A/N: I graduate in 10 days, everyone! so here is a graduation gifty for you all. Thank you for bearing with me this past year. It was a lot of work and it is almost over. I hope you like this newness.~S.K.
Entrechat
"Come home with me," Emma says pulling Regina out of the school. "I have to wait for Bae to bring Henry back and Mom's got teacher conferences late today. We'll have the place all alone till Henry gets there."
Regina smiled. "If you want a ride home, why don't you just ask Emma."
Emma Grins. "I want a ride alright…"
Regina blushes catching Her girlfriend's intentions with it. They had been an item all of three days. They had not gone on their date yet. "Emma…"
"Come on!" Emma said with a pout that all but melted Regina's insides.
"Of course I'll come home with you," Regina said leading the blonde to her Lexus. Regina was incredibly nervous because even if she was with Emma, they had never been alone enough to do much about their relationship. Emma didn't pressure her, which was a good thing because Emma was her first relationship. She had never dated anyone male or female. she had never had the time.
She grew quiet as they entered Emma's empty home. Emma going through the mail as she did so. She stops short when she comes upon a big manila envelope. Her heart skips. "Oh my God…"
"What's that." Emma handed Regina the envelope gingerly. It's from Columbia University.
"I can't open it…" Emma said.
Regina furrowed her brow. "Why not? That envelope is huge… You got in."
Emma began to cry. "What if I'm waitlisted. I've seen that before."
"There's no way," Regina said. "You're brilliant Emma."
"Open it," Emma said. Regina smirked and moved to do so. "No, wait…"
Regina stopped her progress and waited for her girlfriend. "Yes or no, Babe… That is all. If you have to wait a semester, it's better than a no at any rate." Regina said. She knew that Columbia was Emma's dream school. She also knew that New York was six hours away from Storybrooke. She didn't know if she wanted the waitlist or not.
"I don't think I can do this… I have a baby, what am I thinking?" Emma stated shaking her head.
"Emma…" Regina stopped her putting her free hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "You can do this."
"Okay… open it." Emma said, and Regina did so. No more hesitation. She reads the Acceptance letter and the attached award letter and turns to Emma and enfolds her in her arms "Congratulations, Em." She whispered.
Emma held Regina, and took the letter and read it over. Then she saw the award letter and lost all the breath in her body. "This is almost a full ride!"
Regina laughed. "See… and you were worried."
"I have to live on campus…" Her face contorted a bit. "I Can't take Henry with me."
Regina's smile faded. "Oh…"
Emma sighed and put her paper down. "I got in…" She smiled widely.
"You did," Regina answered with a smile of her own. Emma threw her arms around her girlfriend and held her tightly. Regina reciprocated giving her a kiss on the cheek. Emma giggled and gave Regina a kiss on the cheek. the two of them soon stood swaying against each other kissing each other's cheeks until they were locked in an ardent liplock. On that made Regina feel like she would implode from joy.
"Hey, Emm… oh… I'm sorry. I…" They heard. Regina jumped away from Emma and turned to face Mr. Nolan embarrassed.
"Dad! I got in!" Emma said unphased by the interruption. She just ran to her father and He held her close.
"I knew you would baby, I'm so proud of you." He said.
Regina watched father and daughter interact and teared up. She missed that with her father. She used to be like that. Now every word they spoke felt foreign and awkward. She leaned back against the countertops, watching the two of them awkwardly, allowing her mind to think back to before. "Dad. You've met Regina Right?"
"I have not…" He said and turned to Regina.
Regina smiled nervously and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Nolan."
He smiled kindly. "Emma has not stopped talking about you since you moved here."
Regina looked at Emma and smiled. "Dad…"
"I think she should know you like her a lot since she is your girlfriend." Emma groaned. "When is HE getting back with my grandson?" Her father changed the subject abruptly. his speech becoming noticeably icy.
"Soon… " Emma said. She turned to Regina. "I'm gonna go upstairs, Wanna come?"
"Eh.. not going to happen." Her father put a stop to it. as he headed to the living room.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Fine, can you um wait for me in the living room? I have to get a bottle ready for Henry."
"Um Ok," Regina said and followed Mr. Nolan out as well. As she crossed the threshold to the living room she heard Henry screaming. She came around the corner and saw Henry screaming his little head off and squirming in Bae's arms.
"Give me my grandson." Emma's dad said since the kid's father had no clue what to do.
"Is that Henry?" Emma says coming in from the kitchen buttoning her top.
"I don't understand, he won't stop crying," Bae said.
"He's a baby, that's what they do," Emma said bringing the baby to the rescue. She clutches at her son and bounces him.
"He was screaming, Emma."
"He doesn't know you, Bae!" Emma says kissing the top of the Baby's head.
"I'm his father," Bae says through gritted teeth, as Henry is soothed and sniffles nuzzling his mother's neck. "He knows me… What should I do?"
Emma sighs. "I don't know Bae, stay out of trouble? Come around more often?"
"Whatever Emma," Bae said waving her off and turning toward the door. "I can't talk to you."
"I just want to be able to depend on you. I'm not asking you to do anything for him that you aren't supposed to do." Emma retorts her body tensing up. Regina reached for the baby, and Emma obliged her as she squared off with the father of her child.
Bae whirls back to face Emma, and Mr. Nolan looked about ready to tackle him if he needed to. The boy raised his hands and took a breath. "You don't ask, Emma. You make demands. You want money, you-"
"I want you to be a dad Bae. Whether we were going to be together or not, You are his father," Emma interrupted. " But you always have an excuse."
"I get tied up!"
"Doing What Bae?" Emma screams and Henry lets out a whimper. "You still doing your little bathroom drug deals? How about you try getting up in the middle of the night to change diapers and give him bottles. Or staying up with him because he is sick, then having to drag yourself to school the next day?"
"I'm doing the best I can-"
"Well, that's not good enough." Emma interrupted.
Bae turned to look at his son, then at Regina who stood clutching the baby to her chest. She had placed a knuckle in the hungry baby's mouth while his parents argued But Regina was unable to walk away. Bae narrowed his eyes at her then turned toward the door and walked out without another word.
Emma breathed a long sigh and turned to face her girlfriend and father. "Sorry about that," the blond apologized.
This was when Regina was able to move. "Don't sweat it," Regina said handing the blonde her son back. "I, ah I'll just go home."
"Okay," Emma said softly.
Regina leaned forward and gave her a peck on the lips. "I see you at school tomorrow."
"Yeah," Regina heard as she Walked out of Emma's home. She felt like a complete chicken.
"What is this?" Regina asked looking at the beat up yellow bug sitting in front of her house.
"It's our ride," Emma said with a proud smile. Regina's heart melted at the dimple that appeared on Emma's cheek.
"Our ride?" Regina asked as Emma walked her to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her.
"Yeah," Emma said. "I finally saved up enough to get my own car. What do you think?"
Regina didn't know what to say. The car didn't look like it could make the trip they were about to take, let alone be reliable transportation for Emma and Henry. "Ah… It's great."
Emma closed the passenger side closed once Regina had gotten in the car and smiled as she ran all the way around to the driver side. "Ready?"
Regina nodded and they drove in silence for a while. Regina watched the scenery as they drove. She felt so comfortable with Emma. Just like that. They never needed to say anything. But there was just one thing she wondered about. Where Emma was planning their date to be as they cross the Storybrooke town line.
"Are you gonna tell me where we're going?" Regina asked.
"It's a surprise," Emma said.
"Why is it a surprise for me? You are the one with something to celebrate." Regina asked. "I'm dating a college girl."
"It sounds to me, that you are the one that has something to celebrate," Emma says with a cocky grin. Regina slaps Emma's arm as she pulls over on a Portland street.
Emma, ever the gentleman runs to the passenger side to help Regina out of the car. "Is this where we are going?" Regina asked looking at the cityscape.
"I thought we could walk around a little. Before we get to our final destination." Emma said.
Regina smiled and wondered how perfect that is, except she wasn't wearing the most comfortable pair of shoes. They were boots, a high heeled version of Emma's more sensible boots which she wore over slacks and an elegant sweater. Regina didn't know Emma had such fashion sense. She didn't know how to dress for this since Emma hadn't told her what they had planned. Along with the boots, she wore a pleated dress with a hidden pocket, because Emma had told her to be formal, and that was the most formal she had without heading in the prom category.
"I have something for you," Regina said reaching into the pocket of her dress, and handing Emma a small box. She was nervous and hoped that Emma would like the token. "I wanted to get you something, but I couldn't figure out what. It isn't much, but I hope you like it."
Emma stopped walking and let Regina's hand go so that she could open it. Inside the box, was a key chain with an engraved caduceus. A tiny ruby colored rock dotted the eyes of the snakes. Emma smiled and hugged Regina. "I love it! Thank you." Emma said
"Wait, there's more," Regina said flipping the keychain over. On the back of the medical symbol, was the name Emma Nolan M.D. The two locked eyes. Emma lifted Regina's hands to her lips and kissed it softly. A succinct but alluring gesture, that made the world around them disappear.
Without thinking, Regina leans closer to Emma. As she does so, an older woman sits on a bench nearby. Before Regina could Kiss Emma However, She caught a glimpse of the woman's disgusted glare. "We have an audience, work with me," Regina whispered
"What do you mean?" Emma said
"Grab something," Regina whispered. Emma grabbed her ass. Regina moaned softly and kissed Emma's neck. The older woman scoffed and walked away from them disgusted. She and Emma looked at each other and bust out laughing as Emma took the lead again.
They walked at Regina's pace for about 5 minutes until they came up to the concert hall. "What is this?" Regina said Looking at the building trying to figure out what was playing. Then finally Regina spotted the banners overhead. "Portland Ballet…" She says with a gasp.
Regina's heart stopped. Her feet froze in place. Emma looked at her and tugged at her hand. "Surprise, Regina."
"I can't," Regina said shaking her head. "I can't go in."
"Regina?" Emma says. Concern creasing her eyes. "You have to go in. This is where I am bringing you. The ballet."
"I know, but-" Regina swallows hard against the lump that threatened to rise. How did she tell Emma that Ballet only reminded her of her horrible mother and that even if she was a horrible person, Regina still loved her and missed her every day?
"But what?" Emma asked. Regina looked at her feeling bad. Feeling stupid for ruining the evening. She bites her lip and shakes her head.
"But nothing…" Regina says with a sigh. "Let's go in."
Emma and Regina watched the Portland Ballet Company perform Igor Stravinsky's "Scenes De Ballet" as choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Regina sat enraptured, her eyes fixed on the dancers and the dance. She is utterly amazed and infinitely engaged. A yearning that never really left her returns to tug at her heart. She sees herself on that stage. Not just as a dancer, but as the Prima Ballerina. The elegant lines of the Dancer's limbs, the turns the leaps…
Afterward, Regina and Emma walk back toward Emma's bug. Regina is quiet, introspective. Emma seems at a loss. Regina could tell that she was trying to decipher her mood. She didn't want Emma to be Disappointed, but she couldn't help it. She didn't quite know what to say or how to break this silence.
"I thought you would like it," Emma said quietly.
"I did," Regina said.
"You could have fooled me," Emma said. Regina looked at Emma and tried to smile.
"I'm sorry," Regina said as they came to a small secluded bridge. She sat down on the edge. Emma followed suit sitting at the edge but facing Regina. After a long moment, Regina says. "I don't want you to think that I didn't have a good time tonight, Emma. I did, but ballet isn't part of my life anymore."
"Why not?" Emma asked taking Regina's hand. "What happened? You just woke up one day and decided to waste your talent?"
Regina took her hand back. "How do you know I have talent? Because I did some stupid leg trick?"
"I saw the look on your face when you did it, Regina," Emma said. "The same look I saw tonight. All Goofy and happy. So if you are gonna tell me something about ballet not being part of you, at least tell me something real."
Regina didn't speak for a long, difficult moment. She was trying to find the right words, She didn't really know how to articulate how she felt that night. Finally, she looked at the blonde. "Maybe I don't want it to be real." She stared out at the water, Her eyes lingering on the reflection of the moon. She found it hard to reconcile the beauty in the reflection and the turmoil she was feeling. "What I want is to wake up, and see my mom is okay. I don't want it to go back to the way it was after my dad left, but before when the three of us were happy. To when dance was my happy place and my life made sense."
Emma put a hand on Regina's lap. "You miss your mom?"
Regina let out a sob and shook her head. "I know right? I'm such a masochist," Regina said. "And it's all my fault. She got scraped off of the highway for me, for my fucking audition. She was rushing. It was raining. It was raining…" Regina was openly sobbing now. "... But she had to be there. To watch me like a fucking hawk. I hadn't even waited for her. I should have but they called my name and I didn't say anything. I just went out and danced. I was happy. I felt free. She wasn't there to glare at me, I was eight again."
She falters and a torrent of tears escape her. Emma holds her tightly as she cries. She was racked with guilt. "She was dying while I was dancing, and I was happy. What kind of daughter am I?"
"It wasn't your fault it rained or that she died," Emma said pulling back and bringing Regina's face up so that she could see her. "Or that you were happy while you danced. That was what you were there for. Your mom would have expected you to do what you did."
"I was looking forward to leaving her and never looking back. I hoped to leave her just like dad had done." Regina said choking on her tears. "Then she left me, and god help me but I miss my mom."
"You don't have to give up what you love because you are bitter about her," Emma said to Regina. "Don't give up."
Regina swiped at her face and looks up at Emma. still crying. "I Know… but I am not so sure that the drive to dance is there without her pushing."
Emma sat back a little and watched Regina as she spoke. "Do you want to do it, Regina?" She asked the brunette. "Do you want Julliard?"
Regina pauses to think for a moment, and as she thinks her head begins to nod at first only slightly and then clearly a nod. "Yeah, I do."
"It's on you to make the dream come true," Emma said. "Do it for you. And if you need a little push, I'll push."
Emma pulled up on the driveway in front of Regina's house. They paused for a moment. Neither of them wanting the night to end. Regina looked around and saw that her father was not home yet. She wondered if Emma would stay just a little while longer. "So… See you tomorrow?" Regina says hopefully.
Emma smiles reaching a hand to move a lock of hair behind Regina's hair. Regina smiled back, certain that she looked like death itself after that crying session. It didn't matter, Emma's eyes told her everything. God, if Regina didn't feel the same. Regina was falling for the younger girl. Regina smiled back leaned forward and kissed her.
After a long makeout session, the two break their embrace and take a deep breath. Emma reached out and fixed a smudged lip stain from Regina's lips and whispered, "I'll walk you to your door."
A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. Please let me know what you think in a note below! Till next time! ~S.K.