AN: Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter finished. I have been really busy. Thanks for reading!
"Moooooom!" Henry yelled as they walked into the mansion. "We're home!"
Home. The word made Emma visibly tense, and her palms began to sweat. "In here!" Regina called from the kitchen. Emma relaxed a little at the sound of the brunette's voice. She decided to play off of Henry's, "We're home." comment. "Here's your dinner honey," she said playfully as she handed Regina the takeout box.
Regina laughed, "Why thank you dear." She lifted the lid and turned a raised eyebrow to the blonde, "A hamburger and fries?"
"You steal my fries anyway," Emma grinned. "Besides, the kid gave you away. He said you love burgers, but only eat them at home."
"Oh, did he?" she turned to scowl at her son. "Thank you so much Henry. Why don't you go do your homework?" she asked with a slight threat in her voice.
The boy ran out of the room to escape his mother's glare as she turned back to Emma with a wicked smile. "Thank you Emma. Would you like some apple cider? It's my specialty."
"Sure, thanks."
"I could use some after the day I've had as well," Regina admitted.
"That bad?" Emma frowned.
"On top of all the paperwork I was loaded with, I received a call from my mother," she sighed.
"Uh oh." Emma responded. She'd heard a lot about Cora by this point and could honestly say she didn't think she ever wanted to meet the woman.
"Yes. She informed me that she ran into an old friend of mine and assured him that I would be ready for a date with him tomorrow night."
An almost inaudible "oh" sounded from Emma's lips.
Regina grimaced, "I hate to ask, but do you think you could keep an eye on Henry for me again?"
"Umm. Sure." the blonde replied as she shuffled her hand into her pockets. Before she could stop herself she asked, "Do you want to go?"
Regina looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Not really, but my mother told Robin I'd go. She'd be furious if I made a liar out of her. I'll keep it short so that you may still go out if you wish."
"Oh, no," Emma started. That wasn't what she'd meant at all and she wanted to kick herself for opening her mouth. "I don't have anything to do. I'll keep him as long as you want. I love that kid."
Regina softened, "Thank you Emma... He loves you too, you know? You're all he talks about."
Emma smiled widely at that, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, I know." She gulped the last of her cider and turned her back to Regina. "I should go. I'll see you tomorrow." With that she practically ran out of the house hoping that Regina hadn't seen her tears.
She knew now that Ruby was right. She wanted more than a friendship with this beautiful woman and her son that she adored. That was the first night that Emma Swan cried herself to sleep over Regina Mills.
Emma woke the next morning alone in the apartment. She found a note from Ruby saying that she had picked up a short shift at the diner and would be back later. She turned on some music, fixed herself some breakfast, and began to clean everything in site.
"Even in my heart I see
You're not being true to me
Deep within my soul I feel
Nothing's like it used to be
Sometimes I wish I could turn back time
Impossible as it may seem,
But I wish I could so bad baby
Quit playing games with my heart
Quit playing games with my heart (with my heart)
Before you tear us apart (my heart)
Quit playing games with my heart
I should've known from the start"
She quickly turned around mid-lyric when the music abruptly turned off.
Ruby glanced at her seriously, "I told you. You've got it bad sister."
Emma rolled her eyes, "Again, Rubes? Do we have to have this conversation again?"
"Em, you're cleaning and listening to the Backstreet Boys. I've been your best friend for 8 years. I know you, and you're crushing big time. What happened to finally make you notice?"
She broke down and told Ruby about Regina's date and that she'd be watching Henry again. "His name is Robin. Robin." She repeated the name like it burned her tongue.
Ruby laughed. "What if she has a good time?"
Emma groaned, "I don't know."
She sounded so miserable that Ruby wrapped her arms around the blonde. "You'll figure it out Em."
Regina came to pick Henry up at approximately 10 o'clock, just as she'd promised Emma earlier. She knocked and laughed at the sight before her when Emma answered the door. The blonde was in her usual white tank, and a pair of Storybrooke High shorts. She had a small microfiber blanket wrapped around her neck as though it was a cape, and she brandished a foam sword at the brunette.
"En garde, fiend!" she yelled and then winked at Regina. She whispered, "You're playing the part of the Evil Queen."
Regina smirked, "Out of my way you fool! I'm here for the prince!"
Henry piped up from behind the couch, "I'll never go with you witch! Attack!"
With that Emma began swinging the foam sword at Regina. She responded by moving her hand as if she were holding something. Emma wasn't sure what she was doing until Henry yelled out again, "Watch out for her fireball!" Understanding dawned on her and she dove behind the couch with Henry. "Were you really just gonna stand there and let her get you?!"
"How was I supposed to know what she was doing kid? You didn't tell me the Evil Queen throws fireballs!"
"Duh," he rolled his eyes at her and she laughed.
Just then Regina came around his side of the couch with a finger over her lips signaling for Emma not to give her away. She reached for her son and began tickling every bit of him she could reach. Between laughter he managed to yell to Emma, "Traitor!"
"I'll show you a traitor," she grinned and joined in with Regina in tickling him.
He squirmed and squealed with laughter before he finally breathed out, "Stop, stop. You win Queen."
"I thought you might see it my way," Regina said with an evil laugh.
"You're so good at that it's scary," Emma commented.
"She's been playing Evil Queen with me for as long as I can remember," Henry told her. "Of course she's good at it. Mom, do we have to go?" He turned his puppy eyes on her.
"Yeah, Mom. Do you have to go?" Emma pouted with him.
"I don't suppose so," she replied as she sat on the edge of the couch. Emma eyed her trying to hold in a laugh. "What?"
"You can sit back you know. I know it looks like it might swallow you, but it's actually pretty comfy. Isn't it Henry?"
"It really is," he told her as he came to sit next to her. "Emma, can we watch another movie?"
"What'd you have in mind kid?" She made her way over to the stack of movies she had sitting on the floor. "How about The Lion King?"
"Yes!" He exclaimed.
"Is that okay, Regina? Can you stay for a movie?" Emma looked at her with the puppy eyes again.
"Oh, stop," Regina huffed. "You're as bad as he is. We can stay." Emma beamed at her.
"Awesome! Thanks Mom!" Henry wrapped her in a hug. After Emma put the disc in, he motioned for her to come sit on his other side.
"Where's Ruby?" the brunette asked finally noticing that Emma's roommate was not there.
"She went to hang out at the rabbit hole. I doubt she'll be back until they close."
"I hope she doesn't feel pushed out of her own home," Regina worried.
"Not at all. She hung out with us for a little while. She even let the kid play around on one of her guitars."
"It was so cool!" He chimed in. "Shhh! The movie is starting."
"Sorry," Regina mouthed over Henry's head.
"It's okay," the blonde mouthed back.
They watched the movie in a comfortable silence until it got to Emma and Henry's favorite part. As the music started up they began to sing along with the movie. Emma Timon's part, with Henry taking Pumbaa's and then Simba's parts.
Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
Hakuna Matata?
Yeah. It's our motto!
What's a motto?
Nothing. What's a-motto with you?
Those two words will solve all your problems
That's right. Take Pumbaa here
Why, when he was a young warthog...
When I was a young wart hog
Very nice
Thanks
He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal
He could clear the savannah after every meal
I'm a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind
And oh, the shame He was ashamed
Thought of changin' my name What's in a name?
And I got downhearted How did ya feel?
Everytime that I...
Hey! Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!
Oh. Sorry
Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna-
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
Regina laughed and clapped as the two bowed in front of her. Henry snuggled back up between her and Emma, and had fallen asleep before it got to the battle scene.
"So," Emma began once she noticed he had passed out. "How was your date?"
"It actually went rather well," she admitted. "He has a son as well, a 3 year old named Roland. He seems like a great father. His family owns some company that produces hunting weapons. He was every bit a gentleman, and he isn't bad looking either."
"That's great Regina." Emma felt her insides tearing apart. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She thought about their friendship over the last two and a half months, and she managed to smile at the brunette. "That's really great. Will you see him again?" Why the hell was she asking that?
"I told him I would," she smiled. That smile let Emma know that she had to be happy for her.
"That's good," Emma nodded refusing to meet the brown eyes trained on her.
"We should probably go," Regina said as if suddenly remembered what time it was. "Will you help me wake him?"
"No way. I've got him," she lifted the boy easily off the couch and followed Regina out to her car.
Once Henry was laid out across the backseat of her Benz, Emma turned to go back into the apartment and almost knocked Regina over. She grabbed the brunette by the waist and planted her feet to steady them both. When they finally stood still her face was so close to Regina's that she could feel her breath on her lips. She stared for a just a second and then quickly let go and stepped back. "Good night Regina."
The other woman still looked dumbfounded, but responded, "Good night Emma, and thank you again." She then quickly stepped into the car and drove away wondering what the hell had just happened.