Hello again. Thanks for the reviews. I swear some of you are reading my mind :) I really hope this doesn't get too off track at times, because in a way, I am figuring out this story as I write it. As always, please leave reviews 3 3 and ENJOY!
Chapter 7
~Emma~
Emma sat back down on the sofa, utterly in a daze. She didn't even hear the knock on her door until the second time. Getting up, she ran her hands through her fingers and tried her hardest to hide her disappointment that it wasn't Regina.
"Mary Margaret. Hi."
The brunette raised a brow, but smiled. "Hi Emma. I'm sorry to just drop by, but I was wondering if you wanted to come to my place with Ruby and I. We do this girls night thing every now and then."
The truth was, Emma wanted it to be Regina, wanted to kiss those full lips again. But she buried that and smiled back. "Sure, I'd love to. Let me just grab my coat."
The blonde went and found her jacket and came out, locking her door. "Where is Ruby?"
"I'm right here." The blonde jumped as Ruby was suddenly behind her. "And I heard some rumors." She teased, biting her lip.
Right away, Emma blushed but tried to keep it under control as they all walked towards Mary Margaret's apartment. "Rumors about what?"
The two dark haired women exchanged glances, they were dying to know the truth, but they knew their new friend may be sensitive and one wrong move and the blonde would shut them out for ever. Ruby decided to go with a different approach, bringing up the one thing the whole town speculated on.
"Is it true that Regina and Mallory have sex in the office?"
Both Emma and MM were in shock. It took them a bit to recover and Emma cleared her throat and shook her head. "Not that I know of. I mean, at least not when I was there."
Emma decided that even if she did know, which she didn't, she woudn't tell Ruby anyways.
Ruby rolled her eyes and kept going. "Well pretty much the whole town knows they do, or at least have in the past. However, I don't think that'll be happening much anymore since Mallory seems to be getting pretty serious with that Lacey girl. I mean, she's kind of young for Mal, but they're going out all the time."
This was all news to Emma, and she wondered how fast news really did spread around here. She looked at Ruby.
"Is it...okay for two women to date here? I mean, it's accepted?"
Ruby couldn't stop the small grin on her face as she nodded. "We may seem like a small town, but for the most part, we're very accepting."
The way Ruby said 'very accepting' made Emma look away. Either she knew something happened between her and Regina, or she was hitting on Emma. Either way, Emma didn't want to discuss either of it. Thank goodness they had just made it to Mary Margaret's appartment by this time.
"This is a cute place. I like it."
MM Smiled at Emma. "Thank you. It's not much, but it's home."
"Yeah, until your coma man wakes up and you two fall in love and buy a house and fill it with kids." Ruby joked.
"Coma man?"
MM rolled her eyes and looked at Emma. "I read to people in the hospital. One of them happens to be a very good looking guy who has been in a coma for...well as long as I've been reading there. No one knows who he is, and Ruby thinks he's my true love."
Ruby chuckled as she sat atop the kitchen bar, kicking her feet. "Of course he is. No doubt about it."
"Well either way, he's in a coma. What about you, Em, you find your love yet?" They both looked at her.
"I um." She cleared her throat. "I thought so. But he...he wasn't it." She shuffled her feet awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable. This wasn't the kind of conversation she was comfortable having.
Ruby reached forward and took Emma's hand. "You'll find it again."
"Yeah. I'm just not really looking right now." She looked at Ruby and took her hand back, hoping to get her point across. If the brunette understood, she didn't make any sign, she just gave a shrug and bit on a piece of cheese that MM was cutting up.
"Well anyway, I think it's great for Mallory and Lacey. I just hope Regina understands." MM stated as she continued with the cheese and meats.
Emma couldn't stop the small smile. If it was true, maybe that would help whatever was going on between her and the mayor...if there was anything. She was still confused by all of it, but she didn't know these two well enough to say anything yet.
"So Emma, tell us more about you. Where did you grow up? Do you have family? Where are they?" MM gave Ruby a look as Ruby rattled off her questions, but Ruby pretended not to notice.
Emma hated these questions. She never knew what to say. If she said the truth, she usually got the 'I'm sorry' look and she hated that look. But she wasn't a great liar either, so she decided to go with a bit of the truth.
"I never knew my family. I was adopted as a baby, but then when I was three, they had their own baby and sent me away." She sat on a bar stool and picked at a cracker. "I was passed around really from foster home to group home to foster home. Now I'm here."
Once Ruby realized she was leaving it at that, she bit her lip, wanting to ask more, but knowing better not to.
"Well, Em, we're glad you're here." MM smiled genuinely as she poured some wine.
Emma cleared her throat. "I'm not old enough to drink yet..."
"Oh right. I'm sorry, I forgot. Is there anything you like?" She opened the fridge and Emma looked in.
"I'll take a coke, if that's okay."
"Of course." MM got one out and handed it over to Emma.
As Emma was taking a sip, Ruby couldn't stand it any longer. "Emma, is it true that Regina brought you home and went up into your room today?"
Emma almost choked on her drink and MM dropped the cracker she was eating. "Ruby!"
"Oh come on. It's just a question!"
"We agreed not to ask her about it."
Emma put the can of coke down and went and put her jacket on. She was ready to leave.
"Emma, please don't go."
Emma shook her head. "You only asked me here to get more town gossip. I'm not going to give you any, so what's the point in staying? Thank you for making me feel oh so welcomed." She slammed the door as she left, not looking back even as MM called out to her to please stop.
Mary Margaret closed the door and glared at Ruby. "Good job, Ruby! Now she thinks we used her."
Ruby sighed, she did feel guilty. "I'll talk to her later or tomorrow. Let her cool down. It'll be okay. Besides, the fact that she got so mad just proves it's true."
MM rolled her eyes and opened the door, gesturing for Ruby to leave. "It proves nothing, and I'm no longer in the mood to entertain."
Ruby got off the counter with a sigh and left. She could handle MM, but Emma...she wasn't sure how to make it up to her.
Emma was upset, she felt as though the two only invited her because they wanted her to tell them what happened, not because they were being friends. The girl was so upset, she didn't even realize that she had taken a wrong turn until she looked up and had no idea where she was. It's not like it was a big town, but there were enough side streets to get lost on. She sighed and hoped that if she kept walking, she'd end up back in the middle of town. When Emma turned the next corner, she saw a large white house that was just beautiful. She was along side when she noticed Regina outside with, who she could only assume was Henry. She stopped and watched for a bit, smiling at the two. Regina was pushing Henry in a swing and he was all smiles and squeals. Suddenly, Emma was nervous for Regina to see her. What if she saw her and thought that she was stalking her? Quickly she turned around and began walking off...that is until she heard "Emma?"
~Regina~
Regina had just finished feeding Henry and looked outside. The sun was still out and it was a warmer day. She put a spring coat on her little one and took him out back. Not that he could do much, he wasn't walking yet since he was only about 8 months old, but he seemed happy. She had a swing on a tree and put him in it and pushed him gently. He was in heaven and so was Regina. Regina looked over and saw Mallory and smiled.
"Beautiful evening, isn't it?" The blonde looked at Regina, a bit nervous about the talk they were about to have.
Regina wasn't unintelligent, nor was she immune to the town gossip. "It is. How's Lacey?"
"Okay, okay fine. Yes, I came to talk to you about that. As much as I love what we do, and even as intrigued as I would be to add Emma to that mixture, things with Lacey and I are getting more serious. She wants to be exclusive, and I...well I want that too."
Regina smiled lightly listening. "Mal, you know that we discussed this. If one of us were to find someone, the other would understand. And I do. I just want you happy."
"I am happy. And I think you're going to be happy too, if you listen to your heart and not your brain."
Regina was now confused. "What are you talking about?"
Mallory looked over and saw Emma walking and smirked. "I'm talking about the guest you're going to have in a few minutes." She touched Regina's arm. "Listen to your heart, Regina."
With that, Mal left Regina more confused than ever. It wasn't until she saw another flash of blonde to her right and saw Emma turn to walk away that she understood what Mal was saying. Listen to your heart? But...it's "Emma?" Shit. She said it out loud.
~Both~
Emma stopped and turned around, already ready to explain herself, but her breath was taken away. She saw Regina, the sun setting behind her, wind softly blowing her hair and she was mesmerizing.
Regina stopped, the way Emma was looking at her made her self conscious, and Regina Mills was never self conscious. It wasn't until Henry squealed that both woman came out of their 'trance'.
"Hi, Regina. I..well this is embarrassing, but I got lost." Emma didn't want Regina to think she was looking for her, even if she was glad she found her.
"Lost? Were you taking a walk?" Regina pushed Henry and leaned on her fence.
"Not a planned one. I...well I was upset and when I left Mary Margaret's I..."
"You were with her? Oh boy and let me guess, Ruby too? Emma, those two...while they may seem nice and sweet, Ruby only wants gossip, or sex, or both and Mary Margaret just does what ever Ruby says. She's a pushover. Please, please be careful with them."
Emma noticed how Regina reacted and was glad she didn't say anything to the two earlier. "That's why I left. They heard about how you dropped me off and wanted to know what happened. I was so angry that they lied to me to try and get me to talk so I stormed out."
Regina was upset, she was steaming. She hated Mary Margaret - well of course she did, she was Snow White - and she also hated that the two would have tricked Emma. Sure, it wasn't anything major, nothing to ruin someone's life, but to take someone so new, so vulnerable and make her think they were being her friends, when really they were just wanting to get gossip just made Regina pissed. Of course they didn't know Emma's story, they didn't know what she's been through, but it was still tactless.
Emma noticed how upset Regina seemed and she stepped up to the fence and put her hand on Regina's. "Regina? It's okay. I'm mad and a bit hurt, but I'll live." She looked into those brown eyes that seemed to care so much for her. "Please don't make this a big thing, okay?"
Regina took a breath and nodded, putting her hand over Emma's. "I wont. I just do not want them to use you. Please just watch yourself with them, because knowing them, they will apologize. They will probably mean it, but that doesn't mean they won't do it again."
Emma sighed and looked down. "So many people that I have to be careful of. Maybe I should just stick to work and the B&B."
Regina was confused. "What do you mean so many people?"
"Earlier when Mr. Gold came in, he already knew my name. Mallory told me to be careful because he seemed very interested in me. Now these two."
"If Mr. Gold is interested in you, then I'd agree with Mal and be careful. He's a slick one, but remember, Mallory and I have your back."
"Thank you, Regina." Emma smiled before blushing as her stomach growled.
"I take it they didn't even feed you before they questioned you."
"No. I should go anyway, it's starting to get chilly and your little one is falling asleep in the swing."
Regina looked at Henry and smiled. "Come inside. I fed Henry, but I haven't eaten yet. I can start something, put Henry down, and then we can eat. If you want, of course."
Emma smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. Thank you."
Regina got Henry out of the swing and lead the way into her house. Ruby smirked as she watched from behind a tree. She had followed the blonde to apologize but couldn't get to her before Regina did. She stood up tall and went to leave when Mr. Gold stepped in front of her.
"Enjoy the show, deary?"
"Look, I was just going to talk to Emma, but I didn't want to interrupt."
"Good idea. Do not interrupt what is going on here." He stated and left, knowing the wolf wouldn't take too long to figure out what he meant. If things kept going at this pace, he'd be able to try and go find his son very soon. Sure, Regina would have to suffer the consequences for falling in love with her enemies daughter, but that was her problem, not his.
