Back again. I think you'll like this chapter very much ;)
There's some angst, of course...and then comes the SQ.
Let's get this romance on the road shall we.
"Why are you quiet, Henry?" Emma asked, tired of the only sound around them being forks hitting their plates. He'd always had something to talk about at the table. She figured he'd have a lot to say about working at the comic book store now.
"I'm trying to figure out if I should tell you something." Henry admitted pushing a piece of chicken around on his plate.
"Something like what? Something bad?"
"No, not really."
"Did you get fired?" Emma questioned worriedly.
"I just said it wasn't bad." He huffed.
"Oh...right. Well what is it?"
"It's nothing really…"
"Henry." Emma said sharply. He smirked at her finding her impatience amusing.
"Okay…alright. The mayor came in." He shrugged to himself like it wasn't a big deal even though he knew it was a big deal for his mother.
Emma's fork clattered against her plate. "What?"
"Regina Mills…that lady you're always drooling over. She came into the store the other day."
"I don't drool over anyone." She frowned.
"Okay whatever you say, Ma. I just thought it was weird. She looked kind of sad, I guess."
Emma's surprise grew. Regina was sad. Her forehead creased in frustration. The older woman was putting her through the wringer at this point. Emma was the one who was embarrassed by the woman. Rejected. What did the mayor have to be sad about? With narrowed eyes, Emma's curiosity got the better of her.
"What did she buy?"
Henry scrunched up his nose but answered anyway. "Wonder Woman. First ten issues. I recommended it to her."
"What did she say to you? Did she…say something about me?"
"No. We just talked about the comics for like twenty minutes. Nothing about you." He said, stabbing a piece of asparagus and frowned at it. He was really starting to regret not accepting her offer for green beans instead of an alternative.
Emma soaked in the response quietly but picking her fork up again. "You said she looked upset? Was she sad or maybe just tired?"
"I don't know. Both I guess."
"Why was she there? She was supposed to be working…"
"Mom!" Emma looked up to her annoyed son. "Aren't you best friends with Ruby now? Isn't she like her sister or something…ask her all these questions. I don't know why she was there. I just saw her come in and she looked sad and I gave her a comic book to cheer her up. That's all I know. Stop giving me the third degree."
"Right…" Emma sighed to herself and leaned back against the dining chair. "You're right kid. Sorry about that."
"It's okay."
"If you want skip the rest of dinner and move on to dessert, you can."
"Dessert?" Henry asked. "What kind?"
"I tried my hand at chocolate cake but if that sucks, there's ice cream, like always."
"Cool." He stood up from the table picking up his plate. He stopped, seeing Emma start picking at her own food. Knowing she probably needed ice cream and cake for whatever her problems were, the teen grabbed her plate too. She grinned gratefully at him and thought over everything he'd told her.
Regina squinted into the freezer, enjoying the chill hitting her in the face as she reached for the bag of severely frozen carrots - way was she goin. Before she could raise them to her forehead, the sound of the front door handle being turned caught her attention. With the bag still her in hand, she made her way to the foyer.
There was a threatening presence just on the other side of the front door and she kept her hand ready to reach for the gun strapped to the underside of the side table. After a moment, she pulled her hand away faintly hearing their argument happening outside.
She walked stiffly over to the entrance of the living room when the door finally flew open. A seething Ruby stalked over to her and instead of greeting her, Regina found herself being shoved backwards.
Graham's eyes widened watching Regina fall backwards and slide across the floor until the back of her head collide with the frame of the dining room entrance. "Ruby." He hissed, grabbing Ruby's arm. "We talked about this. Physicality isn't necessary."
"Back off." Ruby growled, snatching her arm away.
Regina clutched the back of her head with a grimace. As if she wasn't already having a massive headache. Now she probably was going to have a migraine and a concussion by the end of this confrontation.
She winced at the burning sensation under her hand at her head but had no time for another thought. Ruby leaned down and grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and picked her up from the ground but she didn't say a word. Neither did Regina.
Graham watched nervously. "Ruby…"
"Shut up." She swiftly made her way to the entrance to Regina's study, letting the woman's heels drag against the floor.
Graham followed them not sure what to do…or say about it. Although he was hoping the brutal treatment didn't result into an all out fight. If that happened, they were all going to be found out. Regina would show her fangs and her eyes would turn that sensual, but very scary shade of red and then Ruby would start off with a growl and golden iris but eventually that would quickly morph into her going full on wolf.
His thoughts were quickly interrupted by Ruby hum of approval. He watched her eyes travel to the desk directly opposite the door. A smirk came across her face causing Regina's eyes to flash and her brow furrow in concern.
"Ruby! No!" Graham's hand caught on her arm too late to stop her as Regina was launched across the length of the room. Her body skirted across her desk, violently, taking most of the objects – including her laptop – with her. Not even a second after she collided with her desk chair, knocking it over, and then slamming into the bookshelf behind it.
The room rattled and a few books toppled off the shelves. Graham flinched as he walked further inside, hoping they hadn't hit Regina. He knew they did. He also knew she had either landed on top of her computer in the most uncomfortable way possible or it had hit the ground at the seamless angle to shatter the screen.
"Regina, please fight back. I don't like that you're just taking this." Graham frowned waiting for her to – hopefully – get up. "Or at least forgive her because you know Hunter's Moon is only in a few days and her anger is amplified tenfold."
"I said shut up Graham." Ruby snapped.
"I'm trying to save your ass. Just because you can't die, doesn't mean she can't rip your limbs off or something. You've honestly never been on the receiving end of a vampire's fury, have you?"
Instead of answering, Ruby shoved him forcefully enough to send him back into the couch against the wall. She walked around the desk and picked the chair up and placed it in the center of the room. And then she came back for Regina who was too winded to react. So, she didn't do much of anything when Ruby roughly put her in the chair.
"What is this about?" Regina questioned, frowning at the intense pain in her head and back. Although she tried to ignore the blood trickling down her face from the minor wound on her head. "What's your problem, wolf?"
Ruby came to stand in front of her and folded her arms over her chest and chuckled bitterly down at her friend. That was always the thing with being mad at the woman; she was still her friend. Her sister. "My problem? Emma."
"What about her?"
"You practically dry humped her in the bathroom – or at least you were about to – and then pretended it never happened. Humiliated her. That's a new low for you. She thinks she's not good enough for you but we all know it's more than likely you are the one who's not good enough for her. You don't deserve her."
"I don't-"
"Cut the shit. I know what you did. Do even remember her? Emma Swan, right?" Graham swallowed thickly at the hostile eyes thrown up at Ruby. He was going to have to get in the middle of this soon.
"You don't know what you're talking about. You don't understand." Regina said. She knew she couldn't step up to her and challenge her in height for intimidation from the pain she was starting to feel everywhere, so she'd just have to match her with aggressiveness with eye contact. "It's my business, wolf."
"I can't believe that Regina Mills – my Regina – has turned into this heartless bitch. How could you do that to Emma? You couldn't even just talk to her, Regina?"
"Leave it alone."
"No." Ruby grabbed her shirt again, looking as if she was ready to punch Regina square in the face. "Emma's my friend and she's a mess from what you did. I want an explanation!"
Graham pushed himself up off the couch and moved quickly to put himself between them. "Ruby, I agreed to let you come here because you said you wanted to talk. And you're not going to get anything done by hitting her. Calm the hell down. Now."
He heard the arms of the chair be gripped tightly and he turned around to Regina's red eyes. He shook his head down at her and placed his hands on her arms, as he knelt in front of her. "Don't escalate this anymore. You have control."
She closed her eyes for a moment and loosen her fingers. She looked into his eyes and they were gentle and kind and understanding even with the hostility that always laid underneath. Graham smiled softly at her and released her.
"Just talk to us. Why did you do it?" He asked quietly.
Guilt and shame clouded her expression moments after but his smile didn't waver. He leaned up and pressed his lips to her forehead and she relaxed against the comforting gesture. Her eyes, still slowly losing the blood red haze, drifted over to Ruby.
"I'm pissed. Emma's beyond upset." Ruby said, in a much calmer voice than she'd had since they arrive at the mansion. "I still love you – I'll always love you – but this is cruel, Regina. Tell me the truth and please let there be a good reason for all of this…or I will put you through a wall."
"I don't know…" Regina murmured.
"You kissed her?" Graham asked.
"Yes, I did."
"Do you regret it?" She looked up to Ruby knowing she'd suffer being thrown around again if she lied.
"Yes." She admitted. "And no…"
"What does that mean?"
"I saw her when I kissed Emma." Understanding passed over both Ruby and Graham's faces. "I pulled away and left. Left the party. Left her. It's what's best for us."
"Bullshit, Regina."
"It is what's best for her. If I truly do feel anything for her, I'll stay away. She'd die if I..."
"She's not Willow." Graham reasoned.
"Or she'll leave me and I can't go through that again." Regina said as her voice started to become tight with emotion. "It will break me."
All of Ruby's anger faded from her body. Her eyes softened and she reached out to pull Regina up from the chair. She accepted her hand and stood up to her, hunched only slightly because of the pain burning in her lower back. She wasn't even going to think about her ribs. Ruby thumbed away the two tears running down her cheeks.
"Nothing will break you. Nothing could ever break you."
"She will." She and Graham frowned at that. "Willow died in my arms. She was the same girl who told me she loved me the moment we met. We were children. And she died because of me."
"That's not-"
"And then Mal…after Willow I wasn't sure I had a heart to give anyone. Even you. But then she came along and I knew I had one. She broke my heart and stepped on it. And then just a pinch holy water to top it off. I can't live through that again."
"You know we'll protect her, Regina. She isn't Willow and she isn't Mal. She's just Emma." Ruby reasoned. "She's sweet and funny…and blonde. At the very least, you should apologize and tell her that you're not comfortable with a relationship. Emma's still my friend. She won't break you."
"But I love her…"
"What? You what?"
"I teased Willow for admitting that she loved me that first day. I'm not any better…I love her. I fell in love with Emma the moment I met her. That's the reason I'm afraid."
"Regina, you've never felt that way before. Ever." Ruby placed her hands on her arms and pulled her slightly closer. "That is reason you shouldn't be afraid."
Emma was tiredly pulling down a box of cereal from the overhead cabinet the next morning. Henry was off to work having gotten two bowls of cereal for himself. She poured the sugary cereal into the blue bowl, poured the milk in, and dropped her spoon into as she stumbled sleepily over to the couch. She was sure if she knew any responsible adults they'd probably scold her for not even waking up fully before coming to the kitchen.
Regina would scold you, she thought to herself. She frowned and sighed.
She turned on the tv looking at the bright screen through squinted eyes. She chewed her bite of Frosted Flakes, frowning at the fact that they were already getting soggy. Leaving the screen on the news, she focused in on her cereal and deciding that her second bowl was definitely going to be Trix. Maybe even a Poptart too. She worried over whether her son had left her one. He knew she liked the s'mores flavor so he always ate the last one to pester her.
She was finishing her last bite after five minutes when a knock came from the front door. Emma pushed off the couch leaving the bowl of milk on the table. Not bothering to look through the peephole or check her state of dress, she opened the door.
She frowned in confusion. Her breath got caught in her throat. Anger flared up in her chest. Although surprise tackled down the rest of her feelings and came out on top. Regina Mills was standing on the other side of her doorway in clothes that the hot mayor of a small town shouldn't be allowed to wear. Especially not when she was supposed to be furious with the woman for how she had been acting.
"Hi." Regina smiled lightly.
The blonde's mouth went a little dry and a spark of something very pleasant stopped at the arch of her back. The brunette was in a pair of black jeans and a pair of boots. That was nothing though. Emma could live with seeing her in that but she wore a blank tank top that had 'sex machine' in big, white letters. All caps. Just like Ruby said. She had a black leather jacket on and her hair was tied up.
"What are you…" Emma cleared her throat. "What are you wearing?"
"My clothes." Regina replied in amusement.
"No, I mean…forget it." Emma huffed. "What do you want? Why are you here?"
"Can I come in?"
Emma closed her eyes in frustration with herself. She wanted, like always, to kiss the woman but she was supposed to be upset with her. Sensing her internal struggle beginning to arise, the sheriff turned away from the door and walked deeper into her apartment. She walked back to her living area and over to the couch where she had been eating her cereal.
Regina followed her inside and closed the door behind her. Before she could even turn back around fully, a silver object was flying toward her. Naturally, she caught it with one hand, not even really seeing it before her hand moved. She looked down at the drink coaster and then over to Emma. The younger woman had narrowed eyes and a couch pillow in her hands.
Regina sat it down on the closest surface to her and walked forward towards the woman. Emma matched her steps by backing away from her.
"I know you're mad at me but I want to apologize and try to explain why I did what I did. It may not be an acceptable explanation to you but you deserve to know." Regina said continuing to walk towards Emma and the blonde moving backwards. She didn't even blink when the pillow came hurdling in the air to hit her in the face. She kept moving anyway.
"You hurt me. I practically outted myself to you and you acted like the kiss never happened…like I didn't even exist."
"I know."
Emma clenched her jaw and frowned. She grabbed the nearest object and chucked at the woman trying to invade her personal space. Regina didn't even seem to notice the pen thumping against her chest.
"I'm sorry for that."
"You're such a bitch…"
"I know that as well."
A book clipped her arm but Regina didn't flinch. She was closing in on Emma, following her into the kitchen. Emma grabbed a wooden spoon from the counter and threw it, now knowing hostilely thrown objects weren't going to deter her.
"I hate you…" Emma said feeling her back hit the counter. Regina stepped up to her with small smile, pinning her. Emma shoved her backwards but it did nothing. The brunette caught her wrists and pressed herself flush against Emma. The only thing preventing them from being chest to chest was Regina restraining her wrists between them.
"What do you want?" the sheriff whispered, looking into dark eyes only inches away from her own.
"For the first time in my life...I'm an idiot."
"You are…"
"I'm sorry for ignoring you. I kissed you and wanted to take you home and wake up next to you. I've wanted you since the moment we met." Regina explained. "I stopped fighting myself at the party. I kissed you and I wanted more but then I got scared."
"Scared of what?" Emma asked.
"My first love proposed to me and then died in my arms minutes later. When I finally decided to try again with someone else, I was minutes from proposing to her and she said she never loved me. She was after something else. She just got what she wanted and left me." Emma's expression fell into a look of sympathy. Regina recognized pity a mile away but she only got understanding from the younger woman. "Believe me, Emma, I wanted to talk to you about having a relationship but nothing good ever comes from being with me. I thought it was what was best for the both of us."
"That's not for you to decide, Regina."
"I know that now. I can't apologize enough. You deserve better than me."
"Maybe I do." Emma shrugged.
"You do…"
"But…?" the blonde questioned.
Regina looked down at her lips and released her wrists. Instead of answering, she leaned in, titling her head slightly. She moved slow, looking for any signs of rejection and protest to her actions. Her lips brushed Emma's and the other woman didn't attempt to return it but she also didn't pull away. That was still a hopeful sign at least.
Emma watched quietly as the older woman kissed her. She froze but then was quickly kissing back. Her hand reached out to Regina's bicep as the brunette leaned impossibly closer to her with both her hands planted on either side of her on the counter. Her heart pounded out of her chest like it had at the party that night. A hand came up to her neck and blinking out of her moment of paradise, Emma pushed a hand against Regina's chest.
"You hurt me." Emma said, dropping her hands and letting Regina return to invade her space again.
"I know. And I'm sorry."
"I shouldn't forgive you but I want to…I know I shouldn't…"
"I don't want you to forgive me now." Regina bit her lip. "Where's your phone?"
Conveniently, the phone sat behind them on the counter and Emma reached out to grab it. She hesitantly handed it over. Regina took it and added herself to Emma's contacts as 'Idiot'.
She finally felt like former self again. Before Mal and after Willow, she had been happy with Ruby and Graham. Then the past few years had been a purgatory for her and she wallowed in it for longer than she should have.
She sat the phone back onto the counter and leaned in to kiss Emma again. The blonde didn't resist. If anything, her lips formed a pout when she pulled away.
"I want you to think about it. A few days." Emma nodded against her lips. "If you text me no. Then we'll move on. We can be friends and if not friends, I'm just the mayor and you're just the sheriff."
"I don't want that."
Regina grinned. "If you text me yes, the next time I see you I'll kiss you…no matter where we are. I'll be mindful of your son if he's around. Then I'll ask you for a date. You'll tell me the day. I'll tell you what to wear and I'll pick you up at 8. We'll go somewhere nice and I'll get to know you. Then I'll drive you home and walk you to the door. I'll kiss you like I don't want you to go but I won't come inside…"
"You really have this all planned out don't you?" Emma chuckled.
"We'll have lunches together. And I'll take you on dates. We'll lie in bed and I'll make you breakfast-"
"You're missing something."
"Sex." Regina laughed. "Yes, we'll have sex. We'll have a lot of sex and then one day I'm going to tell you a secret. I'll know you and trust you long before then but I'll wait until I think you're ready. And if you leave me, it's okay. If you don't, I'll tell you another secret that you'll think I just realized in that moment but I know right now as I speak to you and I'll have known long before this moment."
"Our relationship is already so intense…and kind of perfect." Then Emma frowned. "Why would I leave you? Everything already seems to be going fine according to you."
"It's another fear of mine that I'm not quite ready to confess right now. But I will be ready one day and it'll be your decision."
"Regina, I'll try my hardest not to hurt you when that time comes but how about that date first. I'd really like that."
"Okay." Regina said with a nod.
"And could you back off a little? I'm really tempted to fuck up your plans and make out right now…and we all know what that leads to."
"I do know what that leads to. I should go." Regina agreed, stepping away. She was halfway to the door, confident that she'd succeed in her plan when Emma proved she really didn't want her to leave.
"Regina." Emma called. "I'm still suspicious of you…wary but…"
"Yes?"
"I can kiss you anywhere? Whenever I want? You won't act like it never happened?"
"You can. I won't pretend, I promise."
"Okay." Emma nodded and Regina started back to the door. "Wait…"
Regina smirked and turned around again.
"I have a feeling you don't wear stuff like that often…"
"I'll send you a very nice picture." Regina teased. "After you decide what happens to us."
"You sure I have to wait a few days?"
"Yes. I want you to be sure."
"Okay, fine." Emma huffed and folded her arms, "You can go now before I pounce on you."
"As you wish, Sheriff Swan." She said, leaving out the door and giving Emma a hopeful smile before she closed the door behind her.
"Knock, knock." Ruby said coming into the office with a takeout bag and two to go cups. Regina looked up from her paperwork and actually smiled at the woman. Ruby faltered for a moment before she remembered she was trying to be her old Regina from before.
She sat the first cup labeled mayor in front of her and pulled up a chair. Regina thanked her quietly and drank from it almost greedily. The fresh blood felt like a cold drink of water in hundred-degree weather.
"I'm proud of you." Ruby grinned, pulling out a sandwich for herself and then sitting the other one out on the table.
"Proud?" Regina questioned.
"Yeah. You're giving Emma a chance."
"It's just a date and that's if she forgives me."
Ruby rolled her eyes. "You told me everything that happened and she didn't want you to stop kissing her. She's going to forgive you, trust me."
"I certainly hope so." Regina watched her take a bite from her sandwich and examined it curiously. "What is that?"
"Corn beef. I got you a reuben. It used to be your favorite."
"It still is." Regina admitted with a small shrug. "Anyway, I want to do this right. I suppose safe isn't the way to really pursue a relationship."
"Nothing about you is safe. You're a vampire. Are we sure you should be worried about the harmless sheriff?" Ruby smirked at her.
Regina rolled her eyes but frowned. Her ears twitched at the sound of a fleeting arguing occurring outside her door. The younger woman heard it as well and turned in her chair with narrowed eyes. Her suspicion stayed tame as it was obvious to both of them that it was her new secretary telling Graham not to disturb her. The man never visited her office very often even as sheriff so to her it was odd and he needed an appointment which she insisted on just as Graham barged through the door.
Delilah followed behind him with a grimace and then turned to her boss, sheepishly. "I'm sorry Mayor Mills. He was insistent…"
"It's alright." Regina assured. "He's…family."
"Oh." The girl looked shocked but glanced at Graham apologetically. "My apologies."
Graham nodded and she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Silence fell over the room as Ruby looked at him curiously. Regina balled up her napkin and dropped it on top of a folder next to her cup.
"Something wrong?" Ruby questioned.
"You need to see this." He said and walked over to the window behind Regina's desk. The vampire turned in her chair and stood up. Ruby walked over as well as he pulled the curtains back cautiously. They both looked out to two familiar looking people talking casually with a Storybrooke resident.
"Shit." Ruby muttered looking over Regina's shoulder.
"Nolan." Regina sighed as Ruby and Graham moved away from the window. Graham took a seat in her desk chair and Ruby sat on the edge of her desk.
"Dammit, man. I thought we were safe out here in the middle of nowhere." Graham placed a hand against Ruby's knee as she spoke. "I loved it here. Eight years and we're back on the run again."
"I could do without the dramatics, wolf." Regina said folding her arms over her chest. She continued to watch them converse, unconcerned of the fact that they might happen to look over and up to see her. "We're not going on the run again."
"Regina, they're hunters. We can't stay here. If they find out that we're established here all they have to do is flash some evidence and everyone will be trying to hunt us down with fire and pitchforks and I don't think I need to give you a description on how badly it feels to be impaled by a pitchfork."
"Pitchforks are a little outdated, aren't they?" Graham mused out loud. Ruby reached over and slapped him in the head.
"Regina get out of the window. They could see you."
"What does it matter?" Regina asked stepping away from the window and closing the curtains. "The mention of who the mayor is comes up in conversation more often than you think. It won't matter. No one would hesitate either, considering they've roamed into town as some traveling, happy couple."
"I guess it's come to bite us in the ass for convincing you to use real names." Ruby said, sheepishly.
"Humbert isn't a name they'll recognize. It's a coin toss with Ruby. They might think you're alone, Regina." Graham noted. Regina met his eyes. "We'll have the advantage if they try something. I can do reconnaissance on them."
Regina nodded, pacing a line in front of Ruby. The younger woman exchanged look with the elf.
"If you can search out for their weapons, I can get an idea on what poisons they have on them."
Ruby agreed silently and stood up from the desk. "I'm on it. Regina focus on Emma."
"You can't be serious…"
"I am serious. Me and Graham can handle it and the moment we can't we'll let you know."
"She's right. We've survived without you, plus it will help if it seems you're more focused on your lover than you are about there being a threat around." Graham added.
Regina thought on it for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. She stopped pacing in front of Graham the man stood up from her chair to let her sit down. As soon as she settled back down at her desk she rested her chin over her clasped hands. "I will agree to this but you're going to update me once a week. If there's any emergency tell me immediately."
"Will do. You know I like to hand all my problems off to you anyway." Ruby laughed taking her sandwich and cup as she and Graham left the room.
"Don't hurt yourself, Sheriff." Ruby chuckled as she put down a plate of breakfast in front of the blonde and poured her more coffee. Emma barely got a look at her before she was off serving another customer during the morning rush. She flashed a smile at her retreating form before picking up her fork and taking a bite of hot scrambled eggs.
Her eyes glanced back up to the woman sitting at the table next to the window. She'd been staring at her proudly, watching her read the paper and drink her coffee. It was obvious now to most of town that something was going on between her and the mayor.
She honestly drooled over her some mornings, watching her lips as she ate her French toast. Regina kept her distance, but gave Emma smiles and winks to let her know it wasn't the same as last time they kissed. She still wanted her. It'd been four days and it was killing her to know that Regina Mills wanted to be with her. She'd fully forgiven her two days ago but she said a few days not a couple.
Unconsciously, she bit her lip and Regina stood up to leave the diner with the newspaper under her arm. She laid down her payment for the food before exchanging a few words with Ruby. Emma watched after witnessing the woman wink at her again before leaving out of the diner.
Green eyes stayed glued to her back, clad in a tight red dress with a black, cropped blazer over it, until the door closed back behind her. Leaning back in her chair she sighed and shook her head. One more day of this and she was sure she was going to die. She whipped out her phone and went through her contacts to find where Regina had listed herself as 'Idiot' and texted a single reply to the number:
Yes.
She half expected Regina to come back through the door but the woman did seem to appear and disappear often. Although the mayor wasn't going to come back through the door, Emma was excited to see when she'd see the woman next.