Hi guys! The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here! Thank you so much for everyone who leaves reviews and supports this story. It makes me so happy you guys love this story as much as I do :) There will only be a few more chapters in here, celebrating milestones and other events, and then the real story will finally be up! I hope you all read Love You, Lose You after this, because it would mean the world, and I would love to read everyone's reactions. Anyways, the moment we've all been waiting for!
Here is Chapter 9!
Chapter 9
She wasn't stupid. Sure, she was a blonde, and sure, she definitely had her moments, but she was far from stupid. Maybe not as smart as Regina, she knew that, but not a lot of people were, and she was fine with that. But Emma Locksley was not stupid. And as the colorful leaves falling turned to biting snowflakes, it became more and more obvious how close Robin and Regina were.
Christmas was right around the corner, and Emma couldn't help but notice the looks her best friend and brother shared. They were quick, and maybe if she weren't looking for them, she wouldn't see them. But she did.
Emma knew something was up. They'd been acting even more flirtatious since homecoming, and she got it, she basically pushed Robin into Regina's arms. But the look in Robin's eyes when he talked about Regina, the way Regina wouldn't talk about Robin, it was all too much for Emma.
She knew Regina and Robin were friends, hell, she wanted them to be friends. It was amazing how well they got together, she wanted them to have that bond.
But every bond can be broken. And if there was anything going on under the surface, their bond wouldn't be the only thing broken in the end.
Emma couldn't decide if Robin and Regina ever being together would be a good idea or not. She supposed the positives out-weighed the negatives, but they were still negatives, and they were still flashing sirens in her head.
Did Regina even feel the same about Robin?
…..
Regina wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, standing behind the counter of Granny's when she looked up at the sound of the bell. She smiled when her best friend sat down at a bar stool across from her. Regina started the hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon.
"How'd your midterms go?" Regina asked, picking up where they left off hours ago in the school, and Emma smiled as she shrugged her shoulders.
"They could've been better, but I'm pretty sure I need some sleep. I've been up since two a.m. every morning studying for the damn tests, and now that they're all taken care of, I can finally relax for winter break," Emma grinned, and Regina slid the warm mug in front of the blonde, her green eyes shining with appreciation.
"Hey, I have a question," Emma set her mug down after a sip, and Regina walked around to the other side of the counter, sitting down next to Emma while the customer rush wasn't that bad.
"What's up?" Regina asked, massaging her scalp as she let her dark hair out of it's ponytail, her shift finally ending.
"You had fun with Robin at homecoming, right?" Emma asked, and Regina smiled as she shrugged her shoulders, trying to play off how she really felt about that incredible night.
"Yeah, we had a good time. Surprisingly, he didn't break any of my toes, so that's always a plus," Regina joked, and Emma nodded her head with a small smile.
"Would you… have you ever… Have you ever thought about you and Robin being, you know, something more than friends?" Emma asked nervously, and Regina bit the inside of her cheek. Keep your cover, this is everything you've worked for.
"Me and Robin?" Regina laughed, and Emma felt stupid when she heard the tone of her best friend's voice.
"Yeah… I mean, you guys get along so well together, and I've been thinking lately, and it really wouldn't be a long shot to assume maybe there's something more going on," Emma shrugged her shoulders, and even if it killed her, Regina smiled through her lies, seeming convincing enough for the blonde.
"Are you asking me if I have feelings for Robin?" Regina asked with a smirk, and Emma smiled as she looked at Emma under her eyelashes, feeling like she just got her hand caught in the cookie jar.
"Maybe," Emma mumbled, and Regina rolled her eyes with a grin as she grabbed Emma's hand, shaking it to bring her best friend back to life.
"I don't have feelings for Robin, Emma. Homecoming was really nice, and I won't lie, it felt good for a change to actually have a date and do everything other high schoolers do every day… but I'm not meant for relationships, we both know that. And Robin? Emma, he's amazing, but he's amazing in-the-friend kind of way," Regina sighed, and Emma nodded her head, letting her blonde strands fall from their place behind her ear.
"Just out of curiosity, would you even be okay if me and Robin did have feelings for each other?" Regina asked, but Emma's answer didn't help her heart from racing one bit.
"I'm not sure… I mean, I never really thought I'd ever have to ask myself that question," Emma laughed if off, and Regina showed a fake smile as she stood from the barstool.
"I've gotta go get ready to leave… you good to wait a few minutes?" Regina asked as she pointed her thumb back to the kitchen, and Emma smiled, moving her hand in a gesture as to say go, be free.
When she watched Regina leave, her smile faded gradually from her face, and she was left with a whole new set of questions to claim her mind day to day.
Because she wasn't stupid. She knew her best friend. She knew when she was lying.
And Regina had just lied to her.
….
Regina, Zelena, Henry, and Cora sat at the dinner table, forks scraping at plates, quiet filling the room. Regina sighed, thinking of how her talk with Emma could have gone better, when her mother drew her attention back to reality.
"Regina, do you have any plans tomorrow night?" Cora asked, and she smiled when her daughter shook her head.
"Perfect. There's a co-worker of mine who just moved here from Minnesota, and he has a son about your age, so I thought what could be the harm of you giving him a tour around town? You can even call it a date," Cora smiled, but Regina dropped her fork onto her plate, and Zelena looked up, just as alarmed.
"What?" Regina asked, and her sister next to her came to her side quickly.
"You set her up with someone?" Zelena asked in a startled manner, and Cora just shrugged her shoulders, taking a sip of her water in front of her.
"I'm afraid I don't quite see the problem with it… you are seventeen, Dear, it's not like you're too young or anything… What, do you have a secret boyfriend or something we don't know about?" Cora teased, and Regina tried to laugh along, but her smile didn't reach her eyes, and even she didn't sound like herself to her own ears.
"No, but, umm… you know, I have a really big test coming up and tomorrow I was going to use the day to prepare for the exam. Mom, I'm glad you're thinking about me, but I don't really think-"
"We do have plans tomorrow," Zelena cut off her rambling sister, and all pairs of eyes went to Zelena, who shrugged her shoulders and nodded her head, nudging Regina on the arm.
"Yeah, remember? We were going to drive out to Lewiston and spend some good quality sister time before the holidays end," Zelena explained, the look in her eyes telling Regina to go along with it. Regina regained the ability to breathe, and she realized even if there were some things she didn't like about being the youngest, one thing she would never get old of is her big sister always being there for her.
"Oh, that's right, I did hear you girls talking about taking a little trip… Okay, well, you two go and have a great time. I'll let the guy know we'll have to postpone," Cora nodded her head, and Regina smiled at Zelena.
"I am so happy you two are realizing that family is the most important thing in the world. Friends and guys will come and go, but sisters are forever. I'm glad you two are spending time together again," Cora grinned before she got up from the table, taking her plate to the sink.
Regina reached for Zelena's hand under the table, and when she felt a squeeze back, she smiled.
Later, when Cora and Henry had retired to the bedroom, the clock past one in the morning, Regina tiptoed to Zelena's room, and she was happy to see she was still up.
"Thanks for covering for me tonight… you didn't have to do that," Regina bit the inside of her cheek, and Zelena chuckled as she sat on her bed, setting aside her laptop.
"I did, because that's what sisters do, especially older sisters… How's it going, by the way, with Robin? I forgot to congratulate you on your one year together," Zelena asked, and Regina smiled as she walked to her sister's bed, falling backwards, her hair splayed on Zelena's legs.
"It's… it's amazing. He's amazing," Regina glowed, and Zelena chuckled, knowing that her sister was somewhere in a world filled with chirping birds and love songs and happy endings.
"One year… that's, that's impressive for a high school relationship, Regina. I mean, you're clearly in love with him, and he's absolutely obsessed with you, so what's with the waiting game? Don't you think it's time to tell everyone?" Zelena asked, and Regina sighed as she put an arm on her forehead.
"Robin has wanted to tell them since we started dating… but I don't think it's the right time yet," Regina answered quickly, and Zelena stared sadly at the brunette, a knowing look in her eyes.
"You don't like change, Regina. You're never going to be ready to tell them because you don't want anything to change," Zelena sighed, rubbing her sister's arm. Regina stayed quiet, but she turned on her side to look up at Zelena, and she smiled warmly.
"I hate to break it to you, but you can't stay seventeen forever. Trust me, I learned the hard way… Don't be like me, Regina, I'm not someone to look up to. I've been out of school for two years now and I don't know what I want to do for the same reason you don't want to tell anyone about Robin… You know what you want to do, and I never took that seriously. You know who you want. Just… you're really going to miss a lot of things once you go to college, and I don't think you want to waste your last years in high school trying to keep this secret."
"Just because you don't know what you want to do doesn't make you any less of a superhero in my eyes, Z. I love you, and eventually, you'll go out and find something that makes you happy… But it's so hard with Robin, Zelena. Dad would never approve, Emma would stop talking to me, I don't even want to know what Helen and Robert would say," Regina groaned worriedly, and Zelena frowned.
"So why even start this at all? Why would you get involved when you knew all the risks?" Zelena asked smartly, and Regina looked to Zelena with a small smile.
"Because I love him."
"Then it doesn't matter what other people are gonna say. You two are in love, Regina, this isn't going away. I mean, Robin's kept this quiet for over a year now. He wouldn't just do that for anyone," Zelena nodded her head, and Regina grinned.
"It's still scary," Regina sighed, and Zelena smiled as she opened her arms up. Regina caved into the hug and rested her head against Zelena's shoulder.
"I know," Zelena whispered, and the two sat there for the rest of the night, safe and quiet in the bedroom, wishing things weren't always so complicated.
…
Christmas Eve. One of the few days Regina looked forward to every year. The brunette walked into Granny's and smiled when she saw Granny herself behind the counter.
Granny's was closed for the holiday, Storybrooke would have to find another place to eat for a couple days, but Regina knew Granny too well to think she'd actually leave the place.
"What are you doing here, Sweetheart? It's Christmas Eve, no one should be working today," Granny furrowed her eyebrows when Regina walked up to the counter in her uniform.
"If you're stuck here, I'm stuck here," Regina shrugged her shoulders, set her bag down on one of the barstools, and threw her hair into a ponytail. Granny sighed and shook her head with a grin.
"Go be a kid, Regina. You should be outside with that boyfriend of yours, not here with me."
Granny froze the moment she said the words, and Regina stopped, her eyes wide, her heart beating out of her chest. Regina tried to pick her jaw off the floor.
"God damn it," Granny muttered, dropping her rug onto the counter, looking up at the teenager with a nervous chuckle.
"You know?" Regina asked incredulously, amazed, and Granny looked sheepish as she sighed, leaning with her elbows on the counter.
"I've known since you two started dating," Granny shrugged her shoulders, and Regina groaned as she let her head fall in her hands.
"How?" Regina asked, and Granny let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"I hate to break it to you, but you and Robin aren't as slick as you think you are. You're good, really good for your age, I'll give you that, but I've been around a lot longer than both your ages combined, and I could see it from a mile away," Regina frowned as she tucked pieces of stubborn hair back behind her ear.
"Actually, there's a bet going around Storybrooke to see how long it'll take you and Locksley to get together, and I don't want to toot my own horn, but I certainly did better than your mother," Granny smirked, trying to make the best of the situation, but Regina looked horrified.
"The town is betting on us? My mother is betting on us?!" Regina exclaimed, and Granny cringed, figuring it probably wasn't best to say what she did.
"Regina, calm down. No one else knows. As far as they're all concerned, you don't even bat an eye Robin's way," Granny shook her head, but it did little to ease Regina's worries.
"Oh my god," Regina breathed as she sat on a barstool and just let her head fall into her arms, "too many people know, too many things are going to get out, why didn't I see this earlier?"
"Because you didn't want to, but now you have to, and you feel like you failed an assignment at school because your job was to make sure the secret didn't get out, but it did, and the only thing you can do now is pray those parents of yours remember that you're seventeen and you were going to have a boyfriend eventually," Granny guessed all in one long, quick breath, and Regina groaned, not having enough strength to pick her head up off the counter.
"Emma's going to kill me. She's going to kill Robin first, make me watch, too, and then she's gonna bury me alive," Regina banged her head against her arms, and Granny rolled her eyes, too old to go back and live through high school drama again.
"Sweetheart, breathe. You know how to. Look, just because I'm amazing and talented doesn't mean everyone else is. I am the only one who knows, Regina. You and Robin are safe for as long as you want to be. I promise I won't tell anyone, and I hope you two grow up and make it big out in that world, together, one day. I want nothing more than for both of my babies to be happy, and if that means being together in secret, or waiting for the perfect moment when we both know it'll never come, then so be it."
"My dad is gonna kill Robin," Regina sighed as she lifted her head, running her fingers through her hair. Granny smiled.
"Your father doesn't like the idea of you dating anyone, Regina. He did not like Daniel, the whole town knows it, everyone still does, but this time, it's Robin. He thinks of Robin as his son," Granny sighed, and Regina rolled her eyes.
"Great, now his daughter is kissing his son and he's going to have a heart attack before I graduate," Granny chuckled at the brunette's words, shaking her head, taking off the glasses that fitted her so perfectly.
"If you don't relax, you are going to be the one having a heart attack… Look, you two are young and crazy and very in love. From experience, there's nothing that can stop this from happening, Regina. You and Robin were going to get together eventually, it doesn't matter when it happened. So you just gotta ignore every person who tells you this is just another stupid high school relationship, because it's not. That boy is going to see you in a wedding dress, mark my words," Granny wagged her finger in front of her, and at the mention of her in a wedding dress with Robin being the man to spend the rest of her life with, she couldn't help but let a shy smile pass.
"I could lose Emma," Regina whispered, and Granny patted the girl's hand.
"You won't. She's not going to leave you now, not after everything you two've been through. Robin is Emma's brother, may I remind you. When she sees how happy the two of you are together, she'd be cruel not to be happy for her brother and best friend… now get out of here. It just so happens that a navy blue truck is waiting right outside, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to keep him waiting much longer."
Regina turned when Granny mentioned the truck, and she smiled when she saw Robin's headlights on the side of the road, his passenger seat ready and waiting. Regina turned back to Granny with a small grin.
"Are you sure?"
"Go, or else you aren't coming back until February," Granny smirked, and Regina sighed with a smile as she grabbed her bag, not having to be told twice.
Granny smiled with a shake of her head as she watched her little girl practically run out of the diner and into Robin's truck, and she sighed when he leaned in to kiss her.
Two teenagers crazy in love.
All of the odds were against them, she knew that, but she prayed they would be okay.
And they were.
For a long while.
…
"I swear to god, you're going to be the death of me, Mills. How am I not supposed to be by your side and brag about how amazing you are when you're wearing that," Robin shook his head, leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom.
Regina turned when she heard his voice, and she glared at him playfully, finishing slipping into her strappy black heels. She wore a red dress that fitted her perfectly, and she shook her head, crossing her arms against her chest when she saw Robin's usual smirk lighting his face.
"You shouldn't be here, you know that," Regina sighed, and Robin propped himself upright as he began his journey to her. Regina furrowed her eyebrows, and Robin held up a tie in front of her. Regina chuckled and motioned for him to give her the tie.
"The party isn't starting for another ten minutes, and upstairs is off limits," Regina smirked as she lifted Robin's collar and wrapped the material around his neck. Robin smiled and shrugged his shoulders, watching her make him look at least presentable.
"I couldn't not sneak up here, Love. You're my drug, I can't get enough," Robin laughed, and Regina rolled her eyes with a grin.
"Did anyone see you come upstairs?"
"Our parents are in the kitchen talking and Emma's helping Killian bring in some things from the car. I'm a natural James Bond, just walked up the stairs without a single person knowing," Robin grinned, and Regina smiled as she finished up with his tie, patting his chest with her hands.
"One kiss, and then you have to leave. I'm not done getting ready yet, and Emma will be here any minute," Regina sighed, attempting to back a few steps away from Robin, making it easier on her for him to leave, but he grabbed her arm.
The Mills' annual Christmas Eve party with fancy colleagues and important people from both of their parents' work was that night, and even though they spent the whole afternoon together down at their spot in the woods, it appeared Robin just couldn't let anyone else be the first to greet her. It was tradition for Emma to go upstairs and help Regina get ready before the event, and Regina would be damned if she messed with that now.
She was completely ready to kick her boyfriend out, as bad as it sounded.
"You don't need any makeup, Love, you're already going to be the prettiest girl at the party. Emma's going to put that black stuff on your eyelashes and paint your lips when you don't need any of it," Robin smiled, and Regina sighed as she ruffled her fingers through his hair, messing up all his hard work.
She only smiled.
"Thank you, but I like wearing the paint on my lips and the black stuff on my eyelashes," Regina smirked, and Robin rolled his eyes with a chuckle.
"As long as you're comfortable, I don't care what you wear. You'll look beautiful in anything… and possibly nothing?" Robin's teased, and Regina shoved his shoulder with a gasp.
"You are not getting in my pants anytime soon, Locksley. I have expectations for myself, and they involve nothing sexual until after senior year," Regina reminded him, and Robin sighed as he kissed her forehead.
"That's what I love about you. Plus, the waiting will be worth it," Regina blushed, and Robin grinned.
"Alright, you've gotta go now," Regina sighed, and Robin paused her movements as he shook his head.
"I didn't get my kiss yet," Robin pouted, and Regina smiled as she leaned in to peck his lips gently. Robin smiled against her lips, and Regina sighed when she broke away from Robin's trance.
"One more," Robin whispered, and Regina beamed as she leaned in for another kiss, this time wrapping her arms around his neck, his hands going to her waist. Regina put her hands on his chest to stop herself from falling too deep, letting her hair fall in her face.
"One more," Robin whispered again, and Regina rolled her eyes as she muttered this is the last one before pressing her lips to his again. She smiled as Robin's grip on her grew firmer, and suddenly, all she wanted him to do was push her up against the wall, her expectations gone to hell.
As Regina thought about Robin having his way with her, she was brought out of her daydream when she heard a high pitched oh my god come from her doorway, and she had never separated from Robin faster.
Regina turned hurriedly and was mortified when she saw her best friend standing inside her room, her eyes wide, jaw to the floor, her body frozen.
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Emma exclaimed, putting her hands on top of her head, not believing what she just witnessed. Regina's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't bring herself to even look at Robin at the moment.
"What the hell did I just walk in on?! Oh my god!" Emma freaked out, her body still in shock and disbelief.
All she could do was repeat the oh my god mantra on her lips, and Regina felt as if time had just frozen.
"You were just kissing him! You were just kissing her! You were kissing each other!" Emma furrowed her eyebrows, trying to wrap her head around the situation, but her judgement was in the worst place possible, and she didn't know how to react.
She never thought she'd have to react to something like this.
"Oh my god!" Emma screamed as she darted out of the room, and Regina turned white as a ghost, rushing after her, Robin not far behind.
Emma raced down the stairs, ignoring both Regina and her brother's calls of her name, shaking her head, the blonde braid on the back of her head a large mess. Regina tried to catch her arm, but Emma pulled away, rushing into the kitchen.
"Emma, please don't do this!" Regina sighed before they rushed into the kitchen, but Emma wasn't listening, she wasn't thinking clearly, and burst through the kitchen door, both pairs of adults looking up alarmedly, as if the house were on fire.
"They, they… oh my god!" Emma screamed, and Regina and Robin stumbled to the side of the kitchen, Robin and Regina's parents staring at all three children as if they were absolutely crazy and needed to be admitted to the psych ward.
"What is going on?" Robert asked impatiently, and Regina turned when she saw Killian enter from the back door. Regina's mind ran a mile a minute as she thought of everything that would go wrong, the horrified reactions of their parents, the rules she'd have to follow, the one where she was never allowed to be near Robin again.
God, she was going to cry.
"I just walked in on my brother and my best friend lip-locked! Robin was kissing her, Dad! And she let him!" Emma exclaimed as if she were out of breath, and if only you could've seen the looks on everyone's faces when Emma blurted out the information no one thought would ever be muttered.
Cora's jaw dropped to the floor, Henry looked like he was going to puke, Helen looked plain surprised (but not dismissive), and Robert furrowed his eyebrows as if his daughter had spoken in a different language. Killian just tried not to laugh at the scene playing out in front of him and went to settle down his girlfriend.
"I'm going to kill you!" Emma exclaimed as she lunged toward Robin, but Killian stopped her, holding her back. Emma tried to fight him, but he was too strong, and she eventually gave up. Robin rubbed the back of his neck nervously, but Regina just stared at the floor, her mouth parted, too embarrassed and shocked to do anything.
"So how long has this been going on? How long have you two been sneaking around behind my back?" Emma asked, Killian still holding her arms. Regina looked to Robin, feeling sick, and Robin only stared back into the brunette's eyes.
Cora's mouth opened wider, if that was even possible, when she realized it had been going for far longer than anyone would've guessed.
"Homecoming? God, I knew I shouldn't have pushed you two to go together, because Robin has been in love with you since you met! And somehow he finally got you to fall for him. Oh god," Emma groaned as she put a hand on her head. Regina furrowed her eyebrows as she turned to Robin, and his cheeks grew red at Emma's outburst.
"How long has it been?" Emma repeated, and everyone stopped when Zelena entered the room, totally oblivious to all the tension in the room until she looked up from her phone, seeing red faces and worried glances.
Zelena looked to her little sister, and her scared look gave it all away.
"Oh no," Zelena sighed, and Emma turned to the redhead in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me? You knew?!" Emma exclaimed, and Robin furrowed his eyebrows as he turned to Regina, her eyes meeting his at the sound of his voice.
"Zelena knew?" Robin asked, and Regina felt like her mind was going to explode. Too many things were happening at once. Too many people were talking, too many people were staring.
"Answer the damn question!" Emma was tired of waiting, and Regina kept her eyes on the floor, not wanting to face her parents' judgemental stares or facial expressions.
"A year," Robin answered confidently, and the room went silent. Emma shook her head as she chuckled darkly, trying to get free of Killian's hold.
"You're lying, you have to be. A year would've been last Christmas," Emma narrowed her eyes at the two, and when neither of them said anything, Emma's heart dropped.
"You two have been together for a year?" Emma asked quietly, all her anger gone all of a sudden, her voice only filled with sadness and innocence, the pain in her eyes speaking louder than anything.
Regina frowned as she bit the inside of her cheek, fidgeting in her dress.
"I wanted to tell you Emma, I did, but this is what I was exactly trying to avoid… Emma, I'm so, so sorry. You have to believe me," Regina begged, but Emma shook her head with tears clouding her vision, disappointment swimming in her green pupils more than anything else.
"You've been sleeping with my brother for a year, and you think you can make it all okay with some stupid apology? I will never forgive you for this," Emma's nostrils flared. Regina went speechless, trying to say something, anything, but nothing would come out.
"Emma, stop, this is all my fault," Robin explained as he stepped forward, and all eyes were on him, "I was the one who started this whole thing. I was the one who didn't stop until Regina agreed to give us a chance. I was the one who pushed her into this mess, who convinced her to risk everything just to be with me. So if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me, not her."
"You promised me you wouldn't go after her, Robin. Before you even got here, you promised me you would leave her out of this," Emma frowned, shaking her head. Robin sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"You have no room to talk, Emma, none at all. You were sneaking out with Killian every damn night for three months before Mom and Dad caught you. And I kept it quiet. You know why we did what we did, and you know why we tried to hide it," Robin glared at her sister, and Emma glared at her brother.
"Alright," Cora stood up, putting her hands on her hips, "I think everyone needs to take a deep breath. Come on, we'll go into the den where we can talk things out, and then we'll throw the best Christmas party Storybrooke has ever seen."
Emma huffed as Killian led her out of room, and when Robin was about to do the same to Regina, Henry shook his head.
"You two had your fun for the past year, now it's five feet apart from now on," Henry pointed his finger between the two, and Regina rolled her eyes as she walked out of the room.
Henry went to Robin once Regina was out of earshot, and stared him down.
"I'm watching you," Henry walked out of the room, and Robin let out a nervous breath of air.
This was going to be a long night.
…..
Emma was pissed at her. Regina knew it. After their little squabble in the den, Emma decided to completely ignore her for the rest of her life apparently, and Regina couldn't even look at Robin, too embarrassed about everything that happened. Her father's eyes burned into her scalp, and as she held a red plastic cup in her hand, hiding her exhaustion with a weak smile, Regina tried to listen to what her mother's coworker was saying.
Regina stood next to her mother for half the night, a wallflower for the other, and she made sure not to go near Robin or Emma, which was apparently the world's hardest task. They were everywhere.
Regina hid out in the kitchen for a while, tracing her finger along the rim of her cup, her head shooting up when she heard the door swing open.
Emma stood in the doorway, staring at her hands, fidgeting with her fingers. Regina bit the inside of her cheek, not knowing what to say.
"Hey," Emma tried on a smile, looking up at the brunette, and Regina tried to smile back, but her body never agreed with what she wanted, so why would it start then?
Emma sighed as she walked to Regina, standing next to her as they both leaned against the counter by the sink.
After a few moments of silence, Emma grabbed Regina's hand, and Regina looked up, confusion swimming in her chocolate brown eyes.
"So he's your Killian," Emma breathed, and Regina nodded her head.
"Yeah."
"You're in love with him," Emma sighed again, and Regina's lips lifted a millimeter, not enough to even consider a small half smile.
"Yeah," Regina nodded her head, and Emma looked at Regina with a sad glance.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Emma asked, a disappointed look in her eyes, and Regina let out a nervous breath as she used her free hand to tuck random strands of hair behind her ear.
"I didn't want to lose you, Emma… I knew as soon as you found out, you would react exactly the way you did today, and I didn't want that for you. You don't deserve that," Regina explained, desperation in her voice, and Emma frowned.
"You are never going to lose me, Regina, and especially not over some guy… even if the guy is my brother. To be honest, I don't really care that you're with Robin. But I do care that you didn't tell me… I found out the way I shouldn't have, and I was pissed at the situation, not you," Emma sighed, and Regina squeezed the blonde's hand.
"I'm really sorry. If I could do it all over again, I would tell you right from the beginning. You wouldn't want to punch a wall, my father would still trust me, and I wouldn't have to look at Robin with nothing but guilt… I'm sorry, Emma, but when Robin looks at me, everything stops. And he is so different than Daniel," Regina whispered, and Emma smiled as she thought of her brother.
"I knew you two were going to get together… Robin came to the states so he could meet you, did he ever tell you that? He was head over heels for you before you even met each other, and I knew it wouldn't be long before you fell for him too… I guess part of me just hoped you wouldn't feel the same so if anything ever happened, we would still be the same."
"He… he came here because of me?" Regina asked, her heart melting, and Emma nodded her head with a tiny grin.
"He was so nervous, R. He tried on four shirts before finally picking which one to wear to your sweet sixteen, and he showed up late because he almost chickened out. But my dad made him come, and I guess it's been from that moment on," Emma shrugged her shoulders, and Regina smiled, never really thinking Robin would be so distraught over someone like her.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Regina asked, and Emma smiled, shaking her head.
"No," Emma sighed, and when Regina turned white like a ghost, Emma chuckled with a roll of her eyes and bumped into Regina's shoulders, "but I don't have to be. You are my best friend, and even if I can't get my mind wrapped around it, I know Robin's not some f-boy who will just leave you crying in the rain… So I guess a gentleman is better than nothing, right?"
Regina felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders as she smiled, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
"I love you," Regina sighed, and Emma rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her best friend, chuckling.
"I know."
Emma pulled away from the embrace with a new light in her eyes, and Regina looked back at the blonde with a quizzical stare.
"What, are you just going to sit there and leave me hanging? I have a whole year's worth of details to catch up on," Emma glowed, and Regina smiled as a small blush crept across her cheeks.
They were going to be okay.
…
After cleaning up from the party, around midnight the Locksley clan decided to leave. Emma had left earlier with Killian, for the sailor had a Christmas surprise planned for the blonde, and Regina had smiled when Emma hugged her before walking out the door. Helen gave Regina a hug, and Robert only smirked at her with a kiss on the cheek. Finally, it was just Robin standing in the doorway, waiting for Regina to walk up to him.
Cora and Henry stood at the end of the hallway, and Henry kept close eyes on the pair.
"So, I'll uh, I'll see you tomorrow?" Robin guessed, but when Regina didn't say anything, he sighed, taking a step closer to her.
He knew she was acting weird because her parents were practically burning their eyes into her skull, but he couldn't let her slip away and think anything less than the truth.
"Regina, we didn't do anything wrong. We're just… out in the open now," Robin shrugged his shoulders. Regina nodded her head and let her arms fall to her sides.
"Yeah… yeah, you're right."
Robin leaned in for a kiss as Regina went in for a hug, and when they tried again, Robin leaned in for a hug and Regina leaned in for a kiss. Both stood there awkwardly, and not knowing what else to do, Regina held out her hand.
Robin smiled as he shook her hand, and even when they were awkward with each other he still managed to look cute as hell with his knowing smirk. Robin let go of her hand and then he was gone, slipping away behind the door.
Regina put her head in her hands and groaned loudly once he was gone, so angry about how awkward everything was now. Regina ran her fingers through her hair as she bit the inside of her cheek, knowing they should have been more careful as not to be caught. It changed everything.
She couldn't even hold his hand without wondering if they had made the right decision to start this thing at all.
Regina took her hair out of the side barretts it was in from the party, slipping out of her high heels, kicking the shoes by the stairs. Just as she was about to make her way up the stairs, she turned around when she heard the door open again, and like a breath of fresh air, Robin stood in the doorway, a smile decorating his lips.
"Screw this," he muttered as he took one large step to Regina, wrapping his arms around her as his lips found hers. Regina moaned in surprise as her hands went to wrap around his neck, relishing in the feeling of Robin's hands on her, his lips on hers.
When Robin pulled away, Regina was left breathless, and she smiled back at Robin as if nothing had happened in the last hours, like they were the same. Robin kissed her forehead and brushed the hair out of her face before walking back to the door, his hand on the door knob.
"Have a good night, Mr. and Mrs. Mills," Robin called over his shoulder cooly as the door closed for the final time, and Regina was left standing by the staircase, in amazement as her fingers went to her lips, tracing the invisible marks he left on her. She laughed to herself as she turned around, looking at her parents with wide, excited eyes.
"Looks like we'll have to keep a close eye on you two from now on," Cora smirked, and Regina smiled as she bit her lip.
"You're grounded," Henry frowned, not smiling and not playing around. He winced when Cora smacked him, and she knew she shouldn't, but after Robin's kiss just blew her away, there was no way Regina couldn't not smile.
"No, you're not," Cora argued as she glared at her husband, and Henry rolled his eyes back at her, "go ahead up to bed, Dear, before the interrogation starts."
Regina laughed as she took her mother's advice, and as she closed the door to her room moments later, she could still hear her parents bickering in the living room. Regina sighed as she collapsed on her bed, too in love to care if she was in trouble or not.
It was amazing how one kiss could change you just like that.
Regina hugged a pillow as she rested on her bed, her dress still clinging to her body, too exhausted to get up and change out of it. Regina fell asleep the next half hour, and when she woke up, she would swear to herself she didn't dream anything.
But when she saw a little girl with dark hair and crystal blue eyes running around in a big yard with a baby boy crawling on the blanket next to the grass in her dreams, she knew she was so very screwed.
She was in love with Robin Locksley, and she wanted to grow old with him. She was seventeen, and she already found her soulmate. Now, all she had to do was hold on tight and never let go.
But everything is always easier said then done, aren't they?
