Part one: The beer run.
Storybrooke was always a slow moving sort of town.
However slowly life in Storybrooke could move, nothing felt longer than the drive Emma had been forced to take with the town's Mayor, Regina Mills.
Emma leaned forward in her seat, studiously ignoring Regina.
Regina, however, sat far back on her side, arms crossed, eyes strangely hurt as she glared out the passenger side window.
"Really, Ms. Swan." Regina had to break the silence. "Is it too much to ask, to bring the townspeople something to make Spring festival more…" She swallowed hard and said, redundantly, "…festive?"
Emma maintained her silence even as they pulled in front of the corner store where they would be forced to buy beer for the festival goers. Forced, because for some damned reason, when the subject of a 'beer run' came up, Mary had pointed to Regina and Emma and insisted that the Mayor and the Sheriff make the purchases. Emma knew that Mary was trying to make the two women talk, but to what end, Emma had no clue.
And when Emma had glared and refused and then, after caving in to the townspeoples' please, ignored Regina for the better part of the half hour it took them to drive to the Mayor's office, retrieve the credit card used to pay for such expenses, and then drive to the store…well, Regina, for some damned reason, had become emotional, even tearful, at Emma's anger.
Emma finally blew up when Regina carefully lay the last case down on the counter and prepared to pay.
"You stole people's hearts!" Emma shouted, her hands flinging about. The end of the curse, the revelation about the hearts, the revelation that Regina was responsible for Emma's lifelong separation from her parents and likely from her son…it was all too much. "You're a fucking psycho," Emma shouted louder this time, watching with no small amount of glee as the storekeeper stopped to stare at them. On a roll, Emma added, "You've done nothing but lie to me, manipulate me, make me feel incredibly stupid, all the fucking time!" Then Emma paused, confused even in her anger, and asked, "Mary has totally forgiven you—why is that? And why are you still Mayor? Did you cast another spell…?"
Regina, hands shaking as she clung to the credit card, promptly began to cry. Really cry. Like somebody had killed her puppy. Or worse.
"What's your problem now?" Emma asked hoarsely. "Seriously. I do not feel sorry for you." But she kinda did. "Fucksakes." Emma took the card from Regina's hand and forced it into the clerk's hand instead. She growled at him when he smirked back at her.
"Lover's spat?" He muttered.
Thankfully, Regina had the presence of mind to hold Emma back when she lunged across the counter and prepared to deck him.
Back in the car (after Emma convinced the clerk that they would require a great deal of assistance and that no arguments would be accepted), Regina began to talk as she never had before. About how everything was crashing down around her, and how she knew that Henry and Emma hated her and she deserved it, and how having a heart back in her chest was like…
"Huh?" Emma stammered, slamming on the brakes. "Having…huh?" Her eyes widened and she stared at Regina's chest.
"…being extremely hormonal…" Regina finished weakly. "emotions I haven't faced in 28 years are hitting me like runaway trains, again and again and again and…" Her own eyes widened as Emma's hand reached for her. The pads of Emma's fingers were soft and warm on Regina's collarbone before her palm slid down further to press over…
…over Regina's heart. Which was beating like an insane bird. Or whatever that game was that she had heard Emma liked. Angry bird? Regina felt light headed at Emma's touch, either way.
"What now?" Emma asked. "I mean seriously. What do we do with you now? Why has nobody turned again you? Even Gold thinks this is all hilarious." She paused thoughtfully, her hand now covered with Regina's own. "And what is Gold's deal? He seems to think that the most fucked up things are funny."
"That would be his job." Regina said quietly. She had developed a sudden fascination with the knuckles of Emma's hand and ran her fingertips over them lightly. "My job is…as of yet, undetermined. But we all have a job here. And soon we'll have to do our duties well. Not just for this town but for something greater than us."
"Weird." Emma decided. She glanced over her shoulder, at ten cases of beer and no small amount of cider. "So we get everybody drunk until they have to face the shit storm tomorrow? Is that what this festival is about?" She looked back at Regina who was now staring intently at Emma's lips. Which made something flutter inside of Emma's stomach. Like, maybe she should kiss Regina, and if she kissed Regina, she might start giggling, or something…
"Gotta go." Emma said gruffly. Business-like. She nodded to add emphasis.
"Ok, dear." Regina had that old look of confidence back momentarily. "We'll continue this discussion later."
"I'm sure we will." Emma muttered weakly. She finally pulled away and gripped the steering wheel. Her legs felt suddenly like they were made of jelly. She was thankful that she was sitting down, especially when Regina decided to rest a hand on Emma's thigh…like…
…like they were already lovers. But they weren't. Were they?
"We'll…I mean…later." Emma nodded. "We'll talk later."
"My makeup is ruined." Regina reminded her with a sad smile. "If you don't mind, we'll drop this all off and perhaps you might drive me home."
Emma nodded in agreement and then pressed harder on the gas pedal.
The trip to the festival and then to the Mayor's house, was made in record time.
Part two: The Picnic.
"I have food…"
Regina's voice startled Emma, who sat in her car and contemplated driving out of Storybrooke for good.
Regina opened the passenger side door and placed an enormous paper bag filled with goodies from the Spring festival. They had just dropped off a fantastic amount of booze with the townsfolk and Regina had demanded a drive home. Then, Regina had left Emma waiting in the car for a short amount of time while she ran around buying food apparently.
"We could have a picnic at my place." Regina whispered. "I really do feel like giving these people their space. I'm quite certain that one or two of the Dwarves might axe me, against Snow's wishes."
"Snow…Dwarves?" Emma thought there was something wrong with calling a few short men that term, like…
"Ms. Swan? I'm sorry, Sheriff?" Regina's hand was cool on Emma's cheek. "You look a little flush."
"This is all…a bit much." Emma muttered. Regina's hand felt like a memory. Like a tall room with stone walls, and a bed with luxurious white and silver sheets, and laughter, and something altogether strange…
Something that felt like love. Emma, in a daze, wondered if she had once loved Regina. Somewhere, some other time…
Regina opened the paper bag on her lap and pulled out a bunch of red grapes. She offered one to Emma who refused, until she saw Regina's lips wrap around the small fruit and something clenched below her belly.
"Nhnnnnnngggghhhh…" Emma uttered the strange sound as a second grape was popped into Regina's mouth. Regina's luscious, full lips and the tip of her tongue and…
Regina's hand was back on Emma's cheek. "Are you having a small stroke or something?" Regina sounded honestly terrified.
"No." Emma gasped. "Nothing like that." She just couldn't stop staring at Regina's lips. She leaned forward…
"Hello you two."
Emma yelped at the sound of Mary's voice. Mary (Snow? Mom? Whatever, Emma couldn't get it straight yet) leaned into the car, on Regina's side and looked them both over.
"Have a nice evening, though I'm sorry that you're both leaving so soon. Henry fell asleep with his comic book in one of the tents, so James went to our apartment with him." Mary's tone was blasé for someone usually so concerned with Regina's motives and mere presence. Regina and Mary exchanged an enigmatic look before Mary strolled off, whistling.
"Whistling?" Emma muttered. "What's with her?" Her hands gripped the wheel. "and she's babysitting? I didn't realize…"
"I arranged it, she was quite happy with the idea. Now, it's too cold for this. Come home with me." Regina's words were emphasized by affectionate hair playing and other gestures that Emma never would have associated with the Mayor—like caressing Emma's arms and leaning into her.
"Gotta work in the morning." Emma gasped, pulling away. "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work, and so on…"
Regina leaned back and smiled sweetly. "Cavorting with Dwarves now, I see. Just like your mother."
Emma paused and scratched her nose before she spoke. Then she said, rather thoughtfully, "That isn't politically correct, Regina." As though she was not quite sure. "Dwarves…not the right term." She was already starting her car, in the middle of the lecture, and Regina waved an impatient hand and looked out the window with a contented smile.
Regina had a study with a fireplace which was perfect for an indoor picnic. Emma started a fire and then unpacked the food while Regina found wine. They had fruit and cheese and chocolate and other nibbly things that made Emma's stomach growl. It was all perfect. Too perfect. Emma felt like she might bolt if it got more perfect, because really, where could they even go from here? She took off her leather jacket and flung it onto a chair, then got up and retrieved it.
"Lovely." Regina came in with two glasses and a bottle and looked pleased beyond words. "You're already hanging your things up nicely I see?"
Emma paused. Then she nodded. And the jacket was laid carefully on the back of a narrow backed chair near the window.
They sat and watched the fire but Emma had to eat something so she reached first. Regina's eyes looked weird, not sad, but something else. Emma offered her the first bite instead, and nearly gasped when Regina's lip brushed Emma's fingertips. A bite of cheese and crackers had never seemed so erotic in Emma's entire life.
Regina chewed and swallowed and stared at Emma's lips.
Emma stared at Regina's lips in turn and then reached out to brush her thumb over a now trembling lower lip which…
Meant that Regina was about to cry. Again.
"Dammit." Emma slumped over as Regina started bawling. Emma sighed. "C'mere." Emma said gruffly, tugging Regina toward her.
They hugged awkwardly for a few moments while Regina calmed down. Emma's lips pressed wetly to Regina's face, everywhere she could reach.
"Don't cry, don't cry…" Emma muttered the words against tear streaked cheeks. "It's going to be ok…"
Regina blew out a sigh of frustration and then laughed. "I'm sorry, I don't know…" She zeroed in on Emma's face and gave her the sweetest look before leaning in.
"woah." Emma did not pull away but also didn't encourage the would-be kiss. "I don't kiss girls." She said weakly.
Regina's arched eyebrow was just sarcastic enough for Emma's needs. Emma rolled her eyes and said instead, "Ok, I mean I haven't kissed a girl in a while."
Regina's eyes narrowed. She looked really weirdly jealous. It kinda turned Emma on.
"Heh." Emma snickered, and was rewarded, not with a kiss, but with a fig shoved right between her lips. She chewed. "That's really good." She decided.
Regina spun away with an epic sigh and lay on her side. She propped herself on one elbow and stared at the crackling fire. It was damp and drizzling out, perfect for Spring festival if one's gardens were all that one were celebrating. Regina reached without looking, for a square of cheese and nibbled on it absentmindedly.
Emma took her sweet time, but she did eventually stretch out behind Regina. They stared at the fire and took turns eating from the food in front of them. Emma was the first to tentatively draw food to Regina's lips—a spicy chunk of chocolate in fact. She was rewarded with a contented sigh and moved slightly closer.
"You make me feel funny things…" Emma tried to say, but her head was foggy from the close proximity of her nose to Regina's hair. Regina's hair smelled really really good.
"Funny things?" Regina asked.
"Below. Down below." Emma meant something in the vicinity of her bellybutton, but her words were taken entirely all wrong. Regina smirked and turned in Emma's eyes.
"Are you a teenaged boy?" Regina asked politely. Her hands palmed lightly on the sides of Emma's neck. Emma was bright red there.
"Ummm, no, sorry, that's not what I meant." Emma breathed out, hard, laughing at her stupid words. "I mean you make my stomach flip and knot and…"
Emma was, in the end, distracted during their very first kiss. Her eyes were wide open and she could see the fireplace change from orange to green to purple and back to orange again. She could also see Regina's hair grow, right in front of her, a full three inches. Regina deepened the kiss and clasped the back of Emma's head. Emma closed her eyes with a groan, feeling again like parts of her were being tugged toward Regina, like they were connected with an invisible rope…
"Oh." Emma said, pulling away briefly. "Is that how it's supposed to feel?"
Regina kissed her again.
Then Emma remembered…
…remembered Regina and a large stone house…their house…
…wishing for a child with Regina…wanting to give her the one thing she could not give…
…and dying…
…Emma remembered that she died…
…and that Regina had followed…
By the time the kiss hit the three minute mark, Emma was the one crying while Regina held her.