Pixie Dust Never Lies

Chapter 4

I drove as quickly as I could through the streets of Storybrooke. I knew that being the mayor meant I had to set an example for everyone, but I also knew that the sheriff wasn't out and about to pull me over...and that she needed me. So Mr. Gold's shop flashed briefly in my peripheral vision  before I passed it; as did the rest of the buildings.

Finally, I reached Emma's place. Well, I guess it was really the Charmings' place, now that the whole family moved in. But I didn't have time to speculate. I rushed in as quickly as I could and knocked in the door. I was not greeted by Emma, as I had expected, but her mother.

"Thank God, you're here!" She exclaimed, and all but dragged me into the house. "Please go talk to her. She says she can't tell anyone except for you."

"Tell me what?" I asked, a little nervously.

"Everything."

David, as a true  Charming, asked if I wanted anything. When I politely declined, he gestured to me that Emma was upstairs. I thanked him silently, and tiptoed up.

There she was, lying in a half-fetal position. Not crying, just sitting there staring into space. "Emma?" I asked tentatively.

She turned her head over, looking at me. "Hey, Regina."

I decided to get straight to the point. "What happened? "

Emma hesitated briefly then whispered, "Killian proposed."

I knew her enough by now to know by her tone that this was not a thing to celebrate right now.

I sat down beside her on the bed and put my hand on her shoulder. "So why didn't you say yes?" She didn't answer.
"Do you not love him?" She shook her head.
"Then why not say yes?" She shrugged her shoulders.

I began to take in a sterner tone, "We've talked about this, Emma. You can't keep building these walls up around your heart; you'll continue to push people out of your-"

"I know I build walls!" She yelled at me, sitting up abruptly, "And that I have to keep tearing them down in order to find happiness! And I know it takes work!
"You think it was hard to get past these walls and admit I could love a man? Well, I did that. But it wasn't enough, Regina!" She paused, taking in a ragged breath. I could tell she was fighting back tears. "I didn't know...it wasn't until I saw him on his knee that I realized..."

"What?"

She took another deep breath before continuing, "While I was tearing down Killian's wall, I'd built myself another without even realizing it. And I'm done, Regina. I'm through with hiding behind walls and hurting more of the people I love."

The tension in the room was almost tangible. I couldn't move. I could hardly breathe. "What wall, Emma?"

She looked at me--no, stared at me--with an expression that I had never seen on her before. For once, I couldn't tell what the hell she was thinking.

Suddenly she grabbed my face and pulled it towards hers until her soft, pink lips rested on mine.

She pulled away quickly to gauge my reaction. I didn't know how to react. There was a taste on my lips that I couldn't place. As I tried to make sense of it all, I looked at her hopeful, terrified eyes.

Apple. It was apple.

I grabbed Emma by her shoulders and pulled her back towards me. Our hungry lips found each other's and fit together perfectly. The taste of her apple lip balm drove me crazy. The smell of her hair--the feel of her hands on my cheek, my arms, my back--all came rushing to me at once. I moaned at the ecstasy of it all. And it didn't stop.

Our kiss lasted for what felt like forever. Eventually, Emma pulled away. I was about to protest, but Emma whispered between heavy breaths, "My parents..."

"Oh, yeah," I whispered back. We sat there for a little bit, our heavy breathing the only sound. Then we looked up at each other, and smiled. In a moment like this, no words were needed.

I'd broken through her wall.