A/N: This can sort of be seen as a prequel to my one-shot 'I Didn't Cheat on You', it isn't essential that you read the one-shot as it will be a chapter of this fic. Soulmate, tells the story of how Emma and Regina slowly, but surely start to fall for one another, doesn't really follow the show's timeline, although there will be some mentions of events that have happened on the show. I will be updating daily until after Christmas, after that it will be as much as I can whilst also doing my University work. If you like this new story remember to Favourite, Follow and leave me a Review, every review really means the world to me and it lets me know that people are actually enjoying my work. Enjoy!
A/N #2: If you were thinking that this fic is familiar, the first 3 chapters were posted on my old account as a series of one-shots that I removed a few months ago, that I then re-wrote partly for this fic.
Everything went back to normal after Neverland, Henry was safe, the town was safe and things were slowly but surely getting back to the way things were before Emma Swan appeared in her yellow bug. However, the residents of Storybrooke noticed that not everything was as it once was before. The changes weren't that noticeable to an outsider, but for those who had witnessed the former interactions between The Sheriff and The Mayor, these changes were more than noticeable. Even Regina herself had noticed that something was different between the two women, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
It all started the Monday after they returned home from Neverland, Regina had been in a rush to get back to work, back to normality. So, after dropping Henry off to school, she rushed over to the office, to finish off the paperwork she had missed out on over the last few months. She was startled when she walked into her office to find none other than Emma Swan leaning against her desk, in her signature leather jacket and extremely tight washed out jeans. In her hands sat two large takeaway cups from Granny's, the smell radiating from them was almost enough to make Regina moan in excitement. Coffee was definitely one of Regina's favorite things about this world, that and indoor plumbing.
"And what brings you here Sheriff Swan?" Regina asked as she swayed over to the hot beverage.
"I knew you were dropping Henry off today, so I stopped at Granny's to get you this," Emma said while extending the hot beverage to the caffeine-deprived mayor.
"Double espresso with a dash of apple?" Regina asked with a crooked eyebrow, as she stepped closer to the younger woman.
"I threw in a sprinkle of cinnamon as well, hope you don't mind." Emma finally handed over the cup to the former evil queen who quickly and carefully took a well-needed swig of the piping hot coffee.
"Mmmmm, I needed this today…" Regina did everything in her power to hold back the moan, urging its way up her throat.
"Is that the Regina Mills' way of saying thank you?" Emma joked before taking a sip of her hot chocolate, that she pretends is coffee to seem like a grown up when in reality everyone knows she's the biggest child in town.
"Thank you, Sheriff Swan, for the coffee and for letting me have Henry last night, it means so much to me to have him back in my life again." Regina nodded at the blonde sheriff who couldn't help but smile at the older woman.
"You're his mom Regina, you don't have to thank me. We've made our plan, we're happy and the kid is happy, that's all that matters." Emma carefully bounced off the desk, just like Henry has done so many times before. Regina often found herself looking at Emma and seeing Henry, they had the same dopey grin, the same beautiful eyes, the same obsession with hot chocolate with cinnamon. Similarly, Emma often found herself looking at Regina and seeing Henry in her, he had all the same characteristics that Emma adores from his politeness and his humor to the way his nose crinkles when he lies to the blonde, it's all Regina.
"I still need to thank you, technically last night was meant to be your night with Henry and you gave it up for me." Regina smiled before taking another well-needed sip of her delicious coffee.
"You're welcome Regina…" Emma said as she took a step closer to the older woman. "I should be heading over to the office before my dad decides to take over once and for all," Emma said, while suitably giving the mayor the once over. The mayor was wearing a tight-fitting black office dress with matching blazer. It was no secret to Emma that she always paid extra attention to Regina when she wore a dress compared to a pantsuit and today was no exception.
"I will see you this evening for pickup Miss Swan…" Regina nodded before walking to her seat, swaying her hips subconsciously as she did so. "Oh, and Miss Swan?" Regina called as she sat at her desk.
"Yes, Madam Mayor?" Emma fake bowed at Regina, earning an eye roll in return.
"Don't sit on my desk," Regina said sternly, before making a start at her work, not ever looking up until Emma Swan was nowhere to be seen.
This little game of back and forth slowly became a normal part of both women's daily routine and both would be reluctant to say that they enjoyed it. Regina got free coffee and Emma got to spend some time, no matter how limited, with Regina. It was safe to say that both women were getting along effectively, that is until one day Emma showed up at the office, usual coffee cups in hand. She sat in the same place as always, but the older woman failed to show up and after half an hour of waiting, Emma tossed the now cold beverages into the trash and headed to the office with a noticeable scowl growing on her face. That was until she got the shock of a lifetime when she walked in to find Regina Mills sitting on her desk, with two coffee cups in hand.
"I thought it was my turn to return the favor, but you took too long to show up for work, I'm afraid yours has gotten cold," Regina said emotionless before dropping the two cups into the nearby trash can.
"Good thing Granny's serves coffee all day, then isn't it? Care to join me for a cup?" Emma asked while walking over to where Regina sat, legs crossed and wearing one of Emma's favorite dresses, a dark purple one that has a tendency to raise on occasion.
"That sounds splendid Miss Swan, lead the way." Regina carefully jumped off the desk, just as Emma and Henry tend to do on occasion in her office.
"You're Highness." Emma bowed as she opened the door for the older, unamused woman.
"Watch it, Swan, I may be good now but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid to throw a fireball at your ass!" Regina teased before striding out of the station.
"Hey, Regina?" Emma shouted as she jogged to catch up to the woman. "Don't sit on my desk," Emma said sternly, earning an amused eye roll from the older woman.
"Whatever you say, Emma…"
The two women continued this little tradition of theirs for many months, neither of them reading into it, but that didn't stop the rest of Storybrooke.