As the last box hit the floor, Emma sighed in relief. She didn't have many belongings but helping the movers bring in the furniture made her tired. All she wanted was a hot shower and a nap. Finding the box of toiletries, she made her way to the bathroom. Stepping under the hot water Emma let her mind wander.
"Yes mom, I promise to call you as soon as I get into town and settle in," Emma spoke loudly into her phone, which sat on the counter next to her, her mother's voice coming in through the loud speaker.
"Alright honey," Mary Margaret said. "I'm just so happy to have you home. It's been too long."
Emma sighed as she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. After her recent breakup with Lily, she decided she needed a change. She considered the idea of visiting her parents for a couple of weeks but when her mother mentioned a house for sale, she bought it on a whim. She had plenty of money saved up and why not move from this crazy city to a nice quiet town a couple states away. She loved Boston, she really did, but moving closer to her parents just felt right. She needed their support right now.
"I'm excited to see you too mom. I'll call you when I get there tomorrow. I love you." As her mother said goodbye she ended the call and stood up. The packed boxes on the floor were organized into things to keep and things to get rid of. The box labeled TRASH sat opened in the middle of the floor. Emma kneeled, reaching into the box and pulling out the frame, careful not to cut herself on the broken glass.
Two weeks ago she had walked into Lily's apartment, takeout in hand, to find her completely naked rocking against the brunette underneath her. Lily tried to apologize, yelling that she'd made a mistake and that she loved Emma, but the damage was done. The heartbreak led to three days of binge drinking and drunk singing Taylor Swift songs at the top of her lungs. After three days she sucked it up, called her mother, bought a house without even seeing it, and started packing. She quit her job at the gym as a personal trainer and got a new piercing. She was going to get over Lily no matter what it took.
Dropping the broken picture frame back into the box, Emma headed to her room to get ready for her final night here in Boston. 'Storybrooke, here I come,' she thought to herself as she drifted off into a fitful sleep.
Dressed and feeling more like herself, in skinny jeans that were practically painted on and a white tank top, Emma called up her parents and got directions to their new home. Mary Margaret and David moved to Storybrooke years ago after Emma started classes at Boston University. Emma hadn't been to visit, at first because she playing sports all year round, and secondly because Lily had made her feel guilty about leaving the city without her. She missed her parents so much; the monthly Skype calls just weren't the same. Of course they came to visit her several times but she had never been to the tiny town.
Making her way out the front door, she nearly ran into the woman standing on her front porch, a Tupperware container in her hands.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there," Emma breathed, a hand on her chest from being scared.
"No, no, I'm sorry, I didn't get a chance to knock. I'm your new neighbor, Regina Mills." Emma finally focused her eyes on the stunning brunette in front of her, her breath leaving her body again. Regina was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Regina cleared her throat when Emma didn't respond and noticed the blush rising on Emma's cheeks. She knew she was beautiful and she could see the blonde blatantly checking her out.
"Oh, uh-sorry-again," Emma exclaimed, the flush of her skin deepening with embarrassment. The sparkle in Regina's eyes, paired with that wildly hot smirk, let her know that Regina had noticed her staring. Emma was openly gay back in Boston but no one here knew her.
"I didn't catch your name dear," Regina replied, a full-blown smile painted across her face. It was then that Emma noticed the scar above her lip and wondered what it would feel like to run her tongue over it. Shaking her head, Emma lifted her hand for Regina to shake then awkwardly set it back at her side when she remembered Regina was holding something in her hands.
"I'm Emma, Emma Swan."
"Well, Emma Swan, it's nice to finally have a neighbor, a cute one at that." Regina winked at the blushing Emma and raised the Tupperware in her hands. "These are two of my famous turnovers. I was baking a bunch earlier when I noticed the moving van. Do you like apples? I picked them from my apple tree in the yard. My son says they're the only apples he will eat."
"Oh, you have a son?" Emma stuttered and winced. She was so awkward and this encounter was not going smoothly. Regina noticed the way Emma's shoulder slumped when she mentioned Henry.
"Yes, his name is Henry. He's ten. I think you'd really like him," Regina smiled brightly as Emma took the container with Regina following her, into her new kitchen.
"Well, I'd love to meet him! Unfortunately, that's going have to wait. My parents insisted I come over for dinner as soon as I get in." Emma put finger quotes are the end making Regina giggle. Emma decided right then and there that she would do everything in her power to make Regina laugh again.
"If you don't mind me asking, Emma," Regina said, stepping just a little closer to Emma. "Who are your parents? The town is very small, everyone knows each other." The way Regina said Emma's name caused a shiver to run down her spine and straight to the apex of her thighs.
"Mary Margaret and David Nolan," Emma said, trying to keep her voice steady. The effect Regina was having on her was new and she liked it. She noticed the confusion in Regina's eyes. "They're not my birth parents. I met Mary Margaret at a fundraiser for my group home and she took me in. They've been really sweet to me, I owe them everything."
"Oh Emma, I'm not judging, your parents are very good friends of mine. I didn't know their daughter was so beautiful or moving next door to me." Regina needed to stop saying things like that before Emma became permanently tomato colored. "Please let them know I said hi. I look forward to seeing you again Emma."
Regina slid a hand down Emma's bicep, smiling brightly, before she turned around and headed for the door swaying her hips just a little more than she normally would. Emma let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when the front door closed. Oh boy, I'm in trouble, she thought to herself.
"I'm just so happy to see you Emma," Mary Margaret exclaimed for the fifth time. Dinner had been admittedly delicious and spending some time with her parents felt so refreshing. Her parents had been excited to learn that Emma had met their good friend Regina and suggested they all have dinner together. At that Emma changed the subject wishing away the blush that seemed to creep up every time someone mentioned Regina's name. "But Emma, we do have something to tell you." Emma looked nervously between her two parents.
"Is everything alright guys?"
"Oh yes Emma! We have some wonderful news for you!" Mary Margaret reached excitedly for her daughter's hand, smiling at her husband. "You are going to be a big sister. I'm pregnant!"
That was not what Emma had been expecting. The news was better than what she had imagined but it hurt nonetheless. It brought back painful memories from old foster homes and that feeling of never being good enough. She blinked back the tears she felt welling in her eyes.
"Umm, congrats?" Emma said, forcing a small smile on her face.
"It's a boy, I'm going to have a son," David chimed in, a proud smile lighting up his charming face. Emma knew she wasn't going to be able to keep her emotions in check much longer.
"I'm really excited for you guys," Emma lied. "I can't wait to be a sister! It's getting pretty late though and I've had a long day, I'm going to head home and get some rest."
"All right sweetie," Mary Margaret replied. "Call me tomorrow and I can give you a tour of the town!"
"Yeah, sounds great mom," Emma said. She gave her parents a hug and left as quickly as she could. When she arrived home, Regina was outside running a bag of garbage out to the end of the street.
"Hello again Emma," Regina said sweetly. She immediately noticed the change in Emma's demeanor from earlier today. "Are you okay Emma?"
"Um hey Regina. I'm fine, just got a bit of shocking news from my parents tonight." Emma scratched the back of her neck nervously, not knowing why she was telling Regina any of this. She barely knew her.
"Would you care for a glass of the best apple cider you've ever had?" Regina beckoned Emma to follow her into her house. Regina's house was absolutely immaculate. It was larger than Emma's with elegant furniture and white sparkling tile on the floors. She took a seat on one of Regina's comfy leather couches. Regina grabbed two glasses of cider and sat opposite her on the couch. "Henry is asleep. We can talk about it if you want, or we can drink cider and watch Pitch Perfect. It's a guilty pleasure."
"A movie sounds perfect, thank you Regina." Emma was glad to enjoy Regina's company and she had to admit that she loved this movie as well. They laughed at the movie and sang along as they drank a couple glasses of cider each. Somehow they managed to move closer and closer until Emma noticed the heat radiating off of Regina's hand that rested on her thigh. Her breath hitched but she didn't move away.
"My parents are having a baby," she blurted out before she could stop herself. She blamed it on the cider. The smile on Regina's face fell, shocked at Emma's confession.
"Wh-what?" Regina never stuttered. She too blamed the cider.
"Yeah, apparently at 27, I'm going to be a big sister." A tear escaped her eyes, betraying the emotions she had tried so hard to keep in check. "I'm happy for them, I am." Regina couldn't tell whom she was trying to convince.
Regina remembered Emma mentioning her group home growing up. She had a feeling she knew what was bothering Emma but she decided now was not the time to pry.
"You are irreplaceable Emma, and I'm sure your parents know this. Everything is going to be ok. And I'll be here any time you need to talk. It get's a bit lonely here, just me and Henry, not much adult conversation occurring."
Emma's ears perked up hearing that Regina lived here alone with Henry. She reached over and placed her hand on top of Regina's that had not moved, giving it a squeeze as if to say thank you.
"It's getting late, I should probably head home," Emma moved from her spot on the couch and Regina immediately missed the feeling of Emma's touch.
Regina walked Emma to the front door but stopped her before she got too far. "Really though, if you ever need to talk Emma, I'm here. I wouldn't mind some extra company if you're… bored or something." Regina blushed embarrassed by her less than elegant wording.
Emma smiled wide and surprised both herself and Regina when she leaned forward and left a soft kiss on Regina's cheek, lingering longer than usual. "Thank you Regina." Emma turned down the driveway and across the lawn, missing the blush on Regina's face and the loud breath she let out as she closed the front door, locked it and shut the lights off.
Emma paced back and forth across her new bedroom floor. After her conversation with Regina, she reluctantly went home and tried to sleep. She had tossed and turned for hours before she fell asleep only to be woken up by the throbbing between her legs. Regina has visited her in her dreams, all walking sex and black lace lingerie. Emma had been so turned on when she woke up, she felt guilty sliding her hand inside her underwear, relieving herself from the pressure, moaning Regina's name as she came.
She didn't know what came over her. Here she was, moving into a new house in a small town and having sex dreams about her next-door neighbor on the first night. There was no way she was going to be able to face Regina today. Yesterday she cried to her and today she came to thoughts of her. Thoroughly embarrassed, Emma decided she needed to let off some steam. She threw on a pair of shorts and sports bra, grabbed her headphones and iPod and headed off to take a run around town.