Double Lives

Chapter 1

Author's Notes: While I'm on Christmas break I decided to get some writing in. Boy did that fail miserably when I tried to work on my other stories. I've had this little guy in the works for a while though and today I decided to sit down and work on it again. I posted this first chapter on Tumblr a while ago with the thought process that it would motivate me to work on it again at some other time. I found my notes today while talking to my girlfriend and I decided to give it a shot and see where it leads. If you feel so inclined to motivate me to continue please let me know. ~ Scarlette

Queen Regina looked up at the stars from her bed. Her husband had once again taken his pleasure in her flesh and she was still so sore and her throat felt raw. She wiped at her tears as she stared at the stars that danced above her head from her position on the bed. She took a breath, her throat protesting the movements of her chest as she made a wish.

"Star light, stars so bright." She whispered. "Take me to my true love tonight." She closed her eyes, her tears still glistening on her dark lashes as she forced sleep to take her so that she wouldn't be in so much pain.

She was startled awake by a buzzing sound beside her head. She gasped and jerked and would've fallen if not for the arms around her. She started to fight to get loose before a voice stopped her movements in their tracks.

"Babe, is that my phone?" A voice called to her and she turned gasping as she saw a beautiful face surrounded by thick blonde curls peering back at her in the semi-darkness of the room.

"What?" She asked, fearful of whom she was.

The woman blinked bleary green eyes at her before she sat up. She leaned across her grabbing for the little device on the bedside table and flipping it open. With a groan, she answered.

"Swan, what's going on Graham?" She rubbed a hand down her face and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

Regina watched her wearily for a moment before her head felt like it might split open. She grabbed at her head with both hands and squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't Queen Regina, wife of Leopold, stepmother to Snow White and absolutely miserable. She was Regina Mills Swan. The woman beside her was her wife of four years Emma Swan. Her wife was a police officer with the Boston Police and she was a family attorney in a very successful firm. They had a son Henry who was ten years old and the most wonderful child either could ask for. They lived in a beautiful condo overlooking the Boston harbor. She looked up as her wife reached out rubbing her back with a concerned look on her face.

"You okay beautiful?" She asked softly.

"I'm fine." She forced herself to respond as she dropped her hands back to the sheets. She offered the other woman a smile. "I had the strangest dream."

Emma held up her finger and she nodded waiting until her wife was done speaking with her partner before she hung up.

"I've got a crime scene to go to."

"I should've figured." She offered her a weak smile and the blonde leaned forward and pressed her lips to hers for a moment. She sighed into the kiss, practically melting into the other woman before she pulled away with a few tender pecks.

"I'm sorry," She offered. "I know it's our anniversary on Saturday but this won't wait."

"I understand. It's only Friday. You've got time but if you can please make sure you try to make it to Henry's basketball game. You know he'll be disappointed if you don't make it."

"I know. I hate disappointing him and you like that."

"We both understand you're making this city safer for us." She watched the blonde climb out of bed and shed the white tank top she'd worn to bed. Standing in nothing but her blue boy shorts she dug through the closet, trying to find something to wear. Regina couldn't help it as she bit her lower lip watching the muscles in the other woman's back ripple as she pulled a blue silk blouse. A small smile worked it's way across her lips.

"That's my blouse." She offered to which her wife laughed.

"You don't mind me borrowing it do you?"

"Of course not, I'm just saying it's mine."

"I married you didn't I? Isn't the saying what's yours is mine?" Emma asked even as she pulled on a pair of black slacks with a smile.

"Then what's yours is mine too." She offered to which her wife pointed to the top she was wearing. She looked down and realized she too was wearing a tank top like the white one the blonde had just shed.

"My point has been proven Mrs. Swan." Emma walked over and grabbed her badge from the dark wooden nightstand along with her gun. She clipped the gun to her pants and slid her badge into her pocket. She leaned over pressing a kiss to Regina's lips once again as she grabbed her cell phone from the bed.

"I love you. I'll see you tonight at Henry's basketball game."

She nodded with a small smile. "I love you too. Be careful. Tell Graham hello for me."

"I will. Get some more sleep. It's still early and you've got court later on today."

"In the afternoon, I'll be okay. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Hi," Emma greeted her wife as she moved up the bleacher stairs to sit beside her wife.

"Good evening," Regina smiled as the woman came to sit beside her. The game had just barely started and all ready Henry had scored two baskets. He really was going to be a basketball star.

"I'm sorry I'm late…" Emma began only to be interrupted by her wife's finger pressing against her lips.

"Better late than not here at all. Henry will just be glad you made it. I know I am."

She pressed a kiss to the finger at her lips and settled beside her wife as the game continued.

They were both on their feet on and off cheering for their son who offered them bright smiles and waves when he could.

"I promised Henry he could stay the weekend at Nicholas'." Regina looked over at Emma who offered her a lewd grin. She rolled her eyes, "They have a science project to work on and Michael said he'd watch them to make sure they actually did it and didn't just play video games the whole time."

Emma laughed and nodded, "That's fine with me. I took the weekend off unless something major breaks in any of my cases I should be yours all weekend."

"All weekend huh? Planning something big?" She couldn't help herself as she leaned her head against Emma's strong shoulder briefly. Her wife laughed and shrugged, knocking her away slightly before she grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Sorry babe. Didn't mean to do that to you."

"I know you're just clumsy."

"Yep; a clumsy idiot but I'm your clumsy idiot so it's okay."

Regina resisted the urge to press her lips to Emma's right there in front of all the parents, students, and their son's team. It wasn't polite to show too much affection in public after all even if she and Emma often held hands when they walked anywhere.

"We have to take Nicholas and Henry out with us tonight. Michael had to work late at the garage. I told him we'd take the boys out for dinner to celebrate their victory."

"What about Ava?" Ava was Nicholas' older sister. She was a grade above the boys and a very pretty, very smart girl by all accounts.

"Michael said she was going to a friend's house tonight as well. I guess it'll just be the boys and Michael for now," Regina offered in return to her wife's question as they both broke apart to clap and cheer for their son making another basket.

"He's going to be a basketball star when he grows up."

Regina laughed, "Let him be a child first before you go making plans like that."

Emma pouted, "I'm just saying. He's got serious skills on the court."

"Yes, he's very good."

They continued to cheer on their child until the game was over and he came running at them.

"Mom! Ma did you see me out there?" He asked with a bright smile.

"You were amazing Henry!" Regina clapped her hands together as she felt Emma's arm go around her waist. She looked at the other woman who offered her a bright smile before turning back to their child.

He was shyly rubbing the back of his neck with a sweaty palm.

"Your Mom and I are taking you and Nicholas out to celebrate. Go get changed and we'll meet you by the locker room doors." Emma offered, watching as their son grinned brightly before darting off.

"Burgers and fries my lady. The only suitable meal for such a well done game." Emma waggled her eyebrows and Regina shook her head. "I'm sure I can get a salad."

"I'll be sure to order extra fries since you'll inevitably take some off my plate."

She rolled her eyes but allowed Emma to pull her closer as they walked down the stairs. It had been a good day for all three of them.