A/N: Hey guys! First of all, I would like to say thank you for all of the incredible feedback I've gotten for the last few chapters. I'm glad so many of you are still enjoying the story. Because of your reviews, follows, and favorites, you're getting an earlier update! So, keep doing what you guys are doing, and I'll keep updating as fast I've been lately :P. This chapter is just a filler to prepare you for the eventful following chapter. Hope you enjoy anyhow. All mistakes are mine.
Last night was incredible. It was the epitome of a perfect date, in my opinion. Who would have thought that someone as amazing as Regina Mills would ever be into me, of all people? I'm not exactly what you'd call suave, or romantic, or the perfect girlfriend. Not that Regina is my girlfriend or anything, but that is definitely the future goal I have in mind. I mean, sure, I've never actually been someone's girlfriend before, but I'm willing to learn what being a good girlfriend consists of; if given the chance to don that title. I still can't believe she actually called our outing a "date". After weeks of her telling me that she'd never date a student, she changes her mind last minute for me! A part of me is scared that I'm not the only student she's ever taken on a date, and that she's just playing me. But a larger part of me believes that I truly am the only student she's ever dated, and that she actually believes I'm special enough to give the chance. I feel like I'm on cloud nine right now, and I don't ever want to touch the ground again. I wonder if she feels as happy as I do right now…
Suddenly, a loud screeching noise pierces the silence of my room, pulling me out of my thoughts. It takes me a while to realize that the screeching noise is my phone's ringtone. And it's not just any ringtone either; it's my brother's personalized ringtone. I groan to myself as I eye the time on the clock and see a bright red 7:10 a.m. flashing at me. Ladies and gentlemen, my brother the early bird. I reach over to my bedside table and take up my phone, swiping my thumb across the screen to answer my brother's call.
"Hello." I say tiredly into the receiver. I hear an exasperated sigh on the other line, and I immediately realize that this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation.
"Explain yourself." August's gruff voice says.
"Hello to you too, dear brother. I'm doing fine, how are you?" I say sarcastically, with an eye roll he can't see. "Explain myself about what?"
"Don't play stupid, Emma. I know you went on a date with your professor last night."
"And how exactly do you know that?" I say with a sigh, already knowing the answer.
"My brunette sister informed me of your non-date-which can easily be translated into a date- when I called to check up on you guys last night."
"I'm going to kill, Ruby…"
"Emma, talk to me. What the hell were you thinking? Why would you go on a date with your professor of all people?!"
"I don't have to explain myself to you, August. I may be your little sister, but I am still an adult, and who I choose to go out with is none of your concern." I tell him in irritation. The only time my brother seems to call me nowadays is when he feels the need to berate me about something. He's worse than our parents.
"It is my business, Emma. You're my little sister! If some old professor is just preying on you, or hoping to make you their little plaything so they can blackmail you and mess with your grades, then I sure as hell need to know about it!" Brother bear has been awakened. Well, fuck.
"First of all, I am insulted by the fact that you think I'm stupid enough to let a professor use me. I'm a good judge of character, August, and I know for a fact that Regina isn't like that." I tell him with an angry huff. I love my brother dearly, but I hate it when overprotective August comes out to play. He barely listens to reason when he's in brother bear mode.
"And how are you so sure about that? And did you just say, Regina? What, you found a professor with the same name as your former babysitter crush? I bet she has similar features too, huh?" I grit my teeth together and cover my eyes with the crook of my elbow. I exhale angrily and shake my head at his condescending tone.
"It's the same Regina, August." I tell him truthfully. Silence immediately envelops us, and I have to pull away my phone for a moment to see if the call is still connected.
It is.
"Regina Mills is your professor?! Dude, what?" There's the brother I know and love. "You went on a date with Regina? The same one you were completely in love with? The same one I told you to get over? Whoa…that's…whoa." My anger immediately fades away at his shocked and dumbfounded tone. My brother was always really fond of Regina. He had met her on several occasions when he would come back to visit Storybrooke, and the two had hit it off immediately. August was the one to talk her through her college applications and scholarship options. He was always very informed about stuff like that, hence why Ruby, Belle, and I are so well-off right now.
"Yes, that same Regina. Still want to lecture me?" I ask, a smirk in my tone.
"Um…well, no. And that's only because I know Regina, and she has always genuinely cared for you. But wow…how did this happen? When did this happen?" He asks, losing the protective edge to his voice, now sounding genuinely interested in how things between Regina and I came about. I chuckle breathily and recall all of the events that led up to our date—starting from the first day I approached her after class, and every time after that. He stays silent during my recollections, occasionally offering a hum to let me know he's listening. By the time I get to the events of our date last night, I can hear the smile in his voice when he says "Its fate."
"What is?" I ask, completely puzzled.
"You and Regina meeting again and forming an instant connection. Your story sounds strangely like that of the novel I'm currently working on." Did I forget to mention that my brother is not just the head of the history department at his school, but he's also a published romance novelist? "You know, the one where a girl reconnects with her, older, childhood crush, who was also her best friend's older brother. And then they meet again 6 years later, where he's her TA in college, and they immediately form a connection, though he has no clue who she really is until the end. Except, in your case, you're both women, and Regina learned of your identity much sooner; also, she was your babysitter and not the older sibling of your best friend. But, you get where I'm going with this."
"No, not really."
"I just mean that you and Regina were obviously meant to meet again, and to be something to each other. Though I trust that her intentions with you are true, I would still like to talk to her and get to know this older, more mature, Regina." I groan in embarrassment at that.
"You are not interrogating my potential girlfriend, August."
"If she's your potential girlfriend, then I sure as hell have the right to interrogate her."
"No you don't. Besides, so far, we've only been on one date." I remind him.
"No, you've been on three. Two of them were just unofficial. That impromptu library date, that impromptu dinner date, and that planned dinner date, all count."
"You sound like Ruby and Belle."
"Well, Ruby and Belle are right. Expect a visit from me this weekend."
"Wait, Aug-
*click*
Well, I guess I should warn Regina about her impending doom.
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Next Day
"Good morning, Miss Nolan. I see that you actually paid more attention on my lesson and less attention on my legs today. I applaud you." Regina says playfully as I approach her desk after the last of the students leave the classroom. I playfully roll my eyes at her observation and lean my hip against the big mahogany desk, my arms crossed over my chest.
"Ha ha. I always pay attention to your lessons; getting to admire your legs is just an added bonus." I tell her with a smirk. She smirks back and nods in agreement.
"I guess it is, Swan. So, how was the rest of your weekend? You didn't use my number like I hoped you would." She says with an adorable pout. I giggle softly at the look and poke her in the side. How does she go from sultry to adorable in a matter of seconds?
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't want to seem overeager or something. Plus, I got an interesting call yesterday morning from my brother." I tell her, trying to slowly lead up to what I'm about to say.
"Oh, how is your dear brother? I haven't spoken to him in about 6 years." Regina tells me.
"Wait, 6 years? You guys still kept in touch after you left Storybrooke?" I ask, completely dumbfounded. And if I'm being honest, a little hurt too.
"Well, yeah. He and I were friends at one point in time. He was my go-to guy for academic advice. It wasn't until my senior of year of college that we lost touch. And I know what you're thinking. Why would I keep in touch with your brother and not you? The answer to that is simple; you were too young to understand my distress." Regina tells me with a soft smile. I pout at that, and she pulls my hand into hers. "We used to talk about you sometimes, if that makes you feel any better." She says to me sweetly.
"Really?"
"Yeah. He used to tell me your progress in school, how you were doing with ballet and karate. He would tell me about the awards you would win, and the new friends you would make. Things like that. The last time I spoke to him, you were in eighth grade, and had made the A honor roll for the second quarter in a row. I never forgot about you—well, despite the fact that I sort of did until you told me who you were—but that's beside the point….so what did August say to you that was so interesting?" Regina asks, obviously just remembering what I said in the first place.
"He said that he's coming down this weekend to visit me…." I say slowly.
"That's great!"
"….And he's coming here so that he can interrogate you about your intentions with me…."I finish off with a nervous smile. Regina's eyes widen comically at that, and she halts the movement of putting the strap of her briefcase over her shoulder.
"Oh…well….that's…wow." She stammers out. I trap my bottom lip between my teeth and nod.
"Yeah…."
"So, I'm assuming he knows about our date?"
"Yep. Blame Ruby for that one. Look, it's cool if you want to back out of whatever this is we have between us now. My brother can be a little scary. And I mean, you're not exactly my girlfriend, and we've only been on one official date, but my brother is super protective, and—
"Emma, calm down. I understand. I'll meet with him next weekend. No worries." She says with a shrug, though the scared look in her eyes is evident.
"You don't have to if you don't want to—
"If I want to continue taking you out, then I'll have to do this. And Emma, I really like spending time with you, and I'm not ready for that to stop just yet. I'll talk to your brother and endure whatever interrogation he has prepared for me." She says earnestly, a surge of butterflies flapping around my belly at her admission.
"You'd actually do that?"
"Duh. I just said that I would, Emma. Keep up. Now, come, I have another class in 15 minutes and I would really like to get there on time. Walk with me?" She asks as she places her briefcase strap over her shoulder-successfully this time-staring at me questioningly. I smile at her and nod, making my way out of the classroom with Regina following closely behind me.
"So, you're really okay with August interrogating you?"
"I just said that I was like three times. Better to get this over with now than later."
"I guess." I say as we reach a new building, now standing at the entrance of it.
"Well, my class is in here. I'll text you afterwards, and maybe we can meet for a coffee or something?" She suggests with a shy smile. I smile back.
"I'd like that."
"Great."
"Awesome."
"Splendid."
"Well, have fun in class."
"Have fun doing whatever it is you do after my class. Text you later, Emma." With that, she discreetly takes my hand in hers and gives it a squeeze before dropping it, and entering the building.
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"So, what kind of questions should I be expecting?" Regina asks as she takes a sip of her hot coffee. Her class ended 30 minutes ago, and since I was still near campus, I decided to meet her at a small coffee shop that's just down the street from the school.
I take a sip of my hot chocolate, and ponder over her question. "Well, the inevitable question he will ask is what your intentions with me are. He may or may not ask your relationship history, how long your previous relationships have lasted, and what was the reason for them ending. Um, besides that, I have no clue. My brother is extremely creative with his questioning of potential suitors. I think the only reason he wants to question you is because you're the only person I've actually been interested in." I tell her with a shrug, deciding to take another sip of my hot chocolate.
"So, you've never had a girlfriend before? No romantic interests?" She asks in surprise. I suddenly feel very timid, and nod silently. "Aww, why is that?" I shrug in answer. "You can tell me when you're ready. I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious is all." She says apologetically, taking a sip of her coffee.
"It's okay. I just—yeah. It's nothing really. I guess it's just rare for me to be romantically interested in anyone. I don't know why that is." I lie easily, not wanting her to know that my feelings for her have never faded. That would be a little much to tell her now. Maybe if she and I ever become girlfriends I can tell her the real reason.
"I can understand that. I haven't had many significant others or romantic interests either." She tells me with a reassuring smile, trying to make me feel comfortable about my lack of relationship experience. I smile back and take another sip of my hot chocolate, the whipped cream on top making contact with my lip. When I place my mug back on the table, I hear a cute giggle across from me. I look up to see Regina giggling quietly at the whipped cream mustache taking residence on my top lip. I quirk a brow at her and wiggle my eyebrows playfully, puckering my lips at her to show off my creamy mustache. She leans across our table and gently brushes her thumb across my top lip, removing the creamy substance. She allows her thumb to linger on my lip for a few moments before drawing her hand back.
My jaw drops, and my cheeks flush when she licks the whipped cream off of the pad of her thumb, moaning exaggeratedly at the taste. "Yummy." She says with a smirk.
"Uh…um…" I stutter out, losing whatever train of thought I may have had before her sexy display.
"Cat got your tongue?" She asks with a quirked brow. I stutter out more non-words, causing her to chuckle sexily. I open my mouth, only to snap it shut again. The things this woman does to me. I pick up my abandoned mug and take a long sip of my beverage, trying to quench my, now, parched throat.
A chirp sounds from the tabletop, and I look over to see Regina's phone lighting up with a text message. She offers me an apologetic smile and picks up her phone to type out a message. When she's done, she places her phone into her pocket and rises up from her seat. I look up at her questioningly and she offers me a small smile.
"I'm sorry, that was Kathryn. She wants me to meet her at my apartment in a few minutes. I really don't want to cut this date short, but her message seemed a bit urgent." She says to me apologetically. I smile at her admission of this being a date and rise from my seat as well.
"It's okay. We can reschedule this date for another day."
She seems to just realize her slipup and nods silently, allowing me to walk her out of the coffee shop, and down the street, closer to our school's parking lot. Once we reach teacher's parking, we smile shyly at one another, not knowing what to say.
"So, I'll see you Wednesday." She says, breaking the silence first.
"Right." I tell her. As I look around the parking lot, I see not one person in sight. Hell, even the cars are empty. I look back to Regina, and before I get the chance to react, her lips make contact with my cheek. I blush at the contact and she smiles sweetly.
"See you later. I shall go home and practice my answers for your brother….right after I help Kat with her crisis." Regina says with a determined expression. I giggle at that, and she offers my hand a quick squeeze before turning in the direction of her car.
She'll pass my brother's interrogation with flying colors.
I hope…
A/N: Next chapter will be mostly SQ with August's interrogation. Keep reviewing, alerting and favorite(ing) and I will try to update soon! Hope you enjoyed this little filler. I promise next chapter will be pretty damn eventful and fluff-filled lol.
