Last Thing You'll Do

Chapter 9

With painstakingly slow steps Regina managed to carry the two mugs up the stairs while pinning the wrapped towel around her with one arm. Maybe it would have been easier if she'd used the bathrobe to make the beverage trip and swapped with Emma upon her return. She had tried to be as quick as possible making the drinks while tidying the mess she'd made of Emma's belongings. In hindsight she could have brought up a pair of Emma's sweat pants and a top to keep her warm. She could just borrow something of Regina's once she was dry.

The bedroom door was still ajar when she bumped it open with her hip. Emma was sat at Regina's vanity table trying to tame her newly shortened hair in the mirror. The moisture from the steam and water was making it stick up a little at odd angles. Regina placed both mugs on the coasters upon the table Emma was sat at. "Thanks" Emma said repeatedly trying to smooth a piece of hair which would not stay down.

Regina's hand found Emma's shortened tresses and she allowed herself the luxury of running her fingers through it. Emma's eyes had not left her reflection while Regina had enter the room spoke just loud enough to be heard, "I don't like it...it's too short so there's not much I can do with it".

Regina simply chuckled in return, when she too couldn't get the piece of hair lay flat either. She'd have to brush it in the morning. The older woman took a sip of her drink and felt it warm her inside considerably. Regina wondered for a brief worrying moment when Emma took a sip of her own, if it was too hot for the other woman, though Emma showed no signs of discomfort.

"As someone who had my hair shorter than that for years, I take personal offence to that" Regina said sternly though the smile upon her face did alter her meaning quite considerable. Emma worried her bottom lip and just sniggered but didn't take her eyes off Regina in her reflection.

"I think you'll find this was originally inspired by that very Madame Mayor style" the blonde quipped back playfully pointing at her hair. "Despite...loving it on you, I don't think it suits me all that well" Emma continued with a glint in her eye. It was not the first time Emma had confided in "loving" Regina's much shorter hair style, though Emma's more accurate description had been that it "drove her wild". Regina couldn't help the chuckle at Emma's expense.

"I'm guessing to have treatment you had to cut it" Regina asked, trying to keep her tone light as to not ruin the new mood. Emma's eyes rose to the hair covering her forehead and with a slight smile she flicked the mess of hair out of face.

"Yeah. You aren't allowed to wash it a lot in the first few weeks after you have a Craniotomy. It's also easier to look after if it's short. Also they had to shave it, so it would have looked a little odd" Emma explained, finishing with a small laugh. It was just a simple explanation and yet held so much too. Emma's life for the last three months had been so difficult and held the need for solutions to make it easier.

"Where..." was all Regina managed to say before Emma grinned at her. The former Sheriff swung her legs around, so she was now facing Regina.

"Here" Emma said with a tone of ease as she lifted the front section of hair on the right of her head, to the side. It didn't look much different. The hair maybe was a little shorter at a push or a little lighter. There was no scar that Regina could see. Her fingertips tingled, she wanted to touch it. Her hand moved without the command of her brain, though she realised in time and stopped. Stopped before she touched Emma. Touching Emma wasn't something she had stopped herself doing in almost two years. It felt strange and she didn't like it.

"You can" Emma said softly, taking hold of her hand she'd let fall.

"I don't want to hurt you" she whispered, taking solace in the warmth of the hand holding hers.