Chapter One: Why Would This Be Any Different?
I thought this up after watching the 2x10 sneak peek and noticed Regina brought food with her to the diner...
Regina sits uncomfortably on one of the couches in her office. Her manicured fingers tap the armrest as she contemplates carefully her next move. The dish she had made for the party was staying warm in the oven, already cooked. If she decided not to go, Henry could have it for supper; that is if he hadn't already ordered pizza again. Regina bites the inside of her cheek and looks around the room. Her coat sits on its hook by the door, the keys to her car on the desk. She knows they don't trust her. She knows they'll hate her being there, ruining their happy reunion. After a few quiet moments, Regina hears footsteps above her. Henry makes his way do the stairs, clumsily throwing on his jacket as he does so. Regina keeps quiet and watches as her son slips on his shoes and runs out the door; fully aware of where he is headed.
Finally, Regina takes a deep, shaky breath and stands. She grabs her keys, throws on her coat, takes the dish from the oven and walks out to her car.
The drive is long and dangerously quiet. Regina had had enough quiet to last three lifetimes over. All the time to think and plan and regret. She hated it all and now she was going to do something about it.
Regina turns the corner onto the main street of Storybrooke and spots the well-lit diner. Cars lines the curbs on both sides of the road and Regina spends a few minutes searching for a spot as close to Granny's as she could manage.
Alone, juggling the heavy, unbalanced, oven-hot dish and her keys, Regina slowly makes her way the front door of the diner. She can hear David speaking from outside and she chastises herself for being late. The one time she actually gets invited somewhere with people and she's late. She tries to make a quiet entrance, in hopes of not interrupting, but as soon as she opens the front door to Granny's, she is met with the horrified looks of at least ten people. She hides her panic quickly.
"Oh, sorry I'm late..." She smiles, hoping to show the very people that hate her that she means no harm. She scans the room, seeing no change on any of the faces, and her stomach tightens. A ball rises in her throat and she regrets walking in here. For a moment she thinks turning and running is the only option left. Then she meets Emma's gaze. She is smiling back, glad to see that Regina made it to the party. They share the small sign of recognition for only a brief moment when suddenly a voice pipes up from the back end of the diner,
"What is she doing here?" The knot in Regina's stomach grows larger and the feeling of being sick increases. They don't want me here… Emma doesn't even take the time to register who is talking when she turns and defends Regina.
"I invited her." Emma looks across the room, searching for the culprit, but Regina turns away and shyly smiles to herself, still amazed that someone wanted to see Regina voluntarily and without malice. That someone wanted to see Regina outside of dealing with curses and Cora. That someone wanted to be with her.
Regina walks to her left and places her dish on the table with the others before removing her coat and setting down on a nearby coat-rack. It's still quiet in the diner, people too worried that they'll upset the Queen by making noise. Emma notices the tense change in the atmosphere and decides to make the first move.
"Alright, so everyone's here now? Let's eat!" She shifts through the small crowd and heads to the beginning of the food line, grabbing a plate as she does so. Slowly, Mary-Margaret and Henry follow. Then Ruby and a few others. Soon the atmosphere is nearly back to normal. Regina stands back in the corner of the diner near the door, not wanting to get in anyone's way. The conversations start up, music plays quietly in the background and laugher is common now. However, Regina still stands awkwardly by herself, taking slow breathes, trying to steady herself. They don't hate you, Regina. If they did you wouldn't be here. Regina tries to calm herself, still paranoid and scared. Her legs feel weak and she turns to sit at a nearby booth; she is halfway in the seat when four men she remembered were once dwarves walk up to her.
"We're sitting there, Regina." Leroy spits her name like it's poison. Regina fumbles and stands once more.
Emma and Mary-Margaret have been telling the story of their return to Granny and Ruby when she notices Regina off by herself, trying to be polite but clearly looking lonely and lost.
"Oh, sorry." She refuses to talk back, hoping that being nice will actually get her somewhere for once. Two of the men push by her and take over the side of the booth she was about the take up residence in. Regina smiles politely and moves towards the food tables, hoping to keep herself busy.
Regina takes a look at the food that had been brought and smiles noticing that people seemed to have enjoyed it, all of the dishes being almost or completely empty. For the most part. As this quiet, awkward woman makes her way down the line, she sees that the dish she slaved away making. That she hoped and prayed to be good so these people could enjoy it. This small piece of evidence that she really was trying to be a better person, hadn't been touched. No one wanted it. No one trusted her. No one liked her. She was only invited out of pity.
Emma has lost her train of thought and forgotten about the conversation going on between her and the Lucas'. She was completely focused on Regina. The clearly sad and vulnerable woman who was trying her hardest to be a better person. Mary-Margaret notices Emma's lack of concentration and continues the retelling of their time in Fairytale Land herself. Emma excuses herself and makes her way over to Regina, who was now sitting on a stool near the end on the bar, by the door.
When she notices the blonde coming closer, Regina looks up and puts on a fairly fake smile, trying to mask the hurt and betrayal she feels. Emma smiles back honestly before catching a glimpse of the untouched food dish the mayor had brought.
"Have you eaten yet?" Emma asks points vaguely at the pile of paper plates down the line. Regime shakes her head.
"I'm not very hungry." The smile stays plastered on her face, not trusting herself enough to lose it when speaking. She wasn't sure how close the tears were.
"Oh, we'll I'm starving." Emma moves to the side and grabs a plate. She picks away at the remaining food on the other dishes before making her way over to Regina's, hoping to keep her plan from being obvious.
Regina's not stupid however, she knows exactly what Emma is doing.
Emma hesitantly takes a scoop full and sets it on her plate. As soon as the food makes contact with the dinnerware, all eyes in the diner look over at the two women. Regina's fake smile turns into a real one when she realizes Emma is doing this because she wants to, she's not being forced under a curse or a dare. She wants to make Regina feel better; she cares for her.
Emma takes a forkful of the food, and raises it to her mouth. The diner goes silent once more as the blonde chews the still-warm food. It's amazing and Emma can't help but smile. She nods and swallows the food quickly.
"This is delicious!" She takes another bite before she can even finish the sentence. Just like the first time, when Regina first walked in, people slowly follow Emma's lead and take a new plate.
The chatter heats up and the diner is alive with talk. Emma finishes her plate of food and moves back to the bar to set her plate down. She spots Regina across the diner and smiles. Regina smirks and subtly mouths "thank you" to her. Emma nods in understanding.
It might not have been an entirely stress-free reunion, but it definitely was the best; for Regina and Emma.