A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first attempt at a Once Upon A Time fic so I hope it doesn't suck too much. I've been meaning to write one for months now, so here we are. This takes place post-curse and quite some time has passed. Enjoy!

The Queen's Swan

Nothing could have prepared Granny's diner for the epic-shouting match that was occurring inside of its four walls; not even Granny's crossbow could prepare any of the patrons. Everyone was baffled about the argument that was happening between Regina and Hook and they certainly had not expected it to end in the way it did.

It had all begun with a very furious Regina storming into the diner, automatically making everyone flinch, as the door was slammed shut and the unmistakable sound of clicking heels moved across the floor to where Hook was sitting on her stool.

Things were different now, lulling into a time when tolerance and acceptance of these more reformed villains was the aim to reduce any further chances of destruction and curses, however that did not mean that the threat of an explosion was absent. Time had healed divisions, Regina had even been re-elected as mayor when it became clear that no one else was quite up to the job, yet nothing could make the inhabitants of Storybrooke forget the pasts of these once dangerous individuals. It was this fact that meant everyone held their breath, waiting for the explosion and destruction to begin.

"Captain, I thought I had warned you to stop harassing Sheriff Swan!" The former Queen seethed, eyes narrowing viciously at the pirate in front of her.

"Forgive me, your majesty, but surely Swan should be making these decisions herself? You do keep ensuring that I respect the independence of women. If the Swan girl doesn't object then surely that is her decision." Hook responded with a small smirk and a glint in his eyes.

Regina's eyes flashed dangerously, her jaw set and her gloved fingers curling and uncurling by her sides. She refused to let the pirate test her patience; to make her lose her temper and cost her everything. She had enjoyed that insufferable smirk in Fairytale land, when she would not have been scared of the consequences of wiping that smirk right off of his face. It presented her with a challenge, but she wasn't in the mood for games today so instead it only succeeded in bristling the woman up more.

"It becomes my concern when you could possibly influence my son if ever you succeeded in your sorry attempt at wooing Miss Swan. I believe that I have witnessed better attempts at courting a woman from a snake. Even your crocodile has had better luck than you as of late!" Regina sneered, earning a slight chuckle from one of the many spectators.

"If memory serves me right, Regina, didn't I hear stories of you having to force that Huntsman to share your bed? Curse or not, the poor lad never had a choice did he?"

"Don't you even dare, Hook! "

"What is this really about?" Hook asked, finally moving off of his stool and stepping within Regina's personal space.

The air grew tense around them, everyone holding a breath waiting for what they all thought was inevitable. All of them except for Regina, who tilted her chin up defiantly and continued to stare into the eyes which were as blue as the seas that the pirate was accustomed to sailing.

"I am protecting Henry! He doesn't need a pirate teaching him any vulgar habits. I am sure Emma would be inclined to agree with me. You don't stand a chance, so you should just give up now. She won't fall for your smolder like other women. She is-"

"'Is what?" Hook murmured, edging further into Regina's space.

The uncharacteristic blush that graced the former Queen's cheeks did not go unnoticed by the pirate. His smirk grew larger and his eyes glinted as if he had just become privy to some massive secret.

Before opening his mouth to gloat his newly discovered leverage in this conflict, a clicking sound alerted everyone in the diner to the presence of a very annoyed looking Granny Lucas.

"Would you two kindly take this elsewhere?! I am pretty sure there are children who don't wish to have their innocence ruined by coming events. I also will not be afraid to shoot if I so much as see a flicker of magic within this diner! Do I make myself clear?!"

Hook let out a barking laugh at Regina's disgust at the conclusion people had jumped to about what was truly going on here.

"Come on then love," Hook said, earning a darkened glare from Regina. "…we should really take this somewhere else."

Turning on her heel, Regina stormed out of the diner, Hook close on her trail after flashing one of his infamous smirks in Granny's direction, as she seemed to glide impossibly quickly down the street. It didn't take long for the pirate to catch her up however, catching her arm with his only hand and forcing her to turn around.

"Unhand me!" She spat, looking at the hand that was gripped too tightly to her arm.

"No. The only way I let go is if you admit what this is really about, love."

"I told you!" she sighed, her exasperation growing with each passing second.

"I don't believe that you would be trying so hard to stop me from chasing the Swan girl unless there was another motive behind it. Why don't you just admit it to yourself and we can surely all get what we want out of this?"

Hook pulled Regina closer, searching her face for the blush he had seen in Granny's, but becoming slightly wary when it didn't reappear over her cheeks.

"Let. Me. Go."

"Fine, but just know that as soon as you go, I am going to find Emma and I will finally get my way. She won't be able to resist knowing that you've tried to stand in the way. I am sure there are many enjoyable things I could find for her and I to do." He whispered, his mouth dangerously close to her ear.

Hook could sense that Regina was about to make a move, bracing himself for the heated kiss he was sure would follow. It was to his shock that he felt the woman push against his chest and slap him hard across the fact.

"No! Stay away from Emma! She is mine! You aren't good enough for her, pirate. So just find some dog or other who is worth your pathetic attentions!" Regina hissed, glaring at the man who was looking at her in shock and cradling his cheek where the blow had landed.

"Excuse me…WHAT?!" came a shocked voice from behind, causing all the colour to be drained from Regina's face.

If only a hole would appear in the ground and swallow Regina up whole, it would avoid having to confront the very subject of the conversation. Regina plastered the best innocent smile she could on her face and turned around to meet the eyes of Emma Swan, who was wearing that godforsaken red leather jacket and an expression of shock and confusion. The situation was only made worse by the laughter of Hook from behind her, making her almost want to snap and remove his hook to personally make sure he couldn't open his obnoxious mouth ever again.

"This doesn't concern you Sheriff." The Mayor said, trying to cover this little incident up as much as possible. "Where is our son? I thought he was with you."

"He's with David down at the stables." Emma replied, coming closer to Regina and the still smiling Hook. "So don't change the subject Regina. I could have sworn I just heard you claim that I was yours?"

"I did no such thing, Miss Swan!"

"Miss Swan again? Really?"

"For a former Evil Queen you are very transparent, love." Hook laughed, earning a glare from both Emma and Regina.

"Don't you have some other living being with a pulse to go bother Killian?" Emma asked, her arms folded.

"Well, I see it's pretty much a failed conquest. But if this little thing doesn't work out, then you know where to find me Swan." He said with a wink, before swaggering off in his ridiculous leather pirate outfit that he had refused to replace with garments more fitting of this world.

"Stupid, fucking pirates." Regina growled, earning an amused look from Emma.

"Wow, I never thought I would hear that word come out of your mouth." Emma laughed. "Now tell me Regina, what was that about?"

"Nothing…" Regina mumbled, watching closely as Emma got closer to her, invading her personal space like she usually did to her.

"Really? Cause it sounded like you were telling Hook to back away from me because you didn't want him to have me. Do you know what that makes me think, Madame Mayor?" Emma asked, her voice getting slightly deeper and huskier than before.

"Something absurd, obviously." She mumbled again, trying to stop herself from running her tongue over her lips and trying to maintain eye contact with the nearing blonde.

"I think that it means that you want me for yourself."

There was no way Regina was going to give in to this. She had known that it had been a mistake to start the argument with Hook; she had just known that the Henry excuse wouldn't have been enough. Now here she was, with Emma's face inches from hers and no way to avoid what she had admittedly wanted for months. It was difficult to conceive that these feelings had been growing since Henry had been trapped in the mine and yet they had and they had been an annoying murmur in the back of Regina's mind. It had only gotten worse with their recent relationship with each other, where they had both figured out how to settle looking after Henry. All the dinners with just the three of them had only increased that feeling. It had all felt right somehow, as if the three of them had always been meant to live as a family under one roof.

As each second past, with Emma's emerald eyes staring deeply into Regina's brown ones, Regina could feel her resolve lessening.

"You're worse than the pirate." Regina muttered, earning a small smile from Emma.

"Oh just shut up, Regina." Emma said, finally losing her patience and closing the remaining distance between their lips.

Regina's body betrayed her, her lips instantly moving against Emma's and her hands burying themselves in Emma's hair, pulling her closer to her. Her mind seemed to be both racing and at a standstill all at the same time. None of her wildest fantasies had ever felt as good as the real thing, not that Emma would ever have to know about some of the dreams Regina had been having.

It wasn't long before Emma pulled away, leaning her forehead against Regina's and sighing contently.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." She breathed, resuming her action of staring into Regina's eyes.

"I think I can tell, dear."

A small shiver ran down Regina's spine from the cold wind that had decided to blow over the pair and the feel of Emma's hands running absentmindedly up her side.

"How about something to eat at Granny's?" Emma asked.

"I don't think I am welcome in there right now…"

"What happened?"

"Let's just say, Hook is a giant thorn in my side."

Emma chuckled as she grabbed Regina's hand and almost pulled her back in the direction of Regina's mansion. Regina wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but now she was kind of relieved that she had decided to talk to that arrogant pirate.