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The week following their date Regina was ready to ask Emma out on another one.
"Please let me have my motorcycle back." Regina whined to Emma at the Sheriff station.
"Let me think about it." Emma said as she put a finger to her lips and pretend to be thinking hard, "Umm...no."
"Why not?"
"Your license was taken away. You have fines and you're on an ankle monitor for being a flight risk." Emma told her, "There's no way you're getting your bike back till you pay off your fines and the judge is happy."
"But I'm going to be here another 2 months Emma." Regina told her, "I need something to get around town."
"There's a bicycle shop down the street by Mr. Gold's." Emma suggested as she got up from her desk and headed to the filing room.
Regina sighed and sat down in Emma's chair, "This is stupid! How am I supposed to take you out properly without my own transportation?"
"Next time behave yourself behind on your bike." Emma called out from the other room.
Emma and Regina went out on 3 more dates in the following 2 weeks and the town was starting to notice a change in Emma.
"Good morning Ruby!" Emma said smiling as she came into the diner and headed to the counter.
"Well, good morning to you too Emma." Ruby said mirroring Emma's smile, "What can I get you?"
"Oh just coffee to go please." Emma said, "Regina will be in later to pick up my breakfast."
Ruby poured coffee into a to-go cup and put a lid on it. She set it on the counter in front of Emma, "You know I gotta say, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before."
Emma grabbed her coffee cup and just smiled at Ruby as she got up and headed out of the diner.
At the station David hadn't reported in yet so that gave Emma some time to herself.
She sat down and put her feet up on her desk and took a small sip of her coffee. She thought about what Ruby had said, that she'd never seen Emma as happy as she was. It was probably because Emma hadn't been this happy before.
She couldn't believe that someone like Regina could make her feel this way. She honestly didn't think it was possible to let her guard down and let someone in the way she had with Regina. But she was glad she did.
After Aurora had hurt her the way she did she had been cautious with her heart. She'd shut herself off for a while from love and from dating. After a few months Ruby finally coaxed her back into the dating world. She'd only gone on a couple of dates but no one ever seemed right. So she went back to being alone and she was completely fine with it.
That is until Regina Mills sped into her life.
She was hesitant at first and she had every right to be. Regina was fast, loud, flirty and a little over the top at times. She pushed Emma's buttons in every bad way she could and pissed her off more than a couple times.
But eventually the charm, the smile and the sweetness won her over and she gave Regina a chance.
David tripped over the metal garbage can and pulled Emma from her thoughts.
"Geez, are you okay?" Emma asked as she helped him to his feet.
"Yeah." He said as he dusted himself off and smiled at her.
He sat down at his desk, "What were you thinking about that had you smiling?"
"Regina." Emma said without hesitating.
"She's something isn't she?" David said smiling.
"She sure is."
Regina was doing her best not to remain idle in Mary Margaret's classroom so the perky teacher wouldn't take it as an invitation to come over and talk.
However during nap time Regina wasn't fortunate enough to get away and Mary Margaret settled down in a chair next to Regina.
She leaned over, "How are you and Emma?" She asked in a hushed tone.
"We're just fine." Regina said equally quiet, "Thanks for asking."
"Henry has really flourished living with Emma. I hear he's getting better grades and staying out of trouble." Mary Margaret said, "And he's such a big help here with the little ones."
"Henry's a good kid who made a few bad choices." Regina said, "But he's passed that now."
"What about you?"
"What about me?" Regina asked looking at her.
"Are you passed the bad choices you've made?" Mary Margaret asked.
Regina glared at her, "My choices have nothing to do with you."
Regina stood up and Mary Margaret did as well.
"Emma's my friend and I don't want to see her hurt." Mary Margaret said, "She has to think of Henry too."
"How about you worry about your life and stay out of mine?" Regina said, "And that includes Emma and Henry's."
Regina walked out of the classroom knowing Mary Margaret couldn't leave the kids alone.
"Hey where are you going?"
Regina turned to see Henry coming up the hall behind her. She stopped and turned around, "You know me, I'm out of there as soon as my time is up."
"Are you still coming over for dinner?" He asked.
"Wouldn't miss it." She told him.
"Okay see you at home." He said with a smile before going into Mary Margaret's classroom.
Regina thought about what Mary Margaret said as she walked slowly to the sheriff station.
She didn't like it when people made her feel like she wasn't good enough. She got enough of that from her father over the years. She wasn't going to let anyone else, especially a small town naïve teacher who didn't know her whole story make her feel like shit.
Emma's smile faded when she saw the look on Regina's face, "What's wrong?"
"Ah nothing." Regina told her, "Just doing some heavy thinking."
"About what?" Emma asked as Regina sat down at David's desk.
"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about." Regina told her then looked around, "So where's Deputy Dull?"
"Nice way to change the subject." Emma said as she got up from her seat and went to the filing cabinet, "And David is out on a call."
"I see." Regina said as she sat back in his chair and put her feet up on his desk.
Emma walked passed and swiped at her boots knocking her feet down, "Feet off the desk."
Her nose scrunched as she stuck her tongue out at Emma.
"Oh that's mature." Emma said as she sat down at her desk and opened up a file.
Regina smiled then got up and grabbed the stack of folders sitting on the corner of Emma's desk, "Shall I file these for you Sheriff Swan?"
Emma looked up at her and smiled, "Yes, thank you Ms. Mills."
Regina snorted as she carried the stack of files into the filing room and got to work.
After work Emma and Regina went to pick up Henry from the school then they all went back to Emma's.
Henry sat at the dining room table and did his homework while Emma and Regina were in the kitchen.
"You know I thought when you invited me over for dinner I was going to be eating not cooking." Regina said as she chopped up a green bell pepper.
"Henry's the only one that eats for free around here." Emma said as she sautéed some sliced onions.
Regina walked up behind Emma, getting close to her as she scrapped the bell pepper into the pan Emma was cooking in.
She put the cutting board down on the counter and moved closer to Emma. She pressed against her, a hand on her waist.
"What are you doing?" Emma asked with a chuckle.
"Just making sure you're doing it right." Regina said.
Emma turned her head and looked at Regina, "Am I?"
Regina kissed her on the lips, "Oh yeah."
Emma bumped Regina away with her hip, "Behave yourself."
"Never." Regina said with a chuckle as she went to grab some things out of the refrigerator.
After dinner Henry helped Regina wash the dishes before he went upstairs to his room to read before bed.
He came downstairs later to find Regina and Emma curled up on the couch together watching TV.
"Just wanted to say goodnight." He said smiling.
Both women looked over, "Good night Henry."
After he went back upstairs Regina sighed.
"I guess I should get going." She said as she started to move but Emma stopped her.
"You don't have to." Emma said.
"But you said I shouldn't stay over because of Henry." Regina said as she sat up and looked at her.
"I know what I said." Emma said as she stood up and held a hand out to Regina.
Regina smiled and took Emma's hand as she got up from the couch.
In the morning Regina woke with a smile on her face as Emma's naked body was curled up alongside of hers. She didn't want to move, didn't want to disturb Emma.
Emma's leg rubbed up Regina's as she squeezed her around her waist. Regina tried to understand what Emma was muttering in her sleep but she didn't want to risk moving to hear her.
Regina, with her arm around Emma stared up at the ceiling with a smile on her face.
For the first time in a long time she felt happy and that was thanks to Emma.
Emma, the by the books, hard-nosed and fine ass sheriff was her girlfriend.
Girlfriend, Regina snorted at the thought. It wasn't something she'd had in a long time, mostly due to the fact that the women she was with wouldn't put up with her for too long before finally getting fed up with her and leaving. Sure, Regina had broken her fair share of hearts as well but the serious ones, the ones Regina thought may have a chance were always ruined.
The alarm clocked blared and ruined the moment as Emma slowly rolled away from Regina and slapped the clock shutting it off.
She rolled back over at looked at Regina, "Good morning."
"Morning." Regina said smiling.
Emma got up and headed for the bathroom.
"What's the rush?" Regina asked still lying in bed.
"I have work and you have community service." Emma said as she started the shower.
"We could skip it." Regina said, "Stay in bed together."
Emma poked her head out of the bathroom, "I can't just call in sick because there's a beautiful and naked woman in my bed."
Regina blushed at Emma calling her beautiful. It wasn't like she didn't know it but it was nice hearing it.
"Care to join me?" Emma asked with a mischievous smile before leaving the doorway.
It took Regina half a second to get out of bed and join Emma in the shower.
"Quiet." Emma said as she and Regina, now fully dressed snuck down stairs, "Henry's still asleep."
"It's Saturday." Regina said quietly.
"So?" Emma asked stopping two stairs from the bottom and looking over her shoulder at Regina.
"So I eat sugary cereal and watch cartoons in the living room on Saturdays."
Emma turned to see Henry with a big bowl of cereal passing them to go into the living room.
Regina snickered and Emma elbowed her.
"Wait for me outside." Emma told her.
"See you later Henry." Regina called out as she opened the front door.
"Bye." He said with a mouth full of Lucky Charms.
Regina gave Emma a peck on the lips before shutting the door.
Emma sighed, went into the living room and sat down next to Henry on the couch. She looked at him through the corner of her eye. He was absentmindedly shoveling cereal into his mouth as he watched animated turtles doing kung-fu on the TV.
After a few minutes of this Henry put his spoon down in his bowl and looked at her.
"You don't have to talk to me about it. Regina likes you and you like her." Henry said, "I took sex education last year so I'm good. We don't have to talk about it."
"Henry…" Emma started to say but Henry cut her off.
"Honestly, I'm okay with it." He said smiling, "I see how happy you are now. You've smiled more since Regina's been in town than I've ever seen you smile before."
She smiled.
"So I'm good. I promise." He shrugged his shoulders as he turned back to the tv, "And besides, I like her too."
They sat for a few minutes more in silence before Henry turned to her, "Um, isn't Regina waiting for you?"
"Shit." Emma said as she sprung up from the couch then looked at Henry again.
"I've heard worse at school." He said still distracted by the TV.
Emma grabbed her jacket then headed out the door.
When they got to the sheriff station Emma went to check the answering service and thankfully there were no messages.
Regina sat down in David's chair and watched as Emma moved around bringing the office to life as she turned on lights, computers and opened up the cell doors.
"So everything okay with Henry?" Regina asked as Emma started the coffee machine.
"Seems to be that way." Emma said as she went and sat down at her desk.
"So does this mean I don't have to sneak out in the mornings?" Regina asked.
"I think it means we need to be a bit more discreet." Emma told her.
Regina was just about to argue when David came making a bunch of noise.
"You would not make it as a ninja." Regina said to him as she got up from his chair.
He gave her a strange look then watched as she went into the filing room.
For most of the morning Regina stayed in the filing room going through box after box and organizing them alphabetically.
"I'm so tired of this." Regina said to Emma as she sat down in David's vacant chair.
Emma took off her reading glasses and sat back in her chair, "What are you tired of?"
"Filing." Regina said, "I have countless paper cuts."
"Aww poor baby." Emma mocked with a pouty lip.
Regina glared at her as she stood up, "I'm going to go get us lunch."
"I'll take a turkey sandwich, potato chips and a diet Pepsi." Emma told her.
"You'll take whatever I get you." Regina said as she headed for the door.
Regina was waiting patiently at the counter in the diner when Gran came out from the kitchen and approached her.
"How's Henry doing?" She asked Regina.
"Wow, it took you almost 2 months to ask about him." Regina said, "That must be some kind record."
"I've asked Emma about him." Granny said giving Regina a look.
"Then you already know how he is." Regina said to her, "Now where's my food?"
Granny turned to leave but Regina stopped her.
"What you did to Henry was real shitty."
Granny looked at her.
"He trusted you. He trusted that you'd love him, care for him and understand him." Regina said, "And you turned your back on him."
"I was at my wit's end with that boy." Granny shot back at her.
"You kicked him out of the one place he felt safe." Regina said, "You ease your conscience by asking about him from time to time but you really don't give a shit."
Granny opened her mouth to argue but Regina waved her quiet, "No, whatever you have to say I don't want to hear."
Ruby slowly walked over to the counter and put Regina's order on the counter. Regina stood up, put some money on the counter, "Henry's happy now and he's better off with Emma."
She stared at Granny only for a minute to see the look of hurt register on her face before she turned and headed out of the café.
Regina dropped the bag of food onto Emma's desk and sat down in the chair across from her.
Emma saw the anger on Regina's face, "What's wrong?" She asked as she took her glasses off.
"You've been updating that old hag about Henry?" Regina asked, her arms folded across her chest.
"She asks about him." Emma told her.
"Who gives a shit?" Regina asked as she sat forward, "She threw him out. She doesn't have a right to ask about him."
"She has been taking care of him since he was 6 years old. She has a right to ask about him." Emma told her, "And I've made sure she knows just how happy he is and how well he's doing with me."
Regina smiled, "Good."
After work Emma took Regina home.
"Can we have dinner tonight?" Emma asked before Regina got out of the car.
"Just the two of us?"
"Yes." Emma said, "Henry is going to be with Jefferson and Grace for a while tonight."
Regina smiled, "Sure."
"I'll pick you up in an hour." Emma said then leaned over and gave Regina a quick peck on the lips.
As promised Emma returned for Regina in an hour.
"I thought maybe we could walk a little down Main Street since the restaurant is down that way." Emma told Regina.
"Sounds fine to me." Regina said and took Emma's hand as they started to walk towards Main Street.
They made idle chit chat as they passed shop after shop.
Regina came to an abrupt stop and Emma looked back over at her, "What's wrong?"
"Let's just go back to my place. I'll cook for you." Regina said to Emma, though her eyes were on something else.
Emma followed Regina's line of sight and saw Mr. Gold and another man talking in his shop.
She looked back at Regina, "Do you know the man with Mr. Gold?"
The man started for the exit and Regina pulled on Emma, "Let's go please."
Emma saw the panic on Regina's face, "What's going on?"
The man stepped out of Mr. Gold's shop and spotted them, "Well well well, hello Gina."
Emma looked him over, he was a nicely dressed man with a crooked smile and a small accent.
"Don't call me that." Regina said to him.
"It's been a while hasn't it?" The man said, "5 or 6 years now."
"Not long enough Robin." Regina said then took Emma's hand, "We're leaving."
"Oh, but you haven't introduced me to your friend." He said then looked at Emma and smiled at her.
"And I won't." Regina said as she turned to leave but Emma stopped her.
"Hi, I'm Emma." She said to Robin, "How do you know Regina?"
He smiled at her, "I work for her father."
"Really?" Emma asked, "But what are you doing in Storybrooke?"
Robin looked at Regina, "You didn't tell her?"
"Tell me what?"
"Keep your mouth shut." Regina warned him.
His smiled turned from pleasant to wicked as he turned to Emma, "Her father is Raul Perez."
