A/N: Thank you all who have been reading this story. Just a friendly reminder, if you don't have anything nice to say on this or any of my stories- don't bother reviewing your negativity on here. You want attention, but you won't get it from me. Your comments will just be ignored and deleted. Us authors write for fun and to provide a different world of enjoyment for our readers. Thanks! :) Happy reading!
Emma gathered up a few leaves she had cut down from one of the coconut trees with a machete she kept inside her plane. Thank God she carried it around. She whistled a tune to herself while she cut off another long and wide leaf and gathered it with the rest she tossed by her feet. She was starving, and the only way to get any food around here was to blend in with her surroundings.
Regina had no idea what the blonde was doing, and she didn't dare ask. She quietly observed her from afar as a ghost of a smile wanted to tug at the corner of her lips. Okay, so Emma may be annoying ninety-nine percent of the time- sure, but she wasn't bad looking. Even she had to admit that to herself. And not that she couldn't tell before, but from the look of her arms, she sure took care of herself physically. They weren't bulky and greatly muscular, but you could tell she worked out.
What the hell am I doing? The brunette shook her head, shaking herself from the trance she had suddenly found herself in. What was she doing? She was an engaged woman, and she had to think about Daniel and how worried he must be over her. She knew he would be looking for her over hail or high water. She just hoped they would be found soon.
About an hour or two later, Emma came out from within the island jungle wearing the long wide leaves like a tee-pee over her head. She had carved out a sharp tip from a long tree branch and was holding it as she walked past the brunette who sat down on the sand rubbing lotion all over her legs. A sight Emma took notice in. The woman did have a great pair of legs.
"Whoa! Are you going on a date?" Regina's brow raised, glancing at the blonde as if she were crazy, wondering why she was wearing such a thing over her.
"Do you like it?" Asked Emma, standing before the brunette, showing off her creation.
"Oh, yeah, it's all you." She smiled as she said this sarcastically, standing to her feet. "Why the fashion statement?" She asked her.
"Going hunting."
"Oh, hunting! For what, might I ask?"
Emma pointed straight ahead using her spike.
Regina's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open upon seeing three beautiful peacock birds along the sand. She isn't really going to kill them. Is she?! She wondered, her suspicions confirmed upon seeing Emma heading right toward them.
"No. You wouldn't! They are magnificent creatures!"
"And I hear they taste just like chicken." Emma stated, continuing her journey toward the birds.
"Chicken?" Regina scoffed, giving her back to the blonde to avoid being a witness to this animal slaughter.
They may be stranded and lost for good, but you couldn't beat this sight of the night beach. Regina hated to admit it, but this night, out in the open under a sky filled with millions of stars, and an amazing dinner being prepared by Emma herself over a bonfire beat any night she's ever enjoyed in her life.
The poor defenseless birds might have been slaughtered, but she couldn't deny her hunger was protesting for her to have at least a taste of the delightful scented cooked prey. She circled the blonde, watching how easy she had cooked up one of the birds, pouring a red liquid over it, to give it a better taste she would imagine.
"Maybe I should have a taste. You know, in case someday someone asks me if I've ever tried peacock before, I could say, 'Yes, I have.'" Her mouth watered as she said this.
"You won't regret it." Emma grinned, giving the brunette a small wink, she knew she would end up giving in. "Not to brag, but I'm a pretty good cook."
"Oh, yeah? What, are you a chef in your spare time?" She asked sarcastically.
A tiny smirk stretched over the corner of Emma's lip, "While I finish up here, make yourself useful. Why don't you drag one of those crates over here." She nodded toward the crates. "There's some extra leaves I cut down, spread them on top of the crate. We'll use them as plates."
"Okay." Regina happily helped with that, dragging the less heavier crate along the sand, near where Emma was cooking. Next she grabbed the leaves and spread them on top of the crate like a tablecloth. "What do you think? If this was a date, I think I would have charmed you." She grinned proudly at her masterpiece.
Emma's brow raised at the woman's comment, but decided to walk over to the water quickly to rinse her hands and grabbed a couple of empty coconuts she had prepared by cutting them in half to use as cups and served them some alcohol that came in one of the crates as their beverage.
Regina watched her set everything up with ease, truly impressed at her skills. She had some after all, at least enough to not have them die of starvation.
"Watch out. It's hot." Emma quickly moved along with the cooked bird and placed it on the leaves Regina had set up on top of the crate.
The brunette's lips parted, a tiny gasp escaping her upon seeing a pale hand hold a beautiful light pink flower that Emma held and tucked it right near her hair and her ear. Their eyes connect. There was total silence, where only the waves crashing was the only sound they could hear. Was she trying to be the charming one? She couldn't help but think to herself, deciding not to ask.
And judging from the blush on Emma's cheeks, she also decided to get straight to yanking off a leg of the cooked bird and handing it over to Regina.
"Ladies first." She said.
"Thank you." Regina delicately grabbed the leg using her fingertips. She hesitated at first, but once she saw Emma take a bite out of the leg she yanked for herself, she dug right into hers.
"So?" Asked Emma, seeing the brunette's expression turned into a surprised one.
"Oh, my God, mmm!" Regina took another bite. This was possibly the best cooked meal she had ever had. "Okay, you were right. Chicken. Definitely chicken."
Emma grinned, winking her way once again. Her eyes couldn't help but remain glued to the brunette. With that flower in her hair, and in this light that the night's sky and stars above them provided, along with the campfire that surrounded them, she couldn't help to think how beautiful this woman was. When she wasn't being bitchy about the situation they found themselves in. Which, Emma also had to admit, right now it wasn't so bad.
As for Regina, she wouldn't say this out loud or admit it to Emma, but in this light, she really enjoyed looking into the woman's emerald eyes. How could she never notice the color of green in them before or how beautiful they were?
"Have you always been a pilot?" Asked Regina, feeling that this was the right moment to enter in a conversation. Why not get to know her companion a little better?
Emma nodded, chewing through her food. "All my grown up life."
"Doing what?"
"All kinds of flying." Emma shrugged, not wanting to think about that so she just kept her answers short. "I had my own successful business for a while."
Impressive. "What happened?" Regina wondered.
She happened. Another shrug, "I just found a better way of life, that's all."
"Mhm." There was something else, Regina could see it in the woman's eyes which were clear as day. But she wasn't about to press on it.
"I came out here. I have my own little house on the beach."
"Oh?"
"I have my plane-" Emma glares over at the busted plane. "Had my plane. I have peace and quiet, just living the life every person dreams of."
"You're just a big kid living out her childhood dream, huh? Until you turn twelve, then you'll have a new dream." She chuckled at her own joke, her smirk gone upon seeing a frown appear on Emma's lips. "I'm sorry. That was out of line."
A tiny smirk appeared on the blonde's lips again as she shook her head. "No."
"I've just been a little moody since we've been shipwrecked, you know?" She respected Emma's silence.
Real smooth, Regina. Regina scolded herself in silence, drinking the rest of her beverage really quickly and in silence.
"More?" The blonde offered.
"Please." Regina held out her coconut, smiling as Emma served her a little more to drink.
"I guess, in a way you're right." Said Emma after taking a drink of her freshly served beverage.
"How so?"
"I guess I can be a big kid sometimes. But, believe me, I can be a grown up when the occasion calls for it." She smirked, gaining an eye roll from the brunette who suddenly became nauseous.
"I was wondering when you would say something to make me nauseous." Said Regina with a groan.
"Hey, I'm being honest. What can you be honest about?" Asked Emma.
It didn't take Regina long to think about her answer. "Despite the unfortunate circumstances…"
"Mhm." Emma nodded, giving the woman all of her attention.
"This has been the best time on my vacation." She went silent for a moment, a smile tugging on her lips matching Emma's.
After their dinner and a couple of more drinks, Emma suggested they would wash up on the beach, which Regina was all for the idea. It wasn't like they were going to take their clothes off, far from it. They were just washing off their hands and faces, cooling off.
Emma poured water over her face, getting a couple of her strands of hair wet in the process. She was already feeling the effects of the alcohol.
"Look at that sky. You don't see a sky like that in New York." She made Regina look up with her.
"You're right about that. That is a beautiful sky." Regina agreed, almost losing her balance upon feeling a wave crash against her legs.
"Whoa," Emma caught onto her, grabbing her by the arm. "Are you alright?"
Regina broke into a fit of giggles. "Yes. I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. I'm fine. I'm just a little tipsy from the drinks." She grinned, noticing that the blonde's face was only a few inches away from her face.
Emma couldn't understand it, but in that moment, holding onto the brunette and looking into her eyes made her feel things she hadn't felt in a very long time. And it scared her.
"I'm sorry." She murmured, releasing the brunette.
"Don't be sorry. But, you don't always have to be a savior." Regina blinked, actually wanting to remain close to the woman. But she was glad she had pulled away. Or God knows what would have happened between them. Because either it was the drinks or the fact that they were alone in the middle of God knows where, or both, if Emma would have wanted- she would have kissed her.
She had to remind herself that she was engaged. She couldn't cheat on Daniel. Besides, Emma wasn't her favorite person in the world.
"Just trying to help." Lies. She knew better and she hated herself for it. She would kiss Regina if she could.
"Thank you. For helping me, and for dinner. Good night, Ms. Swan."
"Emma."
"Emma. Good night." Regina nodded, walking off to sleep inside the plane.
"Good night." The blonde waved, plopping down onto the crate and reaching for the rest of the whiskey bottle. "Smooth. Real smooth." She spoke to herself, drinking away the remainder of the night.