Emma knew where she was before even opened her eyes. The logs crackling in the fire told her everything. She rubbed her check against the soft plush blanket that covered her. Sighing contentedly, she allowed her eyes to open, and she startled.
Regina was sitting next to the couch watching her. Her eyes were wide and her brows where knitted together, and had her arms tightly wrapped around herself. Emma gave her a soft smile, and began to sit up. Regina reached out to help her, and Emma gasped looking as if Regina had just pulled off her head and revealed she was a alien lizard.
"Oh my...what...oh wow," She breathed, her eyes wide.
Regina had walked into The Snuggly Duckling wearing a long trench coat, Emma remember that when she fell into her arms.
Regina was not wearing a trench coat.
Instead she was clad in a tight black leather corset. Silver studs and buckles decorated it. It molded to her body like a second skin. The cups followed the curves of her breasts so low Emma thought she could see just a hint of dusky pink. It pushed together her breasts giving her ample cleavage. following it down it curved over her hips following the delicate arch of her hipbones it left a strip of tan flesh exposed before it was obscured by a black leather garter belt holding up a classic pair of thigh-high silk stockings also black, there was only a few inches of them exposed, before black leather began again caressing Regina's thighs and encasing her feet arching her feet up six inches and tapering in themselves back to fine narrow point. Emma looked to her left and saw a pair of black elbow length gloves thrown to the side.
Regina arched a sculpted brow and Emma blushed.
"Are you ok Emma?" Regina asked without preamble.
"Yeah, I'm sorry to bother you. Thanks for you know catching me and stuff, this dress is, um, dry clean only," Emma said looking down at said dress.
Regina nodded.
"Emma, what the hell were you doing there?"
"Hey what were you doing there," Emma asked looking defensive.
"That's none of your concern at this moment, Emma; I asked you a question," Regina snapped.
Now that she could see Emma was going to be ok, she was pissed. In her mind Emma had went out looking for someone to provide her with the same thing Regina had been providing her with, relief. It stung more than she wanted to admit, and for once Regina wished she was enough for someone. She felt her chin try and tremble and it just pissed her off even more,that she would even consider crying in front of damnable Emma Swan.
"Ruby took me," Emma said with a shrug," She wanted to get out and I needed to get away from things. If I had known what was going on I would have suggested The Rabbit Hole instead."
Emma kept her eyes down and traced patterns in the soft plush blanket.
Regina looked at Emma a long time, and finally sighed.
"You had no idea what you were walking into did you?" She said.
"Nope," Emma said looking at the ceiling.
"Emma," Regina said after a long pause,"What's going on?"
"Nothing it just took me off guard you know. I mean I'm expecting to go out, have a few drinks, dance, get hit on. Hell my worst case scenario, was having to drag Red's drunk ass up the stairs while Granny bitched at her, not seeing half of Storybrook doing things that I didn't even know fairy tale characters knew existed. God I'm glad THIS didn't make it into Henry's book!"
Regina snorted trying to hold back her laughter. Emma used humor to deflect the situation a lot of times, and Regina was determined to stay on topic.
"I can understand that, but it wasn't just the Snuggly Duckling. This has been going on awhile. It's what made you stop coming to see me wasn't it?" Regina asked.
"Yeah, well it's none of your concern, and like I said what the Hell were you doing there?" Emma snapped, feeling defensive.
"It's none of your concern," Regina snapped out in a mocking tone, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"Oh real mature there," Emma said rolling her eyes.
Regina gave her a pointed look.
"You know what if I did something wrong then just hit me, otherwise, I'm out of here," Emma said, throwing up her hands.
Regina felt like she had been slapped in the face. She glared at Emma, and felt the crackle of her magic.
"Ms. Swan I would choose my words carefully, and think before you speak," She said in a warning tone.
Emma stood up, anger and hurt giving her the strength she hadn't had in awhile.
"What are you going to do? Go ahead. You aren't going to hurt me. You can't." She said getting up in Regina's space.
Regina felt her hands tighten, she looked down at Emma, feeling foolish for ever entertaining thoughts about this woman. It was obvious Emma didn't want anything more that just an outlet. Regina nostrils flared. She panted, lips drawn back from her teeth.
Emma stepped closer challenging her. Before she could think, she locked her defiant gaze onto Regina's furious one. Hazel eyes met brown ones. Regina stopped. She looked deep within those swirling depths. She recognized at once what she saw. What was happening. Years of instincts demanded she not do it, but Regina took a step back, putting space between she and Emma.
"You may go if you wish Ms. Swan, but I will not hurt you. That's not what we are about,"She said in a calm voice, once again in control.
"Oh please you won't hurt me! That's what you do, that's what your supposed to do!" Emma said stepping up to Regina again.
"No, I won't hurt you. What I will do is provide controlled pain you consent to, either for pleasure or for release. While I may wield the instrument and while you may kneel before me, Emma. You can stop anytime. It is your right to stop it,"Regina said her voice gentle but firm.
"Oh yeah right, I can say what 'stop'? Some super special secret word? And then what?"
"It will stop Emma." Regina reached up, and in the first act of compassion she ever showed the woman she cupped Emma's cheek closing the gap between them. She cupped Emma's other cheek with her other hand, touching the blonde as if she were made of spun glass. As if she were the most precious thing in all the realms.
"Emma," Regina said her voice trembling, her dark eyes holding Emma's frantic gaze,"I will always stop."
Emma's lower lip began to shake as she shook her head.
"I will," Regina said again, and placed her hands on the trembling Savior's narrow shoulders, pulling Emma into tight hug.
Emma collapsed against Regina sobbing. Regina held the woman tight, as is she were trying to hold her together. She went with Emma as her knees buckled and she fell to the floor. Sobs shaking her. Emma kept shaking her head, trying to deny what Regina was saying. She had no rights, she gave those up when she walked into the room with Regina or anyone else.
"But I wanted it,"Emma sobbed out,"I asked for it!"
"Yes, and here you can ask for it to stop if you want it to," Regina said,"And it will."
Emma sobbed harder.
"You don't understand!"
"Emma, I understand more than you will ever realize," Regina said sadly.
Emma looked at her with wide eyes, searching, finding and connecting. She cupped Regina's cheek.
"Oh Gina, I'm so sorry," Emma said tears trailing down her face.
"And I am sorry as well Emma," Regina said brushing Emma's hair back.
Emma collapsed against Regina and both women held each other. Drawing and giving comfort as their tears mingled and their bodies rocked together melding into one. Each damaged, each broken, and each finding in the other, the thing they had yearned for the most, understanding, compassion, and healing.
After what seemed like hours Emma pulled away from Regina and gave the other woman a watery smile.
"Wow," she said. She wanted to make a quip to lighten the situation, but couldn't think of anything to say.
Regina returned the watery smile.
"It's late," Regina said.
"Yeah, the kid is a pretty sound sleeper, but I really thought he would have heard all of that," Emma said leaning back against the desk.
Regina gave Emma a cautious look, as if Emma had lost her mind.
"Emma," Regina said slowly,"Henry is at your place. Your parents said that they wanted to have him tonight."
"I had no clue," Emma said.
"Really," Regina said, her lips pursing. Emma ducked her head, Regina must think she was a really bad parent, not even knowing where her son was at, going bar hopping.
"Hey I'm really sorry; you must think I am a huge screw-up," Emma said bowing her head hair falling around her face.
"On the contrary Ms. Swan my ire is not directed at you,but at your parents who said that you were staying home with the baby, and that they thought you would enjoy the company," Regina's lips pinched together.
She had briefly entertained the thought that maybe Emma had been so distracted that She had forgotten, but the way that James had worded things Henry was meant to be a happy surprise for Emma. That was another reason Regina had been so confused at seeing Emma at the "Snuggly Duckling". Who had been with Henry?
"What time was this?" Emma said a feeling of dread mixed with rage growing in the pit of her stomach.
Regina looked at Emma and sensed something larger than mixed communications was going on.
"Around 8:45, why?"
Emma began to see red her eyes narrowed and her mouth stood agape.
"No fucking way,"she whispered in her tone a mixture of deadly rage and disbelief/
Anger radiated off of her almost palpable, it charged the air surrounding her as she got up and began to pace around the room looking for her leather jacket, it had keys and she needed keys.
"Emma," Regina said trying to keep her voice neutral. She knew one of them had to be calm, though from the rage seething off Emma, that may not be for much longer.
"Surely they aren't that stupid. Surely not, of all the selfish fuc-were are my shoes!?" Emma snapped, her rage directionless.
"Fuck it I'll drive barefooted," she snarled and strode to the door.
"EMMA!" Regina barked out, "HERE! NOW!"
At the commanding tone of the former queen, Emma's rage slowly leaked out of her, leaving her empty. She shuffled over to the other woman her head bowed, longing for physical comfort. Even though they had just shared such an intimate moment before, Emma was afraid to ask for another, she was afraid that she would be too demanding and run Regina off.
No one would ever want her, especially with all of her baggage. It had been proven over and over again, like a bad fortune cookie.
Regina sensed the need in Emma, not just for the physical comfort but also to ground her. She did not know if Emma was aware of how close her magic had been. While Emma had gotten good at controlling the sheer volume of rage Emma had experienced could have easily cause severe problems.
She wrapped her arms around the blonde and pulled her into a comforting steady embrace. She kept her breathing slow and steady and after a few moments, she felt Emma relax into her body picking up her breathing patterns.
"Now, Emma, you will tell me what's going on. You will tell me in a calm voice, and you will keep yourself in check. If you do not do so I shall be displeased. There is a time for emotion, and right now though you have every right to feel the way you do, you need to talk with me," Regina said in a firm voice that brooked no room for argument. The tone plus Regina's outfit had the proper effect on Emma.
"Yes Milady," She said dipping her head again.
Regina led them over to one of the couches and seated them side by side, in case the blonde needed her again.
"What's going on?"
"I think my parents left Henry alone with Neil," Emma said.
The next few moments were and exercise in self control for the brunette, her first reaction had been similar to Emma's except with more fireballs. She suddenly understood the absolute rage that Emma was feeling. She took a cleansing breath, and the a few more.
"Emma I trust you implicitly,however are you sure this is the case?"
"No that's why I was going to go over there, and see about things," Emma said trying to match Regina's calm tone.
"Alright then that's what we are going to do," Regina said rising to her feet. She turned and strode out the door, with Emma trailing behind her. She turned as she was getting ready to leave, and noticed Emma's bare feet. She opened the small broom closet and pulled out a pain of clogs Regina used when working around the yard.
"Um...Regina?" Emma said unsure if she should address her normally, since she did not get a repercussion she continued,"Urm you're gonna wanna put on a coat."
Regina looked down and smirked. She could imagine the look on the Charming's bland little faces if she showed up like this. However for Emma's sake as well as Henry's should he be up, she grabbed the long trench coat and cinched it at the waist as they walked out the door. Regina strode to the her car and Emma slipped inside.
They drove down the quiet streets of Storybrook, looking for answers and to raise some hell if need be.
