A/N: Part one of... Oh, I'm not even going to bother guessing what my fingers will work with this. This is a bit of an odd one for me as I don't usually write pre-existing ship fics that aren't tag-ons to my longer pieces, but I figured I'd attempt one as I may be running out of ways to write the whole 'oh, my, you're devilishly sexy', 'why thank you, as are you; off with your pants!' openings.

Enjoy, and please review!

"I still don't understand the point of all this..."

Regina frowns as she runs her finger over the irregular surface of the pumpkin grinning up at her on the Sheriff's desk.

"It's fun!"

Emma replies, not looking up from the scrawled report she strives to decipher. Smirking as she catches the arrogant sigh the Mayor offers in response, she jots a few notes at the bottom of the page before placing down her pen and tipping back in her chair to regard the darker woman properly.

"I fail to see how displaying a bunch of rotting vegetables and covering the front of the Station- which, may I add, is public property- with a poor representation of cobwebs is all that amusing... Oh, and thank you, by the way, for instilling the will to spend the evening knocking on people's doors and demanding a reward for such bothersome behaviour unto my son, Miss Swan, it's highly appreciated. I mean, you- Will you stop that?! You're going to fall."

Regina loses her train of thought as she watches the evermore precarious incline of the blonde's perch. Rolling her eyes and bringing her chair back down onto all four legs with a purposeful crash, Emma grins.

"Hmm, you let people hear you say things like that and they might begin thinking you care..."

"No, dear, I would just rather not have to worry myself with having to find someone to cover for you should you end up in hospital, despite the fact that I'm sure even Dr Hopper's dog would do a better job than yourself."

She laments with a long-suffering sigh, but Emma doesn't miss the knowing glint that dances in dark eyes and her grin widens as she shakes her head and pushes her hair out of her face.

"I'm touched."

Rolling her eyes, Regina folds her arms across her chest; feigning irritability.

"I take it you're going to be accompanying Henry tonight then, Sheriff?"

She enquires silkily, and Emma's impish smirk twitches towards finding a kinder shape; not missing the underlying fact that at no point has she been actually told 'no' since mentioning the idea of Trick or Treating with the kid. She has seen the urge to do so in the Mayor's face plenty, sure, but on this one, Regina has let her have her way; something which is not the norm by any stretch of the imagination, but is occurring more and more often, much to her pleasant surprise.

"After work, yeah, and then Ruby's invited him to the diner to help her and Granny with some spooky cupcakes or something."

"...Or 'something'?"

The brunette muses- mimicking the younger woman's inflexions in a purposefully unflattering manner- as she finds herself once again irked by Emma's very different approach to parenting. It has taken her a long time to be willing to admit that the blonde is a fit mother at all, and having worked so hard to protect Henry and keep him in her control so as not to lose him to the Sheriff, she still finds the younger woman's easy-going attitude towards things irritating.

Mostly because, try as she might, she can't quite relax enough to behave in the same manner.

Catching the frustrated note to the brunette's teasing, Emma continues with practised patience; usually enjoying their bickering in an odd sort of way, but having no wish to enter into an actual argument with the Mayor at present.

"I'll check when I see her, it was Hook that told me in the first place, so this is all third-hand information. I'll report to you as soon as I get the proper intel, Madame Mayor."

She offers a small salute which receives a dramatic sigh and the thinning of painted lips.

"What has Hook got to do with it?"

"Nothing much. I guess Ruby told him when he picked me up a coffee."

"I was unaware you were so busy you were unable to do your own coffee-run, Sheriff."

"He came and brought me coffee, Regina, not a bottle of tequila and edible underwear."

The blonde snaps irritably; tired of that particular topic of conversation after several heated exchanges of opinion since the pirate made the decision to stay in town.

"Now there's an idea..."

"Maybe, but not in the workplace, Your Majesty."

"That's probably what Hook figured too. I'll bet he has something a little stronger to offer you when you go to Granny's later, and-"

"-Oh, shut up. Enough with that! He's a friend, okay?"

"Don't tell me to shut up! He's a pirate."

"And you're the Evil Queen. If you hadn't noticed; my social circle is a little freakish."

Emma grumbles, lowering her attention back down to the document on her desk despite having no amendments to make. She supposes some people might find such harmless jealousy flattering, but she isn't the sort. Mostly due to the fact she still can't quite get her head around the fact that Regina should feel such a thing about, well, her.

"That may be, dear, but you can't deny that the man has taken a rather keen interest in you."

"So? Maybe he has, or maybe it's just Hook being Hook. Either way, it doesn't matter, because the feeling isn't mutual, which you know full well. What matters is I have a heavily-sugared mocha, and Henry has a sitter for later."

"Why, what's happening later? I'll be home. You may enjoy stalking the streets dressed like a loon, Miss Swan, but I'm not planning to partake in such nonsense."

"I'm not going to Ruby's, it's just a thing for the kids, and I know you'll be home. I was planning to pay you a visit."

"...Oh."

"And you know, it's not all nonsense, Regina."

"You're not going to convert me to advocating for sugar-highs and cheap-thrills, dear."

"No, but I might bring you round on the costume front. It's not all bedsheets and fake teeth, you know..."

"... Is that so?"

"I suppose you'll find out."

"I suppose so.'

Regina agrees; dark eyes locked on the Sheriff as the blonde continues to feign activity on the completed paper on her desk and adopting a small smile. Shaking her head at the younger woman's continual ability to both frustrate and intrigue her, she reaches towards a small bowl of candy corn that rests beside the blonde's vegetative artwork.

"Nuh-uh."

Emma admonishes as she swiftly scoops the bowl out of reach.

"Emma-"

"-No Halloween candy for non-believers."

"Honestly..."

"Yup; honestly. But don't worry, dear, I'm sure we'll make a believer out of you yet."