Dark side 12

Emma fiddled with her phone as Regina took out two plates and placed them on the kitchen island. "He says he meant tomorrow night. I KNEW he had said Tonight!" Emma shook her head in annoyance and tossed the phone down. They were sitting side by side at the kitchen island. "I'm blaming his irresponsibility on you," Emma looked at Regina out of the corner of her eye, just waiting for the scalding remark she was sure was to come. She wasn't disappointed.

Regina snapped her neck and stared at Emma with a mocking smile. "Excuse me, Miss Swan?" She spewed like venom, but they both knew they were joking. "This from the woman that not too long ago was plastering offices with post it notes and placing whoopie cushions on people's chairs? Hardly worth comparison, is it?"

Emma laughed and nodded as she made eye contact with the beautiful brunette. Emma loved it when Regina's eyes were shining like that. Her breath caught. She steeled her composure. "Pardon me, but I only take partial responsibility for that." She took a generous bite of pizza before smiling through her chewing at the brunette across from her.

Regina smiled and nodded before taking another bite of pizza. Emma looked at the queen and for the first time took in her appearance. Regina was barefoot with immaculately manicured toes, painted blood red. Her grey yoga pants were topped by a blue light zip up hoodie covering a white spaghetti strap tank top. Watching this casual side of Regina as she chewed on her cheese pizza, Emma couldn't help but smile as she felt her heart melt.

Regina saw Emma looking at her and froze. "What?"

Emma refocused on her pizza as she snickered. "Nothing, I've just never seen you so...casual. Usually you're all power suits and high heels."

Regina quirked an eyebrow. "That's right, I eat pizza and walk barefoot around my own house. A little secret?" Regina leaned toward Emma and whispered. "I also do laundry and take out the trash."

Emma laughed. "Laundry, isn't that a little above the Evil Queen?"

Regina looked at Emma and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not her anymore."

Emma realized she may have offended Regina and immediately tried to back track. "Regina, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's alright, Emma. I know what you meant."

Emma couldn't help but smile back, and simply returned to her pizza. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moment before Emma's curiosity got the better of her. "So...do you have a date with Robin?"

Regina snapped her neck to look at Emma with surprise. "What?"

Emma felt her face flush. "Tomorrow. Henry asked for a pizza date because you were going out for the evening. I just thought...that maybe you..."

Regina looked down at her plate and shook her head. "No. I don't know why he said that, actually. I don't have a date with Robin. He and I...aren't seeing each other any longer." Emma didn't say anything, just let Regina decide how much she wanted to reveal. Regina looked up at her and shrugged her shoulders. "It just, wasn't right. He and I are too different, and after everything we've been through, it was just clear that we weren't meant to be."

"But, the fairy dust..."

Regina scoffed. "Right. Well, that was a long time ago. I think my chance at that particular path came and went when I didn't go in the pub that day. It's time to find a new path, I guess."

Emma sat silently in thought for a moment. She stared down at her empty plate. "I've been...spending an unusually large amount of time with Hook the last week."

Regina swallowed and twitched her lips. "Well, that's what couples do, isn't it?"

Emma looked up at Regina with a serious look. "It's not that. I mean-it's just...I feel so guilty about what I did to him. I could have killed him!"

Regina shook her head. "No, you saved him. The only thing that prevented the dark one from doing just that was you. Sure he's got some nasty cuts and a few broken bones, but that is minor compared to what would have happened to him if you hadn't fought back."

Regina wiped her hands on her napkin and turned in the bar stool to face Emma. "What you did-expelling the dark one from the inside-is unprecedented. No one has ever done that in the history of time. You single handedly destroyed a dark force that has terrorized The Enchanted Forest since its beginnings. Centuries. No one could do what you just did. I think you should give yourself a break for a few minor injuries that will heal in time."

Emma smiled into Regina's pleading eyes and let out a soft chuckle. She flicked her eyes down to Regina's lips and back up. "Well, I wouldn't say single handedly."

Regina smiled as she felt her soul warm, spreading from her belly and up through her chest. She was about to let herself start believing in something that could never be. The way Emma was looking at her was almost giving her hope that there was indeed a chance for them to be together. Regina quickly shook those thoughts from her head and stood up. She took their empty plates and headed to the sink. "Well, regardless," she said as she soaped up a sponge. "You shouldn't let your guilt dictate your future. That's not fair to you."

Regina washed the plates in silence as she could feel the wheels in Emma's head churning behind her.

Emma thought about what Regina had said and when the queen turned back around, drying her hands on a towel, she had a forlorn look on her face. Regina cocked her head. "But it is my fault," Emma's eyes welled up. "He should never have been in that situation. If I hadn't-told him that I-when I don't-he never would have," Emma had to stop as several tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

Regina was shocked by this admission. She didn't think Emma would ever acknowledge most of the things that happened while she was possessed by the dark magic, most definitely not the subject of her not loving Hook. Regina just stood there silent, allowing Emma to say what she needed to say.

Emma brushed the tears away and stared down at her hands. If she was to get through this she couldn't look Regina in the eyes. "I just-it's not his fault. I used him. He was just another piece to my elaborate mask. My facade that I was actually the Savior everyone wanted me to be."

Regina stepped forward until she was up against the counter. She reached across and took one of Emma's hands, squeezing it. She smiled when Emma's wet eyes looked up at her. "I've got news for you, Emma. You ARE the Savior. That was no accident, it was fate. That means you are the Savior no matter what attributes you do or do not possess. No matter who you pretend to be or not to be. So, knowing that, it seems to me that just being you would be a whole lot easier than keeping up some act."

Emma allowed her eyes to smile softly as she nodded slightly.

Regina let go of Emma's hand and grabbed the towel off the counter and began folding it. She returned to a normal more upbeat posture as she tried to lighten the mood. "Besides. You need to stop doting on the pirate before he starts getting used to it."

Emma smile and wiped her eyes as she watched Regina walk over to the wine rack. She inspected her choices for a moment before turning to Emma. "White or red?"