Emma was sitting in bed trying to focus on the book in her hand but her attention continued to be pulled by Regina's description of a first kiss. Emma had had a first kiss. She had a first kiss with multiple people. However, she had never experienced anything like what Regina had described. Regina. Emma sighed. She knew she couldn't let herself develop feelings for her. Naturally Emma could name all of the things she adored about her. Listing off the reasons why being with her would be wonderful, well hell that would be easy. The problem was that being with her wasn't an option.
"I'm surprised you're not…wherever it is you go…" Gabby said as she walked in the room.
"I don't feel like going anywhere tonight," Emma said as she glared at Gabby out of the corner of her eye. That was a lie. If Regina was working tonight Emma would be at the diner.
"Oh, well I hope you don't mind but I have a few people coming over."
Emma took a deep breath and shook her head. "I changed my mind," she stood up and grabbed her coat, "I suddenly feel like going out."
….
Emma walked into the diner. She thought about going to Regina's but didn't want to impose on her again. She walked back to her normal booth, relieved that it was available, and looked around to see what waitress was working. A frown fell on her face when she saw that it was Lisa. Hooray for old coffee.
After ordering a cup and settling into her book she was surprised when she heard Regina's familiar laugh. Emma looked up to see the woman standing at the counter talking to Bobby. She wasn't in uniform but rather wearing a pair of yoga pants under her peacoat. Before Emma could finish debating whether or not she should go and say hi Regina was walking her way.
"Hey you, I was hoping I would find you here. Mind if I sit down?"
"Of course not," Emma smiled up at the woman.
Regina returned the gesture and slid into the booth across from the blonde. "How is your book?"
"It's decent." Emma replied as she closed it and brought her attention to the other woman. "Is everything okay? Why are you here on your night off?"
"Oh," Regina sighed. "I put Henry to bed and didn't know what to do with myself. Zelena was in for the night so I asked her if she cared if I took a walk. Somehow, I ended up here."
Emma nodded, "Yeah, I usually end up here too."
Regina took a sip of the coffee that she had ordered at the counter. "Oh my…this is awful…" she said as she scrunched her face.
"Yeah…do you see why you're nights are my favorite?" Emma giggled.
Regina shook her head, "Looks like Lisa and I need to have a chat tomorrow. Hey, do you want to go somewhere else? I could use a change of scenery…"
"Oh…um…sure…"
"Okay, cool, let me text Zelena and let her know I will be out for a bit. I'm so used to working these night shifts that I will not be getting any sleep any time soon anyways. I might as well have a little company for awhile." Regina smiled as she pulled her phone out.
The women stood up from the booth and began walking towards the door waving to Bobby and Lisa as they stepped into the night air.
"I have my car if you want, we don't have to walk…" Emma said as the wind began to pick up.
"Yeah, that might be good," Regina laughed as her hair flew across her face.
Emma smiled as she opened the car door for the other woman.
"Well aren't you sweet," Regina smiled over her shoulder as she stepped into the car. Emma closed it behind her and jogged to the driver's side to climb in.
"Any idea where you would like to go?"
"Would it be horribly inappropriate of me to want to grab a drink?" Regina asked raising her eyebrows.
"Not at all, there is a quiet little bar not far from here that my Dad and I went on my 21st when he bought me a beer."
"That sounds perfect! I'm not usually a drinker but a nice cold beer sounds pretty wonderful right about now."
"Then a nice cold beer you shall have." Emma smiled as she started the car.
"So your Dad took you out for your twenty first?"
"Yeah, pretty lame huh?"
"Not at all, I think it's great! I wish I was close with my dad. I can't stand talking to him let alone the thought of having a beer with him."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Eh, don't need to talk about that right now. My father is a topic for a psychologist not a night at a bar." Regina laughed.
They pulled up to the bar and headed inside. Emma was right about it being quiet. The bar consisted of about ten round tables, a pool table, and a juke box in the corner. The lighting was as bad as the décor but Regina didn't mind she was just relieved to be somewhere where she didn't have to be a mother or a waitress.
"Why don't you grab us a table and I will order? Do you want anything?" Regina asked.
"Just water thanks," Emma smiled as she headed towards a table by a window with a neon Budweiser sign.
A few moments later Regina returned to the table with a bottle of water and a glass in hand.
"That doesn't look like a beer," Emma laughed.
"Rum and coke sounded much better," Regina winked at the blonde as she set the glass down and slipped out of her coat. She heard a whistle from across the bar as she remembered that she was only wearing a tank top underneath. "Really?" Regina groaned and rolled her eyes as she sat down.
"Just ignore them." Emma said as she tried to figure out where it was coming from.
"I'm in a tank top and yoga pants for crying out loud." Regina laughed. "Men need to raise their standards."
"Well, I mean, it's not like you aren't gorgeous…" Emma said blushing as soon as the words left her mouth.
Regina tilted her head to the side mid drink, "Aw, well thank you, but see that was sweet…whistling across a bar…not so much." Regina winked.
Emma laughed. "What made you go out in twenty degree weather in that anyways?"
"I was lounging around the house and then decided to take a walk. There really wasn't any thinking behind it," Regina laughed. "I didn't expect to end up at a bar!"
"Right," Emma smiled. "How is your drink?" Emma asked noticing it was disappearing pretty quickly.
"Oh my god, so good…I haven't had a drink like this in a very long time."
"Oh boy should I be nervous?"
Regina laughed, "No, I have plenty of self control dear and quite a high tolerance. Besides, the only thing that ever happens when I drink is that I get flirty."
Emma felt herself blush. "Well, that's not a terrible thing."
"Good, I'm glad that you think so because I need another one?" Regina smiled and handed her glass to Emma.
Emma laughed, "Coming up…"
…..
A few drinks in and Regina's stool had made its way next to Emma's instead of across from it.
"So…Emma…what's your type?"
"My type?"
"Yeah, you know your type…the type of girl that you're attracted to."
Emma cleared her throat, "Um, well I don't really have a type I guess. The girls I have dated in the past were all very different."
Regina nodded. "But you haven't dated anyone since high school right?"
"Right."
"That's a long time honey…"
"Yeah…well…."
"You know I think you're very beautiful Emma," Regina looked into Emma's eyes and Emma took a deep breath.
"Thank you, I think you are very beautiful too Regina."
Regina bit her bottom lip as her eyes roamed the blonde's face. They sat in silence for what felt like hours as their breathing fell in sync.
"Ladies, the bar is closing up in five minutes…" the flannel clad man from behind the bar yelled out bringing the women out of their trance.
Regina looked around as she took a deep breath, "Well looks like we better get going."
Emma took a deep breath, "Yep I think so."
…
Regina walked into her apartment and kicked her shoes off. She threw her coat on the back of the couch and fell into the cushions.
"Have fun?" Zelena asked as she turned the floor lamp on.
Regina sat up on her elbows. "I did. Maybe a little too much to drink but yeah, I had a lot of fun."
"Drinks huh?" Zelena sat at the end of the couch and lifted her sister's feet on top of her lap.
"Yeah," Regina said resting her head back down. "Zelena, have you ever questioned anything about yourself?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like…have you ever thought you knew who you were and then suddenly you just don't know…"
Zelena scrunched her eyebrows, "You're not making much sense dear."
Regina moaned. "I just need to go to sleep."
Zelena laughed, "Okay, are you going to bed or is this the bed for tonight?"
"Oh, I'm not moving."
"Should I fetch a trash can?"
Regina laughed, "No, I'm good thanks." Zelena laughed and threw a blanket on top of her.
"Goodnight sis."