Love, Fate And Magic

Chapter 9- Slow And Steady

"Did I miss anything good?"

Emma blinked several times, trying to focus on Morgan who smiled at her. The blonde quickly straightened up and cleared her throat.

"I'm not entirely sure what just happened." Emma said honestly, taking the offered bag from Morgan.

"What kind of deal did she want to make?" He prompted.

"A stupid one." The blonde huffed and rounded the desk to collapse into the office chair. "She said she would make me Sheriff, IF I go on a date with her."

"A date? Like a proper, flowers and romantic shit kind of date?" Morgan asked, hopping up onto the desk and looking at Emma, who nodded.

"Apparently I desperately want her and that the feelings mutual!" Emma scoffed and shook her head, but Morgan look unfazed.

"Yeah, that was obvious already, no need to point it out." The younger man said, reaching over and picking up one of Emma's onion rings and eating it.

"I do not desperately want her!" The deputy spluttered out indignantly.

"You can keep telling yourself that, but it won't make it true." He smirked at her. "I wouldn't have been surprised if the pair of you had gone at it right there on the desk."

"I don't think I know you well enough to be talking like this." Emma said coldly making Morgan put his hands up in defence.

"Look, all I'm saying is you can't fight nature. You want her and she wants you, so what's stopping it from happening?" The darker haired guy asked, looking at Emma expectantly. "I know Mayor Mills is a bit of a bitch and I'm not her biggest fan, but I see no reason why you can't try."

"I'm good at misjudging people." Emma said quietly, playing with her food.

"I know what it's like to not be able to trust people, I really do." Morgan said gently. "But you regret the things you don't do more than the things you do."

"You're far to wise…" Emma muttered with a smile.

"Well you know what they say-"

"-Don't say some cliché quote, it'll ruin the moment." Morgan laughed and stood up.

"Fine, but do you know what you gotta do?" He asked and Emma nodded.

"I need to go and talk to my son."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma turned the walkie talkies over in her hands as she trudged through the gloomy playground. It was safe to assume Henry would be here around this time of day, and sure enough, green eyes quickly picked out the small form of Henry, swinging his legs back and forth on his castle.

Climbing up the small ramp, Emma seated herself next to the brunette and offered one of the walkie talkies to him. The idea to give Henry one of the devices had hit her on the drive over, she hoped this would give them a chance to talk more when they weren't together.

"Brought you something." She placed the walkie talkie in the younger boy's hand. "Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra."

"Thanks." Henry said his voice lifeless.

"Oh, come on! What's up? You've been ducking me for weeks." Emma bumped Henry playfully but frowned when she got no response from the brunette.

"…I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while." Henry muttered, staring out into the distance. "You don't play with a curse. Look what happened to Graham."

"Henry, I told you, they did an autopsy. It's totally natural causes." Emma said gently but Henry shook his head.

"Okay. Whatever. You don't believe. Good. That should keep you from messing with it and getting killed."

"You're worried about me?" Emma couldn't help the smile that snuck onto her face at Henry's concern for her.

"She killed Graham because he was good. And you're good."

"Henry…"

"Good loses. Good always loses. Because good has to play fair." The brunette said bitterly. "Evil doesn't…She's evil. This is probably best. We don't want to upset her anymore." Henry placed the walkie talkie back into Emma's hand before swiftly leaving. The blonde watched him run off, feeling defeated.

After sitting by herself for a moment, the deputy dug her hand into her pocket and fished out her phone and dialled a number. The line rang for a moment, before it picked up.

"Hey, it's me." The blonde greeted. "Are you free? There's something I need your help with." Emma waited for a moment for their response and smiled when she got the right answer. "Great, Granny's? I'll see you in ten." She quickly hung up and hoped down from the castle and made her way back towards the car.

The drive to Granny's was quick and soon Emma was walking through the door, her eyes raking over the busy café. A waving hand caught her attention and she moved over to a booth at the back of the diner.

"Hey." Morgan greeted as she slipped into the booth on the opposite side to him, facing the door.

"Hi, sorry to pull you away from your day off again."

"It's no trouble." He reassured, smiling at her. "I feel a friendship blossoming between us." He grinned at her and Emma smiled half-heartedly. "So as my first act of a friend, you gotta tell me what's wrong so I can help."

"I just met with my son." Emma began.

"Henry?" she nodded. "Ah, he's a nice lad. Spent a while asking me about my relationship with wolves once…" Morgan trailed off, clearly lost in thought.

"Yeah he does that sometimes." Emma chuckled.

"Did you tell him about your dinner date?"

"I was going too, but he got all upset about Regina." Emma sighed before waving Ruby over, desperately in need of a cup of cocoa.

"What's going on between him and the mayor?" Morgan asked.

"They have a rather dysfunctional relationship…" Emma trailed off, frowning at Morgan who had sunk rather low in his seat and appeared to be blushing.

"Emma hi!" beamed Ruby, who had arrived at their table.

"Hey Ruby." Emma watched as Ruby turned her smile to Morgan, who had gone very quiet.

"Hey Paws." Ruby gushed and Morgan seemed to sink even lower into his seat.

"Hey Rubes…"

"Paws?" The blonde asked, looking between the two with a raised eyebrow.

"Short for Muddy Paws." Ruby filled in reaching down to point at Morgan's hands. "Whenever he comes in, he's usually covered in some sort of mud." Ruby laughed and Morgan smiled sheepishly.

"The issues of working in a flower shop." The younger man muttered quietly.

"What can I get you? The usual?" Ruby asked Morgan, who nodded. "Okay I'll bring your orders over in a sec." She smiled at Emma and winked at Morgan before disappearing off.

"Don't say a word." Morgan warned, glaring at Emma who laughed.

"I think it's cute Muddy Paws." The dark haired guy huffed her and crossed his arms.

"I thought we were supposed to be talking about you." Morgan prompted and Emma nodded. "Have decided to take up Regina's offer?"

"I have come to a conclusion, but I plan to talk it over with her."

"That being?"

"I want to go to dinner with her, I do…It's just I don't want to have to do it for something." Emma confessed.

"I get it."

"You do?"

"Yeah, if you do it her way it's like a business transaction, what's romantic about that?" Morgan said simply. "But clearly she thinks that's the only way to get you. If she leaves it open ended you might just run off."

"She thinks I won't go if she just asks me?" Morgan nodded.

"I guess she feels more comfortable this way. It's basically a reward system for good behaviour." He laughed but Emma merely frowned.

"I want to be sheriff…but not like this."

"Then tell her that. If she really wants you then she won't go down without a fight. Use that to your advantage." Emma opened her mouth to speak but stopped when Ruby reappeared with their drinks.

"I didn't know you guys were friends." Ruby said placing Emma's cocoa in front of her with a smile.

"It's kind of a new thing." Emma said, noticing a slight look of jealousy in Ruby's eyes.

"Do I still get a flower Paws?" Morgan smiled at Ruby before placing his hand inside his jacket and producing a single dandelion.

"I was up at the hill earlier so I got you this one." Ruby grinned and plucked the yellow flower from his hand and tucked it into her apron pocket, leaving the head to poke out.

"I love it." She gently touched his cheek before zipping off to serve other customers.

"Me and Regina aside, what's going on there?" Emma asked, waggling her eyebrows at Morgan who blushed.

"Nothing…" he said quietly looking down at his mug.

"Should there be?"

"Perhaps, if I ever get the courage to ask her out." Emma grinned at him. "But enough of that! Drink your cocoa so you can go and get your woman!"

"Alright." They both chuckled at each other.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Regina glared down at her paperwork, desperately trying to get something done. Since arriving back from the station, Regina had done nothing but stare at the clock and door, willing Emma to burst through in the unsubtle way she always does. Even back in the Enchanted Forest she had a habit for making an entrance. The brunette smiled, leaning back in her chair at the thought of Emma during her Princess days. Regina had to bite her tongue to not let slip the title when she saw Emma, it was a habit she had to kick if she had any hopes of keeping the blonde in the dark about her true identity.

The idea of returning home was one Regina often thought about late at night. To have the luxury and power of being Queen at her finger tips once more and having all those around her cower in fear when she entered a room. The idea was always dismissed quickly when the mayor was reminded of the key ingredient of that fantasy, Emma.

The Princess had completed everything for Regina, and soon would again. The brunette again let her eyes flicker to the clock then to the door in hopes Emma would suddenly appear. Regina had spent all of the previous week trying to approach Emma after their confrontation in the graveyard. She admitted things had gotten a little out of hand, but she did not regret her actions. With Graham out of the way, there was no one who could blind Emma from what she really felt.

Regina's heart gave a sudden lurch when a familiar voice could be heard on the other side of the door, and sure enough, moments later they banged open to reveal the leather clad deputy. Blonde hair was swept over one shoulder, showing off her long pale neck that Regina yearned to kiss again.

"Mayor Mills." Emma greeted formally, giving an awkward bow as she closed the doors.

"Emma, nice to see you again." Regina received a grunt in reply as the blonde approached her glass desk. "I trust you've made a decision?"

"Kind of." Emma said lamely, toeing the floor.

"Oh?" Regina sat back in her chair, surveying the younger woman.

"I've been battling with this for a while, and I realise I don't want to do this." The mayor stiffened in her seat, but kept her face blank as Emma continued to talk. "Don't get me wrong, I want to have dinner with you, like really want to…But I don't want to do it as part of a deal."

"You would rather have dinner normally?" The mayor asked, standing from her seat and rounding the desk.

"Yeah." The blonde looked down at the floor. "I want to be sheriff, but I want to earn it, not become one as a reward."

"You've long since earned it Miss Swan." Regina smiled sweetly making Emma blush. "So if you don't want to do the deal that's fine. You're more than competent to be Sheriff."

"So you're making me Sheriff?"

"Yes Emma, I am." Emma beamed at the mayor, making her heart melt.

"Great." They stared at each other for a moment before Emma spoke again. "So…my place or yours?" Regina chuckled before answering.

"Mine, I'll make lasagne."

"Will Henry be there?" Regina frowned.

"Do you want him to be?" she asked and Emma nodded.

"I think it would be good for him to see us getting along." Regina nodded wanting to make sure Emma got what she wanted. Having Henry there wouldn't be a bad thing, but would slow down any progress with Emma intimately.

"Of course." Emma smiled once more.

"So six?" The blonde asked hesitantly.

"Six it is."

"I'll see you then."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma trotted up the path to the mayor's mansion, a smile on her face as she spotted Henry at the window. Having Henry at dinner might help him see everything is normal still and give them a chance to talk a little more. The door flung open before the blonde even knocked and Emma grinned at Henry who smiled back.

"Hey Emma." he greeted stepping aside to let her in.

"Hey kid." The blonde ran fingers through his hair as she passed, ruffling it up. "Where your mum?"

"In the kitchen." He began walking into the house, Emma following behind, looking at all the things around her. The first time she had been in here she hadn't had much of a chance to look around.

Rounding a corner, Emma spotted Regina fiddling around with what looked like a salad. She wore black slacks that hugged her curves and a white shirt that was straining slightly around her chest. The blonde forced her eyes to look at Regina face.

"Emma." she smiled at the sheriff who smiled back. "Henry would you go set the table, dinner will be any minute." She asked and Henry scampered off, leaving them alone.

"Smells good." The blonde complimented, eyeing the salad.

"Thank you, lasagne is about the only thing I can cook." Emma chuckled.

"Well it looks good." Emma moved around to lean on the opposite side of the counter to Regina, who was watching her. "I used to know I guy who was obsessed with lasagne, always making it and offering it to anyone who came into contact with him." The blonde chuckled.

"Did you work together?" Regina asked.

"No he was my neighbour, which meant I was often stuck with his food."

"Hopefully mine will meet your standards."

"I'm sure it will, his used to taste like feet." Emma grimaced at the memory.

"Tables done." Both women turned to look at Henry who was wandering back into the kitchen, eyeing them both strangely.

"Thank you dear. Foods all done so let's eat."

The meal was pleasant the whole way through. Emma made conversation with Henry about school and comic books, while Regina watched them interact. Halfway through the meal, Emma had felt a foot sneaking up her leg from time to time and had done her best to remain calm and not alert Henry, though this proved difficult. The two women often shared long lasting looks when Henry wasn't paying attention and every time they left Emma a little too hot and bothered. Once pudding had been eaten and cleared away, Emma found herself in the den with Henry while Regina washed up. The blonde had tried to protest but had received a stern look which sent her fleeing to the next room to talk with Henry.

"I know why you're really here." The brunette suddenly said, cutting across Emma's story about a bounty she once pursued.

"You do?" Henry nodded.

"You're trying to get close to the enemy." The blonde sighed. "It's genius, the Evil Queen will never see it coming."

"No Henry, I'm just here for dinner." He frowned at her.

"You are? Why?"

"Sometimes I like a night off, and so here I am." Emma knew there was no use trying to explain what was going on between her and Regina, since the blonde didn't really know herself.

"But-"

"Henry Mills it is way past your bed time." Emma turned to see Regina in the door way, a bottle and two glasses in her hands.

"She's right kid." Emma smiled at his pout.

"Off you go, I'll be up in a sec." Henry grumbled something as he stood up to leave.

"Night Emma."

"Sleep tight kid." Emma watched him leave before turning back to look at Regina who was watching her.

"A drink?" She gestured to the glasses and Emma nodded.

"Yeah, I can stay for one more."

"Excellent, would you pour while I check on Henry?"

"Of course." Regina set the bottle and glasses down before skipping out of the room, leaving Emma to pour them both a glass of cider. About 5 minutes later Regina reappeared, smiling at the blonde as she sat down next to her. Emma couldn't help but notice that another button had come undone on the brunette's shirt, revealing a little more cleavage.

"See something you like?" Regina teased making Emma blush. The blonde reached over and grabbed her drink, taking a large sip to avoid answering. "So, tell me something about you Emma."

"About me? Like what?" The brunette merely shrugged and took a sip.

"What was it like being a bail bondsperson?"

"Um, intense mostly." The blondes eyes snapped to the arm snaking it's way along the back of the sofa towards her. Emma eyes flickered back to the innocent look on Regina's face. "It sent me all over the place usually, but I didn't mind."

"No?" The mayor was edging closer to the blonde, making Emma's mind begin to fog up.

"I'm okay with moving around… I guess."

"It sounds like a fascinating job, who did you get into it?" Regina was only a few inches away now, and Emma's breathing had reduced to barely anything.

"I like finding people." The Sheriff muttered, her eyes fixed on Regina's lips that had curled into a smirk. "Regina?"

"Hmm?" Emerald eyes met deep chocolate which had become much darker than usual. "Don't other think, just let it happen." Regina whispered before leaning forward and letting her lips ghost over Emma's.

A few seconds passed before the mayor leaned in again, this time letting her lips linger on Emma's a little longer, waiting to see if she would react. The blonde's mind raced a million miles an hour as she began moving her lips against Regina's, receiving a quiet moan from the older woman. The mayor became a little bolder and began kissing Emma a little harder, the hand on the back of the sofa slipping into blonde tresses and pulling them closer together. Emma's own hands began moving onto the brunette's legs, slowly traveling up her thighs to rest on her hips.

The blonde moaned deep in her throat when she felt Regina run her tongue along her bottom lip and she slowly parted her lips to let the skilled muscle into her mouth. Moans filled the air as the two women became fiercer, fighting for dominance which was quickly won by Regina, who had begun pushing Emma's flannel shirt down her arms to reveal pale skin.

Regina suddenly pulled back from Emma's lips and began planting kisses along her jaw and down to her neck, nipping as she went and marking the delicate flesh she found there. Emma moaned loudly as she felt Regina's lips suck on her pulse point, she knew there would be a mark there.

The mayor surged back up to claim Emma's lips again, a change in demeanour settling over her as she coaxed the blonde to lay back. Warning lights blared in Emma's mind as she felt Regina tug at her tank top, trying to lift it up. The blonde pulled back from the rough kiss and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder making her pause and look up at Emma.

"Are you alright?" The brunette asked, concern shone in the lust filled eyes.

"I'm not ready for that yet." Emma said, moving out from underneath Regina a little.

"Oh, okay."

"This," The blonde gestured between them. "Is great, it really is. But I'm just not ready to go any further. At least not yet." Regina nodded and sat up, running a hand through her slightly messy hair.

"That's okay, honestly. We'll take this at your pace." Emma nodded and pulled her shirt back on and fixed her hair.

"I should get going, I have work early tomorrow."

"Of course." The blonde stood and Regina followed suit, leading her to the door.

"Thank you for the lovely evening Regina." Emma smiled at the mayor who smiled back.

"It was a pleasure Emma." The blonde grinned before pulling open the door. She went step out but felt a hand on her arm stopping her. Emma turned back to look at Regina who leaned forward and kissed her goodbye. The kiss was far shorter than the ones from before, but it was enough to feed the flame that had been ignited within her.

"Goodnight Madame Mayor." The blonde stepped out into the night, glancing back to see Regina one last time before she closed the door.

Emma smiled to herself as she walked back to her car. It was clear people can be very different behind closed doors.

A/N: I'm falling back into an awful routine of writing at 1 in the morning but I can't help it :D So things are starting to kick off between our two favourite ladies, but will it be smooth sailing? Probably not, we're dealing with an Evil Queen who's stuck in the past here. Anyway please review and tell me what you think and feel free to PM if you have any questions. Till next time Kids.