I am sorry if has been so long for an update. I hate being busy all the time but now I have some free time I will endeavour to update as much as possible. Please review x

AbbyL

Regina started walking, for want of a better word she was ignoring Emma. She wasn't ignoring her she just wasn't acknowledging her. She was panicking about Ruby, what possibly could Emma have said to her? How did she know? She was even stressing about why this was a bad think? Why didn't she want people to know about the two of them? Was it just sex or did she want more? Ok she knew the answer to that question. She knew she wanted more, she was just having trouble admitting that and accepting that and acting on that. Hell if they hadn't been drinking would this of even happened?

Ever

Even though it had been simmering beneath the surface since Emma had arrived in Storybrooke. She had often wondered if it was just her, but deep down she had seen the looks in Emma's eyes, she knew Emma felt it too. The fire, the spark between them. It has simmered deep inside just waiting for an ignition to alight the flame.

So why had Emma let this this happen, why had Ruby found out? Regina was furious. Ruby that little gossiping mutt. The whole town would know in days, no hours. She scowled. Pacing forward.

"Hey, wait up" Emma pants catching up. "What are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What am I doing, I am not doing anything Miss Thorn, you need to fix this" Regina is now ranting aloud instead of in her head.

"I need to fix this huh? How do you figure that one out, it's you making cow eyes at me all night!" Emma's anger rises to the surface again. "What the hell can I do about it?"

Regina just continues to stride towards her house. She knows she isn't really thinking straight but she hasn't been very good at controlling her temper in the past and Emma really does have a knack of bringing it very close to the surface. All the time. She takes a deep breath and tries to be calm.

"I do not make cow eyes Miss Swan," she says feeling even more irritated when Emma smirks at her.

Stifling a laugh, Emma says, "Yes you do. That is what Ruby picked up on. Not anything I did."

"Emma, I do not" she says sternly as Emma just tuts and rolls her eyes. They walk up the path to the mansion in silence, both women are thinking about the problem in hand. Emma didn't want to fight with Regina, so she kept quiet. Regina was trying to reason with herself. She knew deep down that it wasn't Emma's doing. She knew Emma wouldn't do it on purpose. But when her anger flared up, when it got going it was a fire that is difficult to extinguish. Seeing some of the panic and hurt in Emma's eyes had helped dampen it. She didn't want to be the ball of anger and resentment she once was. It had felt nice to be good and liked by people, not feared. They reached the porch to Regina's house and they turned to face each other. Emma still looking slightly wary. This was different from before, every other time Regina had been pissed at her she hadn't cared. She didn't give a damn if she pissed her off, she had pushed it even. Now she wanted Regina to be happy, calm and she had no way to make that happen.

Regina looked into Emma's stormy green eyes and felt a tug in her stomach unlike anything she had ever felt. Butterflies trying to get to Emma through her stomach, it was so intense it almost hurt. She pulled Emma close to her and tucked her hair behind her ear. The tender gesture causing Emma to almost choke. She tipped the blondes chin and kissed her, slowly but very deeply. Emma felt magic run right down to her toes, every cell seemed to hum in satisfaction. She moaned, leaning into the kiss, exploring Regina's mouth, holding on tightly to her hips. She felt she could float away if she let go. Regina was trying to put all her heart into the kiss. Trying to make Emma know how deeply she felt for her. The light of day she found when seeing the other woman's face. Heat bubbling inside her ready to irrupt like lava flowing through her veins.

She broke the kiss slowly feeling Emma lean into her heavily. The weight felt good.

"We will get through this" she said quietly but certainly. "Goodnight Emma"

Emma smiled a small smile looking at her feet, a blush making its way up her cheeks.

"Goodnight Regina" she said quietly, finally looking into her deep chocolate orbs, before bouncing on her feet and turning to walk home.

The night of the night out had arrived. And hell Regina was nervous. She had never been on a girls' night out before. She hadn't really had friends before, except Mal and that was in the old land. Where they would be in Mal's castle not the local tavern. This was new, friendships were still strained. The Evil Queen had not been forgotten. Plus she wanted to impress Emma. She wasn't sure how the blonde was creeping under her skin and into her mind, but she knew she was. She was agonising over an outfit all day. She didn't want to be dressed like a mayor today but that's how she felt powerful, in control. She wanted to feel sexy, she wanted Emma to look at her with hunger in her eyes. She wanted her desire. She looked at all her dressed, she looked at her skirts. She phoned Mal.

"I need you to come over." She demanded, Mal knowing her well chuckled at the panic in her voice. Mal knew her friend well enough to know this was not just a social event. She was investing too much into this night out for it to innocent, she also knew not to push it too much and to be fair watching her little queen panic was entertaining.

"Why are you so bothered?" she asked cheekily. Regina could hear the raise of her eyebrow and the purr of interest in her voice even over the phone.

"Mal, please just help me" is all she got in reply and she knew it was serious. Regina never dropped the P-word. Mal evaporated over, bringing her wine with her.

"So what's the emergency" Mal droned as Regina opened the door. A look of disinterest on her face hiding the intrigue.

"I don't know what to wear" she said exasperatedly, clearly worked up. "What do I do with my hair?"

The look of being completely overwhelmed melted Mal's heart slightly, even though she didn't know exactly what was going on. The situation was bizarre.

"Ok, get inside" she said stepping over the threshold. "I don't know much about this you know, on account of being dead." She looked at Regina, who looked down. "But I have spoken with Lilly a lot and my 'style' isn't too bad for an old bird." She said miming quotation marks.

Regina raised her eyebrows to reply.

"Yeah, Lils has not mastered the art of subtly"

Regina smiled a little relaxing at her friends chilled attitude, "Come upstairs"

"Ok, I brought wine," she says going to get the glasses then following Regina up.

"Where do I start" says Regina sounding completely deflated by the task in hand.

"Well let me look at your clothes, while you get some wine poured." She replies walking into Regina's impressive walk in closet, eyeing up her cloths and pulling a few out. "You looked good in leather, you know when you wanted Gold's plans." Mal says without venom, with admiration almost.

"Oh that's here" Regina says trying to ignore the compliment, pulling the skirt out of the pile. "Is it not too much?" she asks eyebrows raised like a lost puppy.

"We will see." Say maleficent, drinking her wine.

They took a while but eventually they found an outfit, it wasn't as out there as Lilly would wear but it wasn't professional, straight laced mayor. The leather skirt was rejected in place of a red and black dress. Fitted to hug Regina's curves in the best places. She had her leather coat for warmth but bare legs. Her olive skin looking deep and rich next to the black fabric, topped off with black heels. Her hair was down and long, she had lined eyes and deep red lips, matching the dress. Mal stood admiring the creation, slightly jealous she couldn't have her like old times. To Regina's surprise she had a full forty minutes before Emma and Snow picked her up. Regina and Mal, sat down in the study, two matching arm chairs stood side by side, a small table between them. They were in the corner, a book case behind them, enjoying the large glasses of wine freshly poured. Mal had the fire lit with a flick of her wrist instantly warming the room in seconds. They chatted for a while, Mal updating Regina on Lilly's recent activities and interest in Hook. Until she finished her wine poured another glass and took a mouthful.

"Come on, why is this so important to you?" Maleficent said unexpectedly. Regina eyed her up, reviewing her options.

"I don't know" sighed Regina, in a moment of openness Mal saw in her eyes the uncertainty. The truth was Regina was almost incapable of recognising the emotions she felt. It was really more than lust. More than with Robin deeper than with Daniel. The pull the saviour constantly tugged at her heart, sometimes she felt it when she was in the same room as Emma. To be near her part of her world, her life part of her even. It felt never ending, she popped into Regina's mind all the time. All this was shining in that one expression. Mal could see this went deeper that Regina realised.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Across town in Mary Margret's house Emma had her own troubles. Mary Margret was ready in record time. She was sat at the breakfast bar talking to henry about his school work sipping a small glass of white wine. She usually took hours just to fix her pixie bob. Emma often wondered how she managed but now she wondered if her having a baby had chilled her out? Since when was she ready in such little time. When she had been dating David she had debated for hours what to wear beforehand. Today she just threw something on and was happy. The perks of true love huh?! She did look relaxed but considering the state Charming had come home in after his 'lads' night out she had nothing to worry about.

Emma on the other hand was having a hard time. She paced her room in a bra and skinny jeans wondering what to wear, beer in hand and tops all over her bed. Ruby was being no help at all. All Ruby did was make silly comments about the mayor.

*Ruby what are you wearing? Please stop about Regina, nothing is going on. We have to get on because of Henry*

*Yeah hun, you do have to get on. But the Queen wants to get on you, delve into your dungeon. You are under her skin*

Emma rolled her eyes, this was not helping. *Rubes don't say that, it's weird. Why are you thinking of Regina like that? I'm just getting ready I will text you when I am setting off*

*Haha ok let me know when you pick REGINA up. I am sure she will be ready for you* Emma frowned she didn't quite get it but she knew Ruby was being fly so she threw her phone onto her bed in frustration.

She had never been like this. In all her years alone, looking for her mark as a dept. collector, even with hook, people got what they saw. She felt comfortable in her own skin to just wear whatever she found clean at the time. Yes when she was after a mark she dressed up but she felt it was a mask, a uniform, not showing her true self so she didn't care what people made of it. Not she didn't feel herself but wanted to be the best of herself. If she could banish all her fears and insecurities she would be happy. If she could hide the imperfections, she wondered why it suddenly matter if Regina saw her flaws. She had butted heads with the brunette so many time before. They had definitely seen the shitty sides of one another. Now it mattered what the infuriating but intriguing woman thought of her. Since when and why?

"Emma are you not ready yet?" MM shouted from outside the room.

"Argh, yeah I'm comin'" Emma lied, still pacing. What the hell was she worried about? She wasn't this insecure. She threw another top on the floor. She pulled of the jeans and grabbed a pair of black leggings. Grabbing a hand full of tops she ran to the living room. "Which one?" she gasped as Snow and Henry exchanged amused looks. She would just let her friend decide. That wasn't crazy was it?

"Ok this one" said Snow and Henry nodded in agreement, grabbing a long silver dress top. It was feminine and floaty and brought out the green in her eyes. Emma was past thinking, she just threw the top on and plonked herself on the couch.

"Why are you so …" Snow asked making a stressed, wound-up hand gesture.

"I don't know, urgh, I don't know." Emma shrugged as she tried to play it down. "I am just a bit tired I think."

Mary Margret nodded, unconvinced but it was time to go so she didn't want to press her just yet. Emma downed the rest of her beer and took one for the ride while MM found her shoes and out they went. Instructing the driver to go to Regina's house first.

Acerbically