Chapter Summary: Regina and Henry join Emma for dinner at the Dark One's newly constructed home on the East Mountain.


Emma stood outside 108 Mifflin Street, visually tracing the outline of Regina's house with a slight frown etched into her forehead. She had not been here since she was summoned back a few days ago.

Being ten minutes early, her eagerness to see Henry and Regina again had grown to enormous proportions and she looked forward to showing them her new home, which was rather impressive admittedly. More furniture had been added to fill its near empty rooms and she had a surprise awaiting for Henry that she was bursting at the seams to show him.

Looking at the front lawn, she flashed back to the first time she had met Regina Mills. Like a hologram, a transparent image of a stunning short haired woman opened the front door and scrambled down the stoop because she couldn't get to her missing son fast enough. Even while rushing, Emma could still remember the elegance and sophistication of Regina's style; her attire fitting her lithe body perfectly while showcasing all her womanly curves. The newcomer's attention had been transfixed immediately and since then she had always been attracted to the formal evil queen and mayor. She admitted to herself, silently, that she should be commended for hiding it so well.

The door opened a crack and Henry appeared. "Hey, Ma. You want to come in or stand out there and watch the paint chip?"

"Smart ass." She mumbled under her breath and continued up the walk. The older he got, the more sarcastic he got and she couldn't figure out if he got it from her, Regina or both.

Once inside, she stood in the middle of the foyer, revolving on a heel slowly to take in her surroundings. There was the doorway she had leaned against when Regina offered her a glass of her first homemade apple cider. Through that doorway, into the kitchen, was where Regina gave her a poisoned apple turn over. Naughty Regina, Emma smirked inwardly. Looking at the last door, in her walk down Memory Lane, she thought of the séance in the study when they had tried to summon Cora, during which Emma had been able to hold Regina's hand for five whole minutes. The mayor had been stunning that night dressed in a sexy gold colored blouse, worn teasingly to show off the top lace of her bra or camisole or whatever it was underneath that had driven Emma crazy.

"So where's your mom?"

"She's upstairs getting ready. I think she's running a little late. I'm on level twelve of Zombie Kill. You want to come check it out?"

Emma was looking at the top of the stairs and replied, "Um… Not right now, but you go ahead. I want to talk to your mom."

Henry shrugged and turned to continue playing his game and Emma climbed the stairs at a leisurely pace and upon arriving on the second floor, strolled down the hall until she stood outside Regina's bedroom door. With an upward curve to her lips, she knocked lightly.

"Oh good, Henry," she heard Regina talking while walking drawing closer, "I need you to…" the door swung open, "… zip me up."

The woman's brown eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise to find Emma leaning against the door jamb donned in a fitted black tuxedo suit with a blouse plunging into a deep "v" in the front; somewhat revealing but yet tasteful. Her blonde tresses were pulled back at the sides and fell with the rest if her locks down her back.

"Emma." Regina's astonished face broke into a tremulous smile. "You're early."

"Just four minutes early now to be precise. I counted."

"Interesting…"

"That I can count?"

"No." Regina raised an eyebrow and quipped, "That it took getting sucked up into a funnel cloud of darkness for you to be punctual."

Emma couldn't help the spear of attraction just then. God, she wanted the Queen.

"So, turn around and let me zip you up."

A look of awkwardness crossed the woman's features.

"I can magic it…"

"Regina, I'm right here. Don't be silly. Turn around."

The older woman frowned at her and then slowly spun around exposing the dress' unzipped back.

Emma inhaled slowly so as not to give away her obvious arousal at the sight. The red dress gaped, displaying creamy skin and a black bra strap. Green eyes lowered to where the zipper tab was and her focus immediately shifted to the lacy edge of the woman's matching panties. The sexy dip of the woman's back just above it beckoned to be licked before one might proceed even lower; perhaps even pulling the elastic band down over voluptuous hidden delights. Emma fought the urge to kneel and carry out her heart's desires.

Instead, she raised her hand and let her knuckles graze along Regina's smooth skin as she took the material between her thumb and fingers.

Regina gasped a warning at the contact. "Emma..."

The blonde immediately answered, "I like the dress," though her voice was huskier than usual. "The fabric feels very… soft."

Regina gulped, trying to ignore the sensations that Emma's touch ignited in her simply by having the backs of the woman's fingers gliding along her body. The younger woman's words explained it away innocently enough, but her touch was sinful as hell.

The brunette felt the fabric being drawn together and Emma moved closer as she began to zip Regina up.

Breathing into her ear, Emma startled her. "You know, you would have asked me to do this for you before. Why are you so shy all of a sudden, Regina?" The zipper climbed slowly, feeling oddly like an indecent caress, though why it would, escaped her. Its pressure and rasp was so slow that if ever a dress being zipped was a representation of a slow lick up one's body, then this was it.

Regina turned toward Emma, who smiled charmingly at her while propping a forearm up on the door jamb and leaning in closely. The younger woman exuded raw sexuality. "That was before you started ogling me like I was a hot fudge sundae." The savior's sexy mouth crooked and Regina continued, "You haven't exactly been subtle about it."

Emma glanced up thoughtfully and drew nearer to the queen with a bravado thick with temptation. Regina forced herself to stay where she was in a show that the queen would not back down, but again, just like up against the bookcase pinned under Emma, she felt a stirring deep in her loins at them being so close.

Emma's lascivious scan of her face ultimately rested on her lips. "Good. It makes my task easier."

Regina leaned in now bringing them even closer. Regina was playing with fire, she knew, but no one intimidated the queen. "And what would that be?"

The blonde waited a beat and then divulged, "To seduce you."

Regina's lidded gaze focused hypnotically on the Savior's mouth. Kissing Emma Swan had crossed her mind before; ever since the first time they had met outside her house in fact. In private, Regina had always found it odd that she had been attracted to the woman so quickly. Looking at Emma now, the frisson of sexual awareness humming in the air between them, Regina decided that one little taste couldn't hurt, right?

They shared the same air, wanting this kiss badly. Just as their lips were about to meet, Emma's sharp hiss broke the mood and a look of concern was born on Regina's striking features.

"Emma, are you alright?" Regina reached out to steady the blonde, who swayed and clutched her head.

"Yeah… yeah. Just a headache I've been dealing with."

"A… headache." Regina repeated dubiously and peered into her face. This did not seem like an ordinary headache and it was worrying, especially that it came on so suddenly. "Should we take a raincheck on tonight?"

"No!" There was no way that Emma was going to miss this opportunity to spend the evening with Regina and Henry. She had been looking forward to this all day, yesterday and today. "I mean… it's nothing a couple of Tylenol can't fix."

Regina narrowed her eyes, evaluating the younger woman's condition and when she was satisfied that they didn't have to cancel their dinner, she pointed inside her room. "Would you like some?"

Emma looked in the direction Regina was gesturing toward and her eyes settled on the big inviting bed. A wicked grin spread across her lips and Regina pointedly glared at her but while wearing a whisper of a smile herself.

"I am pointing to the bathroom, Miss Swan. Where the medicine cabinet is."

Emma chuckled and shook her head, her eyes dazzling with mischief when they met Regina's again and she just sighed at the queen, "Hmmm… pity."

With a show of disbelief at her brazen attention, Regina said, "You baffle me, Emma."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg of the things I plan to do to you, Regina."

The only change in the brunette's stance was the lustful radiance in her eyes, as if a wick had been lit and the countdown to an explosion had begun.

To detour the direction of their thoughts, Regina reached up and switched the light off. "Shall we go?"

[X]

That must never happen again, Regina thought to herself, standing before the enormous window of Emma's new home and looking down at Storybrooke from high on the East Mountain.

Regina had been very much conflicted over having almost kissed Emma as they left her house, but had become instantly relieved to see the yellow Volkswagen bug waiting for them on Mifflin Street. Her criticisms about the car had caused Emma to roll her eyes, as usual, and that had put Regina, and Henry further at ease. Still though, the older woman tried to be ever mindful that there was an evil entity living inside Henry's other mother and it was up to her to figure out how to extract it.

Merlin. They had to find Merlin.

"My creation…" Regina turned at the sound of Emma coming up from behind and standing beside her. The blonde made a sweeping gesture to her home's impeccable decor around them and then pointed out the window. "… Overlooking your creation."

A tenuous smile greeted Emma as Regina looked out at the town again. "The view is beautiful."

"Yeah…" Green eyes were focused solely on the dark haired woman, "… it is."

Try as she might to keep from smiling, the corners of the mayor's mouth twitched and her tongue had to be bitten to muster up some semblance of control. The New Dark One's pursuit of her should be daunting. It was definitely puzzling, but it was also thrilling.

"I take it Henry's already got a video game controller glued to his hand."

"Oh yeah." Emma laughed and looked out the window, rocking back and forth while being superiorly pleased with herself. Originally planning to let Henry choose his own room and styling, she had come up with an idea that would please everyone, hoping to impress Henry and Regina in the process.

After having given them the tour of the large living room, spacious kitchen, and gym, Emma had paused outside a closed door in the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

"Henry… This is for you." When she pushed the door open, Henry's jaw immediately dropped for it was decorated befitting a comic book and video game enthusiast.

"No way!" His drawn out exclamation made Emma smile so widely that her dimples cut deeply into her cheeks, and Regina's heart clenched at the sight of both of their gleeful expressions.

Along one wall was a large entertainment unit with every video game console on the market along with a huge 47 inch television and a DVD player. There were comic book characters painted on the walls and a full size bed stood over a desk with a brand new laptop. Henry was standing in his own slice of Heaven and Regina had to step outside because she could no longer watch him be so excited and feel the anxiousness at telling him he might not be able to stay here. She didn't want to know how Emma would react either.

Apprehension began to needle at her as she stepped up to the large high-ceiling-to-floor living room window in front of the colossal black leather chair that looked more like a comfortable throne than another living room piece.

"Lost in thought, Your Majesty?"

"I was just thinking about how excited he is. You've made him very happy, Emma."

"I like making him happy." Emma came a little closer. "I like making you happy too."

Regina didn't know what to say to that so she kept quiet and looked outside again.

"I think he'll like it here." Emma inhaled and grinned pleased with the night so far.

Regina's expression falter, darting her eyes in concern and as she was about to broach the subject of Henry sleeping over, the younger woman took her hand.

"Come here. I want to show you something."

Emma led her down the hallway again passed Henry's room to the closed door of the room adjacent to his, all the while their hands remained clasped. They could hear their teenager's excited whoops of victory as he had most likely demolished the foe he'd been battling on screen.

Turning the knob and swinging the door inward, a spacious bedroom was revealed with an enormous inviting bed in the center. It drew Regina's attention immediately.

"Is this your bedroom?"

The blonde chuckled shaking her head. "My room is further down and my bed is twice the size."

Regina gaped at that bit of information. Twice the size?! A bemused crinkle marked her brow. "I don't understand then. Is this a guest room?"

Emma nonchalantly shrugged. "It's your room."

After the initial surprise stole across the queen's face, shock had set in and she glanced around again and then at Emma, dumbfounded.

"Well, I knew you might have reservations of Henry sleeping over… alone… with the Dark One, so I figured you could stay over with him."

Regina was all together impressed with Emma's intuition. "How did you…" but Emma was already guiding her into the room while still holding her hand.

"Because I know you, Regina."

After a pause and a glance at the rooms generous amenities, Regina explained, "I wasn't trying to keep him from you."

"I know that." Emma stroked the inside of the brunette's palm setting the tendons in her hand ablaze. "We both love him, Regina. Henry is everything."

Tilting her head to study the blonde she said. "You really mean that, don't you?" She hadn't meant to say it quite like that, but Regina was mystified by the New Dark One's sincere devotion. She had known that Henry was important to Emma before, but the Dark One's power and magic consumed Rumple so much that he put it before his own son, Baelfire. Had the darkness not taken her over completely yet? Or was this all a part of an elaborate plan for seduction?

"Regina… nothing is more important to me than Henry."

Her declaration was said with such steadfast commitment that Regina couldn't help but squeeze Emma's hand in gratitude, relief and something akin to affection. Henry's voice sounded behind them and he was glancing around at the room.

"Whoa! Whose room is this?"

Dropping each other's hands quickly, Emma crossed her arms and smiled, "It's Regina's. For when you both spend the night… or weekend."

The mayor's eyebrow curved upwards at that last bit, but she noticed the instant relief cross her son's face, knowing that he wouldn't be staying in the Dark One's lair as a guest by himself. Regina watched her spiked heel swivel on the gorgeous hardwood floor and relented, knowing for Henry's sake she could do this. It was the only thing to do knowing how much Henry loved his other mother and how much he enjoyed spending time with her. She could labor through a weekend here and there with Emma. At least until she could figure out how to save the savior.

[X]

They dined at the immense heavy rustic looking table. Emma and Regina sat opposite one another with Henry sitting between them. The young teen cut into his thick juicy steak with gusto, smiling and talking animatedly while he did it. Upon hearing that Henry hadn't had much of an appetite since her disappearance, she wanted to make sure he was served all his favorites.

Looking across the table, Emma found Regina slicing the fat off the edge of her meat and moving it off to the side. She had never seen the mayor tackle such an enormous chunk of beef before and grinned at the thought that the woman was probably considering the state of her arteries, though Emma knew firsthand that the queen did not have to worry about her figure.

Wiping her mouth, Emma reached for her wine. "How's the food? Good?"

Henry spoke up excitedly while chewing, "This is awesome! I love steak!"

"I know…" Emma winked at him and then directed her question to Regina, "Is the queen not satisfied with her steak?"

"Steak?" Regina looked up at her in stupefied regard. "This is not a steak. This is a whole half a steer on my plate!"

Henry set his knife down and dug into his baked potato, loaded with chives and sour cream. "This is really good, Ma. Mom doesn't cook steak enough."

"Because Mom is looking out for our cholesterol levels." Regina admonished but with a smirk. "And don't talk with your mouth full." She hesitantly ate a morsel of steak off her fork and her eyebrows lifted in surprised delight at the tenderness and flavor of the meat.

Yeah, Emma decided. The queen was enjoying it but, as usual, would not admit to it. She sipped her wine and contemplated the woman in front of her. They had bonded in the bedroom, much to Emma's pleasure and she hoped that Regina knew that her intentions were sincere. Though the idea of having her here was very appealing, there was nothing untoward in Emma's motivations for creating a bedroom for Henry's other mom.

Contrary to her initial fear the first night she was summoned back, Emma realized that she could trust Regina and that no one was going to keep her from their son. While the two women may not always see eye to eye, they understood one another, and if the shoe were on the other foot, Emma would be just as hesitant for Henry's safety.

Regina looked up and her food froze halfway to her mouth when she caught Emma staring. Their hands moved together at the same slow speed; Emma bringing her wine glass to her lips and Regina bringing a potato laden fork to her mouth. Both women were perfectly in sync and gazing at one another considerably.

"So Ma, did you cook all this by yourself?"

"Hm…" Her focus snagged away from the bewitching woman on the other side of the table, she set her wine glass down, scooped up a bite and said to Henry, "No, I whisked Gordon Ramsey in and threatened the lives of his entire family if he didn't make me a 3-course meal."

There was choking coming from Regina's side and she lifted her gaze to discover the woman grabbing her wine glass and moving the napkin, pressed to her mouth, away to take a relieving sip.

"I was kidding, Regina," she rolled her eyes, shook her head at Henry and gestured to the brunette as if to say, "Sheesh!" Henry smiled back and ate more potato. "Eat your carrots and broccoli too. I've already got the mark of the Dark One to my name. I can't be a bad parental role model too." She pointed to his plate. "Vegetables, kid, vegetables." With a deeply smug smirk she jibed at Regina, "See? We can raise this kid together. No problem." She took a bite of steak and winked at the older mom, leaving her sputtering and unsettled.

Regina pressed the cloth napkin to her lips and cleared her throat. Glancing at Henry's wide grin, she found a new look that she had never seen on his face before. Presumption. She gave a wane smile to the table's two other occupants and pondered that while it did seem like a joyful, optimistic moment and an ideal situation; both women being under the same roof talking of raising their son together, Miss Swan was still the Dark One and Regina would do well to remember that and she needed to remind her son of that as well.

"Emma, I'm a little curious." She watched in displeasure as the blonde added another dollop of sour cream to her own potato and then added bacon bits on top of that. Her frown deepened when Henry silently offered her his plate and Emma scooped some onto his potato as well. There go the good cholesterol levels! "After you disappeared that night, where did you go, do you remember?"

Emma looked up and chewed slowly, and then licked her lips before wiping her mouth. "I woke up naked and alone. It was dark." She looked to Henry who was paying some attention, but still enjoying his food. "I… don't really know where I was, but it felt like a… cave. It was dark, dank and I was shivering."

"Do you remember any sounds?"

Besides the screaming? Emma looked to Henry and wondered whether she should continue but her son, the heart of the truest believer, was smarter than an average kid his age and with a heart of a lion too. He had been through a sleeping curse, weathered a burning room and Peter Pan in Neverland. He could handle this.

"Screaming. Just loud screaming. It almost sounded familiar, but almost not. I don't know. I couldn't tell if it was day, night… I don't know how long I was there or if I was dead. Then the next thing I know I am being pulled out and I am sitting on a chair in your study."

Regina was chewing on the inside of her cheek in that cute way she does when she was being pensive and trying to piece a puzzle together. Again, the savior took a swig of her wine and thought of how much cuter that look would be up close while she held the mayor in her arms.

"Hey Ma," Henry interrupted her romantic thoughts and she beamed at him, "What's for dessert?" She dropped her eyes to the place setting in front of him and realized that Henry's plate was nearly empty. A quick glance at Regina told her that his older mother had noticed too and was grinning happily from ear to ear. Emma would do practically anything to make Regina continue to smile like that.

The younger mom leaned closer to her son to share in his excitement. "White chocolate panna cotta with raspberry sauce."

"Are you serious?" That surprisingly came from Regina and not from Henry, which startled Emma a little, but she smirked wickedly anyway. The ravenous look that overtook the woman's face suddenly made Emma very jealous of the Italian cream dessert.

"Does the queen like panna cotta?"

Regina's lips spread and she replied, "The queen tried panna cotta once in Boston and liked it very much."

"It's been that long? Really?"

"Well, the actual name of the dessert slipped my mind, until you mentioned it just now."

Emma spied Regina's plate and teased in Henry's direction, "Should we make the queen eat all her vegetables?" Regina's eyebrows raised up in a chucklesome manner and her eyes crinkled as she could not contain her amusement.

"Naw," Henry laughed. "She's always eating vegetables. It's kind of cool knowing that I've eaten all mine and she hasn't." Mother and son shared a laugh at the other mother's expense, and Emma got up to serve the dessert all the while Regina shook her head and looked off to the side in merriment.

Emma couldn't remember the last time they had had this much fun together.

[X]

It had been a lovely evening and Regina could not recall the last time she so enjoyed spending time out with someone, not even Robin. Immediately, she chastised herself for that thought, because this was a little different. This was not a date. Bringing the hot cup of coffee to her mouth and frowning into the fire while lounging on Emma's black leather couch, she reminded herself this was not a date, no matter how much it felt like one.

Emma sat in the chair adjacent, looking sideways at the glowing embers and when she turned to Regina she smiled cozily. "This is nice."

"Yes. It is."

"I am glad you enjoyed the panna cotta, Regina. I don't think I have ever seen you devour something with such abject pleasure. It was…" Emma searched for a word and donned a mischievous look, "… spellbinding… to watch you savor it."

There was sexual implication behind the tone of those last words and Regina shook her head, grinning down into her cup. The blonde's lavish flirtations continued to send tingles racing along her spine.

"Why are you trying to seduce me, Emma?" She hadn't planned to be so honest or voice her thought out loud but Regina needed to know what was happening. Was this Emma or the darkness talking?

"I thought the answer to that would be obvious."

"Spell it out for me."

The savior propped herself on her leg and leaned against the arm rest holding her mug. "I want you, Regina." The queen's fingers tightened around the handle of her mug and she inhaled slowly to calm the now quick palpitations in her chest. "Does that freak you out?"

Regina knew what Emma was really asking; whether the idea of being with a woman "freaked" Regina out. Taking a cautious sip from her cup, Regina took a quick moment to mull over her reply. After all, the queen was nothing if not clever.

She decided a simple "No" would suffice and once uttered, she witnessed the green of Emma's eyes smolder at her answer. The desirous once-over the blonde gave Regina's body burned hotter than the dancing flames in the hearth and the queen was suddenly beside herself with yearning. She cleared her throat and pinned Emma with an inquisitive stare. "So this is just a sexual thing then?" If this was just sexual, Regina thought that perhaps she could handle that; an arrangement where the rules were clear and understood. However, the inexplicable disappointment she felt that this might only be a casual proposition could not be erased.

Emma shrunk backwards and a line formed on her forehead. She opened her mouth to speak and then faced front silent.

The older woman blinked at her for a few moments waiting and when Emma was still quiet, Regina drank the last of her coffee and got up from the couch, startling the blonde.

"Well, I've had a lovely evening, Emma, but Henry and I need to be heading back," she said, walking to the kitchen and setting her empty mug by the sink. When she turned around, Emma was right there blocking her escape, hands on the counter on either side of her waist. The brunette gazed down an arm and back up to gauge the woman who was coming ever closer.

She was captivated by the savior's pleading look and the woman's lips looked delectable. Her own parted in anticipation but Emma suddenly stopped, a tortured look flit across her face and then she kissed, not Regina's lips but, the cheek at the corner of her mouth, lingering there as if to cherish the touch. The older woman's hands went to Emma's shoulders while the savior's were at her waist and those soft sensuous lips moved across Regina's cheek to her ear.

"Regina…" Emma begged, imploring acceptance as she placed soft kisses over a throbbing pulse point and drawing an earlobe into her warm wet mouth. The queen's breathing became erratic and her arms wrapped around Emma, hugging the woman to her while that tongue tormented her and made her think of other places on her body she wished that mouth could be.

"Emma..." she panted as she felt one of the savior's hands cupping her bottom and the other on her breast. Oh my God! Things were moving too fast and at the same time, oddly, not fast enough.

Burying itself in blonde hair, Regina's hand pressed Emma snugly against her, coaxing the woman to continue her sensual ministrations, sucking and flicking at her heated flesh. A whimper sounded from the queen when Emma's thumb brushed across her already hardening nipple.

"Christ, Regina," was mumbled into her neck and Emma thrust against her once. "So hot." The hand at her breast traveled downward and rested on her thigh for a brief moment before it started to bunch the material of her dress up.

Regina's mind was screaming in alarm that maybe she should stop. That maybe this was too much too soon, but she wanted Emma fiercely and she smiled when she felt the bottom hem of her dress reach her upper thigh.

"Moms!" The exclamation was like getting doused with a bucket of ice water and they both froze. "I totally cleared the next level! Holy shit! Uh… I mean… CRAP… or shoot!"

Luckily Henry was yelling it from his room and Regina was relieved that he didn't walk in on them. How could she… they... forget he was there too?

Emma had the same dumbstruck look on her face as she drew slowly away. She let go of the woman's dress and gave her a final soft kiss on the cheek, before stepping back completely.

"Henry…" Regina's voice cracked as she was still very much aroused. "We're leaving."

As they heard him padding out toward them, Emma was leaning against the kitchen island, brooding and Regina smoothed her dress out and calmly collected herself.

"Aww, Mom. Can't we stay the night?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Regina visibly gulped. Being in a bed with Emma just down the hall was not a good idea tonight. It's not that she didn't trust the woman. She wasn't sure she could trust herself right now.

"Your mom's right, Henry. Tonight's not a good night, but some other time, okay?" She placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him in closer to her. As she kissed his temple, her gaze met Regina's and they both knew that an invisible line had just been crossed and there was no going back now.