A/N: I think going forward I will release chapters in pairs every week. This story has a plan of twelve chapters plus an epilogue so it will be doable. As always, enjoy!

Emma didn't sleep at all that night, the feeling of nerves bumbled around in her stomach making it impossible to feel anything else. She felt foolish, like a schoolgirl wanting to go on her first date with her crush, and then she realized that she actually was and laughed. She was a goddamn fool.

She put on the outfit from the day before, slipping it off the hanger which she used to dry overnight. She hated to admit it but Regina was right, she needed new clothes. Even she was getting tired of wearing the same skirt and tight white blouse. Her locket is still draped across her neck, she tucks it safely inside.

Emma finishes getting ready and swiftly runs down by the Mifflin house. 10:59 am. Right on time. She stands there awkwardly, leaning on one of the nearby trees outlooking the lake. She's far enough away from the house to give the family their privacy but close enough that anyone could see her if they looked outside. Her hands twitch at her sides and she wipes her clammy hands against her skirt. For a moment she wonders if she's been stood up before she sees a wave of dark hair in front of her and a smile automatically creeps up on her lips.

"Sorry I'm late." Regina says as she pulls her coat tighter against her. She looks almost disheveled, as if she ran here in a rush, "I just had an obstacle or two to avoid this morning." She says peering over Emma's shoulder. Emma turns her head to see Cora all but storming out of the hotel doors, her eyes wild and her face surveying for a hint of her daughter. She turns around to face Regina again whose eyes are almost pleading.

"Let's go." Emma says grabbing Regina's hand and running down the gravel path. She stops the moment she hears Regina wince in pain and looks down immediately remembering that her ankle is still healing. She looks around wildly searching for any way out. Normally there is one or two cabs idling nearby, waiting for passengers but today strangely there are none.

"We won't find any cabs today." She says watching Emma survey around, "You can thank my mother for that."

She knows that if Cora catches them that Emma would be kicked out but she couldn't begin to fathom what Cora would do to her own daughter. She looks all around and spies a boat just at the end of the pier.

"You can swim right?" She asks and Regina's eyes all but bulge out as she nods.

"Good, how about a boat ride then?" Emma says as she pulls her down to the end of the pier, being careful to go slow enough for the brunette but fast enough to avoid being caught. Regina barely has time to say anything before she is gently placed into the boat and Emma jumps in across from her, rowing them out onto the lake. Once they are a safe distance away from the pier, the hotel being the size of an ant in the distance, Emma allows herself to breathe.

"Well this is quite surprising. I wasn't expecting this." Regina says as she massages her ankle, her hair falling in front of her face and peering at Emma through the gaps.

Emma makes a quick inhale before willing herself to breathe normally as she continues to stare at the other woman.

"Well what were you expecting?" She says, her fingers combing through her golden locks and taking off her wool coat to reveal a tightly buttoned blouse. Her chest pushing against the already straining buttons and this time it was not Emma who stutters over her words.

She catches the eyes of the other woman who now seems fiercely determined to look no lower than her own green eyes. A move which the brunette was failing horribly as her eyes dart down then up again before being caught by the blonde. Emma smiles smugly as the other woman's cheeks flush and she turns her head to look out towards the water.

"N-not this." Regina says, her voice low and eyes now glued to the crystal blue water.

Suddenly, whether because of the sun currently beating down on them or because of the sound of her voice Emma was suddenly becoming very very hot. She leans over to the side of the boat and splashes some cold water onto her face. Her hand dipping into the water and resting on the back of her neck. The cool water droplets flowing down her skin and snaking their way down her blouse. She looks up at Regina through hooded eyes, the heat between them only becoming exacerbated by the summer sun.

"Are you hot? I'm hot. It's really warm out here." Emma all but stutters, desperate for a distraction under Regina's heavy gaze.

The other woman chuckles, as if she knows exactly the effect she is having on the blonde, "Well there are plenty of shady trees just across the lake, I'm sure we can find somewhere to stop."

Emma picks up the paddles and begins to row towards the wooded area behind Regina. It takes her a few minutes and the muscles in her arms begin to burn until she finally reaches the area. The relief from the sun is felt in an instant as Emma rows them to float just under a large and shady tree.

"You could have helped you know, Your Majesty." She says giving the brunette a snide look.

Regina says nothing as she chuckles and lifts her head up in a regal manner, "Please, I'm a queen and a bit more refined."

And while she was initially irritated that she didn't even offer to help. I mean c'mon, at least offer. Emma couldn't help the smug look on her face as she caught the woman more than once staring at her biceps through her paper thin blouse. Emma rolled up her sleeves but she was unable to roll them past her upper arms as her biceps contracted and strained under the garment. Each movement earning a look of awe on the woman's face, though she was sure to hide it. She was an actress after all. Emma knew the soreness was worth it from her reaction alone.

"Well you didn't look so queenly when you landed on your ass the other night."

Regina shoots her a hard look but Emma continues to laugh as she recalls the kicked puppy expression that she wore that night. "Well maybe I wouldn't have fallen if I had a competent knight to catch me in the first place." She says, as she attempts to hide the smile on her face.

She chuckles, "No. I know you and you don't need a knight to save you." Emma is looking at her with such adoration and tenderness. Belief shining in her green eyes as if she believes what she has said with every fiber in her being. She believes in her. Regina is taken back by the compliment. She has been called beautiful, gorgeous, and a whole host of other flattery that she has always viewed as- well flattery. It never meant anything to her really, she's an actress after all, used to the comments about her appearance or sly innuendos about her body, yet she has never been complimented beyond that. No remarks about her intelligence or strength, things which apparently didn't matter when you had a pretty face. Yet here was this woman sitting in front of her, a woman she hardly knows and whispered the nicest things anyone has ever said to her.

She is smiling at her with such a vibrant smile, the woman's face lighting up with unadulterated happiness. She looks like a morning sunrise, the kind that surrounds you and sinks into your skin. Giving you exactly what you need and holding you in a way you want to be held. Regina thinks that she never knew what true happiness looked like until she saw Emma Swan smile at her. She wants to reach out to touch her, as if to capture her light and hold her close but then she remembers. Her mother's words echoing their warning in her head and she grasps her hands tighter, bringing them into herself. The playful air is gone and something deep and heavy clouds over them. Regina's voice is caught in her throat as she looks at her with wide eyes, her mouth barely ajar. She snaps it shut and tries to will the tears away that are now pricking at her eyes.

"Regina?" She reaches her hand out before pulling it back. "Regina, what's wrong?" And now all the light and happiness from Emma is now replaced with a storm of concern. Her bright eyes clouded, and her smile melted away. Regina can't stand to look at her knowing that she has done this to her. She took away this woman's happiness and she can't stand this because it wasn't supposed to be her. This woman came into her life to ruin her not the other way around. But if this is true then why would Emma look at her like that, with a look like lo- no. She can't bring herself to mutter that word, even in her mind.

Emma shakes her head, racking her brain for a solution as to what to do. Desperate to understand and for the woman to talk to her about what is going on. Finally, after what feels like an incredibly long amount of time, Regina looks up, her eyes instantly finding hers but she says nothing yet Emma knows exactly what she means. She's seen that look before, in the ice cream parlor and on the dance floor that night so she wills the thousands of questions in her mind to stop as she asks, "What did you mean when you said 'is it you'?"

Regina looks at her in surprise again before swallowing deeply. It occurs to her to lie to the woman, before she shakes her head to dissipate the thought. The strange feeling of knowing that she would be unable to lie to her even if she tried, "I- I was expecting you." And now it is Emma's turn to look surprised, her eyes wide before Regina continues, "Well I wasn't expecting you exactly, but someone like you."

"I don't understand." Emma really doesn't because how could she have known? There was no possible way for Regina to know about Emma. Hell, Emma didn't even know about Regina until sixty three years into the future.

"My mother knew about you. She knew a lot of things before they happened, my career, my life. She said that one day I would meet someone, someone who would change my life forever."

Emma involuntarily shutters, imagining just what kind of twisted and demented things that she would whisper to her daughter and then suddenly it all clicks into place. The look of fear on her face when it seemed that she was getting too close despite Emma knowing the woman is as fearless as her, "Did she say that they would be someone to be afraid of?"

Regina drops her eyes to her hands, fiddling with fingers, a nervous habit, "Yes."

She looks at her closely, careful to not do anything else to scare her, "And do- do you believe that?" She asks, afraid of what the answer would be.

She looks up at her suddenly, a smile slowly returning to her lips as she wipes away a tear, "No. I don't."

"Hm." Emma looks satisfied in the answer yet something cloudy still lingers behind her eyes. She blinks rapidly, as if to clear it before she outstretches her hands towards Regina, "May I?"

Regina looks at her dumbly, not quite understanding what the other woman is asking. The confused expression is evident on her face as Emma looks at her with understanding before clarifying, "Regina, can I touch you?"

Regina's eyes widen at this. Never before has anyone ever asked if they could touch her. Her and Emma have touched already, she carried her up the hill the night before for God's sake! But that was out of necessity, this-this is different. Emma is looking at her with the softest smile, her green eyes shining even in the shade, and her hands stretched in front of her asking for permission. No, Emma is asking more than just the chance to touch her. It is as if the moment Regina lays her hands in Emma's a spell will be fulfilled. She had told her that she was expecting her didn't she? Any other person would have looked at her in confusion or as if they wanted to quickly get away from her and her strange mother. Yet, Emma didn't. She hardly batted an eye at the statement and instead of turning away from her or making excuses to leave she sits in front of her. Unmoved, unchanged, with her hands outstretched as if she was praying to her. Emma Swan was unlike anyone she ever met, and Regina had the feeling, unlike anyone she would ever meet for the rest of her life.

Regina nods and puts her hands in Emma's. Palm to palm, skin to skin, heart to heart, neither making the effort to move. Emma's pulse quickens as she watches Regina's chest move up and down with a speed quicker than before. Emma feels a tremble in her hands but she is unsure if it is coming from her or Regina. A flush creeps upon her cheeks as she leans in. Regina mirrors the movement, as if being pulled by some magnetic force or invisible string. Both are nearly inches apart, their breaths hot on each other's face. Regina closes her eyes, as if knowing what comes next before their hands break contact and Emma wraps Regina in an engulfing hug. Regina's eyes open in other woman nuzzles her face into Regina's hair, her arms coiled tightly around her. It takes only a moment for her to regain her composure before she tucks her face into the neck of the blonde, gripping her with the same force.

Something blooms in her chest, like a rose bud during the first day of spring. For the first time in her life, Regina feels like she can finally breathe. As if her heart had suddenly burst open and whispered to Emma, I'm yours. Then, as though Emma could hear her thoughts, her arms tighten around her even more. As though if they both tried hard enough their bodies could melt together and become one. Regina closes her eyes in the embrace, breathing in every scent of this moment as if she could etch it in her memory. Yet she knew that little effort was required of her. For there was no doubt that she would remember this moment for the rest of her life.

The two remain in each other's comforting embrace for what felt like only moments before Emma pulls back, her hands still on her arms, rubbing circles with her thumbs.

Emma smiles at her then glances back at the hotel in the distance, the sun already starting to set. "Come, let's get you back."

Regina looks at the reflection of the sun in the water. How did it become so late?

Emma gives her another soft smile, "I don't want you late for rehearsals. God knows enough people have it out for me, I do not want to add your stage manager to that list."

"Bold of you to assume that you are not already on said list." Emma tilts her head to the side and Regina chuckles, "But I suppose you're right. No need to have you make more enemies on my behalf, although I believe that you do that well enough on your own."

"Hey" Emma says in mock hurt, "I'm not that dislikeable!"

Regina tries to stifle another laugh before failing completely, "No, my dear, you are not. In fact I think that some people would say that you are very likeable." She looks at her with a heated gaze, "But only in certain circles of course"

"Oh of course." Emma replies, gesturing to Regina, "the thespians being one circle." She pauses for a moment, mischief sparkling in her eyes, "And the other being one that also ends in -ian."

Regina gives her a quizzical look. Emma looks at her, struggling not to laugh as she can practically see the other woman scouring her brain for the answer. It takes only a moment before it finally clicks.

A faint blush paints Regina's cheeks as she regains her composure. How easily this woman unravels her. "Oh I don't doubt that. You are so charming after all."

She laughs, "I feel like only you could make charming sound like an insult."

"Well I am quite magical with words I've been told. I have a certain way of speaking that evokes emotions in people that they never knew existed. Or so I've been told."

Emma becomes a bit breathless, "Oh? What else are you magical with?"

Regina stares at her. Calculated in her look, as if studying her. Something clicks behind her brown eyes as she says in the most painstaking slow yet sultry voice, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

At this point Emma breaks out into a full blown blush, her cheeks so red that she appears to have a sunburn. "Ah, well-" Emma gulps, "Some other time then, we need to get you home." She reaches for both paddles when Regina suddenly seizes one from her hand. She looks up and see's Regina smiling smugly at her. "I can help." She says, her eyes shining at Emma, clearly enjoying the effects her words had on the other woman. She lets go of the paddle and slides more towards the center of the boat.

"Okay, but you need to sit next to me to do it. We can't be facing opposite directions." Emma says, trying to regain the levelness in her voice and (mostly) succeeding.

Regina huffs, "You say that like I'm afraid to be near you." Earning a raised eyebrow from the blonde, before adding, "anymore." Emma smiles at her once Regina is seated directly next to her, their knees barely touching but still she can feel the warmth of her presence beside her.

They row back in peace, neither really saying much as Emma hums her favorite tune. Humming along with the melody until they finally reach the pier. Something different had passed over them, changed somehow though neither knew it yet. The air between them was different, Regina was looking at her with new eyes, no longer clouded by fears or prophecies. Emma was like a breath of fresh air and Regina was being sucked in.

"That was a very pretty song. What was it?" Regina asks, their hands swing by their sides, colliding in a fleeting touch.

"Oh, just something I heard a lifetime ago. I'll introduce it to you sometime."

She stands to get out of the boat before turning back to Regina and helping her.

"It was very beautiful, I hope you will." She says, stepping out of the boat and onto land.

Emma blushes harder as she ducks her head a bit to hide her embarrassment, "Thank you." She looks up again to see Regina smiling at her, her face lit up as the sun continues to set behind them.

"Regina," she starts again nervously, "I wondering if tomorrow-"

"I'd love to." She says without missing a single beat. "It's Wednesday so rehearsals will end early, meet in town by the clock tower at 2. I don't care about cabs, I'll walk there if I have to."

Emma raises her brows at this, dramatically looking down at the other woman's ankle before looking back at Regina.

She huffs, "Don't worry about that. I've endured worse. Besides I recall making you a promise to go shopping for new clothes and a Mill's woman does not break her promises."

Emma nods, no longer trying to hide the redness across her cheeks. "Okay, tomorrow then. Tomorrow."

They are standing close to each other. Regina about a foot or two away as she begins to lean in close, her eyes flickering from Emma's lips to her eyes again. Her breath becomes quicker as she inches closer. Emma leans in closer too, mere inches away from the woman.

When suddenly the front door of the Mifflin house swings open, Zelena promptly stalks out, Henry in tow and the women promptly step apart.

"Auntie Regina! Emma!" The little boy shouts as he runs over and engulfs them in a large hug. "Cora was here!"

"Cora?" Emma asks with a raised brow.

"She doesn't let him call her grandmother." She replies. A tinge of sadness tugging on her lips, "it's a long story."

Regina's attention turns back to the boy in her arms who is now smiling brightly up at her, "Oh, was she? We must have just missed her."

"You did." Zelena says as she walks down the steps on the porch. "Lucky for you, you two weren't a moment too soon." She says giving Emma a onceover, then a hard look at her sister. "Henry, why don't you go inside for a moment. I have to talk to Auntie Regina and Emma alone okay sweetheart."

The boy frowns a bit before obeying his mother, "Okay. Bye Auntie, bye Emma." The boy yells as he waves his hand at them both before entering the house.

"What's your problem?" Regina says once they are alone.

"Me?" She huffs, "I'm not the one galavanting around with some plucky little blonde that I just met!"

"Hey I'm not-"

Zelena glares at Emma effectively shutting her up. "This isn't about you. Whoever you are. This is between me and Regina."

"Zelena" Regina says, her voice low and warning, "Watch your tone."

"Believe it or not Regina I am trying to protect you. Tormenting mother was fun for a night but no more. I am doing what's best for you, like I always have. I don't care about who you choose to spend your time with but I care about what will happen if mother finds out."

Regina continues to glare at her, her body visibly shaking. Emma knows it's not her place but she can't help but put a hand on Regina's arm, rubbing small circles on it. Regina starts to calm down, mouthing a 'thank you' to Emma before turning back to Zelena.

Zelena is looking at both of them as a realization seems to pass over her. She takes a step back as if seeing them both for the first time. Her mouth slightly ajar and her green eyes wide as she shakes her head to rid herself of the revelation. Zelena looks again at the pair sympathetically, her expression softening, "In another time, in another life, things might have been easier." She says glancing at her sister's pained expression, "But we are where we are in time and nothing can change that, I just don't want you to pay the price as you always do. You know mother will do anything to ensure your success."

Regina let's out a long sigh before nodding her head. "I know. I know you're just looking out for me," she faces Emma, giving her a warm smile before turning back towards her sister, "I promise I'll be careful."

"Please Regina." Zelena looks down at the pair's joined hands. The look of love so apparent on their faces. Something wrenches in her gut, for she doesn't have her mother's ability for premonition but she knows that this will not end well, "please do."