenly forget about us after your fancy new tv show? By the way, it's awesome, I can't believe you get to see all these cool places."
She continued rambling and Emma just chuckled.
"I'm sorry Rubes, life's been crazy. I'm back here for the wedding though, so we can catch up this entire week."
Ruby grinned.
"Sounds great."
She then pulled Emma back into a hug, this one considerably looser than the previous one, yet it still maintained a good grip for about a minute.
"I can't believe you're really here." She whispered softly, and Emma let out a small huff of a breath.
"Well I am, and if you spend the entire time being sappy I'll leave early. We're here for a wedding! Let's celebrate, c'mon."
"You're not leaving early, I will literally lock you in my room to prevent you from leaving."
Ruby dragged Emma to a booth in the diner and shoved her into one of the seats, then moving to sit across from her.
"Tell me everything. Where did you come from?"
Emma shrugged casually.
"I just came back from Paris."
Ruby's eyes widened.
"PARIS? Like, the one in France?!"
Emma snorted and grinned.
"Yes, that Paris. It's beautiful there, but I prefer Switzerland more."
Ruby nearly fell out of her chair.
"SWITZERLAND? Man, you really are living your best life out there. No wonder you have barely any time to call. Got any pictures?"
Emma pulled out her phone, and they talked about the places she'd been and the people she'd met. Ruby seemed fascinated by her life, and kept asking questions and commenting on stories Emma told her.
Granny even brought them hot chocolates, which were sweet and tinged with cinnamon, just like Emma always drank it.
It was nice to catch up after so long, and she found herself filling with warmth the longer she spoke to Ruby. Eventually the conversation died down, and Emma traced the rim of her (now empty) mug.
"So. What about you? How's Storybrooke going?"
Ruby sighed.
"Well, not as interesting as your life. Granny's retiring this year, so I'll be taking over the diner fully. We're thinking about renovating the place to celebrate, but I'm not too sure about that yet.."
Emma nodded.
"That's great, Ruby. I'm really proud of you, I'm sure you'll do great running the diner."
Ruby smiled softly.
"Yeah, I really hope so."
Emma stared into her mug, and then looked away.
"So… how about.. the others?"
She hoped her hint would go through to Ruby, and it seemed to work, as she got a knowing look in her eyes.
"Well, MM is still teaching elementary school, but now she's a fourth grade teacher rather than a kindergarten teacher. David's still Sheriff…"
She trailed off, and Emma had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from groaning at Ruby's teasing.
"How about.. the others?"
She asked, as casually as she could.
Ruby pretended to think, tapping her chin.
"Well, I don't really know. Are you asking about anybody specific?"
That little shit.
"You know who I'm asking about. Stop being an ass."
Ruby grinned wolfishly.
"I'm just teasing Swan. Regina's doing fine, she's been elected mayor for her first term, and she's still super close with Mary Margaret."
Emma's heart thudded as she listened to Ruby fill her in on everything, and she didn't know whether to be relieved or dejected by what she was hearing.
She's moved on, Swan. But you've moved on too.
"I heard she was dating someone for a while, but it was really short, probably only a few months before she broke it off two years ago. That's really all that's been going on with her."
Ruby finished, and Emma just nodded.
"I see.."
Ruby patted Emma's hand on the table.
"She's Mary Margaret's maid of honor at the wedding. You'll definitely see her then. You should talk to her, Ems."
Emma sighed.
"Maybe. But it's been 8 years, I don't know what I'd say."
"Exactly. It's been 8 years, maybe it's time for a fresh start."
Ruby stood up.
"Cmon, I'll get you a room for the week."
Emma stood up and followed her, thankful for the change in topic. Somehow she wasn't sure if she was ready to face her past just yet, but she also knew it would be now or never.
When she walked into her room, and Ruby left her alone to freshen up, she kicked off her boots and flopped onto the bed face down and sighed, the weariness from traveling finally hitting her.
Sleep came for her almost immediately.
Emma woke up in the evening, the jet lag hitting her hard as she sat up on her bed and rubbed her eyes.
Sleeping in the clothes I travelled in was not a good idea.
She sighed and ran a hand through her greasy hair.
I need a shower, and coffee.
She stood up, and went into the bathroom, taking a long shower in the steamy water, and coming out feeling much more relaxed,
Shutting the door of her room behind her, she went down the stairs to the diner, and found Granny at the counter once more, the shop mildly active with 4 or 5 families sitting at the booths.
She went up to the counter and leaned forward.
"Hey Granny, can I have a coffee and.. 2 bear claws?"
Granny let out a huff.
"You clearly haven't grown out of your teenage eating habits."
She said, ringing up the order. Emma dug around in her wallet for a couple wads of dollar bills she still had.
"Can I pay you the rest tomorrow? I haven't gone to the ATM to get my US dollars yet…"
She smiled apologetically, but Granny just waved her off.
"On the house for today. You better start paying tomorrow though."
Emma grinned.
"Of course I will, you know it. Thanks so much Granny!"
She turned on her heel to find a seat to sit at, and immediately crashed into someone behind her.
"Shit, are you alri—…"
Emma trailed off as she saw who exactly she had bumped into.
"Regina..?"
Regina Mills stood in front of her, rubbing her forehead and staring back in shock.
She looked older, more mature… nothing like she was on that fateful Canada trip.
"Emma.."
She seemed breathless, and a soft smile formed on her face.
"Must our meetings always have to begin with us colliding in some way?" She teased, and Emma couldn't help but flush slightly and rub the back of her neck.
"I.. didn't see you behind me."
Regina huffed out a laugh.
"That's what you said the first time too."
"Did I? I don't remember that."
"You did. You also called me Elsa, then Peri. At least you remembered my name this time."
Regina smirked, and Emma gave her a grin back.
"Can't forget you so easily, can I Reggie?"
Regina rolled her eyes.
"I thought we agreed you would not call me that."
Emma shrugged.
"You told me not to, I never agreed."
Regina chuckled, a warm sound that hit Emma right at her core.
"You haven't changed at all, clearly."
Emma's grin softened to a smile, looking away as she spoke.
"I suppose not. I'm still an idiotic kid in her second year of college at heart."
She looked up and met Regina's eyes.
"You, on the other hand, have changed pretty dramatically, haven't you, Madam Mayor."
Regina ducked her head to hide her modest smile.
"Ah, well, I suppose so. Did Mary Margaret tell you?"
Emma shook her head.
"Ruby. She kinda assaulted me as soon as I came in and demanded to know everything about my life."
"Well, to be fair, it is quite interesting."
Regina smirked.
"I watched some of your videos. You seem to be living quite the life. Sweden, Norway, Switzerland.."
Regina stopped, getting an odd look in her eyes, before it quickly disappeared and she smiled again.
"It must be exciting."
Emma nodded, a weird feeling in her chest as she spoke.
"Yeah.. it's.. it's great."
The two stood in awkward silence before Regina cleared her throat.
"Well, I'd love to catch up but I.. have some work left to do.."
She smiled apologetically.
"We'll catch up some other time?"
Emma nodded, feeling oddly incomplete.
"Yeah.. sounds good."
Regina nodded and then left, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.
Eight years prior…
Emma stuffed a piece of bread in her mouth, chewing desperately and swallowing.
"SWAN! Get your ass moving, we're going to be late and I'll blame you for the rest of my life if you make me miss this flight I swear to god."
Emma swallowed and grinned, picking up her bag.
"Chillax Ruby, we'll get there in time, by the power of Emma Swan."
Emma waved to Granny as she slid in the driver seat of the car. Ruby sat in the passenger seat and they drove to PDX in record time.
"You're lucky you're a reckless driver, Swan. I can't miss this Canada trip, I've been helping MM plan for weeks and I didn't sit through her endless indecisions about what to do on what day for nothing."
She then squealed and shook Emma by the shoulders.
"Can you believe it! We're going on our first friends trip! Internationally! This is going to be great, I can't believe we're doing this."
Emma laughed, pushing Ruby's hands off of her.
"Well, I'd personally like to have gone much sooner, instead of waiting till finishing our second year of college."
Ruby rolled her eyes and bumped Emma's shoulder playfully.
"Be grateful that Granny even let us go. We have to do dish duty and bathroom duty for two months for this."
Emma laughed, and she heard the familiar voices of David and Mary Margaret coming behind them, so she turned..
And immediately collided head on with something— no someone.
Stumbling back, she clutched her head.
"Oh my God I am so sorry, I had no idea you were—"
She stopped in her tracks when the other person looked up.
"Hey wait, I know you! You're… Elsa? From that one party in that cabin!"
The other girl raised an eyebrow and shook her head slowly, opening her mouth to speak, but Emma cut in again.
"No? Wait let me guess.."
Emma stared at the other girl for a full minute, before snapping her fingers in realization.
"You're Tink's sister, Peri, aren't you?"
She looked at the girl expectantly, and the other girl seemed less than pleased at Emma.
"Regina Mills. From Storybrooke High. We were in the same homeroom, biology, and calculus in senior year."
Emma blinked, the memory coming back to her.
"Oh my God, you're right! You're the smart girl who sat in front of me!"
Emma smiled widely and gave Regina a side hug, which she seemed startled by.
"How have you been? Long time, huh? Where are you headed?"
Regina looked at Emma as if she'd grown two heads.
"Canada."
Emma's eyes widened.
"You're kidding, so am I!"
Regina huffed out a small sound of amusement, just as Mary Margaret turned from her conversation with David to join them.
"Emma! I see you already met Regina? She's my dad's best friend's daughter, and she's joining us for our trip!"
Emma blinked in surprise, as Regina turned to pick up her phone, which she had dropped in the collision between her and Emma.
"You're coming with us? Since when?"
Mary Margaret shook her head.
"Honestly, do you ever read the group chat? I invited her to join us a week ago!"
"I have no recollection of that."
She shrugged carelessly.
"Whatever. Welcome to the gang, Reggie! We're gonna have so much fun."
Regina winced at the nickname.
"Don't call me that."
Emma turned and walked away, but not before responding.
"No promises!"
She heard Regina huff behind her and almost laughed out loud right then at just how easy it was to tease this girl.
"Damn Swan, that was rough."
Ruby's voice behind her brought Emma out of her thoughts.
"I knew you liked her back then, but I didn't think you were this down bad."
She teased, standing next to Emma and leaning her hand on the other woman's shoulder.
Emma shrugged Ruby's hand off and shot her a look.
"I'm not down bad. I was just caught off guard by her."
Ruby snickered.
"I've got three letters to respond to that: G-A-Y."
Emma scoffed and gave Ruby a smack on the shoulder.
"Shut it. I'm over her, I'm just overwhelmed from the travel."
Ruby shrugged and turned to leave.
"Whatever you say, Swan. Nothing you say can justify your yearning lesbian eyes when you saw her."
Emma scoffed and went back to her room, where she spent the next few hours on her phone, doom scrolling to keep her mind off of the conversation with Regina until she looked at the time and realized it was 11:00 pm.
I should probably sleep..
But she could barely close her eyes before her mind started replaying her conversation with Regina, and how quickly the comfortable conversation between them had gone awkward.
She sighed and stared at the dark ceiling in frustration.
This is going to be a hell of a long week.
The five of them compared their flight tickets, as the announcer overhead told them that they would begin announcing groups to board the plane in five minutes.
"I'm sitting in seat 15B with David in 15C." Mary Margaret announced.
Ruby squinted at her own boarding pass. "I'm in 16A. Hell yeah, I got the window seat!"
Regina spoke up from next to Emma. "I'm 17C."
Emma looked at her boarding pass, and announced her own seat.
"Guess we're sitting together, huh Reggie? I'm 17B"
Regina glared at Emma. "I thought I told you I didn't want to be referred to by that inane nickname."
Emma shrugged.
"I think it suits you."
Regina groaned.
"I can't believe I have to deal with you for the entire flight."
Emma bumped Regina's shoulder with her own.
"Yep, two hours and thirty minutes, all with yours truly."
She said in a singsongy voice, relishing the eye roll she received in return.
"Lucky me." Regina retorted dryly, as the announcer called their group to board the plane.
The group boarded the plane, and as they each shuffled into their seats one by one, Emma noticed Regina struggling to pick up her bag.
"Swan, can you help me with my bag?"
Regina said, grunting in her effort to pick up the bag.
"That's not my name," Emma said cheekily, watching with great amusement as Regina struggled to pick up the suitcase again.
Regina huffed, a strand of hair falling in her face as she tried (and failed) to pick up her bag one last time.
"Fine. Em-ma. Can you help me?"
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it, Reggie?" Emma picked up the suitcase, and it was heavy, but she kept her face neutral while she pretended to put the suitcase into the overhead bin with ease.
"What the hell did you pack in there, boulders?'
Regina sniffed, turning her nose up.
"You can't be too prepared for traveling. I like to be ready for any situation."
Emma let out a soft laugh as she sat in her seat.
"Well you'd better start lifting weights or something, because it's going to get real hard to travel if you pack this much for a short trip."
Regina sat primly in her seat and turned her face away from Emma's.
"It's not like I'm planning on traveling much in the future either way, so I think I'm covered."
Emma scoffed.
"What? You're not even going to try and see new places? Traveling is awesome, I can't wait to get out of Storybrooke the second I get the chance."
Regina looked at Emma like she was crazy.
"I could never leave Storybrooke permanently. I love it too much."
"Well I can, and I will. I want to see the world and live on my own terms. I'm not spending the rest of my life in a small town literally nobody's heard of in Maine."
Regina's gaze moved away, and she spoke softly.
"I suppose the saying 'to each their own' really applies in this situation then."
Regina smoothed down the front of her shirt, as the last of the passengers sat down in their seats and buckled up. Emma snapped her seatbelt in place and leaned on the seat casually.
Then the plane started moving, and Emma swore her heart dropped into her stomach. The loud rumbling sound of the engines filled Emma's ears and made her stomach churn with fear. She felt Regina look at her curiously from her seat.
"Emma? Are you okay?"
Emma swallowed thickly, nodding slowly, but she felt frozen in her seat. She couldn't speak, the movement of the plane making her blood run cold. Regina stared at her in confusion for a moment, before she realized what was going on.
"Have you never flown on a plane before?"
Emma shook her head, and Regina blinked at the new realization.
When the plane accelerated on the runway, Emma's panic grew, her chest tightening in fear as she gripped the armrests for dear life and squeezed her eyes shut.
She had never been a religious person, but at that moment she started praying for her life.
Suddenly, she felt her fingers being pried off of the armrests and covered by two hands softly. Her eyes snapped open and she looked down to see her hand being covered by both of Regina's.
"Deep breaths, Emma. You'll feel better when the plane's in the air."
Regina traced her thumb over the back of Emma's hand, her knuckles, and the space between her fingers, and the soothing pattern gave the panicked mind of Emma Swan something to focus on as she went back to squeezing her eyes shut.
The plane lifted off into the air, and after a few minutes of stomach churning sensations, Emma's panic died down, and she slowly opened her eyes. Regina was still holding her hand, still tracing the soft patterns, and she was looking at Emma with such genuine concern that Emma's heart started to thud loudly in her chest because of it.
Oh my god, she's still holding my hand. It's so warm. Oh my god—
"Are you feeling better now?"
Regina whispered softly, her large brown eyes staring directly into Emma's.
"Y-yeah. I'm.. fine."
She immediately regretted the words, because Regina slowly removed her hands from Emma's after she said it.
"That's good.."
A moment of silence passed between them, then Regina spoke up again.
"So. How are you going to travel the world if you're this terrified of flying?"
She teased, and Emma huffed.
"I'll get over it. This is only because it's my first time flying."
She looked at Regina curiously.
"Have you flown before or something?"
Regina shrugged.
"Yeah… My father's family lives in Puerto Rico. I used to visit them every other summer."
Emma's eyes widened.
"So you're like, super experienced with flying."
Regina nodded, a small chuckle escaping her.
"You seem shocked."
"That's because I am. You told me that you could never leave Storybrooke,and now you're telling me that you visited Puerto Rico every other summer."
That made Regina smirk as she settled into her seat more comfortably while still facing Emma.
"I never said I wouldn't leave Storybrooke, I just said I couldn't leave it permanently. It's just unfathomable to me. Vacations are an entirely different story."
"I see."
The conversation slowly progressed from there, the two girls talking about the most random things in their life as the plane continued its journey through the air.
The next morning, Emma woke up to a knock on the door.
She hadn't slept well at all, her jet lag stopping her from sleeping for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
She groaned as she got up from her bed and swung the door open to reveal Ruby, already dressed and ready for the day.
"Up and at em, Swan! MM called me and insisted I bring you over to her house as soon as you wake up. Go take a shower."
Emma blinked, rubbing her eyes.
"I'm sorry what? Why does she need me at her house?"
Ruby gave her a look.
"I don't know, probably because of the wedding that's literally in a week."
Emma rolled her eyes.
"Fine, I'll be down in ten minutes."
"You better be."
Emma shut the door of her room and went to go get ready, taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth. She pulled on her favorite thick flannel and comfy jeans. Her leather jacket was draped on the chair in her room, and she grabbed it and a beanie without hesitation.
She hurried downstairs, where Ruby waited with the keys to her car dangling from her finger.
"You ready? Let's go. MM says she's got breakfast for us there."
Emma's stomach rumbled at that exact moment and she winced.
"Breakfast is great, yeah. Let's go."
Ruby grinned and led Emma to her car. They drove to Mary Margaret's house and stopped directly in front of it, walking up the front steps and knocking on her door.
Mary Margaret herself opened the door and practically launched herself at Emma, grabbing her and pulling her into a hug.
"EMMA! Oh my god, I've missed you so much! I was so excited when you said you would be coming a week before the wedding!"
She let out a small squeal and dragged her inside.
"Come in! We've got so much to do."
Emma went into the foyer leading to the living room, the house feeling familiar to her even after all these years of being away. Her eyes traced over the walls, where Mary Margaret had her childhood pictures hung up, along with a few high school and college pictures strewn in here and there.
Eight years have passed and this house still feels like home.
Emma turned the corner and was met with the sight of papers strewn everywhere across the living room, and a laptop on the coffee table with the charger stretched across to a plug point.
Wow. And I thought I was messy.
Mary Margaret blushed.
"Sorry about the mess, I've just been so wrapped up in the wedding planning that it's kind of overtaken.. my house."
She started hastily picking up papers from off the couch, but Emma laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, it's fine. I'll sit on the floor. It's more comfy anyway."
Before Mary Margaret could protest, Emma sat down on the floor.
"See, I'm fine. Now, what's there to be done? What can I help with?"
Mary Margaret dumped a box into Emma's lap.
"Wedding favors. I need you to get at least 150 packed and ready. Maybe even 10 or 15 more just in case would be fine too. I need to be completely prepared for this wedding or I will lose my mind."
Emma blinked, then let out a huff of a laugh and smiled. Some things never did change after all, Mary Margaret is still a chronic over-planner.
"Alright, I'm on it."
Mary Margaret thanked her repeatedly.
"You have no idea how much this means to me, Emma. Here, I'll get you breakfast and coffee while you start. And you," she said, turning to Ruby, "I need you to pick up the wedding dress from the tailor, I was getting it altered and she just texted me that it was ready for pickup."
Ruby saluted her.
"You got it, I'll go right now."
Ruby winked at Emma.
"Don't miss me too much hun."
Emma rolled her eyes.
"I'll be counting the seconds till you're back."
She said dryly, and began taking out the contents of the box.
There was something comforting about sitting in a familiar house and bantering with the people she once viewed as her closest friends. It almost didn't feel like she was visiting a distant chapter of her life.
Almost.
Then the front door opened and fate decided to mess with her feelings once more, as a familiar voice called through the house.
"Mary Margaret! I brought the rest of the decorations, and I double checked the cake order, everything is going according to plan."
Regina walked into the living room, and froze upon seeing Emma sitting on the floor.
"Oh.. Good morning, Swan."
Emma shook off her thoughts and flashed Regina a charming grin.
"Hey Reggie, you here to help out?"
Regina nodded.
"I have the day off of work, so I thought I'd come around to help out…"
She paused, hesitating, before continuing.
"Do you know where Mary Margaret is?"
Emma pointed to the kitchen, and Regina nodded.
"Thank you.."
She rushed to the kitchen, and Emma tried to busy herself with the wedding favors, packing each one carefully. She could hear Regina and Mary Margaret's footsteps coming out of the kitchen.
"Thank you so much for coming, Regina, this means so much to me.."
"Don't mention it dear, what would you like me to do?"
Mary Margaret set down a plate of food in front of Emma.
"Well, you could help Emma here with the favors while I get the seating chart out of the way. I've made seating charts for 25 fourth graders, this will be easy enough for 150 guests."
Regina nodded. "Okay, I'll do that."
She sat down on the floor a few feet away from Emma, and Mary Margaret sat down at the couch with a cup of steaming coffee.
She's sitting right next to me, oh my god. Don't look at her, just keep packing Swan.
The three of them worked in near-complete silence, save for the sounds of Mary Margaret's typing on the keyboard and the sounds of Emma and Regina packing the favors neatly into separate little bags. The work was monotonous and it was easy to fall into a rhythm of sorts, which was exactly what Emma did as she worked.
The cabin had finally gone quiet.
After spending the entire day sightseeing, shopping, arguing over where to eat, and taking multiple photo ops, Emma was exhausted and ready to crash on her bed.
Except, when she laid down, she couldn't sleep.
No matter how she tossed and turned, she was completely wide awake. After an hour of lying in different positions in an attempt to find the most optimal one to sleep in, she gave up, slipping out of bed and pulling a hoodie on.
Closing her door behind her quietly, Emma padded out of her room and to the porch behind the cabin which had the most beautiful view of a lake behind them, but was shocked to see Regina already standing there, leaning on the railing with her back to the glass door.
Emma cautiously stepped out.
"Can't sleep either, huh?"
Regina jumped, and turned around.
"Oh, it's only you. Yeah, something was keeping me up, though I have no idea what it could be."
Emma took her spot next to Regina on the railing, keeping just a foot of distance between them.
"Same here."
The fresh air of the night blew past in a gentle breeze, filling the comfortable silence between them with the sound of rustling leaves and the lapping water of the lake beneath them.
"The trip really went by fast, huh? Only one more day.."
Emma commented, staring out into the distance.
"Yeah.. It was wonderful though… I'd never known that going on a trip like this would be so enjoyable."
Emma turned to look at Regina, who didn't notice Emma's gaze.
"What're your plans for after this?"
Emma asked, her eyes trained on Regina, who shrugged.
"Finish college. Get a job."
Emma scoffed playfully.
"That's boring."
Regina turned to Emma, raising an eyebrow.
"It's not boring. It's practical. I'm going to try and run for Mayor of Storybrooke a few years after I graduate and I've got most of my future planned out for me."
Emma smirked.
"Wow, you're right, it's not boring, it's really boring."
She turned and leaned her back on the railing.
"Don't you want adventure? Excitement?"
Regina shrugged, turning to look at the starry sky above them.
"I don't know. Maybe when I've got my life together."
She stayed quiet for a bit, and Emma let the silence linger, watching the other woman carefully. The light breeze blew Regina's hair softly, and the moonlight cast a subtle glow on her face, making her look softer, and more open than she usually was.
"What about you, Emma? What are your plans after this..?" Regina asked.
Emma sighed, her chest suddenly feeling heavy.
"Well.. I haven't exactly told anyone yet.. But I got accepted into Northwestern University.. I got the email yesterday."
Regina turned to Emma, eyes wide in surprise. She didn't speak for a moment, before she cleared her throat.
"Northwestern University… in Chicago?"
Emma nodded, suddenly feeling uneasy and looking down at her feet.
"Yeah.. I got a full ride scholarship at their school of journalism. I'm transferring there."
Regina's face shifted into an unreadable emotion, before she carefully smiled, a motion which seemed like it pained her to do.
"Emma.. That's wonderful. I'm happy for you, really, I am."
Regina stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Emma in a light hug. Emma hesitated before reciprocating, the scent of the apple shampoo Regina used filling her nostrils and leaving her with an aching feeling in her chest.
"Do you, David Nolan, take Mary Margaret Blanchard to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
David smiled, his eyes welling up.
"I do."
"And do you, Mary Margaret Blanchard, take David Nolan as your lawfully wedded husband?"
Mary Margaret was already on the verge of completely sobbing in happiness, barely getting out the words "I do," before she started crying.
"Then by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Everybody at the wedding cheered as David and Mary Margaret shared a long kiss at the altar, the entire room being filled with joy and love at the scene before them.
Emma hooted and cheered for the married couple with Ruby, but her eyes traitorously drifted to Regina for a split second, and she caught Regina dabbing at her eyes primly, a fond smile on her face as she watched David and Mary Margaret smile at each other bashfully after their kiss.
It made Emma's heart ache, and she quickly looked away.
What is wrong with you? This is not the time to be ogling the maid of honor at your friend's wedding. Get a grip, Swan.
Emma shook her head and plastered a smile on her face, following the rest of the wedding party to the reception.
As the newlywed couple posed for their formal portraits, Emma felt a sudden urge to escape, to go outside and take a breather.
So she quietly slipped away, escaping through the back door which she had thankfully noticed when she was helping set up the venue the night before.
The night air was cold, the December chill settling into her bones through her thin bridesmaid dress. She shivered, but enjoyed the quiet calm of the night when compared to the suffocating chaos of the wedding reception going on inside.
Emma hugged herself tighter, and tried to stop the clattering of her teeth against the cold.
Probably shouldn't have forgotten to bring my jacket.
She sighed, and lifted her dress slightly, walking a bit farther from the venue and finding a bench facing a small pond next to the venue.
Emma sat down and exhaled, watching her breath form a white cloud around her mouth. The cold metal of the bench dug into her skin, but she ignored it, staring at the still pond in front of her.
What is going on with you? You're being stupid. Stop getting so worked up.
Emma shivered again, her hands coming around herself to keep her body heat, but suddenly she felt a warm fabric around her shoulders, and she flinched.
A familiar voice spoke with a teasing lilt, walking from behind the bench into her view.
"If you were going to go outside, you could at least wear a jacket."
Regina wore her usual dark peacoat over her maid of honor dress, and Emma looked down at herself to see her own leather jacket wrapped around her shoulders.
She let out a small huff, a mix of laughter and annoyance in the gesture.
"I.. wasn't thinking about the cold, I just wanted a few minutes to myself."
Regina's eyes softened, and her arms came in front of her midsection, a nervous tic Emma hated herself for remembering.
"I see. Well, then I'll leave you to it."
Regina turned to leave, walking back the way she had come, but something inside Emma couldn't bear it, so she leaned forward and caught her hand.
"Wait.. Stay."
Regina froze. Emma could feel the way her hands vaguely tensed under Emma's grip, so she loosened it, giving Regina the chance to walk away in case she wasn't interested in staying.
Instead, Regina walked back to Emma, and sat down next to her on the bench.
Neither of them spoke, simply staring out into the pond.
Emma tugged the edges of her jacket around herself.
"Thanks.. for bringing my jacket."
She murmured, not daring to look at the other woman.
"You were freezing."
Regina responded simply, her hands resting primly in her lap as she also avoided looking at Emma.
"I.. didn't think anybody would come after me."
Emma admitted, looking down at her hands.
"I saw you leaving, and you looked like you needed someone."
Regina admitted softly, her fingers fiddling with her coat. The admission made Emma's throat tighten, and she swallowed thickly.
"You always did that."
"Did what?"
Emma finally looked at Regina.
"Notice when something was wrong with me."
Regina glanced at her, but looked away.
"Well.. someone had to.."
Emma let out a small laugh, but there was no real humor behind it. Regina continued staring at the pond, but her hands came out of her lap and on either side of her legs instead.
Silence fell between them once more.
The announcements echoed overhead, indistinct mumbles that didn't exactly register in Emma's head.
This is it, this is when I begin my new life.
She watched as Ruby and David unloaded Emma's suitcase from the back of his truck. Mary Margret stood beside her, clearly trying not to cry.
"Promise me you'll call, every day."
Emma rolled her eyes and nodded.
"Of course I will, MM. Don't worry."
She wrapped her arms around the girl, who was already starting to shed a couple tears.
She'd already hugged Granny twice, Ruby three times, and Mary Margaret had somehow gotten five hugs from her currently.
David had given her some ridiculous speech about not getting arrested in Chicago, and she'd laughed through it all the way, clearly seeing through David's attempts to conceal his own emotions to Emma leaving.
There was just one person she still hadn't said goodbye to yet.
Regina stood a couple feet away from Emma, clutching her hands in front of her midsection and looking at Emma with a mask of concealed emotion.
Emma pulled back from the hug with Mary Margaret and turned, her heart thudding and aching at the same time as she met Regina's gaze.
She stepped forward, and hesitated. Neither of them spoke.
Then Emma pulled Regina into a hug, her head leaning into the crook of Regina's neck instinctively. She could smell the same apple scent of Regina's shampoo, and somehow that was what made her want to let go and run into the airport, away from all of these things which were conflicting with her decision to leave them behind.
After a moment's worth of shock, Regina reciprocated the hug, and the two stayed in the embrace.
"Promise me you'll call?"
Regina whispered, her voice thick. Emma nodded in the hug.
"Of course.."
They pulled away reluctantly, and met each other's gaze once more.
"Go live your best life, Swan. Just.. don't forget the rest of us while you do.."
Regina gave her a small smile, and Emma tried to do the same, but her face chose not to cooperate with her mind.
"I could never forget you.."
Her voice was slightly breathless, and her eyes flicked to Regina's lips, quickly looking back up at her eyes.
Regina seemed to be blinking back the emotion welling up in her eyes, and she hesitated, before leaning forward, and pressing the lightest peck to Emma's cheek.
"Take care of yourself, Swan."
Emma gave her a small smile back.
"You too, Reggie."
Somehow, the nickname didn't hold the usual lightheartedness that it usually did.
She swallowed the strange ache in her chest and picked up her bags, turning around and walking through the glass doors of the airport before she could doubt herself any more.
"You never called."
Regina broke the silence, and Emma blinked, turning to look at her.
"What?"
Regina continued to stare at the pond.
"You promised you would call.. but you never did."
Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"..I'm sorry.. I really did want to. But.. I was scared."
The admission seemed to surprise Regina, and frankly it surprised Emma herself. Regina looked at Emma curiously.
"Scared? Of me?"
Emma nodded. Now it was her turn to avoid Regina's eyes by staring at the pond.
"To be specific, I was scared of what you meant to me.."
How much you meant to me..
How much I cared about you..
How I realized I was in love with you a year too late.
Emma couldn't bring herself to say these things, but somehow she knew Regina understood exactly what she meant.
The silence between them was thick, the lack of response from Regina making Emma's head run a thousand miles a minute.
Did I misunderstand things? Am I just an idiot? Does she hate me?
Suddenly Emma felt a slight touch on her pinky finger. She looked down to see Regina's pinky curling around her own.
A small smile formed on her face, and she reciprocated slightly.
Without another word, Regina shifted closer, her fingers intertwining with Emma's completely.
"You meant a lot to me too.. that's why I couldn't bear it when you didn't call me after you left."
Regina admitted. Emma rubbed her thumb on the back of Regina's hand and looked at her softly, pausing for a moment before responding.
"I thought that.. I thought that forgetting my past was when I would start living my dream future.. But all that did was make me want to run away, and no matter how far I went, it wasn't far enough to escape. No matter what I did.. I couldn't stop thinking about you."
Regina turned to look at Emma directly, the air between them now feeling charged with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"What if I told you I could barely even think straight when Mary Margaret told me you'd accepted her wedding invite..?"
Emma swallowed.
"I'd tell you that when I saw you in Granny's, Ruby told me I was making yearning lesbian eyes at you as you left."
Regina let out a huff of a laugh.
"That's pretty true, even I could see it."
Emma scoffed.
"I was not that obvious."
That was what caused Regina to burst into chuckles.
"Yes you were, Swan."
Seeing that warm smile on Regina's face made Emma's stomach flutter with butterflies, and she didn't even have the heart to respond seriously, as her eyes flicked down to Regina's lips instinctively, but she quickly looked back up before Regina noticed.
Regina's smile lingered between them, and Emma couldn't resist looking at Regina's lips once more.
This time, however, Regina noticed, and neither of them moved.
Emma leaned forward, giving Regina every chance to move away.
She didn't.
Their lips met softly, a tentative brush of the lips which lasted barely a second before Emma pulled back, eyes opening immediately.
Regina was staring at her, and the silence between them was deafening. Emma's heart hammered under her ribs and she rushed to stammer an apology.
"I'm sorry I—"
Regina leaned forward again, and there was no hesitation this time as their lips met again. Emma leaned closer, her free hand coming up to the other woman's waist.
Eight years of wondering and trying to outrun a feeling she had never given her permission to name, and somehow the reality was so much better than anything she had imagined.
Regina pulled back first, taking a gasp of air and resting her forehead against Emma's.
"Well," Regina murmured, a small laugh escaping her.
Emma let out a breathless laugh in return.
"Yeah.."
They leaned back, though their bodies were still in close proximity to one another. Regina's smile slowly faded and she sighed.
"But what does this mean?"
Emma blinked, her own expression softening.
"I.. don't know."
That wasn't the answer Emma wanted to say, but she knew it was the truth. She looked down at their intertwined fingers, bringing her other hand down to sandwich Regina's hand between hers.
"I spent eight years trying to convince myself that I had made peace with you leaving, that I was over you and that you were just some college crush I never got very far with."
Emma's chest tightened.
"I know,"
"No, I don't actually think you do."
Regina's eyes were distant as she looked at Emma.
"I was angry with you for a long time. I think I even hated you at a point in time. You promised you'd call, and well, a part of me really depended on you following through with that promise, because that would've meant you reciprocated my feelings. That I wasn't alone in feeling this large hole in my chest when you left. Now I know you were scared.. but knowing why doesn't make it hurt any less."
Emma looked down.
"I'm sorry.."
"I know."
A beat passed, then—
"I don't want to do that again," Emma whispered. She could feel Regina's eyes searching hers.
"Do what?"
"Leave you behind."
Regina went completely still, and Emma took a breath.
"I don't know what my life is going to look like, I don't know what will happen after this. Hell, I don't even know what we are right now.. But what I do know is that I don't want this to be a one off thing."
Emma met Regina's eyes.
"I don't want to wake up tomorrow thinking of this as a strange wedding-day hallucination."
Regina nodded slowly.
"I can agree with you on that… But I also don't want you to stay in Storybrooke."
Emma looked at Regina in surprise, feeling slightly confused at the statement.
"What?"
Regina took a breath,
"I mean.. I don't want you to stay in Storybrooke because you think you owe me something. You've built a life for yourself, you love your job, and I don't want you to give it up."
Regina smiled softly.
"I don't want to be the reason you wake up ten years from now and resent me."
Emma shook her head.
"I could never resent you."
Regina chuckled.
"You say that now, but you don't know what you'll think in ten years."
She looked away, her smile fading.
"Maybe so.. but I know one thing for sure right now." Emma said, as she gently turned Regina's face to look at her.
"I don't want to spend my life running anymore."
Emma gently brought Regina's hand up to her lips, pressing the lightest kiss to her knuckles.
"We'll figure it out," she murmured.
Regina smiled softly, her hand coming up to cup Emma's cheek.
"I suppose we will."
They stayed there for a little longer, hands intertwined and staring at the ocean in silence before they reluctantly slipped back into the venue.
The rest of the night passed by in a blur. Emma danced with Ruby, David, and Mary Margaret, and when Mary Margaret threw the bouquet and Ruby caught it, she whooped and cheered.
All the while, she shared secret looks with Regina, lingering glances that reminded her that what had happened between them had not been a dream or a hallucination.
When the reception finally ended, Emma and Regina shared one final look at each other.
Because tomorrow, Emma would leave, and this time they both knew that there was no telling when she would be back.
The next morning, Emma stood beside her taxi with her suitcase in the trunk, staring at the familiar streets of Storybrooke.
Regina stood in front of her, hands stuffed into her coat pockets and her face a mask of calmness, but Emma could see the way her lips twitched and her eyes seemed to trace Emma's face as if committing it to memory.
"So." Emma said, trying to keep her voice light, "I guess this is goodbye,"
"For now." Regina's voice was unusually quiet.
Emma smiled softly.
"For now."
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Regina, who immediately reciprocated and buried her face into Emma's shoulder and breathed shakily.
Emma rubbed her back gently.
"I'll call."
Regina's arms tightened around her.
"You better."
Her voice wavered imperceptibly, but Emma caught it immediately.
She pulled back and cupped Regina's face.
"I promise. I'm not letting you go easily this time."
She pressed a kiss onto Regina's forehead. Regina took a shuddering breath, then leaned up to kiss Emma properly, a short, bittersweet kiss that ended way too quickly.
Emma reluctantly pulled away and shut the trunk of the taxi, walking around to the passenger seat and opening the door.
Before she got in, she looked at Regina one final time.
"See you soon, Reggie."
Regina smiled, her eyes suspiciously wet,
"Travel safely, Swan."
Emma laughed softly, before shutting the door and watching Regina fade into the distance as the driver pulled away.
Three months later
Emma stared at the email for the tenth time.
Offer - Neverland Travel Co. New Hosting Position
She scrolled through it again, even though she'd read the email so many times she could recite it from memory.
- Several filming blocks throughout the year.
- Only three months of international travel, followed by long stretches of time spent producing, editing, and working from home.
Home.
Emma's eyes lingered on that word. Then, she smiled, almost imperceptibly.
Three months…
It wasn't perfect, it definitely wasn't the neat little happy ending she'd been thinking of when she'd kissed Regina goodbye three months ago. It also wasn't what she was imagining when she was younger and wanted to travel the world.
But it was good enough for her, because it meant she could keep her job and still have a potential life with Regina.
Well, key word, potential.
There wasn't any way to describe or define what their relationship had been for these past three months.
They'd started off with phone calls, lots of awkward, short, but meaningful phone calls that eventually became longer and more frequent over the weeks about topics that ranged from work to their deepest desires.
Then it was texts, and then voice messages, and video calls.
Sometimes, neither of them even had anything interesting to say, and they'd just stay on the phone anyway.
And it was nice to have somebody that was a constant in her ever changing life, even when she was in Thailand, and the other person was in Maine.
For a moment, she stared at the email, then she clicked the reply button.
Her keyboard clicked steadily as she typed her response, her heart swelling gradually as she typed each word.
Then, she pressed send, and turned off her laptop, pulling out her phone and pressing Regina's contact.
Emma Swan (You): hey
Reggie: Hey yourself.
Emma Swan (You): what r u doing?
Reggie: Currently finishing up paperwork. Do you need anything?
Emma Swan (You): nah, just checking.
Emma Swan (You): you got anything important going on this week?
Reggie: Not that I know of, other than making sure this town runs smoothly.
Reggie: You're being very suspicious right now, are you hiding something?
Emma Swan (You): :)
Emma turned off her phone and tried to ignore the buzzes of Regina's response, turning her laptop back on to search up flight tickets from Thailand to Maine.
Three days later…
Emma sat in the taxi, exhausted from traveling. Her head rested against the window as the Welcome to Storybrooke sign slowly came into view.
She glanced down at her phone, and clicked on the twelve unanswered messages from Regina. She had felt bad about not answering for so long, and she knew Regina must have been worried sick about it all.
But she didn't respond.
She'd almost told her three times during the trip, but every time she deleted the message, promising herself that seeing Regina again would be worth it.
The taxi turned onto Main street, and she leaned forward.
"Hey, can you drop me off at Town Hall?"
The driver nodded, and took a left.
Emma's stomach twisted with nerves. It was ridiculous, really. She'd kissed Regina, she'd basically professed her love without saying the word exactly, and they'd spent almost three months talking every day.
And somehow walking back into Regina's life felt even more terrifying than leaving ever had.
Meanwhile, at Town Hall…
Regina glanced at the clock.
5:47 PM.
She sighed and leaned back in her chair. She'd spent the last forty minutes staring at the stack of paperwork in front of her, trying (and failing) to complete it.
Her mind kept drifting off to Emma, and how she'd gone radio silent for the past three days.
She'd tried to tell herself that it was just her work getting busy, that she'd call back eventually.
But her past fears kept nagging at the back of her mind.
What if she's never going to call back? What if I'm the one hung up on her? We aren't even dating..
Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing.
Swan: Are you still at work?
Regina blinked, and she felt her heart thud in relief as she typed back a response.
Regina Mills (You): Yes, what happened?
Swan: thought you might be
Regina was left in confusion as Emma's icon went gray again, signaling that she was offline once more.
What is going on? Why is she behaving so strangely?
She leaned back over her work in an attempt to continue focusing on her paperwork, to no avail.
A knock on her door brought her a thankful distraction from her work.
"Come in."
She heard the door open, and footsteps walk inside.
Regina didn't look up from the paperwork in front of her.
"If this is about the roads on Elm Street, I already spoke with the maintenance department. They'll have someone out there tomorrow morning."
Silence.
Regina frowned.
"And if this is about the school fundraiser, I already approved the request."
Still nothing.
She finally lifted her head.
"Can I help you?"
Then, Regina's breath caught. For a moment, her mind simply refused to process what her eyes were seeing.
Standing in front of her, was none other than Emma Swan herself, her hair mussed and tattered duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Her clothes were wrinkled and she looked absolutely exhausted. But she was smiling.
"Hi."
Regina didn't move. She couldn't, really. Her eyes traced over Emma's face, and she had to blink and rub them to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.
Emma stepped closer, and dropped her bag on the ground.
"I thought I'd stop by, y'know."
Regina finally found her words.
"Stop by..? You flew halfway across the world to 'stop by'?"
Emma smirked.
"Technically, I flew a quarter of the way, had a layover for three hours, then flew the rest of the way to Portland, landed at PDX, and drove here. But yeah, basically."
Regina scoffed, and she stood up, crossing her arms.
"You didn't tell me you were coming, you didn't call, and you didn't respond to any of my texts. Care to explain? I was worried sick."
Emma bit her bottom lip to seemingly keep herself from laughing.
"I wanted to surprise you."
Regina scoffed, and she turned away.
"What makes you think I want to see you?"
Emma didn't respond, but Regina could hear footsteps behind her, and two arms slowly came to wrap around her waist.
Regina's breath caught, and she had to will herself not to turn around.
"Because you missed me."
Emma's chin rested on her shoulder and she whispered gently, the warm puff of breath ghosting over the shell of Regina's ear.
She swallowed.
"I did not."
Emma hummed, hands tightening around her.
"Really? Well that's a shame, because I missed you."
She turned her head to nuzzle into the side of Regina's neck, placing a small kiss on the exposed skin where her neck met her shoulder.
That was the tipping point, and Regina finally turned in Emma's arms to meet her eyes.
There were light bags under Emma's eyes, and a few strands of hair were in her eyes.
Regina brushed them away and tucked them behind Emma's ear.
"You look terrible."
Emma smiled.
"Thanks."
Regina carefully wrapped her arms around Emma's neck.
"How long did you sleep?"
"A couple hours on the plane."
Regina scoffed.
"Emma, that isn't enough. You should have booked a hotel. Or at least told me, I could have come and picked you up."
Emma shrugged.
"I could have, but then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
Regina huffed.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you're still hugging me."
Regina rolled her eyes and rested her face into the crook of Emma's neck, hands moving down to circle her waist instead.
"You still haven't explained why you're here."
Emma rubbed Regina's back gently.
"You really want to know?"
Regina closed her eyes and nodded.
"Yes."
Emma sighed.
"Well, I got a job offer."
Regina pulled back, eyes questioning.
"What offer?"
Emma continued rubbing circles into Regina's back.
"An offer for a job.. One where I only travel for three months a year.. and spend the rest of the time editing at home."
Home.
Regina's eyes widened.
"Do you mean…?"
Emma nodded.
"I'm moving back to Storybrooke."
Regina could feel her eyes threatening to fill with tears.
"Emma…"
"I don't want you to think I'm giving up my life for you… I'm just finding a way for you to be part of it too."
Regina's lips parted, but no words came.
The silence between them was long and tense.
Then Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's neck and pulled her into a kiss.
Emma let out a muffled noise, before immediately melting into it.
The kiss was tentative, soft at first but growing in intensity as the three months of separation made itself known.
When they finally separated, Regina rested her forehead on Emma's.
"I hate surprises."
Emma smiled.
"You're smiling."
"I can hate surprises and still be happy about them."
"Fair."
Regina looked at her again, pulling back slightly to see her whole face.
"So.. Where are you staying tonight?"
Emma hummed.
"I booked a hotel for toni—"
"Nonsense. Cancel it. You're staying with me. We can look at apartments tomorrow."
Regina cut in. Emma huffed a small laugh and cupped Regina's face.
"It's alright, I can handle one night in a hotel."
"No. I won't accept it. You're staying with me."
Emma smiled.
"Well. If you insis—"
"Yes I do."
Emma let out a soft laugh, and pressed a kiss to Regina's forehead.
"Then who am I to argue?"
Regina placed her head back into the crook of Emma's neck, her breath ghosting over the other woman's skin as she whispered.
"Welcome home, Swan."
Emma closed her eyes and held Regina closer.
"Yeah," she whispered.
"I'm home."