Behind Closed Doors

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Did you see that?" Regina investigates, not able to hide the sudden shock from her tone while Emma's grin seems to be spreading wide across her face.

Regina holds her breath, waiting and hoping that Emma witnessed everything she just had and by the way Emma's face is lighting up, she's certain the blonde just found the missing piece to the puzzle as well.

"See what, the sparks fly? The fireworks?" She muses, causing Regina to deflate because clearly, she didn't experience the same thing. "Regina," she softly whispers, latching onto her brown eyes, so she has her full attention. "I have never felt more in a single kiss before. I know this is crazy and I swear to you, I'm not normally like this, I'm not a cheater, but I feel so much more whenever I'm with you. I-I've never felt so alive before. And I'm...well, I grew up in foster homes, I never had parents or a real family, but when I'm around you..." she trails off, her eyes falling down to stare aimlessly at her lap, so she can confess, "you feel like home."

Regina swallows thickly, so damn lost and unsure what she should even say back to something so deep. She had no idea about Emma's past, but knowing that this woman looks at her and feels safe and protected like a childhood home, well, she never wants to leave this woman's side again. But it's more than that, she feels it in her soul, and she's convinced that they either had a past life together or, well, she isn't sure what the other option can possibly be, but she knows these can't just be dreams.

"Regina? Are you alright?" Emma cautiously questions, showing Regina the timid little girl from her past that's scared of rejection.

"I am," she mumbles, but her mind is still stumbling over the events that played out before her and she's struggling to come up with anything to say at this point.

"Are you sure? I'm sorry, did I cross the line? I didn't mean to upset you. I've just been feeling this strong connection with you since we met, like it's pulling me closer to you and I can't ignore it anymore. And the dreams-"

"Dreams? What kind of dreams, Emma?" She sternly interrogates, her senses finally waking back up and snapping her back to reality.

"I don't know how to explain them," Emma sheepishly replies, offering the most adorable crooked grin in the process. "Umm, it's like they are of you and I...in another time or something, I don't know how to perceive them, but I know for a fact, it's us."

Regina's jaw practically comes unhinged, her eyes blowing wide in utter shock because now she knows she's not crazy or losing her damn mind. This is real, whatever this may be, but it's impossible for her and Emma to both be experiencing the same illusions and it not mean anything.

"I have been having the same thing happen to me. As if we were together in another world or in the past," she rambles, her words hastily spewing from her mouth while her brain tries to comprehend the admission and make logic of it all.

"Seriously?" Emma swallows, leaning in closer and staring directly into Regina's eyes and straight to her soul. "Okay then, they must mean something, right? Maybe like some kind of sign?" Emma babbles, while Regina mindlessly nods along. "I think," the woman pauses and tenderly brushes Regina's hair away from her shoulder, inspiring Regina's heart to do some sort of backflip, "what we have is unique, maybe even special."

As soon as those words tumble from Emma's mouth, Regina knows she has heard them once before and there is something so familiar and intimate about the way Emma so easily brushed her hair away from her shoulder, like it's almost habit. Regina gently cups a pale cheek, her thumb caressing the silky flesh as she moves to capture those delectable lips. She doesn't waste a second, because she is sure she has been wasting enough time searching for her, and tugs her in close, kissing her deeply. She pours all her heart into the one kiss, hoping to reveal her true feelings and intentions without sounding too crazy and spilling three little words. She knows in this moment, Emma is all she wants in life, in this lifetime or the next or wherever their hearts may travel to.