A/N: The big SQ moment has finally arrived! That's all I have to say. :) Happy reading!
Emma was never one to worry about what she looked like during a dinner date- wait, date? She shook her head. This wasn't a date. Absolutely not a date.
Why would she even think that?
The blonde stood in front of the mirror in Audrey's room and glanced over at a picture she had developed that she and Audrey took upon going on their tour of the city. They were lying on the grass and Audrey was cupping her face with both hands while Emma held her camera up toward the sky's length. Both wore matching smiles.
She wore dress up pants, a white buttoned up shirt and her blue leather jacket, remembering that Regina had liked it.
Emma couldn't understand why she was feeling so nervous about a simple dinner with her girlfriend's mother. This wasn't a date. She kept repeating that to herself. Because it wasn't.
She just loved seeing Regina smile above and beyond all things that ever caused her to frown or cry.
Emma wanted to show her a great time, help her make up for every sad moment she had to live within these four walls.
She wanted to show her that not everyone was as cold hearted and cruel as her husband was.
That she was different.
Why?
For the simple task of seeing Regina smile again.
Her thumb- unknowingly- danced along the railing of the staircase as she waited at the bottom of the stairs for Regina to make her way down.
And as if on cue, and without fail, she turned to be surprised by Regina as she made her way down the stairs. She had left her pencil skirt, but decided to change her blouse to a purple one instead. Her hair was straightened and absolutely matching her eyes. Who on earth could match her hair to go along with the brown color of her eyes, if not Regina?
Emma licked her lips once over, lubricating the sudden dryness of them as she swallowed down saliva for more lubrication. "Hi," she breathed out. Her green eyes locked into deep chocolate brown ones.
"Hello." Regina nodded with a small smile of her own directed at Emma.
Emma shook herself out of the sudden trance she found herself in. "Shall we?" She motioned toward the door, waving at Sidney as he waved back before exiting the house and heading toward her trusty yellow bug once again. The all familiar creak of the passenger door loudly alerting them that it was still there.
Throughout the entire ride to a small little corner restaurant that Emma had stumbled upon during a late night online search, she couldn't keep herself from glancing over at Regina out of the corner of her eye. Trying her best not to make it so obvious that she was in fact staring.
Stop staring! You'll make it obvious.
Surely, enough, upon having that thought, it was as if Regina could read her mind because then and there, she decided to look her way, which caused Emma to fiddle with her radio as a mere distraction.
"Do I get to know where we're going?" Regina asked, obviously oblivious about Emma's gawking.
It was like a sigh of relief for the blonde as she smiled and felt more free to stare her way.
"Just this little place I found online. No big deal." Emma smiled before moving her eyes before the road ahead of them.
Not a big deal? It was a very big deal. For Regina.
She had never experienced anything like this before in her life.
Then again, she had never experienced anything like Emma.
The brunette glanced down, feeling something vibrate inside of her purse, and as she dug through it she found that it was her cell. It was Audrey. Her heart stopped and her eyes grew wide upon looking directly at Emma.
"It's Audrey." She breathed.
She couldn't understand why she was feeling so nervous. They weren't doing anything wrong.
Emma didn't ask questions, she didn't wonder why Audrey was calling her mother instead of her, she simply pulled over to the side of the road, shut off her engine and waited.
"Hi, sweetheart. How is Colorado?" Regina smiled, even if Audrey couldn't see her. Her eyes moved toward Emma, who's intense stare remained on her.
"It's been fantastic! Wait until I show you what I've bought Emma."
"I can't wait to see it. I'm sure whatever it is, it's lovely, dear."
"Speaking of which, do you have any idea of where she is?"
"What do you mean?" Regina's brow furrowed.
"Well, I keep calling her cell but she seems to have it off. Either that, or her battery died, because it goes directly to voicemail."
Regina looked over to Emma, who had no clue what was being discussed at the moment between mother and daughter. "She must be asleep. I saw her head upstairs earlier tonight, said something about having a headache."
God, she was a terrible liar.
"Oh. Well, good thing I'll be home tomorrow. The trip was cut a little short, because dad has to get back to work sooner than he anticipated. He is not happy."
"Oh," Regina's heart sank, and she could hear a chuckle from her daughter following close behind.
"Well, I won't come home if you don't want me to." She joked, leaving Regina no choice but to chuckle along.
It's not that she didn't want her coming back home. She just didn't expect for her time with Emma to last so little.
"Don't be ridiculous, Audrey. Of course I want you home. I miss you," her eyes darted over to Emma, who's lips part in surprise.
It's then that the blonde reaches for her phone within her pants pockets and turns it on to discover more than ten missed calls from Audrey.
"I miss you, too, mom. I bought you something as well. Well, dad helped me pick it out. I really hope you like it."
"I'm sure I'll love it, dear."
"Oh, I have to go. Dad wants us to go out for dinner and you know how he is- but, I will see you soon, okay? Be sure to let Emma know I called."
"I will." The corner to the brunette's lip barely curled into a smile. "Bye." Once she hung up, she didn't make eye contact with Emma, she simply asked one question. "You turned off your phone?"
That's when her eyes made contact with green gentle ones.
"I didn't want to be disturbed." Emma answered truthfully, her eyes trained on Regina's features.
Silence lingered within the confinement of the car, a silence Emma didn't like one bit.
"Gina-" before she could even ask her question, Regina jumped right in.
"Why did you invite me out tonight, Emma?" She faced the blonde, directly this time.
Emma let out a surprised sound that caught in her throat, stuttering through her words. "I-" She took a moment to collect her thoughts, her eyes trained on Regina's, even through the darkness of the car. "Because I wanted to show you a good time. What's wrong with that?"
That was true. But, it was also because she wanted to show Regina that even she deserved a little good within the only cruel world she knew.
Stupidly enough, Regina was hoping for another reason, but of course that wasn't it.
"No." The brunette stated, smiling to the best of her abilities.
A smile that appeared sad to Emma. "Look, Gina…" She paused, because she hated the thought of canceling this dinner plan they had set up for both of them. "If you want to just go on home, I totally understand-"
"No!" Regina's eyes grew wider than Emma had ever seen them, it silenced her. "I don't." She shook her head.
The words no and don't had never warmed Emma's heart more than ever. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her lip.
"Are you sure?" She asked for reassurance, because she would not make her go through with this or anything she didn't feel like facing. Even an innocent dinner invitation.
"Just drive, Ms. Swan." Regina's voice was as stern as her stare and Emma couldn't help but smirk.
"Yes, ma'am."
The engine roared to life before seconds later, the yellow bug drove on.
"Blue Moon?" Regina faced Emma once again, who wore a smile across her lips.
"Come on." Emma exited the car, rushing over to the passenger door and holding it open for Regina as she made her way out and toward the little corner restaurant where Emma was already holding the main door open for her.
"Thank you." Regina gave a little smile, because no one had ever held the door open for her before.
Emma certainly was a giver of many firsts for her.
"Good evening." A man dressed in all black nodded with a smile. "Welcome to the Blue Moon. Names?"
Regina never imagined they would need to give their names for a small place like this.
The restaurant was all lit up with candles all over, a few stems of leaves hanging here and there, the walls made entirely of brick. Low music was playing throughout the speakers that gave the restaurant a tranquil state. There was a patio just out back that seemed to be more private, which is exactly where Regina would choose to sit over remaining somewhere inside.
"Good evening," Emma gave a polite nod, while Regina smiled.
"Name?"
"Swan, Emma." Even backwards, Emma's name sounded heavenly to Regina's ears.
"Right this way, please." The man tucked two menus underneath his arm as he walked them all the way across the restaurant, in between two tables, and right out the double patio doors.
Regina was in awe.
The patio was set up with a white trellis wall, wrapped in green plants. There were a few square clothed tables set outside within the walled space, with candles right in the center of each set. It was something out of the many books Regina has read.
"Here you are," he motioned toward their table, and as he sat he asked, "May I start you with some beverages? Wine perhaps?"
"Uh- sweet tea for me, please." Regina gives the man a kind smile, eyeing Emma as a reassurance that her choice in beverage was okay.
It was more than okay.
"Make that two, please." Emma gave a kind smile over to Regina.
"Two sweet teas," the man wrote down their order, "I'll give you a moment to decide what you'll want for this evening while I bring your beverages." He smiled, going on his way.
"Thank you." Both women say in unison, staring back at each other once they were left alone.
The princes weren't too bad, they weren't cheap, but it wasn't overly expensive either. Regina already knew Emma was treating her to dinner, so she couldn't say or fight her about it as she glanced down at the menu.
"How did you find this place?" She asked the blonde.
"I did some searching," Emma smiled, earning herself a smile in return from the brunette before glancing down at her menu. "So, upon the reviews I read, it was said that the steak here is pretty good. New York strip steak to be precise." She pointed to the name down the list. "Or they have chicken, or salmon, pretty much anything you want to choose from."
So many choices. Regina couldn't remember the last time she got to choose what she wanted to eat, let alone anything as she scanned through the menu.
This wasn't her first time having dinner, but it was her first time getting to decide on her own.
Regina smiled as she looked through the menu. Salmon would be good, but also chicken. Then again, she couldn't remember the last time she had a great, soft steak the way she liked it. Anytime she cooked steak, they all had to be cooked well done because that's how he liked them.
Well, tonight it was her choice.
Given that the restaurant was small, and possibly reaching its limit of customers, their tea was delivered to them by a different waiter.
"Thank you." Emma nodded.
"Thank you." Regina smiled, taking a small sip of her tea.
"Do you know what you'll be wanting this evening or do you need another moment?" The kind waiter asked, flashing a smile their way.
"Um," Emma's eyes moved over to Regina, allowing her to go first.
Another first for Regina as she quickly glanced down at her menu, "Yes, I do, I think I'll have the steak tonight, please. Medium rare." She handed over the menu after the young waiter wrote down her order.
"Excellent choice, ma'am. Our steaks are our most excellent dishes. Will you be having vegetables or mashed potatoes with that?"
"Vegetables, please."
"And for you, miss?" The waiter turns to Emma.
"I'll have the same, please. Thank you." Emma hands over her menu.
"Another steak with vegetables, coming up." He scatters away, leaving them alone to enjoy the soft melody playing along the outside speakers.
Regina couldn't help but feel guilt build up in the pit of her stomach. Even if her and Emma were just having dinner- they were having dinner- which she couldn't tell Audrey about because she was a married woman and she was here, enjoying dinner with someone else that wasn't her husband. Not that Leopold ever cared to take her out to dinner, just the two of them like a normal couple would. Which, Regina supposed, was why this all felt very new. Very private.
She had to be private. She was forced to be, given Leopold's acts of jealousy toward anyone or anything she did without his knowledge.
It wasn't her fault.
And it certainly wasn't Emma's.
Even if she did feel guilt over making her lie to Audrey about possibly where she was right now. Emma had turned off her phone for the evening, leaving her daughter to worry and wondering where she was.
Who did that over a simple dinner if this wasn't some sort of a date?
No. Stop. Emma is kind, she is pure hearted. She would never cheat on Audrey. Especially not with you- "Regina?" Emma's voice startles the brunette directly out of her thoughts. And Regina can't explain why her heart ached as much as it did right now. "Are you okay?" The blonde asks.
"Why do you ask?"
"You looked a little gone for a minute." Emma kept her eyes trained on the brunette. And suddenly, she wondered, "Are you- does this make you uncomfortable?" There's a frown thinned out on Emma's lips.
No. "I-" Don't want this to end. "This is a first for me." Regina smiles. "No one's ever invited me out to dinner before."
"No one?" Emma's head cocks to one side, her ears unable to believe what she just heard. How was that possible?
"No." Regina shook her head, taking another sip of her tea to hide a blush from creeping up her cheeks. "It's alright, you don't have to look so shocked." She chuckled. "You've seen my situation, Emma."
She has, and Emma hated every bit of it.
"Would it-" Emma's frown deepened after she took a much needed sip of her tea. "Would it make me a monster if I said that I wished he would never come back?"
Emma calling herself a monster? That was unforbidden.
"You?" Regina chuckled this time, feeling a little more at ease regarding her feelings toward the girl. "A monster?" She shook her head. "That's impossible, dear. You couldn't possibly be a monster. Besides, aren't you the one who once told me that you've had your fair share of dark thoughts before and that it was normal to have them?"
Emma feels more at ease to smile. Her dimples that Regina finds absolutely endearing become visible before her eyes. "You remember that?"
"I remember a lot of things, Emma." Especially things that had to do with her.
"So," Emma rested her hand over the table, casually, as if expecting something, but not really. Her voice soft, "What do you think of the place?"
"It's very… Romantic?" It wasn't a question, but calling it for what it felt.
"I suppose it is," Emma smiled as she looked around the outside.
"Why here?" Regina finally asks. "You could have picked somewhere else. I mean, this is the kind of place you'd want to share with Audrey, isn't it?"
Emma's heart stopped, and as she opened her mouth to speak their waiter came by with their steaks and vegetables and Emma had never been more grateful about anything more in her life than she was right now.
After thanking him in unison once again, and sharing a quick glance across the table, both dug right into their meals, cutting their way through their steaks in silence.
Truthfully, Emma had been asking herself that same question ever since the night she had asked Regina to join her for a nice quiet dinner. Why here? Regina had a point. She could have picked anywhere that was less romantic as she had called it.
She didn't have an answer. That was her truth. Just like she couldn't explain why her heart had been drumming inside of her chest upon sharing that slow dance from this morning near the water fountain at the park with Regina. Nor why she wanted to do it again.
"How is it?" Emma finally broke the silence that surrounded them, hoping to God, Regina wouldn't become persistent about her previous question.
Regina nods, chewing through her first sliced piece. "It's perfect." She gave her a small smile that was assurance enough for Emma that the topic had been lost somewhere in between the glorious enjoyment of their evening meal.
Taking a longer sip of her tea to swallow down the piece of steak Emma had chewed on, she cleared her throat before hearing another song play along the speakers. It was a female voice that followed after a smooth drumming intro along with the strumming of an electric guitar, which quickly made her realize the familiarity of the song Fade Into You.
"Not bad for your first dinner outing, huh?" The blonde smiles, and is glad to see a smile emerge from Regina's lips in response. "I hope I didn't over dress. You seem more casual than me tonight."
The brunette chuckles, "Not at all. I actually think you look quite presentable." Her eyes moved along the blue jacket of this morning. "You clean up nicely, Ms. Swan." She nods in agreement.
Another smile emerges from Emma as she cuts another piece of her steak and bites right into the soft meat.
Silence surrounds them for another second, giving them enough time to chew through a couple of more bites of their steaks before Regina decides to break it.
"And I must apologize for my earlier comment regarding this place. I think it's actually quite perfect. The music is… Perfect." What other word could she use tonight, really?
Even Emma was quite perfect tonight.
She only wished she could say it out loud.
"Would you like to dance?" Asked Emma, once again taking Regina by surprise.
Regina came to the conclusion that that question would never fail to surprise her.
"I don't think they allow dancing here, Emma." That wasn't a no. She just didn't see anyone else who was dancing around them, or even attempted to.
"Sure they do." Emma wiped at her mouth before she carelessly tossed the cloth napkin against their table and stood up, taking Regina by the hand.
This time, Regina didn't fight, nor refused with a negative response as to why she couldn't dance. Not when she wanted to dance with Emma, more than anything else in the world.
The brunette went along with it, stepping closer, allowing Emma to close the distance between them, leaving only an inch left as she placed her free hand over her shoulder, feeling Emma's own hand land on her hip, that same spot as before, while their other hands joined together.
It was Emma's turn to be surprised as Regina followed suit, guided by Emma's lead. She lifted a perfect brow.
"I'm starting to learn." The brunette proudly grinned at that, following to the rhythm of the song. Each song had her rhythm. No matter how slow or how fast it was to dance to. She began noticing that.
"I can see that," Emma grinned, spinning her out and pulling her back into her body.
"Remind me to thank your mother if I ever meet her. You are one terrific dancer, Ms. Swan."
"I'll be sure to tell her that the next time I speak to her. I'm sure she'll be eager to meet you."
Suddenly it dawned on Regina that in order for that to happen something big would have to happen, like Emma and Audrey becoming engaged.
"Hey," Emma's voice was soft as it called out to her attention. Her head slightly dipped to meet her gaze again. "What's going on?"
Regina shook her head, hiding her pain behind a perfectly given smile. "Everything's just perfect." She couldn't understand why her voice wanted to break at that moment, forcing her to swallow down a hard lump, so slowly it ached at her throat. "My daughter is right, you are quite the romantic."
It was Emma's turn to frown, her lips so thin she could feel them dry up as she licked them ever so slowly for lubrication. And what came out of her mouth next, surprised her all the more.
"If you don't mind, Gina… I really don't want to talk about Audrey right now." She whispered, hoping Regina hadn't heard. But, she had, given the surprised look on her face as their dancing came to a slow and complete halt.
"Why?" Regina breathed out. Her eyes locked onto beautiful, sparkling green orbs.
"Because right now- tonight- I want it to be about you." That was Emma's truth. "You have been deprived of so many things, forbidden to truly enjoy anything the way a woman like you should. It just isn't fair."
"Life isn't fair, Emma," Regina chuckles.
"You're right, it's not. But that doesn't mean it can't be," the blonde shrugs. "I guess that's just what I've been wanting for you, ever since I met you."
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and the butterflies that repeatedly flapped around Regina's stomach were back, double this time. Something was keeping her grounded within Emma's embrace. An invisible force she couldn't understand. No matter how much she wished she could run away, because this was the perfect time to do just that.
She needed to run away. If not that, she needed to come clean about her feelings, before her heart exploded inside of her chest from restricting them any longer. I mean, what was the worst that could happen? Emma would freak out and decide to leave her there. And that would be it.
It was probably for the best.
"Emma-" A gasp escaped past Regina's lips as she felt the warm familiar hand coming from Emma, the base of her thumb caressing away that single tear.
"Do you want to know why I invited you out tonight?" She whispered, waiting a beat before she said, "Because I wanted you to see that you are perfect. Because you deserve someone who will see you and know how perfect you are."
"Someone?" Regina's mouth fell dry as she saw Emma nod. She swallowed down a hard lump before daring to ask, "Someone… Like you?"
There was a surprising gaze that sparkled out of Emma's green eyes, but also- maybe- a realization of her own? She couldn't tell.
To her surprise and Emma's, Regina did something she never thought she would have the courage to do. Unexpectedly and without warning, before she allowed Emma to say anything else, she brought her lips right to Emma's, pressing them against her own, feeling how thin they felt as she kissed them.
Emma's heartbeat quickened inside of her chest, her eyes growing wide in surprise, but evidently not enough to pull away from such a kiss that had been given to her. Whatever part of her wanted to fight it, her eyes slowly closed, her lips slowly gave in, and her arms pulled the brunette impossibly closer, closing whatever little distance they had between them.
What was she doing?
She was crazy!
This was crazy!
She couldn't be saying these things to her, pretending like her daughter didn't exist and allowing herself to get lost in this moment with her daughter's own girlfriend.
"I'm sorry-" Regina broke free from their kiss, from Emma's arms, pushing herself away while shaking her head. "I want to go."
"Why? Regina-" Emma goes interrupted, shocked by what had just taken place.
"Emma, let's just go. Please."
"Regina, hey, listen-" Emma grabbed onto the woman's arm only for it to be yanked away. The brunette's eyes darting into her very soul. And Emma could finally see that questioning sparkle she had had a difficult time to decipher.
Whatever enigma had been stirring inside of Regina, no longer a mystery.
"Please, Emma. Let's just go." Regina wipes her lips with the back of her hand and doesn't give the blonde another chance to decide if she was coming or going. She rushed through the back door of the restaurant, through the familiar tables and out of the single glass door and waited by the familiar yellow bug.
"Wha-?" Emma couldn't even finish a syllable. To say she was in shock was an understatement. Her feet were unable to move. She couldn't even care less that whoever else was outside enjoying their meals, were staring right at her, equally puzzled by what they had just witnessed.
Regina had kissed her.
"Holy shit," Emma breathed, tracing along her lips with the tip of her fingers, still able to feel the burn, taste the sweet flavor of the tea, dancing along with the burning, leftover sensation.
A small smirk became visible along her lips as butterflies began to dance around her stomach.
Their wings flapping around in there were so loud, they were what pushed Emma to rush in through the same glass door, across the same set of tables, and through the main glass door of the entrance. Not before paying for their barely untouched meal, of course.