"Wait, how did I get pulled into this again?" I sat in my normal booth at Granny's as Ruby sat across from me.
"Oh come on Emma! You've not been in the dating pool for a while now. I don't know about before you came here but I know you've not been on a date in the past two years. And it'll help business in the town." She had a point. I haven't dated anyone in a long time. Before Storybrooke I just threw myself into work. I mean, I had the fake dates I set up for my bail bonds catches but that's it…and those all ended badly.
"Okay. Okay. I'll do it." I ran my fingers through my hair and huffed. "But a date is all. I'm not sleeping with anyone." Ruby laughed as she chewed on her pen.
"Awsome! Thanks Emma." As she got up to take someone's order she turned to me. "And no going as the Sheriff or Deputy of the town. Be original." I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my coco.
As I sat working on paperwork at the station Henry walked in. "Emma! Emma! You're a genius!" I looked up and as he put his schoolbag down and plopped into the chair on the other side of my desk. "This is a perfect way to get you and Mom together." The blood drained from my face.
"Henry, your mother has no intentions on dating me or…"
"But you're her happy ending. You the White Knight who's supposed to save the Evil Queen." I sighed. There he goes with the book again. "Come on Emma. You have to believe." I didn't believe his book but I went along with it to make him happy. I did like Regina and she was a gorgeous woman but she'd never date me.
"So what are you going to go as?" Maybe if I changed the subject he'd leave it alone. "Because if I'm going, you're going. Besides, what makes you think Regina would come anyway?"
"Because you're going to invite her." My face dropped along with my stomach. "And I don't know yet. I've got a few ideas going through my head though."
"What makes you think she'll come if I invite her?" It was close to lunchtime ending so he hopped up and threw his backpack on.
"Because it's you." He headed towards the door. "And because you're going to say I want her there." Before I could say another word he was out the door.
After I got off work I knew Regina would still be at her office so I dropped by. I knocked on the door and waited for her to call me in. "You knocked Miss. Swan, what do you want?"
"I wanted to invite you to the Halloween party that's being held at Granny's." She put down her pen and folded her arms on her desk.
"And what makes you think I'd want to attend such an event? You know by now that most of the town doesn't like me at gatherings." It was true; people didn't welcome her very well.
"Because Henry and I want you there." I sat down and about died. It dawned on me what I had just said when Regina raised an eyebrow.
"You want me there?" I had to think fast.
"Henry wants you there, I mean. And come on Regina, you need some fun in your life. I can see that you're trying really hard to change for Henry." I need to stop right now.
"Henry wants me to be there? How do you know?" Her guard lowered a little bit.
"He told me. Today at the station. At least consider coming. And if you do, please bring a lasagna." Regina chuckled slightly.
"Does someone like my cooking? Even though it's not covered in grease and loaded with stuff that will eventually kill you." I leaned back in the chair and rolled my eyes.
"Yes I enjoyed it. Are you happy now?" I almost got a smile from Regina but the phone rang. "I'll let you take that." I got up and started to leave. "Please consider coming. And there's a costume contest so come dressed up." With that I was out the door.
A few days passed and it was time for the party. Ruby dressed as Red Riding Hood, Mary Margaret as Snow White, David came as Prince Charming, and, for the hell of it, and I came as a knight. Just to make Henry happy. Henry came as a wizard. "You look awesome Emma! You have a sword and all." It was nice making him happy. You could see the joy in his smile and eyes.
"Yeah kid, I came as a knight. Just like you wanted." We sat at our normal booth waiting for everyone to arrive.
"So is Mom going to come? You did ask her right?" I liked that Henry still called Regina Mom. I mean, yes I'm his biological mother but she raised him.
"Yes I asked her the day you came to the station. I'm not sure if she's coming or not. I told her you wanted her to come so she may." Henry always held out hope when it came to me and Regina. He actually had a code name for the plan of getting us together; it was operation SwanQueen.
"You guys look awesome!" Ruby headed our way in her costume and picnic basket. "So, are you here to save you Queen Emma?" Yeah Ruby knew I had a crush on Regina and she'd never let me live it down.
"Shut up Ruby." Before I could say anything else, Regina walked through the door. Everyone stopped and looked her way.
"Sorry I'm late." My mouth dropped and the room was silent. Regina wore this gorgeous, dark red dress that had a plunging neckline. The dress had a dark silver colored embroidering along the neckline and along the arms. From the waist down it was poofy and the wrists down. It fit her well; especially because the dress held up her boobs rather well. She had a very decorative necklace on that fell almost to the top of her cleavage. Oh God…her cleavage. The one thing, besides her eyes and smirks that could have me on my knees in a matter of seconds.
"Holy…." Ruby and Henry laughed at my reaction to the Mayor.
"It seems your Queen has arrived my dear knight. Now go. Go to your Queen." I swear I'm going to kill Ruby one of these days.
"Who invited you?" Or I may kill Leroy first.
"I did." I stood and realized I said that a bit louder then I wanted. Regina shot me a sideways grin when she saw my costume. "Is that lasagna?" Regina shook her head.
"Yes Miss. Swan. It is indeed my famous lasagna. Don't be a selfish pig and eat it all." I rolled my eyes as I met her at the counter.
"What is it that gives it a kick?" Henry met us by the counter as I cut myself and him a piece.
"Red pepper flakes. I've always enjoyed a little kick in everything I do." I bit my lip and cleared my throat. "So you came as a knight I see. Does Henry have something to do with your costume choice?"
"You caught me. Yes he did." No one was near us as we went towards the booth Henry was in. "Thank you for coming Regina. Or should I say your Majesty?" It was Regina's turn to roll her eyes.
"Watch it Miss. Swan before I take your knighthood away." Henry sat between us at the rounded booth. I could tell he was ecstatic that his two Moms were getting along for once.
The hours passed and everyone ate and had a good time. Soon it was time to vote for the costume contest. Everyone voted and I was assigned the job of reading the ballets. As I read through the ballets I was keeping a mental tally of how many votes Regina had. It was down to the last ballet and there was a tie between Regina and Dr. Whale. I opened the last ballet with shaky hands and tried not to smile when I read Regina's name. "And the winner is," I turned the paper around. "Regina." People didn't know whether to stay quiet or applaud. When I looked at Regina she had an odd expression on her face.
"Well I guess…" I pulled out my fake sword and aimed it at Leroy.
"One more word and I will end you." I made my way back to my booth. "Congrats Regina; you have the best costume." She didn't say a word. "It can just be lunch. It doesn't have to be a date…"
"Be at my place at 7PM sharp tomorrow night. Don't be late." There was awkwardness between Regina and I for the rest of the party. I was glad when it was time to go home. Henry went home with Regina while I went back to Mary Margaret's.
"So are you excited about tomorrow night?" Mary Margaret knew I liked Regina from the start. She called me out on it before I admitted to it.
"I don't know." She came to sit beside where I was lying down on the bed. "I mean, she won it so she could've said no but then she could be going along with it just to bitch me out alone."
"I don't think she will." I leaned up on my elbows and looked at her.
"Why? Do you know something I don't? Tell me now if you do." Mary Margaret looked at me with sympathy.
"I don't know anything but you've been letting Henry stay with her more so she may thank you for that." Regina thanking me? Yeah right. I groaned and fell back on the bed.