Chapter Thirty: Rabbit hole 2.0

"Regina?" Emma asked, "Are you ready?"

"In a minute"

"You said that twenty minutes ago"

Emma was lying in bed going through her phone while she waited for Regina to get ready. She could honestly say that this was a whole new level in their relationship. She had never done this before with her, she usually would come to pick her up or they would meet somewhere. But the waiting under the same roof thing, that was a first and if there was one thing Emma could say about this experience was: Regina lies. She does not get ready in a minute. Not at all! Emma was waiting on her for nearly forty minutes now when they started to get ready to go and for the past twenty, she's been hearing Regina say she'll be ready in a minute, but, as it would seem, Regina's concept of what a minute means didn't match Emma's at all. But Emma wasn't annoyed by it, in fact, it amused her. She imagined that this was what it felt was like for married couples. There is always one that has to wait around while the other one takes a lifetime to get ready. Her phone chimed in her hands; it was a text from Elsa asking where they were. They were late, half an hour already, but that wasn't entirely Regina's fault. Emma had started a little warm-up dance with her in the kitchen that led to bed that led to the delay in leaving the house. Emma smiled at the memory before texting her friend back saying they would be right there. Living together was absolutely amazing.

The doorknob of the bathroom twisted and made a sound that pulled Emma out of her train of thoughts. When Regina opened the door, Emma almost fell onto the floor. Regina looked absolutely amazing and all she was wearing was a black dress with spaghetti sleeves that hugged every single curve of her body like a second skin. The dress was short enough to let much of her turned legs on display and the high heels she was wearing made them look longer than they actually were. Her hair was slightly curled and the red lipstick she was wearing made Emma have all sorts of thoughts about smudging it.

"Like what see, Miss Swan" Regina asked and winked.

"Oh, you have no idea," Emma said back.

"Is it worth the wait?" Regina asked.

"Again," Emma said tilting her head to the side "You have no idea. You look beautiful, Regina"

"Thank you," Regina said "So do you"

"Oh please" Emma chucked "I'm literally wearing my everyday clothes"

"Yes! And you have no idea what the sight of your ass in the jeans do to me"

"Why don't you get your ass over here and show me, Mills," Emma said making a naughty face.

"Maybe later," Regina smirked "We have to go"

"Screw them," Emma said getting up from the bed.

"Emma!"

"What?" Emma said wrapping her arms around Regina "Let's say you are sick"

"Oh, so it's my fault we are not coming?"

"Definitely!" Emma said running her lips on Regina's neck.

"Didn't you have enough earlier?" Regina asked "I thought I tired you"

"I don't think it's possible to have enough of you," Emma said between kisses on Regina's cleavage.

"Good answer," Regina said and lifted Emma's chin up "But we have to go"

"Fine" Emma said pulling herself together "But I got dibs on those when we get home," Emma said pointing at Regina's breast.

"You are such a child," Regina said smiling at her.

"Perhaps," Emma said smiling back "Are you ready now?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, let's go"

Emma held Regina's hand and together they made their way out of the house to the bug. When they arrived at the Rabbit hole, everybody was already there. Emma saw them the moment they entered the door, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and even Ruby, they were all there sipping drinks and laughing. Emma smiled and waved, holding Regina's hand firmly between hers while making their way towards her friends.

"Emma! Regina!" Elsa said when they approached the table "Finally!"

"Sorry," Regina said shyly "I supposed I'm the one to blame"

"Nonsense, babe," Emma said and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear "We both know it's my fault"

"Oh my God, that's Regina," Anna said standing up "Oh, she's pretty. You're pretty"

"Thank you, dear," Regina said.

"Anna, this is my girlfriend, Regina" Emma introduced them "Regina, this is Anna, Elsa's sister"

"Hi, It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Regina said giving her hand.

"Oh, I've heard so much about you," Anna said ignoring the hand and hugging Regina "Oh, and she smells nice too"

"Okay, how much did you drink?" Emma asked the girl.

"Just a beer. Or five. Oh, Regina, this is my fiancé, Kristoff"

"Hi, there," The mand said looking at Regina.

"Hello. It's lovely to meet you"

"Likewise," The man said back to her.

"Hey," Ruby said looking at them "Do you guys want to seat down?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get us a couple of chairs," Emma said.

"I'll go. You guys just stay here"

"You don't need to do that, Ruby," Emma said.

"I don't mind"

Ruby rose from where she was sitting only to return a couple of minutes later with the waitress and two chairs. Both Emma and Regina sat down and placed their drink orders. She held Regina's hand between hers and intercalate their fingers together and listened to all of Anna's tales. Everything was an adventure with that girl. Anna initiated a conversation with Regina and looked completely enamored with her, but Emma didn't mind that. She knew Anna, and her girlfriend really was a stunning woman, it didn't surprise her that people gave Regina compliments, except when Ruby looked at her and said:

"You look very nice, Regina"

"Oh! Thank you, Ruby" Regina said politely "You look very nice yourself too"

"Thanks! I love the shoes" Ruby said.

"It's one of my favorites," Regina said back.

"They are really pretty," Ruby said.

"Thank you, dear,"

Emma was puzzled for a moment but she smiled at the interaction anyway. It was nice, that Ruby was trying. Ruby was one of her best friends, they have known each other for years and even shared a bed once, or twice. Emma loved her, as a friend and loved going to Granny's and she didn't want to give all of that up because of a silly crush. She would if she had to, without a doubt. Regina came on top of everything else, always, but she was glad that maybe, just maybe she didn't have to. The night went on and more drinks were served. Emma could tell Regina was starting to get slightly drunk as she giggled much, much more than usual. Emma squeezed her hand that was now resting on top of her thigh and Regina looked at her displaying such a beautiful smile that Emma just felt like kissing her right there and then.

The good music, as Emma put it, started to play and Regina called her up to the dance floor. Emma rose from the chair and walked hand in hand with Regina followed by Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. Regina started to sway against Emma's body, her ass moving against her pelvis made her have all sorts of impure thoughts about the woman, thoughts shouldn't have a place in her head when she was surrounded by friends. She looked to her side and saw Elsa looking back at her with a knowing smile, one that said she had just been caught. Emma rolled her eyes and sway with Regina, putting her hands on her hips and bringing the woman closer to her body. Regina wrapped her arms around her neck and gave her the slightly drunk smile again, but this time Emma didn't resist. She leaned in and captured Regina's lips on a kiss, the taste of Regina's breath invaded her making her feel dizzy. Emma wrapped her arms tighter, bringing her impossibly close to her body, and deepened the kiss. It was only when Elsa whispered something that Emma couldn't quite comprehend in her ear that she broke apart from Regina. She was surprised and slightly disappointed to realize Regina's lipstick wasn't smudged at all. Regina must have read Emma's thought, as she smirked and then said:

"Learn from last time. This is a twenty-four hours lipstick"

"It doesn't smudge?" Emma asked.

"Nope!"

"I don't like it" Emma pouted.

Regina laughed and then started to move with Emma again on the dance floor until the music changed to something neither one of them recognize as music. They decided to come back to their seats with Elsa following them. Emma excused herself to go to the bathroom but not before telling Elsa to watch out for her girl. Regina rolled her eyes but then smiled when Emma pecked her lips before leaving. Once in the bathroom, Emma ran to the booth. She really, really needed to go. All the alcohol she had consumed had finally manifest and it was a relief when she finally pee. When she was done, she left the booth and was a little taken back when she saw Ruby looking at herself in the mirror.

"Hey," Ruby said when she saw her.

"Hi," Emma said back.

"Kristoff seems nice," Ruby said and smiled.

"Yeah, he does. Anna is totally in love" Emma said while washing her hands.

"Oh yeah. I hope he is better than that other guy she was dating"

"That Hans guy?" Emma said "He was an asshole"

"Oh yeah!" Ruby laughed.

"Hey, Rubes," Emma said "Thank you"

"For what?"

"What you did earlier, praising Regina. Thank you"

"Well, she deserved it. She really does look very beautiful tonight"

"Well, she always looks beautiful to me"

"It seems like Anna isn't the only one all in love" Ruby laughed "You two look good together"

"Thanks, Rubes"

"I'm sorry. About what I did before. I was hurt"

"I'm sorry too,"

"I really like you, Emma. I don't want to lose you as a friend"

"Me neither," Emma said "But it will take some time, for things to be…back to normal"

"I know," Ruby said sincerely.

"But hey, it's a start"

"Yeah! Anyway, I should head back out"

"Oh, yeah. Me too"

"I'll go first. See you outside"

"See ya"

Ruby turned around and left the bathroom leaving Emma alone inside. She checked herself on the mirror, fixing her hair and cleaning some of the eyeliner that had smudged. When Emma left the bathroom and walked in the direction of their table, she saw Ruby sat close to Regina telling her something while Regina looked completely serious. She was frozen for a second, rage already starting to build up as she was thinking Ruby had just forgotten the conversation they had and was telling something shitty to Regina. But then, the unexpected happened. Regina laughed! Emma could hear the sound of her beautiful laugh echoing inside the bar and then her heart stopped racing so fast. It took her a second or two before her legs started to work again, only when Regina turned her head and smiled at her did her legs (or brain?) remembered how to walk again. When Emma got to their table, she kissed Regina's cheek before sitting down next to her. Ruby and Anna were telling tales about her last visit to Storybrooke. As she sat there, listening to them and seeing how they interacted with Regina, Emma couldn't help but think that this could work. They could all be friends and hang out in bars and have wonderful nights out together. Just like this one.