With the tumbler washed, dried, and back in its rightful place Regina began the trek up the stairs. If the noises echoing through the house from the bathroom were any indication, Emma was having some kind of trouble.

"What are you doing?" She asked leaning into the bathroom as Emma's head popped up from the cupboards under the sink.

"...not snooping?" Emma finished lamely smiling sheepishly. Regina rolled her eyes. "I couldn't find a towel."

"On the rack behind you." Emma whirled around and grabbed to towel.

"So it is. Thanks, Regina."

Regina shook her head. "Unbelievable." Leaving the bathroom she counted to 22 seconds before the sounds of rummaging began again. "Quit rifling through the cabinets. You won't like what you'll find."

Emma leant her head out the doorframe and stared at Regina leaning against her bedroom door. "Why not?"

"Because that's Henry's bathroom." She waited for the signs of comprehension. She rolled her eyes when Emma's brow furrowed further. She shouldn't be surprised. "He's a growing boy. With needs." She emphasised.

"Oh. OH! Gross!" Emma yelled dropping the towel and moving faster than Regina would've believed to the opposite wall.

"Don't want a shower?" Regina asked innocently, though her smirk was anything but. Emma shivered dramatically as she stared into the bathroom as though it were a pit into hell.

"No. I'll... I'll survive."

"If you're sure, dear."

Emma looked at her for a moment before a smile grew on her face. Regina did not want to hear what she had to say next. "Can't I use yours?"

Regina cursed herself for not slipping into her room quicker. "No."

"Please, Regina? I'll be quick. I'm the master at 3 minute showers."

"For some reason I don't believe that."

"You should. I never did get the hang of the one minute shower. That was just a set up for failure."

"Who on earth would make you have a one minute shower?"

"Foster parents who'd rather not spend the money from your welfare check on hygiene needs. Or food. Or clothes." Emma said shrugging off Regina's concerned look as though it was common knowledge and not a big deal.

Guilt. All Regina felt at the moment was guilt. Emma could have grown up in a world where she would have been loved and adored, but she didn't. All because Regina wanted revenge.

"Hey, it's okay. I mean I wouldn't be the kick-ass person I am today if I didn't go through a couple hard times." Emma said with a soft smile hoping to assuage Regina's guilt. "Now, about that shower..."

"Five minutes." Regina turned quickly entering her room. She was definitely not hiding in her closet while Emma made her way to the ensuite. Breathing deeply at the sounds of rushing water Regina tried to not think about the naked woman currently residing in her bathroom.

Changing into her silk pajamas and sitting on the edge of her bed she closed her eyes. She chuckled at Emma's loud groan of joy. "You're shower is amazing!"

Regina shook her head as Emma began humming to herself, probably hoping she couldn't hear over the shower spray. Settling back comfortably on her bed she wrung her hands until the shower switched off. Realizing her posed position she scrambling off the bed she sat at her vanity and began fiddling with things.

"Hey, Regina, where's Henry?" Emma asked hands holding her jeans as she tugged her tank top down for some modesty.

"He's at Grace's birthday party." She rolled her eyes. "You knew this."

"Oh, yeah. You're okay with him staying at girls house? Is Jefferson there?"

Regina glared. "I raised him to be the perfect gentleman, he wouldn't do anything like you're implying. Henry text me earlier saying Jefferson had his hat on and was giving the kids the 'mad eyes'." She chuckled.

"Oh cool. So... just wondering, but do you normally drink during the day when he's not around then?"

"Only if you're there."

Emma laughed mockingly before tossing her jeans over her shoulder as she crossed her arms and glared. Regina cleared her throat at the view of black boy-shorts leaving little to the imagination.

Emma glanced down at her legs and Regina's blushing face before smirking. "Don't act like you haven't seen this before."

"What? I neve-" Regina outrage was cut off as Emma smirked and began striding purposefully toward her.

"Did you know," Emma began her voice dropping lower, tone decidedly seductive as Regina froze. "That the Honeycrisp tree is the most hearty and vigorous of all-"

"I did not say it like that!" Regina said offended at the implications Emma was sending her way.

"Oh, really, Madam Mayor?"

"Yes, really."

"Well, like I told you that time. I can read between the lines." Emma said licking her lips dramatically as she eyed Regina.

"I will bodily throw you from my room." Regina stated calmly though the fire in her eyes was anything but. Emma snorted with laughter before dashing from the room.

Emma frowned as she stared at the ceiling. She was awake. It was 2.43am. She didn't want to be awake.

Yawning she turned on her side and pulled the duvet higher. Snuggling into the incredibly soft pillow she closed her eyes and waited for sleep. Her eyes shot open as her ears strained in the quite house.

A second later she heard it. A whimper. Rising out of bed - cursing Maine weather and her lack of clothing - she grabbed a blanket from the bed and shuffled into the hallway.

Rubbing her eyes blearily she listened carefully, it could've just been a product of her imagination. Turning to stare at Regina's door she heard it again. Stepping closer, hesitant of any creaking, she leant her ear against the door.

She closed her eyes at hearing the sounds of a restless night and signs of a nightmare. Tentatively turning the door knob she poked her head into the room before fully entering.

"Regina?" She whispered. A small pained groan was all the answer she got. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness allowed her to tiptoe to the side of Regina's bed. She watched Regina toss and turn before she settled on the ground beside the bed. Tightening the blanket around her shoulder's she reached out and held Regina's hand.

Regina flinched her hand away reflexively before relenting to the touch as Emma circled the top her hand with her thumb.

"Regina?" Again Emma received no answer but the slowing of Regina panicked breaths was a good sign. "I guess you're not enjoying whatever's going on in your mind. Talking always helped the kids in the homes who had nightmares. We - the older kids - would sit by them and just talk. It didn't matter if they were awake or asleep, but it helped." Emma spoke her voice low in the silence.

"This is probably the most I'll ever talk in your presence and you won't be able to tell me to shut up. It's a miracle. So any way..."

Regina woke up feeling surprisingly well-rested even though her dreams last night should have left her feeling anything but. Keeping her eyes closed she nuzzled into her pillow with a soft sigh. A groan that was not her own caused her eyes to shoot open.

Moving to pull her covers up over herself as she rose, she noticed her right hand being weighed down. Following the pale hand along its corresponding limb she blinked repeatedly at the blonde mane resting on the edge of her bed.

"Emma?" The lump sitting against the bed groaned again. "What the hell?" Regina rubbed her eyes to make sure they weren't deceiving her. Emma Swan was sitting on the floor holding her hand.

If things between them weren't weird enough already they were about to get weirder. "Emma!"

The blonde's head shot off the mattress her eyes were red as she looked around the room for an intruder.

"Emma." She turned and stared at Regina blinking twice.

"Oh." She rasped out before clearing her throat.

"Mind explaining to me why you're in my room, holding my hand?" If she'd been standing her foot would've been taping incessantly as she waited for Emma to wake up enough to get an answer.

"Oh, that. Well, I- I had trouble sleeping last night." Emma said with a shrug as she began to rise from the floor. She groaned heavily as her muscles protested from their awkward positions. "So, thanks for that."

Regina watched the blanket fly behind the blonde as she moved from the room with great speed. Frowning heavily she flopped back on her bed as she thought through Emma's lie.

Why would she lie about herself having trouble sleeping? Why would she hold my hand while I slept? Why w-

Regina's train of thought halted. Emma didn't have trouble sleeping, she did.

She knew thoughts of marriage would be prominent in her dreams due to the events of the day. Seems being trapped in a marriage against your will was a common event in her life. She had hoped to have some control over her dreams. But apparently that control was slipping after so long without them.

And yet she felt so calm and relaxed as though it was the best sleep she'd had in years.

Staring at the door she knew it would be a long time before she truly understood Emma Swan.

And it would be an equally long time before Emma herself understood just how good she truly was.

AN: So do you love me or do you love me?