A.N The lyrics in this chapter are from the songs, Circus by Britney Spears, Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks and All I need by Within Temptation..

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Emma tries to sneak into the house after sharing an early morning run with Regina. Tries and fails because all three other occupants are front and center, blocking her path. Which should have been a quick climb up the looming hickory tree that rests tall in the sky outside her bedroom window. Lilith is actually sitting on one of it's branches, while Eva is leaning out the window, hands resting along the windowsill as Bryce steps off the front porch and heads toward her.

His eyes are kind but stern as he nears before putting a hand on her shoulder and motioning her inside. "You cost me a week of doing dishes, I bet you would just use the front door."

"And they say Vampires don't eat normal food. If they could only see our kitchen, huh." Emma tries to jest but her voice is tight and nervous and they can all hear it.

Eva is coming down the stairs when Emma enters the living room and she sees the disappointment etched in the other woman's features. Lilith brushes past her and plops onto one of the comfy yellow arm chairs while Bryce goes to stand next to his wife. A united front. Emma sighs and sits down on another armchair. She picks the brown leather one and she ignores the fact that for a second the shiny gloss color reminds her of Regina's eyes.

"Emma .. we need to ask you something and it's important that you do not lie to us. Do you understand?" Eva's tone merits no room for anything but understanding and Emma quickly nods her head before Eva continues. "Have you .. well, have you .. been intimate with this human?"

Emma notes how Eva uses the term 'human' and she feels herself flinch before closing her fists in anger. "The humans name is Regina and she isn't a plague, Eva .. god!"

Emma stands up, the anger too much for her to bare any longer but Bryce's voice bellows, "Sit down!" And Emma's ass hits the chair in one second flat. She glares at him and Lilith stifles a laugh and wishes she had made some popcorn in advance.

"Answer the question, Emma." He crosses his arms in front of his chest and Lilith scoots to the edge of her seat, head tilted in curiosity.

"No." Emma mumbles and crosses her own arms, mirroring Bryce's stance. "But .. "

Emma doesn't continue, she looks away and it's enough of a hesitation for the remaining three vampires in the room to shift an inch closer toward Emma, with eyes open wide before they all ask, "But?"

Emma catches each of their gazes before she finally speaks. "But .. we're .. like.. connected."

"I don't understand what that means." Bryce deadpans as his eyes search Eva's for some kind of woman's special knowledge. She just shrugs at him and glances at Emma again. Lilith is the only one who seems to know what Emma is talking about as she nods her head in Emma's direction.

"She thinks her and Regina are soul mates .. some shit like that, right, Ems?"

Emma glares at her before grumbling, "Sure .. thanks a bunch, Lil."

"Oh." Bryce and Eva both utter this one syllable and Emma squints at them.

"Oh? Well, what does that mean?"

Eva clears her throat and tries to explain. "We meant .. as in we think we understand .. it's like puppy love. First love. So it feels intense and - "

Emma stands up and it breaks Eva's train of thought. "If you're just gonna mock what I am feeling then just forget it, okay. I don't expect you two to understand - "

"Emma, she is a human. It's not our way and you know this. It's forbidden. There's really nothing left to understand and quite frankly you should know better than this."

"That's my point! I do know better and yet, it's like .. it's predestined or something and I can't fight it. No more than the two of you could fight turning us in the first place! If I recall, thatwas forbidden too."

Eva and Bryce glance away but Emma continues, "I think our paths were meant to cross. And sometimes, I think, whether I was a vampire or not, this lifetime or some other .. Regina and I .. we would always find each other. And I don't expect you to understand or get it. Because you don't have to."

The truth is, which Emma would never admit to them is, well, she doesn't understand it either. All she knows is when she first laid eyes on Regina Mills, she had felt something. If there was such a thing as cupids arrow, it had surely struck her that day, when she had first stepped foot onto the high school campus and locked eyes with the other girl. Her life changed after that one moment. Something had moved through her. And when they had danced together, everything she had been feeling for the past year, came to life, like a living and breathing entity between them. Because Regina feels it too. It's not just in her own head, her own imagination. It's real and true. Timeless even. Like the sun and the moon. The galaxies.

"Emma, she is a human. I'm sorry but there isn't anything else to understand but that fact. It is all that matters, honey." Eva's voice is soft and melodic and Emma feels her emotions begin to sway a little. She quickly shakes her head and sits down in the chair again, slightly dizzy.

"Stop that. No special powers allowed, or did you forget that pact, huh?" Emma grinds out through clenched teeth.

Eva throws her hands up and sighs in deep exasperation before turning and pointing a finger at Bryce. "This is your fault.. insisting that she attend schools and interact like she is just some regular teenager in every damn town. I told you it was preposterous! So now, you can fix this!" She brushes past her husband and storms up the stairs, their bedroom door slamming a few seconds later.

Bryce slumps down onto the bottom step and glares at Emma with such intensity that she has no choice but to glance away. "What's the endgame here, Emma?"

They stare at each other for a moment before she takes a deep breath and slowly stands up. She raises her chin, and with a fierce defiant clipped voice she states simply, "To protect and love Regina." She calmly walks past him and the front door closes softly a few seconds later. Lilith stares at the doorway, her eyes wide, surprised and her features match Bryce's as their eyes meet at last.

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Regina hears a tapping on her bedroom window and her face brightens. Emma is smiling back at her as she slides up the sash and moves aside to let her in. "This is a nice - "

Emma kisses her. Silencing her words with an intensity that sends shivers all through Regina as she feels her blood begin to heat up inside her veins. Her heartbeat races as Emma's arms pull her close, and she feels fingertips ghost along her lower back before slipping further down. She gasps against Emma's mouth as her flesh is cupped and then squeezed, pressing her flush against the other woman.

Regina's scent fills up all of the molecules in the room before it envelops Emma like a summer rainstorm. Warm and rushed it falls over her. She kneads Regina's ass, tugging her close, molding their bodies together. She hears Regina gasp against her mouth before she drags her tongue down the sweet flesh of neck. She feels Regina's pulse beat rapidly against her lips before she slowly bites down, nipping the skin lightly.

Regina can hear herself whimper in pleasure as she feels the smooth wet tip of Emma's tongue soothing her freshly puckered skin. The tingles of pain are quickly coated with Emma's saliva as her skin is licked, making her aroused. She rubs herself against the front of Emma's jeans, searching for friction, as the ache between her legs intensify.

Emma feels herself grow hard as Regina thrusts her lower body against her own. Both women's breaths turn to heavy, scratchy panting as Regina pushes Emma up against the wall. The sudden impact knocks Emma back into reality and she gently pushes Regina backwards, putting some much needed space between them. Emma's eyes are a deep forest green, laced with unbridled desire as they stare into Regina's own mirrored gaze.

"We can't." Emma whispers before breaking eye contact and looking down at the floor. This wasn't what she had come here to do. She lost herself in the moment as soon as she saw Regina. "I'm sorry."

Regina hears something hollow in Emma's voice and her heart drops inside her chest. She ignores the warning, refusing to believe the sudden shift inside the room. Like someone walking over her grave as a chill runs through her. She clears her throat, trying to make her voice sound lighthearted, the opposite of Emma's. To trick herself into believing that her world is still intact. That Emma's sad downward gaze doesn't have the power to shatter it all.

But it does. Because first loves always do, after all.

"You're right .. we got carried away and it's too soon.. we should wait. There's no rush, we have time - "

"No. We don't, Regina. Have time. There can't be a .. we .. an us."

That last word is what does it. Us. It slices up both their hearts as they just stand and stare at one another.

Emma stuffs her hands into the big front pocket of her hoodie and Regina takes a few steps back, putting even more distance between them. She fights down the urge to run to Emma, to shake her, to grab her hands, to hold her. To chase this. She resists the impulse as she feels her body go numb and she turns away, begins to softly cry.

Emma bites her lip, stops herself from moving forward. She wants nothing more than to reach out and pull Regina into her arms. Her heart breaks as she watches the other girls shoulders move slowly up and down, matching the muffled cries.

"Regina .. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come here and - "

"And what? Grope me before stammering out some half ass break up speech?" She turns back to Emma and her brown eyes are the darkest she has ever seen. The desire inside them has been replaced with fury. White hot and it scorches Emma from the inside out. Regina marches past her and throws open the window with a bang that snaps at Emma's bones as she jumps from the sound.

"Get out!" She isn't looking at Emma anymore as her chest heaves with rapid breaths. She is staring at the window while she feels her heart splinter and crack open inside of her. A brush of air tickles her cheek as Emma quickly walks past her and then she is gone with no glance back. Regina makes it to her bed before she completely breaks down. She sobs into her pillow, deep aching soul wrenching cries escape her. And it's all Emma can hear as she runs home through the woods.

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Regina has the weekend to grieve. To cry and bitch to her best friend on Saturday night as they binge episodes of Outlander. And Regina secretly compares the love she feels for Emma to Claire and Jamie's timeless one. Kat says all the right things, dissing Emma and Regina has to bite her lip from defending the girl vampire. On Monday morning, she is nervous to see Emma. They have dance practice after school and she's not sure if she can handle being Emma's partner. She thinks she'd rather be water boarded over that. Then again, if she knows Emma, which she does, Emma has probably already been to Guidance and dropped the class. Regina feels herself having mixed feelings about this. Grateful if she has dropped it but on the same hand, immensely sad too.

For the hundredth time she wishes she had never met Emma but as always she immediately regrets the feeling. Damn Emma Swan. And damn to hell this broken heart! She storms out of the house, slamming the front door behind her as she braces for the day.

She got her nerves all tied up like a pretzel for nothing because she never saw Emma and dance was cancelled for the entire week. Jefferson had to leave town for a funeral. The rest of the week goes by the same, no sign of Emma. Has she left town? By Wednesday, it becomes a constant fear of Regina's. Thursday morning, during her morning run, she stops under a tree and looks around. She thinks she feels Emma close by as she looks past falling leaves, slowly turning in a circle. She shakes her head, and moves on, continuing her run.

Emma's breath freezes inside her throat as Regina stops in mid run. She watches her look around and she prays silently, "Please, don't look up." When Regina runs off, she lets out her breath in a long huff and thanks all that is holy she wasn't found out. Avoiding Regina during the day is easy, they share no classes and if she turns on her super senses, she can hear Regina's heartbeat a quarter of a mile away. Dance class being cancelled for the week was a godsend too. Her guidance counselor told her it's too late in the term to drop it. So, she is stuck. But, if she knows Regina, which she does, Regina will go to Jefferson and demand a new partner. She'll come up with some plausible reason, Emma is sure of it.

Emma's grief of ending things with Regina has carried on with her, like a plague. She got supportive feedback from Bryce and Eva of course. The typical, "You did the right thing." Why does it feel so wrong then? Why does it feel like she has lost a piece of herself? Like something has been stripped from her very soul. Sometimes, she can still hear the echo of Regina's sobs piercing through her before it slips inside her heart, just breaking it wider.

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Friday night, one week since they saw each other last, something happens. Maybe it is the universe or fate staking their claim. Moving the chess pieces along. Either way, the wind stirs the November air, making the few remaining leaves fall as Emma finds herself and Lilith jogging through the wood on the way to the high schools football game. And Regina stands on the sidelines with her cheer mates. 'We will rock you' bellows from the speakers as the home team run out onto the field.

"Of course, you would fall for a cheerleader." Lilith rolls her eyes as she catches Regina shaking a set of pom poms with a group of screaming girls. She sees Emma's crest fallen face and she glances back at the shouting cheerleaders. Regina isn't smiling, not really. It's half-hearted and Lilith can see through it, to the sadness that pools around the dark haired girl. She studies Emma and sees the same reflection bouncing off of her own pale features under the fresh moonlight.

And although compassion isn't her strong suit, she does feel it for the two girls. "Em .. maybe we should leave."

"I'm okay. It's just a game and - "

"No, I mean, like leave .. town. Move on, ya know." She watches as Emma seems to shrink a little while catching her gaze.

"I don't think I could do that. I'm not ready to leave .. her.. yet." She looks away and Lilith glances back at Regina.

"Okay. When you're ready." She squeezes Emma's shoulder before turning to watch the kick off.

So, it happens during the break. When the cheerleaders take the field and have their time to shine and entertain the crowd.

The beat of the music pulses through the speakers and the crowd begins to clap and cheer as the lyrics continue to pump them all up.

"On the edge of seventeen .. just like the white winged dove, sings a song, sounds like she's singing .. "

The cheerleaders begin the pyramid formation and it happens in a blur amid the hectic beat humming from the speakers. Regina steps up to take her place on the top and the girl underneath her shifts just a fraction and Regina's foot slips and she begins to fall. Emma is there as fast as a gust of wind, her speed invisible to the naked eye and Regina's feet are slowly being lowered to the painted green turf. Her body pressed up against Emma's as she hears, "It's okay, I got you", whispered by her ear. And then time seems to stop, like her heart as she was falling. And it's just them. Like when they are dancing. Or in her bedroom. Or jogging through the wood. A glimpse of an image rushes through her mind as her eyes lock onto Emma's.

Or of candlelight bouncing off stone walls .. as a crowd of people cheer, dressed in gowns and tunics. Men with hair braided and women with long ringlets of curls, dancing around a grand hall. Her and Emma looking coyly at each other from across the room.

Emma lets her go and the image fades away as people surround her. She looks around but Emma is gone and she is being guided off the field, a jacket thrown over her shoulders but the chill stays with her.

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This Saturday night is different from last weeks. She isn't crying in Kat's lap. Instead, her best friend sits next to her on the bed and listens to the idea Regina has concocted and nods in all the right places, and provides encouragement. Because, after all, she saw first hand the catch of Regina by Emma. With hand over mouth to stifle a scream, she felt her heart leap in wonder and amazement as Regina was saved. And the look of sheer love given to her from Emma before she was let go. She saw what Regina felt, so yes, she will help Regina with this fool proof plan. And she's gonna relish every minute of it. She high fives Regina before hitting play on a movie and grabbing a fistful of popcorn.

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It's Monday. A brand new week and Regina feels lighter than air as she walks into the courtyard and spots Emma sitting underneath her favorite tree. She cut her elective, so she can see her plan move into action with her own eyes as she slips behind a tree and peers around it. She can't hear the conversation but at least she can watch it. Kat walks up to Emma and taps her shoulder, and the other girls eyes widen in shock as she pulls out her ear buds. She watches as Emma's face softens and knows Kat has mentioned her name. She can easily read Emma like a book sometimes and she feels a little guilty for the plot unfolding by her hand but Emma owes her for the utter fuck up that happened between them last week. Plain and simple.

"So, she's willing to still be your dance partner because she really wants the dance scholarship, Emma. She's over the drama that is you and her and it's strictly professional. Can you handle it? She understands if you can't .. if you need to quit - "

"She's really okay with still dancing with me?" Emma tilts her head up toward Kat, squinting against the sunlight that breaks from behind a cloud.

Kat rolls her eyes and says, "Yes Emma, god, get over yourself." And then Kat mutters, "Regina sure has."

Emma feels her heart squeeze in her chest at the last remark. Regina sees the hurt expression cross Emma's features and wishes she had Emma's super hearing at the moment. What did Kat say to her to warrant that look? She ducks behind the tree as Emma looks past Kat and toward her direction.

Emma glances past her for a second, she could have sworn she heard Regina's heartbeat but no, she has a class now. Emma shakes her head and peers back up at Kat and nods. "Okay, so I guess I'll see her at dance later."

"You can count on it." She gives her a grin before turning away.

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Emma can't help feeling like she is walking into a lions den as she pushes against the gym doors. She arrived a little early so she could talk with Regina before class, to hear it from her that she really is okay with still being partners. As she walks in, she is surprised to see most of the students already standing around and then Jefferson's voice breaks into the low murmur of chatter, silencing it.

"I appreciate everyone's eagerness to begin after missing last weeks practices. We are behind and we must catch up, so for those that didn't check their emails, practices will be held thirty minutes earlier than usual here on out. Okay, we have Regina's solo next up .. let's bring it to life people!" Emma puts down her gym bag and leans against the wall. The lights dim a bit and then the music begins, a steady ring of drum beats that make her heart thunder as Regina appears from behind a make shift screen. Emma's mouth opens the same time as her eyes widen as she takes in Regina's outfit.

She's wearing a pair of high cut shorts and a sports bra. That's it. The three boy dancers that prance around Regina are all gay but Emma's sure even they can appreciate the curves that fall in all the right places as Regina glides around the dance floor.

"I'm like the ring leader .. I call the shots .. I'm like a firecracker, I make it hot .. when I put on a show .. "

Regina is in fact bringing this dance to life as her movements match the lyrics and Emma can't take her eyes off the searing brunette.

"Better be ready .. hope that you feel the same .. " Emma is completely mesmerized and then Regina winks at her and Emma blushes.

"All eyes on me .. in the center of the ring, just like a circus .. "

Kat's job is to watch Emma through the routine so she can report back to Regina the girls reaction. Kat was a little worried Emma would notice her blatantly staring at her but she needn't be, since Emma hasn't taken her gaze off of Regina. She thinks it's pretty safe to say, a dinosaur could walk into the gym and Emma wouldn't notice.

The number ends and Jefferson beams with excitement as he runs up to Regina and hugs her and the other dancers. "It's exceptional! Bravo, darlings! Okay, moving on to the other group number and then we'll do Katherine and Rick's samba and then Emma and Regina's waltz." He nods and claps his hands before walking away and Emma quickly looks away before she catches Regina's gaze.

She's second guessing this, because how is she supposed to dance with Regina if just making eye contact from across the room makes her nervous? She wipes her palms against her jeans before grabbing her gym bag and making a bee line for the locker room. She tries to distract herself, to think of something that will make her heart beat slow down. And quell the panic attack she feels coming on when Regina walks into the locker room. Emma pretends looking inside her gym bag is of super importance while Regina rummages inside her own locker. A few seconds later, Emma hears the water running and groans inwardly.

Knowing Regina is on the other side of the tiled wall, naked, showering, and soon she'll be dancing with her, well at the moment, Emma can't think of a worse form of torture for herself. And of course it has to be their waltz dance. They opted for a more sensual and romantic flair of choreography for the number. At least the song doesn't really hold any significance for them. Jefferson picked the song choice and luckily there is no emotional connection with it for Emma and Regina. And for that she is grateful. She finishes up changing, opting for a pair of sweats and a loose fitting t shirt.

She ties her hair back into a ponytail and high tails it out of the locker room before she gets a whiff of Regina's freshly washed body. She'll be inhaling the scent soon enough.

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Kat enters the locker room and Regina pulls her over to a corner, eager to hear the feedback. Kat fills her in quickly, sharing the one word she is using to describe Emma's reaction. "Smitten." Regina's eyes shine with mischief as she grins at her friend. "You have her on the hook, now go reel her in, girl!" Regina feels a spring of nerves rise up inside of her as her stomach flutters like butterfly wings.

"I don't know if I can do this, Kat. Feeling her hold me .. the song - "

"Make her feel you, Regina .. and the song.. make her feel the song." Kat grips her shoulders and lightly shakes her and it snaps Regina back into focus. Her brown eyes darken with determination as she nods her head. "Go out there and show her what she gave up."

Regina nods her head. "Yes. Okay."

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Emma is pacing around the gym, trying to calm her nerves as she glances at the locker room door every ten seconds. She's worried Regina will be dressed like she was for her solo number. Which was mostly skin and she sighs a breath of relief when Regina finally emerges into the room. She's in leggings and a tank top. Okay, Emma can deal with that. Her hair is up in a pony tail and Emma has to stop a train of memories barreling through her brain. Of kissing that neck and feeling Regina's pulse jump along her lips, just a mere week ago. Emma takes a few deep breaths and stretches a bit and then she makes her way to the middle of the dance floor.

She can do this. Like Kat told her earlier, it's professional. A simple platonic dance. Completely and utterly professional. And then the music begins and Emma quickly looks over at Jefferson, waiting for him to yell stop, flail his arms, something. She waits and he's not doing any of those things as the music swells up around her and Regina. She panics, hasn't even dared look at Regina because she can't under no circumstances dance to this song with her. Not now. Nope. She runs over to Jefferson and the music stops. And Emma breathes a sigh of relief.

It doesn't last long, the relief. As Jefferson shakes his head at her and points to Regina before pushing her forward. "Regina changed the song choice, she said you two have rehearsed it, no cold feet. Off you go." Emma stares at him for what feels like forever as her heart beats fast inside her chest. Yeah, they've danced this song together, in private .. alone .. just the two of them because it meant something to them. And she knows how Regina will end the dance.. how they always end it.

She glares at Kat, finding her gaze locked onto her own, with that knowing grin still plastered on her face. "Professional my ass." She wants to grab Regina and throw her up against the lockers, to scream at her for putting her on display like this. To have her heart exposed and cut up all over again. That song has the power to cripple her and Regina knows it. Jefferson nudges her again and she feels her cheeks flush as her feet begrudgingly move her forward.

This is gonna be a shit show. She wasn't prepared for this song. And what it will stir inside of her. She feels Regina's stare on her face and she finally looks up and meets brown eyes. There is something hidden in their depths and Emma is trying to find the right word to describe it when the music begins again. She takes a hold of Regina's left hand with her right, as they lay fingertip to fingertip, palm to palm and begin to circle each other while the tempo of the melody swells up around them.

"Can you still see the heart of me .. all my agony fades away when you hold me in your embrace .. "

Emma pulls Regina in close as they begin to glide around the room. Their footsteps light and in step with the others, as Emma swirls Regina out and then back in, and their chests press together.

"For all I need .. make my heart a better place .. give me something I can believe .." Regina takes the lead now. A surprise move but Emma is so lost in her eyes, in the music, that she feels herself moving inside Regina's arms as if it's the most natural place for her to be. Everything slows around them, space, time, their heart beats, their breaths .. it's just them and the song pulsing through them as they twirl around the room. Just Regina and Emma. Everyone else vanishes.

" .. don't tear it down, what's left of me .. make my heart a better place.."

The melody begins to fade as Regina cups Emma's face and pulls her close, their lips brushing along the others. The image flashes through Regina again, the one she saw after Emma had caught her. She hears Emma gasp and when she looks into her eyes she knows that Emma saw the image too.

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