Author's note:

Two episodes into the newest season, there's one short scene for my OTP and an idea I've been meaning to play with immediately demanded to be written. As usual, this is AU because my Golden Queen shipper heart basically ignores canon at this point. I've got a Halloween fic started for these two as well so I'll try to get that done soon. For now: enjoy a short, yet sweet little ficlet.

Impulse

Regina wasn't entirely certain what drove her to kiss Rumpelstiltskin, other than impulse and frustration.

One minute: she was having a one-sided argument with his still slumbering form, the next – her lips were upon his.

Admittedly, there was a part of her (deep down) that had always wanted to kiss him, she just wasn't expecting it to happen in such a way, nor did she expect the result.

A surge of powerful warmth suddenly coursed through her system, and she gasped, pulling back just in time to witness his eyes fluttering open.

In the history of awkward pauses; theirs had to be the longest.

Slowly, Rumpelstiltskin sat up, gauging his surroundings. "Regina?" his voice was hoarse from lack of use, and his hands trembled slightly when he brought them up to frame her face.

"Rumpel," she let out the breath she'd been holding. "You…you're…"

"Awake. And alive, for that matter," he managed, not making a move to let go. "And trying to understand why you kissed me."

"That makes two of us," she confessed, her hands coming up to cover his.

He sighed, leaned forward, and touched their foreheads together. "I guess all that matters is that it worked."

"Considering everything that's going on in this town, yes."

He blinked and pulled back. "Why, what's going on now?"

"Well…" a sheepish expression crossed her lovely face. "When we pulled the darkness out of your heart, it went for me first. And then Emma, being the prize idiot that she usually is, stepped in between and…well…she's the Dark One now."

Rumpelstiltskin stared at his former student, his eyes wide. "She did what?"

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Regina sat back and laced their fingers together. "But why don't we go find everyone and explain what just happened? I think they have a right to know what transpired, even if it was an accident."

"Was it though?" Those eyes bore into hers, and she couldn't help the way her breath hitched as she was drawn into their depths.

"Honestly? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that we will figure it out together. I have a feeling we're going to need you …that I'm going to need you."

"Then…before we go, there's one request I'd ask of you."

"Anything," she stroked over his hand tenderly.

"Let me kiss you? Just once. The truth is: I've always wanted to."

She chuckled. "That's kind of what drove me to kiss you."

He smiled, which made her heart flutter happily. "Then you won't mind a bit of impulse on my part as well, I hope?"

Regina shook her head.

The smile shifted into a grin, and then his mouth was occupied with her and little else mattered in the world for a while.

The End