Chapter 3:
Emma has been standing outside the mayor's office for twenty minutes. Staring. She knows that as soon as she builds up the courage to go in, everything will change. She'll have to confront feelings that she's not sure she has yet. Regina told her to get here for noon. She was ten minutes late. Regina hated tardiness, and Emma knows this. But she still can't bring herself to move those few strides into the building.
After a few more pep talks, Emma finally feels ready to walk in. She walks slowly. Small steps. Anything to prolong the time that everything can stay as it is. She's finally outside the door. She takes one final deep breath and pushes the door open.
"Ah, miss Swan. Nice of you to finally show up." Regina said coldly. "I didn't ask you to be here at a certain time just for the fun of it. I am a busy woman, I have lots of things to do and people to see. I would appreciate if you respected that."
"Sorry, Regina. I was just… thinking. Y'know. Big changes, I'm… confused." Emma said as she slowly walked closer to the mayor's desk. Her eyes glued to the floor.
"I would appreciate if you call me by my title, Sherriff. And that's exactly why you don't make the decisions for this town, I do." Regina continues to speak coldly.
"Erm… I'm sorry. Madame Mayor. Why did you want me to come here?" Emma asked, confused by how the mayor is acting towards her.
"You are here to discuss the town's crime quotas for the next quartile." Regina said as she opened a few files and gestured for Emma to sit in front of her. Emma hesitantly sat and for the next hour Regina spoke and Emma nodded along, signing where Regina told her to sign. Emma felt like she was in a daze. She had expected to come in and have a life-changing conversation with the brunette, instead they were talking about town business, something they regularly done.
"That is all, sheriff. Thank you for your time, you may resume your duties now." Regina stood and held out a hand for Emma to shake. "Goodbye, miss Swan."
"Goodbye, Madame Mayor." Emma said as she shook Regina's hand. The both dropped their hands to their side and stared at each other. Regina's cold expression had turned warm and sincere. She looked like the Regina that Emma had seen the other night. Emma felt her knees go weaken when Regina smiled at her. Regina then bent back down and quickly scribbled something on a piece of scrap paper and handed it to Emma.
"Have a good day." Regina said as she gestured for the blonde to leave.
Emma speed walked out of the building and didn't take a breath until she was out in the open. She sat on a nearby bench and held her head in her hands. What on earth was that. Why was Regina being so weird with me. Anyone would think we haven't had our tongues down each other's throats. Emma took another deep breath, then unfolded the piece of paper that Regina had given her.
Come over tonight?
Around 7pm?
Emma laughed. Seriously? She wants her to come over again? Why couldn't she just say what she needed to? Henry better not be there again. It was awkward enough last time. She decided that she would go, she didn't have anything to lose at this point. If Regina says they shouldn't move forward together then it doesn't matter because she isn't sure of her feelings. If Regina says they should, then she's willing to give it a go.
Emma started getting ready a five, it was now quarter to seven and she still wasn't ready. She had curled, then straightened, then curled her hair again. She had tried on every single item of clothing and pair of shoes she owns, but nothing seemed to be right. She wasn't even sure why she was trying so hard. Regina had made it pretty clear, several times, that she hated Emma's style, so she knew no matter what she wears she won't impress her.
She finally decided on wearing one of her signature outfits, grey tank top, red leather jacket, blue skinny jeans and black boots. Her hair had light waves and she had simple make-up. She took one final look in the mirror then grabbed her bug's keys and left.
She finally arrived at 108 Mifflin Street at seven thirty. The note did say around seven, so Regina won't be that mad, right? Emma got out of the bug and she felt herself begin to hyperventilate slightly as she approached the door. She wanted to wait a while and gain her composure for a minute before she knocked, but before she was even on the porch, the mayor had opened the front door and had a huge grin across her face.
She was wearing one of her gorgeous black skirt-suits, with a deep red blouse that, shade for shade, matched her plump red lips. She wasn't wearing any shoes but she had thick tights on under her tight, pencil skirt. She looks hot.
"Good evening, miss Swan." Regina warmly greeted the blonde as she stepped inside.
Okay, I'm still miss Swan. That can't be a great sign. Emma walked straight through to the kitchen, without being instructed to. Regina followed closely behind. "Good evening, Madame Mayor. What can I do for you this evening?" Emma said flatly as she turned to face the brunette. Regina sighed.
"Please, don't be like that." Regina's eyes were wide and begging. "We were at work. Formalities are key." Regina took a step closer to Emma and tried to take her hand. Emma stepped back and pulled her hand with her.
"Well, I was given the impression that the 'meeting' was going to be anything but formal, Madame Mayor. I apologise for the mix up." Emma continued in her flat tone.
"Emma, please. I just want to have a nice dinner with you." Regina pleaded.
"Oh, so now I'm allowed to be called Emma. Okay. Thanks for clearing that up, Madame Mayor." Emma folded her arms across her chest.
"Let's just drop this childishness, I made lasagne. It's one of Henry's favourites so I figured you'd like it too." Regina made her way to the oven to check on the food.
"I do." Emma still spoke flatly, with her arms folded. "Thanks." she added.
"You're welcome." Regina stood and smiled at Emma. "A few more minutes and then it'll be done. I'm going to set the table." Regina picked out two place mats, two coasters, two sets of cutlery, two glasses and two plates. She carries them all over to the table and sets to places that are opposite each other.
"Where's Henry?" Emma only just realised the talkative boy was not here.
"He's staying with your parents tonight." Regina was now back at the oven, carefully removing the lasagne. "Mmmmm, this smells great. If I do say so myself."
"Why didn't they tell me?" Emma asked.
"Pardon?" Regina placed the lasagne dish on a heat proof mat.
"Why didn't my parents tell me that they were having Henry tonight?" Emma elaborated.
"It was very last minute, Emma. I literally asked them a few hours ago." Regina said.
"They could've called or texted me. They didn't." Emma sighed.
"I told them that I would tell you, so that's probably why." Regina tried defending her ex-enemies.
"They still could've told me. He is my son." Emma said, she felt the nager bubbling beneath her skin.
"He's our son, and it's not important right now is it." Regina tried to get Emma to drop the topic. "Dinner is ready, let's go eat." Emma just sighed and followed Regina to the dining table. They sat and ate in a not entirely uncomfortable silence. Glancing up at one another and smiling every so often.
Emma finished eating first, she stretched her arms above her head and let out an approving sigh. "That was the best lasagne I've ever had!" the blonde said.
"I'm glad you approve." Regina said before she took her last bite.
"How did you learn to cook like this?" Emma said.
"I had twenty-eight years to practice." Regina said blankly as she stood up from her chair. The brunette picked up Emma's plate and placed it on top of her own. "Do you mind picking up the dish?" She asked, gesturing towards the quarter-full lasagne dish.
"Er, sure." Emma replied as she stood and followed Regina over to the kitchen sink. Emma sat at the breakfast bar watching Regina as she washed their plates. Regina seemed to be a completely different person from the woman Emma almost slept with the other night. What happened to her?
Regina dried her hands with a hand-towel then turned to face Emma. "So, we should probably talk now." The brunette said, she was now playing the towel in her hands.
"Er, yeah. We probably should." Emma agreed.
"Do you have anything you want to say?" Regina asked with a quirked brow.
"Do you?" Emma retorted.
"Emma, I know how I feel. You were the one that was unsure. So, just tell me. Are you sure yet?" Regina placed the towel on the side and walked towards the breakfast bar so she was standing in front of Emma.
"But you haven't actually told me how you feel." Emma locked her eyes onto Regina's.
"You know me well enough to know I will never put myself needlessly in a vulnerable position. I feel exposed enough as it is. I'm not saying any more until I know I'm not going to make a complete fool of myself." Regina broke their eye contact and was looking at her fidgeting hands.
"I can't tell you that I'm sure of how I feel, and I am so sorry. I don't understand how I feel. I thought I was in love with Neal. Then Killian came along… how can you be in love with two people? It's not like they are even similar. They are polar opposites." Emma shook her head and pushed some hair behind her ear.
"Have you considered that maybe you're not in love with either of them, maybe you just care, deeply, about them." Regina looked up pleading at the blonde.
"I guess that's possible. But how do I know I don't just feel like that about you too? I have no idea how to differentiate the feelings. I don't want to go down this road with you just to realise I don't feel that way. That would complicate so much." Emma could feel her eyes welling up. "It would ruin everything."
"I know. I understand, but we can't just ignore the fact that there could be something here. Maybe it's some sort of twisted fate. The daughter of my ex-enemy could be my true love." Regina sniggered, then a horrified expression filled her face. "No, I don't mean that I think you are… I just meant that it would be rather ironic. I don't suppose we could just pretend I didn't say that?"
Emma giggled slightly, Regina is cute when she's flustered. Emma hopped off of the stool she was sitting on and walked around the counter, so she was standing next to Regina. "I don't want to pretend you didn't say that. I want to know if that's how you really feel. I don't want to take this chance, I don't want to fall, if… you're not going to be there to catch me." Emma placed a hand on the small of Regina's back as the brunette turned to face her.
"Emma, I…" Their proximity made Regina lose the ability to form a sentence. Her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was kiss the blonde again. They stared into each other's eyes. "I do and I will always be here to catch you." Emma let out a sigh of relief at the brunette's words, but Regina shrugged off the blonde's hand from her back. "We can't do this." Regina shook her head and took a few steps backwards. "I need you to be sure. I can't have you making this decision on a whim, or based on misplaced lust, then realising in a few days or weeks or even months, that it was a mistake. That we were a mistake. I can't, Emma. You're the only person that I've ever met that truly understands me. Not Madame Mayor, not The Evil Queen. You just understand me. Plain Regina Mills. I can't lose that, I can't lose you." Regina continued slowly stepping backwards as she spoke and was now standing by the kitchen's entrance with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I can't promise that. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I can, when I know that I can't." Emma started walking towards Regina. "But I want this. I want to be with you, Regina. I don't mean that I want to sleep with you, I mean obviously I do want that too, but what I really want is to wake up with you in my arms every day. I want to have breakfast with you and clean the house with you and have lazy days on the sofa. I want to take you out for dinner and go for walks. I want to find out everything about you. I want you to want all that too." Emma's face was now inches away from Regina's. The brunette still had her arms firmly folded, and Emma had both her arms around Regina's back.
Regina's brown eyes were glistened over, and she stared into Emma's deep green eyes. "I want that." Regina just about managed to say before Emma captured the brunette's red lips in her own pale pink ones. Regina unfolded her arms and wrapped them around the blonde's neck. They both completely lost themselves in each other's mouth. Regina pushed Emma backwards, until she had the blonde pinned against a wall, Regina pulled the blonde's arms against the wall above her head and started placing light kisses all over the blonde's neck. Emma let out a moan.
"Wait, Regina. Stop. We need to, please." Emma breathed as she began squirming, trying to release herself from Regina's grip.
A disappointed sigh escaped Regina's mouth as she released the blonde and stepped away from her. "What, did I do something wrong?" Regina asked as she scanned the blonde's face, trying to find a clue as to why she wanted to stop.
"No, no. It's not you, you are great. Seriously." Emma reassured the brunette.
"Then why did you ask me to stop?" Regina's eyes filled with concern, she's having second thoughts already.
"I just, I think that maybe we shou-" Emma began.
"You're already regretting it. Oh for god's sake. I knew this would happen, I just didn't think it would be so soon. Did you even mean any of what you said? Was this all some ploy, a way to see if you could break me even more. Make me look like a bigger fool? I thought we had moved past all this. I thought we were almost friends. Obviously I was mistaken. Please, just leave miss S-" Tears started falling from Regina's eyes, but she managed to retain her Mayoral posture and tone.
"No, please Regina. Listen. I was just thinking we should go a little slower. I was scared that if we continued that… we, or at least I, wouldn't be able to stop." Emma closed the gap between them and wiped away a tear that was rolling down Regina's cheek. "I meant every word I said. I would never do anything to purposefully hurt you. I promise." Emma placed a light kiss on Regina's lips.
"I'm sorry. I just assumed, that was wrong." Regina said as she wiped off the lipstick that was smeared around her lips.
"It's fine. I understand, you've been hurt before. It's going to take a while for you to completely trust me. I'm the same." Emma smiled at Regina and, with the back of her hand, attempted to wipe away the lipstick that was all over her face and neck. Regina giggled at the blonde's awful attempt. She barely wiped away anything.
"I'll go get you a wipe, wait here." Regina said as she turned and made her way to the ground floor bathroom. Emma watched her walk out the room and when she was certain that Regina couldn't see, or hear, her, she did a mini fist pump and released a small squeal.
Emma barely had time to finish her squeal when Regina came rushing back into the kitchen. "We need to go get Henry. Now." Regina said to Emma before turning back to the front door and grabbing her car keys from a hook.
"What? Why? What's happened is he okay?" Emma asked as she ran to the front door and followed Regina to her car.
"No, he's not okay. Your mum just texted me saying that he threw up. We need to get him." Regina scrambled into her car and was shaking as she put her keys in the ignition.
"Calm down, Regina. It's going to be fine. Kids puke all the time, did Mary-Margaret really say you had to pick him up? I'd have thought she'd be fine with him still." Emma tried to comfort Regina by patting her knee. They had pulled off of Regina's drive way and were racing, almost definitely speeding, to Mary-Margret and David's place.
"It won't be fine. I need to get him and take him home so he can have his own bed and rest and then everything will be fine." Regina nervously patted the steering wheel as she drove.
"Regina, why are you so on edge. He is going to be fine, they probably just let him eat too much ice cream." Emma was staring at Regina as she drove, why wouldn't she just calm down, the kid has been ill before. Regina didn't answer the blonde, she kept her eyes focused on the road and whispered to herself for the rest of the journey.
When they arrived outside the flat Regina quickly parked and jumped out of the car and was already in the building before Emma managed to take her seat belt off. Regina bounded up the stairs and banged on door number three.
After a short while of Regina banging David opened the door. "I would appreciate if you didn't break our door, Regina." He said as Regina pushed her way past him and into the flat.
Regina didn't pay attention to the words coming out of David's mouth as she spoke over him. "Where is he? Where is Henry?" Regina scanned the apartment looking for him.
"He's up here Regina. He's fine, he just needs to rest." Mary-Margaret called from upstairs. Regina waste no time running up the stairs, she was now feeling very out of breath.
Emma entered the apartment just as Regina disappeared up the last step. "Hey." David said as he pulled Emma in for a hug.
"Hey, is Henry okay?" Emma asked as she returned her father's hug.
"He's fine, your mom and Regina are upstairs with him." David replied as he let go of his daughter. "Coffee?"
"Er, I don't really think I'll have time. Regina seemed to be in a rush to get here, so she probably wants to get Henry back as soon as possible." Emma said as she followed David into the kitchen.
"If she wanted to get here quick why didn't she just use magic?" David asked as he filled the kettle.
"I, er, don't know, actually. I guess she didn't think of it. Your brain doesn't really function properly when you panic I guess. And trust me, she was panicked." Emma's eyes widened as she remembered the fear she saw in Regina's eyes.
"Wait a minute. Why were you with Regina?" David asked as Mary-Margaret descended the stairs.
"Oh, Emma. You're here too?" Mary-Margaret asked as she walked towards her daughter.
"Yeah, I was at Regina's." Emma said as her mother hugged her then kissed her cheek. When Mary-Margaret pulled away, both David and she were staring quizzically at their daughter.
"Why were you there at this time?" Mary-Margaret asked. She noticed a small red mark on her daughter's neck, and before Emma could provide her parents with a reason Mary-Margaret spoke again. "Emma. Come with me."
"Where are you going?" David asked.
"We'll just be a minute. Can you make me a cup of tea too, please?" Mary-Margaret was holding Emma's wrist tightly as she dragged her daughter just outside the apartment.