The rest of the week seemed to drag so slow the 28 years of frozen time almost felt faster.
Regina continued to dream each night. She wondered when would the dreams stop, not that she really wanted them to. Though she didn't want to be comparing her real life with her dreams.
Henry was having his weekend with his other Mother, this last weekend he had spent with her because of her out of nowhere dreams that were throwing her for a loop. Which led to where she was now getting getting ready for her first date with Emma.
Would she have realized her feelings if she hadn't had the dreams in the first place? How long would it have taken? It honestly didn't matter but she couldn't help but wonder.
She was finishing putting the last of her makeup it was 24 minutes till Emma would be there to pick you up. She drank an apple cider to bring down her nervousness as she got ready. She double checked she had what she needed in her purse, wallet, spare makeup, phone.
She made her way downstairs and paced the floor, heels clicking on the floor. "It's going to go fine... We've been out before and it's gone fine... But it wasn't a date..." Her trains of thought was interrupted by her text message tone.
Henry: Have fun tonight with Ma! Love you Mom.
Regina: Thank you Henry I love you my little prince.
She put her phone back in her purse this pacing was doing her no good so she sat down 7 more minutes. She turned on the TV and channel surfed until the door bell rang. She turned off the TV, grabbed her purse and keys.
As soon as she opened the door Emma's jaw dropped. Emma was wearing a black suit with a tie that made her green eyes seem even more beautiful.
"Right back at you Emma" Regina said looking her up and down. Emma pulled her forward for a kiss. "You are absolutely gorgeous tonight, ready for our date?"
Regina nodded "let me just lock up" she locked the door and Emma had grabbed her hand they walked to the car together. "You sure I can't convince you to take my car instead?"
"You'll let me drive it?" Emma asked and Regina responded with a laugh "That's what I thought"
Regina stepped into the car after Emma opened the door for her. "Care to tell me where we are going?" She asked as soon as they got on the road.
"Granny's" Emma said seriously. Though they totally were not going there.
"You're joking right? You are absolutely not serious"
"I'm totally serious" Emma said glancing at Regina's face of shock before laughing.
"Emma Swan! You will turn this car around this instant we are not going to Granny's for our first date" Regina said aghast.
"Come on Regina you got to give me more credit than that. We will be not at Granny's in a couple more minutes." Emma reassured her.
"Your joke was not funny, once again" Regina said.
"It was to me, and I know me alone"
The last couple minutes passed in silence. Emma parked the car "Stay there" Emma quickly got out and opened the door for Regina and offered her hand. Regina took it and they walked towards Georgio's Italian restaurant.
"Georgio's...my favorite" Regina said happily.
"Henry gave me a heads up, and no I wouldn't have taken us to Granny's if he hadn't"
As soon as they were inside they were seated shortly. Regina had ordered her favorite wine while they looked at their menus. Regina looked around she thought at first she thought maybe she was too busy staring at Emma but no one else except for them and the staff working were there. "You reserved the entire place?" Regina asked.
"Nothing but the best besides I wasn't sure if you wanted anyone to know about our date. Not that I'm ashamed because believe me I want to show you off"
"You want to show me off?"
"Why wouldn't you're gorgeous, you're an amazing mother," Emma said
"Former evil queen wouldn't be so proud about that" Regina interrupted.
"Remember the former part, you've changed I know that and if others don't they will in time, or even if they won't that still won't stop me." Emma reached across the table and grabbed Regina's hand and smiled.
"Does your mother know your here?"
Regina asked out of curiosity.
"No, because I didn't want to be in a fowl mood and let's not talk anymore about parents" Emma said.
"I was just curious if she was at home squirming or pulling her hair out. That's my last word" Regina said with a smile while Emma just shook her head but smiled back.
The waiter came and took their orders. Emma ordered both Fettuccini Alfredo and Chicken Parmigiana, and Regina ordered the Spaghetti alla Carbonara.
"Two meals really Emma?" Regina raised an eyebrow.
"I couldn't decide, besides I might as well since I reserved the place get the bang for my buck. I also have a healthy appetite." Emma said.
"Your appetite is anything but healthy" Regina replied.
"Might not be healthy, but I look good." Emma said with a grin.
Regina smirked and Emma laughed in response which got Regina laughing in return.
"I love your laugh"
Their wine glasses were refilled bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil was brought to the table.
Regina mixed the oil and balsamic vinegar and dipped a piece of bread.
"What do you love about it?" She said before taking a bite.
Emma grabbed her own piece of bread. "Well one you look happy, two it's like it came from the heavens, and three it makes me happy you look and sound happy"
"What about number four?" Regina asked baiting her. She felt her heart swell and falling deeper for Emma. She also liked seeing Emma happy.
"Four?" Emma said covering her mouth as she had taken a bite of her bread but didn't want to show her mouthful.
"You could hear my laugh for the rest of your life?" Regina reminded Emma.
Emma's face fully blushed in a nanosecond. "You...you remember that?" She stumbled to say.
"That's quite hard to forget dear" Regina responded.
Their food arrived and Regina took a bite.
"That doesn't scare you away?" Emma said before even taking a bite from either of her two dishes.
Regina finished chewing and swallowed before she said "No, do you want it to? Should it?"
Regina had taken a few bites before Emma even responded she hadn't even touched her food yet. Regina was starting to worry.
Emma had been busy contemplating she was completely blindsided. She wasn't ready for such a deep conversation she was hoping to keep the night fairly light.
"Emma you don't have to answer that. We came here to have a good time, you haven't even taken a bite." Regina worriedly said. She was kicking herself for making such a mistake. Clearly it was too soon to be talking of such things. Emma must have said it by accident and didn't mean it.
Emma looked up from her food and saw the worry on Regina's face and heard the tone. 'You're not fucking this up Emma's she thought to herself.
"It terrifies me..." She said and Regina's face worsened. "It's just... I'm sorry... fuck this is all coming out wrong." She stuffed her face with food and took a big gulp of wine to clear her mouth "wow that's good. What I mean is it scares me because of my history, and I've never felt this way about anyone. I don't have a good relationship track record, the closest thing was Henry's father and he abandoned me like all the other people in my life but I want this, I want you, I want us" Emma took a bite from her other dish.
Regina was the one to reach out her hand to Emma's this time. "I'm not great at relationships either, but I'm not going anywhere Emma. Wherever this goes or doesn't go. You have a friend in me "
Emma nodded and a few tears escaped her eyes "Shit" she wiped them away with her free hand. "I've totally ruined our date."
"Maybe it's taken a bit of a detour but I wouldn't say it's ruined. Besides this would have been a conversation that would have come up. " Regina squeezed Emma's hand before returning to her meal.
The rest if the date went off without a hitch. Smiles, laughs, and random details about their likes and dislikes were shared. Eventually they were back at the Mills mansion. Regina invited Emma for more drinks they made out in the couch like teenagers.
Out of breath Emma "I've had a really great time tonight but I should get going Gina"
"Did you just call me Gina?" Regina said catching her breath. It gave her hope that maybe just maybe her dreams weren't just dreams.
"Do you hate it?" Emma asked and Regina shook her head. "Good Gina because I like it" they both stood up and walked to the door. Emma placed a chaste kiss on Regina's lips "I'll see you tomorrow at brunch"
"Tomorrow" Regina stole one more kiss before Emma was out the door. She wasn't sure if she would dream tonight but she didn't need to.