A/N: Hey guys! Sooooooo sorry it took me a bit longer to get this one up, I've been completely swamped! I'm not really happy with it, but it's probably as done as it's going to get for a while. And, as is obvious, I'm writing this in a really relaxed way and so there's less planning etc going into it than I would normally do in a fic. That being said, I hope it's still enjoyable for you! Thanks AGAIN for following and favouriting and reviewing, you guys are the best! I don't know when chapter 5 will be up, hopefully it won't be too long. But for now, enjoy!

Oh and PS, for the texting bit, Emma is in bold and Regina is bold and italics! (i'll be quiet now)

Emma had never been one to walk with a spring in her step, particularly not on her way to work on a Monday morning, but even she couldn't deny the slight bounce as she made her way into the Elias-Clark building.

She greeted Ruby with a tilt of her head and a small smile. Ruby lifted her hand to get Emma to stop, but the blonde was already running late and so shook her head and carried on towards the elevator.

"Em! Wait!" Emma turned back to see Ruby exiting from behind her desk and running after her.

"I'm running late."

"I know you've been ignoring my texts on purpose! Come on, just tell me! How was it?"

"It was… a date." Emma smiled coyly to herself as she pressed the button for the elevator.

"It must have been good for you to be smiling like that!" Ruby's face lit up and she grabbed Emma's arm excitedly.

"I'm just happy today, that's all!"

"C'mon Em, no-one's happy at 9am on a Monday."

"Fine. I had… a good time." Emma shook her head as she entered the elevator, and Ruby followed.

"So when are you seeing her again?"

"In about 30 seconds?" Emma frowned at Ruby as she pressed the button for her floor.

"You know what I mean."

"I don't know. When I ask her, I guess."

"Today! Ask her today!"

"I can't just go into her office and ask her, Rubes. It has to be done properly!"

"Nope. I know you. And I know how scary Regina is. If you don't do it right this second you'll back out and you'll be 80 and grey-haired and Regina will be in a casket and you'll still be trying to work up the courage."

"Fine. I'll do it today. If you'll leave me alone!" Emma smirked at Ruby, who was still smiling with the energy of a puppy and now over twenty floors away from her desk at reception.

The elevator ground to a halt and the doors opened, leaving Emma to exit as Ruby pushed the button to go back down to the ground floor.

"Morning Emma. Miss Mills said she wanted to see you as soon as you got in." Belle called from her desk when she saw Emma exit the elevator, and Emma took a second to drop her coat and bag onto her desk before doing an almost-jog to Regina's office door.

"You're late." Regina said with a tone of anger without looking up.

"Yeah, sorry." Emma knew an explanation would fall on deaf ears, which was handy, because she didn't actually have one.

"Anyway, could you go and pick up my dry cleaning for me?"

"Of course I could." Emma didn't move, and absent-mindedly licked her bottom lip.

"… That will be all." Regina said as Emma still made no attempts to move, and looked up to look her in the eyes. "Have you lost the ability to walk?"

"No, sorry I just… was thinking."

Regina looked up at her again. "You know, I knew I could have an effect on people but had I known it would affect your job this way I would have thought twice before inviting you to dinner."

"I know, I know. I've got it. I'll go get your dry cleaning."

"Thank you."

The second Emma got outside the building and onto the street, she got her phone from her pocket and dialled Regina's mobile number.

"Did you forget what you were doing? Honestly, I.."

"Dinner?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you want to go out to dinner with me? At some point?"

"…. Well, at some point, yes."

"Soon, I mean."

"Is this how you generally ask people out on dates? Because believe me dear, it could use some work."

"I was going to ask you when I was in your office but… you made me nervous, what can I say?"

"If I'm making you nervous I'm doing my job right."

"You know, you could just say yes or no? It would probably save us a lot of time."

"Very well. Robin has asked if he can see Henry for a couple of hours on Friday night, so I suppose I could see you then."

"You suppose?"

"Yes. I do."

Emma grinned into the phone, "Good. I'll pick somewhere nice."

"Good. Now go and collect my dry cleaning."

"I'm on my way. So, you spoke to Robin?"

"This is a conversation that should be taking place neither on the phone nor in work time. We'll talk on Friday when you pick me up."

"Or we could text? Some of the best conversations I've ever had happened over text."

Emma could almost hear Regina's smirk through the phone. "Do I seem to you like a… 'texter', Miss Swan?"

"Hey, it was a suggestion. You can say no!"

"Hmm." Regina mused and then went silent, and Emma frowned as she continued to walk down the street towards the dry cleaners.

"Is that a yes? A no? Are you clearing your throat?"

"That will be all." Regina responded, but with a playful reluctance to her voice.

Emma heard her phone go off as she said goodnight to her roommate that same night. She was in no rush to check it, assuming it to be Ruby or one of her college friends catching up, so she left it while she had a shower.

Upon returning, she saw the light flashing in the top bar of her phone and saw not one, but three messages waiting for her.

So what now? Said the first.

Hello? Are you there?

You can't tell me to text you and then not be with your phone, Miss Swan.

Emma smirked. It had been at most 30 minutes since the first text had come through.

Wow, someone wanted to speak to me!

Arrogance is a very unattractive quality. I was merely curious as to the point of this suggestion.

So we could talk!

Talk?

You know, talk? You say words and someone else replies?

Very droll.

Emma settled down onto her bed with still-damp hair, holding her phone up to her face.

Droll is what I do best. … If it's a good thing.

Depends on who it is that's suggesting it.

Gee, you're a fun texter aren't you!

I can assure you I don't have much practice. It's entirely possible I've only texted a total of 5 people in my life, you included. It's phone, or email, or skype. I don't text.

Except me ;)

If you're going to do faces this conversation will terminate right now.

Fine. So what are you doing?

I'm just making dinner.

It's 10:30!

I've been working.

I'll worry about you if you do that.

I've survived over 30 years without your input, I'm sure I'll last a few more yet.

If you're sure!

I am. What are you doing?

Just in bed.

Ok. How do these conversations work?

You know Regina, I find it hard to believe you don't have regular conversations with people.

With whom should I be having them? Henry? If I'm not at work I'm with him, there's really very little time for any adult interaction.

You were with Robin for years!

We didn't talk. At least not like this. That was half of our problem.

Right. Sorry. So how did it go talking with him earlier?

He was fine. I believe stoic would be the best word to describe it. Placid. Either way, he simply explained that he wished to spend time with Henry and we agreed a day.

That's cool!

Yes, it is. He asked about you.

Seriously?!

Yes. It seems you made quite the impression.

You mean my suit did. I'm a rising star in the fashion industry!

The article may have said many ridiculous things about you dear, but they didn't go that far.

But they did call me suave though.

I suppose there's no accounting for taste.

C'mon, you agreed. You thought I looked hot.

Perhaps I did.

Oh really?

I must be going now. I'll see you in the morning.

Ugh, fine. Night.

Sleep well, dear.

The promise of dinner on Friday night sped up the week considerably for Emma, and she managed to secure a table for them at The Establishment, one of the best (and most expensive) restaurants in town. She'd been on the point of begging for a table when she decided to change tack and explain that the table was for Regina, which got her a showering of apologies and promise of a table reserved all night for them.

"I'm impressed, Emma. Tables at The Establishment aren't easy to come by." Regina's voice sounded incredulous as she sat at the very existent table. A waiter arrived almost immediately with two glasses of champagne and menus, which Emma accepted with an expectant grimace.

"Well, I have connections."

"You mean me." Regina smirked with an eyebrow raised over the top of her menu.

"My sources wish to remain anonymous."

"Very well. I'm actually glad you asked me to dinner, there's something I wish to run by you."

"Shoot."

Regina set her menu down, and Emma followed suit. "I'm sure you aren't aware, but in about a month's time it's Paris Fashion Week. What usually happens is that myself, along with one or two writers and photographers and an assistant go over."

"I'm aware, it's my job to be." Emma winked, "Ok, carry on…"

"Of course, Belle will be coming as my assistant, she has been waiting for this since she started with Runway, and…"

"No, I get it. Can't have you playing favourites, can we." Emma smirked.

"We can't, because she'd win every time."

"Hey!"

"Anyway. Each year they give me 2 tickets, for myself and usually, Robin. He wouldn't come to many of the events, just go around the city and then we'd meet up in the evening. I was wondering if…"

"If I'd be your date?"

"Well, yes. Of course there's no obligation, and I realise that we aren't dating per se, but I thought it may be a good experience for you to see how these events work, or if you weren't interested in going to any of the shows you could spend some time around the city, and that would be beneficial for you regardless."

"Do you really mean it?"

"I don't tend to joke about these things, dear." Regina smoothed down the front of her shirt and re-crossed her legs.

"Well then I'd love to!" Emma grabbed Regina's hand, "Thank you. That's… amazing. Just thank you."

"You're welcome." Regina smiled, coyly but noticeably, to herself.

"Can I kiss you?" Emma said as though she couldn't think of any other way to thank her.

"If you wish. Though I should warn you, there are undoubtedly photographers outside of the restaurant at the moment. They're here every night."

"So?"

"If you're sure your street cred could handle being photographed kissing me, then by all means go right ahead."

Emma leaned across the table, and put a finger under Regina's chin to tilt her head up. She placed a short kiss on the brunette's lips, just enough so as not to cause anyone at adjacent tables to pay attention. Emma pulled her lips away and whispered a quiet "thank you", her breath hot over Regina's face.

Both women stayed poised for a moment until they heard a cough from the side of them, and a waiter looking as apologetic as was humanly possible waiting to take their order.

"Sorry." Emma fumbled to sit down, "I'll have the chicken."

"I'll have the same." Regina smiled a little tightly to the man, who took their menus and bowed his head before making a swift exit from their table.

"That was embarrassing." Emma snorted as her face turned pink. Regina, however, remained stoic and took a sip from her glass of champagne.

"Not especially. I'm sure you've been caught doing worse." She responded, her words accentuated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Why do I get the feeling you don't do things like this often, Regina?"

"Kiss people?" Regina ran a hand through her hair.

"No, this. You know, joke around a little, invite people on trips. You seem… shy isn't the right word. You could never be shy. But do you get what I'm trying to say?"

"I'm sure it wouldn't surprise you to know that I don't have many friends. I'm fully aware I can be stand-off-ish when it comes to interactions, and I suppose that I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone a little with you."

"Hey, I don't want you to be changing to suit me."

"Believe me, dear, I would never do that. I'm just testing the waters, I suppose."

"And so far?"

Regina pondered this for a moment. "It could be worse."

Emma smiled. "So, what do you think they'll say about us in the papers if they got that photo?"

"Something speculative and untrue, most likely." Regina sighed.

"My money's on "Regina Mills was spotted making out with her mystery blonde on Friday evening. Sources say the editor is 'punching well above her weight'"."

"As I said, completely untrue."

"Hey, believe what you want to. We'll soon find out."

"Yes, we will."

A/N: They're going to Paris! Not yet though, but soon. Don't forget to review!