Emma walked back into the Grand theatre, with Regina stepping gingerly behind her, as if there were land mines littered on the ground. She still didn't understand what a 'date' really entailed; would Miss Swan try to take advantage of her? Would she expect a kiss, or something more, by the end of the night? Regina shuddered to think about it. She didn't want to open herself up to this woman, just to get rejected. That had happened too many times before. Regina had lived in a world crueler than Miss Swan had known, where the rules were constricting and set in stone, and Regina couldn't help but wonder how Emma would have turned out if she had grown up in the Enchanted Forest.
Regina walked into the theatre, having already paid, and Emma scooted into a seat in dead center, to get a good view. Ruby and Belle soon left, and Regina was glad. She didn't want there to be any witnesses to what she was sure would be a total debacle.
She sighed and sat next to Emma, who looked too relaxed and...happy? How dare she? Regina thought. This was just a date to ensure that the rest of the townspeople would stop bothering them, it was nothing more. Regina would treat it like a business transaction to ensure her peace of mind-and then it would be done and she could go back home, to her books and her empty house.
It struck her just how lonely she was.
"Do you want some of my butterfingers?"
Regina looked at the blond with a quizzical expression. She saw Emma holding a yellow box, and sneered. "No thank you, Miss Swan." She had no desire to put whatever those brown things were into her mouth.
"Emma. And you're totally missing out." Emma tossed up one of the candies and it landed in her mouth.
Regina just stared at the screen, watching as some kids used a Rube Goldberg machine to open their front gate. It was clever, Regina had to admit.
"That must have taken a long time for them to set up," Regina commented.
Emma nodded. "Yeah. Kids really are creative."
That was the closest they came to talking about kids, or family, or anything else that they both had in common-which was Henry. The thing that stretched out between them, but always ended up snapping back, pulling them together like a rubber band. It was inevitable that they were stuck with each other. At least until Henry turned 18. So for the next seven and a half years, Regina had to play nice with the other mother of her child, however much she just wanted to kill her and be done with it. But Henry would never forgive her for that, of course.
Maybe the best way to torture Miss Swan was to date her. Be the bitchiest girlfriend on the face of the earth. Regina smirked at the thought. She could spend all of her money on shoes, cry about everything and hate all of her best friends, and if that didn't work, be disgusting. Regina hoped she wouldn't have to resort to that. She shifted her weight, actually chuckling at the chubby kid's antics. She noticed Emma's eyes on her and turned to look at her, quirking an eyebrow.
"You having fun?" Emma asked, smirking.
Regina stared back at the screen, not sure how to answer. "It's not the worst evening I've had, since most of them have been spent alone."
Emma smiled. "I'm having a good time too."
"I didn't say—"
"You didn't have to."
Regina stayed silent. There was no winning with this woman. Anything she said would just bounce off the blond, with no harm done. If this was what dating was like, Regina was glad she had no part of it back in the Enchanted Forest. It was so confusing. Medieval courtship involved princes fighting for your honor, or rescuing damsels in distress. Not taking them to dirty theatres late at night and watching a movie about a bunch of kids looking for treasure.
"Tell me more about courtship in your world." Regina demanded. "Are we expected to get married at the end of the night?"
Emma nearly choked on the soda she was drinking. She coughed for a good minute, Regina wondering if she should call the hospital. At least that would get her out of this awkward date.
Emma recovered, however, then wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Um…no, we don't have to do anything you're not ready for. I'm sure as hell not ready to marry you." Emma scoffed.
"Do be serious. I just have never dated before. I'm new at it. Does there need to be more than one of these dates?"
"Again, only if you want it." Emma sighed.
"So…you're saying you would ask me out again?"
Emma gulped. "Maybe. Let's just see how this date goes, ok?"
"But…all we're doing is watching a movie. Shouldn't you be duelling a knight for me?"
Emma's peals of laughter rang out through the whole theatre, and Regina huffed angrily. This was a serious matter. What kind of courtship would this be if Emma wasn't willing to fight for her? That's what the knights had done, when she was married to King Leopold. The sentries would hold whole tournaments in her honor.
"Regina, we're not in your world. Things work differently here. Now shut up and watch the movie."
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The air bit at Regina's face as she walked out of the theatre, Emma stomping beside her, trying to make tracks in the one inch of snow that had fallen while they were inside the theatre. The snow flakes were light and wet on Regina's tongue, and she bundled her black coat around her tighter, surprised that Emma wasn't shivering in only her leather jacket.
"That was interesting." Regina concluded.
"Yeah. I guess we have Ruby and Belle to thank for it."
Regina huffed. "Remind me to get a shock collar for the werewolf, so I can—"
"You're not operant conditioning my friend." Emma laughed.
"But she—and the whole town—keeps insinuating themselves in our business. I won't have it. I think that—" Regina stopped. Emma had been smiling at her during this rant, and she stepped close to Regina, wrapping her arms around her. The snowflakes were falling around them, and it was quite romantic. Regina frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Shutting you up." Emma smirked again, which Regina didn't like. She was tired of Emma thinking she could just do whatever she wanted in this courtship, which, by the way, was the strangest courtship Regina had ever been in. She opened her mouth to say this, but lips covered her own in a sweet, searing kiss that had Regina breathless from the first moment. The kiss was similar to the one before, but sweeter, almost, and less about control than intimacy. Emma opened her mouth against Regina's nibbling on her lip softly.
Regina moaned and flicked her tongue in Emma's mouth, losing herself in the sensation of peace that flared inside of her. All of her resolutions to be a terrible girlfriend dissolved. She clutched at Emma's jacket, burying her hands in the material.
"Don't run away this time," Regina whispered between kisses.
Emma just kissed her harder. They stood like that for a good minute, lips moving together rhythmically. Finally, they broke apart, and Emma smiled, reflecting genuine happiness.
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Cora shut the telescope, handing it back to Captain Hook. She turned back, as the pirate kept watching the two women kiss, smirking at what he saw.
"Put the telescope down, you perverse moron." Cora commanded. "That's my daughter, making out with the savior. I have no idea how to salvage this. How will my daughter ever fulfill her potential if 'love' keeps getting in her way?"
"Well," Hook said, pocketing the telescope, "I could try to seduce Emma, you know, steal her away from Regina." The pirate grinned.
"Of course. Then my daughter will be truly broken."
"Lovely," Hook said sarcastically, earning him a glare from the Queen of Hearts.
Sunday—Town square
Regina didn't know how it had come to this. She looked down at the sword her hand was clutching, then back at her enemy—the one who was trying to steal Emma from her. The hook attached to his hand glinted in the sunlight, and the townspeople were watching, lined up on opposite sides of the street. The former queen glared at Hook, daring him to come closer. She could best him. She would prove to everyone—Emma included—who the better dueler was. Emma would be hers. She didn't care if her mother wanted better for her—whatever that meant. Emma was the freaking savior, how much better could she do? The fact that Emma was her redemption was enough for her.
She raised her sword and beckoned Hook with her left hand. He ran towards her, swinging his sword forward. She braced herself, grabbing her sword with both hands. She knew she had Henry's permission to use magic—he had come to her before the duel and told her so—but she wanted to knock Hook on his ass without it. She wanted this to be a fair fight. And it wouldn't be if with a flick of her hand, she caused his thyroid bone to break, and consequently stop his breathing.
He knew she could use magic, too. He knew how powerful she was. So why was he going through with this?
Regina knew the answer to that. Her mother. She didn't know where she was—she had been in hiding, but she knew that she was allies with the pirate before her.
Metal hit metal as Hook brought his sword forward, aimed at her ribs. She parried and hit back, her biceps screaming as the swords hit each other. She checked her footing for a split second, then brought her eyes to meet the pirate's. He was smirking at her, so sure of himself, like he had won already. The interesting thing was, Emma was watching in the sidelines, calmly sitting there with Henry and her parents. That certainly hadn't been her reaction to begin with.
-Flashback—Friday-Emma, Regina, Cora and Hook
Emma stacked the papers on her desk together neatly. She checked her watch. It was 4:58 pm. Good enough, she thought, and went to punch her card out. She wasn't sure where her paycheck was coming from, given that Regina wasn't really Mayor anymore. She would have to talk about that, maybe on their next date. If there was one.
She stopped cold when a puff of purple smoke practically engulfed the room. She was about to scream, thinking that maybe there was another curse coming, but instead, Cora and Hook were standing in the middle of the police station. But worse, Regina was with them, tied and gagged. She rushed to the brunette, but Cora threw her back with a powerful gust of magic.
Her back hit one of the desks, and she winced as stars danced in front of her eyes. She blinked and pulled herself in a standing position, grabbing her gun on her holster, ready to fire. But there were no bullets. Cora suddenly held them in her hand, waving it tauntingly.
"Where the hell have you been? And why is Regina tied up?" Emma growled, knowing she was powerless against the woman.
"Good questions, Sherriff. I assure you that I am doing this for your own good. Word around town is that you two have sparked a romance."
Emma rolled her eyes. "We went on one date."
"What's a date?" Cora frowned.
Emma groaned loudly. "Not you too. It's our world's way of courting."
"Oh. Well you need to stop." Cora commanded.
"Who's gonna make me?"
Hook stepped out from behind Cora. "I am. I will duel Regina for your hand. No pun intended."
Emma rolled her eyes again. "This is fucking ridiculous. I am not going to let Regina and Hook fight over me."
Regina shook her head violently when Emma said that, and Cora laughed. "If you don't, I will take Henry from you both. I will take him under my wing, and I'll teach him all kinds of dark magic. You don't want that, do you, Emma?"
Emma definitely didn't want that. She was sure Regina didn't either, judging by the horrified look in her chocolate brown eyes.
Emma grit her teeth and said, "Fine. When is this duel for my honor taking place?"
"Sunday, noon. Be there or I will make good on my promises." Cora and Hook disappeared, leaving Regina sitting against the metal desk.
Emma rushed to untie her, and pulled the gag from her mouth. "Are you okay?"
"No. I had forgotten how terrible my mother was until that moment. She used to tie me up when I was a child too." Tears brimmed in Regina's eyes, and Emma's heart screamed to comfort her.
"I'm sorry." She was crap at comforting people, usually. She didn't really know what else to say, so she patted Regina's hair softly and let her cry. They stayed like that for a good fifteen minutes, then Regina straightened up, pulling a handkerchief out of the pocket of her blazer and dried her eyes.
Emma broke the silence. "Are you really going to fight for me?"
Regina laughed, though her eyes were still red from crying. "Yes, princess, I am."
-End Flashback—
Regina brushed the sweat from her eyes frantically, blinking against the sun. She focused on Hook, blocking out all the outside noise from the townspeople, who were rather entertained by this display. A reminder of the old world, Regina mused. She narrowed her eyes, then swung her broadsword—Charming's sword, actually. The same one that Emma had used to slay Maleficent. She parried madly, her arms tired and her back tight. Still, she wouldn't stop. Hook still had a spring to his step, but to the trained eye, he was getting tired as well. His blows weren't as hard as they were in the beginning. They had been dueling for about a half-an-hour.
Regina stepped forward, pushing into Hook's space, using the proximity to make short sweeps with her sword, which saved some energy. She stepped back again, sweeping once more. She was blindsighted when Hook parried, then slashed his hook across her forehead. Blood came trickling down, into her eyes, but she kept fighting, until Hook knocked her down with his sword hand. He left her there, then walked over to Emma.
"I guess this means we go on a date, Emma." Hook wiped his cheek with his sleeve.
Emma folded her arms. "I'd rather eat worms."
Hook smirked. "I could just go get Cora, so she can collect Henry."
"I'd never let that happen. I don't care if she's a fucking sorceress. She can't get past me. Or Regina."
"But she already has." Hook pointed back to where Regina had laid only moments before. She was gone. Emma panicked. Cora had kidnapped Regina.
She grabbed Hook by the collar, frustrated when his eyes lit up at the contact. "Where are they?" She yelled.
"I'm not telling. Not unless you go on a date with me. That's what it's called right? A date?"
Emma groaned for the millionth time that day.
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The crowd soon dissipated, but Snow, Charming, Granny, Ruby, Belle and Henry stayed, trying to comfort Emma.
"We'll find her, Emma. We'll get her back." Henry said, in that optimistic way of his that made Emma want to just cry more.
She stepped onto the sidewalk, grateful for the shade from the building. "I think we need to call a meeting. You know, those support group meetings that you guys held every week? Only this time, we'll figure out how to beat Cora."
Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Oh, and if you think I have this genius master plan, let your illusions be shattered—I've been winging it this whole time. I really have no idea what's going to happen next. But that's what keeps it fun!