Emma and Regina walked hand and hand down the pathway toward Regina’s apple tree. There was no one in sight and Regina took that freedom to pull Emma in a bit closer. They had just sent Henry off to meet David and Snow at Granny’s so they knew they wouldn’t be interrupted. Regina brought Emma in closer, facing one another she slowly looked up and down Emma’s face, caught momentarily along the bold curvature of her cheekbones Regina inadvertently blushed. Emma looked deeply into Regina’s eyes, a slight smirk played across her face as Regina blushed. The intensity between them was rigid. Emma ran her hands moved Regina’s back with ease, as if her fingers remembered the delicate pathways learned between the shadows. The small steps that each finger laced along her back brought Regina yearning sensations, thoughts and images floating about them from the stolen nights and glances passed.

Each kiss felt like an explosion of time. Time they had spent waiting and wanting one another. Time filled with stolen touches, glances across tables, smiling eyes that could only be understood by one another – each moment was pressed tightly against the other in complete ecstasy. There was no division, no labels, no evil queen, no savior, no Snow, no David – it was just them, alone in that moment. Regina pressed her forehead against Emma’s releasing a deep, anguishing breath, “I want this always,” she whispered to Emma in sultry sing-song melody of her voice. “Me too” she said as she ran her hands back up her body, landing squarely around Regina’s face, “You are my forever.” Tears began to run down her face as she turned away.

Regina walked around the tree admiring its strong branches. Emma followed her, watching her hands on the lower branches, stopping on the shortest. “Do you remember when I caught you sawing my tree?” Regina looked at Emma wisely. “Yes,” she said with a chuckle, “You nearly killed me that day.” Emma put her hand on Regina’s and they shared a smile. “One day it will be easier for us,” she paused, “less pressure and expectation, more space for us to just be us, together.” Emma kissed each part of her face and Regina melted into her. “I love you.” Regina’s eyes full of tears. “I love you,” Emma said, “I always will.”