Hey everyone! Here's the second chapter. Please let me know what you think!
Remember that in this story, the season 3 finale hasn't happened except for Zelena's death. No portal opened, no trip to the past, no Marian (meaning Robin is with Regina... for now) and definitely no Hook/Emma.
When the clock on the wall indicates six in the afternoon, Emma jumps up from her chair at the Sheriff station and sighs happily. Finally, she can go home, shower and change before she picks up Regina at her house. Henry is supposed to be with his friends at the moment so it gives Emma a little extra time to prepare herself. She finds it amusing—although quite unsettling—that she can feel something for Regina. As in, something that is not anger or frustration. No, this is more like a comforting feeling when she thinks about her. It is warm and it makes her smile like an idiot with a crush. Emma is pretty sure that she should be scared. She has never been exactly good at dealing with feelings. But somehow, this feels too right and she can't bring herself to truly be afraid of it. She doesn't know what it means but it's quite pleasant and she does not want to run from it. It's harmless, she thinks. She likes Regina, so what?
The shower after a long and boring day at work wakes her up and Emma decides to dress up a little, even though they are just going to Granny's. She wants to impress, tonight. She is nervous but she keeps reminding herself that this is not a date. This is just dinner with Henry and his other mother. Besides, Regina is dating Robin.
Ugh, Robin, Emma thinks.
She tried to get to know him, but despite his tales of heroic and noble actions, Emma finds him boring and dull. He is a good guy, sure, but simply not what Regina needs. Well, Emma doesn't exactly know what Regina needs but she truly believes that the woman will get bored soon. Regina needs fire, she needs passion and challenges. Robin is too easy. He doesn't rile her up like Emma does. Emma knows which buttons to push, she knows what she can get away with and the things she can't do.
Her phone buzzes once and pulls her out of her thoughts. She is still standing in the middle of her bedroom, half-dressed. Quickly, Emma grabs her phone and opens the new message from Henry.
"Mom, the guys want me to play soccer with them because Hansel is sick. I'll join you at the diner later. Tell Mom! Love you."
Emma sighs. Should she call Regina and tell her she'll pick her up later? No. No, this is an opportunity to spend some time alone with Regina and actually talk to her. They haven't seen much of each other lately, even after all the craziness with Zelena ended. Emma briefly thinks about the Wicked Witch and how her suicide has affected Regina. There is still the lingering suspicion that Gold has actually killed her somehow, and quite frankly, Emma is more than ninety percent sure that he has. It doesn't matter now, though. Zelena is dead, and Regina finds herself without any blood relatives alive. Thankfully, she has Henry, and even David and Snow, and of course, Emma herself. The blonde refuses to acknowledge Robin and Roland as part of Regina's family. She likes the little boy, because he's just so adorable, but she doesn't want to think of the Locksleys as Regina's replacement family.
Emma shakes her head, finishes to dress and then goes back into the bathroom to apply some makeup. It's six forty-five when she leaves the apartment.
"Hey."
"You're on time. I'm surprised," Regina teases her with a raised eyebrow.
"I thought it wouldn't be wise to make a Queen wait," Emma replies easily. "Shall we go?"
"Where's Henry?" Regina asks when she doesn't see her son waiting in the car.
"He'll join us a little later; his friends asked him to play soccer with them."
"Oh."
They stare at each other for a few seconds, during which Emma hopes that her tone was casual enough because she's still afraid that Regina is going to send her away now. But Regina finally smiles and says:
"Well, how about a drink before we head to Granny's?"
"Sure," Emma breathes, relieved. "Although maybe not your apple cider. I wouldn't want to drive straight into Granny's or run over Pongo on the way there."
The allusion to her first night in town is not lost on Regina, and the brunette offers a small smile and a quip.
"It's not my fault if you can't handle your alcohol, Sheriff."
"I can handle my alcohol perfectly well, Mayor."
The door closes behind them and Emma hates herself for wishing it wouldn't open again until the next morning. Really, how can she be so whipped?
Regina suggests wine and Emma agrees, of course. The other woman has perfect taste in wine and Emma supposes that twenty-eight years of living the same day over and over again—with the exception of Henry growing up—must have given Regina time to learn many, many things. She's actually pretty sure that Regina is a genius and speaks a bunch of foreign languages. She'll have to ask.
"How are things going with Robin?" Emma hears herself saying instead.
"Good. We're fine."
"Are you… happy with him?"
"He's my soul mate. Of course I'm happy."
"Good. That's… that's good. How about Henry? Does he get along with Robin and Roland?"
"Yes, perfectly fine."
"Are you planning to ask him to move in with you?"
Regina, whose eyes had been glued to her glass, looks up at her, clearly surprised.
"We've been seeing each other for a little over a month, Emma. I don't know about you but I don't make it a habit to invite people to live with me on such short notice."
"No, of course not. So, does he live in the forest?"
Emma knows immediately that this was the dumbest question that she could have asked, but she doesn't really care because it makes Regina laugh. Regina laughing is the most beautiful thing Emma has ever witnessed and she can't help but grin from ear to ear at the sight and sound.
"The forest? Oh, Emma, we're not in the Enchanted Forest anymore. Robin and his son are staying at Granny's."
"Oh, that makes sense," Emma says with a sheepish smile.
"You really are an idiot," Regina replies, but there is no malice in her voice, just a quiet tenderness.
They drink in silence after that, and then Regina sets down her glass and puts the open bottle of wine in the fridge.
"Maybe we'll finish it later," she suggests.
"I'd like that."
Emma is certainly not about to lose any opportunity that she has to spend some time with Regina now that she's realized how she feels. If there wasn't any real animosity between Emma and Robin before, there is one now. Well, Robin doesn't know it yet, but Emma will make sure that Regina knows Hood is not her only option. She just has to find a way to do that without raising red flags or anything.
"We should probably go now."
Both glasses are quickly washed and Regina follows Emma outside, locking the door behind her.
They ride in silence in Emma's yellow car, with the radio on. It's classical music, and if Regina is surprised to hear that kind of music in Emma's vehicle, she doesn't show it. Emma parks in front of the diner even though she's not entirely sure that it's allowed. Who is going to do anything about it, anyway? She is the Sheriff.
Emma is not even one step into the diner when a man surges on her right.
"Swan."
"Hook," she sighs.
Regina walks past her and completely ignores Hook. It makes Emma smile inwardly, how much the other woman dislikes the pirate.
"Can we talk?" He asks.
"I'm actually having dinner with Regina and Henry tonight. Maybe tomorrow."
"I don't see the kid anywhere," Hook points out.
Emma can practically hear the jealousy in his voice and she really doesn't want to deal with him now.
"Not that it's any of your business, but Henry will be joining us soon. Now, if you'll excuse me…"
For a moment, she sees him hesitate before he nods reluctantly and steps aside.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, Swan."
"Yeah, right."
Emma doesn't spare him another glance as she walks away and toward the booth that Regina has selected, in a corner of the diner.
"Sorry about that," she says as she sits down.
"Are you two not together anyway?"
"Me, with Hook?"
"He seems to be pretty smitten."
"Yeah, well, it takes two for a relationship to exist and I have no interest in dating him."
Regina looks at her pensively before she says softly:
"Maybe you should tell him that, then. Make it clear once and for all. If he gives you any trouble I'd be happy to throw a few fireballs his way."
"I'll tell him tomorrow. Can we please talk about anything but men tonight?"
Because, to be honest, Emma doesn't want to talk about Hook but she also doesn't want to hear about Robin and how Regina is happy with him. She is happy that Regina is happy… just not happy that Regina is happy because of Robin.
"Alright Miss Swan, so what do you want to talk about?"
The next chapter will come as soon as possible, but I've got more than one story going on, so be patient! Reviews are always great.
Thanks!
OTH-FOQ
