The Life We Left Behind

The morning after

She woke up when a bright light was flashing into her eyes for a split second and she opened them, blinking. The light turned out to be the winter sun, that she might be seeing for the very first time today since returning to gloomy Storybrooke, reflecting on a shiny piece of metal placed on her pillow next to her face that she was gently holding with her hand. His hook.

She felt his arm wrapped around her, holding her, felt his warm body pressed against her back and his calm breath in her neck that instantly sent a tingling sensation down her spine. Her heart began beating faster and faster as the memories of last night came back to her, she even blushed a little. Even though they had spent many a night together as Roni and Rogers, even though she knew his body inside out, knew what he liked and how to give him the most intense pleasure that made him hold his breath, bite his lip and gasp her name in awe, this time it had been completely different. For the first time she, Regina Mills, had slept with Killian Jones... the Wishrealm version. And it had been that kind of a night after which her life would never ever be the same again. There was only a before and an after. And this after, her new life, was just beginning right now, like this, snuggled up in his arms on this sunny winter morning.

Very, very carefully she tried turning around without waking him. She wanted to look at him, see his face. Somehow she still needed this as confirmation that all this was real and had actually happened. Finally.

Then, to her surprise, she was greeted by the most beautiful, ocean blue eyes and the warmest, happiest smile. „Good morning, love!"

„Good morning! You're awake!"

„Aye."

„How long have you been looking at me?"

„Not nearly long enough to wrap my head around what happened last night."

She snickered and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. „I know, it's all... it just feels so... unbelievable that we actually did this. I mean, after all these years!"

„And not while being under a curse! We weren't even drunk, and I didn't even once call you by the wrong name."

She whispered. „On quite the contrary, I seem to recall... I don't think I've ever heard anyone scream my name that often in one night. Unless I was torturing them."

„Well, what can I say... I was lucky enough to discover that Regina still has quite a few more tricks up her sleeve than Roni."

He gently ran his hook across her cheek, a sweet and romantic gesture despite the fact that it was basically a murder weapon.

„How do you feel, love? How did you, I mean... how do you feel about last night? Did I hurt you with this?"

She shook her head. „No, I don't think so. I wouldn't know, to be honest, in the heat of passion, but... I loved it, Killian", she cupped his face between her hands, gently running her thumbs over the stubble of his beard, that shimmered slightly red in the light of the morning sun instead of the usual black, and smiled at him, „Last night. If I had the words to describe it I would, but... I'm not sure I can. It was so, so special. And I'm just... happy. Really, really happy."

He looked like a boulder came tumbling down off his chest in this very moment, his smile becoming wider and more sincere. „That's good to hear, really. And... likewise! I mean, I figured since I would have probably been turned into a toad by now if you had disliked it, but still. It's good to hear. And, I guess that means... it might happen again?"

„Not might, please! It must! I can't do this anymore, I don't have the strength to run away and fight my own feelings anymore. I need this... I need us", she swallowed and tried to hold his gaze even though right this moment she was mortified by her own openness, how she was serving him her heart on a silver platter, just not quite as literally as she had Robin Hood back then when they had started being together and she had asked him to protect her heart from her sister, „I meant what I said yesterday. Again. I love you, Killian. And... I want to be together with you, even though it scares the hell out of me."