The Only Exception (Swan Queen)

Chapter 14

I love you and that's the beginning and end of everything. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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They sat in the office trying to figure out what happened to everyone's memories. Their little make-out session lasted a while and they reluctantly decided to try and get some work done.

Emma gave Regina the last little bit of the memory potion that Hook had given her and watched her work as she tried to replicate it. She worked so gracefully; Emma couldn't take her eyes off her for a second. Every move she made was done with such precision.

Regina looked carefully at the finished product and raised it to her lips.

Emma's eyes widened in fear. "Wait! That isn't going to poison you, right?" she asked quickly, her voice a few octaves higher with worry.

She chuckled, "No, but thank you for your concern, dear," she joked lightly as she placed a quick kiss to her lips.

Emma smiled as she raised the bottle to her lips and drank the liquid. Regina stood there completely still for a moment. "Anything?" she asked, breaking the silence.

She was quick to throw the small jar at the wall and it shattered.

Emma flinched at the sound. "I'll take that as a no." 

Regina groaned. "I must have missed something," she muttered, turning back to her ingredients.

Emma got to her feet and walked over to her. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's waist and pulled her away from the table. She tucked a strand of her raven hair behind her ear as she looked up at her with her big brown eyes. "It's okay, Gina. You'll figure it out." She smiled before leaning down to kiss her.

Their lips were about an inch from touching when a knock at the door interrupted them and they quickly jumped apart.

Emma gave her a reassuring smile before opening the door. She watched as her parents walked through the door with Henry. Her eyes widened and she quickly shut the box of Regina's magical ingredients and tidied everything away to the best of her ability.

"Hello, Mary Margaret, David," Regina greeted. "Hello, Henry." 

"Hello, Madame Mayor," he responded politely.

Regina turned to Emma and let out a short sigh of relief.

"Hey, mom," Henry greeted with a wide smile.

Emma smiled. "Hey, kid."

He stared up at her with wide eyes that were filled to the brim with excitement. "Anything new on the case?" Henry was always very intrigued by her work when they were in New York and would constantly ask to help.

She shook her head. "Not yet," she muttered. She didn't think it would have worked first time, but that didn't leave her any less disappointed.

David nodded. "Okay, well, we just popped by to give you guys some lunch," he piped up, handing Emma a bag of Granny's takeout.

She shot him a kind smile. "Thanks, Da- David," she stuttered, having to catch herself and stop from calling him dad. That slip up would have been a hard one to try and explain.

They smiled and quickly left the room leaving her and Regina alone once again.

Emma let out a soft sigh of relief and turned back to Regina. "Right, where were we?" she asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly as she wrapped her arms securely around the older woman's waist, pulling her close against her body once again.

Regina chuckled and pressed their lips together. She trailed her fingers through her blonde hair bringing her closer.

Emma nibbled lightly on her lower lip and Regina let out a soft moan as their tongues met. Emma lifted her up and gently set her on the table they were previously working at. The brunette wrapped her legs around Emma's waist pulling her closer.

Emma laid her hands on Regina's waist and started peppering her jaw with kisses.

Regina let out a soft sigh. "Maybe we should eat first," she said, gasping for breath as Emma sucked lightly on her collarbone.

She reluctantly nodded in agreement. Their make-out sessions always seemed to escalate very quickly and got extremely heated but they always managed to stop them from going any further.

Emma smiled as she grabbed the bag to see what David had brought them to eat. She pulled out a grilled cheese and a salad. "I'm guessing this is yours?" she muttered handing Regina the salad.

"Thank you, dear," she said before quickly pecking the blonde on the cheek.

Emma laughed as she took a bite out of the grilled cheese.

Regina watched her in awe. "You eat like a child."

"Thanks," Emma responded, taking a seat on the couch.

Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes and took a seat next to her, so close that she was practically on her lap.

Emma smiled as she wrapped her arm around her waist holding her close to her side.

They sat there for a long while after they finished eating, neither of the women wanted to move from their comfortable spot wound in each other's arms.

Regina let out a soft sigh. "Emma, what is this? Us, I mean?" she asked hesitantly.

"I'm making up for lost time," Emma mumbled softly, trailing her fingers through her raven hair. "From the moment I laid eyes on you I had feelings for you. I didn't understand what those feelings were at first. Neverland gave me the courage I needed to act upon it because then I knew that you wouldn't hate me for it. I love you, Regina." 

Her face softened. "I love you too, Emma," she whispered.

"This is whatever you want it to be. Official, testing the waters. I don't care because right now you're here with me and that's all I could ever ask for."

Unable to respond any other way, Regina leaned in and pressed her soft wrinkled lips against Emma's thin ones. This kiss wasn't as heated as the previous ones they'd shared but it was soft, gentle, and full of love.

They continued to lie there on the couch for a while longer, still wrapped securely in each other's arms.

Emma felt Regina's breathing begin to slow and looked down to find her fast asleep. She couldn't help but smile at the brunette and placed a soft kiss on her hairline. The action caused her to cuddle further into Emma's side and bury her face into her blonde mane.

She felt her heart swell at the innocent action. She felt her eyelids starting to droop and it wasn't long till she was asleep too.