Emma dropped her books down on her desk as her cell phone rang. She fumbled through her large coat pocket until she found it and smiled when she saw that it was her father.

"Hey Dad!"

"Hi sweetie, how are you?"

"I'm good. I just finished class for the day, how are you?"

"Good, listen honey I have some news for you, do you have a minute to chat?"

"Of course, should I be sitting down?"

"I'm not sure…"

…..

Emma walked into the diner and drew in a deep breath of relief when she saw Regina behind the counter. She stomped the snow from her boots, as usual, and was happy to see that the place wasn't too busy.

"Hey! I just made a fresh pot," Regina smiled as Emma took a seat.

"Thank God." Emma mumbled crossing her arms in front of her.

"You didn't bring a book tonight," Regina noticed as she sat the hot cup in front of the other woman. "Is everything okay?"

Emma shook her head, "Eh, my dad called me today with some less than exciting news."

"Uh oh, what's wrong?"

"He's getting married."

"Oh…" Regina raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm happy for him that he has finally met someone that he is happy with but it just seems so sudden. I've never even heard him talk about her before."

"Well, sometimes people just know?"

"Yeah, that's what he said. He said he hasn't felt this strongly about someone since he met my mother. He sounds really in love."

"Aw, well that's a good thing then right?"

"Yeah, it is, I guess. I just worry about him. I just don't want to see him get hurt again. It's even harder that I can't just pop in and meet her. He lives in Chicago and I'm here in Connecticut. It's just a lot of mixed emotions right now."

Regina reached out and squeezed Emma's forearm. "I'm sorry Emma that must be tough."

Emma smiled at the gesture. "It's okay, hey I don't want to get you in trouble with Bobby by standing here talking to me."

"Nah, he already went home for the night." Regina smiled and began filling sugar packets. "Besides I think he's warming up to me." Regina winked at the blonde.

"Well that's good." Emma laughed feeling her cheeks redden with the gesture. "So, I wanted to apologize again for stopping by your place the other night. I really don't know what came over me."

Regina scrunched her eyebrows, "Why are you apologizing? I thought we had a nice time!"

"Oh, we did, I mean…I did…I just I shouldn't have just shown up like that…"

"Don't be silly, we're friends and you came over to say hi, it was great!" Regina smiled at the blonde. "In fact I have Sunday off and I was thinking of taking Henry to this indoor children's playhouse if you would like to join us? I'm sure it doesn't sound like much fun but we could grab a bite to eat or something too…I mean if you don't have plans or anything…"

"Oh…um…no I don't have plans…yeah, yeah that sounds great." Emma replied trying not to show too much excitement on her face.

"Good, I was dreading going by myself. I love my son but a room full of other toddlers without another adult to talk to was not sounding like my idea of a good time." Both women laughed as Regina noticed another customer sit down at the counter. "Be right back," she smiled at Emma and headed towards the gentleman.

Emma watched as Regina approached the other man and smiled her charming smile at him asking what she could get him. When they had first met Emma had wondered if Regina was as nice to everybody as she was to her and after watching her for awhile she had her answer. Regina really was that charming. She wore that same radiant smile and sparkling eyes with everyone she talked to. I should have known better than to think it was something special for me.

…..

"So where are you adorable people off to today?" Zelena asked as Regina tied the toddler's shoes.

"We are going to that children's playhouse I was telling you about the other day." Regina smiled at her grinning boy and made a mental note to wipe off the yogurt that was still on his cheek from breakfast.

"Oh, well that…does…not sound like fun," Zelena laughed.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would enjoy it," Regina laughed as she grabbed a baby wipe and cleaned the chubby cheeks before picking Henry up off of the kitchen counter.

"So is it just a mommy and son day out then?"

"No, actually my friend Emma that you met the other night is going to go with us."

"That poor thing, how did you trick her into that one?"

Regina laughed as she began to pack a diaper bag. "I didn't have to trick her at all she wanted to come along!"

"Wow, she must be desperate for plans." Zelena said rolling her eyes.

"No, I just think she enjoys talking to me. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Of course not sis, I'm sorry, I'm glad you have made a friend here. At least now you won't be moping around the apartment bugging me all the damn time." Zelena stuck her tongue out and smiled at her sister.

"Whatever, you love me," Regina laughed and grabbed Henry's coat from the rack. "Come here buddy let's get your coat on please so we can go bye bye!" Henry ran over to her as the intercom buzzed.

"I'll get it," Zelena said walking over, "Hello."

"Hey, it's Emma…I'm here for Regina…"

"Hello Emma, come on up…"

"She doesn't have to come up, we will be right down!" Regina said putting on her coat and grabbing her purse and diaper bag.

"Emma…" Zelena said into the intercom but nobody replied. "Too late she is on her way."

Regina opened the door just as Emma was about to knock and both women laughed.

"Sorry about that Emma, I could have just head down to you; you didn't have to come up!"

"Oh it's really okay. This must be Henry." Emma smiled down at the boy looking up at her.

"Yes, this is Henry. Henry say hi to Emma," Regina put her hand on the boys shoulder.

"Hi Emma," Henry smiled bashfully as he leaned into Regina's leg.

"Hi, are you excited to go to the playhouse?" Henry nodded his head yes. "Me too! I think we are going to have so much fun!"

Henry smiled at Emma, "See my train," the boy held his hand out and showed her the blue train that he was holding and Emma knelt down to see it.

"That's awesome! I had trains like that when I was a kid. Do you have a track for them?"

Henry shook his head no.

"Well we are going to have to see what we can do about that, all trains need a good track!" Emma smiled as Henry's face lit up.

Regina watched in awe at how quickly he was warming up to Emma as usually Henry was quite shy around new people.

"Maybe after the playhouse we will stop by the store and see what kind of tracks they have." Emma stood up. "I mean if it's okay with your mom that is."

Henry looked up at Regina with wide eyes, "If you behave well and eat all of your lunch I suppose we can." Regina smiled down at him and tousled his hair.

…..

Regina had told Emma to pick where to go for lunch since she was their guest and she was driving them for the day. Regina was very relieved that the restaurant that Emma chose was quiet as the playhouse had given her the start of a ferocious headache. Henry was scribbling on his activity placemat while Regina and Emma watched with smiles on their faces.

"Thank you for playing with him so much, you didn't have to do that!" Regina said smiling at Emma.

"Are you kidding? That playhouse was amazing! I'm jealous that they don't have something like that for adults."

Regina laughed, "Well anytime you want to play you can always take Henry so they will let you in."

"Trust me I will take you up on that!" Emma laughed as she took a drink of her water. "It's not like I have a better way to spend my free time anyways."

"Let's talk about that for a minute shall we?"

Oh shit. Emma instantly panicked. "What?"

"Your free time…you are a very pretty girl…very smart, you're young and single, you should be out meeting people and dating…not spending your time in a diner or hanging out with a single mom and her kid!"

Emma laughed, "Well thank you but I really have no desire to go out and meet people."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know, I mean when I first got to school…years ago mind you…I was excited about the possibilities of it but then the more I was around the other students the more annoyed I became. I'm just ready for the next phase of my life. I'm ready to be finished with school and be settled down. Maybe I'm an old soul."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I had a few in high school. They were never anything too serious. At the time I thought they were though," Emma laughed, "of course in high school I thought everything was so serious."

"Don't we all," Regina laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, it was so dramatic. Looking back I wish I could have told myself then to just relax and that it really wasn't that bad. I wasn't out to my Dad yet though so they were secret girlfriends. He would let them sleepover not knowing that we were actually together."

Regina's eyes went wide, "Hey, well that's a plus right? I could have never gotten away with that with any of my boyfriends!"

Emma laughed, "Yeah that was nice. Of course I wish I had known I didn't have to hide it all of those years. My dad was super cool about it when I came out. I really lucked out with him."

"Aw, that's wonderful Emma."

Emma smiled and nodded. "So, what about you? I mean, I know your divorce is pending and everything but are you looking forward to dating again?"

"Oh goodness," Regina sighed. "Dating…wow…it has been so long since I have been on a date. I dated a lot in high school but met my husband my senior year and have been with him since. I don't think I even remember how to date." The women both laughed as the waiter approached their table with their food. Regina helped Henry get settled with his before she returned her attention to Emma. "To be honest though I haven't thought about it much yet. My only focus has been getting Henry safe and settled into his new environment and routine."

"Well, at some point you will have to start thinking about yourself again you know?"

"I know," Regina smiled as she took a bite of her food. "You know what I am looking forward to though?"

"What's that?" Emma asked with anticipation.

"A first kiss…" Regina sighed.

Emma gulped, "Oh yeah?"

"Yes…there is always something about that first kiss with someone that just sets my soul on fire. I mean the first date is great…the flirting…the eye contact…that is all wonderful but the first kiss." Regina paused and bit her bottom lip. "Kissing is the most pure form of contact there is you know? I mean sex can be great but a kiss….my god…a kiss can change everything."

Emma stopped eating and was just holding her fork in mid air focused on the woman and the words escaping her lips.

"A first kiss is this intense touch between two pairs of lips that can just blow your mind. It's the anticipation of it all. It's so new and unfamiliar. You don't know how they taste or where their hands will land on your skin. You just look at them and they look at you and you can feel the hesitation because they don't know you either…and then the world stops. Everything just melts away and you're simply left with the feeling that nothing in the world matters except for the sensation of your lips pressed against theirs. A first kiss is just…magic."