SUNDAY
Emma, Regina and Henry were all eating breakfast together in a rather nervous silence. Henry didn't know what to think of the fact that Emma had stayed again last night and slept here at the house. The two women were preoccupied by an entirely different thing, the competition. Regina wanted to win quite desperately and dreaded what would happen afterwards between Emma and herself. Emma was nervous about the performance itself. She really didn't want to screw up and wanted to make Regina proud. Henry left them alone to go get ready.
« Regina, are you scared ? » The brunette looked up at her.
« About the dance ? Not at all, Emma, we are perfect. »
« I kind of admire your confidence here. »
« Don't worry, dear, it's all going to be fine. »
« I hope you're right ... »
The little family left soon after and Regina drove them to the town hall that had been decorated by Snow and Ruby. It was festive and the place was buzzing with excitement. They walked inside, Henry between his two mothers, and walked up to Snow.
« How are you two doing ? » Snow smiled at the dance partners and winked at Emma who rolled her eyes. Regina eyed the mother and daughter suspiciously.
« We are fine, Snow. So when are we to perform ? »
« You are last to go. »
« Last ?! But we're going to have to wait aaaaaall day long until we perform ?! » Emma glared at her mother and turned to Regina.
« 'Gina do somethiiiiing ! » She whined and Regina raised an eyebrow while looking at her as if she was an annoying toddler. And yet, the brunette clearly couldn't hide her fondness as she practically melted at the younger woman's behavior.
« I can't dear, we are going to have to suffer through the endless list of competitors as they try to outperform us. »
« Not fair. » The blonde mumbled as Snow looked at them with amusement.
« Oh aren't you two adorable ! Aren't they, Henry ? »
« Adorable and annoying because they still wouldn't face the fact that they've basically been acting like a couple for the past two days ! »
« Henry ! » Regina shouted, shocked that he would say such a thing in front of Snow, oblivious to the simple fact that Snow already knew. Emma blushed brightly and Snow took both Regina and Emma in her arms.
« My girls ! » Regina groaned and shrugged off Snow's embrace.
« Get off me, Snow ! » Regina stormed off to her seat.
« I'm so happy for you Emma ! »
« Mom …. Regina and I aren't together, we haven't even talked about our feelings or anything. »
« They slept in the same room last night ! » Henry said happily to Snow.
« Oh reaaaally ? » She was looking smugly at her daughter. Emma groaned.
« Mom ! Nothing happened ! I just fell asleep in her arms on the couch and woke up in her bed. »
« That is the cutest thing, Emma. » Snow smirked and left to go help Ruby.
Emma and Henry finally joined Regina.
« Your mother is quite infuriating, dear. » Regina told her with a frustrated pout.
« Well, at least … you know … she is okay with this ... » She didn't even know if « this » really was a thing. Regina simply shrugged, not acknowledging nor denying the « this » Emma was wondering about.
The competition started when all the citizens finally sat in the great town hall. The dance couples were dancing one after the other and everybody seemed to have fun even though they clearly weren't good at dancing, with the exception of Belle and Rumple which surprised everyone.
« Emma … Don't you think it's weird that every citizen is coupled with someone they actually would have chosen except for us … ? » Emma shrugged.
« Who cares 'Gina, I'm happy it got to be us together. » Regina offered her a radiant smile.
« So am I, Emma … So am I. »
They all took a break for lunch and the competition began again at 2 pm. Regina was bored out of her mind and was sighing every other minute, trying to look at something that held more interest. She was trying not to look at Emma though, she didn't want the whole town witnessing her pinning over the blonde.
Emma was tensed, her mind overwhelmed by a thousand thoughts about Regina, their dance, their weird relationship, her dreams and hopes. She needed to calm down and decided to put her hand on Regina's knee innocently. Regina's eyes shot down to the hand on her lap and she looked at Emma. But the younger woman as looking at the couple dancing so Regina looked away and tried to ignore it.
But, much to her frustration, Emma's hand began inching up to her thigh and Regina felt a shiver shoot up her spine. She didn't dare to move. The hand stilled on her thigh, spreading a warmth Regina hadn't known since Daniel. Her mind was focused on only one thing, the hand on her. And Emma was happy to notice that her own mind stopped swirling and focused on Regina's thigh. She started stroking her thigh tenderly, slowly going up towards the hem of her skirt. Regina squirmed a little on her seat.
« Emma, stop please. » She whispered though she obviously didn't wish for her to stop. Emma kept silent and the hand, though not creeping higher up, started gliding to Regina's inner thigh. Her muscle twitched slightly beneath the sheriff's hand. Regina closed her eyes and put her hand on Emma's to prevent her from moving. She kept Emma's hand where it was though and merely intertwined their fingers. Emma smiled brightly and they stayed like that until they were called backstage.
It would soon be their turn for the grand finale. Henry gave them the thumbs up as they went backstage, growing nervous. Regina silently magicked them their dresses. Emma was fidgeting, looking everywhere, scared. Regina, without a word, wrapped her arms around her and stroked her back. Emma relaxed immensely and hugged her back.
« We've got this Emma, just focus on me, stay with me the whole dance, don't look at the audience, don't focus on your emotions. Let them flow through you and stay with me, alright ? » She whispered in her ear with a soothing voice. Emma nodded and snuggled closer to her, so close that Regina could feel her heartbeat against her own and they bother were in sync. They pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. The music stopped and the crowd grew silent as Snow walked up on stage.
« And now, our last dance couple is going to come on stage ! Emma Swan and Regina Mills ! »
The crowd stayed silent, everybody was on the edge of their seats. Darkness fell upon the room as the lights all went off. The first notes of music started and the stage lit up with Emma and Regina in position, looking intensely at each other. They were breathtakingly gorgeous and everybody just stared at the two women. They started circling each other before the rhythm of the music picked up brutally and they both engaged in a frantic tango.
They were pushing each other away angrily and pulling the other closer with a desperate need and a violent anger. Their legs were moving sharply between each other's, their gaze never looking away from each other. They were moving in perfect harmony, displaying their own story to the town in the most raw and emotional portrayal. They were giving their whole, moving with passion and a controlled power. Regina lead before Emma ripped the leadership away from her before it finally got back to the mayor. They appeared to be toying with each other but with the clear intent of destroying the other woman. But, it was quite clear to every one that besides the intense onslaught of emotion such as anger, desperation and violence, growing between Emma and Regina was this enthralling sexual tension.
They ended up grabbing each other's face, their foreheads touching as they slowly sank to their crouched stance, one of their legs extended to the back. Everything froze. The dancers weren't moving anymore and the last note of music echoed in the silent and tense room. The red lights that were enlightening the room softened and became a warm white light that focused just on the two women who slowly began standing up without letting the other one go. The music started again as they went into their rumba. Their dance now showcased the hesitancy and shyness of their first steps into the friendship they had created. It was growing more and more intimate, their feelings bare and exposed as they kept dancing with more and more sensuality and care. Soon, their hands were touching the other woman with love and respect.
The crowd was flabbergasted and was even more shocked when the performance became too intimate as they were dancing while completely pressed against the other, they were dancing with a renewed passion much less destructive and way more overwhelming than the one showed in their tango. It looked like they were making love on this very stage. It was clear to every citizen that the two women had completely forgotten about them and were now dancing just for the two of them. A gasp rippled through the audience as some magic spread from the two of them to envelop the whole room in a warm and loving aura. The last notes saw Regina lying on top of Emma on the stage, their bodies entangled. Regina was looking straight into Emma, caressing her cheek softly, pressed against her.
Emma was almost holding her breath at the intensity of the moment. Regina slowly lowered her lips to hers and finally kissed her with so much love that Emma couldn't help but let her tears roll down her face, kissing back Regina with all her love, a hand in her hair, the other one on the small of her back.
They suddenly were pulled from the moment and brought back to reality as the audience erupted in applause and shouts. Regina looked around and quickly got up, pulling Emma with her. She was panicking and she poofed them both in her living room. Emma looked around in surprise.
« Regina ? Why did you bring us here ? »
« I … I couldn't take the crowd … I just … I just need you Emma and you alone. » She admitted softly, her gaze on her feet.
Emma smiled and walked up to her and with a finger under her chin, she tilted her head up so she could meet the brunette's eyes.
« Regina, I only need you and our son. » Regina smiled rather shyly. Emma kissed her softly and they both melted against each other, humming in content. Their smile broke the kiss and they just hugged each other tightly. Pulling away at the same time, they put a hand on the other's cheek.
« I love you. »
« I love you. »
They both said at the exact same time with a shattering sincerity. They both held each other again, their faces buried in the other's neck and tears rolling down their faces.
They were happy, truly happy. They knew they had each other now, they had their son and they had their home.
That was all they needed, all they ever wanted and all they would protect.