Feather of a Swan

Chapter 34:

Despite being the Savior and being trained to respond to an emergency immediately, Emma's brain was still a bit slow in the morning, and that's why she was confused at first when she woke up the following morning.

Am I in Seattle? Or possibly in dream land?

But then she remembered, that no, she wasn't in Seattle anymore, nor was she in dream land. She was in Storybrooke, in her own bed, and Regina was actually there. Half sitting with her knees brought up to her chin. Emma wondered how long she had been awake.

,,You stayed," Emma said, sleepy but delighted.

,,Exactly as I said I would. I honor my agreements, miss Swan."

,,I think you've said that to me before," Emma said and smiled goofily at the memory.

,,Mmm."

,,What time is it?" Emma asked and rolled on to her side.

,,Late. Ten thirty."

,,I was supposed to be at work two hours ago," Emma grinned.

,,So was I. We slept for a long time."

,,We needed the sleep," Emma shrugged.

,,I guess we did. This is the first time I've actually slept a full night since we returned home from Seattle," Regina mused and ran a finger through her hair. ,,But since you're awake now, I should probably get going." The brunette uncurled her body and put one foot on the floor.

,,No. Stay," Emma insisted and wrapped her fingers around Regina's wrist, bringing it up to her lips and kissed it gently.

Regina sighed and shook her head. ,,I'm going to hell for this." Her tone was light, almost a bit joking, but Emma still frowned.

,,No, you're not," the blonde insisted.

,,Your father will probably kill me for swanning off with his daughter."

,,Swanning?"

,,Pun intended."

Emma giggled. ,,Are you actually attempting to joke, Madam Mayor?"

,,Don't get used to it," Regina warned. ,,Are you going to let go of me?"

,,Nope," Emma grinned. ,,Not unless you come back to bed."

Regina sighed heavily. ,,Scoot."

Emma immediately did and Regina slid into bed next to her. The blonde wasted no time in snuggling closer and interlacing their fingers. ,,This is nice."

,,It is," Regina agreed.

Emma closed her eyes for a moment and relished in the feeling of having her Paradise so close again. She could probably sleep for longer if she wanted to, but she didn't want to waste time with sleeping. Not now, when Regina was here, so instead she asked: ,,What are you thinking about?"

,,I am thinking that this is going to cause one hell of an uproar in Storybrooke."

,,So?" Emma shrugged. ,,People can think what they like. I don't give a damn."

Regina sighed. ,,I probably shouldn't either, but…"

,,But what?" Emma asked and stretched her neck to look at the brunette like she had done the night before.

Regina shook her head. ,,Nothing. I'm just overthinking."

,,Are you afraid?" Emma asked quietly.

Regina sighed again and squeezed Emma's hand gently. ,,Maybe I am a little. I mean, it's you and me."

,,Yes it is," Emma said plainly, and then, slightly more cheeky: ,,We are gonna make one hell of a power couple in Storybrooke."

That seemed to pull Regina out of whatever melancholic state she was in, and the brunette chuckled warmly. ,,That's one way of putting it. But I must warn you, I have no idea how a "real" relationship works. Impossible connections are more my thing."

,,I can teach you," Emma laughed. ,,It's not that hard."

,,Perhaps I can "borrow" a bit of Roni's experience. She was rather good at having a relationship."

,,She was," Emma agreed. ,,A natural. You'll be too."

,,I hope so," Regina half chuckled and pulled Emma a little firmer against her chest.

,,Teaching Regina Mills how to date. Who would have thought?" Emma giggled.

,,Save me, Savior," Regina joked.

,,I may have to work on my language, but you need to work on your jokes, Madam Mayor."

,,I trust you to teach me that as well."

,,Anything else I have to teach you?" Emma asked cheekily and flashed Regina a toothy grin.

That was earned with a scowl and a: ,,Careful, miss Swan," from Regina.

Emma chuckled and wrapped her fingers around the collar of Regina's pajamas. ,,Kiss me?"

,,That you don't have to teach me," Regina quipped.

,,No, you're fairly skilled at that if my memory serves me ri.." the last of the remark died on Emma's lips when Regina successfully shut her up with a kiss.

Any chance we can do this for the rest of the day? To hell with work. Emma was willing to drop whatever plans she had made for this. Her paradise. Her little piece of heaven. She wrapped her arms around Regina and abandoned all thoughts about acting coy as she flipped them so Regina was on top of her. Everything about this felt completely natural, and Emma spent a moment wondering why the hell they didn't do this a few years back. It would have been so much easier than constantly trying to kill each other.

And Regina seemed quite contend with the current situation. She twisted her fingers into Emma's golden locks, but Emma swiftly opened the first button in her pajamas, the brunette mock scowled and stopped Emma's hand.

,,I appreciate your eagerness, miss Swan. But technically, you're still a married woman."

Oh. Right. I didn't think of that.

,,I'm sorry," Emma said sheepishly. ,,I got carried away."

,,Oh did ya now?" Regina teased as she gracefully climbed off the blonde.

Emma's jaw dropped. No matter what, she would always have a certain weakness for Regina snubbing off her words and speaking with that accent.

The brunette laughed at the expression on Emma's face, and then she freed herself from Emma's grasp. ,,Now I really should get going. Before I dig myself in deeper."

No, don't go. Emma wanted to protest and argue, and she tried to think of a really good reason why Regina should stay.

,,I could make you breakfast?" she suggested.

Regina raised an eyebrow. ,,Flaccid bacon and mushy pancakes?"

,,Uh, yeah. Something like that."

,,No offense, dear. But I think Granny can do it better."

,,Then let's have breakfast at Granny's together at least."

Regina was amused now. ,,You are not giving up, are you?"

,,No," Emma grinned.

,,What am I gonna do with you?" Regina muttered and finally sat up in the bed. The brunette frowned a little when she reached for clothes that weren't there. ,,Oh. Right. I magicked it away. I completely forgot that."

,,You can borrow some of my clothes?" Emma suggested.

,,You would like that, wouldn't you?" Regina half chuckled.

,,Yeah. Yeah I would."

,,It's a cold day in hell when I wear your clothes," Regina assured and waved her hand, redressing in another pencil skirt, cream colored blouse and high heels.

,,That is just cheating," Emma objected as Regina waved her hand again and made her hair smooth and silky and her makeup impeccable.

,,No, dear. It's time saving." Regina corrected and stood from the bed. ,,Aren't you gonna get up?"

,,I suppose so," Emma grumbled. ,,What would be the point in lying here when you are gone?"

Regina rolled her eyes. ,,Ever the dramatic."

And Emma made sure to grumble and complain as she replaced her pajama with a pair of jeans and a tanktop. She noticed how Regina kept her dark eyes fixated on the floor while the blonde redressed.

Emma chuckled. ,,Regina, seriously. You can look at me. You've already seen me naked a million times."

,,Possibly," Regina snipped. ,,But I would very much prefer to do this the right way."

Emma rolled her eyes. Of course Regina chose the chivalrous way. It was in moments like this that Emma missed Roni. She wouldn't have chosen the chivalrous route.

But Regina seemed steadfast in her decision and waited patiently until Emma had (unsuccessfully) tried to smoothen her golden hair out.

,,Can we at least have some coffee here?" Emma pleaded and batted her green eyes at Regina.

,,Alright," Regina surrendered and shook her head in defeat.

Emma grinned triumphantly and grabbed Regina's hand. The brunette flinched only for a second before she relaxed once more, and Emma guessed that she would have to get used to handholding as well.

But to Emma, holding Regina's hand felt completely natural too. It wasn't really a big deal. She had held Roni's hand a million times.

,,Come on," Emma chuckled. It was strange and a little amusing seeing Regina on edge like this.

Regina nodded and followed Emma downstairs.

Where they nearly ran into Snow.

Emma gaped for a second. Oh right. She has her own key and we agreed to have breakfast together at Granny's. Like, an hour ago. Oops.

Emma saw how her mother's eyes wandered from Regina and Emma coming from the bedroom, and to Emma's tousled hair. Oh god, she thinks we slept together… well, we did, but not like that!

Regina looked a hundredth percent like she wanted the earth to swallow her hole. ,,I should go."

Great, she's spooked. Again.

,,No," Snow said before Emma got the chance to open her mouth. ,,You should come and have breakfast with us at Granny's."

Regina fiddled with the hem of her blazer and mumbled something about not wanting to intrude.

,,It looks like I'm the one who's intruding," Snow said and shrugged.

,,Mom!" Emma barked. Don't you dare say anything that could upset her.

But Regina just flashed the pixie haired woman a tiny, thin smile.

,,So what do you say, ladies? Breakfast?" Snow said briskly.

Emma looked at Regina who shrugged in a "why not" manner.

,,Right. I'll just... get my jacket," Emma muttered halfheartedly. This wasn't exactly the situation she had pictured to be in. Breakfast with her mother and Regina. Not like she hasn't had done that before, but sure as hell not like this. Her previous breakfasts with Regina hadn't involved sleeping in the same bed and kissing. Emma grumbled to herself as she found one of her numerous leather jacket and shrugged it on along with a beanie to cover the worst of her bed hair. Then she hurried downstairs again, almost fearing that Regina had taken off.

But the brunette was still standing in the exact same spot where Emma had "left" her, and it looked like she was talking very politely with Snow.

,,Great. Let's get going," Snow smiled, and Emma and Regina exchanged a look.

If she found it awkward or strange, Snow didn't show it one bit as they walked towards Granny's. She chatted briskly and Regina did her best to answer.

At one point, Emma let her mother lead the way, and slowed down to walk beside Regina. ,,You okay?"

,,Ask me once we've finished breakfast. It's like everything is happening at once." The brunette muttered and rubbed the back of her neck.

Emma nodded. ,,Look, I can't blame you if you don't want to do this right now."

,,Emma," Regina rolled her eyes, and the blonde's heart swelled a little when she used her first name. ,,I promised to have breakfast with you, didn't I? Stop acting like I'm going to bolt."

Emma gave her hand a little squeeze.

They soon reached Granny's Diner, and Emma swallowed something when she found out that her father was there too. David was the only one who still didn't know what had happened in Seattle, and what was happening between her and Regina right now.

,,There you are," David said when they approached.

,,Yes, here we are," Snow said and sat down next to her husband. ,,I invited Regina to join us."

,,Oh. Well, good morning, Regina."

,,Good morning," Regina answered and smiled at him.

Well this isn't weird or awkward at all. Thanks a bunch, mom.

But the breakfast actually proceeded nicely. Regina gradually relaxed and joined in the conversation with Snow and David. Charming chatted on with her, completely oblivious, but Emma more than once caught her mother looking from her to Regina and smiling a little.

David was fully engaged in a conversation with Regina, about Henry, Lucy and lady Tremaine's fate. Regina calmly suggested the underground prison, and Emma spluttered.

Once Regina had finished the last bit of omelet, she pushed the plate away and said: ,,Thank you for the breakfast, but I better get going now."

The brunette once again thanked Snow and David and nodded to Emma, and then she left the diner.

Emma wasted no time in excusing herself and following Regina outside. The brunette had already lit a cigarette by the time Emma reached her.

,,I'll see you later?" Emma asked.

Regina smiled a little with the cigarette between her lips. ,,I think you already have my number, so you could call me."

,,I think I will be doing that," Emma grinned. ,,Good job on surviving breakfast, by the way."

,,Thank you," Regina said slyly. ,,Your mother is practically hitting the ceiling to show just how much she accepts me. I'm impressed."

Emma grinned again. ,,I'm sorry if she overwhelmed you."

,,It's fine. I actually liked it," Regina mused and took a drag on her cigarette. ,,But you should probably tell your poor father though."

,,Tell him what, exactly?" Emma asked, she didn't know exactly how to label this yet.

,,That we're giving this a shot," Regina shrugged.

,,This?"

,,You and me," Regina said and rolled her dark eyes.

,,So… Can I tell him that you're my girlfriend?" Emma teased.

But Regina just shrugged. ,,Yes, I suppose you can. If that's the word you want to use."

Woah. Alright then.

To Be Continued…