AN: Ok, so I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years!
My new years resolution is to try and write more, so hopefully my updates will be quicker! :)
Reviews would be greatly appreciated XD
Chapter 26
Emma's heart sank, of course this was Regina's mother, she would put her foot in it yet again. Emma smiled at Cora and offered her hand out.
"Miss Mills, it's nice to meet you, I'm Emma Swan" Cora gave her that sickly sweet smile from earlier and nodded at her
"Pleasure" she replied before turning her attention to Regina "Regina dear, do you not think that you should socialise with the rest of your guests?"
"Mother, I have been socialising all evening, and I am socialising now" Regina replied, smiling at Emma, who even though she hadn't thought it possible was now feeling even more awkward.
"I meant with all your guests dear" Cora and Regina stared at each other for a moment, Emma turned her attention back to the dessert table in hope of distraction.
"And I shall Mother, I always make sure I speak to all of my guests, just like you taught me" Emma had never heard Regina's voice so flat before, she looked at Regina
"Well that may be dear but-" Then just when Emma thought it couldn't get worse Cora was cut off mid sentence by another arrival.
"Fancy pants there you are!" Emma's heart sank and Cora's eyes flashed as Ruby staggered over slightly, with a huge grin on her face, Lacey just behind her. "Fancy pants I must tell you, your Mother sure knows how to throw a swanky party, this place is pretty damn posh!" Emma wanted the ground to swallow her up.
"Er Rubes, this is Regina's Mother, Miss Mills this is my friend Ruby"
"Hi, how you doin?" Ruby asked Cora smiling at her, clearly unaware of the awkward situation.
"Charmed I'm sure" Cora replied, Emma noticed that she curled her lip slightly as she turned her attention back to Regina. "I expect you to mingle more dear" she didn't wait for Regina to reply before walking away with her head raised slightly in the air
"Sorry" Regina apologised looking slightly ashamed
"Hey don't worry about it, could have been worse, now how about I go get the birthday girl a drink? Emma grinned at Regina
"You do know that you're supposed to buy the birthday girl a drink?"
"Well next year tell your mother that then" Emma kissed Regina on the cheek and walked towards the bar with Ruby shouting after her to get her yet another one.
/-/
Regina was stood with Ruby and Lacey waiting for Emma to return, the pair were now talking to each other, apparently quite enjoying one another's company. Thankfully Kathryn arrived to distract from feeling increasingly like a third wheel.
"Regina"
"Kathryn"
"Regina tell me, who's that?" Kathryn asked, Regina turned to see who Kathryn was talking about
"It' Frederick"
"He seems quite nice" Kathryn smiled staring across at him.
"So you think he's nice yet you didn't actually know his name?"
"Well he was more talking to my father, I was just stood with him as Abigail had disappeared again"
"You know you really should keep more of a close eye on your sister" Regina commented smiling at how Kathryn still had not taken her eyes off Frederick. "Would you like me to introduce you?"
"No, no, it's fine, I'm just going to go and stand with my father again I think" and with that Kathryn walked back over to where her father was stood talking to Frederick, although this time he introduced her and it seemed as though she was now talking to him more as apposed to staring across the room at him. Regina glanced around the room looking at all her guests, all of whom seemed to be having a good night and enjoying themselves, which meant that her mother was less likely to find something to more to criticise her for, now all she had to do was to get through the rest of the night without her insulting Emma. Emma returned shortly afterwards with a drink for Regina and Ruby as well as a shot for them both
"I don't really do shots" Regina replied politely as Emma handed her the shot
"I'll have it then" Ruby said reaching for the shot
"No you wont!" Emma replied holding the shot out of Ruby's reach, "it's for Regina, because it's her birthday, besides I saw you having shots at the ball"
"Yes, but that was only because I was coerced into doing so by Cruella and Maleficent" Regina smiled back at Emma
"Well, I'm sure I can convince you to have at least one on your birthday" Emma raised her eyebrows at Regina and handed the glance out to Regina a daring almost seductive look in her eyes, Regina bit the inside of her mouth before taking the glass off Emma, clinking it against Ruby's and downing the shot, never once taking her eyes off Emma.
"Well when you two have finished eye fucking each other lets go dance" Ruby interrupted, the two broke eye contact and looked towards Ruby who grabbed hold of Emma and dragged her towards the dance floor. Regina glanced at Lacey who was smirking at her, Regina coughed and began to follow Emma and Ruby.
"You don't have to look so ashamed you know" Lacey told her
"Excuse me?"
"You and Emma, I think you two make a good couple"
"I'm not ashamed"
"Maybe not, but you have blushed the colour of those slow roasted tomatoes" Regina felt herself flush again before Lacey smirked yet again and joined Emma and Ruby who had now began to dance. Regina watched for a moment and couldn't help but smile at the blonde's elaborate dance moves, it wasn't until Emma saw her and stopped she smiled over to the brunette and ushered her to join them, with a sigh Regina drank the rest of her drink and joined the three of them.
This was definitely one of her favourite birthdays Regina thought as she danced along to the music with Emma, Lacey and Ruby, occasionally Ruby went the bar and bought herself, Regina and Lacey a shot. The first time Regina saw the panicked look on Lacey's face, Regina stepped in and as soon as Ruby looked away she took Lacey's shot for her, thankfulness filled Lacey's face, but Regina simply smiled and continued dancing slowly getting closer and closer to Emma as the alcohol kicked in. They had been dancing for nearly an hour before they decided that after Ruby and Emma engaged in a dance off they had all earned a well rest and moved over to find a table whilst Ruby yet again went the bar for more drinks.
"Are you having a good birthday?" Emma asked, taking Regina's hand
"The best" Regina smiled stroking Emma's hand with her thumb
"Good" Ruby arrived with a tray two more shots for them and a drink each, out of the corner of her eye she saw Emma smirk at her, four more shots? As Ruby was taking her shot, she quickly downed a shot before handing the empty glass back to Lacey, before she repeated the action again when Ruby took her second.
"Come on Regina! It's your birthday keep up!" Ruby encouraged her nudging the shots closer, Regina smiled and took both of the shots, feeling the burn slightly as the liquid slid down her throat. Regina turned to Emma who was smiling brightly
"You know you really do look nice tonight" Regina told her
"Is that so?" Emma replied raising her eyebrows suggestively, Regina's eyes flicked to Emma's lips, she was about to lean closer when she heard a polite cough behind her, knowing instantly who it was she took a large swig of her drink and placed her usual smile on her face and turned to face her mother.
"Mother are you enjoying the evening?"
"Yes dear I am, seems as though you are" her mother had her usual sickly sweet smile on her face "dear I'd like to introduce you to James" Cora turned to the man next to her whom Regina had not noticed up to that point, James had short dirty blonde hair, he was of average height and was slightly muscular
"Yes mother we've met before"
"I wasn't sure as I am sure you two would hit it off spectacularly"
"Actually mother we barely saw eye to eye" Regina commented infuriated by her mother.
"Now dear, don't be like that I am sure you two would be as thick as thieves in no time, you just need to talk. James, my daughter, Regina" Cora introduced them yet again, Regina locked eyes with her mother's whose eyes flashed, Regina knew exactly what was expected of her.
"James" Regina nodded politely at him and extended her hand in greeting. James took her hand in his and kissed it gently staring at Regina all the while. Out of the corner of her eye Regina could see Emma shifting in her seat.
"You are a true wonder" he told her kissing her hand again
"That she is" Emma commented raising her eyebrows at him. Regina withdrew her hand and turned back to the table, gently placing a hand on Emma's leg in an attempt to soothe her. James leaned across the table blocking Emma from Regina.
"Can I get you a drink?" He asked smiling cockily at Regina
"She has one" Emma interrupted pushing Regina's drink towards her.
"Thank you" Regina told her before shrugging at James and turned her attention elsewhere
"Now Regina, why don't you and James get to know each other better?" Cora asked, slipping the seat from under Regina causing her to stand "I'm sure that once you two talk alone you'll see that you have a connection" Cora steered her away from the table leading her in the direction of the gardens.
"And why would she need that?" Emma intervened, Regina tensed as Cora turned back to face Emma
"Excuse me? I don't believe that is any of your concern" Regina braced herself for the explosion that was very likely to occur.
"Why would Regina need you to set her up?"
"I can assure that is not what I am doing, not that it is any of your business, however I would rather that than see my daughter alone"
"Maybe so, but I think your daughter is doing just fine sorting her own love life out"
"Meaning?" Regina's breath quickened, how could she explain to Emma that she hadn't told her mother about her?
"Meaning that-" Emma and Regina's eyes met and realisation hit Emma, guilt flooded Regina as Emma's face fell
"Meaning that?" There was only one way to attempt to fix this and Regina knew that.
"Mother, I didn't get to introduce you properly before, Mother this is my girlfriend, Emma" Cora span around to face Regina, but Regina kept her eyes on Emma, but by the look on Emma's face it hadn't made any difference to her.
"Your girlfriend?" Cora whispered "you can't be serious Regina!"
"My thoughts exactly" Emma replied before walking towards the exit.
"Emma wait!" Regina made to go after her but Cora grabbed her arms
"Regina let her go, you two can't possibly be in a relationship!"
"Why is that mother?" Regina turned on her
"Because she's not right for you!"
"You don't know her Mother" Regina ripped her arm out of Cora's grasp and ran after Emma
"Emma please wait!" Regina caught up to her just as she walked out the main door
"Why Regina?" Emma faced Regina tears twinkling in her eyes "you invited me here today and yet you hadn't even told your mother about us"
"I know, I'm sorry. I should have told her but you've seen what my mother is like, I never got an opportunity to tell her"
"I'm sure you could have if you'd tried Regina, maybe you just didn't want her to know about us, about me" Regina could see the hurt in Emma's face, hurt that was now being masked by anger.
"Emma, it's not like that"
"You sure? Because that's exactly what it looks like from here, you said you didn't want anyone in the group to know, unless I missed something your Mother isn't part of the group! You said that we weren't a secret, that you weren't hiding us!"
"I'm not!" Regina protested
"Yeah? Well you've got a funny way of showing it!" with that Emma turned from Regina.
"Emma"
"I don't want to be your dirty little secret Regina" Emma walked away from her
"Emma please" her voice cracked as she spoke through the darkness
"Goodnight Regina, enjoy your party" Regina watched Emma walk off into the night as a tear trickled down her cheek.