"You cannot spend time with Henry without my supervision. I'm his mother, not you. That's how the law will see it. That's my final word on the matter," Regina states firmly, ending the argument.
"Fuck you," Emma spits.
"Oh, wouldn't you like to," Regina quips.
Emma is stunned for a moment at the exchange then quickly gains her bearings and barbs back, "Not as much as you would."
"Is that so?" Regina questions with an icy glare rolling her shoulders back, daring Emma to continue, yet tread carefully.
"Yeah, your uptight disposition just begs to be unwound by a roll in the sack," Emma reasons, the tension in the room only growing.
"Crass," Regina tilts her head to the side as if pondering something. "Are you offering?" Regina had felt the tension since Miss Swan first drove into town. She'd be lying if she said she didn't. And with what nearly happened at the mines, she was ready for this flower to be picked.
"What? Ptff! No! No, I'm not offering! We're fighting," Emma scrambles on her words, taken aback by the forwardness as opposed to the Mayor's normally coy demeanor.
"Okay then," Regina replies in a level tone, clasping her hands together.
"Okay?" Emma questions raising an eyebrow.
"Miss Swan your incessant babbling is giving me a migraine. If you would please, see yourself out," Regina requests as she turns her chair away and pinches the bridge of her nose. She had to admit there was something entertaining about seeing this side of Emma Swan.
~0~
"Regina couldn't have really been suggesting- no, no! No, she's just trying to get under my skin, trying to rile me up so I make a mistake, or scare me off, so she gets Henry to herself. Yeah, yeah, that's it. It's about Henry," Emma rationalizes to herself once the shock has worn off. She's just upset and vulnerable about after almost losing Henry in the mines and she blames me and is just embarrassed at getting so close to me that day. I felt that buzz in the air as we stood nearly forehead to forehead. She wants her space. That's all.
~0~
Emma returns later to Regina's office to clear up their earlier discussion. She walks in and Regina half glances up over her reading glasses. "I'm not trying to take Henry from you," Emma huffs her confession. "You're his mother. I get that."
"Good to know," Regina replies dryly her gaze never leaving the papers on her desk. "Was that it?" she adds impatiently.
"Do you want it to be?" Emma counters, taking a step forward.
"What did you have in mind?" Regina asks, attempting to seem uninterested, twiddling her pen.
"What would you like me to have in mind, Madam Mayor?" Emma dares, her tongue unconsciously wetting her lips.
"I would quite like if anything seemed to be in that brain of yours, for then you could stop answering my questions with more questions," Regina replies disdainfully. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really have work to do." She waves Emma away with her hand.
~0~
As Emma enters the Mayor's office she finds all the blinds closed, and Regina laying out on the sofa. Her heels were kicked off beside her on the floor, and Emma's gaze slowly traces up the mayor's stocking clad legs.
"I'm feeling a little off today," Regina sighs. "Would you like to turn me on?" Emma hears her ask causally. The mayor tilting her head back to either expose her neck or to stretch out the muscles there; Emma did not know.
"What?" Emma blinks rapidly, clearly having her heard wrong.
"I'm feeling a little off today," Regina repeats, slowing her words. "I have a horrible migraine." She rubs her temple. "Could you turn the air on? You're standing right by the controller."
"Oh, right," Emma chuckles nervously, speaking mostly to herself. "The air conditioning. Got it. You're hot." Emma turns away from Regina to crank the air.
Regina closes her eyes and wry smiles graces her lips. "Thank you?" she replies quietly, her words spoken much too slow to be referring only to Emma turning on the air. Clearly she heard Emma's processing monologue. Emma tries to hide the smile forming on her lips as she rolls her eyes. "It really must be hot in here. You're flushed and you've just arrived," Regina points out, before quickly moving on. "Why are you here?"
"Uh- just dropping this off," Emma excuses herself after she places a form down on the Mayor's desk.
~0~
Emma stalks into Regina's office, dripping wet from the sudden downpour occurring on her walk over. She wished she would have drove her car to the station today.
"I didn't realise I had called a meeting with a wet dog," Regina remarks, as Emma attempts to shake some of the water off her jacket's sleeves.
Emma glares. "Keep your amusement to yourself, Madam Mayor, or else I just might have to come over and get you wet." Emma realises the possibility of a double entendre as soon as the words leave her mouth. Her possible implication was not lost on the mayor, who reels back at the words. "I- I didn't mean it like that," Emma recants.
"Whatever do you mean, dear?" Regina keeps her voice light.
Emma shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot as her hands tangle within themselves, maybe it really did go over Regina's head. She wasn't going to spell it out for the woman, when she didn't even mean it in that way.
"Oh," Regina interjects acting as if she had just noticed the meaning, having enjoyed watching Emma squirming long enough. "You were implying-" her words break out into a deep chuckle. "Do you fantasize about bending me over this desk, Miss Swan?" She slides her hands along the wood as her voice drops to a silky timbre on the words 'Miss Swan.'
"No," Emma barely chokes out, her mouth dry. But I am now. "No," Emma flusters another attempt at a stronger answer.
Regina could tell that hit its mark for she noticed color creep up the blonde's neck to her cheeks. "Good," Regina smiles with a false air of sudden professionalism. "We wouldn't want that, now would we?" Her smile creasing into a sour smirk. "Now take yourself and your- wetness out of my office and don't come back until you've changed into something more suitable."
"Uh- I'll go home and change, come back later and uh- drier," Emma grumbles.
"I guess we'll see about that too," Regina smiles a devious smile.
"Are you flirting with me, Madam Mayor?" Emma inquires.
"Are you truly acting like you don't know? I pegged you for smarter than that," Regina tuts. "Maybe I need to hire a new sheriff, clearly mine is lacking in perception. Seems like a necessary quality in a sheriff don't you think?"
"Yes- no- uh I-" Emma fumbles on her words as she quickly tries to think of what to say. This is why you shouldn't flirt with your boss. "Okay, I knew what you were doing, but the question remains why," she spits out exacerbated.
"That for me to know and you to find out," Regina chides.
~0~
Once in the safety of her yellow but she huffs to herself. "Stupid Regina. Stupid, fucking sexy Regina. Sexy Regina? No - no she's just trying to get in my head and I'm opening the door."
~0~
Emma remembers standing up at the town hall meeting to call Regina on all her crap, stealing funds, building a mansion. This is what she was really trying to distract me from.
Regina bellows, "Miss Swan, you will sit down immediately or so help me—"
"What? You'll punish me?" Emma interrupts infuriated. Regina holds back a smirk, as Emma goes on to rant about her being a bully.
But no Emma's expose was in vain. Regina is always two steps ahead of her, calm and calculated. "So, there you have it. Miss Swan, you've exposed me for who I really am," gloating in her glee at having bested Emma again, flashing her a simple victorious smile as Emma shrinks down again in defeat.
~0~
"This, us," Emma gestures between them, "it's getting out of hand."
"Is it though?" Regina tilts her head, a small smirk forming on her lips.
"Yes, it is. This," she echoes more angrily this time. "needs to stop. For Henry's sake." Her eyes narrow as Regina breathes a moment to reflect upon Emma's sentiment about Henry. Before she can respond Emma interrupts, "What even is this?"
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Regina quips darkly.
And with that Emma has had enough of her coyness and stomps off.
~0~
Well two can play at that game. She wants me to be uncomfortable; I'll give her uncomfortable. I'll call her bluff. Then she'll back off. I am done being the mouse here. It's time the tables turned.
~0~
"Miss Swan, I'm glad you're here. Here's the paperwork I'll need from you," Regina speaks without looking up from her desk.
Emma brushes past whatever business Regina is trying to attend to. "Okay Regina, I give. Do you want to have sex with me or not?" Emma huffs, tired from the latest frustration.
Regina pauses for a moment digesting Miss Swan's words. Soon she stands up from her desk and saunters towards Emma, encroaching into very personal space until Emma's back hits the wall. Regina places her arms on either side of Emma's body effectively trapping her. Emma takes a large breath to steady herself at being this close to Regina. Regina smirks and leans in closer her tongue tickling Emma's ear as she whispers deeply "No, but I like seeing how riled it gets you. You're trembling," And just like that Regina's back on the other side of the room before Emma can process what happened.
"Well- you're a bitch," Emma contends with force.
"Oh really? I hadn't noticed," Regina lilts.
Emma storms out of her office, grumbling to herself. She makes it about three steps into the hall before she is striding back inside approaching Regina and pushing her up against the wall in much the same manner. Regina's pulse quickens at the rapid change in control. "I think you want this," Emma counters darkly. "I think you're scared," she contends.
"Oh really? Scared? of you?" Regina chuckles. "Hardly. The Evil Queen is scared of nothing," Regina's demeanor darkly flashes before recovering to formal, amicable Madam Mayor. "Now kindly unhand me, Miss Swan. I have work to get back to."
"Fine," Emma steps back, raising her hands in surrender. "I won't offer again, scouts honor." She does a two finger salute.
Regina awkwardly readjusts her blazer, as Emma turns on her heel. Regina closes her eyes for a moment, debating with herself. She'd never seen this side of Emma. "Miss Swan, wait," Regina calls attempting to keep her voice hard, but it comes out much too breathy in betrayal to her farce of detachment.
"What?" Emma turns around agitated.
Regina schools her features with a deep breath before speaking. "You forgot to take your paperwork with you. The entire reason for this visit."
Emma goes up to the desk and grabs the stack of papers huffing as she does. "Good day, Madam Mayor." The words sounding like venom as they leak out.
~0~
"That meeting yesterday was never about the paperwork," Emma states pointblank.
"Oh yes, a sheriff who sits around on her ass all day, eating bearclaws and twiddling her thumbs. You know how that trills me." Regina rolls her eyes.
"Oh, I think I know what trills you," Emma drops her voice low and sultry. "and it involves me doing much more interesting things with my fingers."
Regina opens and closes her mouth as she tries to keep her expression blank. "You're playing with fire, Miss Swan," she cautions.
"I may even be in the mood to eat something better than bearclaws," Emma continues. "And I'm sure a woman of your- caliber- has quite the appetite as well."
"Enough!" Regina decries. "Now is there a point to this visit to my office? Or are you just here to harass me while I'm at work?"
"What? Is it only fun when you do it?" Emma pouts.
"Still waiting on a point," Regina reminds, her annoyance clear.
"Yes, um actually," Emma's tone suddenly formal. "Here is my vacation request form." Emma pulls a crumpled up paper from inside her jacket.
"Yes, I see," Regina responds, looking it over. "Where are you going?"
"None of your beeswax," Emma tightlips, resisting the urge to stick her tongue out.
"Very well," Regina replies cordially.
~0~
"How are you?" Emma asks as she slides down into the chair across the mayor's desk. The time away from Regina had really weaned her own tension with the raven woman.
"Honestly, pretty good, until you started talking to me," Regina replies her focus lingering on the papers in front of her. "I so enjoyed you being 'on vacation.'"
"You missed me, don't deny it," Emma smiles, her dimples appearing.
"Hardly, how could one miss something as annoying and incessant as you?" Regina demeans.
"Without me you had no one to boss around, no one to force to jump through hoops," Emma teases.
"Thank you, you're so right. I should get a dog," Regina smirks.
Emma sighs. "You're still flirting with me," Emma addresses that previous topic.
"Am I?" Regina contemplates aloud. "If so, it's only because you're enjoying it." Her direct reply causing Emma to flush madly. "Well this was a good chat," Regina clasps her hands together a top her desk. "We should chat more often. Perhaps with less clothing," her voice dropping to a sultry whisper.
And on that note Emma decides it best to leave. Clearly Regina also felt different after some time apart.
~0~
"Madam Mayor, what's up?" Emma inquires as chipper greeting, trying to keep the mood friendly, due to Regina's sudden no holds bare repertoire and Emma not wanting to push for anything to happen there.
"I'm pretty busy," she raises her gaze to meet Emma's. "As a matter of fact, I have a meeting with you later in some dim, quiet place. So, what time should I expect you tonight?"
Emma opens and closes her mouth in shock. "What's you're angle?" Emma scrutinizes the brunette with narrowing eyes.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Regina dares, unable to keep her mouth from turning up.
"You're not planning to kill me, are you? 'Dim, quiet' sounds like a place with no witnesses," Emma suggests feeling uneasy at the prospects either way.
"I'm thinking seven," Regina specified. "And if I was trying to kill you, dear, I've had plenty of chances and have yet to take any of them. So it's fair to assume that you'll be- more than alive when I'm done with you."
~0~
"God, this was a horrible idea. What am I doing?" Emma huffs to herself as she digs through her closet. "Me, Regina…" Emma flops onto her bed on the pile of clothes she had strewn there. "Hasn't this game of chicken gone on long enough? Not that this coming to fruition would be the worst thing in the world, she's alluring and exciting, but… she's Regina, the evil mayor, maybe an evil queen (or so Henry says), but most of all she's the mother of my son… She can't really want this. I don't really want this. Do I? No, no, she's a master manipulator. God, am I'm just falling prey to her wiles? Whatever, I won't back down to her, not again. She thinks she can control me, she better think again. Emma picks out a saucy pink number.
~0~
"Hi, errr how are you?" Emma gapes at the sight of the mayor in a strappy indigo dress. She doesn't get to see Regina's toned arms much, always covered in blazers, maybe for good reason; how could we get any work done looking at the sight of that? Emma smiles nervously as Regina opens her door further and invites the blonde in behind her.
"Enough with the "how are you?" or "what's up" questions. Talk dirty to me," Regina commands. Regina always too hard, too fast, too far, too deep, too much.
"Woah, woah, wait what!" Emma decries. "I thought you were just fucking with me, you actually want to fuck me? I was just playing along when it was all in good fun. I don't want this! You're Henry's mom. You really don't get it, do you?"
"Oh," Regina reels back, unused to being rejected. "Of- of course, my mistake. I just wanted to see how far I could push it. Clearly that's the limit." Regina smooths some non-existent wrinkles out of her skirt.
The thought "Why did I even come?" rolls around in Emma's brain. "Okay," Emma replies skeptically. "I'm gunna go." Emma points her thumb back at the door, awkwardly.
Regina bites her lip as she looks over into Emma's eyes. "Wait, maybe you don't have to go home just yet."
Emma raises an eyebrow. "What should we do instead?" She keeps her voice causal.
Regina closed her eyes for a moment, debating with herself. "I mean, I cooked a pot roast. It would be a shame to go to waste, and Henry's at a friend's for a sleepover and-" Regina's further sensual insulation of "being all alone," dies in her throat as she realises Emma is likely not budging.
Emma takes a deep breath out, knowing full well what agreeing to this could later entail. She shuffles her feet, but then the loud growl of her stomach causes her to notice the delicious smell emanating from the kitchen. The decision suddenly made for her and she finds herself sitting down at Regina Mills's dining table.
The conversation flowed freely for Regina was much less combative after Emma had adamantly maintained who Henry's mother truly was during her tirade. They were even laughing a bit, having a genuine good time with the aid of some really good wine. Regina prattled on about Henry, and Emma was glad to be privy to more details about his life. Emma told her some embarrassing stories about Mary Margaret and Regina filed them away for later.
As the meal comes to a close, Regina leans over "This was nice. Thanks for staying," are the words she chooses as she reaches over coving Emma's hand with her own. Regina's hand on her's is electric. Emma wants to pull back but finds she doesn't have the strength to break the connection. Eventually Regina retracts her own hand. Suddenly flustered and looking anywhere other than Emma.
Emma clears her throat and stands up awkwardly, her fingers instinctively going to her hips but floundering at a loss when no belt loops are found there. "I'm gunna go. I'll – uh- see myself out. Thanks for the meal," Emma maintained, convincing herself that food was the only reason she remained.
"Emma wait," Regina calls. Emma looks back at the startling use of her first name. Regina looks too desperate, too pleading, too vulnerable, too- too small, too open. "Maybe we could- maybe you'd like to look at some of Henry's baby pictures?" she suggests weakly. "I have scrap books. Only if you want-"
Emma bites her lip in indecision. It's getting late, she really shouldn't stay. Not after that buzzing of their hands or the alcohol induced buzzing in her head, not after Regina looked at her like that, like she was the mirage of water in a desert, but she finds herself being drawn to Regina all the same as her mouth speaks without her mind agreeing.
Emma settles in awkwardly on the sofa tumbler in hand, like she had the first night she met Regina, while Regina's fingers glit over the bookshelf in search of the correct book. She pulls it down and slides in next to Emma. Her eyes light up as she tells little anecdotes to go along with each picture and it makes Emma feel warm inside, being invited into these private moments between the two of them. Regina goes to turn the page as her hand lightly brushes Emma's again. She reels her hand back much to quickly as she flushes. "That's probably enough for tonight," Regina falters as she sets the book on the coffee table.
"You're a beautiful woman." She let her eyes wander over Emma's body but didn't say more. She just looked.
"Thank you." Emma blushes and pushes a bit of hair behind her ear, unused to someone being so openly lauding her with any type of praise.
With the pretense of the setting gone, both women remain motionless with eyes locked on one another. Then the distance is closed. It starts off with soft, slow kissing, with a little pause every now and then just to smile. Emma runs her fingers through Regina's dark hair then gently down onto her shoulder, tracing lines over her soft exposed skin. The intensity increases and next thing Regina is trying to pull them closer, but they're already body to body, her fingers digging into Emma's back, breathing heavily while Emma kisses down her neck.
And then it stops. Dazed they pull back. Regina stands up straightening her dress. Emma looks down at her fingers which had just been tracing the contours of Regina's hips. Eventually standing herself, Emma offers a weak, "Thanks for dinner," as she leaves Regina who is left standing dumbly in her study, running a hand through her tousled hair.
~0~
And then they don't see each other. No personal stopping in to check up on each other, no business meetings, no fighting over Henry. Regina basically just lets Henry come and go as he pleases, opting not to converse with or chastise Miss Swan.
Regina paces in her office. Her mind reeling, unable to focus on the work laid out in front of her. Anxiously she runs a hand though her hair. She had been especially on edge practically every moment since that evening happened, even Henry had commented. She meanders over and pours herself a small drink. She takes a deep breath out as she sits back at her desk and tries to focus. She's a queen for god sake; she shouldn't be feeling this way after a simple kiss. But then again maybe it wasn't just a simple kiss. Maybe it was all too real, and much more about who she was kissing and what they had the power to do. They had the power to bring her whole world crashing down. She shouldn't be feeling this way about meddlesome Miss Swan. She couldn't. She knows what she must do.
Regina is interrupted from her thoughts suddenly by the women in question standing in her doorway. Damn she must have manifested her.
"That kiss... did you mean it?" Emma quires breathless awaiting the answer.
"No," Regina lies plainly, with a slight shrug for affect.
"Oh," Emma reels back, faltering "Right, yeah, me either."
"Okay, well good," Regina surmises, with a clasp of her hands and a false cordial demeanor, feeling unjustly denied by Emma's words.
Emma stands still slightly stunned. It had felt like Regina meant it. It was too tender with too much passion.
Upon Emma's lack of motion, Regina sighs annoyed, "You can go now, Miss Swan."
Back to Miss Swan. Seems a little formal for someone who just a few days ago had their tongue down my throat as their hand caressed my ass, but okay.
~0~
The next time they interact it's all shouting and screaming. Regina is livid. Emma had took Henry out for ice cream and he had told her that his mom didn't care if he slept over. She shouldn't have believed him, but not wanting to bother Regina to confirm she just accepted Regina's permission by-proxy. She felt stupid. She shouldn't have let her relationship with Regina jeopardize her relationship with Henry.
"You have no idea how frantic I was when he didn't come home! Something could have happened to him! He could have died! And I wouldn't even have known," that last line chocking out near a sob. "You are so inconsiderate and reckless, Miss Swan! You didn't even think to ask me first before keeping my son from me over night. How could you do that?" the to me gets left unsaid.
"Regina," Emma pleads, reaching her hands out to help or something.
"No, Miss Swan, you are not allowed to call me that," Regina chastises. "We are not friends or anything of the sort."
"But- but," Emma begins to argue.
"There is noting between us, and it would be best if you take that to heart, Miss Swan." Regina replies calmly, coldly.
"Fuck you," Emma spits without meaning to in her hurt and anger.
Regina bites her check to hold back a gladly. She's furious with the blonde woman. But that doesn't change how she really feels, but she can't let anyone get in between her and Henry. No, no she let her guard down with this insufferable woman before and look where it has got her. No, no, not again. "It would be best if you not take that tone with me," Regina advised. "Now I suggest you get back to work, lest you anger your boss more." Her smile cheeky and false, urging the other woman to leave at once.
~0~
Emma knocks on the door to 108 Mifflin, shifting her weight from boot to boot wondering if Regina will answer. She needs to make it better. She had given Regina a few days to cool off. That usually works with this excruciating woman. She's not unreasonable really, if Emma really thinks about it, just hasty to throw herself into vast emotional caverns.
Finally, the door swings open, Emma is all but blasted back by the way Regina looks standing in front of her in a sharp red dress. Emma's mouth suddenly dry as she tries to remember her apology, she had been practicing on her drive over. "I- I-"
"You what?" Regina presses impatient, her arms wrapped around her middle.
"I'm sorry, you look stunning," Emma's brain fires before she can take it back. "God, that's not what I'm trying to say, not that you aren't. Fuck. I mean. God. Regina, I'm so sorry. You're right I am too reckless, and I should have asked you about Henry. He's your son. I'm really not trying to get in between you" Emma beseeches. "I just kinda want a relationship with him and maybe his mother too," the end of the sentence drifting off too fast at much too high register. "So umm, will you forgive me? I'll -uh- try to think more before acting, which this conversation is clearly not a good example of." Her unique brand of self-deprecating humour causing a small smile to form on Regina's lips.
"Would you like to come in?" Regina beckons, not addressing anything Emma said directly.
Emma follows Regina into her study yet again. The air feels strange, having not been here since-. Regina must feel it too, for her hands are linking and unlinking themselves as she sits on the chair opposite Emma. "Would you like a drink?" Regina stands going over to the side bar.
Emma agrees, but her stomach lurches in uneasiness at this bottled up Regina who says nothing. Her voice level, no snide comments, no flying off the handle, just blank and detached. Regina hands Emma the tumbler.
A ding goes off in the kitchen, Regina's eyes suddenly widen. "Will you excuse me. I just have some treats to get out of the oven." Regina turns to leave, but then hesitates at the door. "Would you like a turnover?" she asks sweetly. "They're apple, my specialty," she adds to entice.
Well Emma had really enjoyed her pot roast, so why not. When Emma smells the baked air wafting from the kitchen, she knew she hadn't been wrong to agree. They smell tantalizing. She hadn't smelled something so decadent since Regina's hair had been that close to her face while they kissed in this very room. It was a kind of flowery, apple, honey scent, much too sweet for the saucy mayor, but Emma had liked it very much anyway.
It seems to be taking Regina a long time in the kitchen, so Emma wanders in toward the smell. Regina looks so domestic in an apron with her face slightly flushed from the heat of the oven as she stretches up to grab a plate. "It's very hot, so you'll have to wait," Regina points out.
"But you only made one?" Emma notes confused.
"Well, yes, I wasn't expecting company," Regina explains. "But you can have it, I insist. I can make another for me… I really don't enjoy eating sweets too much. Mainly I just like baking. It calms my mind," Regina rambles in a way that seems unfitting her normal persona.
"Where's Henry?" Emma asks wondering if this was supposed to be Henry's turnover instead.
"Oh, uh, he's not here. He's at a friend's. You know how he is, always wanting to spend time with everyone but me," she says briskly, followed by a sigh that's almost half a frantic laugh.
Emma narrows her eyes. "Regina, are you feeling okay?" she inquires concerned.
Regina turns away from Emma schooling her features and reeling herself back in. "Why of course Miss Swan," she replies all the light gone from her voice. "It's a bit warm in here from the oven, don't you think? Perhaps you might want to take off your jacket while you wait."
"Uh," Emma stammers. "Yeah, sure okay," Emma does as she is told and removes her red leather draping it carefully over the bar stool's back, feeling suddenly vulnerable in just her white tank top with the way that Regina's eyes are scrapping down her body. Her dark eyes flickering from Emma's eyes to her mouth, down to her chest, and then back up to her eyes again.
Emma's fingers latch themselves in her belt loops as she swings her weight around. "So umm do we want to talk about what I said in the doorway?" Emma asks.
"No, Miss Swan," Regina replies darkly. "Can't you think of any better way to spend this time?" she dares.
Emma's mouth goes dry and her tongue darts across her top lip. "What did you have in mind?" Emma inquired with a tilt of her head.
"Come over here and find out," Regina orders, her tone lilting and sultry.
Their lips meet in a fiery exchange. Regina is shoving Emma up against the counter. It's forceful and hard, devoid of all the tender exploration of the previous exchange. Knees are getting shoved places. There's too much tongue and too much teeth. Everything is sloppy, heated, and rushed, pulling them deeper into an adrenaline fused haze. Regina's fingers trace down Emma's sides, coaxing the blonde up onto the counter, situating herself between Emma's legs as she deepens the kiss. Raking her teeth down Emma's neck, her fingers tease under the hem of Emma's tanktop splaying across her back, tantenlizing. Emma breathes hard clutching Regina closer to her center.
Suddenly the kitchen timer goes off again. Regina pulls back. They stare at each other for a slight moment their chests heaving. Regina places a hand gently on Emma's chest as she steps back.
She turns back to the pastry. "I'm sure it's cool now. Just let me get a Tupperware and you can be on your way," she dictates as she rummages in her cabinet.
"Oh," Emma replies disappointed and suddenly cold from the lack of contact. "Okay, cool, thanks, yeah. Sounds good." Emma fidgets with her belt loops, debating whether to say more. They still haven't really talked.
"Here you go, Emma," she drags out the final syllable, handing her the pastry with a sharp smile.
Emma stares back at Regina as she takes the pastry from the older woman's hands. Emma turns and begins walking out of the kitchen, but then doubles back, slamming the turnover on the counter, before speaking. "You know Regina, I know you're not big on relationships or whatever. And I get that- I really do- I mean me too. You're more—" carnal "-to the point. And you've got lots of other more important things on your mind. You've got a whole town to run and Henry is your top priority- and I wouldn't have it any other way. And I get we don't always see eye to eye-"
"That's an understatement," Regina snorts.
"Yeah, it is," Emma agrees adamantly. "But I still think like this could be worth it… Regina, I really like you," Emma's tirade slows, her tone earnest.
"You do?" the flabbergasted words can't help but fall out of Regina's mouth due to her frazzled brain.
"Yeah," Emma confirms sheepishly ducking her head, half hiding the smile that brings out her dimples from Regina's gaze. "Anyway, I get that's a lot to take in, so I guess I'll leave, like you want. So- um- good night, Regina. Thanks," she says waving the turnover as she grabs it off the counter.
Emma's boots click on the wood floor as she sees herself out, arms swinging at her sides, pastry in hand. She has nearly approached the threshold when suddenly Regina calls out behind her, "Emma, wait," Her hair slightly tousled from having run to catch up.
Emma watches Regina closely urging her to continue. Regina's hands twist in front of her. "I- uh – I just remembered I forgot to add sugar to my batter. That turnover won't be any good. So- uh- I'll just take it back. I can make you a new one tomorrow. How about that?" All the words are said too fast. She sounds like she's pleading. And there's something in Regina's eyes that Emma can't place.
"Okay," Emma replies skeptically handing the Tupperware back to Regina.
"Good," Regina nods and smiles as she takes it back. "Okay, goodnight."
Once Emma closes the door, Regina collapses against it chest heaving from too much adrenaline, setting the pastry on the front table before dragging herself upstairs for a fitful sleep. She's becoming soft, becoming found of the Swan woman and she knows it will be her downfall, but she's helpless to stop drowning.
~0~
The following day Henry bounds into the manor after returning from school. He calls out for his mother joyously as he is slipping off his shoes, excited to tell her all about his day and the fun he had last night at the sleepover.
She yells that she is in the kitchen and before he bolts off in that direction, he notices a Tupperware on the side table with what looks like a pastry in it. He greedily opens it to make sure, he glances around unsure if this treat was for him, but he doesn't see his mom around so he takes a bite, thinking it couldn't hurt.
But it does. He collapses onto the floor catatonic.
Regina hears the sound happen and runs off in that direction. Her face paling when she sees the turnover on the floor near her son. She scoops Henry into her arms and sobs. She knew this Swan woman would be her downfall. She just didn't think she would be Henry's too.
~0~
She paces outside his hospital room. She was sure they wouldn't be able to help him, but she had to try. She was out of options. She wraps her hands around her middle, complete fear edging her features. She feels like she can no longer breathe air into her lungs for her heart drags her weight low like stones on her soul.
Emma comes rushing into the hospital. Regina sees her blonde locks bouncing as she runs towards her. "What the hell did you do!? You did this, didn't you!" Emma screams her accusation.
"Why the hell would I hurt my own son?" Regina yells back haughtily.
"I don't know! Maybe you didn't mean to," Emma whines, nervously running a hard through her hair. "I don't know, Regina!" she bursts getting up into Regina's face.
Whale clears his throat to announce his presence and Emma takes a step back. "Madam Mayor, we tested the turnover thoroughly. Whatever's going on, it is not the culprit," he informs her before taking his leave.
"TURNOVER!" Emma rages. She knew something had felt off last night. But this? This? Not this. She never thought this. Emma grabs Regina by the arm and drags her to a storage room. There, Emma throws her violently against a storage rack. Regina pulls herself back upright, wiping her mouth with her hand. Emma grabs Regina hard and ultimately pins her up aginst the wall. Regina feels her heart in her throat.
"You did this!" She knows it's true.
"What the hell are you doing? Stop this! My son-"
"Our SON! Is sick because of you! That's the apple turnover you were gunna give me! Isn't it? ISN'T IT! ANSWER ME!"
Regina just stares back at her.
"It's true, isn't it?" Emma pushes. She knows, but she needs to hear it. They said they couldn't find anything in the turnover, but it caused this. She knows.
"What are you talking about?" Regina scoffs haughtily with more conviction than she feels.
"It's true, isn't it? All of it." Emma pushes.
Regina's face crumples and her head lolls back into the wall with a thud. "Yes," she sighs with a weak nod.
"I was trying to be with you," Emma pleads. "Why couldn't you just leave things alone?"
"Because as long as you're alive, Henry will never be mine!" Regina cries her vulnerabilities leaking out.
"He'll never be anyone's unless you fix this. You wake him up!" Emma threatens.
"I can't!" Regina yells back with anger of a lifetime full of self-loathing. Her tears threatening to spill. She loves Henry so much. How could she have been so stupid?
"Don't you have magic?" Emma interrogates.
She shakes her head no. "That was the last of it." She blinks to keep the tears from falling. "It was supposed to put you to sleep!" she yells. She needs to focus her anger outward. It's the only thing that has got her though these many years.
Emma releases her grip on Regina. She slumps down on a carboard box of supplies, her head in her hands. "I'm in love with a mass murderer," Emma heaves.
"You're in love with me?" Regina sputtered.
"None, of that matters right now. What matters now is Henry," Emma seethes indignant.
"You're right," Regina agrees, with a deep exhale.
"What's it going to do to him?" Emma asks weakly, looking up to make eye contact with the other woman.
"I don't know." Regina's words catch in her throat. "Magic here is unpredictable."
"So… So he could…" Emma stutters, her breath shaking.
"Yes," Regina replies.
Emma heaves harder, trying to rein in her breathing. "So, what do we do?" Emma asks, having not felt so unsure and out of her element since she first ran away as a foster child. She looks at Regina with such pleading eyes that Regina can't help but feel broken.
~0~
When Emma gives Henry True Love's kiss, everything feels lighter and brighter as the magic sweeps through her soul. Regina whips around in shock. Emma was in shock. Smiles grace their faces for the first time since he took that cursed bite.
Emma wanted to believe that it would help, but actually witnessing this magic was breathtaking. Her little boy smiling up at her, speaking once again: things she would have thought impossible dreams coming true before her eyes and she's crying and Regina is looking at her with such a swelling of joy and pride that Emma can't help but smile back. She really did do it.
Henry comes to the full realization before Emma does and he's proud too, and Emma's insides feel all warm and squirmy in way that feels like home in a way she's never had before.
Then Regina's pleading her case to Henry, "Henry, no matter what you think. No matter what anyone tells you. I do love you." And with that confession spoken she flees, knowing she's no longer wanted nor needed here in this family. Henry has a mother. There's no place for her now. Holding him too close, keeping Emma at a distance: that caused this. She knows it. Emma had looked at her blankly as she spoke those words to Henry and she knew she couldn't stay.
She knows better than to ask for forgiveness. She has a life of experience to show for it. Nevermind she didn't actually poison Emma. Nevermind she didn't mean for Henry to eat the turnover. She went to the precipice and turned back, but what does it matter? She'll always been the villain of this story, no matter how hard she tries to change, that's all anyone will ever seen in her.
~0~
Emma brings Henry back from the hospital and Mary Margaret hugs her warmly. She is brimming with excitement to get to know Henry as a grandmother and not just a teacher and David is there excited to be more to Henry that just the nice man from the animal shelter. They fuss over Henry and her, and this is too much for Emma after 28 years of being abandoned to have all this family thrust at her. She needs to breathe so she excuses herself "I have to take care of something. Continue without me." Her brain works on autopilot and she's in front of 108 Mifflin knocking on the door.
Regina tries to shut out the noise. She wants the banging in her head to stop, the banging on the door to stop. Why can't it all just leave her alone to wallow? Why can't she just drink until she can't feel her body anymore and her mind is mush?
"Regina, I know you're in there, open up," Emma calls.
Regina drags herself up from the sofa. She stumbles a bit on the way to the door. She must look like hell. She knows it. She opens the door with annoyed and slightly slurred, "What?"
"Regina, I –" Emma begins, unsure of where this is going. She already told the woman she loves? loved? her. But things are different now.
"Yes, Miss Swan," Regina prompts, impatient, with a slight sway.
Emma reaches out instinctively to catch her, but Regina doesn't fall, she only scoffs followed by adjusting herself against the doorframe.
Emma pulls back her hand. "I don't expect you to change," she blurts. "And I don't want you too," Emma admits, sheepishly.
"What are you saying?" Regina ventures, cautiously, as she runs a hand along her forehead and through her hair.
"I'm saying that- I – I like you Regina Mills and I like everything that comes with that."
Regina flushes in pleasure, feeling warm all over. She clears her throat, and doubts, "Really? You like us fighting all the time?"
"Yeah," Emma said dismissively waving her hand.
"And you're okay with the whole Evil Queen thing?" Regina continues her line of questioning still in disbelief, trying very hard not to get her hopes up, but the alcohol is making her brain jump to conclusions and open doors a sober Regina would rather leave locked and closed.
"Not that I'm condoning what you did, but it made you who you are now, so… I don't know, yeah."
Regina hums in response, before cautiously adding, "You know the whole town will be after me for what I have done, you do understand that Emma?" as if trying to talk Emma out of her feelings.
"Yeah- well I'm the sheriff," Emma states plainly.
"That you are," Regina hums in agreement. Her eyes gazing down at her own hands.
"So how 'bout another kiss?" Emma implores.
"Maybe that can be arranged," Regina smirks as she leans in.
Emma reaches out to steady her. "I love you," Emma blurts out as Regina gets too close.
Regina's head cranes back in shock. She feels dizzy but Emma holds her tighter. She recovers and smiles, a real genuine smile. An expression Emma doesn't think she's ever seen on the mayor before. "Maybe I'm might- possibly love you too," Regina speaks directly into Emma's lips.
The kiss is chaste and soft devoid of all the lust that may have been found in their previous encounters. And Emma can feel it; she can recognize it now. She thought the world was light and colorful before, but that pales in comparison to how it is now.