Hey, I just wanted to let you know about the timeframe. So this all takes place post 3A, but without the Henry-Pan body switch. Pan is gone and everyone has arrived safely to storybrooke. Enjoy Chapter 3, please review if you did. x
Emma was restless; she had been sitting on the floor of Regina's study for over 3 hours, watching the brunette pour over numerous spell books. Emma was bored, and hungry, her stomach was growling continuously but both women chose to ignore it. She had really tried to make herself useful but hovering behind Regina, trying to read over her shoulder only made the brunette irritable.
"This is impossible." The brunette broke the silence with a growl, shutting the book in front of her and glancing bemusedly at Emma who was currently sprawled across the floor of her study, uselessly staring up at the ceiling.
"No luck?" Emma asked, disappointment lacing her words.
"What do you think?" Regina returned sarcastically, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"I think you need a break. Do you want me to make you something to eat?"
"No thank you Ms Swan, I'd rather not add food poisoning to my list of troubles."
"You can talk..." Emma grumbled, standing up and stretching out her stiff muscles. "I have two words for you: Apple turnover."
Regina scowled at the blonde, staring disapprovingly at her messy hair and rumpled clothes.
"Well it seems we won't be able to fix this tonight. What are we going to do with you, your parents are having Henry for dinner but he's going to come home soon."
"No, I can't be around Henry Regina. I can call Mary Margaret and have him stay the night."
Regina shook her head, a perfect brow rising at the saviour. "And where exactly are you going to be staying?"
"Umm... Here? You have a few guest rooms so I figured that..."
"Absolutely not." Interrupted Regina, a scowl etched upon her face. "I refuse to be woken up during the night with your ramblings."
"But where do you expect me to go...? I can't sleep in the park or some alleyway nor can I go back to Mary Margaret's place after what I asked on Wednesday. Regina I'm embarrassed!"
"That was 5 days ago Ms Swan, where have you been sleeping since then?"
"My bug..." Emma admitted sheepishly, knowing exactly what Regina was going to suggest next.
"Then that is where you will be sleeping tonight. I'm glad that's sorted." Regina spoke the words approvingly, standing up and swanning out of the room.
"You're gonna make me sleep in the car? My back is in pain!" The saviour whined out the words, following Regina out of the study and quickly overtaking her, spinning around and making the brunette look at her. The blonde offered Regina her best puppy dog eyes and Regina sighed audibly, refusing to meet Emma's gaze.
"That is hardly my problem, Ms Swan. I'm already helping you enough by using my valuable time to look for a cure for this curse."
"Emma. Just call me Emma, we don't have to be professional, we're friends not colleagues."
"This is not friendship." Regina was convinced Emma had said that so she would allow her to stay in the mansion. The saviour clearly didn't mean it.
"But you don't hate me..." Emma reminded Regina smugly, following the brunette who had pushed past her and began walking down the stairs of the mansion, heels tapping against each step.
"Why do you wear your heels when you're indoors?" Emma asked Regina amusedly.
Regina whipped around quickly, staring intently into the eyes of the blonde and noting with relief that she wasn't suffering one of her episodes as the glazed look had not returned to her eyes.
"Oh no... I was just asking it wasn't the... Curse." Emma spoke the words quickly, as she realised the reason for Regina's inspection.
"Haven't I answered enough of your questions for one day? I'll make you food and you can take it with you to your car." Regina had resumed walking down the stairs and strolled into the kitchen, shutting the door behind her as a strong indication that she was not in the mood for the blonde's company.
Emma huffed and plopped down onto Regina's sofa dejectedly, wondering why everything was so difficult with that woman. Since they had come back from Neverland she had figured they were almost like friends and Henry had moved back in after getting tired of Mary Margaret's cramped apartment. Everything was okay between them yet Regina still insisted on being cold and distant toward the Saviour and Emma was seriously confused about why. She had previously assumed Regina simply hated who she was, but this morning had confirmed that was not the case. So what is her problem? Emma mused to herself, laying across the couch and twiddling her thumbs. Was it just in her head that they had a genuine connection?
A sharp knock on the door interrupted Emma's jumble of thoughts and she leapt off of the sofa, grateful for a distraction from her boredom and confusion. Pulling open the door she came face to face with her father, a concerned expression on his face.
"Emma!" He exclaimed as he saw his daughter, his lips twisting into a smile. "Henry said you were here and Regina was helping you with your condition. So has it worked, are you better?"
"Idiot." Muttered a voice from inside the house as Emma's eyes glazed over and she held the door frame for support before words came tumbling out of her mouth.
"Did you and mom have sex last night?"
"I.. Uhh no." David stepped into the mansion with a scowl on his face, directing his disappointment at the brunette who was standing behind Emma rolling her eyes disdainfully at both of them. "I thought you said you were gonna help!" David turned on the mayor, glaring at her in an accusatory manner.
"Did you mom and Henry have Chinese food for dinner?"
"Yes I was trying to help. It's not my fault your idiot daughter got herself cursed." Regina scowled at the man in her home, wondering how anyone can have the audacity to act the way he did.
"Did you mom and Henry have Chinese food for dinner?" Repeated Emma desperately, grabbing David's arm.
"No Em." Charming turned to his daughter, sighing softly knowing there was nothing he could do but answer her questions.
"Have you two ever slept together?"
"No!" Came the simultaneous and equally disgusted response from both David and Regina.
"Dad what's your favourite colour?"
"Blue, honey." Answered David patiently.
"Regina do you think I'm pretty?"
"No."
They all jumped as a chair from the dining table exploded, David turned to Regina, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at her.
"Yes." Regina amended her answer with a faux casualness, staring sourly outside the window.
"Do you guys like ducks? Fluffy baby ones?"
The questions continued for another ten minutes, finishing after David affirmed that he would give Emma his blessing if she ever wished to marry Geppetto.
"Thank God." Regina muttered as Emma lost the glazed look from her eyes and she frowned slightly, looking apologetically from Regina to her father.
"Look dad, Regina is really trying to help me and she doesn't have to. She's being an amazing friend and there was really no need to speak to her that way. I think we should be nothing but grateful to her right now."
David looked slightly ashamed of himself, "I'm sorry." He muttered gruffly, his eyes meeting Regina's. "This is just... An uncomfortable situation and I thought this problem would be solved by now."
"Ms Swan will be fine, I just need more time." Regina nodded, graciously accepting David's apology, surprising even herself. She was shocked that Emma had just stood up to her father in her defence and felt really touched. She was also musing over Emma's wording. This was the second time Emma had referred to her as her 'friend'. Does she really mean it?
"Look, keep Henry at yours for a few days- he'll understand- and I will fix your daughter and return her to you just as annoying as usual."
"What do you get out of it?" David eyed Regina suspiciously, his brow furrowing as he tried to determine Regina's true intentions.
"Extra proof that I really have changed, a son that views me as a hero and... Redemption."
"I'm staying here? So not in the car?" Emma beamed at the brunette.
"You better stay away for a while till this is over, her questions clearly make you feel awkward." The brunette stated the words as she began ushering David out of the door, having spent more time then was preferable with her former enemy.
"What about you Regina? You're gonna put up with all the questions?" David stared incredulously at the mayor, letting her steer him out of the mansion.
"They're nothing I can't handle. Tell Henry we love and will miss him but will see him very soon." Regina nodded before shutting the door on David and turning around to face the blonde who was staring at her in the same way her father had just been.
"You're really gonna end this. Regina I'm honestly so grateful. You're the best, seriously."
"And you're an idiot." Regina answered, uncomfortable with the compliment. "You look like a mess, you should shower. Can't have Geppetto coming round and seeing you like this." Regina teased the blonde before brushing past her before she could see the faint blush on the brunette's olive toned cheeks.
"Still better than Leroy!" Emma called after her with a small smirk, which quickly turned into a frown as she gazed at her appearance in the mirror. She had been sleeping in the car for five days and really was a mess.
Emma's stomach growled once again as the smell of Regina's cooking wafted from the kitchen and she bounded up the stairs, anxious to get her shower over with so she could eat. She ignored the part of herself that wondered if it was only the food that she was looking forward to.
She thinks I'm pretty!
Coming up: flirting, fluff, food and... questions.