Emma followed the brunette into the study still shivering from the cold. Regina poured two glasses of her infamous apple cider and handed one to the blonde. As their fingers brushed, she noticed just how cold the woman was. 'I can overdo it sometimes.' She summoned a fireball causing Emma to flinch. As the flames danced in her palm, a wry smile twitched at the corner of her lips noticing Emma's subtle reaction. She discarded the fireball in the fireplace and it roared to life. Emma looked relieved and inched nearer to the hearth. "Did you think I was going to toast you dear?"

Emma could sense the woman reveling in her power and refused to acknowledge that she had indeed scared her slightly. "Not for a second. So vandals, huh? You know I have this super power for detecting bullshit right?"

Regina blushed. 'Damn you Swan!'

"Well it must be broken as I am telling the truth." She sipped her cider hoping the woman would leave it at that.

Emma grinned. She was starting to enjoy having this extra ability. "You must be a pretty light sleeper if you woke up from a buzzing text."

'Try non-sleeper.' Regina sighed. "I am indeed so try to remember that the next time you choose to infringe on my personal time."

Emma shook her head. "You've got a comeback for everything, haven't you. I was genuinely trying to be friendly there."

"And I was genuinely reminding you of the facts in a friendly manner."

Emma guffawed and slunk down on the couch in front of the hearth, feeling her muscles relax in the warmth. "See. This is why people are scared of you. I get it you know. You put up walls and protect yourself with sarcasm." She swigged the rest of her cider not having meant to say so much. She could already feel Regina's angry defenses going up.

"A bit over familiar wouldn't you say?" Regina was shocked. They often made digs at each other but nothing more than superficialities. She grabbed the empty glass from Emma's hands and made her way to the door. "Now if you don't mind sheriff, I would very much like to get some sleep tonight and you have occupied enough of my time for one day." She extinguished the fire and Emma reluctantly rose to her feet knowing she'd made a faux pas. They weren't there yet. Maybe the never would be. She followed her up the stairs and Regina pointed at the guest room. "You can sleep in there. There is a bathroom and towels and extra blankets in the closet if you require them."

Emma shuffled her feet and smiled awkwardly. "Uhm, thanks for letting me stay and for the cider. Sorry if I offended you. I guess I forget sometimes."

'Forget what?' Regina looked at her quizzically.

Emma bit her lip not really wanting to answer the unspoken question.

Regina didn't wait for an answer. "You are welcome Miss Swan. I realize that this was not your fault and you didn't offend me. It takes a lot more than that." She paused as she watched the blonde enter the room. "Good night."

"Good night Regina. Sweet dreams." Emma closed the door behind her and waited to hear the soft footsteps walk away.

'That was a very nice thing to say. Sometimes I can see where Henry gets his innate kindness from.'

Emma slumped down on the comfy bed warmed by the mental compliment. A smile formed gently on her lips and she whispered to herself, "Maybe. But he gets everything else from you." She meant what she said. She really hoped that Regina's dreams were sweet, if not purely for the selfish reason that a good night's rest might mean a less angry mayor to deal with. Plus she didn't want to be kept awake all night with the incessant chatter from the darkest corners of Regina's mind. She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes just as the woman's softer mental voice began it's dialog.

'And sweet dreams I might well have with a little light reading. Let's see. Where did I mark that particular chapter? Hmmm yes! This is the one...'

The room fell silent as Calissa entered the room. Her beauty enchanting all whom dared to let their gaze fall upon her. Men swooned at her feet and women wanted to be her. She was well accustomed to the intrusive stares and attention and usually quite unaffected by such matters. A lone pair of shining eyes bore into her own and she glanced up feeling the flush rise on her chest and the rhythmic beating against her ribcage quicken. Across the ballroom stood the object of her desires, her mistress in waiting. She had happened upon the gift Calissa had left for her and instructed her to wear this evening for her own viewing pleasure. There had been no words spoken between them addressing their possible attraction but Calissa took this acceptance of her gift as confirmation. She approached the young woman with the fervour of a tigress stalking it's prey. "I see thou hast honored my request dear Isolde." The woman's ivory cheeks tinged with shades of pink as she addressed her Mistress. "Thou art too kind my lady. One is not worthy to taketh such lavish gifts." Calissa raised a gentle hand to cup Isolde's cheek tenderly causing the woman to blush harder in present company. "Thy beauty maketh thee deserving. A thing of beauty must be adorned and cherished. Come. Let us continue in a place more befitting of such frank talk."

Emma laughed hard into her pillow. She did not peg Regina Mayor Badass Mills for a trashy pulp fiction kind of woman. Lesbian trash erotica no less! As much as it tickled her, she knew she could never tell another soul. She shook with mirth as the story continued. She'd never been great at English at school but she could tell the wording was not quite right to make this a critically acclaimed best seller. Where had she found this book?

"Mistress, thee asketh of me to abandon all in favor of thy darkest desires. I cannot! Beest unholy!" Calissa approached the trembling woman with tenderness. "Thee speaketh of things thy hast no knowledge child!" A hand gripped at Isolde's chin then slowly caressed the expanse of flesh coming to rest lightly on pert bosoms. A shaky breath escaped her lips betraying her protesting words. "Deny it not! I has't seen thy longing gazes upon mine supple figure. Thy reaction to mine touch be not of innocence. Come! Embrace thy vagabond desires and kisseth mine own lips for thee has't poison'd those yet with thy charms. Tempteth me nay m're!" Isolde melted and pressed her body closer to the woman's touch, clashing their lips together in a frenzy. Calissa returned the kiss with years of pent up frustration and ripped the bodice of Isolde's dress exposing pale flesh ripe for the taking. Her knee sought the space between swathed thighs and Isolde's resolve became extinct.'

Emma laughed loudly thinking of all the not so subtle ways she could tease the mayor for her taste in literature. "She needs a 21st century makeoverin the porn department!" A loud banging was heard through the guest room wall. She grabbed the pillow and stifled the giggling.

'Honestly who laughes in their sleep? This woman will be the death of me. I should have left her to freeze out in that yellow coffin!'

Regina must have decided to give up on her bed time reading as the thoughts went silent. Emma was thankful and assumed Regina must have fallen asleep. She sighed in relief as she was finally able to get the rest she'd been craving all day.

In the other room, Regina continued her smut reading after casting a silencing spell around Emma's room. She did not wish to be kept awake by strange noises coming from her guest and she added as an afterthought another spell that would assure her own sounds were not heard if any were to escape her lips. This was, after all, the best part and if she happened to have a certain blonde's face transposed onto that of Isolde's, not that she meant to of course, but if she did, then it was best to be safe. Little did she know, she was also silencing any thoughts Emma might have been privy to.

#

"Miss Swan?" Regina tapped a little louder on the guest room door after no response came. She had never been known for her patience. Her meeting was scheduled for just after nine and knowing King George, he'd likely get there earlier just to annoy her. "Miss Swan, you need to get up now. I have things to do and I am not leaving you to your own devices in my home!" The door swung open revealing an already dressed Savior with a toothbrush dangling from her lips.

"I... up.." She spluttered through foam and walked back to the guest bathroom.

"Well I'm glad to see I don't need to worry about your oral hygiene at least. That much can't be said of our son."

Emma returned after rinsing her mouth and grabbed her trademark jacket. She grinned. "Is it just me or has't thine bitchiness worsened upon day break?"

Regina kept a poker face but Emma heard her thought. 'Why is she speaking like that?' "May I remind you that as your boss I have the power to make your day truly miserable." She smirked satisfied the woman would shut up and follow her downstairs.

Emma trailed behind her with an equal smirk adorning her face.

"I have made waffles for breakfast as Henry has a big test today. Help yourself. Would you like some coffee?"

Emma nodded gratefully and grabbed a waffle. "Thou art too kind my lady. One is not worthy to taketh such lavish gifts." She thanked whatever superior being it was that she had a mouthful of waffle to disguise her mirth when she saw Regina's face drop.

'Has she read that book? Does she know I have it? She can't. She's never set foot in my bedroom to my knowledge. Although I wouldn't put it past her to snoop. She has broken into here before quite easily.'

She quirked an eyebrow and raised her own coffee to her lips watching the blonde carefully as she wolfed down her waffle. Emma choked trying to hide her laughter.

"Please don't die in my kitchen Miss Swan. I've just had the floors waxed." She smiled at her comment and rinsed her cup out in the sink. "Henry! Get down here or you'll be late for school."

Emma glugged her own coffee down to ease the pain in her esophagus. She deserved that for being smart. She felt a bit bad for making Regina uneasy. She was a grown woman and what she read in her own private time really wasn't anyone else's business. She'd given her a bed and an amazing breakfast. The least she could do was thank her properly. "Hey, Regina. Listen, I can take Henry to school if you like and then you can get on early to that meeting. I'll clean up the breakfast dishes and drive him straight there. It's the least I can do to thank you for your hospitality."

'I am not comfortable leaving you alone here.'

"That won't be necessary Miss Swan. I can manage my day just fine thank you."

'I don't recall telling you about my meeting. I suppose it was thoughtful.'

"Hey, you know I'm the sheriff right? If you are worried about leaving me alone here please don't. I know how to lock a door and make sure the kid actually walks through the school gates. You might be great at managing your day but I gotta drive past there anyway and plus I'm already here. Makes no sense both of us being late."

'True. I suppose no harm can come of it.'

"Besides, my boss has already told me she's gonna make my day a living hell so I'm in no hurry to get in to work!"

Regina actually smiled! A proper one that Emma had never seen for anyone except their son. Her stomach went funny.

'Idiot! Just give me reason to punish you on a platter why don't you!'

"Fine. Thank you Miss Swan. Just don't break anything and drive slowly. I don't want either him or you to be late however, I would much rather you get there safely than risk your.. Henry's life trying to prove a point."

"Got it! Now go get to your meeting already... oh and by the way.. give King George this from me.."

Regina watched perplexed as Emma pulled something carefully out of her back pocket. She held it in both hands and quickly flipped Regina off. She laughed before she could stop herself and shook her head at the immature gesture.

'She is such a child!'

"Oh don't worry Sheriff. I'll be giving him much more than that!"