A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting this. It's been written for awhile but I kept making tiny tweaks because I wasn't ready for this story to be over...I even went back and re-read A Serendipitous Encounter and the entirety of this fic as a procrastination tool (Damn, there were a lot of typos lol). Also, please be sure to read the second author's note at the end of this chapter.
Day 9: August 28. 8am
Emma woke up the next morning when she felt long hair tickling her thigh and the touch of delicate fingers across her abdomen. "Mmm, Regina," she managed to say, as she felt the woman place a kiss to her inner thigh.
"Hmm?" the woman hummed from under the sheets, not pausing her ministrations as she let her fingers wander down Emma's hips.
"As much as I — oh — love this, your husband and his pregnant girlfriend are down the hall," she murmured as her hands instinctively found Regina's hair.
"Soon-to-be-ex-husband," Regina corrected, continuing her mission.
"Right…but you know — fuck— I'm not good at staying quiet," Emma said, her hips responding to Regina's touch, raising a few inches off the bed to let the brunette remove the fabric that was in her way.
"I know," Regina said, pulling the sheets down just enough so she could look up at the blonde, a smirk plastered to her lips as she continued to let her fingers tease the other woman. "So, don't be quiet. This is our last morning together for a while and I want to enjoy it. And more importantly, I want you to," she said, pulling the covers back over her head so she could focus on her goal.
*.*.*
When they descended to the main floor of the apartment forty-five minutes later and freshly showered, they found Robin and Gwen in the kitchen. The smell of bacon permeated the entire apartment, and there was a stack of pancakes and a pile of French toast sitting on the island. "I hope you're hungry," Robin said as the two women approached.
"I may have worked up an appetite," Regina said, subtly winking at Emma.
"I could eat," Emma replied, answering Robin.
"That's what she said," Regina laughed. Emma rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. You made it too easy."
"Anyway," Robin said, trying to steer the conversation back on track as he added two more pieces of French toast to the plate. "Gwen and I will be heading back to the campgrounds this morning."
"Okay," Regina said, grabbing a piece of bacon off the plate, only to have Robin lightly swat her hand with the spatula he was still holding. "What?"
"You're so impatient. It's still really hot."
Regina rolled her eyes as she bit into the piece of bacon in defiance, unsuccessfully trying not to wince when she burned her tongue.
"I would say 'I told you so', but I think you just did that for me," he replied smugly before turning to grab the pot of coffee.
They all moved to the dining room, full plates in one hand and coffee in the other. "I'm going to miss coffee," Gwen said as she sat down with her decaf tea.
"You'll get through it. It'll all be worth it in the end when we have a smiling, healthy baby in our arms," Robin smiled, leaning over to kiss her.
Regina reached over and took the mug of coffee that was sitting next to Robin's plate, setting it next to her own. "Why don't you give it up, too, in solidarity?" she suggested. "And alcohol as well, for good measure."
"Fine. It can't be that hard," he agreed. All three women immediately scoffed.
They ate their breakfast, letting the conversation flow freely between them. Gwen told Regina and Emma about her family's business running the campgrounds, including Roland's natural talent for archery. "Henry needs to work on his aim a bit, but Roland has a great eye," she said.
Regina smiled, happy that the kids seemed to like Gwen. Part of her felt a twinge of jealousy, but she knew that she couldn't let it get to her. She wanted her boys to be happy, so if they liked the woman who could become their step-mom one day, that should be a good thing. "It sounds like a lovely setup you guys have there."
"It is. I'm surprised you've never come up, considering how often Robin does."
Regina raised a brow. "Fake marriage, remember?"
"Right."
"Besides, he usually always goes with the guys, so I wouldn't want to intrude. Not to mention I'm not a big fan of sleeping on the ground."
"Well, we have cabins for rent, too, for those who prefer glamping to camping," Gwen said. "You two should consider it sometime. In the winter we have cross-country skiing and dogsleds, and the cabins are quite warm. Come up anytime."
Regina looked over at Emma, who shrugged. "I've never been camping…ever," the blonde said.
"Then, we might have to do that," Regina replied, before excusing herself when she heard her phone ringing in the other room. "I should check that."
A few minutes later she came back into the room, looking dejected.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Emma asked as Regina sat back down.
"That was my lawyer. Apparently Canadian law requires that we be separated for a year before we can get a divorce."
"Oh," Emma said, lightly rubbing Regina's back.
"Really, that long? Why did we not know that?" Robin asked.
Regina shrugged. "We didn't bother to ask, because that would've looked suspicious. I just assumed it would be quick and easy since we had the prenupt and we would still be on good terms."
"There's no way around the one year requirement?" Emma asked.
"Only in the case of abuse or adultery."
"Well…" Robin said, pointing between himself and Gwen and then Regina and Emma.
"I know, but I don't want to risk people finding out that's the reason for the divorce. I know the court records are sealed, but someone could leak it. And if we have a quick divorce, people would be able to figure out the reason it went through so quickly."
"Regina, I don't think the press or your fans are going to look into Canadian divorce law that closely," Robin said.
"Maybe, maybe not. But, there's a stipulation that if we approved of the adultery, we can't use that as grounds to speed up the one-year waiting period, anyway. With my mother and Gold knowing the full story, I don't want to take the chance that they might do something to get us into trouble for lying to the court, especially since our marriage resulted in me getting my permanent resident status sooner. I wouldn't put it past my mother to suddenly come forward and say it was all a fraud, though. Fortunately, that would be impossible to prove because it'd be their word against ours, but still."
"I sincerely hope Cora wouldn't do that, but if she does, we're prepared. We know everything about each other, and we've successfully portrayed a happy marriage to the media. We could convince the court that it was real, if it came down to that," Robin stated.
"How much proof of separation do you have to provide for the one-year requirement?" Emma asked.
"I'm going to talk to my lawyer more about that, but I think they take it at our word unless someone gives them a reason not to… Since Robin and I have separate rooms here, us still living together when I'm in town isn't necessarily a problem. And my lawyer said we are allowed to try to reconcile a few times without starting the year-long wait all over again, so we could use that as the excuse for why we've been seen together… we can just say we had to present a certain image to the public and weren't ready to announce anything yet. We still have the issue with my mother and Gold, if they decided the want to interfere and say that we are lying about our separation date, but it would be hard for them to prove that we haven't actually been separated. God, this is such a mess," Regina sighed, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
"Can we just say we've been separated since last fall instead of March? Then we will have hit the one year period." Robin asked as he took a bite of his pancake.
Regina shook her head. "There are too many happy family photos from both Thanksgivings, Christmas and into January to believe that we would have truly been separated back then. We didn't see each other much anyway since I was filming nonstop from February until the end of April, and then I was traveling in Europe for conventions and press all throughout May, so technically we have been separated since March, from that standpoint. Our next public appearance wasn't until the New England con, so that could have been our first attempt at 'reconciliation,' and then the others were your restaurant's opening last month and then last week when Emma got here. Yeah, let's stick with March. It'll mean that our divorce will be finalized right around the time Gwen is due, so at least everything will be wrapped up by then. I wish it could be sooner, but I don't see a way that won't raise more questions and not break any more laws in the process."
"Okay. That's fine with me," Robin confirmed.
"Okay, good. I'll have my lawyer start the paperwork so we can be ready to formally file as soon as that one year mark hits."
*.*.*
As soon as the breakfast table was cleared and Robin finished putting the pots and pans he used in the dishwasher, he turned to Gwen. "Ready to head out? We should give those two some time to themselves since it's Emma's last day here," he said, wrapping an arm around her.
She nodded. "Yep. I'm ready whenever you are."
"Alrighty, we are going to head out," he called out to Regina, who was sitting with Emma in the living room. The two women rose from the couch and walked toward the kitchen.
"Thank you for making the trip out here to figure this out," Regina said, hugging Robin as he kissed her cheek.
"Of course. We'll get through it and everything will be fine," he smiled as he pulled back. "Enjoy your day."
"We will," she smiled sadly, the realization that after today she wouldn't see her girlfriend for at least another month.
As Regina turned to hug Gwen goodbye and thank her for being so cooperative, Robin turned to Emma and pulled her into a hug. "Keep an eye on her…make sure she's okay," he whispered so his wife wouldn't overhear him.
"Of course. And I'll ask you to do the same. You're back in two days, right?"
"Yep," he nodded as he released her from his embrace. "But I didn't mean today…I meant over the next few months as the press and her fans get wind of everything. I won't be able to be there for her, given the circumstances and us having to keep up the appearances of a couple going through a divorce. We can't look too friendly too quickly, and even though she likes to say she doesn't care what people say about her, it does affect her more than she lets on. I'm worried about how she'll respond to their comments and people prying into her life even more."
"I'll be there for her in any way I can," Emma confirmed.
"I know you will," he smiled. "You're really good for her, Emma. I'm glad she found you."
*.*.*
Regina awkwardly shifted her weight between her feet as she stood next to Emma. "Would you stop that? You're making me nervous," the blonde laughed from her place in the chair.
"Sorry," she replied as she stopped her movement and took a breath.
Emma looked up at her. "What has you so anxious? I'm the one signing a contract…one I happen to be very excited about," she smiled.
Regina returned the smile. "I know. I'm excited for you. And I'm not anxious…not really. I just have a surprise for you after this and I hope you'll like it and not get freaked out by it."
"Should I be scared?" Emma teased.
"I hope not," Regina answered.
Emma still sensed Regina's nervousness so reached up and placed a hand on her thigh, squeezing gently. "I'm sure I'll love it. Now, let me finish this up quickly so we can get to whatever has you bouncing around over there." She leaned over the desk and signed a few more forms, double-checking everything before turning to Lily, who was sitting quietly at the next desk over in the dance studio office. "Okay, here you go."
Lily smiled. "Excellent. Congratulations, Emma! We're so excited to have you," she said as she accepted the forms and pulled her former roommate into a hug. "Oh, and I have something for you. Follow me," she said after quickly filing Emma's contract and leading the women out of the room toward a storage room at the end of the hall.
It was the first day of the weeklong break between summer and fall dance class sessions, so the studio was empty, allowing Regina to be there without worrying about anyone seeing her. Emma had told her that Lily had figured out there was something going on between them, and even though Emma had not confirmed it, Lily had promised to keep her suspicions to herself. To her credit, Regina was impressed that aside from saying "hello" to her when she arrived with Emma, Lily hadn't made any comments about Regina's presence.
"Are you bringing us back here to kill us, Lil?" Emma chuckled as they entered the glorified closet of a room.
Lily flipped on the light switch, revealing bins of costumes, shoes, and office supplies. "Funny. No, I came to give you this," she said as she pulled out a canvas tote with the studio logo printed on the side and handed it to Emma. "Since you're officially a company member and teacher now, you need some swag," she explained as Emma looked through the bag. She pulled out a tank top, long sleeve tee shirt, and a baseball hat that all displayed the professional company's name. "We'll be ordering customized track jackets soon, too, but this should be enough to get you started."
Emma smiled. "Thanks, Lily. This is great," she said, quickly throwing on the hat as they walked back toward the front. She hugged her friend goodbye and verified that she would be showing up for her first rehearsal the first Monday in October. As they exited the studio to walk toward Regina's car, the brunette stole the hat from Emma's head and placed it on her own. "Hey!"
"What?" Regina feigned innocence. "It looks better on me, and I want to be a supportive girlfriend," she smiled.
Emma laughed as she got into the front seat of Regina's Benz. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going and why you were so nervous back there? You were like a kid before they have to get their booster shots."
Regina shook her head as she pulled out into traffic and started to expertly navigate the streets of Montréal. "No, it's a surprise."
*.*.*
"We're here," Regina said a few minutes later after she parallel parked her car on a side street ten minutes later.
"Where's 'here'?" Emma asked as she exited the vehicle. They were on a charming street that was paved with brick and lined with rowhouses, vintage walk-up apartment buildings, and a few standalone Victorian-style mansions.
"Just follow me and stop asking questions," Regina rolled her eyes playfully as she started walking down the sidewalk. She wanted to take Emma's hand, but it was the middle of the day and there were a lot of people around, so she knew she might be recognized. As much as she hated it, especially after their conversation the night before, she had to play it safe.
Emma followed Regina toward one of the rowhouses, confused when Regina stopped to pull out a key and unlocked the front door. She followed Regina inside, climbing the stairs to the second floor. "Seriously, what is this place?"
Regina chuckled. "I told you not to ask questions. Now, come on," Regina said as she approached a door at the top of the landing. She knocked, just in case, and then used another key to open the door.
"Are we breaking and entering?" Emma asked as she walked in.
"Yes. Because all burglars have keys and I need to practice for a new career in case Gold fires me," she rolled her eyes as she kicked off her shoes, causing Emma to follow suit.
The blonde took in her surroundings, as much as she could see from the foyer. The entryway had a small table, but what drew her attention was the accent wall covered in a modern black and white birch tree print. The rest of the place was long and narrow, but it was open concept. A cozy living room was the first thing she saw as she looked toward the back of the building, and beyond that was an exquisitely updated kitchen. She could see a terrace beyond the French doors at the back of the kitchen. The vintage building had been completely redone, but the original charm and character of it was preserved.
"What do you think?" Regina asked her.
"It's gorgeous. It looks like it should be an Airbnb."
Regina laughed as she walked farther into the home. "It is."
Emma furrowed her brow in confusion. "You rented an Airbnb when we only have a few hours before I have to be at the airport?"
The brunette smirked as she plopped down on the grey linen sofa. "Not exactly. This is my place."
"Wait, what?" Emma asked as she walked over to sit next to her girlfriend. "I'm confused."
"I bought a condo here about a year before Frozen Mirror started, and I never sold it. At first, I hung onto it because I wasn't sure if the show was going to last more than a season or two, and then since I knew my marriage wasn't going to be a long-term thing, I figured it would be a worthwhile investment to keep. I hired a management company on a month-to-month basis to maintain it and rent it out as an Airbnb, but I can stop that at anytime. I know you weren't able to find a place when we went out the other day, so I thought you might want to stay here…it's probably bigger than what you would need since it's a two bedroom unit, but you can take it if you want. I have guests booked through the middle of October, so you would need to stay at Robin's place until then, but this can be yours after that. All the furnishings are mine, so it might save you some moving expenses, too, if you just want to sell your stuff and not schlep it all the way up here."
Emma was stunned, and so many questions popped into her mind that she wasn't sure where to start. "Won't you need it for when you're in town now that you and Robin are getting divorced?"
"Well yeah, but I'm usually only here for a few days at a time, and I would want to stay wherever you are anyway when I'm in town, assuming you'd want that, too."
"Of course I would," Emma smiled. "But Regina, this place is super nice. There's no way I can afford it."
"Emma, I wouldn't expect you to pay rent."
"No, Regina, I'm not squatting here for free. And that would cost you money since you've been renting it out. I don't want you to pay for me."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Actually it wouldn't really cost me anything. I have to pay the management company to take care of it when I'm not here, and with the exception of the short-term renters that are coming in later this week, this place sits unused most of the time, especially during the colder months when tourists aren't visiting Montréal. I'm lucky if I turn a profit on it — I barely break even most of the time. I just haven't sold it because I knew I would need it eventually, and I got it for a steal so I don't care if I lose money on it some years. The mortgage is completely paid off, so I only pay taxes, association fees, and utilities at this point, which is less than what anyone would pay to rent a place half this size anywhere else in town. You can cover those costs so you don't feel like you're freeloading, if you want" Regina explained.
"Regina, are you sure?" Emma asked as her eyes darted around the apartment, taking it in. It really was a beautiful home, and it screamed 'Regina' in the way it was designed. It made her smile when she thought about living someplace where she would feel Regina around her all the time.
"Of course I am. We should draft a formal lease agreement just to cover us both, but if you like it here, it makes sense for you to take it. It's a quick drive to your new studio, it's close to transit and things to do, and it's pet-friendly so Adagio can live here, no problem. There's also a detached garage out back, since I'm assuming you're bringing your bug with you."
"You're freaking amazing, do you know that?" Emma grinned, leaning in to kiss her girlfriend.
Regina smiled. "So, is that a yes?"
"It's a yes."
"Good. Now, how about a tour? Perhaps you'd be interested in seeing the master bedroom and making sure the mattress is to your liking?" Regina winked before jogging down the hall.
*.*.*
"God this sucks," Emma said as she dropped her head back against the headrest in Regina's car. They were parked in the loading zone drop-off lane outside the airport that night, after spending the afternoon and dinner hour in Emma's future apartment's bed, gloriously naked while eating pad thai from Regina's favorite takeout place up the street. Since Regina was staying in Montréal a few more days, she wouldn't be able to get past the security checkpoint, so they had to say their goodbyes in the car.
Regina reached across the console, lacing her fingers with Emma's. "I know, but it won't be that long...and if I get a break in my schedule, I can try to come to Maine before you move...maybe we can have one more vinyl night in your apartment before you go."
Emma looked over at her girlfriend, trying to blink away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "I still don't want to go yet. I wish I would have scheduled a later flight."
"Yeah, but you have rehearsal the day after tomorrow, and you need to time to ground yourself before that. The next month will fly by, Emma. You have a lot going on. You won't have time to miss me."
"That would be impossible," the blonde said. "Thank you for everything, Regina. I know this week was all kinds of crazy and emotional, but I had an amazing time with you."
Regina smiled sadly, leaning across the center of the car to kiss Emma. "You're welcome. I'm so glad you came." She paused awkwardly, not knowing what to say. She had never been in a relationship where she had to say goodbye to them for this length of time. "Do you need help with your bags?"
Emma shook her head. "No, I just have the one and my purse. Plus, you should probably stay in here so no one sees us together."
"Right," Regina said, squeezing Emma's hand in her own. "Sorry…I'm really bad at goodbyes."
"Well, it's not goodbye…not really," Emma said. "And we're Facetiming tomorrow, right?"
Regina nodded vigorously. "Yes. Absolutely," she leaned in for another kiss. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too,' Emma said as she reached to the floor of the car to pick up her purse and placed her hand on the door handle. She needed to head inside to give herself time to get through security. "And please call me if you need to talk…anytime," Emma implored, worried about the reality of everything from the previous 72 hours hitting Regina when she was finally alone with her thoughts. Despite Regina's apparent calmness, she was about to have a lot of life changes hit her all at once.
"I will, but don't worry about me, Emma. Robin and the kids will be back in less than two days, and I'm fine. I'm excited for you to move here, and to see you next month," she said, brushing a tear that had escaped from the corner of her eye. As she did so, her hand grazed the bill of the Emma's baseball cap she had put back on after their afternoon in bed. "Oh, don't forget this," she said, taking it off and handing it to Emma.
The blonde laughed, taking the hat and immediately putting it back on Regina's head, bending down to kiss her. "Keep it. You were right — it looks better on you."
A/N: Well, this is the final chapter of the story...just a short epilogue left. Also, Canadian divorce law is confusing and kind of boring, but I wanted to try to be accurate since it would impact how the next year plays out for them (I did my best to try to research it, but I'm not Canadian, nor a lawyer. If any fine northern neighbors are reading this, feel free to correct any errors lol).
I have had a few requests to keep it going, and I really like writing this version of Regina and Emma and even though this particular fic is definitely over since it was centered around Emma's visit and the immediate outcomes from that, I'm not sure I'm finished with this universe yet. Personally, I kind of want to know what happens to them in the future. But, are you sick of this Regina and Emma? Or, do you want more?
So, my question is this: Since both the original fic and this sequel were only covering very short periods of time (5 days and 9 days, respectively), should I create a third installment that would be a handful of linear one-shots/ flash-forwards in this universe? (e.g., Regina's reaction the inevitable discovery of Robin's 'affair' and how Emma helps her through it, what happens if Cora 'accidentally' leaks the video footage she stole from Regina before Regina comes out, SQ's first "I love you", SQ's first real fight (and subsequent makeup), Regina's castmates finding out about Emma, Regina officially signing the divorce papers and Emma supporting her, Regina's public coming out, their first public event together, New England Comic-Con/their 1 year anniversary, them moving in together, etc? It would basically be 99% fluff.)
Let me know in the reviews or via PM. If I do write more, I would be happy to take prompts for one shots because my brain isn't that creative for scenarios other than what I just listed above, and if there's something you really want to see in this iteration of Emma/Regina, I'm happy to take a stab at it.
