It was a crime.
It was a crime to think of a stranger in that way. To find such sudden security in someone, such a definitive path. It wasn't normal. It wasn't normal to suddenly break all of her codes to welcome a hitch-hiker into the depths of the truck. It wasn't normal to sit there and inhale the scent of roses and wonder what the stranger was running from. Buying a meal for the brunette who sat there, her walls cracking as tears clouded those brown eyes. The way she began to tremble like a leaf and the instantaneous action taken by her to rush over there and wrap protective arms around a hurting woman. A bruised woman.
Who would want a normal life?
Why would anything about love be normal?
They were like two trains, never meeting before but somehow crashing into each other that night during a storm. On impact, they changed each other. They stole glances and studied each other silently. Opening up. Revealing. Trusting. Both of them had been wronged by men. Both of them had been seeking the same thing and fate made them cross paths. Fate made her run away, away from a blazing fire and a cheating lover and onto the highway. Fate made the truck stop before erasing a life. And she never believed in fate except that Henry was meant to be born. But she believed in wishing and hoping and finding someone who made her suddenly feel as Regina did.
It was a heavy roll of thunder that made her jump up.
Her vision was pinched from just snapping out of a deep sleep and the yellow light had been turned off. Groggily sitting up, and reaching for the back of her seat for support, Emma yawned widely and couldn't wait to set eyes upon the brunette. Who should have been sitting right there. In the seat that swallowed her up. Right there. But in a conflicting moment where her mind fought with reality, emerald eyes registered an empty space.
Panicking, she struggled up further and pawed around, blinking fast. Rubbing her eyes. Searching for someone who obviously wasn't there anymore unless she was still swimming through a dream which was becoming a nightmare by the split second.
"Regina," her voice was rusty now. Pulling a red blanket with her, the blonde tumbled onto the driver's seat and couldn't breathe. "God, dear God." Panic. More panic.
Lightening illuminated the interior of the truck and something pulled her attention. Clothes; a red shirt carelessly folded and black tailored pants. The red towel, folded in half and her comfortable black shoes neatly sitting on the ground. The presence of clothes but the absence of the person who had been wearing them. So what the hell had happened and where the hell could she be? Only another flash of lightening would provide any answers and when the light cast a quick parting through the rain through the glass in front of the truck, the blonde gasped.
It couldn't be.
It couldn't be possible that someone would even attempt such a thing on such a night, could they? Because just by the innermost corner of the truck's nose, in the pouring rain, there was the figure of a woman, barely visible but evident enough as she proceeded to take a shower. Boldly. She was bathing herself, and Emma was stunned beyond anything else, only left to sit there in awe as the wind ever so often parted the curtain of rain enough for her to catch a naked body. Of all things unexpected, was it too immoral to proceed? But she couldn't help it, could she?
Curiosity pulled her mind closer to the other side of the truck.
The blonde held her breath when she cast widened eyes upon the definite soft curves of Regina. From her bare back to slight hips as she hugged herself and that bandaged right hand soaked through. Nothing prepared Emma for a full frontal view that came briefly from the blink of lightening. She had seen pictures of naked women before and of course, Ruby when her good old friend changed in the locker room down at the truck base. But because of her gaining interest in the brunette who had stepped into her life so suddenly, seeing the older woman without clothes was somewhat...astounding, somewhat...bewitching. Even the fullness of her breasts, and the way she ran her fingers through dark hair and lifted a face that was now etched in the blonde's mind up to the raining sky.
Emma swallowed hard.
She fumbled nervously with her red blanket in the dark and couldn't think straight. Literally. She felt herself growing flustered, warmer and warmer. And the heater was flipped off immediately whilst cold air seeped into the truck. She couldn't think. She couldn't think at all. So shakily tumbling into the back of the truck once more, there the blonde waited, staring at her yellow backpack seated behind the chair Regina had been occupying for the journey.
There was a struggle with the door and then it was pulled open. A spray of rain kissed Emma's face briefly until the towel was snatched from the seat, (that much she saw), and the thick material was strewn over the woman's hunched body.
She was shaking so bad, the blonde couldn't breathe as she witnessed the cold bite into the brunette. Quickly, she rubbed herself dry whilst staying enveloped inside the comforting red warmth. Then with the towel remaining over her shoulders, Regina slipped into her black bra and suddenly, all movements stopped, and she just sat there. She sat there savouring the warmth and staring ahead.
Emma sat up.
She hugged her knees, blonde hair tumbling onto hunched shoulders and for some odd reason, the rear-view mirror pulled emerald eyes to it. In a span of half a minute that followed, their eyes met through glass, through a funny connection that didn't involve directly looking at each other. But it was strong enough. It was more than enough for both of them to ascertain a sense of revealing one's thoughts without speaking. It was a manner of speaking that was so powerful, neither of them caring to blink whilst each of them dug deeper and unearthed so much more. And it was Regina who diverted her gaze from the mirror, seated there as rigid as possible and hugging herself within the red towel.
"My mum always told me," Emma said softly, "that if I took a shower in the rain, then I'd be cleansed by God. I don't know if she was trying to tell me that I was a little devil that needed saving. Or she was genuinely just being funny."
"I thought you were...asleep," Regina said, her voice slightly trembling from the cold shower.
"Suppose someone saw you?" Now the blonde's concern was seeping in without effort. "Out there. Suppose someone... I don't know...caught you. And pulled you away or something."
"The rain is thicker than ever -"
"It's a freaking highway, for crying out loud," Emma was growing angry from her concern. "Haven't you watched enough Lifetime movies to realize that some psycho guy could come and snatch you and take you away somewhere? Jesus."
"I just thought," Regina began, her tone firmer, "that it would be most suited to wash the smell of fire and all things burning away from me. Added to that, my skin was growing quite irritable from these wet clothes."
"You could have waited until we got to Maine –"
"I couldn't wait, Emma," the brunette said in that hoarse voice that tickled the other woman's heart. "I have my reasons why I did what I did."
"Well…yeah. You're crazy," the blonde contributed. "That's it."
Regina sighed. "I only wanted to…" She stopped and refused to say another word.
"You wanted to what?" The younger woman was staring.
When the brunette shook her head, that was all.
Emma wanted to continue her angry line of words but decided against it. Or rather, her growing attraction for the older woman was preventing any further venting of anger. Whether she wished to be sterner on her delivery, showing how reckless the brunette's actions were, the blonde chose to reach for her yellow backpack instead. Unzipping it all the way, she pawed around inside, taking out a neatly folded dark blue, long sleeved sweater her mother had packed for this trip and a pair of faded blue jeans.
"Here," she stretched out the pile without making eye contact, "put these on. If the jeans doesn't fit, then I can always lend you my belt."
Regina hesitated, as was expected of her and chose to consider the clothes in silence. It was too much, to be offered so many things by this other woman. To be offered a free meal, a ride away from chaos, a destination and now fresh, warm clothes. Surely she couldn't take without expecting to give something in return? Everything came with a price, as she was taught by Robin. Every single thing he gave her over the years, somehow always seeped back into their arguments when he made it clear that she was comfortable because of his wealth. So why would this be any different?
"I think I'd rather use my own clothes," Regina said, reaching for her damp pants.
"Are you kidding me?" Emma stared.
"You've given me enough already." The brunette struggled to pull on her pants but the towel began to slip off soft shoulders so all movements ceased. "Thank you for everything thus far but I'd rather not."
"This has nothing to do with charity," Emma highlighted. "This is me being the decent and kind daughter my mum raised. I grew up in a Christian home where we did everything kind to everyone. I'm not selfish. I'm not a bad person. So take the damn clothes. Because yeah, if you wanna hear it, I care about you. You dragged yourself out there and took a shower." She pointed. "Now you're cold and you can't put on those wet clothes again."
It wasn't usual to be spoken to like that, so bluntly but with deliberate kindness interwoven between every word. She cared. She knew that and didn't need to be convinced because unlike the fake people her life had circled around, the blonde seemed to be exactly the opposite. Sitting there, her only choice was to allow the battle inside a tired head to proceed. There were doubts and self-doubts and a belief that this could be all too pleasant enough to lead anywhere that could possibly be beneficial.
"Emma, I really..." Regina was shaking her head slowly, "I really cannot unearth the reason behind your actions..."
"Do you want me to spell it out for you?" The blonde's chest ached.
"Maybe it would suffice if you somehow...led me in the right line of thought. Maybe I would be gracious if you...explained your sudden kindness and convince me that your words are genuinely honest."
Emma sighed. "You've been hurt for such a long time by this bastard, you expect everything to come with a price tag."
"Yes," the brunette nodded once, her voice huskier. "Yes. That's exactly why I am hesitant."
"Look," fumbling with the blanket wound around her waist, the younger woman tried as carefully as possible to get onto the driver's seat, "I'm not saying that it's easy and it's going to be easy to trust people, okay?" She fitted herself comfortably right there and noted from the corner of her eye that the brunette was pulling the towel closer around her body. "But you've got to start somewhere. Baby steps."
"And why should I trust...you?" Regina gathered up the bottom flaps of the red material and covered her naked thighs, eyes lowered.
"Because when I was seven years old, all the way to ten and maybe even up to fourteen, I wanted to become a Nun." That was it. Brown eyes latched onto hers and the older woman arched her eyebrows.
"What a convincing path to take, I must say."
The rain wasn't thinning out. No. Instead the skies seemed to be crying like a mother mourning the loss of her child and as much as the interior of the truck was growing colder, neither of them seemed to desire any generation of heat. Enough seemed to be radiating from their bodies, enough to flush honey coloured cheeks and splash fairer ones with a hint of pink.
"It happened when I was like six," Emma began to explain, as easily as discussing the weather. "I always ended up going to one Catholic school after the next so Nuns were always around, even Monks. Priests. The Bishop. You name it. So I was this really curious girl who was always interested in the strangest things. Alice, they used to call me." Her smile was contagious. "And I befriended Sister Margaret. She used to give us piano lessons and taught us how to play the guitar. We would talk for hours after school about Nancy Drew. I remember her telling me she thought the school and the convent were haunted. She was so fascinating."
"I can just imagine," Regina didn't even realize how comfortable she felt suddenly, even without clothes on.
"Yeah, she took me on tours through the convent and stuff and she told me about the little things, little acts of kindness that God loves. Then cutting a long story short, I was seven and outside playing in the garden with this white bunny the convent had." Emma gripped the steering wheel and her voice grew softer. "And as it kept hopping through the grass and I chased it, I don't know if it was the sun or something, but this stone statue of Mary they had in the garden, it kind of started to glow -"
"I consider myself a Christian but I can make a fair estimation and proclaim that it...could have been the sun's rays." Regina smiled.
"I know right? It could be...But as a kid, my imagination was so...infinitive and I honestly thought it was Mary showing me a sign or something. So afterwards, I suddenly started reading my Bible, going to church every Sunday and I even do charity work when I'm in Maine. My mum doesn't even have to push me now. I just...help out, any way I can. So this isn't a charitable thing to me. I want you to know that. This is just...I don't know...ME. And it's the best I can do regardless of if you're a stranger or not. It's what I want to do."
Regina's chest heaved. Their eyes met and then the blonde bit her lips. She allowed the connection to last, revelling in the way she felt by noting the slowly growing trust behind brown eyes. The way the brunette seemed to relax a lot more. It was a long way to come in such a short time. But it was unfolding.
"Soo..." tilting her head, Emma shrugged, "will you take the clothes now?"
The brunette was fighting her widening smile. "Yes." She nodded. "Why not?"
"Great," the blonde rolled her eyes. "Geez, I was beginning to think that I'd have to pull those wet ones away from you so you'd have no choice."
"You wouldn't dare," Regina widened her eyes as she carefully collected the blue sweater and folded jeans. "Stealing a lady's clothes...that is quite a crime."
"I'll tell you what," Emma started the engine and peered up through the glass, "how about you hop in the back and get dressed whilst the truck warms up? Then you can try to get some rest. I bet you're exhausted."
She seemed to hesitate a few seconds whilst rolling the idea around and then without protesting this time, Regina wrapped the towel around her tightly.
"Okay," she said in her throaty voice, rising from the seat, "hide your eyes whilst I get behind there."
"What about if I want to see what's under the towel?" She turned emerald orbs away anyway and smiled, holding onto the wheel with both hands. "Are you going to show me?"
"You're cheeky!" Regina moved past the blonde and when she was safely behind the seats, she reached out to poke the younger woman in her side. Immediately, Emma jumped from the touch and laughed.
For what seemed a good hour after she began to drive once more through the rain that had died down to a drizzle, the older woman slept. She slept peacefully, curled up like a comma and rocking with the truck's rhythm as the time passed. So peaceful, her face appeared to the blonde when glances were thrown behind the seats. Peaceful and beautiful, the way her dark, wet hair splayed out in clumps upon the red towel that she had covered the pillow with. Her bandaged hand had been taken care of after the cheeky comment. So she was all together fine.
If there was one thing in her life she always wished for, it was permanence.
That's something Emma always thought the future would bring. Staying put. Getting a house, moving in with a family and building a life together. Actually, it was exactly what Neal wanted but his methods of getting there weren't quite by the books. Instead he had to make deals with criminals, and deal with drugs. Then off to prison he was whisked, with all their hopes and dreams of a future together, flushed down the drain. And she was thankful, always thankful that Neal didn't get the chance to fill Henry's head with the fluffy hopes he had planned out. If that had been achieved then the kid would have had his heart broken by his father.
But was she any different than Neal?
There she was, choosing to manage a job that separated her from the kid. Driving long distances, never being home for long periods, and only showing up when there were special events in his life. Back when he was a baby, she used to focus on him entirely, handing him over to her parents to babysit whilst she pushed through college and worked jobs in clubs, malls and even beauty parlours. But gradually as the kid stretched in time, she began to see more of his dad in him. The way he was ambitious and never lazy. Helping out in the kitchen always, clearing away after her when she didn't ask.
The way he would give her hope as Neal gave her hope and hope was something she had killed a long time ago.
By the time Regina climbed into the front seat again, more than three hours had passed and slowly. Too slowly. It wasn't because of the distance she had remaining to travel. But it was the time she suddenly spent alone, after having a companion throughout the night. A companion who had awakened her heart in some strange ways and she longed to listen to for a long time afterwards. That same woman, the one who was struggling to trust, she was all that the blonde could think about throughout those three hours. And when there was a flurry of movement behind the seats and she felt their shoulders brush together, Emma's heart sighed.
"Did you sleep well?" she threw a grin at the older woman as Regina scrubbed brown eyes with the heels of her palms. The rising sun cast a warm glow on honey coloured skin that appeared absolutely glorious. And the more the brunette's features were highlighted in the daylight, the more emerald eyes lingered longer.
"Yes." Her voice was huskier than ever and it definitely tickled the blonde's chest. "How long was I slumbering?"
"I'd say roughly three hours. It's almost seven."
"I am...so sorry," Regina shook her head and appeared apologetic enough, something Emma didn't understand. "Please forgive me for that."
"But why?" The blonde frowned.
"Leaving you all by yourself to manoeuvre through the rain and the rough journey..."
The older woman's genuine concern was enough to make her toes curl. "Ah, it's okay really. I took it slow. I've done this before. The last time I drove through a storm though, it was like four years ago."
Regina nodded, eyes focused ahead, an arm resting on a ledge on the door. "So where are we now?"
"Just heading into Maine," she said with certainty, reaching for the radio and turning it up a bit. "God, I love this song."
The brunette smiled and inhaled deeply. "I'm certain now that you are a Taylor Swift fan."
"Two songs in one night," Emma chuckled in her throat, "it seems so, huh?"
"Yes."
The truck headed down the highway just fine, rolling in smoothly without any hiccups as the sky cleared into a beautiful blue. Judging from the wetness of the road, Emma ascertained that the storm possibly passed over Maine, or at least took a bite out of it. But the change in weather put her into a cheerful mood. Winding the windows down, she glanced over at the brunette who seemed to have thought of doing the same thing at the same moment. And when their eyes met, smiles were offered. The silence wasn't bothersome now. It was pleasant enough.
Juicy Juice was her mother's ultimate favourite beverage distributor for many years. There was always bottles of fresh juice inside the refrigerator of all flavours, and since she had started to deliver their fruits, the company always supplied her with a free box of goodies, as Mary would put it. That morning was no different. For as soon as she helped the guys get the cartons out from under the flap and everything was safely assessed in Grade A quality, not one, but two boxes were fetched out.
"I'd say the boss is more than happy with the quality," Chuck said beaming, his round figure and pointed grey beard earning him the nickname 'Clause'. "Even after the damn storm."
"It was pretty bad," Emma leaned onto the nose of the red truck, wondering was Regina was doing up there all alone. "Had to stop for a couple of hours just to let the damn thing ease off."
"I don't envy you guys, working the roads," Chuck shook his head, his orange shirt stained from perspiring. "Don't things like that scare the hell out of you?"
Emma shrugged. "I'm used to driving. It's just the animals on the road and...pedestrians that scare me."
"Because hitting one of those would leave you shaken up."
"You know right."
He helped her get the two boxes onto the truck's tray and then she was ready as ever to proceed the hell out of there. Another day completed. Another journey over, one of the toughest in a long time but also one of the most enjoyable one's ever. Why? Because she had company.
"So this guy," Emma began, counting the seconds as the truck neared the garage, "the one you're running from...isn't he going to come looking for you?"
"No," Regina said too quickly. Her lack of hesitating forced emerald eyes upon a composed face. "I mean…" the brunette shook her head, "it is highly unlikely."
"How can you be so sure?"
The brunette took measured breaths. "Because I dealt with matters beforehand."
"So burning the house down wasn't really the first show of anger..."
"No," the brunette shook her head. She cleared her throat. "I already have taken care of a restraining order against him. I have signed divorce papers that only need his signature, which were taken care of without his involvement..."
Emerald eyes were round. "You're crafty."
Regina nodded. "I am a lawyer, Emma. Have been for over twenty years. Need I explain more?"
"I'm impressed." Somehow though, she was still worried. "You've still got to watch your back though. He has his people. You have your people. Get what I'm saying?"
"Oh he's not going anywhere soon," the brunette said with certainty. "You'll see."
"What did you do?" Emma smiled in awe as she pulled into the massive garage that housed about fifty trucks. At the moment, only ten were stationed there. Ruby was already waving from the terminal painted red, a clipboard in her hand.
"If I told you everything, then I might have to kill you," Regina said, tilting her head at the younger woman.
"Alright, alright," Emma parked the truck neatly into the usual space and sighed. "I've got a kid. He needs his mum."
They both laughed, enjoying the moment and treasuring their safe arrival. However, even as the brunette gathered up her things and stuffed them into a blue cloth bag Emma provided, she was beginning to be consumed with the jitters. The jitters emanating from being in a new town. A new place with no familiar places where she was hoping to start over. Could it be possible to do that? Would she find obstacles here and would she have to move again?
It seemed so comfortable to be in the presence of Emma, another woman who had understood her pain and lack of trust. Someone who had assisted her in any way possible. But the younger woman had her own life. She had a son and parents and friends, like the tall brunette waving from the booth, wearing outrageously high heels and a very short red skirt with a denim shirt. At some point, she would have to branch off.
"Well for fuck's sake, I thought the rain swept you off a fucking hill," Ruby embraced Emma warmly and squealed.
"It feels great to be home," the blonde said, smiling widely as she was scrutinized from head to toe by her older friend. "You have no idea how the storm was hard out there. I had to stop and all."
"Bet you did. Bet it took some convincing from a certain someone," her eyes rested on the other woman standing there awkwardly. "Because anyone who knows you, knows that you're too determined to drive through a fucking hurricane if one came rolling down the highway."
"This is Regina," Emma said smiling, gesturing towards the brunette. "Regina, this is the best bud I was telling you about. Ruby Lucas."
"What a fine looking pair of eyes on a gorgeous woman," Ruby waltzed over and extended an arm. "I'm delighted to meet you."
"Likewise," Regina said, smiling, displaying her bandaged right hand and offering an apologetic look. Nevertheless as Emma knew her friend all too well, the brunette offered her left hand just to accept the older woman's left as well. Any excuse to make physical contact.
Half an hour later and they were seated on folding chairs under the terminal, with cups of tea and cheese scones, always in abundance once Ruby's grandmother was alive. Chit chat was heavy between the blonde and the tall brunette whilst Regina sat back and listened in.
She was gracious enough to be welcomed that easily as Ruby engaged her in the conversation ever so often, inquiring after the journey down the road through the storm. With nods and not more than four words at a time, her contributions were given, which seemed to satisfy Emma enough as their eyes met and were pinched from smiles.
When she had excused herself to use the wash-room, it was Lucas' time to pounce on her beloved friend, in relation to the entire story encompassing the very beautiful older woman.
"I'd say you caught a fucking bewitching fish from the looks of it," Ruby used the toe of her shoe to nudge Emma's right calf. "Tell me things got steamy when you had to stop on the road. Tell me all the gory details."
"Nothing happened," Emma lied, deliberately choosing to conceal her attraction to Regina and the fact that she had seen her partially naked through the haze of the rain. "We talked a lot. That's it."
"Details, Em." Ruby leaned in. "Since she's wearing your clothes, I know she got naked at some point."
"Here we go," the blonde rolled her eyes and sighed as the brunette's eyes were on fire suddenly.
"Was it as fucking fantastic as I've always described to you? Was it a quickie or a long, pleasurable ride whilst it rained?"
"Nothing happened," Emma repeated.
"So why the heck are you blushing about it?"
"Because I think she's frigging amazing and beautiful and everything else and I've only just met her. And for crying out loud, this is the first time I've ever been attracted to a woman." Ruby was grinning from ear to ear. "I'm only telling you this because we're tight and you out of anyone else would understand."
"Course I do," Lucas rested her cup of tea upon the table and glanced at the inner office that led to the wash-room. "Happens once or twice in life for every woman, I know as a fact. You suddenly meet a woman you're attracted to and it's suddenly dawning upon you that you could be gay."
"I know that I'm not...gay," Emma said with certainty.
"You could be bi."
"I've just...met...her," she whined.
"It's possible to fall in love with someone from the first time you meet them," Ruby sat back, and shrugged. "Isn't that what happened to your dear old parents?"
"Yeah but I've never been lucky. She's obviously not gay. And my parents would kill me if they even knew that I'm thinking about a woman like that. Mum would throw a Bible at me."
"Remember Elsa from Canada? The Canadian?" Ruby drawled out the last part, her eyes dancing.
"You're always going to go back there, are you? It wasn't even anything."
"She kissed you."
"Almost," Emma reminded her friend. "I turned my face and got most of it on my cheek. Besides, I wasn't attracted to her -"
"As you are to Regina. I see the way your eyes light up when you look at her. Something happened along the way last night, didn't it? You saw or heard or experienced more than you bargained for."
The blonde sighed, eyes lowered onto her cup of tea. Her scone was finished and she suddenly didn't have an appetite to take another. Home cooked food might bring back what was lost from the discussion. A good long shower and some hot food. Wondering what her mother had whipped up for her return, she was pulled into the moment by Regina's arrival once more. A few strands of her dark hair were wet, most likely from washing her face and she appeared to glow before the blonde, forcing her to gaze a little longer than expected.
"Well I'll leave you two lovers to it then," Ruby rose up, unfolded her long self and stretched. "Got to head home and get some sleep. I'll swing by later."
Regina was staring at Emma but the blonde avoided her eyes. "You're rolling out tonight?" Emma asked.
"Nah, I've got a date tonight. If you're up for it, the two of you can join Belle and me for drinks."
"I'll pass," the blonde waved the offer off. "Most likely I'll clock in early tonight."
"Suit yourself then," and after winking at the other brunette, Ruby strolled away.
They sat in silence for some time, whilst Regina left her scone half eaten and the tea resting on the table, growing cold.
For as long as she could remember, silence between her and anyone else didn't bother the blonde as much as it affected her within those fifteen minutes that passed by. What would have seemed like nothing really, ended up nibbling at her heart. She sat there brushing through the newspapers and entering her time into the log book and Regina's eyes never latched onto anything else but her.
"Why do I get the feeling that I'm being stared at for something in particular?" Emma closed the newspapers and blinked at the brunette.
"Did you tell your friend that we're...?" Regina held her breath. "That we..."
"Nah," the blonde shook her head and smiled. "She just assumed."
"She...assumed."
Swan said nothing and continued to idly run her eyes through the log book.
"Forgive me, but I'm somewhat...conflicted and confused, Emma." The huskiness in Regina's tone was enough to summon a direct stare from the blonde. "How did she arrive at that conclusion?"
"She's bi. You know, swinging both ways. And since she saw you wearing my clothes, she assumed that you had to take yours off at some point. And something probably happened between us."
Regina swallowed hard as she self-consciously lowered brown eyes onto the blue sweater and jeans, hugging herself in the process. Of course it was obvious. It was only that, an assumption. But something was still off. Why would this friend suddenly believe that something had occurred between the two of them? Unless Emma was... But there had been this Neal. Surely she couldn't be...gay.
"Are you bi...as well?" She was holding her breath and didn't even realize it.
Emma's wide grin was shocking as the blonde rose up and stretched. "According to Ruby, every woman is bisexual. Some act on it, some don't and some end up being fully gay. Me? I've never been attracted to a woman." She collected her cup.
"Oh," was all the brunette said, which immediately tugged at the younger woman's heart because for some odd reason, she felt as if those words hadn't been chosen correctly.
"Have you?" she found herself recklessly asking because of the moment. With her back bent still whilst retrieving the cup, their eyes met.
Regina allowed the gaze to linger on. She remained silent. Her heart was fluttering and still she couldn't lie. "Yes."
More seconds slipped by. Emma could only gaze back and try to pick a lock that wasn't easy to understand at that moment and the more she tried to part the curtains behind brown eyes, the more she was pushed out. Eventually giving up, her cup was collected, as well as the brunette's and to the kitchen she went, without saying another word.
Nothing was mentioned about that conversation for a long time afterwards.
They climbed into her yellow bug which the older woman sarcastically labelled as a strange looking toy car and then some sense of calm rested upon them as they drove away from the terminal.
Maine was nothing as she had expected, especially the quaint little town the blonde resided in. With streets that were narrow and shops that appeared ancient, the brunette thought of how Massachusetts was different. Storybrooke seemed somewhat stuck in time with its clock tower and few pedestrians. The woodwork on certain buildings provided a fair estimation of no advancement. And when Emma pointed out the library, she realized that her frequent visits to New York to appear in the courtroom had shown a certain amount of progression than this little town.
"I live in my own apartment," Emma said as they turned into a street from off the main road. "I spend most of my time at my parents' house which is a little house on the edge of town right next to the forest. It's comfortable being there, plus I don't have to cook when I'm there."
"I understand." Regina wondered if these parents of Emma would take one look at her clothing and assume the same as Lucas did. That they had slept together.
"You can stay with me if you want," Emma glanced at the brunette. "For as long as you want. I have two bedrooms. Been looking for a room-mate for ages since Ruby moved out. But I haven't found one as yet."
"I wouldn't...want to...intrude," Regina said.
"Intrude on what?" the blonde actually laughed. "My boring kind of life? All I do when I'm in town and not on the road is charity work and I work shifts at the sheriff's station. Dad's the sheriff."
Regina was actually impressed. "You're a woman of the law as well. I see. But I still feel as if I'm intruding."
"Look, it's better if you stay with me. Someone you know already. We're more than just strangers now. And besides...Not much goes on here. Not much to take action on," Emma shrugged. "I mostly deal with paperwork and stupid complaints about loud noise or illegal gun possession or drugs or shoplifting."
"That is still serious."
"Yeah but, trucking is more exciting for me."
"I fail to see how driving for hours on end, along a road, and putting your life in danger like that can be anything but exciting, Emma."
"You're growing to care for me so much," the younger woman smiled and threw a glance at Regina. "But I get you. Henry says the same."
"And your parents?"
"Every single time I walk in her door," Emma gestured with an outstretched arm, eyes on the road, "she complains about it. You'll see. But you wouldn't have to hear what she says that will obviously make you happy until later. I was hoping that I could head to my apartment, take a shower, change and relax a bit. And hopefully you'll stick around with me to do the same."
"And if I don't agree to come along with you?" Regina was considering the side of the blonde's face with a smirk.
Swan felt mischievous. "Then I'll...have to ask you to give me your red plastic coat and I'll cut little holes in it whilst you watch."
"I don't mind. It's his coat anyway." The brunette shrugged.
Emma stared back whilst she parked the car in front of a cozy looking red brick building. "Can we burn it later on then? Like as a celebration? But not until after we cut holes in it."
"Emma you really are such a child," Regina shook her head and smiled.
X
She could have said no.
She could have said one word but it didn't come easy because where would she go if they parted ways? Sure she had run with just her bank cards on her and an ID but what else? Access to funds but with no other links in a strange town? There must be an apartment she could rent or even just a small room. However, her gut, something she always trusted, strained the brunette to act upon impulse. So far, Emma was gaining her trust and if she was to venture out on her own, then it would be twice as hard to build up from there. Providing that she was even as safe as she believed even so many miles away from Robin.
So whilst the blonde unlocked the door on the third floor and her eyes swept over the interior of a small, cozy looking apartment, Regina was reminded of one thing. In a world where she was always fighting for her clients to have the law offer them some justice, at some point she needed an ally. She needed someone who she could be with, long enough to get back on her feet again and if this town was going to be a starting line, turning over a new leaf, then the younger woman's offer wasn't going to be denied.
"Do you want to shower first?" Emma hung her red leather jacket up on a hook behind the door and the keys jingled as she deposited them onto a small table.
"No, it's fine. You do so whilst I ask permission to examine your bookcase."
Emerald eyes widened. "By all means! I'm delighted. You do that then." And her gaze still lingered on the brunette as she left the room, finding that the blue sweater would forever be treasured after the older woman slipped out of it.
A warm shower was all she needed to relax and wash away all the frustration from last night's storm. However, the warm water was too soothing to lift her exhaustion to the surface. Washing her hair and scrubbing away until she felt pleased enough, Emma rinsed away the suds and slipped into a soft, pink bathrobe with white kitten faces sprinkled everywhere. A gift from Belle.
"Your turn," she appeared by the doorway to the first room and smiled, dressed in comfortable blue jeans and a yellow tank top.
Regina was studying a photo of the younger woman and Henry on a table next to the bookcase and she gently returned it back to its place. Fair skin that glowed. Damp blonde hair. Exposed arms and the display of definite curves on a definitely fit body. Of course her gaze lingered a few seconds and brought a blush onto Emma's cheeks.
"I dare say, your collection of books have enabled me to estimate your character. And I have arrived at the conclusion that you are quite a hopeless romantic."
"Really?" Emma offered a lopsided smile, hands partially shoved into the pockets on her blue jeans. "Crap, I've been discovered then."
"Nicholas Sparks, a complete collection of Jane Austen. The Bronte sisters. What fascinates me the most is your copy of Dorian Gray." The brunette took tentative steps closer to the blonde, fingers laced together in front of her. "Did you find it to be an enjoyable read?"
Emma lowered her eyes and smiled. "I'm afraid that if I answer that question, then you'll change what you think of me from my collection of books."
The brunette smiled. "Perhaps."
"It was really good, actually," the younger woman said, gesturing for Regina to follow her into the depths of the apartment. A small kitchen presented itself just opposite from the two bedrooms and just near it was the small bathroom. "I found that I loved the suspense. And then I started to wonder if I could be forever young, how I would feel. That sorta thing."
"And what about Pride and Prejudice?" The brunette leaned into the pink and white tiled bathroom and nodded when Emma showed her a fresh towel. "Do you hope to meet your Mister Darcy some day?"
"I've given up hopes of finding any guy who suits me perfectly," Emma said, lingering by the door now as Regina stood there with their eyes meeting. "Just like you, I trusted one and he ended up disappointing me. He didn't treat me bad or anything like that. But false hope cuts like a knife, you know?"
"Yes."
"How about you?" Emma knew she was fishing and it could be too soon to do that. But she felt compelled to. "Do you want to find a man like Darcy?"
Lowered brown eyes as she shrugged. "I don't want a Mister Darcy, Emma."
It was the way she said it, the blonde found herself thinking. It was the way her tone of voice was softer and her eyes were lowered and she appeared so captivated by a moment that the younger woman could not catch. Because of their eyes not meeting.
"Then what do you want?" she stayed by the doorway and held her breath.
"I want someone who wants permanence and compassion and kindness and an abundance of hopeless romantic things. I told you before," Regina said. She finally allowed their eyes to meet but only briefly. But it was enough to weaken Emma's knees. "Will you close the door? Or do wish to watch me take a shower again?"
Permanence
Her cheeks were probably oh so flushed by then. She was staring. She was rooted to the spot and it was all because of the use of one word: permanence. Hadn't she been thinking of that earlier? Something and someone to give her reason to stay around longer? To give up her trucking job and to stay at home with her kid instead of running from him?