Mary Margaret and David were the last to leave. They had even attempted to help clean up the aftermath of what Storybrooke employees would consider the best reprieve from reality that they'd ever had. But Regina refused to let any guests lift a finger in assistance, and while she shared a short conversation with Mr. Nolan about her change of heart and approval of his and Ms. Blanchard's budding relationship, Mary Margaret had used the opportunity to confirm a very important logistical issue with Emma.
"So Emma, should I be expecting you home tonight?" the teacher asked, sincerely curious for two reasons.
And, then, Emma, for two of her own reasons, grinned. "I don't' think either of us is going to play it safe tonight," she said in a whisper. Mary Margaret grabbed the blonde's hand. "You and I will discuss everything tomorrow over breakfast," she said excitedly.
Emma raised both eyebrows, looking at her roommate as if she were insane. "Make it lunch. A late lunch. In fact, why don't I just call you tomorrow when I'm…"
The brunette laughed.
"Hungry," Emma concluded, anticipation beginning to creep down her body, tickling her skin.
"Deal," said the teacher. David and Regina shook hands, their conversation obviously over, and Mary Margaret walked to the door where she grabbed David's arm and stepped out into the cold early-morning air.
Regina closed the door behind her. A soft click followed that reminded her of a ticking clock… or time bomb. Either thought was fitting of the current situation. Time was, indeed, precious.
"Miss Swan," said the Mayor in an authoritative tone, "I do believe we have some things to discuss. My Office. Now," she said, still leaning back against the door, her arms folding after giving the instruction.
Regina took pleasure in Emma's obedience, but took even more delight in her view as the deputy walked in that red dress down the hallway.
Regina had sent the blonde ahead because she needed a moment to herself. For the past few weeks, her life had been consumed by a craving, which left her no time to worry about the consequences of satisfying it. And now, satisfaction was just down the hall and to the right. She had spent the latter part of the evening holding onto Emma in the shadows, feeling a dichotomy of emotion. One half of her reveled in the warmth and closeness that Emma provided – the other half screamed in opposition, knowing Emma could never totally accept her. Regardless of the strides she had made, her hands were tainted with the invisible ash of a hundred crushed hearts. Emma had been a victim most of her life, not someone who easily forgave such heinous transgressions.
But the blonde had taught Regina how to hope, and she was clinging to it desperately as her eyes locked onto her office door.
Lady or the tiger?
She was about to find out.
…
Emma looked around the office she had been in only once before. The circumstances had drastically changed, but her anxiety remained the same. She looked to the couch where Regina had sat in her gray business dress the first night they met. She could remember every detail of that encounter – the way Regina held her cider glass, the way her concern over Henry had given a glass-like appearance to her eyes, her confident strut across the carpet, the way her hands held the door open upon her exit…
She compared the Regina in her memory to the Regina that was currently in the hallway. Most people, after a month of dating, found their partners to be a completely different person than the one they originally met. But Regina didn't fall into that category. She was exactly the same woman, just a bit warmer around the edges. She will still power-hungry, dominant, abrasive at times, and intimidating as hell. Regina was still Mayor Mills, and Emma loved it.
The deputy took a seat in the same chair she'd sat in upon her first run in with Regina and waited for the mayor to enter. She grew hot just anticipating how she'd walk into the room. She didn't allow herself to imagine anything further.
And there she was.
Regina came in, shoeless, and holding two glasses of cider. With the most subtle smile, she leaned against the doorframe and stared at Emma. Her gaze was more powerful than the most skilled of hands. It bore into the blonde and tugged at her heart as if it were on a string. The dark haired woman played maestro to Emma's pulse for a moment before breaking the silence.
"This certainly feels familiar," she said in a voice deep with flirtation and desire.
"You know, Miss Swan," she began, heading toward Emma, "I owe you a lot of gratitude." She handed the deputy one of the glasses and remained standing in front of her. Regina stared down intensely at the blonde, obviously looking for appropriate words. She slowly brought the cider glass to her lips and threw it back, the cider disappearing.
"A little bit of liquid courage," she explained, sitting the glass down on the table. "Bet you never thought you'd see me nervous," she added, raising her eyebrows. "But you see, what I need to say comes from a place inside of me that hasn't been awake in years. So, I'm out of practice. But if I don't say it now, I'll…break"
She sat down next to Emma and turned to her.
"I owe you a lot, Miss Swan… err, Emma," she said, shaking her head in amusement. "Old habits," she mumbled, her eyes casting downward. There was a long pause, unintended by Regina, who was struggling to keep her composure.
Emma took Regina's hand in her own, and squeezed lightly. "Regina," she said, touching her cheek with her fingers. It wasn't Graham's voice. It was Emma's… It was finally Emma's sweet, soft, reassuring voice that whispered her name in the quiet room. Regina's eyes closed and she inhaled deeply. When her eyes opened, the fear Emma had seen had dissipated, and in its place was tearful submission.
"That's just it," said the Mayor softly, tears forming in the corners of her brown eyes. "That's what you do, Emma. You touch me, or look at me, and I can feel the faith you have in me. It … is the most powerful thing I've ever felt, and believe me," she sighed as a tear fell, "I've felt power." She paused again. "Maybe it's such a potent force because I've never felt it, or because it comes from you…"
Emma opened her mouth to speak, but Regina stopped her, "No. There's more. You have no idea how much destruction there is inside of me, and how much destruction I've caused in my life. But Emma, you come near me and barrel through the aftermath and you save me. It's like you pull me out of the darkness. In fact, that's exactly what you've done. And I have no idea how I can thank you for it, but at least give me tonight to try." She wiped her eyes, and a gentle confidence took over. She looked at the blonde, silently asking permission to take control.
Before Emma could respond, Regina moved over to straddle Emma's waist. "I need this memory to last a long time," she said, leaning down to the blonde's mouth. "So, don't hold back… Miss Swan," she instructed with a smile, pressing Emma's shoulders back into the furniture.
Emma's breath caught in her throat. "No, Regina. Tonight you get all of me," she said, losing control. Never before had anyone been so raw and open with her, so willing to become vulnerable. For the first time in her life, Emma felt 'home'. She felt like she belonged inside these walls, with Regina, and she wanted Regina to know it. The blonde reached up to the Mayor's waist.
Everything was wet.
The red dress, her legs..
"Shit!" yelled Emma, now covered in cider. She had completely forgotten that she was holding a glass of Regina's alcohol in her hand.
Regina jumped up in response. "Wow, am I ever going to bed you, deputy?" asked a teasing but, now, slightly frustrated Mayor.
"Tell you what. Let's go upstairs. I know you've wanted to make your way up there since last week's dinner, anyway. You can shower in my bathroom, and then we can resume our… conversation…" she said raising an eyebrow and leading Emma toward the door.
They ascended the stairway together, walking quickly. Emma's heart wasn't just beating quickly, it was punching against her chest, trying to find a way out and to Regina. The anticipation and frustration was just short of unbearable.
"Come here, dear," said Regina, pulling Emma out of her thoughts. Regina was standing inside the door to her bedroom. The blonde entered and surveyed the room, the large bed receiving most of her attention. The comforter and sheets had already been pulled back, obviously in preparation for what Regina had planned for the evening. The sight aroused Emma even more, knowing the Mayor's party preparations had included thoughts of both of them in her bed.
Regina walked around behind Emma, and slid her hands down the deputy's hips, to the bottom of her red dress.
"Shower or not, I'm taking this off of you. I've been imagining doing so all night and I won't be deprived the satisfaction," Regina said in her authoritative tone. Her lips grazed the back of Emma's neck as her fingers began pulling up the hem of the blonde's dress. The Mayor shortly abandoned this effort, though, needing to pull down the zipper in the back. Regina swallowed hard as the zipper's teeth spread apart and revealed Emma's black bra and the top of her matching underwear.
Emma wrapped her hands backward and grabbed Regina's hips, pulling her hard against her. The blonde needed to feel the Mayor against her now exposed backside, and after closing the distance, she leaned her head back against the brunette's shoulder.
"God if only we could freeze time right now," whispered Emma, her eyes closed and focused on the heat being exchanged between their two svelte bodies.
Regina couldn't help but chuckle. "I think I could do that, Emma, but then I wouldn't get to wake up to you… and I must be afforded that privilege." Emma wondered how Regina could be so dominant and gentle all at once.
The Mayor pulled Emma's red shoulder straps away from her neck, and forced the front of her dress down, exposing the deputy's skin inch by inch. To Regina, it was much like peeling apples: removing a thin red film to expose the deliciousness beneath, her mouth then watering at the sweet scent unleashed and firmness beneath her fingers.
She had to taste Emma Swan soon.
Emma took Regina's hands in her own and guided them to the red fabric over her chest. Her strong fingers interlaced with the Mayors and pressed the dress down over her clavicle, over her sternum, and then, over her breasts which were covered in black lace. When the brunette's hands made contact with Emma's bra, she pressed harder into her from behind. Her fingernails scratched against the contrasting texture and she let out a ragged breath.
"Come on, Madam Mayor. You haven't even halfway undressed me. You can't lose it now," teased an equally aroused deputy. Emma was so thankful that Regina was pressed so strongly against her, otherwise she would have collapsed under her worthless legs. Every nerve in her body had decided to fire away from her extremities and toward her center.
Regina grabbed the dress tighter and put her lips on Emma's ear. "I don't ever lose…"
She forcefully pulled the fabric down to Emma's hips, leaving half of her panties exposed.
"…anything," the Mayor concluded.
The brunette walked Emma forward, against the wall, and the deputy steadied herself by placing her hands against the cool wallpaper. Regina began thrusting very slowly, very gently, against Emma's backside, and with each withdrawal of her hips would press the now crumpled dress further down the blonde's thighs. The Mayor leaned into Emma's neck and continued pressing her rhythmically against the wall and, finally, the dress slid to Emma's feet, leaving her exposed and clinging to the flat surface in front of her. She stepped out of the dress that had pooled underneath her and kicked it to the side.
The Mayor pressed her lips into the blonde's neck and inserted her thumbs underneath the black lace at Emma's hips. She pulled down just slightly and then said, "there's a bathrobe behind the door. Be quick about it… or…" she trailed off.
Regina removed her hands from Emma's skin and stepped backward, becoming drunk with the sight of Emma's perfect body.
"there will be consequences," she finished.
Emma took a few short breaths and turned around, leaning against the wall that was now behind her. Now clad in only her underwear, she stared at Regina, confident of the physical toll her appearance was taking on the Mayor. She shifted her gaze from the brunette to her own body and stared down at her breasts, bringing her right hand up to her cleavage. She absentmindedly let her fingers dance in the valley there and then she looked back up to the brunette, who was swallowing hard.
"I'm counting on it," she said before walking into the adjacent bathroom.
The door closed and Regina remained standing, staring at the wall opposite her. She took a deep breath and exhaled and then walked to her closet. Her dress had become uncomfortable in the past few minutes, and she wanted to slip into something easier to get out of, so she slid on a black satin night dress. The material just barely covered her ass and flattered her strong lower frame. She decided to leave her underwear on, because, in her fantasies, Emma had always been the one to remove them.
Steam snuck out from Regina's bathroom and she heard the shower curtain slide against metal. Her chest expanded and heart quickened. The brunette walked over to the foot of her bed and leaned against it, anxiously awaiting the deputy's emergence. She crossed her legs, the black fabric contrasting against smooth light skin and teasing at what lie underneath.