Emma waits patiently outside the clock tower. After their nearly (failed) outing yesterday she would not be particularly surprised if Cora pulled something again. A thought strikes her.
What if she did walk here? No, she wouldn't, she's more sensible than that right? She wouldn't. Emma then remembers the determined look on Regina's face when she promised her and now the possibility is becoming more and more likely.
I have to help her, she thinks. Turning to make her way back to the hotel before promptly bumping into Regina.
"Do you do this a lot?" she asks, regaining her footing and grabbing on to Emma's shoulders. "Run into people without looking?"
Emma is unsure if the other woman is truly angry or not until she seeks the tiniest upward curl of her lips.
She leans back a moment to look at her. Red. Red is the color of today. With her red tight skirt and grey blouse. A dark red silk scarf covers her neck and matches her wrist length gloves.
Emma stares at her a moment. Unable to say anything. She hears a cough and looks up to see a pair of mischievous brown eyes looking back at her.
"See anything you like?"
Emma's mouth goes dry, "Oh, perhaps," she says, trying to sound unaffected. She can feel the start of a blush begin to form on her cheeks, betraying her.
Regina says nothing but lets out a soft chuckle. "Well now that that's taken care of how about finding you some new clothes?"
She promptly puts her arm through the other woman's and begins to lead her to a series of boutiques and shops.
They browse a series of garments in each shop. Their respective tastes seemingly not aligning. For everything, Regina likes Emma dislikes, and everything Emma likes Regina loathes. Eventually, Regina picks up a garment that she does not automatically dislike. "How about this?" It's a red coat, not dissimilar to the color that Regina is currently wearing. It's no red leather jacket that Emma's accustomed to but it will do. "And this." She adds, shoving a pair of waist-height black pants into the other woman's arms.
"Regina, this is too much!"
"Nonsense, these are the basics dear. Go put these on and I'll bring you a shirt that matches. Go on."
Emma obeys. Any fight she knows would be fruitless and she has no will nor desire to argue with the other woman. She walks into the dressing room and begins to undress.
Her white blouse is the first garment to hit the floor. She freezes for a moment as her gold locket reflects in the mirror. Her hands unconsciously travel up her chest to caress the locket. She holds it delicately in her hands and it hits her how much has transpired since that night. She opens it once again as if an image will suddenly appear now that she has traveled back in time. She is met only with her small golden reflection.
Regina pushes the dressing room curtain aside, looking down at the items in her arms. "Emma I have this blouse for you-" She looks up and the words suddenly die on her tongue. The first thing she notices is the flash of pale skin. The freckles that dance across her skin like constellations in the sky. She has to resist the urge to reach out and touch them. Her eyes travel a bit further up her toned back until they land on the strap of a white lace bra. She diverts her eyes immediately, ashamed of how carelessly she was examining the woman in front of her who is in, no doubt, a very vulnerable position. Her cheeks flush and she forces herself to meet Emma's eyes as though her eyes alone could convey the message I'm sorry for staring.
Emma looks back at her startled, her hands clasped tightly around the locket as she closes it shut and grabs the blouse from her hands. "Thanks, I'll try this on."
Regina glances at the golden locket in her hands and back at Emma's startled face. Her mouth opens to speak before promptly closing it. Shaking her head as if to dismiss a thought.
"Alright, I'll just be out here," she says, giving Emma a tight smile before retreating the way she came. Her face is still pink from the flush.
By the time Emma redresses, Regina is already at the counter, poised to pay. An additional bag is already in Regina's arms as Emma drops the clothes on the counter.
"Did these all work?"
"Yes, these all worked great."
"Excellent," she says, with a pleased smile on her face.
Emma reaches into her pocket to pay before Regina shoos away her hand.
"Oh, Regina you don't have to-"
"I owe you, remember?" she says giving Emma a wink. "And you wouldn't deprive me the ability to repay a favor now would you?"
Regina has a friendly exchange with the cashier. Making small talk as she rings up the items and places them gingerly into the bags. Emma stands there awkwardly, looking around the shop and trying to mindlessly distract herself until they can leave. She catches the eye of the shopkeeper who keeps giving her curious glances every few moments. They are brief and fleeting, but she notices them nonetheless. They seem to switch between her and Regina as if to ask how someone like you is with someone like her. Emma has to mentally restrain herself from chuckling as she has been asking herself the same thing all day.
When it is finished Emma murmurs a quick thank you to Regina who promptly nods in acknowledgment. She offers her arm like before but Regina ignores it as she pushes the door open and exits the store. Emma deflates a bit after that. They walk down Main Street in slightly awkward silence. Regina looks conflicted somehow, a troubled look clouds her features. Emma searches her mind trying to find the source of the grievance. Was it something she did? Something she said? Perhaps she is regretting spending so much time with her? Fuck, she says mentally to herself, what the hell did you do Swan?
Too distracted by her thoughts it takes her a moment to notice that Regina has suddenly stopped walking.
Emma turns to face her. "What's wrong?"
"There's—well there's something I want to ask you—of you that is." She keeps her face neutral but there is a slight uneasiness in her voice. Like she is not quite sure she wants to hear the answer to the question she is going to ask. Emma hears it and she knows that Regina hears it too.
Emma looks at her, eyes pleading to continue, "Okay, what is it?"
"No, not here. Somewhere else. My mother practically controls this town and I don't want her knowing—at least right away." Regina surveys around for a moment before spotting and gesturing to the sign of the Storybrooke Park, "Are you up for a stroll?"
The park is absolutely lovely during the summertime. The warm summer breeze blows through the trees and offers a cool reprieve from the sun. Emma is surprised that for such a nice day that more people are not in the park enjoying the weather. As if reading her mind Regina answers, "It's Wednesday in the middle of July which means that most people are either working, suffering at their in-laws, or out boating. There's only so much to do in a small town like this during the summer."
Eventually, the pair stop in front of an isolated bench and sit. Emma stays silent, deciding that the threads of her skirt are incredibly fascinating, buying Regina time to collect her thoughts before speaking.
"Emma," she starts, fiddling with her hands, "When I walked into the dressing room earlier I saw—well that is to say.." she stops, looking up at the other woman, "Is there someone else in your heart?"
"What?" she replies, genuinely taken back by this question. It was not what she was expecting. "What makes you ask that?"
"It's just, I saw your locket, and most people wear lockets with the images of their loved ones inside. So I was wondering if there was someone else already?"
She looks at her stunned, a hand unconsciously feeling for the locket beneath her blouse.
Regina blushes, "Oh my god. I'm such an idiot. I'm assuming too much." She stands to leave, "Forget it, Emma. Forget what I said-"
Emma stands up quickly, "There's no one," she says reaching for Regina's hand and cradling it in hers.
"What?" She looks at her with wide eyes.
"There's no one else." She leans in closer to Regina. She grabs the locket from beneath her blouse, opening it so that Regina may see her golden reflection before closing it and tucking it back inside. "This locket," she begins, "it was a gift from someone very special to me, given to me what feels like a lifetime ago." She thinks briefly of the yellow twinkling lights on that cold Boston night, the warmth of the celebration, and the warmer feeling still of Regina's gaze. "But they are gone now."
"Oh, I'm so sorry Emma," she says, giving the woman a sympathetic look.
"Don't be." She gives her a small smile. "Without her, I-" wouldn't have found you "I wouldn't have ended up here, with you. Regina, there is no one else but you."
The truth of this statement feels heavy. It's true that without this locket she may have never found her. That all of this would have never happened. She wonders if fate would have ever pushed them together regardless. That the invisible string tied somewhere beneath her ribs would have beckoned her until she discovered the truth. She has never been so lucky in life, but she hopes, despite herself, that she would be.
Emma holds Regina's hand in hers, bringing the woman's other hand up to match. She turns her hand's palm side up and slowly brings them towards her mouth. She stops just before her lips touch her soft skin, her eyes searching for permission from the other woman. Regina nods, just so slightly. Her body seemingly paralyzed from anticipation before Emma continues and places a kiss gently upon the palm of her hand. She starts first with the palms of her hands before moving on to the woman's small wrists.
"Em-ma," Regina says, breathless. Emma can feel the other woman's pulse quicken beneath her lips. Can practically feel the increased speed of the blood pumping below her olive skin. "Emma," she pleads, seizing Emma's face in her hands and pulling it up so that they are now looking directly into each other's eyes. "Kiss me."
Emma surges forward, capturing her lips in one quick and solid movement. One hand slips behind Regina's neck as the other grabs her waist. Regina's hands trail behind Emma's back, pushing their chests together. Their soft lips move against each other, and Regina is the first to let out a small moan. Emma smiles at this and rewards the moan by slipping her tongue into her mouth. An action that causes the other woman to tremble in her arms.
Fireworks sound a bit cliche to say but neither can deny the explosion of energy between them. This push and pull energy that moves in a synchronous motion. Like standing in the ocean, the gentle waves crashing across your skin and the beckoning pull of the tide. Regina never knew that a kiss could feel like this. So raw and magnetic and yet so unbearably soft.
The pair eventually part, the need for air (barely) outweighing their mutual desire for each other. They both take a few moments to breathe in deeply.
Emma looks up at her with her eyes shining with the undeniable truth that she loves her. There's no mistake about that, nothing to twist or misconstrue. She loves her. Loves the woman standing in front of her. She feels as though she's loved her for many, many lifetimes. And although Emma is hardly a believer in anything, she believes in them. Regina Mills, this woman of whom she traveled time and space just for the chance to meet again. This woman would make her a believer yet.
"That's was-"
"Yes, my dear. It was." Regina says, as breathless as Emma. Her hand now caressing the side of the other woman's face, her other still entwined with Emma's. "Actually, there was something else I wanted to ask you before," she gestures between the two of them, "this happened."
"Alright." She leans back to get a better view of the woman, "what would you like to know?"
"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me as my date on the opening night of my show this Friday?"
Her eyebrows raise, "But, Regina, what about your mother? If she knows that you invited me won't she-"
"Nevermind her, she won't cause a scene on opening night. Besides even if she did I wouldn't leave you for anything in the world. I feel bound to you in some way. As if together is exactly where I've been meant to be, I just didn't know it." She looks up at her, nervousness painting her face. "So, will you?"
Instead of answering Emma surges forward and kisses her again. Pouring her whole soul into the kiss, as if Regina could hear Emma's heart shouting I'm yours! I've always been yours.
"I'd love to. Truly there's nowhere else in all of time or space that I would rather be."
Regina's face breaks out into a bright smile, her eyes slightly wet as she brings Emma into a tight embrace.
In the arms of someone you love, there exists no concept of time or space. Only palm to palm, lips to lips, heart to heart. As your heart screams behind the cage of your ribs, I've found you, my love, I've found you at last.
It is dark by the time they leave the park, the evening sun has long set and the pair hold each other tightly for warmth. They manage this time to hail a cab which drops them off right outside the entrance of the hotel. The hotel lights glowing warmly contrasting the darkness of the evening.
"Thank you, Emma. For today. I haven't felt so happy since-let's just say for a very long time." She gives her a warm, bright smile.
She says nothing for a moment, taking the opportunity to stare into the warm brown eyes before her. "Regina, I lo-" No, she can't say these words out loud quite yet. Does not want to frighten her. That is not to say that she doesn't feel the truth behind the word. She does with her whole body, mind, and soul love Regina.
Regina is looking back at her expectantly as if holding her breath waiting for the rest of the words to tumble out of Emma. Oh god, does Emma want to say them. She would stand on top of every rooftop and profess it to the world over and over again until the world stopped turning if Regina asked her to. But something in Emma's gut stops her. Tells her to wait, that this is not the time to mutter such precious words.
Emma shakes her head, going for a safer option, "Can I see you tomorrow? I know that tomorrow is the last day before opening night but I would really like to see you." She gives her a sad smile.
Disappointment creeps onto Regina's face for only a moment before disappearing just as quickly, "Of course." She smiles at her but it does not quite reach her eyes as before. "I will be busy most of the day but come by my room in the evening, say around 7? We'll have dinner."
"Great, I will see you then." She runs up a few steps before stopping, she can feel her eyes still on her back. This may not be the time to tell her but that doesn't mean that she can't show her. Emma turns around quickly, running down the last remaining steps.
"Emma what are you-"
She surges forward and kisses her. A gentler kiss than before but just as full of love and longing. "I'll see you tomorrow night," she says, pulling back to look at her, "Goodnight Regina."
She turns away again, running up the stairs and into the hotel. Regina stares after the other woman. Her hand gently caresses her lips which now feel devoid of warmth without Emma. She thought that she was going to say she loved her. She almost did, didn't see? Yes, she could see it in her eyes and face. She wanted to tell her, but something was stopping her. What? Regina was unsure. The only thing she knew for certain was just how much colder it is without her. Her arms tighten around herself as she trails the other woman into the hotel.
Cora stands behind the window outlooking the view from the hotel. She clicks her tongue, "Well, well Regina. Now what to do with this Miss Swan."
