I borrowed a few songs for this chapter.
"Moments" by Tove Lo.
"Dance For You" by Beyonce.
"Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor (ft. John Legend)
Don't own anything, obv.
Regina rolled over, turning away from the alarm clock. She and Emma had decided to take a nap given that they had stayed up so late the night before, and it was now time to wake up her sleeping lover. She had a dinner date with her mother in less than an hour. Regina slid over, shaking the snoring lump in the hopes that she would wake without a fuss.
"No," she grumbled, burrowing further into the blankets.
Regina sighed. Trying to wake Emma (without the bribe of food) was damn near impossible.
"It's time to wake up."
"No."
"You have a dinner date in less than an hour."
"Can't go."
"Why not?"
"'m sleeping."
Regina rolled her eyes and got out of bed, walking over to Emma's side of the bed. She grabbed the blanket and lifted it but Emma, having expected the move, quickly reached out and snatched Regina's waist, dragging her back into bed. The brunette let out a yelp of surprise as she was locked into a tight embrace. She sighed again but settled into Emma's arms. She clearly wasn't going to win this just yet. Regina closed her eyes and relaxed, simply enjoying the warmth against her back until Emma started mumbling against her shoulder.
"What was that, dear? I can't hear you when you mumble."
She could feel Emma rolling her eyes, causing Regina to grin in response. She loved sassing her.
"I said… I don't want to go."
Regina turned in her arms.
"We decided you would," she said gently.
"That was before. I don't want to see her."
"It's a family dinner. You have to go."
"It's not a true family dinner when some of my family is missing."
Regina smiled despite herself. It still warmed her to hear Emma think of them as a family, just as she knew it did the same to Emma when she made similar comments.
"You need to settle things with her first before we can even begin to consider bringing me into the mix," she reminded her. "There's a lot of history between your mother and I. It won't go away overnight. It needs to start with you two, then we can start on me. For now though, you need to focus on mending your relationship with her."
"She needs to stop living in the damn past."
"It's not just her, Emma. We've talked about this."
"I know. It's just… I don't want to do this without you. I don't know if I can," she confessed.
She didn't want to visit Mary Margaret. It was the first time she would see the woman in nearly a month, not since the disastrous birth announcement at Granny's. They had spoken on the phone and had come to a place of neutral ground, Emma not quite accepting her mother's apology but at least acknowledging that she had done so. She had been calling and texting daily, and while Emma did not always respond, she did admit to herself that it was nice that Mary Margaret was trying. But then again, her mind reminded her, her mother had messed up. Big time. She knew she had hurt Emma deeply and she felt guilty. Once things had smoothed over and she was back in Emma's good graces, she would likely go back to talking of nothing but herself and her "new family". Emma would be once again forgotten.
With Regina though, it was different. Regina always took care of her, loved her, paid attention to her, even when Emma grated on her nerves. Therefore it angered her greatly when her mother had refused to allow Regina to come to their family dinner. They argued over the phone for nearly half and hour, until Regina finally stepped in and told Emma to just let it go.
"You can," Regina responded, pulling Emma from her thoughts. "We agreed that Henry should have a relationship with his grandmother, no matter what she's done to you or to me. She's good to him and he deserves to have a relationship with her. He misses her. We both know that. And as terrible as she is at supporting you, we both know that she is good to him. So you need to at least try. For him. Okay?"
Emma sighed. In the end, they both know she would do anything for Henry. She reluctantly nodded.
"I'll be here when you get back if things go wrong. You can do this, Emma. She's your mother. She isn't always good at putting others first, but she does genuinely love you. Don't let this spoil things. You deserve her love as well."
Rather than answer, Emma leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Regina reached up and cupped her cheek, stroking her thumb along her skin as they shared a gentle kiss. When they pulled away, Emma smiled at her.
"Thank you. For everything."
"You're welcome. Now get up."
Emma laughed before pushing herself up and rolling out of bed. The women dressed in silence, making their way downstairs to find Henry in the midst of a round of MarioKart. Emma approached him as she threw her hair up in a lazy ponytail, nudging him with her foot.
"Ready to go, kid?"
"Yeah. I'm almost done this level. Are you finally awake now? You guys were sleeping forever."
She stepped behind him, bending forward over his body so her face was upside down in front of his.
"Do I look awake to you?"
"Ma! I can't see," he complained, throwing himself to the side, only to see his car go crashing over the edge. He sighed in exasperation before turning to his other mother. "Really, mom? Of all the people in this world, you choose her?" He asked, jerking his thumb in the blonde's direction.
"Hey! I am awesome. Your mom was a little late to jump on that particular bandwagon, admittedly," she responded, making her way to the woman in question and wrapping an arm around her waist, "but now that she's joined the party, she will agree that there is nothing better than this." Emma finished, waving her free hand up and down her body.
Regina rolled her eyes, a smirk on her face.
"Really? I think you just got lucky, ma. You levelled up big time."
"Oh there's no denying that," Emma agreed, kissing Regina's cheek. "Always marry out of your league, Henry. You just have to remember to make it worth their while so they don't realise they got jipped."
"Oh? And what do you do to make this relationship worth my while, miss Swan?"
Emma grinned wickedly and wrapped her other arm around Regina, holding her tight. She then began to assault her neck with nibbles and kisses, smiling wider when she was met with undignified squeals. Regina kept a well-guarded secret: she was terribly ticklish on the side of her neck. If you touched it the right way, she would let out very unlady-like squeals. Emma had discovered this by accident while they were making out heavily one night. Now, she exploited that knowledge at every opportunity.
"Emma!" Regina said, unable to control her laughter. "Stop!"
She pushed against her with all of her strength, but Emma was much stronger than she was and refused to let her go. Emma enjoyed the sound of her laughter and she didn't want it to stop, so she held her close and continued to kiss her.
"Enough! Enough!"
Emma eventually relented, pulling away but keeping her arms loose at her waist. She had such a childish look in her eyes, her face beaming with pride, that Regina could not find it in her to get upset.
"You are such a child," she chided.
Emma simply smiled at her, looking into her eyes for a minute before responding to her earlier question.
"I remind you how to laugh."
"What?"
"I remind you that it's okay to not be serious all the time. And that I know that your past doesn't make you who you are. It's a part of you, but it isn't you. Not anymore. I like to think I'm a nice reminder for you that not everyone sees you that way. And that not everyone buys the mask you show to the rest of the world. I see you under it, Regina, even as you do a phenomenal job of hiding yourself. I see you, the real you. It is kind, loving. I see what nobody else gets to see, and that is such a privilege. Every new thing I learn about you just makes me love you even more. You're beautiful."
Emma had cupped her cheek during her speech, wanting that extra connection as she spoke from the heart. She wiped one of the tear that escaped Regina's eye, silently thanking Henry for leaving the room once he realised that the conversation had turned so serious.
Regina didn't respond; she couldn't. This was a side of Emma that she had discovered as the two grew closer: she was a closet romantic. To the outside world, she was brash, impulsive, and fiercely guarded. She let her caring nature show, but she hid the side of herself that was gentle, nurturing. It came out when they were alone, Emma making comments that melted Regina's heart. She was incredibly loving, yet one more thing that had sucked Regina into Emma's charm.
When Regina was pulled into a kiss, she went willingly, wrapping her arms around Emma's neck so that their bodies were pressed flush against each other. Emma kissed her slowly, deeply, her words resonating in Regina's mind as they embraced.
"Ah, moms. Come on. Get a room."
Emma pulled away and grinned.
"Okay!"
She grabbed Regina's hand, only to be stopped by her son.
"Gross. I was kissing. Come on, ma. We gotta go. We're already late."
"Alright, fine. Get your shoes on."
Henry hurried to the door, his mothers following close behind.
"Remember that your mother and I have not announced our relationship to your grandparents, Henry."
"Yeah, so don't go blabbin', kid."
"I know, I know. And I can't be upset that mom's not invited to family dinner because they don't know you're dating. But even if they think you aren't, you're still family. You should be coming. You shouldn't be here alone."
Emma gave her a pointed look. Regina glared at her in response.
"I'll be fine, dear. It will be nice to have some peace and quiet for once. I wonder. What will I do without you two here arguing with each other?"
"Miss us," Emma responded immediately.
"Cry."
"Stare longingly out the window."
"Pour over my baby books."
"Leave my socks on the floor to remind you of me."
"Watch sad movies and pretend we're there to make fun of them."
"Slap your own ass since I'm not there to do it for you."
"Alright!" Regina cut them off, not wanting the conversation to go any further. "Get out of here. You're both giving me a headache. Enjoy your dinner."
They both rushed her, pulling her into a hug.
"Love you, mom!"
"I love you too, dear."
"See you later, Regina. Love you."
"I love you too."
She sighed in exasperation when they finally left. They were exhausting. But there was no denying the smile on her lips.
It was nearly four hours later when Regina finally received a text from Emma, letting her know that dinner had gone relatively well. She asked if she had any objection to Henry spending the night (which she didn't) and then informed Regina that she would be heading home soon. The brunette responded that she looked forward to seeing her, even if Emma would destroy all of the work she had put into cleaning the house. She received a giant smiley face in response.
Regina rolled her eyes and returned to her glass of cider, flipping through the pages of a magazine. She definitely hadn't been killing time, waiting for Emma and Henry to return. And the house had needed cleaning, that's why she had spent so much time scrubbing the floors. Also, she had been meaning to make more room in her drawers so that Emma didn't always have to hang the clothing she left here (which, it turns out, was quite a substantial amount), that's why she had to rearrange her dresser. The closet across from Henry's room hadn't been organised in months, so that had needed to be done. And the fluttering in her stomach was not excitement that Emma was due home soon. It was nothing. In fact there was no fluttering. Forget it.
Regina finished the magazine (she hadn't actually read it, only flipped through it). She got up and put it back with the others, skimming through her bookshelf for something to read. Nothing grabbed her attention, so she began wandering the house, looking for something to do. She settled on reorganising the shoes in her walk-in closet, continually glancing at the clock as she did so. When forty minutes had passed and Emma still wasn't home, she decided to send her a text. Just to check in.
She fired off the message, then returned to her shoes. Her phone stayed quiet for another thirty minutes, until she received a singular text from Emma.
I'm on my way home. Don't answer your phone if my mother calls. Big fight.
She had barely finished the message when her phone vibrated in her hand with a call from the woman in question. She stared down at Snow's face, wondering if she should take the call despite Emma's warning not to. She let it vibrate half a dozen times before finally turning it off. Regina didn't know what the fight was about, but she suspected it had everything to do with her. Emma had probably lashed out at her mother for not inviting her, just like Regina had told her not to do.
She sighed. Emma never listened to her. She quickly put her clothing away (after the shoes had been organised, she moved onto her work clothes), making her way downstairs just as a fury of blonde hair whipped into the house. The door slammed, and heavy boots were hurled to the floor. Normally, Regina would reprimand this sort of behaviour, but she could tell that Emma was incredibly upset. Before she could even ask what happened, Emma marched over to her and kissed her firmly on the lips. Regina frowned, confused, but kissed her back. Emma then pulled back just as suddenly, looking at her seriously.
"I love you. Nothing is going to change that."
"I know, Emma. What happened?"
She shook her head.
"I told my mom about us tonight. She… didn't take it well," Emma gave an empty laugh. "Actually, she freaked. She wouldn't even let me talk. She kind of lost her mind when she found out I've been staying here with you. I guess it was too much to expect that she could actually be happy for me, huh?"
Emma looked so defeated that Regina's heart clenched.
"Come on," she said gently, leading the way to the living room. She brought Emma to the couch, taking the seat at the furthest end and pulling Emma down so that her head was in her lap. "Tell me what happened. Start from the beginning of the visit."
She gently removed the elastic from Emma's hair, running her fingers through the long locks as she listened. She scratched her scalp, then massaged it, before going back to playing with her hair. She could feel Emma relax as she recounted the evening, starting with the warm welcome they had received and following it with the relatively painless dinner they had shared.
"I was still kinda bitter that you weren't there, but I tried to focus on Henry and how happy he was. I mean, I was happy that he was happy, but you were missing. So I started thinking about you and what you were doing here and how much I missed you. My mom noticed I kept drifting out of the conversation, so she started asking me if I was tired and wanted to know why I was spacing out so much. Henry distracted her a lot for me, but when he left with my dad to go play video games, she started kinda changing her questions. She was asked me if I was seeing someone and what was going on in my life. I managed to dodge the dating questions for a while and we talked. She apologised again for the diner thing and I mean, I don't forgive her yet, but I told her I would eventually. That talk was actually kinda nice. She said a lot of nice things.
When she left to put Neal to bed, I texted you about coming home soon and I guess my face kinda gave me away cuz when she got back, she started asking me questions again. She said she knew I was seeing someone and I don't know… it kind of just, spilled out."
"Spilled out how?"
"I don't know. I mean, I guess I shocked her first because I told her I wasn't seeing a man. She kept asking who "he" was, so I said there was no "he". There was a she. So she kind of got a look for a second, but then nodded and seemed okay with it. At least in part. So she asked who "she" was. Then Henry comes in and I think I'm safe but he says he's going to bed too. My dad promised to take him fishing tomorrow morning, so he decided to go to bed so that he could get up early.
He left, and since my mother can't let anything drop, she kept asking and asking and I don't know. I just snapped. I blurted everything out, about how I loved you and that you were good for me and that we just worked. That this was the best relationship I'd ever had and I that was happy. She stayed quiet and I thought… I don't know. I thought for a split second she'd actually be happy for me, you know? But no. She lost her mind. She dragged me outside of the apartment and then started yelling at me about how horrible a person you were and how manipulative you were. She kept going on and on about how she couldn't believe I had fallen for someone like you and wouldn't let me talk, so I just left. I grabbed my keys and I left.
I can't believe I thought she'd be understanding. She went on and on about how happy she was that she and I had found each other. She apologised more than once about the diner thing, saying that she didn't mean to make me feel excluded, that I was her daughter and that she loved me. She talked about how she had dreamed about me her entire life, that I turned out even better than she could have ever expected. She apologised for hurting me, for everything, because she just wanted me to be happy."
Emma shifted then, looking up at Regina.
"You make me happy. You do. More than anyone in my entire life. No one has ever taken care of me the way that you do. Why can't she just-" her voice cracked as the evening finally started to overwhelm her. Now that she was in the safety of Regina's arms, the weight of what had happened finally started to hit her. "Why can't she just be happy for me?"
Regina reached down and pulled Emma to her. She felt incredibly guilty that her lover was going through this. There was so much hatred and pain between herself and Snow that truthfully, she didn't know if Emma's mother would ever be able to accept their relationship. Regina felt overwhelmed with guilt. It wasn't fair that yet another person suffered because they loved her.
"Emma, I'm sorry," she started, rubbing her back as the woman curled into her. "I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry that you're suffering. Again. Because of me. If you had been dating anyone else-"
Emma jerked away, looking at her and shaking her head.
"No. You're not the problem. She is. She's so fucking selfish. She says she wants me to be happy, but she wants me to leave the one person in this entire universe, besides our son, who makes me happy. Who makes me feel safe. She is living in the past, focusing on all the shit you did back then, rather than who you are today. You are not that woman, Regina. You've changed. And I love you because you were able to change. You are the strongest person I know, and I mean that," she said firmly. "I don't like what you've done in your past, but you could say the same about me. We've both done shit we regret but we've learnt from it and we've moved past it. But she just… she can't see that. She refuses to see it and she refuses to move on, even if it hurts me. You're not like that. Hell, you wanted me to leave you so that I could have a relationship with her. That's love. What she is doing… it's selfish. It's not love."
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation from progressing any further. Emma quickly wiped at her eyes, shaking her head.
"Don't get it."
"We should," Regina answered softly. "It might be Henry."
"It's not Henry. He's sleeping."
"I'll get it. If it's her, I'll send her home."
"No," Emma sighed. "If she sees you, she'll flip. I'll get it."
She got up and reluctantly made her way to the door, surprised to see her dad standing before her.
"Hey."
"Hi," she responded, her voice more gravelly than she'd have liked.
He noticed immediately and took a step forward, pulling her into his arms. He cupped the back of her head just as he always did and held her tight.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry."
That was all it took for Emma to shake against him, bursting into tears once again. She usually hid how she felt, but everything was all so close to the surface. And the truth of the matter was, even though she had grown up without them, they were still her parents. She wanted them to be proud of her, to love her. Knowing that Snow disapproved so intensely, it hurt.
"I know, honey. I'm sorry. It's okay."
He held her close, his heart breaking as she fought to regain her composure. She was always so guarded with her emotions, showing the world nothing but strength. To see his little girl so devastated broke his heart. He rocked her gently, rubbing her back to soothe her. When she finally pulled away, she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Sorry. It's just… it's pretty raw."
"Emma?"
Her eyes immediately looked in the direction of Regina's voice. Her shoulders relaxed as the woman came into view.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I-"
She made a move to back away but David took a step forward, shaking his head.
"No. Stay. I need to speak to you both."
"Alright. Let's move to the living room then."
Regina led the way, sitting up stiffly on the couch. She couldn't imagine this was going to be a pleasant conversation. She would not intervene in their discussion, not unless Charming decided to side with Snow and hurt Emma with his comments. As idiotic as he could be at times, he was not quite as daft as his wife. So while Regina mentally prepared for an argument, part of her was cautiously hopeful that he had come to soothe his daughter, rather than continue the argument she had had with her mother.
Emma sat next to Regina as her father sat in the overstuffed chair to her right. They sat quietly, the silence between them quickly turning awkward.
"So, I guess we'll just cut right to the chase. You two are dating."
"Yeah," Emma responded.
"How long has it been now?"
"A while."
"How long is a while?"
There was no malice in his voice, but Emma still felt uncomfortable.
"It's been a while, dad."
He still looked at her, waiting for a response. He had had no idea that his daughter was seeing anyone. He had had no idea that he had missed an epic argument until he had found Snow quietly crying in the hallway. She blurted out the entire story, and while he had obviously been upset at first, unhappy with the idea that the former evil queen was dating his daughter, he had not come here looking for a fight. He had come here looking for answers. He couldn't believe he had missed all of this, and it upset him knowing that he had been so oblivious. How hadn't he noticed that Emma had been seeing someone? What else had he missed?
"It's been nearly a year," Regina stated.
He nodded, looking away. He was ashamed. He hadn't noticed, for an entire year.
"I can't believe I didn't know. I had no idea, Emma. I can't believe I didn't notice."
He sounded so guilty, Regina almost felt bad for him.
"I'm not going to pretend like I'm not still… reeling from this information. This is a huge bomb that you've dropped on your mother and I. She didn't handle it well though, and I'm sorry for what she said.
I never want to see you hurt, Emma. And knowing that you're hurting now, well. It hurts me too. I'm your father and even though you're an adult, you're still my little girl. I'm still supposed to protect you. And Regina… she shares a different past with your mother and I. It's hard to remember sometimes that she's changed. It's been an instinct for so long to stay away from her, to be wary of her, because she was our enemy for decades. And knowing now that you're dating her, when at one time I had to give you up to protect you from her… it's a lot to swallow.
We never really got to come to terms with our loss, with how we lost you. We were robbed of everything with you, Emma. Everything. We didn't get to see your first smile. We didn't get to see you take your first step. We didn't get to hear you say your first words. We didn't see you off to your first day of school. There were no balls and no galas. We hadn't know anything about you for twenty eight years. And then suddenly you're here, and you're all grown up. And while I am so, so happy to have you in my life and I wouldn't trade it for a damn thing, it's still hard to know how much I missed out on with you. I never got to teach you any of the things I wanted to teach you. I never really got to be your dad.
You were so wanted, Emma. We wanted you so badly and to know that you grew up feeling rejected and unwanted, unloved-" at this his voice broke. He took a second to collect himself, swallowing hard through the tears, before he pulled himself forward on his seat, leaning closer to his daughter. "It is devastating. You were never unloved or unwanted. You were supposed to grow up spoiled, loved, wanting for nothing. That was supposed to be your life. And sometimes, when your mother and I spend too much time focusing on what we lost, we get resentful of what happened. We get resentful of her. Of Regina. And to know now that you are with her, someone we hated for so long…"
He trailed off, his thoughts escaping him momentarily. Emma had made a move to protest when David began speaking about Regina, but when she felt a firm grip on her thigh, she quieted back down. She knew what Regina would say. He needs to speak his mind. David noticed the gesture and gave the brunette a grateful nod.
"I know things are different now. I know she has changed, and I know she's trying to be better. I've seen the changes in her. She is no longer the person we once hated. We see it in how she treats Henry, and now that I look back, I can see the change she has had on you too. You're happier now, less guarded.
We have spent so much time apart, Emma. We have spent so much time without you. We have lost so much. I don't want that anymore. I want to have a real relationship with my daughter. I want her to come to me when she has something to tell me. I want to know when she is seeing someone new. I want her to feel like she can come to me and know that I will be supportive. I want to be an active part of your life, not just someone who is casually in it. I want to be your father, and that starts with me telling you that I support you. If this is what you want, I will support you. This is about you, Emma, not me. And I'm going to try hard to remember that. I might need some time, but… I will get there. I promise."
Emma was biting hard on her lip, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay. It was no use though. At the end of his talk, she was back to crying openly, getting up to embrace her father. He did not stop his own tears, pulling his daughter into a tight hug as he held her close.
"I'm so sorry, Emma. But I love you. I love you very much, and things are going to be different."
She nodded into his shoulder. She believed him. He spoke so sincerely that she couldn't help but believe him.
They held each other for a long time, letting the pain subside as they shared a healing embrace. By the time Emma pulled away, she felt monumentally better. She was even able to offer her father a small smile when their eyes met.
"Thank you, dad."
He nodded. They sat down together on the couch, this time Emma moving to sit close to him, even as she reached out to grab Regina's hand. The woman gave her an encouraging squeeze before they let go.
"I'm sorry I was so oblivious to it all, Emma. You were right to leave men aside. We are idiots," he chuckled along with his daughter, the tension in the room easing exponentially. "Women are much more observant. And I think that's what you need. Someone who pays attention. And if there's anything that she is," he said, nodding in Regina's direction, "it's observant. She notices everything."
Emma nodded in agreement.
"She really does. Nothing escapes her."
They were silent for a moment, each letting the weight of the conversation settle within them. David met his daughter's eyes once again before speaking.
"Are you happy, Emma?"
"I am."
"She makes you happy?"
"Yeah. She does."
"And she's good to you?"
Emma smiled.
"Yeah. You don't have to worry, dad. Regina is better to me than anyone has ever been. She takes care of me."
"Good." He then turned to the woman in question. "You've been awfully quiet this evening."
"I don't believe this conversation required my input."
"No. But I want to talk to you later."
"Dad-" Emma immediately jumped in.
"Listen, Emma. If anyone is gonna be dating my daughter, they're gonna get the talk. I've missed out on way too many of these with your previous boyfriends. Uh, and girlfriends, if there were any," he continued more confidently when Emma nodded that there had also been other women, "and girlfriends. So if she's really invested, she'll have to suffer through my talk first. Even if it's coming a year too late."
Emma looked over at Regina, who smirked.
"I'll listen to it, dear. Whatever your father has to say, it won't change my mind. We've already discussed what would end our relationship, and a conversation with your father is not one of them."
Emma's shoulders visibly relaxed.
"Okay."
David watched, unsure as to what Regina was referring, but he was glad it seemed to have a calming effect on Emma. He would have to ask about it during his talk with Regina. Which he was definitely going to have to have soon. He had had a speech prepared for any of Emma's potential suitors, but it was not fitting for Regina. He definitely needed to work on that first. Then he was going to have a serious talk with Regina.
"Alright," he finally responded, rubbing his hands on his thighs. "I think I'm going to leave you two for tonight. I'm going to bring Henry fishing tomorrow morning and leave Snow at home. She needs some time to think about what's important. I'll drop Henry off tomorrow afternoon and then I'll go home." He looked directly at Emma. "I'm going to talk to her. We're going to fix this, okay? And then no more hiding. No more secrets. Deal?"
She nodded.
"Thank you."
He led the way to the door, hugging his daughter goodbye.
"And you are going to sleep in the guest bedroom tonight, right?"
"Oh, yes. We have our own rooms. They're very far apart. On opposite sides of the house in fact. Couldn't be further. No sinning in this house."
"Good. That's what I want to hear."
"Unlike in yours," she snickered.
"Your mother and I are married. Not the same thing at all."
Emma wiggled her eyebrows at Regina, who gave her a pointed look.
"I'm not taking your name," she responded seriously.
Emma turned back to her father, grinning. He, however, had blanched.
"Listen. Let me get used to the fact that you're dating before you start throwing a wedding at me, alright?"
Emma laughed, her first real one since returning from the loft.
"Okay."
He hugged her again, squeezing her tight.
"Thank you, dad. For coming tonight."
He pulled back and looked into her eyes.
"I may have been blind before, but I'm going to work on paying attention from now on. I don't want my little girl to hurt anymore. That's happened too much in her life already."
She gave him a grateful smile.
"Goodnight, princess."
"Goodnight, dad."
He looked over at Regina.
"I'm watching you."
"And I'm terrified. Truly."
He smirked before waving to the two of them, closing the door behind him. Emma turned to Regina, a genuine smile on her face.
"He's a good man, your father."
"He is, isn't he?"
"Yes. Come on, let's go back to the living room."
They returned to the couch, Emma placing her head in Regina's lap once again.
"How are you feeling now?"
"Much, much better. Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
Regina buried her fingers in Emma's hair, scratching at her scalp.
"I believe that's because a weight has in fact been lifted, dear."
Emma nodded against her lap.
"Are you nervous about talking to my dad?"
She snorted.
"Please. I've known that man longer than you've been alive. He doesn't frighten me."
"You're going to be nice to him though, right?"
"I'll do my best."
"And you're going to listen to his talk?" she asked hopefully.
"I'll keep the eye rolling to a minimum."
Emma sighed.
"Regina."
"Alright," she relented. "I will listen to what he has to say because as much as I believe he is an idiot, he's also your father and I know that he wants what is best for you. He and I are in agreement about that at least."
"And it's important to me that you go."
"Yes, dear. And I know that it's important for you that I try to play nice. I love you, so I will sacrifice for you."
Emma grinned.
"Thank you."
They sat in silence, Emma simply enjoying the feel of Regina's fingers in her hair. Something was missing though.
"Hang on a minute."
Emma got up and grabbed her phone, plugging it into the tv. She flipped to her music app and turned it on, just loud enough to hear the music but low enough that it wouldn't interrupt their conversation. She turned to Regina and smiled.
"Will you light the fireplace?"
"Really, dear?"
"Please?"
She looked so hopeful that Regina couldn't say no, sending a fireball to the fireplace in lieu of a response. Emma then dimmed the lights, making her way back to the couch and laying down.
"Perfect."
"Happy?"
"Very," she said, snuggling into Regina's lap. "I love it when you play with my hair."
Regina knew that. She also knew that Emma had been terribly deprived of positive physical touch in her life. When they had started seeing one another, Emma had tried to hide her need for physical affection. Despite the fact that she craved the contact, she did everything she could to hide how desperate she was for it. Regina, being as observant as she was, caught on and quickly put an end to her struggle. She spent nearly every moment of their time together touching Emma and making sure that Emma could touch her in return. This resulted in what was now a very physically affectionate relationship, something both women thoroughly enjoyed.
"Are you happy, Regina?"
She stopped her fingers, moving her hand down to trace Emma's jaw before turning her head towards her.
"I am very, very happy."
"Good."
"You were right earlier, when you stated that you remind me how to laugh, to be carefree. It has been a very long time since I have been able to feel so liberated. You are the reason I'm happier."
"You've carried a burden on your shoulders for a long time."
"As have you."
"Maybe. I'm glad that I'm able to help you let go of some of it though and make you happy."
"As am I, dear."
Emma smiled at her, closing her eyes when Regina's fingers resumed brushing through her hair.
"Bet you didn't expect you'd be swooning all over me when you first met me."
"Pardon me? I do not swoon."
"Oh. You so do. You think I don't see you watching me when I get dressed? Or when I'm showering. Or basically any time I'm naked and within your field of vision. You ogle."
Regina coloured and looked away, refusing to dignify that with a response.
"Ha. Can't even come up with a response because you know I'm right."
"You are never right, miss Swan."
"Like hell I'm not. You also find me incredibly delightful. Irresistible."
She sat up, sliding onto Regina's lap. She doubted the woman was paying attention to the music, but Emma was. And it amused her how well this song fit their current conversation. So, she moved onto Regina's thighs and grinned at her.
"This song is just for you, madam Mayor."
She began singing along to the chorus, dancing in Regina's lap.
"I'm not the prettiest you've ever seen
But I have my moments, I have my moments.
Not the flawless one, I've never been
But I have my moments, I have my moments.
I can get a little drunk, I get into all the don'ts
But on good days I am charming as fuck.
I can get a little drunk, I get into all the don'ts
But on good days I am charming as fuck."
Regina could not hide the smirk on her face, nor did she want to. Emma was right. This song was quite fitted to the blonde. She was definitely charming "as fuck", as the song so eloquently stated. And she used said charm to get out of trouble. Often.
The mood quickly changed from playful to something much more adult when Emma's eyelids lowered and her hips shifted to perform a much more erotic dance. Regina's breath caught as Emma leaned forward and began singing in her ear, rocking her hips against her thigh.
"I can't be the perfect one
But I'll make you come
And I'm locked in your mind.
You can say I don't belong
That I'm so wrong
I can tell, tell you lie"
The deep, husky voice in her ear, Emma's breasts pressed into hers, her hips gyrating against her lap were all quickly working to turn Regina on. She knew Emma had caught onto her situation when the blonde gave up singing to lick her way down her throat and bite her shoulder. Her other hand moved to her breast, grabbing it firmly.
"Emma," she gasped.
Emma moved her mouth, pressing it firmly to Regina's.
"Shh," she mumbled against her lips, sliding her tongue inside when Regina went to protest.
It wasn't that Regina didn't want to. She really, really did, but she wasn't sure it was such a good idea after what had just transpired. She pulled away, searching Emma's eyes.
"Emma. Are you sure?"
She bit her lip in hesitation. Emma groaned above her and ripped open her pants, sliding Regina's hand inside until it met warm, slick flesh.
"Does this answer your question?"
"Jesus," Regina said, her voice hitching. "When did this happen?"
"When I started singing to you and realised how incredibly hot it was to dance for you."
She got up and made her way to her phone, typing in the song she wanted and hitting "play". She turned the lights down lower, so that the room was only scarcely lit by the lights and the fireplace. She began to sing in time with the lyrics, dancing slowly in front of Regina as she did so.
"I just wanna show you how much I appreciate you, yes
Wanna show you how much I'm dedicated to you, yes
Wanna show you how much I will forever be true, yes
Wanna show you how much you got your girl feeling good, oh, yes"
Emma moved onto the couch, holding onto the back behind Regina's head and gyrating her hips into her lap.
Wanna show you how much, how much you understood, oh, yes
Wanna show you how much I value what you say.
Not only are you loyal, you're patient with me babe, oh, yes
Wanna show you how much I really care about your heart,
Wanna show you how much I hate being apart, oh, yes
She leaned into her ear and continued singing, dropping her voice an octave, thoroughly enjoying the way her girlfriend's breathing rapidly increased.
"Show you, show you, show you, till you through with me,
I wanna keep it how it is so you can never say how it used to be."
Emma pulled back and slid off her lap, coming to stand between her legs. She slowly began sashaying her hips, her hands crawling up her thighs to the bottom of her shirt. She sang along, her hands sliding under her shirt as she rubbed her palms along her stomach, exposing a sliver of skin. Regina's pupils dilated as she watched Emma dance before her, unable to even blink for fear of missing even a second of the sensual dance.
"Loving you is really all that's on my mind
And I can't help but to think about it day and night,
I wanna make that body rock
Sit back and watch."
Emma reached down and lifted her shirt, stopping at her bra, where she twisted the top and began rubbing her breasts. She turned to face away from Regina before lifting the top over her head. She turned back around as the chorus started, stalking forward as she continued singing.
"Tonight I'm gonna dance for you, oh-oh
Tonight I'm gonna dance for you, oh-oh"
She turned and ground her ass into Regina's lap, turning in time to sing the next lyric.
"Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your body"
Emma slid her torso up along Regina's, pressing their breasts together as she kissed the woman soundly. Regina grabbed her ass firmly, but she didn't get to enjoy it for long before Emma pulled away to stand again.
"Girl I like it when you watch me, ah"
Emma ran a finger along the top of her pants before dipping her hand inside, touching herself for Regina to watch. She held her gaze as she stroked her clit, her breath coming out in harsh pants.
"Tonight it's going down
I'll be rocking on my babe, rocking, rocking on my babe,
Swirlin' on my babe, swirlin', swirlin' on my babe
Baby let me put my body on your body"
Regina couldn't take it anymore. She was way too turned on to continue watching, no matter how much she loved the show. She shot up from the couch and latched onto her lips, ripping Emma's hand from her pants and replacing it with her own. She moaned loudly against her mouth when she felt how absolutely soaked Emma was, her fingers slipping easily between her lips. She swirled her fingers, coating them in wetness, before moving back up to her clit and rubbing it harshly. She was not in the mood to go slow.
Emma's knees buckled the second Regina's fingers made contact with her clit. She was not going to last. She sucked on Regina tongue, bucking against her hand as it moved faster between her legs.
"Please, baby. More."
Regina removed her hand, earning her a whimper of protest. She ripped at Emma's jeans, yanking them down and off.
"You too," Emma panted, tugging at her shirt.
They quickly removed each other's clothing, Regina dragging Emma to the shag rug before the fireplace. She pulled the blonde down, but Emma rolled them so that she was on top. She began grinding against Regina's sex, their mouths once again connecting. Regina's hands were all over her at once: grabbing her breasts, pinching her nipples, squeezing her ass. They roamed her body as their movements became desperate, each quickly climbing to release.
Regina suddenly pulled away, her left hand pushing on Emma's right shoulder as she spoke.
"Turn. I want to taste you."
Emma's eyes rolled behind her head at the implication.
"Fuck," she panted. "Yes."
She quickly shifted so that her hips straddled Regina's face.
"Pillow, Regina. I need-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Regina conjured up a pillow from upstairs, dropping it unceremoniously on Emma. She then conjured up another to place under her own head, latching onto Emma's clit when she had settled.
"Fuck!"
Emma's hips jerked against her lips, so she held onto them with her hands. She kept them firmly in placing, lifting her own when she felt Emma trying to jam the other pillow beneath her body. Soon a warm mouth found its way between her thighs, and she moaned into Emma's sex. Her hips bucked again, but Regina simply moved her lips to follow their movement.
The women began licking, sucking, grinding against each other, neither one very far from release. When Regina felt her orgasm tugging just behind her clit, she knew she needed to speed things up. She brought her right hand to Emma's dripping sex, sliding in two fingers and pushing them deep inside.
"Ah! God damn!"
Emma grunted in pleasure, her mouth falling open as Regina's fingers filled her. Her head dropped forward and she wrapped her lips around her clit again, moving her hand to fill Regina in turn. Emma felt her walls clamping down on the fingers now roughly plunging inside of her, and two gentle swipes on her clit later, she exploded. She cried out once before latching back onto Regina's clit, moaning against it as she continued to ride out her orgasm. The knowledge that Emma was coming around her, while still sucking on her sensitive flesh, sent Regina careening over the edge. Her orgasm caused her back to arch, their slick stomachs sliding against each other as they writhed and shook through their shared bliss.
As Regina started to come down, Emma rotated her wrist, sliding her fingers further inside. She knew she could push her girlfriend towards a second release. When she felt the tight walls grip her fingers a second time, Emma lashed her clit with her tongue, moaning in satisfaction as her girlfriend went spiralling over the edge for a second time.
Regina collapsed after the second orgasm, her body devoid of any energy. Emma used the last of hers to turn back to face her panting lover, curling into the side of her body. They lay there for several minutes, both trying to catch their breath. Ultimately, it was Emma who spoke first.
"I love that position."
"I know you do. I hope you enjoyed it just as much this time as you have in the past."
"I always enjoy sex with you. You're so god damn good at what you do."
Regina smirked cockily.
"I know I am."
Emma chuckled against her neck, planting a soft kiss against her skin.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Emma sighed into her shoulder as Regina rubbed her hand up and down her spine. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of soft fingers against her skin. She could faintly hear the music from earlier was still playing, and the music soothed her. They rested quietly, until Emma heard a familiar tune. Suddenly, she sat up and turned to Regina.
"Dance with me."
"What? Now?"
"Yeah. I want to dance with you. Do you have the energy to?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then let's dance."
Regina acquiesced, accepting Emma's hand when she offered it to her. She gently pulled her to her feet, reaching for the blanket on the back of the couch once they were both standing. She shook it out, wrapping it around their bodies as she pulled Regina into a warm embrace.
"The first time I heard this song, I kinda teared up. Secretly. Because it made me think of you, of us. I wanted to dance to it with you, like this, in front of our fireplace."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I guess the lyrics and the melody got to me. Just something about it struck a chord in me."
"What song is it?"
Regina didn't recognise it. Instead of responding, Emma pulled her closer and began gently singing in her ear.
"Split second and you disappeared and then I was all alone…
I woke up in tears
With you by my side
A breath of relief
And I realized
No, we're not promised tomorrow."
Emma could feel her throat tightening, so she turned her head and gave a soft cough. She didn't know what it was about this song, but it affected her every time she heard it. It was beautiful. She placed a soft kiss to Regina's cheek before returning to sing to her once again.
"So I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you
Like I'm saying goodbye"
She squeezed Regina's waist, holding her tight.
"Wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when
When we'll run out of time.
So I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you."
She swayed them gently, and Regina could feel her own throat tightening the more Emma sang to her. She sounded so sincere in her words, and it touched her deeply. This damn woman had cut through all of her defenses, had broken down all of her walls, had called her on all of her bullshit, had forced her way into her heart, and had loved her more deeply than any other. She had repaired the decades' worth of damage that had been done to her soul, and god damn if Regina tried to deny the fact that she was totally, completely, utterly, and hopelessly in love with Emma Swan.
The thought of who this woman was choked Regina up, even as she fought desperately to keep her composure. Emma, who had loved her harder and more sincerely than anyone had in a very, very long time, who had loved her in a way that Regina thought nobody ever could again. Ever would, not after everything she had done. Emma, who was holding her so gently, but so protectively, who was singing such beautiful lyrics into her ear. Emma, who showed Regina that she was worthy of love. It reduced her to tears.
"I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye
Wherever we're standing I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when, when we'll run out of time
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you"
When the song ended, Regina pulled away just enough to look at Emma, who reached a hand up and cupped her chin.
"I'm not perfect, Regina, and I know you are so totally out of my league. But I can guarantee you that there is not a fucking soul on this damn planet there who loves you like I do."
"I know," she whispered. "You show me every day how much you love me. I never thought, after Daniel… after everything I did… I never thought anyone would love me. And certainly not the way that you do. How could they? And yet, you. You did. You chased me down, wormed your way into my life, and you stole my heart. I did everything I could to resist you, to fight you, but you fought back just as hard. And you always found me when I pushed you away.
You treasure me despite everything I've done, Emma. I recognise how lucky I am. I will never, ever let you go. Never. You are it for me."
Regina leaned forward and pressed their lips together, holding firmly onto Emma's sides. When she pulled away, the younger woman smiled softly at her.
"Think you've finally found your happy ending then?"
Regina shook her head.
"No, dear," she responded, locking Emma's gaze and holding it for a moment before continuing, "I think my happy ending found me."
-Fin