Authors note: Late again, I know. The updates will be a little less frequent now, because I'm very busy with school at the moment, but don't worry, I won't abandon this story. Anyway, there's a break through in this chapter. :)

...

"Deputy Swan?" Regina asked with raised eyebrows as she eyed the nervous looking blonde standing on her porch. She hadn't expected to see the blonde deputy standing there when she'd opened her front door because she hadn't seen Emma since she'd stopped by to drop off the sheriff's budget report. And watched a movie with them, but Regina decided not to think about that ever again. It was just too strange.

"Hi." Emma grinned and lifted up her right arm. There was a plastic white bag dangling from her hand.

"What is that?" Regina asked as she stared at the blonde.

"Paperwork from your office." Emma answered with a grin.

"Why?" Her brows furrowed with confusion as she eyed the white bag that was slowly moving in in the soft cold breeze.

"Because I thought you might want to at least do some paperwork now that you can't do anything stressful, and if you're worried about me snooping around in your office, your secretary got it for me." Emma smiled as she softly shook the bag, wanting Regina to take it.

To be honest, Emma's reason warmed her heart. She hated doing nothing and now she could at least do some paperwork. And so she reached forward took the bag Emma was handing her. "Thank you." She smiled genuinely. "I did want to do some work, I'm not good at doing nothing."

"I figured as much." The blonde chuckled as she hooked her thumbs in the back pockets of her skin tight jeans. "So, I'm gonna go and... do something deputy-like."

"Would you perhaps like to stay for some tea, deputy?" Regina asked before she could actually think about it. It was weird, but she actually found herself hoping the blonde woman would accept. Maybe it was the fact that the only company she'd had this last week was a four year old boy.

Oh yes, she now knew everything there was to know about Superman, the most important thing being that he was cooler then Batman. Apparently.

Emma smiled her goofy smile. "Yeah, I would like that." She followed the brunette inside the large mansion and couldn't help but look around in curiosity. The mansion was beautiful, light colors adorning the walls, a vast contrast to the dark wooden floor and and door posts. Her green eyes snatched quick glances at the many photo frames hanging on the walls.

She followed the brunette Mayor towards the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar. And then she just watched how Regina started making the tea. Putting an old fashioned kettle on the stove, standing on her toes - yes, the Mayor was yet again dressed in uncharacteristically casual clothing, but not that Emma blamed her or something, she was at home of course and on bed rest, or rest, as Regina called it - as she opened the cupboard and reached for two mugs.

A loud whistle filled the kitchen when the water was done and Regina turned off the stove and poured two cups of the steaming liquid.

"Thank you." Emma smiled awkwardly but genuine as her fingers closed around the warm mug Regina had just placed in front of her. The heat felt numbing against her hands, warming them from the cold Maine air.

"So, I'm guessing being a deputy isn't as exciting as you'd expected seeing that you found time to bring the Mayor her paperwork." Regina said after a while, a small smile curling up her lips. "Not really a fan of saving cats from trees?"

Emma chuckled softly as she took a small sip from her scolding hot tea. "You could say that. It's not really the cat though, I'm just not that great with heights. Chasing a perp for a couple of miles? No problem. Climbing in a tree? Not so much."

The laugh that escaped Regina's plump lips surprised both women. "Really, deputy Swan? I'd never imagined you'd be afraid of heights."

"Yeah well, we can't all be as fearless as you, Regina." Emma smiled awkwardly, hoping Regina hadn't heard the first name use, that hadn't been her plan.

Regina just shook her head as she grinned, deciding to let it slip just this once. "I wouldn't say fearless, deputy."

"Oh? Then what are you afraid of?" Emma asked with raised eyebrows. "Spiders, mice, clowns maybe?"

Regina grinned. "Nice try, deputy, but no."

Emma sighed as she tried to come up with an answer, but her mind remained blank. "I'll find out eventually."

"Oh, I'd like to see you try."

"I wi-" Emma's ringtone filled the mansion and the blonde quickly reached inside the pocket of her red leather jacket and pulled out her phone with an apologetic smile to Regina. "Deputy Swan. Mhmm. Yeah, I'll be right there." Emma hung up with a sigh. "I have to go, Pongo is missing again. Thanks for the tea." She smiled and stood up, ignoring the small flutter in her stomach when looked at the Mayor's features and wondered if it was really dissapointment they showed, or if she was just imagining things.

It must have been the latter, right?

...

What the hell was that?!

The question kept swirling around in Regina's mind, even though the blonde had left over two hours ago. Had she actually felt disappointment? Was she really dissapointed that the blonde had to leave? That couldn't be, right? She didn't even like the woman. She hadn't even forgiven her. Or maybe she had? But when? When had she forgiven the woman for sleeping with her husband?

It wasn't Emma's fault, she didn't know...

Regina slammed an angry fist down on the cooking island when the betraying words filled her head. She knew there was a glimmer of truth in there but still... This couldn't be. She had not forgiven the woman. Emma had slept with Peter for gods sake. But she knew that that wasn't entirely Emma's fault. Peter hadn't told her he was married. He hadn't told her he had a wife, a son and an unborn baby at home. Emma hadn't known, if she had she wouldn't have done anything with him, right?

Tears of frustration started to slowly leak down her pale cheeks, leaving damp tracks in their wake. She didn't know. She couldn't be sure what Emma would've done. Would she have rejected him or would she still have gone further with him, crawled her way into his bed?

She needed to know, Regina needed to know right now.

Maybe it were her hormones, maybe she'd reached her breaking point. But Regina needed to know.

And so she dried the salty tears on cheeks and grabbed her phone, dialing the deputy's number. It was time the had a real and genuine talk.

...

Emma handed the leash over to a relieved looking Archie. "Thank you so much for finding him again, deputy." The red head said and smiled at her. The white, black spotted dog was looking around obliviously.

Emma shrugged it off. "I'm only doing my job, Archie, just try to close the gate next time alright."

The man chuckled. "Will do, deputy Swan, will do."

Emma watched the doctor and his annoying dog go and dropped down in her chair. She groaned aloud when her cellphone rang yet again.

"Deputy Swan."

"It's Mayor Mills." Regina's low and distressed sounding voice said through the phone.

"Do you need anything, Madam Mayor?" Emma asked in confusion.

"Yes, I guess I do... I think it's time we had a proper conversation, deputy Swan."

"About what?"

"About everything."

...

Next chapter we'll finally have an honest conversation between Regina and Emma. Leave a review! ;)