"She says, I've got a darkness that i have to feed, I've got a sadness that grows up around me like a weed, and I'm not hurting anyone I'm just spiraling in as she closes her eyes and hears the song begin again"….Ani Difranco "Jukebox"
A/N: It's imperative to listen to 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' while reading this ficlet:
Everyone was having fun. They all were happy.
Regina took another drink and her body protested with a shiver and a shimmer of nausea. She forced down the swallow anyway. She raised her eyebrows and then raised herself to her feet. The chair fell backwards as she wobbled on her heels. She straightened her back, and walked over to change the music on the jukebox.
"Regina, how much have you had to drink?" Snow was beside her, gingerly resting an arm on hers to stabilize her. Regina shook it off and half-sneered, half-slurred, "Not nearly enough."
Snow stood back, her body tense as Regina hit the jukebox with the side of her hand, her lip curling in anger when it refused to play, and part of her drink sloshing over the side of her mug.
"You need money to play a song, Queenie," Grumpy shouted from across the bar. Regina growled and ignored him, opting instead to point her index finger at the Rolodex of songs, using magic to flip them. The jukebox was limited in its options, not being updated since 1983.
She chose her song, and the record clicked into place. Regina smirked and swayed as the first melodic strains started to play, "Turn around….Everyone bow down and sing! Turn around…"
Regina shuffled on her heels; her head was kind of lolling side to side.
"Yep, she's wasted…" Ruby whispered as an aside to granny, they both smirked.
"Should we do something?" Charming asked as he watched with amusement.
"No, no…let's see how this plays out," Granny insisted, putting a hand up to stop Charming from pulling Regina back to her seat.
"…Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round…" Regina started to sing softly, wiping a tear from her eyes as she looked ahead…" every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears.…every now and then I get a little bit terrified…I see the fuckin' look in your eyes…"
"Oh my!" Snow clasped her hand to her chest as she watched Regina's gesture passionately as the song went on a bit.
"Turn around, bright eyes," Grumpy and the dwarves joined in with a little falsetto.
"Fucking Every now and then I fall apart!" Regina sang loudly, dancing around the open area of Granny's making her own dance floor.
"God, get Henry out of here…he doesn't need to witness this," Charming pointed at Henry, and Snow's hands flew down over Henry's ears, while he stared on in surprise.
"Emma, get over there….you invited her! Do something," Snow yelled at Emma, her eyebrows knitting together as Regina hit a frightening high note.
"…And I need you now tonight and I fucking need you more than ever!" Regina's arms wrapped around herself as she shimmied and looked up at the ceiling, oblivious to anyone around her, "And if you only hold me tight we'll be holding on forever!"
Emma cringed and stepped forward hesitantly, "Um... Regina?"
Regina didn't break her song, but she reached out and pulled Emma toward her into a crazy, dancey, hug... "And we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong together we can take it to the end of the line, your love is like a shadow on me all of the time!
"All of the time!" Grumpy chimed it, raising his hands. Everyone noticed they were swaying along with the spectacle of the now dancing Evil Queen, holding on tightly to Emma as she tried to keep up, her cheeks flushed bright red in embarrassment. Emma conceded defeat and decided to just join in, there was no point in fighting Regina when she was drunk and wanted a sing-a-long.
"I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark…" Regina sang and looked pointedly at Emma, holding her hands in a vice grip.
"…We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks!" Emma sang loudly, a bright smile reaching her lips as Regina twirled with her, knocking into chairs and tables.
"I really need you tonight, forever's gonna start tonight …Forever's gonna start tonight" They both sang in unison and looked each other in the eye, Regina moving closer until Emma felt the hand that hand been on the small of her back, creep stealthily down to squeeze her ass. She jumped in surprise and Granny let out a jubilant wolf whistle!
Regina held Emma tightly against her, swaying gently as she sang softly, her voice breaking the tiniest bit with the pent up emotion she felt, "Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do... a total eclipse of the heart."
Emma tilted her head and smiled sweetly, tears pricking her own eyes, "Once upon a time there was light in my life, but now there's only love in the dark. Nothing I can say... a total eclipse of the heart."
The whole crowd cheered and whooped, holding up their drinks as Regina and Emma sang the impassioned chorus again. Emma kept cracking up, but Regina just shook her head and sang on, her own cheeks flushed and rosy, a smile blooming on her bright red lips, until the song quieted and the piano softly played on. To the utter shock and surprise of everyone in Granny's Emma wound her fingers in Regina's hair, her thumb caressed over her lips for a moment before she searched her eyes and dipped her head. Emma pressed her lips to Regina's and they met in the softest tenderest kiss. They broke apart and Regina immediately leaned forward in search of more…
Emma whispered a promise, "Forever's gonna start tonight…"
