A/N: Sorry for the delay.

Summary: Insight into the ladies friendships and pasts. Emma also confronts Mary Margaret about college. Oh and the first date happens ;)

Chapter 4 Song: In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel

It was Friday, date night, and not just any date night it was the first date. Regina and Kathryn were walking to gym class.

Kathryn looked over at her friend and she had been somewhere else most of the day, "So are you ready for the big date tonight?"

Regina continued to walk and stared off into space with a dreamy look on her face. Kathryn realized that Regina hadn't heard a word she had just said.

Kathryn snapped her fingers in front of her friend's face, "Hello, Earth to Regina!"

Regina shook her head and looked at Kathryn, "I'm sorry what?"

Kathryn bumped her shoulder into Regina's, "I asked if you were ready for the big date tonight?"

Before Regina could answer she stopped outside of the door to the girl's locker room where Robin was standing. Kathryn looked up and noticed what made Regina stop dead in her tracks.

Kathryn leaned down and whispered in Regina's ear, "Want me to stay?"

Regina shook her head as Kathryn walked into the girl's locker room but not before glaring at Robin on her way by.

Regina leaned up against the left side of the door and Robin leaned in, "Hi."

She wasn't going to put up with his shit anymore, especially not after what he had done to Emma, "Get lost."

Robin threw his arm over the doorway when Regina tried to escape into the girl's locker room and nonchalantly shrugged, "Are you still mad at me?"

Regina just rolled her eyes in response.

Robin looked down at the ground and sighed, "Can we talk?"

Without hesitation, Regina blurted out, "No." She pushed Robin's arm out of the way and continued on into the girl's locker room.

Robin stood there stunned. He was absolutely pissed that this was continuing. He thought that taking down Emma would've taken care of the problem but apparently not. Robin followed Regina into the girl's locker room, he didn't care this was ending now.

Off in the distance Hook watched Robin go into the girl's locker room, he was assuming after Regina. Hook was keeping an eye out for Robin after what happened to Emma yesterday, no one, not even some rich guy like Robin that thought he was King was going after his friends. Hook was not about to start a scene in the girl's locker room as appealing as that did sound. He walked off in search of Emma; he had gotten a text to meet her in the art room.

Regina had walked up to her locker and thought that she had gotten rid of Robin but behind her she heard, "I want to talk to you."

She turned around to face Robin, "It's too late."

Robin yelled, "What do I have to do to convince you that I love you? I tried to get rid of Emma for you. You can't seriously want her over me, I mean what the hell can she offer you that I can't?!"

Regina started shoving things into her locker she was pissed. Once Robin had finished his little tirade she turned around yelling herself this time, "You bet your ass I do! She's treated me better in the few days I've known her than you ever have!"

Robin couldn't take it anymore he launched himself toward Regina and banged his hands on the lockers on either side of Regina trapping her. Just then the gym teacher came out she had heard the commotion in the locker room and wondered what was going on.

The gym teacher rushed to Regina's aid and pulled Robin away from her, "I think it's time you leave."

Reluctantly Robin turned around and left without another word.

The gym teacher asked, "Are you ok?"

Regina simply nodded as she closed her eyes and leaned against her locker. Relieved that nothing further had happened and hoping that was the end of it.

Hook walked into the art room and spotted Emma, "What's up with the text, mate?"

Emma had her painting wrapped up and handed it to Hook.

Hook took the painting but lifted his brow in confusion at Emma.

Emma smirked, "I have a favor to ask, and if you say yes, you'll require this painting."

Hook placed the painting under one arm, "Are you that confident I'll say yes, Nolan, that you've already given me the painting?"

Emma chuckled, "Your dad works at the art museum right?"

Hook nodded, "Aye."

Emma started pacing she was nervous about her plan, she wasn't nervous about asking Hook but nervous about it all coming together for a perfect evening, "Do you think he could get Regina and I in after-hours tonight so I could give her a private tour after dinner?"

Hook noticed the nervousness literally pouring off of Emma and decided to cut her some slack and be straightforward, "I think that could be arranged. What's with the painting though?"

Emma stopped pacing and looked him right in the eye, "I need you to hang it somewhere in the museum before we get there. Just text me what it's next to."

Hook nodded and then playfully punched Emma on the shoulder, "You've got this don't worry. By the way nice glasses."

Emma exhaled, "Yeah it's really hard to put contacts in when your eye is swollen."

Hook laughed and decided one joke before he exited might ease her nervousness after all, "I'll take your word for it. Oh I know I told you to score but if you do it in the museum and my dad gets fired I'll have to retract our friendship."

Emma blushed and looked at the floor, "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

Hook turned around with the wrapped painting in hand, "Anything for you, mate."

As Emma was getting on her bike to leave and get ready for her date Ruby jumped on the back of her bike, "What the hell, Rubes?"

Ruby rolled her eyes, "Please you have a date tonight and you so need my help."

Emma smirked back at her friend, "Oh really because I didn't get her to agree to the date by myself?"

Ruby smacked her on the shoulder, "Let's ride!"

An hour later Ruby was seated on Emma's bed while Emma was in her closet trying to decide on something to wear. Ruby realized they had done this a million times together since they were kids, not all of the situations had involved dates though but a few of them had. Ruby realized over the last few days that she needed to apologize to Emma over how she was in the beginning towards Regina. Ruby wasn't a supportive best friend at the start and she was ashamed.

Ruby cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, Em."

Emma leaned out of her closet with a confused look on her face, "Sorry about what?"

Ruby sighed, "For not being supportive of this relationship with Regina from the beginning. I thought Regina was like all of those other rich kids but these past few days I'm seeing that I was wrong and I'm happy for you. You haven't been interested in anyone, at least not like this, since Lily so this is good for you. Ever since Lily, I have just been on edge whenever you were interested in someone or someone else was interested in you. You're my best friend and I just don't want to see you hurt again so I get overprotective."

Emma walked over and sat down next to her best friend on the bed and kissed her temple, "Thanks, Rubes."

A few blocks away Regina was getting ready as Kathryn sat on her bed as well.

Kathryn cleared her throat and decided to say something she'd been holding in for a week, "Regina, I'm so glad you finally got rid of Robin. I don't know why you hung on as long as you did."

Regina exhaled as she continued to look through her closet, "I just thought it's what my mother would've wanted and in the beginning, he didn't seem that bad."

Kathryn knew Regina's issues with her mother better than anyone. That woman had been so demanding Kathryn was hoping after her passing that Regina would stop trying to please her, "Regina, you have to stop living up to your mother's expectations and live out your own."

Regina turned around and smirked at her friend, "I think you and my father have been working together."

Kathryn laughed, "Nah as usual Henry is just a smart guy. Nothing against Cora but I just never understood their relationship. She was all about money and status and he never was. Case in point as soon as Cora passed you two downsized to a house that wasn't flashy."

Regina shrugged, "All I know is that Daddy is still so in love with her."

Kathryn smiled, "Well maybe with Emma you'll be closer to finding someone you can love."

Ruby walked out of Emma's room leaving her to finish getting ready and Mary Margaret entered Emma's room.

As she sat on the bed Mary Margaret spoke up, "So your father tells me you're taking the truck on your date tonight."

Emma was looking in the mirror as she put on her black-rimmed glasses and turned to face her mother, "Yeah, he offered."

Mary Margaret smiled, "Well your father always was a sucker for you."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Yeah, thank God someone in this house has my back."

Mary Margaret sighed, "Emma! Honestly! Is that what you think about me?"

Emma threw her hands up in the air this was it she was about to explode and tell her mother how she really felt, "Well yeah! You're always riding me. Nothing I ever do is good enough for you! You also can't accept the fact that maybe I don't want to go to college, maybe what I want is to stay right here in Storybrooke and help Dad run the shop!"

Mary Margaret stood up and raised her voice, "Emma, I ride you because I want to make sure you're doing all you can to get out of this town and do something great with your life and not be like your father and I!"

Emma looked into her mother's eyes but spoke in a normal voice this time, "What's so wrong with the life you and Dad have? He's happy running the shop, we run it together. You give piano lessons to the neighborhood kids, we have everything we need why does it need to be more?"

Mary Margaret pinched the bridge of her nose, "I just want you to have the chances your father and I didn't, Emma. We've worked so hard to build something from nothing and struggled. Nothing's ever been easy for us. I want life to be easy for you."

Emma laughed, "Mom, nothing's ever going to be easy, that's life but at least let me be happy."

Mary Margaret was silent for a few moments taking in what her daughter had said and the wisdom behind it, "Does this Regina girl make you happy?"

Emma looked at her mom with a small smile and nodded her head, "I really think she could, Mom."

Mary Margaret pulled Emma in for a hug and upon releasing her said, "Well then you don't want to be late and invite her over for dinner soon."

Emma tucked a piece of hair behind her right ear, "Sure thing, Mom. Thanks."

As Mary Margaret walked out of Emma's room Emma realized that for the first time her mother listened to her and if that could happen this date would be a piece of cake.

Emma had picked up Regina at her house and was now backing up to the pier so they could eat dinner in the bed of the truck and admire one of Emma's favorite spots in the city.

Just as Emma finished backing up the truck Regina questioned, "I thought we were going for dinner?"

Emma pulled out a paper bag and held it up, "Oh but we are! I figured we could eat in the bed of the truck and enjoy my favorite view in Storybrooke."

Regina smiled, "Pulling out all the stops I see."

Emma laughed, "Well Regina Mills deserves all the stops!"

Regina blushed and followed Emma out of the cab and onto a blanket in the bed of the truck.

When they sat down Emma took out the food and handed Regina a burger, "I secretly love burgers but I really shouldn't."

Emma raised an eyebrow, "Why's that, you're not allergic to meat or anything crazy like that are you?"

Regina chuckled, "No it's just my figure."

Emma shook her head, "Please your figure is amazing, you could eat like seven of these burgers and still be fine."

Regina took a bite of the burger and it tasted amazing, "You say that now but what are you going to do when I become fat from all of these burgers you plan on feeding me?"

Emma shrugged, "Eh more of you to love."

Regina laughed; there was just something about Emma that made her believe everything she said. Maybe she had finally found someone to have an honest relationship with not to mention this feeling of desire she had around Emma all the time, "So tell me am I the first girl you've had in the back of your truck, Emma Nolan?"

Emma blushed and looked down at her lap. The things this woman could do to her insides with just an off-handed comment. Emma was trying her best not to take Regina right here in the bed of the truck.

Regina nudged Emma with her shoulder and continued her teasing, "Don't tell me that's a yes?"

Emma lifted her head and made eye contact with Regina, "No you're not the first."

Regina crumpled up the paper from her finished burger and put it in the paper bag, "Hmmmm well you know who my last relationship was what about yours?"

Emma looked out into the night and over the water, she knew they would talk about Lily but she didn't think it would be so soon. However, she felt comfortable telling Regina, she knew Regina would never treat her like Lily did, "Her name was Lily. I thought she loved me but it turned out I was just her little experiment. She and her family left Storybrooke not long after we broke up."

Regina leaned into Emma's side and grabbed her hand interlacing their fingers together, "I'm sorry I can't even imagine how painful that was for you."

Emma turned toward Regina and gave her a small smile and figured if Regina had opened the ex-door it was time to ask about Robin, "So why were you with Robin?"

Regina exhaled, "He was everything my mother would have wanted and I decided I'd rather be with someone for the wrong reasons than be alone for the right ones."

Emma let go of Regina's hand and suddenly jumped down from the bed of the truck, "Where are you going?"

Emma held out her hand for Regina to take. Once Regina's hand was in hers again, "Come on I want to take you somewhere and show you that you can be together but for the right reasons."

Regina jumped down from the bed of the truck and allowed Emma to guide her back to the passenger seat.

Emma pulled up to the art museum and put the truck in park.

Regina looked out the front windshield, "What are we doing here it's closed?"

Emma took Regina's hand and lead her out of the truck and to the side door of the museum, "Not if you have the right connections. Hook's dad works here as a security guard at night and he's arranged for us to be here."

Regina bumped into Emma, "I didn't know you were friends with Hook."

Emma laughed, "It's a recent thing actually. When you got detention not long I ago I also got detention on purpose to get closer to you. You never showed up so I assumed you got out of it but Hook and I became friends so it wasn't completely for nothing."

Emma continued walking toward the side door but Regina stopped and tugged Emma's arm to pull her back. Once Emma was facing her, "You got detention for me?"

Emma just smiled and blushed.

Regina shook her head, "How do you not have all the girls with your humble and charming ways?"

Emma replied, "Easy, I only want one."

Before Regina could say anything else the side door opened and Hook greeted them, "Welcome, loves!"

Emma and Regina followed Hook through the service entrance and into the main lobby where Hook's dad was.

Hook spoke up, "Dad, the private tour has arrived."

Hook's dad looked at him with a stern face, "Son, if anything happens while they are here it's your head."

Hook laughed and patted his dad's stomach, "Calm down, Pop, everything will be just fine."

Hook looked at Emma, "Can I see you for second, Emma, before you start your tour?"

Emma let go of Regina's hand and walked over to Hook, "What's up, is everything set?"

Hook lowered his voice, "Everything is fine, mate. I just wanted to let you know that you shouldn't have to deal with Robin anymore the boys and I had a conversation with him and I think we've come to an understanding."

Emma couldn't believe all that Hook had done for her in such a short period of time he was a true friend. It also made her a little sad that a lot of people didn't make the effort with him outside of his gang because if they all knew who he really was it would be something magical. She reached out and playfully punched his shoulder in thanks, it had become a thing between the two of them almost like a secret handshake.

Hook came back with, "Eh what are friends for, mate? You enjoy your evening."

As Emma turned around and walked toward Regina, Hook gave Regina a smile and a wave that she returned.

When Emma took Regina's hand again they began walking through the museum Regina said, "Hook seems like a really nice guy, we'll have to hang out with him soon and do something nice to thank him for this."

Emma smiled, "Yeah he really surprised me with this friendship. I kind of hate that more people don't know what a great guy he is."

Regina nodded and after a few minutes of silence, "So I've noticed you doodling in notebooks a few times at school. I take it you're an art buff?"

Emma chuckled, "I don't consider myself a buff, no. I do like art though and do like to do drawings and paintings from time to time."

Regina flirtatiously bumped into Emma again as she had done several times tonight already, "Well I think you'll have to show me some of your work sometime."

Emma blushed and looked toward the floor again, "As long as you're good."

Regina gave a low sultry chuckle, "Well, Nolan, I'll be on my best behavior then."

Emma smiled at Regina when they came to a crossway, she took a second to see where they were and turned right, "There's a painting over here I'd like to show you."

As soon as they turned right Regina noticed they were in a small display room with six paintings but the one straight ahead of her caught her eye. Regina recognized herself immediately and she was stunned. She let go of Emma's hand and slowly stepped toward the painting. She briefly glanced back at Emma who just smiled and motioned her head toward the painting. Regina looked back at the painting in complete awe. This woman, this wonderful woman who at first she thought was just helping her get out of a bad situation with Robin, had shown her so much kindness and caring in just a few days. Now there was this magnificent painting staring right back at her and it was scary, overwhelming, great, and something she couldn't even put words to all at once. She knew at this moment that this was by far one of the most amazing things anyone had ever done for her and doubted that not many things in this life may surpass this moment. Emma gave her a few minutes and then moved to stand next to her.

Regina turned to look at Emma, "You really did all this for me?"

Emma nodded.

Regina questioned, "Why? What did I ever do to deserve something so great?"

Emma turned toward Regina so they were facing each other, "Because, Regina, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. I've admired you from afar for a while now and I saw Robin didn't treat you at all the way I thought you deserved to be treated. Someone with your beauty and the poise of a queen, you deserve the finest things in life and I may not have money like Robin does but I wanted to show you how I see you through my eyes. I wanted you to know what you deserve and hell it's probably not even me but …"

Emma was interrupted as Regina's lips locked with hers. At first, the kiss was very heated and raw, Regina was trying to convey all of the emotions she was feeling in that moment and poured them into the kiss. Emma slowed the kiss down to a tender pace as Regina opened her mouth and gave Emma's tongue access.

Once they separated out of breath Regina pressed her forehead to Emma's as tears were streaming down her face, "If anything, Emma, I'm the one that doesn't deserve you."

Emma smiled, "I don't know about all that."

Regina turned around and took Emma's hand in hers once again and leaned in close, "Come on I want to see the rest of this museum and continue on with the best date I've ever been on."

Emma chuckled, "Oh man I may have set to bar too high."

Regina nudged Emma, "Hmmmm I wouldn't worry about that too much, Nolan, I think you can handle it."

After the museum Emma drove Regina home and walked her up to her front door. They stood on the front porch and elongated the goodbye as neither one of them wanted to acknowledge that the date was over.

Regina nervously fidgeted, she had no idea why they had already had their first kiss tonight, "I had a great time tonight, Emma … in fact great may not even begin to cover it."

Emma put her hands into the front pockets of her jeans and smirked, "So does that mean we can go out again soon?"

Regina bit her bottom lip and chuckled in a low sexy tone, "I think it's a definite possibility."

Regina leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Emma's lips which soon became heated and left both of them out of breath. Regina put a hand on Emma's chest, "As much as I would like to invite you in to continue this my father is home."

Emma leaned back, "It's ok, it's better this way. I've done the whole getting physical thing too fast and it's never ended well and you deserve better than that. Also if I come in I don't think I can be trusted."

Regina smiled and seductively winked, "Neither can I."

Emma leaned forward and pecked Regina on the cheek, "Goodnight, Regina."

As Emma turned to walk toward the truck Regina called out, "Oh and Nolan you should wear those glasses more often."

Emma blushed as she got in the truck. As Emma drove off Regina leaned against the front door and thought, what in the world have I gotten myself into? I definitely wasn't prepared for Emma Nolan.

When Emma got home her dad was sitting on the front porch again with a beer in hand. Emma took a seat beside him and he handed over two beers.

Emma looked at him, "Two? I didn't have a bad night, Dad, I had a good one."

David laughed, "Nah one's for you and one's for your eye. You should really put something on it."

Emma took off her glasses and nestled them on the collar of her shirt. She opened one beer and held the other to her face.

David prodded, "So?"

Emma smirked she knew exactly what her dad was getting at but played coy, "So what?"

David was a little astounded, "No details? Really?"

Emma took a sip of her beer, "Nope."

David chuckled.

Emma turned toward her father, "What?"

David took a sip of his beer and continued looking out into the night, "It must have been really good."

Emma smiled remembering the almost perfect evening and breathed out, "Something like that."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the first date. Let me know what you think.