She inched closer to the draped brunette, doubling at the waist to lower her lips to the exposed stomach there. Regina sighed, legs parting to better accommodate the woman on top of her. With each kiss, Emma expertly released the latch of Regina's blouse buttons, starting with the bottom and moving her way up with every hotly press of her tongue and lips against taut flesh until she reached a beige satin bra. Emma's breath quivered in want, hot air tickling Regina enough to make her squirm, then she latched her lips above the breast.

Regina groaned and threaded fingers through Emma's hair, pulling the blonde away from her ministrations to capture her lips in a desperate kiss. They hadn't done much other than heated kisses and that one blissful night in Boston, but instinct suddenly took over, and all Emma could think was that she needed to lose herself in this woman.

"Can we?" Regina asked breathily, just as frantic as Emma with her hair mussed, shirt open, pleading. She tugged the blonde's coat from her shoulders leaving Emma in her plain grey tee.

Emma opened her eyes to stare down at two darkened pupils, desire-filled and begging. The affirmation was on the tip of her tongue, but when Emma moved her hand to palm Regina's cheek reassuringly, her gaze zeroed in on her hand, metal against flesh. Her fingers curled in self-consciously, and Emma settled back on her knees, desire making way for embarrassment. "You don't . . .have to. Close your eyes. I can—"

Regina quieted her with another kiss. When their breathing laboured, Regina had taken Emma's palm, fingers clasped between the robotic joints and examined it as though she had just uncovered a precious gem. "Am I hurting you?"

"No."

Her lips came down over Emma's knuckles before releasing her fingers to trail her hand up Emma's forearm, caressing the socket there.

"It's just a nub," Emma muttered, drawing back completely and avoiding her gaze.

"I don't care what it is. It's you. Here." Regina let out a breathy disbelieving laugh. "Emma, you're here."

She smiled widely unable to control the flutter in her chest and found she didn't want to. "You're here," Emma repeated sounding just as astounded as the brunette. "Regina."

Regina mimicked her smile and nodded, biting her lip as she did so, her fingers dancing on the hem of Emma's t-shirt. "I have been waiting for you."

"Me too." Emma curled her fingers with Regina's, staring intently at her just to make sure before slowly helping her lift the fabric of the shirt up and over her head.

Regina was silent as she took in Emma's body. Her eyes roved over every inch, and though there was desire there, the love shining through made Emma want to blush. Emma followed her gaze down her torso to her bra-clad chest and harnessed shoulder, down to the long scar down her collarbone and the healed scrapes scattering across her stomach.

Emma turned away, her hand on her belly as if that alone could prevent Regina from seeing, but before she could fully settle, Regina floated up from her spot so the blonde was nestled over her between her legs and grasped Emma's fingers, leading them away from her stomach and keeping them intertwined on the bed. Quietly, Regina traced every visible scar with the pad of her fingers. A jagged cut down her right hip. A faint horizontal outline just under her chest. She kissed them. She kissed them all then moved to the scar on her collarbone and licked a line along its path. "You are even more beautiful than I remember," Regina whispered against her flesh.

Emma couldn't help but sigh at the sensation and steady herself with her free hand on Regina's waist. She was too broken. Physically damaged. But she believed Regina. Believed her words and every touch against her skin and the stinging water behind her eyes couldn't be helped when Regina threaded their fingers together again, metal between flesh.

"I love you." Emma found herself whispering though she knew that's all she wanted to say. "I love you."

"I love you too," Regina ground out in a desperate whisper before releasing Emma's hands and wrapping her arms around her neck. "God, I've missed you."

Like magnets, their lips were drawn to one another, moulding to perfection as they lay against each other on the bed once more. Any hesitation or doubt was gone because in this moment, even if this was their last moment or their first moment or by some will of the gods they were allowed just a few hours of time, they were together.

One more time, Emma told herself as her fingers unclasped beige satin, pushing the blouse and bra from Regina's shoulders. Lips trailed down familiar grooves of the softest body, memorizing every plane. If she was going to wake tomorrow and this all be a dream, she'd have one more time to relish in everything that was Regina Mills.

Regina helped Emma unbutton and pull off her slacks, her underwear the next to go.

Emma sat back on her knees, taking in the naked goddess beneath her. Pert nipples staring skyward, golden flesh kissed with a hint of pink from the heat coiling through her, smile shyly coy but eyes similar to Emma's: disbelief and wonder and unadulterated happiness. One more time was thrown out the window because she couldn't be happy with just one. She needed Regina like she needed air. Her hand stroked up a smooth calf and over a knee before tickling the older woman's thigh so her legs fell apart with a giggle.

Too long. Way too long, Emma thought as she scooted down to lie in between Regina's legs, her fingers still tickling high on heated thighs as she pressed kisses below the brunette's ridiculous yet amazing belly button ring.

"Wait," Regina whispered though on the breath of a moan Emma almost didn't catch it.

She lifted her head, chin resting on Regina's pubic bone as her finger lazily drew circles at the juncture of her thigh. The brunettes eyes fluttered before sitting up abruptly and tugging Emma until their lips crashed. "You." There was no mistaking the beg in Regina's voice. "I want you. Please. Please, Emma."

Her bottom lip tugged between Regina's teeth, Emma could only succumb to the pooling desire tightening in her groin as she twisted onto her back with a breathy "okay", pulling Regina flush against her, but the brunette hovered over her on an arm and soaked her in like she was the Eighth Wonder of the World. Fingers trailed lithely across Emma's bare stomach making her quiver until Regina reached her shoulder and toyed with her bra strap.

"Can I take this off?" She asked uncertainly.

"Yes," Emma said with a nod and sat up, shucking off one strap, then two, until Regina reached behind her, their eyes locked on one another, and unclasped the fabric. Her fingers trailed down to the denim at Emma's waist, repeating her question, and for a second Emma faltered.

"You don't have to."

"I want to." She took the older woman's hands in hers and led them to the button of her jeans, reassuring her with a soft kiss. "I want you."

Her jeans were undone and pulled down her legs, and with a final reassuring nod to the wide-eyed brunette, Regina carefully slid damp panties down pale legs leaving Emma just as bare as Regina.

There was a time when Emma was proud of her body, smug, in fact, of her defined muscles, strong back, and firm abs. Years ago she purposely used her tank top as a sweat towel so Regina could catch her in only a sports bra and spanks. Now, Emma suddenly felt self-conscious. The scar on the back of her calf where Nabil had burned the skin to get it to heal was a dark brown against otherwise pale skin. Her legs were bonier, and the evidence of her trauma stood out like a beacon. Emma was tempted to turn away, but she knew her back was just as bad.

"I'm not dreaming again, am I?" Regina suddenly asked as she knelt by the foot of the bed.

"You dream about this too?"

"All the time." Slowly, carefully, gauging Emma's reaction as she ascended, Regina crawled her way up and over Emma's body until she was situated between parted legs. "You're better than any dream."

Emma's breath caught in her throat, and any insecurities she had flew out the window. Every scenario Emma came up with didn't hold a candle to this, right here, right now.

Lips against lips. Breasts against breasts. Emma pulled away to stare up at the ceiling, revelling in the feeling of Regina's lips descending down her torso. Breathy gasps. Bucking hips. Emma needed more after so long apart. Her scars were the last thing on her mind as Regina's tongue tickled the coarse hairs covering her sex, the heat from her breath making her clench in want.

"Beautiful," the brunette murmured. "So beautiful."

And then Regina was on her. No barrier. No distractions. No regrets. Regina against Emma.

Emma shut her eyes and moaned. Her toes tingled and curled as Regina's mouth sucked greedily, as if Emma would disappear any moment. Bending her knees and opening herself wider, all Emma could do was give herself willingly to Regina who took worshipping to a whole new level as her fingers toyed with Emma's entrance. With a jerk of her hips, she guided Regina gloriously inside. That was all the sign she needed to continue thrusting on her own, using Emma's moans and pants as a sign to go deeper, find the source of her wetness, and god did Emma squeeze her fingers tight, keeping her there.

"Regina," Emma gasped when the brunette nibbled on the bundle of nerves that sent Emma's hips rocking. "Regina."

"I'm here," she promised. "I'm here."

That was all she needed to let go. The only coherent thought racing through her mind as the tension inside her built and exploded, sending her back arching and her hands fisted in blanket was Regina Regina Regina.