This one is a little shorter but I'll make it up with tomorrow's chapter. I didn't feel like adding anything just for the sake of a few more words.

Happy reading and please leave your thoughts.

Chapter 5

Lovebirds and Nightingales

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Regina had put her lasagna in the oven about ten minutes ago. Yet she was still kneeling in front of it, staring blankly at the orange lighting. Her mind was wondering off to a million different things, two of them being Henry -who was always on her mind one way or another- and Emma Swan. She would have been lying to herself if she had pretended like the gesture had been spontaneous. That small hand holding, the tentative brush of her finger against the blonde's wrist, had been every bit calculated.

Because she had to find a way to touch the annoying blonde without it looking too suspicious.

Had she ever touched Emma's skin before? She wasn't sure. The sheriff had tried to strangle her once, and Regina had dreamed of her tying her up to a tree... Even in her head that sounded crazy. Oh! Once Emma had pulled her up and held her hand for the better part of two seconds.

That thought made her smile despite her knowing how pathetic it was.

The fact was, she was attracted to the blonde. She wasn't sure if it was because Emma helped her get her mind of Robin or because she had given her that speech about them being friends and special, but Regina couldn't deny it any longer. There was simply something there that wasn't there before.

Regina suddenly thought that she was really enjoying her job as a Magic Teacher. Snow being the new mayor, maybe there was a post waiting for her at the school? She smiled at the idea, both because that would fill her days and she would enjoy teaching a bunch of little monsters that still painted with their hands. Then realty hit her in the guts. No parents would allow their kid to go to school if she taught there. Emma and Robin where the only one foolish enough to let her be around there kids, and then again, Emma didn't have much of a choice.

The doorbell rang and Regina jumped. In the back ground, she could hear the shower running, reminding her of Emma's presence. She immediately thought of Henry and rushed to he door, a wide smile on her face.

"Hey, Regina."

It wasn't Henry. It was Robin, and the smile fell of her face. She didn't know what was worst, Robin at her doorstep again, Henry not being here, or the fact that her heart was racing in her chest and heat turning her cheeks red.

"Can I come in?"

"Robin, we both know it's not a good idea."

But she still pulled away from the entrance, letting him in, and when she kissed her she grabbed the collar of his jacket for him to come closer. He tasted of alcohol, again, and smelled like he hadn't taken a shower since the last time she saw him. Yet when he brought her hips to his crouch Regina moaned into his mouth.

Was it the sound of the water in her bathroom, Robin's hands on her butt or him pushing her against the door which made her freeze? She wasn't sure. The thief didn't seem to notice, spreading her legs with his own.

"Robin, stop it."

To his credit, he stopped kissing her, but he didn't pull away.

"We can't do this," Regina said with a strangled voice.

"We've done it before. And I haven't stopped thinking about you since then. You're always on my mind, in my heart."

"Your wife..." Regina pleaded, holding on to the memory of the frozen woman like it was her life line.

"I don't have an answer to that. I just know that this, us, it feels right."

"But you chose her. She's going to wake up one day and you won't choose me over her."

"What if I was thinking about it?"

That startled Regina. There was honesty in his voice, and alcohol, his truth potion, and... and something she had heard before. A little tone she knew she should be careful when she accounted it.

Rumpelstiltskin and his half-truths.

"I don't want 'what if', Robin. I can't have a relationship based on 'what if I'm not the other woman'."

"Regina that's not..."

"You need to leave," she interrupted sharply, pushing him away. "You need to leave, now."

She pulled herself away, trying to reach for the door to lead him out. Robin caught her by the wrist, throwing her that puppy look, mouth opened.

"You can't just tell me to leave. I know you fell the same way about me than I fell about you. I can't just stop loving you."

"Well you're going to have to. Because this. Ends. Now."

Regina's tone was sharp, hurtful, and she wanted it that way. She was letting the Evil Queen out, using her. That anger was her power and right now she needed it. She needed to be strong for both of them.

"And what then? I go back to a wife I don't love and who no longer knows me? We just pretend like nothing happened? Like nothing is happening?"

"But nothing happened Robin. We slept together and we shared an illusion but that's all it is. An illusion. This is not real."

"You know that's not true!"

"Yes it is! Because now I know you! You're a thief and you cheated on you wife, on the mother of your son. You broke your vows. How can I ever trust a man like that? How can I know you won't do the same to me?"

Robin open his mouth be she interrupted him, blades in her voice, cutting everything between them.

"I don't want you in my life. I don't want you around Henry. I don't want you to be any kind of role model for him. I don't want you in my vault or in my house, especially when you're half drunk. And I don't want you in my bed."

She had a quarter of a second of hesitation but then spat the last few words she was holding in.

"My sheets still smell of forest and fills."

That did it. Robin's face crumbled and he turned around, leaving the house and slamming the door behind him. Regina stood there, frozen. Then she slowly turned around, walked back to the oven to check on the lasagna, and burst into tears. She rolled herself in a ball, her back to one of the cupboard, her arms around her knees, her head buried in her chest.

She was a monster. She broke everything she touched. And even when she tried her best to do good, she always went back to the Evil Queen.

She heard someone walk up to her and kneel by her side. She didn't acknowledge it. She didn't care. A hand landed on hers and she felt like biting it off.

"That was very brave," Emma whispered and Regina's heart swallowed the words without a sound.

She pulled her hand out and caught Emma's fingers. She heard the blonde settling next to her, and they stayed there long after Regina had stopped crying. Their eyes never meeting. Their voices never making a sound. Just holding hands.

About forty five minutes later, someone knocked on the door. The two women where siting down for dinner, feeling comfortable despite the awkwardness of the situation and the rarely broken silence.

Emma turned to look at Regina but the brunette could only stare blackly at the origin of the sound. Without a word, the blonde stood up and stumped her way to the door, shoulders back, looking ready for a fight. Regina followed her shyly, staying as far from the door as possible. One break up a day was enough, she really didn't want to have to do this twice.

Emma opened the door, just enough for her to speak to the person outside without them seeing in.

"What are you doing here?"

"It's 7.30. Time for dinner."

Regina's heart melted in her chest and an almost painful smile appeared of her lips. She walked straight to the door as Emma was pulling it open.

"Hello, Henry."

"Hi mom," the boy answered, hugging her tight. "You asked me to not to stay here for the night, but you didn't say anything about dinner."

Emma crossed her arms on her chest but neither of the two women could restrain their happy and proud smiles. Regina bent down and kissed Henry's cheek.

"Go put you backpack in your room. And take of your shoes."

"I'll set another plate then."

Emma smiled at her and Regina felt the tears come to her eyes. She quickly turned away, not wanting to let out to much of her messy emotions. As they settled down to eat, Henry started talking enthusiastically.

"Oh, and grand pa and grand ma wanted you to know that they are moving out on Sunday. You could come and help."

Regina noticed that her son was talking to her, and not to Emma.

"Henry, I think we'll be fine..."

"I'll be there," Regina interrupted. "It will be a perfect time to practice your levitation on heavy objects," she added for Emma, not wanting to look too desperate for a diversion from her horrible love life.

"Cool!"

"Let's not make any promises we might not be able to keep..."

Emma was still uncomfortable with her magic but Regina really thought she was ready. The blonde was a natural. Even if she needed a lot of hand holding and couldn't focus on a book for more than five minutes. She had though she would be able leave Emma with some enchantments and work on a way to find the Snow Queen or thaw Marianne but the blonde had been asking questions and pacing around and sighing all afternoon. It was like teaching maths to a 6 year old who just wanted to go out and play.

"Henry, I hope you don't mind, but I told Emma about operation Mongoose."

"Really?"

The kids face just lightened up like she had moved Christmas a few mouth early.

"That's great! So? What's your theory?"

"I actually have one. It slipped my mind when you tried to trow me off a bridge but I might have an idea."

"You did what?!" Henry asked.

"I cut of the rope bridge she was on. No big deal. Emma handle it just fine."

Henry starred at her but Regina couldn't put on a straight face. She was just too happy to see him, and Emma didn't seem to mind that she had attempted to her life. Just another day in the life of the Swan-Mills family.

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If any of you are wondering why I called this chapter Lovebirds and Nightingales; Lovebirds doesn't need much of an explanation but The Nightingale is one of my favorite fairy tale. Written by Hans Christian Andersen it tells the story of a bird that forgives and comes back to a friend despite the odds.