A.N. It looks like I had one more story left in me for SQ .. I started working on this last fall while watching s1 of Vampire Diaries. My muse kicked in for Regina and Emma and well .. this story happened. I almost have it finished, so I wanted to start posting it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. And I hope you don't mind that I made it a G!P story. The song Regina and Emma dance to in this chapter is, Personal Jesus (Marilyn Manson version) Love to all ~
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"Earth to Regina .. hello .. " Fingers quickly snap as a hand waves around her face and Regina's gaze focuses on her friends annoyed features.
"I'm sorry Kat .. I got distracted."
"Yeah, no shit." Kat follows Regina's gaze to see what has captured her attention so fully. Her eyes fall onto a lean and beautiful blonde haired senior sitting against a tree. Nose buried in a hardcover book. Kat's lips curl into a big all knowing grin and Regina rolls her eyes at her best friend.
"Don't tease, it's unbecoming."
"So is that aching crush you got going on for her, Regina. Very unbecoming." Kat's perfect smile smirks at her.
Regina puts her arm through Kat's and steers her in the other direction. The girl glances up from her book and watches Regina as she walks away and feels her cheeks heat up from a blush.
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The sun is slowly rising, it's rays glistening through scattered clouds making the sky a prism of light pinks and purples. Emma slips off her sunglasses and her eyes sting a bit from the harshness of morning's early light. She suffers through the discomfort as her ears pick up the familiar sound approaching. Regina is jogging along the wooded trail, her breath steady and even as it matches her heartbeat. And Emma can hear it a quarter of a mile away. The tingle of anticipation rushes through her as she steadies herself in her familiar perch. A sturdy branch attached to her favorite tree. The sounds of the forest mix with Regina's footsteps as Emma sits on the wide branch and waits. It doesn't take long before Regina is in her eyesight and Emma's gaze never wavers as she watches the stunning brunette.
Regina's gone too soon as Emma leans her head against the rough bark of the tree, listening to the other woman's departure. She closes her eyes and memorizes the echo of a heartbeat as it grows fainter. She jumps down and someone grabs her. She reacts without even thinking as her fingers grip a wrist and flips the person onto their back.
"What the hell, Lilith?" Emma glares down at the other young woman.
"I could ask you the same thing Emma. You need to stop pining, it's embarrassing. And I'm tired of covering for you."
Emma puts her hand out and Lilith takes the peace offering, allowing the help back to her feet. Not that she needs it, Emma can't help but think. Her sister is more agile than herself and that is saying something.
"Seriously, Emma .. it's forbidden. You can't mate with a human. Like ever." Her piercing brown eyes stare down her sister's questioning gaze. "And you know this." She sighs as she pushes Emma forward. "Let's go."
"Well, maybe - "
"Maybe, what? Bryce and Eva will just walk up to you and say, hey, you know what, the cardinal rule of our kind has changed. You're free to shack up with any human you want champ, so go for it." Lilith rolls her eyes and begins to walk ahead of Emma. "You're delusional if you think that will ever happen."
"I was gonna say, maybe Regina and I could be friends." Emma's eyes light up as she glances at her sister and her sister can only stare back in bewilderment.
"And how will you explain the drool dripping from your fangs whenever you're around her?" She gives Emma a wink that stirs Emma to sock her in the arm.
"Very funny." Emma murmurs.
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"I'm sorry, you did what?" Regina stares at Kat and her friend smiles back at her. Showing off her pearly whites.
"Well, if I wait for you to make a move, we'll all be in wheelchairs." She runs a brush through her hair until Regina grabs it and throws it onto the bed.
"You need to undo it and undo it now."
"I can't even if I wanted to which I don't by the way." Her grin manages to grow even brighter and Regina wonders for half a minute if she could get away with murder.
"Katherine Marie if you don't - "
"Using my middle name isn't going to work, Regina. We aren't ten anymore."
"Really, because what you did is extremely childish, Katherine."
"No, it's romantic. And you two can quite literally sweep the other one off of her feet."
Regina storms out of the room yelling, "And stop grinning!"
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The next day, Regina is biting her thumb nail, nervously shuffling her feet as she leans back against the gym wall. She had tried feigning being sick earlier that morning but her mother has a superpower skill of knowing when she is lying. Or more accurately trying to pull the wool over her eyes as her mom likes to claim. Kat sidles up to stand next to her and she turns to glare at her friend. "I loathe you."
"Yeah, yeah .. I expect you to name your first girl after me by the way." She teases as her light blue eyes dance with mischief.
Emma walks past them just then and Regina feels her heart rate pick up and her eyes narrow a little as she catches Emma tilt her head a bit in her direction. She thinks she sees a light flush darken Emma's pale features but the other woman picks up her pace and turns her face away. Regina's thoughts are hushed as the school's dance teacher comes in. She feels butterflies drop into her stomach and cause havoc as the man begins to speak. She gulps from her water bottle as she hears her name announced and then Emma's.
Emma's head snaps up as she hears her name and her gaze catches Regina's.
Oh shit.
She feels her mouth open a little and then quickly shuts it as she swallows hard.
This can't be happening.
She pinches her wrist but no, she's awake and so not dreaming right now. She feels herself being pushed forward a little and then she is standing in front of Regina and she thinks her heart is going to stop. Which is technically impossible for her but still, she feels herself trying to catch her breath before she quietly mumbles, "Hi."
"Hello." Regina's voice is crisp and neutral. But her rapid heartbeat echos in Emma's ear as deep brown eyes stare into her own piercing green.
"Okay, ladies .. let's go with the Viennese Waltz. I want you two to take it from the top and make us all feel that something .. let's see what you got."
The music starts, filling up all the molecules inside the room and Regina feels Emma's hand slip into her own as her other hand ghosts slowly down her side, until it rests against her hip. The lyrics and beat surround them like heat from a blue flame and then everything and everyone else just disappears. Emma leads, strong and sure and Regina falls into the rhythm, melts toward Emma.
"Reach out and touch faith .. your own .. personal Jesus.. someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares .. "
All Emma can feel is the vibration of the lyrics, the music, the vibration of Regina. Her breath as it whispers by her ear, when Emma draws her close against her. Her heartbeat as their chests touch briefly through the graceful swirls. It feels like lifetimes flow through her whenever her gaze locks with Regina's and their fingertips touch. The music eventually stops and they hold the last pose, with Regina being held in a dip while Emma leans her face down close to her chest. The applause sounds thunderous to Emma's ears but doesn't outshine Regina's heartbeat.
Regina squeezes her side a little before she breaks hold and pulls herself away. Emma and Regina touch fingertips as their arms outstretch and then both women take a bow. Emma wonders if Regina felt what she did while they were dancing. That different rush of lifetimes feeling that had swept through her. Did she feel it too? She wants to ask, knows she never will though as Regina takes a few steps away from her and waits for the teacher's critique.
Jefferson is smiling a cheshire cat grin as he approaches them. "That ladies and gents is what chemistry looks like! You two have it in spades! Simply brilliant! We found our couple .. excellent! Now, let's start on the group dances .. "
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"I think you two broke Jefferson." Kat laughs as she swipes some deodorant under her arms before pulling on a new shirt. She crumples her work out clothes into a ball and stuffs them into a bag for washing later.
"Hmm..mm." Regina nods her head and sits down to tie her shoes.
Kat leans against her gym locker and stares at her friend. "So, how did it feel dancing with her?"
Regina looks up and catches her gaze before she feels herself smiling. "It felt .. gosh, Kat .. it felt like I'd been .." She shakes her head and waves her hand. "Forget about it .. it will sound stupid."
Kat sits down next to her on the bench and squeezes her hand. "Tell me."
Regina smiles again and whispers, "It felt like I've danced lifetimes with her."
Kat hugs her and squeals, "Wow, that's some Notebook shit right there." Regina rolls her eyes but can't stop grinning.
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Emma isn't able to enjoy the high she feels after dancing with Regina. Her sister saw to that. She runs through the forest, letting the rush of the trees tingle through her bones as she tries to silence her sister's disgruntled remarks from earlier. But it doesn't work as the memory grips her.
"God, Emma .. her smell is all over you. You need to drop dance. Stop being such a lovesick fool over this girl. Seriously."
Emma stops and falls down to the ground, on her knees. She wipes the tears from her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. She quickly gets up and walks to the rock wall that is jutting out from one side of the woods. She begins punching it. Over and over as chips of rock fly around her. She doesn't care what her sister says. She has made up her mind, she's gonna dance with Regina. And cherish the time she gets to spend with the other girl. Her feelings and heart be damned. Everything else be damned. She's so absorbed in her own thoughts, her own actions that she doesn't hear the running footsteps approaching. The other heartbeat taking up space around her, until she feels a hand on her shoulder.
"What are you doing? Stop it, Emma!"
Emma whirls around and her eyes widen as she takes in who is standing in front of her. She feels her hands being tugged and then Regina is looking down at them. She tries to pull away but Regina grips her wrists and Emma has to pretend she is human. That Regina is stronger as her eyes glance down too and take in what Regina is seeing. No marks. Her skin is perfectly intact.
"How .. I don't understand .. " Regina lets her go and turns to the rock wall. She touches some of the chipped pieces, her fingertips grazing the choppy surface before turning back to Emma. Emma expects her to start screaming, or running. Probably both. She waits for it, holding her breath, wincing internally.
Regina doesn't scream and she doesn't run. She puts her hands on her hips and stares Emma down. Face to face with no sign of fear or disgust, she simply asks, "Who are you?"
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"Feeling alone .. flesh and bone by the telephone .. things in your chest you need to confess.. reach out and touch faith .. your own personal Jesus .. "