"Oh God, Emma.." The Queen replied, allowing the back of her head to lightly fall back to the wall behind her, the tension in her body relaxing slightly, "please believe me when I tell you, that whatever it is that you're feeling.. it has nothing to do with me locking your heart in a box somewhere!"

Emma, staring coldly back at The Queen, with an expression as though she were trying to find the truth hidden somewhere on her face, replied "Then why am I finding it so damn hard to believe you..?"

"I can't answer that for you, Emma." Regina replied, "All I can do is give you the truth, and be honest with you."

Releasing The Queen from her hold against the wall, Emma turned away and took a few steps toward the chamber doors; putting some space between the two of them now.

"Emma.." The Queen began to speak. There was so much she needed to say to her; so much she wanted to tell her... Everytime she thought about it however, that heart-wrenching, searing pain in her chest returned.

For The Queen, It was as though every time her heart should feel the wonderful joy and happiness of any kind of love or feelings for Emma, she instead felt like a blade was cutting through her chest, ripping her heart out over and over again. And Each time it came back, it was more painful than the last.

But she chose this.

Regina did this to herself, to remind herself of what needed to be done. The pain was her reminder; 'love is a weakness'

Right...?

Clutching her chest and trying to calm her breathing, The Queen called to Emma again, "My Swan! Please.. you don't understand.."

"Try me, Regina!" Emma commanded, "Please, make me understand.. because right now, I just can't seem to wrap my mind around the idea of finding what I just found, and believing what you're trying to tell me here!"

Still paralyzed by both the unbearable pain in her chest where her heart once was, and the fear of Emma's reaction to what she would say, The Queen's eyes filled with tears as she stared back into the eyes of the beautiful blonde before her; desperately searching for an answer.

"I would never steal your heart like that.." The Queen managed to say, "...I couldn't.. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do that."

"...I know what I saw Regina.. I saw.."

"I know what you you saw," The Queen interrupted, "but did you look the box...? Tell me, Ms Swan, did you open it?"

Emma took a moment before answering The Queen, her face expressionless as she tried to remember.

"No." Emma replied. "I think I blacked out before I had the chance to. When I woke up, I found myself here, in your room, with absolutely no idea how I even got here."

"Well, I can assure you Ms Swan, that I do not have possession of your heart!" The Queen pleaded, trying everything she could to convince Emma. "Honestly. I don't know how else to make you believe me... I don't know what you want from me..?!"

"Then show me, Regina" Emma demanded, taking The Queen's hand and pressing it against her chest, "Take my heart now and show it to me!"

"?!" Regina asked in disbelief, as the tension began to build quicker now between the two women.

"Take my heart now, as proof you do not already have it. Show me you're telling me the truth Regina." Emma explained, "I know you won't hurt me. You can put it back in, right?"

"Of course I can.." Regina replied, removing her hand from Emma's chest, "But take your heart Ms Swan, I will do no such thing!"

Regina clenched her fists at her sides as she spoke her last words.

Emma could see the deep purple glow return to The Queen's eyes as they flared wider with each spoken word.

"You seem angry, Regina.."

"Well Ms Swan, Of course I'm angry!" The Queen replied, her voice raised now, shaky, as she tried to keep her composure through her pain, "you come in here, accuse me of ripping your heart out in order to control your emotions, when the truth is, I'm just trying to protect you!"

"Protect me..?" Emma replied, "protect me from ?"

"Protect you From From thedarkness inside." The Queen replied looking right at Emma, tears running down her face.

'...you have no idea what is going on, what is being sacrificed, no idea!' She thought to herself, the ache in her chest throbbing harder.

It was At that moment, it felt as though Emma found the truth she had been searching for, "Regina.." Emma said to her as they stood several feet apart from each other in the room.

Emma knew; she knew she needed her, knew she needed to touch her, feel her, be close to her.

Emma wanted to be consumed by her Queen, no matter the cost!

Regina recognized that look on Emma's face; she'd seen it a dozen times before.. normally she'd welcome that look of determination because she always knew what was coming.. but today, right now under these circumstances..

"Emma, no! I told you we ca -"

Quickly and with haste, Emma rushed into Regina, their bodies slamming into the wall as Emma hungrily began kissing her Queen, "Regina, just.. please, just kiss me."

Emma not wanting to stop, reached around to grab Regina by her ass with both hands, lifting her off the ground as Regina wrapped her thighs around Emma's waist.

Emma then carried her over to the bed where they both toppled over onto it together.

Regina, trying her best to snuff out the painful pangs in her chest, put all her concentration on the blonde in her bed. The two of them, ripping at each other's clothes, wanting nothing more but to feel the heat of the other's flesh against their bodies.

The Queen held Emma close to her, feeling every curve of her soft body against her own as they moved together in unison on the bed. Slowly, she brushed her lips along Emma's jawline, softly, until she reached her earlobe giving it a soft nibble with her teeth.

Emma let out a soft, tiny gasp, "that tickles, Regina!"

"Oh, I bet it does.."

Then, tracing a path slowly still, with her tongue, Regina made her way down the side of Emma's neck. Just before reaching the bottom near her collar bone, The Queen parted her lips fully, and sunk her teeth in.

Emma tightened her grip on The Queen now, as she slightly arched her back, "Regina!!"

"Yes, My Swan? Did that also tickle..?"

Regina replied with a smirk.

Emma smiled back, taking in her breath, "oh, it did a lot more than that, my Queen...!"

Regina's mouth, turning up at the corners into that sexy, sultry smile she so often put on for Emma, made its way across her collar bone and onto her chest - leaving soft kisses in its path.

Emma then felt The Queen's warm lips travel slowly down, across her smooth stomach and onto her hips. As Regina grabbed at Emma's thighs, rubbing and massaging them with her hands, she looked up at Emma's face, looking back at her,

"I love how you touch me, Regina."

"And I love to touch you, Ms Swan."

Separating Emma's thighs now, The Queen softly kissed the inside of her left thigh from her knee, all the way up to her hip area before switching over to her other thigh and repeating the same thing.

Emma laid back with her eyes closed, deep into the pillows on the bed. As Regina's mouth moved closer to her clit, Emma's heart raced, and she gasped with pleasure.

Regina felt herself swell and drip between her own legs as she kissed Emma. Knowing Emma wanted her was enough to make The Queen crazy..

Very lightly, Regina grazed her tongue between Emma's legs over her thin, white silk panties. This caused Emma to gasp quite suddenly, reaching for The Queen's hand, holding it tightly. Regina continued this motion a few times with her tongue, ever so lightly, until she could feel Emma begin to get moist through the silk.

Using her teeth, Regina tugged at the waistband of the panties, "Oh, Ms Swan.. these just won't do.."

"Oh no?" Emma replied.

Regina smiled shaking her head, "Not at all..."

"Then I guess they'll have to go.." Emma said as she quickly removed them; tossing them to the floor.

Emma took hold of Regina's hand again, falling back onto the pillows. Regina smiled, taking Emma's hand to her lips and kissing it, before resuming her previous position between the blonde's thighs.

Leaving a trail of small kisses, Regina made her way back to Emma's soft, wet clit. This time, without any material between The Queen and her Swan, she was able to feel Emma's soft skin against her face, as her lips and tongue teased Emma; softly kissing and licking the skin above and around her clit.

Emma squirmed and arched her back as she lay there, The Queen asked, "What's the matter love? Everything alright?"

"Oh my God, Regina!" Emma replied, her voice beginning to crack, "why must you tease me??!"

"Tease you.." Regina taunted, "this is not teasing you, love..."

"Regina.." Emma whispered.

Using her tongue, The Queen gently licked Emma just under her clit, so lightly Emma could only just about feel her. This drove the blonde absolutely wild! She could no longer take much more, "Regina, Please!"

With each time Regina licked Emma's soft wet skin, the blonde tried inching her hips closer to The Queen's mouth.

Regina smiled, "Be patient Ms Swan.."

Emma's breathing became more rushed now and deeper as the muscles throughout her whole body began to tighten.

"Patience..." Emma whispered between breaths, "isn't something I have right now...!"

Regina moved her mouth back to the inside of Emma's left thigh, sucking and lightly biting at it, "Well then, I suppose A Queen should give her Swan want she desires..."

Taking both hands, Regina lightly ran her nails down the sides of Emma's body and hips, reaching her thighs again; sending goosebumps throughout her entire body. Grabbing her hips, Regina pulled her in, close to her face once more, bringing her lips back down to Emma's sweet, swollen skin.

The Queen began to lightly trace around the wet opening between Emma's thighs with her fingertip, slowly. She was finding it hard to resist herself, from sliding right in, as she watched Emma squirm.

As she moved her fingertip slowly, Regina began to press harder on Emma's wet skin. Emma now, was gasping and moaning with pleasure.

Slowly and gently, Regina took Emma's clit into her mouth, and massaged it with her tongue and pressed her finger all the way into her.

"Oh God!" Emma screamed, "Regina!"

The Queen kept at it. Slow and steady, she moved her finger in and out of Emma with the same rhythm as her tongue. Regina could feel her body temperature rising with the heat of the room, beads of sweat starting to form along her spine as she worked at the blonde in her bed.

"Regina, please... please don't stop!" Emma begged.

Moments later, Emma's muscles tightened and The Queen could feel her pulsating around her finger inside. Emma's hands tightly gripped at the sheets on the mattress and as the blonde screamed with pleasure, Regina thought Emma might rip the sheets right off the bed!

The Queen, now feeling Emma's beautiful body begin to relax around her, reached for one of her hands as it still gripped onto the bedsheet. Taking hold of it now, Regina rested her head on Emma's thigh and smiled.

"I have never tasted a fruit so sweet, Ms Swan..."

Emma laughed, "oh please Regina.."

The Queen smiled, moving up closer to Emma on the bed to rest beside her now. "Let me hold you, love."

Emma moved into Regina's arms, resting her head upon her naked chest. The Queen ran her fingers through Emma's beautiful blonde hair, laying a soft kiss upon her head as she held her.

"Regina, there are still so many things I don't know about you," Emma said, her eyes closed, relaxed as she laid there with her Queen, "But even still, I find myself not wanting to leave your side; despite any unanswered questions I may have. I still feel... safe."

Resting her chin upon Emma's head, gently stroking her golden locks, Regina was in deep thought, "I would never hurt you Emma. I want you to know that, no matter what happens, everything I have done, everything I do, is to protect you."

Emma moved her head to look up at Regina just then.

It was then at that moment, Emma knew without doubt. She knew it was true love. She finally believed The Queen, she knew there was no way this woman would do something so cruel to rip out her heart and leave it to rot in an old wooden box somewhere. The love Emma felt for The Queen was real, genuine. She needed to tell her. She wanted her to know.

"Regina, I believe you, I need you to know something, how I feel... I lo.."

However, just as Emma caught Regina's eyes, she saw nothing but pain. Terrible, horrowing pain in the Queen's eyes and face, "Regina!"

"Emma.. I.. I can't.."

"What is it? What's wrong?!"

The Queen could barely get out her words now, the pain in her chest was beyond surreal. Releasing Emma, Regina held her own chest in agony as she winced in pain,

"There's something I need to tell you Emma. Something you need to know..."