Last Thing You'll Do

Chapter 5

Emma. Regina felt her stomach drop though her heart felt as if it had risen to reside in her mouth. Emma was standing in her door way. Emma was standing in a ridiculous navy blue woollen hat that should never have been seen in public but most certainly shouldn't be worn in July! Her ensemble was completed by a thick black coat Regina hadn't seen before and the brunette was pretty sure the large coat was about to consume the blonde whole. The other woman's attire was not one suitable for Storybrooke in the middle of summer.

"Hi" Emma breathed.

After months of not seeing the blonde, she was standing in front of her; looking oddly dazed herself. Emma was here. How was she here? Regina could literally reach out and touch her. She felt her palm tingle with anticipation of doing just that; except her body wouldn't move. Her brain wasn't working properly. The woman she loved was standing just there. Looking at her with the same admiration as Regina felt. The woman, who had promised her the world and then some, was standing right in front of her. The woman who had kicked her to the gutter was standing inches away from her.

Anger. Betrayal. The two most dominate emotions she'd felt for the last three months surged within her. Feelings she should be used to by now, her life was full of both. She'd just been naïve enough to believe Emma wouldn't cause her further heartache. Her reluctance in starting a relationship with the other woman had not come out of fear of her own pain but the possibility of the suffering she might inflict on the blonde in front of her. How very naïve she had been.

Her brain didn't register the move. It was instinct. The first she was even aware of it was when the door collided with Emma's foot. Regina had tried to slam the door, a move that Emma had seen coming and had counteracted by jamming her own foot in the way.

Emma had always known her better than she believed anyone would. It was a blessing most of the time but right now it was curse. She shoved the door as hard as she could against the intruding foot but it didn't close. Regina did however hear Emma's groan of pain. "Regina just listen to me", Emma demand pleadingly and Regina could feel the blonde's attempt to push the door open. Emma's voice was proof she was really there. Regina did not want her here and yet she can feel her whole body was on fire both to consume the former Sheriff in love and hatred. To cause a pain like she'd inflicted upon her.

Regina's body shook with the excursion of trying to keep the door closed and willing herself not to let the woman on the other side in. Into her home, and back into her heart. A place she'd never left. "You are no longer welcome nor wanted here Miss Swan" Regina lied through gritted teeth as anger and shock battled from within. Instead of verbal response all she heard was Emma's grunt as the door shook once again.

She did not want Emma here. Emma had left. Regina had spent over three months trying to hate the other woman, something which she couldn't do. As much as she had tried to fight the love she felt for Emma in the beginning and failed; her desire to make it so much easier for herself and hate the woman who'd left her was just as impossible. Anger. Blame. Hurt and betrayal, those she could feel. But hatred was something she could not feel no matter how hard she tried.

"Regina please just let me in and talk to me...and stop trying to break my foot!" Emma said her voice carrying more authority than when she'd last spoken. Their almost silent game of reverse tug of war with the door continued for only a few more moments before Regina moved away completely from the door. She did not need to look to know that Emma came crashing into the hallway nor to know the door was nearly being ripped from its hinges.

"I will not have you causing a disturbance on my porch Miss Swan. The town does not need more idle gossip" Regina spoken evenly as if giving a mayoral speech, though her heart was racing so fast it made her feel faint. The cider in her system was not helping her, and she could tell it would not be her friend this evening. She could not look at the other woman. She wouldn't look at the other woman.