AN: Multi-chaptered fic. I don't know if anyone even reads this, but at least it's out there. As much as I looove Regina being on top, there's this thing about people that suggests that if you're dominant in day to day like you're submissive in bed. So I'm gonna play with that shit. It won't be dom/sub. Just fluff and FEELINGS. You've been hereby warned!

"Fuck you, Ruby. Fuck you. Like I need to have a fucking date. And how in the world can a person have a 'blind date' in Storybrook? That can only mean trouble. God, it's gonna be so fucking awkward. I'm sure I'm gonna have the worst date ever with a person I would never think about dating. Shit. Really, Ruby, why don't you go play matchmaker with someone else!" Emma seethed into the phone as quickly as she could, without taking a breath.

"Ok, remember it's a phone you're talking into. Calm down. Everything's gonna be fine, Emma. I hope you're not with Henry. God, Emma, how can you fit so many F-words in 45 seconds? Very fast talking too. Just calm down. Here's what you'll do: You'll get ready, throw on your best underwear, a nice outfit, maybe some perfume and go meet this person. Then you'll show up at the office, tired from so much sex and thanking me. I know, I always know. I'm good at this kind of thing, Em. Don't worry!"

Emma sat down in her bed, already regretting her choice of clothing. It was crazy. Emma didn't even expect to get laid tonight. How could she? Everyone here seemed to be so, proper and shit.

"Ok, Ruby. Tell me now. I'm sick of waiting. I want to know or I'll stand them up. Spill the beans."

A sigh could be heard from the other line. After a couple of seconds, Ruby answered slowly, as if testing her, "Ok, you know I can't do that, it's not called a blind date for nothing." Ruby could already hear Emma trying to fight it out of her, "But I can tell you gender. That's all you're getting. You want it?"

"Fine. Fuck you. Tell me gender, please!"

"You're date's a she. And it's gonna rock!"

"Ok, hair color…?" The line went dead. Emma regretted asking. She knew she could have gotten something else out of her, but now she was screwed.

Emma got undressed, deciding to wear a matching red lace bra and panties. Not like she was getting lucky tonight, but a girl can only hope. She chose to wear her usual pair of jeans and her jacket, with a white button down shirt. Fancier than usual but not strangely different than her normal day to day.

She took a deep breath. Took another one. Fuck. She decided to put on some perfume, so as to show she acted accordingly to what Ruby wanted. She might give her one last hint if she seemed alright for the date. She said goodbye to Mary Margaret and got her keys off the table. She sat in her car yellow car for a minute before deciding to stop by the diner and squeeze Ruby for something.

The things I do to stay friends with Kathryn. But this is my limit. Why did I even agree with this? She had gotten me little tipsy before she asked me. She complemented me and made me feel confident.

With a growl, Regina pulled up the zipper of her black pants. She tucked in her white shirt and sprayed on some perfume. She would hate tonight, but at least she'd look the part. Don't know about acting the part. As she was leaving, Regina stopped by one of her apple trees, seriously weighting standing up whoever her date was. Who could be? What girl would be that desperate? Unless she was in a similar situation than her, say blackmail, she would never understand.

She couldn't risk standing up whoever it would be, she didn't want to harm her relationship with Kathryn. She got on her car and started driving around. She had left too early, and was planning on checking up on Henry in his friend's house. Henry had a sleepover. She was hating it already. What negligent parent could leave their child in another person's home? She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. No. She had to let him stay the night. He'd hate her if she took him away from Greg Evan's house. She was going straight for Kathryn's house to give her a piece of her mind on this whole arrangement.

Emma steps into the diner, the smell of coffee permeating her senses. Heads turned, mostly surprised the Sheriff chose such a formal shirt. Some appreciated the view. Most turned back to their lives and prospective conversations.

"Rubyyy!" Emma singsonged. Ruby turned, a mug and plate full of food in her hands. Ruby did the up and down to check Emma was alright. She was more than alright. Good. God this was gonna be fun. And hot. If Emma didn't come back from her date to kill her. Then she'd take it as a sign of success. She needed success. She was too young to die.

"Well you clean up nice. Had to go for the jacket though?"

"Hey, not everyone can wear leather jackets and look good!" Emma defended herself, grabbing the flaps of her red jacket.

Ruby, knowing how to change the woman's mind, put the plated on the client's table and held her chin in thought, "Don't know. It makes you look butch. I guess you'll be the butch in this date. Was that what you were going for?"

Emma knew her game before she ever even said it. "Yeah, actually. Thanks!" Emma held her jacket smiling confidently. Her demeanor changed then, her puppy eyes and pleading hands directed to Ruby. "Pleasepleaseplease tell me something. A hint. Pleaseeee!"

Ruby just laughed and swatted her hands away from her own hand. For a moment she thought Emma was going to kiss it.

Kathryn sat on a chair. Her eyes bright and a big smile plastered on her face. She seemed to be uncomfortable to Regina.

"Do you need to use the restroom, Kathryn? You can go, it's not like I'm holding you here." Regina said, eyeing her friend suspiciously. Yes, Kathryn was her friend, Regina had already come to terms with it. Kathryn was a good woman, and fun to be around. Not the kind of fun other people have, but to Regina it was fun.

Kathryn now swung herself from side to side in the stool. To any other person, Kathryn seemed to have something to say, but Regina was worried. "No! No I'm fine….! Regina, aren't you going to ask me who it is? Please ask me. God! I can't hold it anymore. I suck at keeping secrets! Ruby's going to kill me!"

Regina covered her ears at the loud display of excitement. Honestly, if she asked she might skip the whole date thing. It would be rare she would agree to a date with someone if she knew who it was.

"No, it's Ok. I'd rather be surprised, dear."

Kathryn said it anyways. Loudly. "It's EMMA SWAN!"

She had to go to the hospital She could feel it. Definitely tachycardia. Was she having a heart attack. She should go and check. She'd miss the date but it didn't matter if it kept her from dying. Regina was making up a thousand excuses in her head. She was already reaching for her cellphone to call Henry and tell him she was on her way to pick him up.

Kathryn, with all her energy and awareness intercepted the hand to the purse by snatching it away from her reach. Regina stood up, preparing herself for a throw down. "NO! You can't cancel. God Regina I know you like her! You don't hate someone you don't love! Come on, admit it. You think Emma's hot and you want to sleep with her. You want her to scream your name!" Kathryn held the purse like a football.

Regina would never admit it. She was too proud. She knew she found the Sheriff beautiful, but she thought she hid it rather well.

"Come on, Regina, you think no one notices? You say Sheriff like you're propositioning her. Do you think no one notices the eye fucking you guys give each other? Does leering sound familiar? I'm not dumb. You're a coward. You have been ever since she showed up here. You have a choice now. Fight or flight, Regina?"

"Goddamn you! Why do you have to get in the way! I don't like Miss Swan. And by the way, when I call her Sheriff or Miss Swan, I intend it to sound like 'Fuck you'. I try very hard."

"I know you mean to say 'fuck you'. It's what you want to do to her! God, could you possibly be in any more denial?" Kathryn is shaking Regina now. Regina steps back and slides a hand through her hair. She grabs her keys and purse off the coffee table, muttering a 'whatever'.

Kathryn watches her until she leaves and calls Ruby to warn her she might not show and why.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Regina drives to a stop in front of Henry's friend's house. She sits there, fighting over what the hell she should do. Her heart feels funny. Her speeding heart now feeling heavy at the thought of not showing up. She had tried her best. She'd been at her worst with Emma. Her eyes snapped up to meet the garden in front of her. But she wasn't really looking. She remembered. She realized what it meant, what her heart was feeling. She was not good at anything emotional, it had been such a long time. But she recognized it like she lived with it every day. And she did. Every hateful word and payback towards Emma made her heart ache at some kind of loss. She did not feel guilt. She saw her behavior toward the blonde as a responsibility. A thing that must be done in order to keep her heart safe. Even if she didn't know what she was doing it for.

She sighed. The Evil Queen is in love again. Goddamn it Emma. Why did you have to come back to Storybrook? Why couldn't I have stayed away from you?

She got out of the car more determined than ever. She knocked on the Evan's door. Mrs. Evans answered.

"Good evening, Mrs. Evans. I was wondering if I could have a word with my son."

Susan Evans smiled at her and nodded. She went to look for Henry, who rushed to the door pleading his mother to stay. Regina smiled. The only real smile she had had in such a long time, it hurt her muscles. Henry stood back. His eyes huge in wonder and uneasiness. Had something happened to Emma? His eyes started to water. He was about to start asking a thousand questions a minute when Regina finally spoke up.

"I fell in love with Emma, Henry." A silly smile grazed her lips as she spoke the blonde's name. Henry's eyes got even bigger, if that's even possible. She knew she had like ten minutes before she had to leave. To her date.

"Wha- but you hate her! Is this a trick Mom?"

"Nope. No tricks Henry. I love her. And I love you. I know chances are she doesn't feel the same. But I'm tired of being a coward. I have to put my heart on the line. I put my heart on the line only with you. But I think it's time for me to stop being so protective of myself." There were so many things Regina wanted to tell her son, to anyone who would hear.

Henry rushed over to hug her. He had never hugged her tighter. Henry started jumping up and down. "OH MY GOD MOM! DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GONNA MARRY EMMA AND SHE'LL STAY AND WE'LL BE A FAMILY AND LIVE TOGETHER AND OH MY GOD!" Regina was surprised at the outburst, hoping no one in all of Storybrook heard it. She didn't hold her breath. She grabbed Henry's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"Henry. Henry, listen. I don't know. Maybe that will all happen. Maybe not. You have to give me time. It's not easy. I can't guarantee she'll forgive me or that I'll even be nice to her from now on. I just need to talk to her, dear."

"GO! GO! GO MOM! GO TALK TO HER! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING HERE GOO!" Henry pushed her mom back into the car. She could see him jumping up and down from the rearview mirror as she left. She didn't realize she'd been smiling at all until her cheek muscles started aching.

She left her car at home and walked to the diner.

"Emma. I'm sorry. I… Someone told your date you were going to be her date and maybe she won't show. Kathryn-bigmouth couldn't hold it." Ruby held her phone, hoping she could be in two places at the same time, comforting Emma and kicking Regina's ass.

"I'm here already! God this is embarrassing. Who would do that! Who is it, now you have to tell me Ruby." Emma whined into the phone, ready to give her date a piece of her mind.

"It's- it's Regina Mills. I'm so sorry."

"YOU SET ME UP WITH REGINA? WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!" Emma secreamed into her phone, looking up only to see a dozen people in their tables staring at her. Some with understanding faces at her 'situation'.

Fancy fucking restaurant. People fucking staring at me. And I've been stood up. Rejected. By Regina. At least my last doubts are gone now.

Emma was already going to hang up and order a hell of a lot of food. Comfort food, she realized. Her thought were intercepted as Ruby spoke in the other line. Her voice serious. "Would you have showed up if I told you who it was?"

Emma laughed and thought for a little. She sighed and answered truthfully, "No. I wouldn't be here. I would have been too afraid to be the one being stood up. It would have hurt too much. And it does."

"Ms. Swan." Emma looked up and her jaw fell open not only at the sight of Regina but at the fact that she was right in front of her. Not rejecting her.

No. Don't get your hopes up. I doubt she's here for a date. Maybe she has some other mean thing to say to me that she forgot.

"She showed!" Emma whispered into the phone before hanging up.

"I…Hi, Regina." Emma thought about standing up and pulling her chair to help her sit, but still didn't know her intent.

Regina looked at her, then huffed and sat down. So she did consider this a date. Win! Emma started wringing her hands nervously. A waiter came by to get their orders before she could manage a decent sentence. Regina ordered a stake and salad, which surprised Emma. She ordered the same, but asked to change the healthy part of the meal for mashed potato. Their wine came and they still hadn't said anything. Emma stuck to looking at the table. She felt a hand cover her own.

"I thought about not showing up, as I'm sure Kathryn told you."

Emma opened her mouth and closed it. Then she asked, "Why did you show up? Are you here to embarrass me, cause I only did it as a favor."

Regina leaned in and Emma did the same, with more than a bit of suspicion. "If there's anything I've learned from Henry and his book, is that sometimes you do what your heart tells you to, even if you're afraid."

Emma looked at her. Trying to see if she was lying. Cause she was good at that. She was surprised to find that Regina was being honest. And smiling.

The dishes came and they started eating in silence. This time it wasn't awkward. They shared sheepish looks and chatted about Henry.

"Whatever happens, you can see Henry again. From now on. But I would like a phone call now and then, if he's with you, Sheriff." Regina shook her head and added, "I'm sorry. Emma. Is that alright?"

Emma looked visibly relieved at the change in Regina. "Yes, of course. Wow, first name basis. What changed? Why are you letting me see Henry again?"

Regina looked at her intently. She broke eye contact and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want you to think you have to go out with me to be on my good side and see Henry again. Not that you haven't been. I know about the walkie-talkie and your nightly visits."

Emma shrunk back and looked uncomfortable. "If I go out with you again it won't be to get on your good side. Does that mean you want a second date? And what's with all those smiles?"

Regina shook the smile off her face and said, "Who's up for dessert?" She signed the waiter and gave her her credit card. Emma refused to let her pay, but the Mayor won.

"I was thinking ice cream. How about it?"

"Sure!"

"Mind if I drive?"

"Regina, the diner is that way. Where are you taking me?"

"I'm just picking something up." The car stopped in front of the same house Regina had visited before. She asked Emma to wait in the car and came back a couple of minutes later with Henry. He looked more than happy to go for ice cream with Emma and Regina. He seemed to get along with her more. Emma was elated to say the least. They laughed the whole way to the diner.

The bell rang as they made their way in. Everyone stopped eating and talking at the strange sight of Regina and Emma together, and dressed to kill. Ruby looked up and started jumping up and down with Henry.

Regina and Emma looked away embarrassed. They ordered their ice creams and Henry was surprisingly quiet, staring at their mothers' exchange, his head bobbing from side to side as if he were watching a tennis match.

"Emma, are you gonna kiss Mom tonight? Cause I totally give you permission. You should use the time you have when I go back to Greg's house!" Henry wiggled his eyebrows at them.

"Didn't know I needed your permission, kid." Emma said, blushing.

Emma had just dropped Henry off, walking him together. As they walked back, Emma nervously almost bumped into Regina, causing their fingers to touch. Regina pulled her hand away and apologized. That invigorated Emma who stopped, causing Regina to stop and turn, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Emma.

"YOU GO EMMA! EMMA AND MOM, SITTING IN A TREE. K-I-S-S-I-N-GGGG!"

"Go to bed, kid!" Emma whispered/screamed.

"What are you having, Emma?" Regina went to get them drinks, a Scotch for Emma and one for herself.

They sat down in the couch, silence taking over, knowing they had so much to discuss but not knowing where to begin. All Regina knew was that she was going to get Emma drunk so she wouldn't leave. She didn't need to sleep with Emma. She just wanted to cuddle for fuck's sake!