a/n: alright it is nearing its end. i am hoping you continue to enjoy it. S.K.
4- Reputation Management
Weeks passed. Regina's 18th birthday came and went and now the rift seemed unsurmountable. She was an adult, and Emma was still sixteen. The only person she wanted to be with was just out of her reach now.
Regina sat in the dining room her head on her arms. After Cake and ice-cream and all the congratulations. Her parents had told her that she no longer had a curfew, as long as she was always home for dinner.
Being an adult had it's benefits after all. But that was just it, she was an adult. "Hey baby sis." Zelena said, sitting down. She had been sick to her stomach and was now ready to eat cake.
"Hey Zee." Regina said.
"What's wrong?"
Regina sighed. "I'm eighteen."
"Yeah that's a good thing." Zelena answered.
"I can't date Emma now." Regina stated.
"Not unless you get her guardian's permission." Zelena stated.
Regina looked at her sister. "What do you mean?"
"With a guardian's permission, an underage teen can date an adult." Zelena answered.
"How do you know?" Regina asked.
"Robin," Zelena stated. "His parents threatened to sue for statutory rape. Robin didn't want to and the baby issue… well Mom told them that sex was consensual between us. They could just grant their son permission to be with me or they would have a baby to deal with because I was sent to jail."
"Oh god," Regina stated. "Zee, I'm sorry."
The redhead shrugged. "He gave me this precious baby, something I never thought I'd have."
Regina reached out and hugged her sister. "I'll talk to Mrs. Nolan… If Emma ever takes me back."
Zelena smiled, "Good luck."
Regina smiled and stood running up the stairs, now more light than she had been the entire day.
"Who is big on social media right now?" Mrs. Nolan asked mid week. Wednesdays seemed to be the days that the teacher seemed to give new assignments.
Emma and Regina had been in class sitting next to each other for the past three days. Regina pleading with the blonde to forgive her and the blonde ignoring her texts notes and pathetic lovesick looks that the brunette sent her way.
"Social media is a construct to glorify the popular, it also gives people that feel like they have no voice a platform for which to voice their opinions. Social media is the part of you that you choose to put out into the world. And it can make or tarnish your reputation if you don't know how to manage it well. For your jobs and other aspects of your lives."
Regina glanced at Emma who happened to be testing a certain portal on her phone. She looked down at her phone, and waited for the telltale update signal. "Make sure you use social media responsibly, because the internet is forever."
Emma sent the update and sat back in her unit was going to be cake, because Emma refused to participate in social media.
The week was riddled with scandal for all couples, including Emma and Regina. Though theirs was a very weak issue. Governor Regina Swan Mills and her wife Emma, were not doing well. Governor had been spotted with someone, being intimate. And the scandal stated that Emma was going to leave the governor for a pretty Asian girl.
Regina tried for days to get a hold of Emma. But the Blonde avoided being near her except for class where she ignored every post the brunette tossed at her. So Regina watched until Emma strolled up to her locker and opened it. She hurried over determinedly, and closed the locker to get the girl's attention.
"What the fuck Regina!" Emma yelled. It was over dramatic but she didn't care. This girl drove her insane.
"I need to talk to you."
"It's not a real affair Regina, damn!" Emma said turning back to her locker.
"I'm sorry, I was wrong to do that to you and then… act like an idiot. I'm not going to say I am going to out myself to my mother, but I just want to be myself. I'm not going to hide and I want you." Regina stated.
"Yeah, right…" Emma said turning to face her again. "I can't do this with you, It hurts."
"Well then let's do it for class because we are about to break the streak of top couples in class." Regina stated.
"I never cared about that." Emma said.
"Right," Regina said, her arms folded "says the straight A student."
Emma turned to face her. "How is you and me going out, gonna change anything about our grade?"
"Damage control. We have to live it up for the gram." Regina stated. "It's called Reputation management."
Emma sighed and agreed. "Fine, we'll be seen at granny's, but you're buying."
"Naturally," Regina stated, "Pick you up at seven?"
"I'll meet you there." Emma said walking away
Regina rushed home to get ready for Emma. She was going to make this opportunity count. She stood in her closet, trying to find the perfect outfit. She heard a knock on the bedroom door. She stepped out of the closet and looked at the already open door. She was expecting her sister, not the person that stood there in front of her.
She faltered and looked at the mess on her bed then back at the person glowering at her at the door. "Mother?"
"Yes, I do live here dear." Her mother said not coming into the room just folding her arms at the door. Cora didn't know how to make this conversation happen. Regina just stood there silently waiting for her to speak. She just wanted the girl to ask, or something. "You seem in good spirits."
"Yes, I was… I mean I.. I have a date." Regina said.
Cora wanted this conversation to happen, so she worked not to react neither favorably or negatively to the information. "Good, moving on from Robin."
Regina nodded and turned back to her closet. The girl for her part was petrified. She Knew what she wanted to do, but her mother intimidated her greatly. "Yeah, she is nothing like Robin." she said just above a whisper.
Cora's heart soared. She did it, she stopped hiding from her.
"Besides, it's for a grade." The younger woman stated taking out a black dress with a cut out on the back. Cora's heart dropped again. "Damage control, the social media for class says that I, the governor have been cheating on my spouse, and we're going to hang out to change that."
"Then why on earth are you going through all this trouble?"
Regina turned to face her mother. "You taught me to do everything to the best of my ability."
Tired Cora sighed, "Regina… I don't care who you are with. I just want you to be happy." she finally said in frustration. "This girl… makes you happy in a way I haven't seen in a long time, I'm not blind."
Regina was frozen on the spot. "I had a plan…"
"Yeah that you would leave and then be able to live your life how you wished elsewhere… and be miserable every time you came home for a visit. Probably never come back and your father and I would never see you. Because you will find it impossible to hide away who you are." Cora said taking a seat on her daughter's bed. "Regina, You are my daughter. And I love you."
Regina looked down at the ground. The tears began to slide down her face. "She hates me…" The girl whispered.
The mother reached out and held her daughter. "You had a disagreement. I watched her when she was here. She doesn't hate you."
Regina pulled back from her mother and turned. "You don't know what I did… "
"Well, being free to be yourself should help shouldn't it?" Cora wasn't sure she wanted to know what she did.
Regina nodded, then picked up the dress she had been looking at and asked. "Do you think she'd like it?"
Cora smiled, and moved forward to help her daughter get ready.
At Seven, Regina waited for Emma at Granny's. Emma hadn't shown up. She looked at the chrome surface of the napkin holder and checked her curled hair and red lipstick to make sure she was still perfect.
She sighed, as Emma was late. Regina panicked. Maybe Emma had just told her she would meet her just to get rid of her. Ruby was texting something at the counter on her break. Regina sighed and pulled out her phone and scrolled through the life skills app and spotted herself sitting at the diner stood up by her spouse. She blinked fast as she thought the brunette might be right. But then there was a reply to the post that stated. "Not true."
Then the bell above the door rang, and a vision in red and black leather, and white lace entered the restaurant. Her long golden tresses were curled to perfection and she wore a bit of lipstick and mascara. She came toward Regina a bit apologetic. "Sorry, Mary just laid some news on me that had my head spinning, and I just… sorry I'm late."
Regina just smiled. "It's fine, you're here now." Regina looked at the girl as she sat across from her. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks," Emma said and leaned back in her chair.
She didn't give more. She didn't try any harder, it was Regina's choice how this would go. "I'm sorry..."
"Oh god, stop apologizing for that." Emma stated. "I don't want to hear that being with you was a mistake. Because despite your gay panic, I kinda don't regret it. I got to sleep with the Hottest Sr. it's bound to be a good thing for me once you're gone."
Regina's mouth fell open in shock. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, my rep is set." Emma stood because the apologies were really getting to her. She wished Regina would just forget everything and Just kiss her here in front of everyone. To show her she wasn't a secret. She was angry and just really wanted to piss her off. "Thanks." Then the blonde began to walk away.
Regina stood and took hold of her arm and turned her around. "So you used me?"
"You used me first." Emma spat back at her then looked down at the hold the older girl had on her arm.
"I did not!" Regina stated. "I liked you."
"LIKED?" Emma screamed and pulled her arm away roughly.
"Like… Emma, listen!" Regina said, stepping toward her.
"I was just practice for you before you went off to college?" Emma said not really listening to the brunette. "You're leaving at the end of the summer so why should you even care about me."
Regina looked around at the diner who was staring at her. Her mother walked into the Diner unaware of the tension and Regina panicked because she was sure Emma was going to spew more about their sex life and she just couldn't have her mother hearing. So she took the girl by her shoulder and kissed her to shut her up.
Emma tensed up for a moment, and Regina's mind short circuited and began to pull away. The blonde reacted then and wrapped her arms around the brunette; she deepened the kiss to see if Regina would allow, and the immediate reaction of unclenching and softening had both girls out of their head and into their bubble. Lost in each other in front of the entire town.
A cleared throat made the girls separate. Regina turned to the brunette girl next to them. "Your mom is like right there." Ruby whispered.
Emma's eyes widened, but Regina shrugged. "She's seen me kiss people before."
Emma looked for Cora, and watched the Mayor turn away from the spectacle. Then she turned back to Regina. "She knows?"
"Like you said she isn't blind or stupid." Regina stated and shrugged again. "I tried to tell you, though not very well…"
Emma laughed lightly. "Bad communication skills for a governor."
Regina smiled, "you wanna go talk somewhere more private?"
Emma nodded and took Regina's hand. Regina led the way out of the diner, waving goodbye at her mother and the two of them headed for Regina's car. The brunette drove them toward the beach. An overlook that was pretty desolate. She turned to Emma and asked. "Are you cold?"
"Not really, your heated seats are working great." Emma stated. " but can we sit in the back? I just want to be close to you."
Regina nodded and the two of them slid into the back seat. Regina had a blanket in the back for emergencies so the two of them snuggled under it in the back. "I have to admit, my plan was flawed." Regina stated after a while. "Mother pointed out that the secret was going to keep me away from people I loved one way or another. And that once I was free to be myself, I wouldn't want to hide myself again just so that I could come home and pretend to be someone else."
"Regina, I didn't want to like you, you know?" Emma stated. "It's just, that night… it was better than anything I had ever experienced and it hurt."
"It was the best thing I had ever experienced too." Regina answered. "You are the most interesting girl I have ever met, and I just want to spend the time I have left in Storybrooke with you."
Emma smiled and leaned forward. She kissed her lips and pulled the brunette on to her lap. Regina straddled leather clad thighs and moaned softly as she felt the blondes hands on her thighs. She deepened the kiss and her hips canted in an attempt to get closer to the blonde.
"Mmm, R'gina…" Emma stated once the kiss parted. The brunette's mouth had moved on to her neck. Emma pressed her thighs together as her hand travelled to the older girls behind.
"Oh, Emma, I want…" Regina moaned against her neck.
"You sure? In here?' Emma stated.
"We've had sex before, I just… I miss you." Regina said, pressing her panty clad core against the blonde. Emma moaned at the heat there. A petite hand wandered to the older girl's center and pressed at the aroused nub through damp panties, and the blonde could feel the increasingly moist fabric against her fingers.
Regina's hips began to move on their own, and Emma pushed the fabric aside for more direct contact. And just as a finger entered the moist cavern there was a knock on the window. The two girls froze. Regina trembled and her sex gripped on the inserted digit.
The knock came again and Regina slid the window down slightly. "David?"
"You two okay?" He stated and tried not to embarrass his sister-in-law any more than he already was. He had no clue she and Regina were together, and now he wished he had left the car alone.
"Yes sheriff," Regina said, then moved to get off of Emma.
"You are not supposed to park out here, it's dangerous." He answered. He would rather Emma explore in her room in the loft, than out here personally. But he knew his sister would have a fit.
Emma rolled her eyes and stepped out of the back seat behind Regina who had opened the door and stepped out after climbing off of Emma's lap. "David, can we keep this in this circle please?"
He nodded. "I saw nothing. But if this comes back to bite me, I am throwing you under the bus kid."
Emma laughed, "okay… I'm gonna go pick up my Car at Granny's and then I will be home soon."
"Okay," he said then nodded at Regina. "Good night."
"Good night, Sheriff." Regina said then turned back to Emma. "You got a car?"
Emma smiled brightly. "It's part of why I was late… a gift from my sister. Want to see?"
Regina nodded, then Emma opened the driver side door for Regina, who stepped back into her vehicle. Then Emma trotted to the passenger side and sat in the seat heavily. "Kinda glad he stopped us…"
"I'm not…" Regina stated. Then she laughed. "You make me so hot."
Emma smiled. "Same… but we have so much to talk about. We need to define some things that are happening."
Regina nodded, she needed to understand what she wanted out of this. She Owed Emma that much. "Let's go see your car."
