Disclaimer in chapter 1
Chapter 12
Emma arrives at restaurant first. She goes in and asks for the table she booked. She is shown to the table which is in the back corner of the restaurant overlooking the small marina. The lights of the marina are sparkling, and the setting is quiet romantic. It's beautiful. Emma hopes Regina doesn't think its too romantic. No, she scolds herself. She needs to stop over thinking things and just enjoy the night. If it's a date, it's a date. She is just excited to have time with Regina after all this time. It is time that all the truth came out. She had been thinking about this on the way over here. She realised that maybe if she told the truth Regina could help her out. She needed to trust Regina. As she is pondering all these thoughts someone approaches the table and clears their throat. Regina is standing there in all her glory. Emma's breath catches in her throat. She looks amazing.
"See something you like?" Regina quips.
"Most definitely," Emma replies with a raised eyebrow.
Emma stands and moves around the table to pull out Regina's chair.
"Always the charmer," Regina says as she smiles over her shoulder. That is twice in two minutes that Regina has taken Emma's breath from her. Its been too long since she had a date. Not that anyone compared to Regina. None ever got past a first date. None ever to her bedroom either. Emma returns to her seat and the waiter comes over.
"Can I get you ladies something to drink?" he asks politely.
"Regina would you like some wine?" Emma asks.
"Yes please," Regina replies.
"Can we get a bottle of the Chilean red wine please?" Emma says.
"No problem madam, I will be right back," he says as he scoots off.
"You remembered," Regina says.
"Of course, I did," Emma says. There is now some tension there. No one knows where to start.
"How have you been? How's the campaign going?" they both say at the same time before they both laugh.
"Emma it is so good to see you," Regina says with all the sentiment she can.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you Regina," Emma answers with a shy smile. The waiter arrives with their wine. He pours both a glass. He says he will be back shortly to take their orders. They thank him.
"I kind of forgot that I was supposed to eat," Emma says with a laugh.
"Wow not like you to forget to about your stomach," Regina says.
"Well if anyone could achieve that it would be you," Emma replies with a wink. There she is Regina thinks the girl I love. Their waiter comes back and the order. There is a comfortable bubble around them now.
"Emma there is things I need to say, and I would really like to start," Regina says.
"Before you start," Emma says reaching for her handbag to take out the photo "can we just discuss this before you start?" Regina takes the photo and unfolds it. She nods when she sees what it is.
"Regina that is not me. I would never do anything like that to you, you need to believe me," Emma starts to plead.
Regina raises a hand to protest.
"Emma please let me. I know you didn't. After you left my mother came over and politely showed me that your tattoo was not on your hand but that it was on the Ruby person in the picture. I came to find you, but your mother said you were gone. I was devastated. I couldn't believe all the things that I had said. I was so blinded by this stupid picture I didn't take time to look and listen to you," she takes Emma's hand that had been left on the table into hers.
"I am so sorry for all that I said. For thinking you cheated. For pushing you away. It was the biggest mistake of my life and if I could take it back I would," Regina says.
Emma is about to respond when the waiter comes back with their food. They eat in relative silence after this both pondering what was said. When the waiter clears away their plates and they both decline dessert. Regina is now wondering if she should've said anything at all.
"Emma sorry if I spoke out of line but I needed to say it. I apologise if I have ruined our evening," Regina says exasperated.
Emma takes Regina's hand in hers and squeezes. She interlocks their fingers like they had done a million times before.
"No everything you said was ok. I just was processing and thinking. I am relieved that you don't think I cheated on you. It was the one thing that killed me the most to think that that's what you thought I had done," Emma says while fiddling with their interlocked fingers.
"I love the feel of holding your hand," she whispers as a tear escapes her green eyes. She brings Regina's hand to her lips and kisses it. Regina gasps as she squeezes Emma's hand. Emma's lips are softer than she remembered. A tear threatens to spill over Regina's eye now because she can't bear to see the love of her life so hurt.
"There is a little area out on the veranda behind us overlooking the marina," Emma says, "how about we get another bottle of wine and head out there. I have somethings I need to tell you. There is a spare room at our house that you can use. You can't drive back to Storybrooke after all this wine"
Regina nods glad that she hasn't scared Emma off. They head over to a booth that is away from everyone else. The area has outdoor heaters and blankets. They get settled in beside each other.
Regina takes a deep breath in and relaxes "This place is beautiful," she says as she turns her eyes to Emma. Emma has been watching her. Regina gives a coy small and Emma takes her hand again. Emma always loved holding Regina's hand when they were out and about together. Emma said it was to ground her. She always felt calm and grounded around Regina so holding her hand made Emma feel she was tethered to this earth.
"Emma that night we fought, when you were leaving my apartment you said that you would be back when you figured it out. Yet an hour later you are gone. Packed up and left. What the hell happened?" Regina asks.
Emma is again looking at their interlocked fingers. She thought she would never get to see these two hands together again. Regina squeezes to get Emma to come back to her.
"You know why Mom and I moved to Storybrooke. I have told you and we talked about it," Emma starts.
"Yes, I remember," Regina says. "Ingrid was trying to get away from an abusive situation. My father's charity helped her out."
"Yep, well I always thought that you and your parents were they only ones in town to know about that. I was wrong. Someone else in town found out and they also found out when Ingrid's ex got released from prison. They threatened that if I didn't leave town immediately that they would send him mom's address. When he was sentenced to prison, he threatened that when he got out, he was going to find mom and hurt her," tears are now trickling down Emma's face as her voice quivers.
"Why did they want you to leave town I don't understand?" Regina asks as she wipes the tears from Emma's face.
"Because of you," Emma says as she looked directly into Regina's eyes.
"Because of me?" Regina questions, "what the hell have I got to do with this?"
"I am pretty sure they were in love with you and that is why they wanted me out of the picture?" Emma responds with a tight smile.
"What? In love with me? Who?" Regina doesn't know what the hell is going on. This has just boggled her mind. She had never had any interest in anyone other than Emma. She was pretty sure she never gave any sign to anyone else that she wanted them. She never had eyes for anyone only Emma.
"Mal," Emma says. She looks at Regina. Regina eyes have glazed over as everything all seems to click together and the last thing that comes to her mind is her mothers' words to her as she left "Did you ever think it strange that night that Mal turned up?" like an echo.
"Oh my god," Regina exclaims "oh my god, this is so crazy! Mal! That's why you wouldn't talk to me when she was in the room the last day. Why you kept walking away from me?"
"Yes," Emma says as she runs her thumb over the back of Regina's hand trying to give her some comfort as all of this comes crashing through Regina's reality.
"This is insane. I can't believe she did all this. Therefore, she was always saying bad things about you. Telling me she saw you talking to this girl and that. Trying to get me to include her when we had plans so that we wouldn't be alone together. This is crazy and very creepy that she would go to these lengths. Oh my god," Regina puts one hand over her eyes as she doesn't want to let go of Emma's as she tries to stop her head reeling from all of this information.
"Emma I am so sorry she put you through all of this," Regina says as she turns and looks and Emma and places her free hand on her cheek.
"Why are you saying sorry to me? She put us both through this Regina. I am just glad you know the truth now," Emma says, "maybe now we can get some closure and move on with our lives."
"Closure! Emma what are you talking about? I am never letting you go again. I am so in love with you. I am not letting you leave my life again," Regina states.
"Regina she still has his information. She threatened me at your tour that she will do it if I didn't stop talking to you that day," Emma says, "I can't put Ingrid and Evie in that danger. He is an animal."
"Emma baby listen to me. I am going to take care of that manipulative bitch. She won't do that I will make sure she wont ok. I promise you and you know how I am with my promises. If you think for one second that I am going to let her take you from me again than you are mistaken. You are the best thing that ever happened me. These last five years feel like I have been wandering through a fog without you. When I saw you a few days ago at the homework club it was like all the fog was gone and I could finally totally breath again. I never stopped thinking about you every day. Anytime I had a date there was no comparison," Regina gushes. She has also closed the gap between herself and Emma. They are now centimetres apart.
"Ti amo mi amora," Regina whispers as she closes the gap between them and takes Emma's lips for the first time in 5 years. It is like someone has turned their life back on from the moment their lips met. Emma thinks she's about to faint as Regina is kissing her. She almost forgets to kiss back. But it is just like a song she hasn't heard in a while the words start coming back to her. Their lips dance like they had never been apart.
As they break for air Emma looks right at Regina and says, "just a quick question, how many crappy dates did you have while I was gone," with a cheeky grin on her face. Regina laughs as she moves closer to Emma again, she whispers 2 and locks their lips once more. After many more kisses and questions from both they decide to go home. Emma pays for their evening after much arguing from Regina. They get into a taxi with their hands linked together. They walk into Emma's house. Ingrid has already gone to bed and Emma is happy about that as she didn't want to deal with her, I told you so look right now. She gives Regina a quick tour. She points to the different doors in the corridor.
"That's Mom's room down the end and Evie's across from it. That's the bathroom there. This is the guest room," she points to the door beside Regina.
"So that must make this your room," Regina points to the door beside Emma as she moves to push it in. Emma is smiling at her.
"Yep," Emma says.
"Looks cosy. Cosier than the guest room," Regina says as she looks through hooded eyes at Emma. Emma smiles and takes Regina's hand in hers and leads her into the room. She closes the door behind them.
"I don't put out on the first date," she whispers to Regina. Regina laughs.
"Neither do I," she replies, "But I do love a good cuddle and I have missed my big spoon so very much."
They get dressed into pyjamas that are both Emma's. Emma lets Regina change in her en-suite while she got dressed in her room. She is sitting on the edge of her bed waiting when she hears Regina clear her throat. She looks up. She loved when Regina wears her clothes. She reaches out a hand for her. Regina saunters over too hear with a sway in her hips. She reaches Emma and takes her hand. She kisses Emma's palm and places it over her heart.
"This is yours now and forever Emma Swan. Whatever is coming is we will deal with it together. I protect what I love fiercely, and I will protect you and what you love," she states as a solemn promise.
Emma pulls Regina down onto the bed. She pulls the blankets up around them. She hovers over Regina before placing a searing kiss on her lips. When they break, she whispers "I love you Regina Mills," against her lips. They cuddle into one another. Two parts to a puzzle finally put back together again.