"Please promise me you'll be safe?" Regina asked.
"Babe, I promise, we're going to be totally careful."
"You have the map?"
"Yes Regina."
"And money?"
"Yes Regina."
"And a cell phone and sunscreen and-" Emma interrupted her
"Gina, babe. I promise," Emma grabbed the brunette by the shoulders to reassure her, "I'm all set, you've given me everything I need."
Ruby and Emma were about to be headed on their senior trip and as happy as Regina was that she was going, she was terrified something terrible was going to happen. She had gotten extremely protective over her and she can't shake it. She's trying not to be that over protective girlfriend, but she couldn't help it.
"I know, I'm just-" David wrapped an arm around each of the girls, "Regina, she'll be fine, Emma make sure to call her every day, deal?"
"Okay" both girls agreed.
Suddenly a honk came at the Mills Mansion and Regina's anxiety skyrocketed.
"That'll be Ruby."
Regina kissed Emma, told her to be careful and with that, the blonde turned toward the door, she stopped, ran back to her brunette and said, "I know you're worried, but just know whatever happens, I will always love you, you've made my life worth living, and I couldn't imagine bickering with anyone else but you, I love you Regina."
With tears in her eyes the brunette responded, "I love you too babe, now go have fun"
The blonde left, leaving behind a hormonal mess of a girlfriend and an awkward father questioning what to do in this situation.
"So...uh. You should know I have no idea what to say, like if you were a dude i'd be like bruh chill out, but you're not a dude, but my track record with women isn't much better so…" David rambled on
"David…"
"Yeah?"
"I'm fine, " The brunette chuckled, "you're free to go if you wish, thanks for staying as long as you did."
"You know, I'd be proud to call you my other daughter one day."
"Oh..wow I ..don't know what to say."
"It'll happen eventually."
"You don't know that."
David looked shocked, and then looked at Regina, "What do you mean? What are you scared of GIna?"
"I'm scared of everything."
"Meaning?"
"I don't know, it's kind of weird talking about it with my girlfriend's dad."
"Do you have anyone else to talk to?"
"...No."
Then David jumped on Regina's couch like a teenager, propped up his feet and his hands behind his head like he was ready to discuss it for hours, "Then let's hear it."
Regina made her way past David, knocking his feet down off the coffee table, and sat down next to him, "What if I'm not enough for her? I mean she's so smart and talented, do you know how far she could go with that mind. What if I'm holding her back David? I don't want to do that to her, she deserves so much better, I would never forgive myself if I knew she was settling."
David straightened up, put his hand on her knee and looked her in the eyes, "Sweetheart, the fact that you think that, tells me you're the right one for her. I never thought I'd be the man she needed me to be, I never thought I was father material, but that's not what she needed from me ever, she just needed someone who would be there and listen. You love my daughter unconditionally. You will call her out on her bullshit and put your foot down when it needs to be, but you will always be there and take care of her correct?"
Regina smiled at that, "You know I will."
"Then stop being so afraid, things will not always be easy, I won't promise you that, but if you find someone that puts up with all your bullshit, odds are it'll be worth it."
Regina didn't respond, she just hugged the man, shed a little tears, but it was a silent way of thanking him for easing her mind and for being there.
They said their goodbyes after Regina had to assure him she'd be fine by herself (and she thought she was the overprotective one) and he left.
An hour or two went by when she heard a knock at the door, figuring it was David forgetting something or checking up on her again, she laughed as she opened the door, "David I told you I'm fi-" she stopped as she saw who was on the other side.
"David? Really love, is Miss Swan not enough for you?"
"Robin, how did you?"
"Perhaps it would be in your best interest if you let me in."
"Okay guys have you heard from either one of them?" Henry asked.
"I got some pretty colorful messages from Emma, but other than that...radio silence" Ruby said.
"Right so either they're doing it...or they're dead." Mal replied.
"What if it's neither?" Henry asked.
"What do you mean?" asked Mal
"What if none of this works and their relationship only gets worse." Henry said
"I mean they weren't on talking terms before how much worse could it get?" Ruby asked
They all looked at each other, knowing full well how much worse it could get
"Look it's Gina and Em, they're made for each other, they will find their way back to each other." Ruby finally said.
"Yeah, but Rubes, what if they don't?" asked Henry
They all stared in silence once again before all three diving for their phones
"Someone's got to call them!"
"Regina isn't answering!" Mal screamed.
"What are they doing?!"
"I'm telling you they're either getting laid or laid in the ground"
"Stop it Rubes we have to check on them"
"Hen, what exactly are you saying?"
"Well, how would you ladies feel about a trip to Atlantic City?"
"OH HELL YES!"
"OH MY GOD WOMAN do you have to take so long in the shower? Emma asked for the 3rd time outside the bathroom door
"You're more than welcome to join me if you get so impatient" Regina replied while smirking, knowing Emma wouldn't have the guts to do it
"STOP FLIRTING AND HURRY"
"And if I don't?" Regina yelled back, really enjoying how much she got under the blonde's skin
Then suddenly it got very quiet...too quiet and she knew the blonde was up to something…
"Emma?"
'She wouldn't' Regina thought to herself and as soon as she did, the water turned ice cold.
Regina shrieked and started using some colorful language, or at least that's what Emma could hear as she was smirking to herself in the kitchen as she let the hot water keep running through the kitchen sink.
"EMMA SWAN I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!" Regina yelled out.
"Okay..so the lady over the conference thing said that Regina and Emma both aren't here, or at least they never checked in."
"Well where are they? What does that mean?"
"That means we have to find them, where's that hotel you booked for them?"
"Like...5 streets over"
"Great," Henry said as he threw the keys at Ruby, "You drive."
Once the bickering stopped, and they both got ready, each trying to look like they were going out, but trying to avoid the "date" look.
"Okay I may take longer in the shower, but you sure as hell take longer getting ready," grumbled Regina impatiently waiting for Emma.
"Well if someone would have stopped hogging the bathroom, I could've been ready sooner." Emma said as she walked towards Regina by the door.
Regina mumbled something else but Emma wasn't paying attention, she was just staring
"What," Regina finally asked, "Emma...are you okay?"
"What? Oh yeah I'm sorry I just..I forgot."
"Forgot what?"
"How beautiful you are."
Regina smiled, "You're not so bad yourself Swan."
"Yeah well it's the best I could do when some conceited woman is changing her address to the bathroom"
"Oh my god, let it go would you I didn't take that long"
"See these wrinkles? I didn't have them before"
"Oh I thought those just happened after trying to solve a math problem."
"You're a bitch you know that?"
"Bitches don't like cold water Emma."
"Haha, noted." and with that, they exited the hotel room and hailed a taxi.
"Is that?" Henry asked
"Yep" the girls replied
"Did you see how they were dressed?"
"Yep"
"So we're following them right?"
"Yep"
"What do you want?" Regina spat
"Ah, straight to the point I like that." Robin sneered, "I want you to take me back."
"HA! I knew you were psychotic when you slept with my sister, now you're just proving that point."
"Oh no dear, I wouldn't be so quick to throw me out again,"
"Oh really? And why not?"
"Because if you do, I'll have no choice but to go after that little whore of yours."
Regina slapped him, "You will never talk like her again like that do you understand?"
"You love her don't you?"
"It's none of your business what I feel for someone else, you slept with my sister."
"Yes, yes I did, and I don't regret that."
"Of course you don't"
"Well really dear, do you regret Miss Swan?"
"...No."
"Good, that should make this easy."
"What are you even talking about?"
"You're going to break up with her"
"LIke hell I will."
"You will, or everyone will find out."
"I don't care who finds out, I don't care what they do to me."
"Oh it's not you i'd be concerned with. Sure you'll be fired, but hey you have enough money to survive don't you, but Emma? What about her future?"
"She's innocent. You ruined my life, but I won't let you do the same to Emma"
"How did I ruin your life, by cheating on you? Or could it be the fact I was in the other car the day you lost your child?"
Regina was scared and shocked all at the same time, "Robin...please tell me you didn't"
"I didn't want a child Regina, you knew that."
"I thought you were happy, I thought we were...I fucking married you because of her"
"Lucky for me I guess."
"No. You're being cruel. You wouldn't hit my car to kill our child. No one is that evil."
"You're right dear, I did it to kill you, I would've inherited everything and I could've moved on, but you little bitch had to live through it."
"YOU MONSTER"
"Yeah, that I am, I gathered from that day you were too strong to get rid of so I'd just have to make your life hell, and nothing really panned out until I got a visit from a certain foster parent."
"Tamara."
"Hmm,pretty and smart."
Robin handed Regina an envelope packed full of photos of her and Emma, both in innocence and compromising positions. Some would be easy to explain; others...there were no denying that a kiss is a kiss.
"The way I see it sweetheart you have two options: one, take me back and these never see the light of day or two, be foolish, live your fairytale for the few fleeting moments you can, and I will expose you to the world. What college will let a student in who knowingly screwed her teacher? What profession could she possibly have with that on her record. And kids? Ha, forget about that. They will resent you, as will she once all this comes out."
"She will resent me if I take your deal"
"Yes well life is full of tough choices isn't it? The question is, how much are willing to put her through?"
Her silence gave him the answer he needed, "That's what I thought, so love, this is what you're going to do."
The ladies were seated at a booth in a fancy restaurant, both felt awkward and out of place, mostly because neither one of them knew how to handle this situation, but this was the first step into trying something, anything that would fix it if they wanted any type of relationship, even a friendship.
"I'm not going to lie, I don't know how to do this." Emma said.
"Well, usually you look at the menu, pick something you like, and then order." Regina replied.
"Have you always been this much of a smartass?"
"Only when I'm nervous."
***[At a few booths over]***
"What do you see?" Ruby asked Henry while he looked through the binoculars
"The same thing you see Red, just closer"
"Well damn it let me see," she said as she elbowed him
"Fine fine here take them" He grunted as he handed them over
"Mmm..I think i'm going to order the steak," Mal said
They both looked at her with disappointed looks
"What? All this cupid shit is making me hungry" Mal said defensively
"Are we crazy for doing this?" asked Emma
"We were crazy for dating in the first place probably," Regina answered truthfully.
"That's fair, but now, what are we doing?"
"Talking."
"Is that really all you expect of me?"
"Have I ever expected anything of you Em?"
"A passing grade in English," Emma joked.
"Yeah well, you were too smart not to get good grades."
"Just not smart enough to stay away from the hot teacher."
That one stung. Regina felt the words in her soul. It felt like being stabbed several times, but no wounds to reveal it.
"I'm sorry, that was too harsh I shouldn't have said that."
"It's fine, I want you to be honest with me. Always, but do you really hate me?"
Emma gave that some thought.
"I wanted to. I think I still do. I want you to hurt like you hurt me. I want you to look at me and it hurts like hell for you to. I want you to feel like you can't breathe around me. But I can't. I can't hate you. I can't hurt you. I can't do anything remotely mean to you because I lo-because I loved you once. And every time you piss me off, all the good memories keep flooding back in. How do I turn them off?"
"Believe me, if I knew i'd tell you."
"Would you really?"
Regina smiled, "No, probably not, I want you to remember the good times Emma."
"Would you do it all over again?"
"What?"
"Breaking my heart, would you do it again?"
"I don't know what you want me to say Em, do I regret breaking your heart? You know I do. You know I love you and if I could save you from any heartache I would. That's why I did what I did. I know you say that you didn't need my protection, but who else was going to look after you. Maybe I did handle things wrong. Maybe at the time I could've told you what was going on and we could've kept everything in secret, but at the time I didn't know that. I panicked and I was backed into a corner."
"You could've told me. Even if he ruined my life I would've had you and that would've been enough."
"Yeah Em for how long? How long would that have been enough until you got tired of not being able to chase your dreams?"
"What?"
"You've had enough people choose your path for you and hold you back, I didn't want to be in that list of people."
"So leaving my life was a better choice?"
"If it meant giving you the life you deserve"
"One without you in it?"
"Well I'm here aren't I?"
The blonde fell silent at that and swallowed hard.
"Oh shit." said Ruby
"I've never seen Mom speechless...it's actually of nice." said Henry
"Oh my god these fries, better than sex. For real." said Mal
"Like seriously...why did we even bring her?" asked Ruby, who in return got hit with a "better than sex" fry.
""This is hard." Said Emma finally.
"I know." Replied Regina.
"I have a son." Emma said
"You...wow...okay..uh.. what's his name?" Regina asked
"Henry." Said Emma
Regina smiled at that, knowing he was named after her father. "And his father?"
"There was one."
"Does he ask about him?"
"Not since he found out about you."
"What?"
"It was always me and Hen and we were always honest with each other. He asked if he was named after anyone. You came up."
"Does he hate me?"
"Quite the opposite in fact he still believes we will get back together one day."
"He's not the only one."
Emma smiled and took a sip of her wine, she knew at that moment she was screwed, because no, her son was not the only one who wished that at all.
"Hey Gina, you okay? You sounded weird on the phone." Emma said as she walked into the mansion
"Did you have fun on your trip?"
"Oh yeah, Ruby got shit faced drunk almost every night, but it was a fun experience, I loved the ocean, we have to go there someday babe promise me?"
"I uh, I can't do that Emma."
"Why not? Do you have some fear of the ocean? Because that's okay we don't have to go there we can go-"
Regina smiled sweetly at the girl's innocence. "No Emma, darling I can't...we can't do this anymore."
Emma took a step back. "What do you mean?"
Regina's heart felt like it was literally breaking in two. She didn't want to do this, she hated herself for all of this. She wanted to sweep the blonde off her feet and run away.
"We can't see each other anymore Emma."
"Okay Regina this isn't funny anymore, you're starting to scare me."
"I wish I was joking."
"Then why are you saying these things? Why are you leaving me?"
"I have to baby, I know you don't understand now. I don't either, but I promise one day you will, one day I will be able to explain everything and we can be together, but we can't right now. I have to give you a future."
"No you don't. You are my future. Don't leave me please," Emma sobbed, "I love you, you can't do this,"
"You have no idea, " Regina was crying now, "No idea how much I wished I could be that for you Emma."
"NO, " Emma yelled and put her hands on Regina's face like she was going to kiss her senseless, "You love me I know you do, you wouldn't do this to me what's going on?"
"You have to believe me Em, I'm doing this because I love you. Please believe me."
"If you love me, you will tell me what the hell is going on?"
"I can't Emma, it's too dangerous. You will get hurt."
"Oh like I'm not getting hurt now? Like I haven't been left by enough people in my life?"
"EMMA you know I love you. You know I wouldn't do this if something or someone wasn't forcing my hand."
"Then tell me the damn truth!"
"Babe..I just...I can't.."
They both cried...they both screamed...they both cursed and swore and hugged, but it was no use, it got them nowhere. At the end of the day, Regina had to leave her, and Emma couldn't understand why.
"You know you won't see me again right? You know I'll be gone tomorrow if you go through with this."
Regina sighed, "I know that. I can't ask you to stay. I can't ask anything from you."
"Goodbye Regina."
