Author's note: Hey all! Sorry I haven't updated in what feels like ages, when really its only been days :P Thank you everyone for the most amazing comments! It really gets me going, even if it is only a couple of words :) I decided to make this chapter longer than normal because you all deserve it!
Hope you enjoy!
Escort Services: Chapter 7 - En garde
"I got a double cheese burger, hold the lettuce, don't be front on son no seeds on the bun, up in this drive for an order for two, I want a super fries and don't forget the fries crispy!" Emma sung with attitude as she pushed her trolley down another aisle in the Storybrooke grocery store. The off duty escort had a strong craving for a cheese burger from McDonald's, but since Storybrooke had never heard of such a thing she had to settle for some food from the grocery store.
It had been two days since Emma last saw the Mayor and she was quite perplexed by the abrupt yearning sensation she felt to see her. Emma carelessly threw a bag of marshmellows into her trolley followed by cheese spray, whipped cream, chocolate, a couple of Apollo bars, chips...everything a kid would want. She sighed happily and turned into the next aisle. Emma tossed a coke into her trolley and then aimlessly reached for lemonade but ended up accidently knocking it off the shelf. She cringed as it hit the floor and burst. The blond chuckle and quickly exited the aisle making sure not to slip on the lemonade that began to flood the floor.
"Whoopsie daisies." She mumbled and entered the healthy food aisle. She came to a halt at the sight of Regina carefully examining the packaging of oats midway through the aisle. She smirked and hummed silently while gently pushing her trolley over to the Mayor.
"Ew, oats reminds me of baby food." She muttered distastefully.
Regina looked up at Emma, her face impassive. "Ah, Miss Swan. I was beginning to relish in your absence, unfortunately I spoke too soon." She remarked with her lips securely pressed together.
Emma gave a sarcastic smile, "Mayor Mills, your greetings are always filled with such...warmth." She fired back with a squeeze of her shoulders.
"I do try, dear." She replied coolly before placing the oats into her trolley.
"Anyways your so called 'food' contains absolutely no nutirional value where as mine provides nutrients to my body and lowers my risk of developing a chronic disease." She stated as a matter of fact while glancing from Emma's sugar-filled trolley to her own.
Emma tilted her head in thought, "Alternatively you could say your food doesn't let you have any fun. Have you even been on a sugar high before?" She quizzed with a raised eyebrow.
Regina rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Although it is none of your concern...no, I've never been on a sugar high." She muttered in disdain.
Emma stared at her in disbelief, " , Madame Mayor have never lived."
Regina glared at her, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion." She growled. She had only been in the presence of the blond for five minutes or so and already felt the frustration rage inside her. "Now if you don't mind I'd like to continue with my grocery shopping." She finished sharply before pushing her trolley past the blond.
Emma chuckled at how quickly she irritated the Mayor. That has to be in the Guinness book of records. She turned her head and watched closely as Regina exited the aisle in an elegant fashion. "She's the Mayor not the frickin' Queen." Emma mumbled before an impish grin consumed her features. Should I let the Mayor get away that easy? I think not, she thought. She spun her trolley around and discreetly followed the Mayor. Emma dawdled behind Regina unknowingly to the Mayor herself who seemed too engrossed on deciding which shampoo and conditioner to buy.
Emma sighed while she grabbed a bottle of herbal essence. "Roses are red, violets are blue, God made me perfect, what the hell happened to you?" She sung in a neutral tone as she examined the labelling. She heard an indignant groan erupt from the Mayor in front of her.
"Miss Swan, to your dismay stalking is highly frowned upon by society." Regina snarled while pivoting to face the escort, who appeared to be unfazed by the remark.
Emma diverted her eyes towards the brown pair before her. "What a shame..." She feigned sadness with a hand placed on her chest. "I was looking forward to watching you sleep with your cuddle bunny." She pouted.
Regina rolled her eyes ignoring the comment, "Your behaviour depicts a juvenile's. But that was never new to me from the moment I met you." She retorted angrily before turning back to her trolley and pushing it further along the aisle with Emma in tow.
Emma gave a sardonic smile, "You remember when we met? Awwww." She faked sobs and wiped her eyes for dramatic effect.
Regina gritted her teeth in fury and immediately spun around to face to dramatic blond. "Miss Swan, I have had quite enough of your antics and I do not want you near me until I request for your assistance." She announced curtly, her eyes darkened dangerously consequently a sly grin appeared upon Emma's face. She glanced up and down the aisle and noticed that it was empty. With that in mind she moved over to the fuming Mayor and pressed Regina against the shelf much to the brunette's surprise.
Emma's nose brushed against Regina's, "Or what? Are you going to kiss me again?" She breathed against the Mayor's lips.
Regina surprisingly couldn't find it in her to remove herself from her current position. She frowned, "You're the one that kissed me!" She pushed Emma in the chest in irritation, who only chuckled in return and retracted back to her last position.
"That may be true, but you were the one that forced your tongue down my throat. In fact, you only provoked the kiss even more." Emma gave her a salacious smile as she stared into the brown pair in front of her.
Regina only scoffed and turned her head in denial since as she couldn't defend herself with a plausible explanation as it hadn't yet crossed her mind. She stayed silent. Emma continued, "And I don't usually share my saliva nor any other...bodily fluids." She giggled from the distateful reaction she evoked from the Mayor.
"You disgust me." Regina fired back almost instantaneoulsy. She attempted to escape the blond but failed miserably as Emma shook her head, as if to signal that she was not going to get away. "Miss Swan, let me free at once." She spat bitterly as Emma's arms rested either side of her head on the length of the shelf.
Their eyes remained locked on each other's. The fury flashing across Regina's eyes was lucid to Emma. However, she noticed unrecognisably suppressed emotions pervade her orbs. Emma's expression softened at the change as she once again noticed the insecurity and vulnerability pulsing through the Mayor.
"You seriously need to relax." She murmured with a sympathetic smile before surprisingly Regina and herself by pressing a soft kiss to the Mayor's cheek, letting it linger for a few moments.
Regina once again felt impulsive jolts surge through her body at the tender touch. She felt flushed and quickly composed herself. She cleared her throat and ultimately wretched herself from the blond's weak hold. "And you seriously need to mind your own business and stay the hell away from me." She warned, her tone laced with menace. Regina glanced at Emma one last time before pushing her trolley and heading off to the checkouts.
Emma fuelled with pent up frustration knocked a few items off the shelf. The brunette wasn't opening up to her and it drove her insane. I mean she could understand why the Mayor wouldn't want to but she could also see that she needed someone to open to. Regina had did it the night at the country club so why is now any different? With a heavy sigh she ran a hand through her loose golden tresses and glazed her eyes over one of the female employees who seemed to be heading home. A smile crept up onto her face as an idea invaded her mind. Bingo, she thought.
...
Regina began unloading her items onto the convyer belt while she waited for another cashier to arrive as the last one had just finished her shift. She felt the presence of someone behind the counter, she raised her head to greet the woman yet her jaw ultimately dropped slightly at the grinning blond she knew all too well.
"Hi, how are you?" Emma grinned while she began scanning Regina's items.
"Miss Swan, what exactly do you think you're doing?" She growled lowly, careful not to draw attention to herself while she glanced around the now very busy store.
"Uhh, working." Emma replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Regina quirked an eyebrow at her name tag, "You don't work here and La-Quisha? Really?..." She shook her head with a frown etched across her face as she studied the name tag.
Emma pouted slightly, "Don't judge." She catechised while placing the next item in the bag.
Regina shook her head, deeply unimpressed. Emma grinned, "Oooooo is this that new cream hair remover that is suppose to make your legs silky smooth?!" She squealed, recognising the cream from an advertisement and consequently turned a few heads. Regina sunk her head in embarrassment hoping for the earth to swallow her whole. After a few moments she lifted her head up to look at Emma who was chuckling away.
"Miss Swan, what exactly do you find funny about embarrassing yourself...and me!?" She grumbled under her breath.
"Seeing you blush is priceless!" Emma clapped and clicked a few buttons on the screen. "That's a total of $115.87 dollars. Would you like to pay with cash or card?" She smiled.
Regina glared at her, "Card." She grumbled.
Emma watched Regina do her thing and then looked at her expectantly. "Can I ask you a question, Madame Mayor?" She tilted her head with a small smile.
Regina sighed, "If you must." She relented, her expression remaining impassive and void of any current emotion.
"Will you go out on a date with me?" She asked simply with a hint of hope but ultimately already knew the answer.
Regina seemed quite taken aback by the question, the shock was lucid on her facial features. She quickly recomposed herself within a matter of seconds, "No, that'd be an absurd idea." She retorted aggressively, although it wasn't intended it was just her initial reaction to such a question especially coming from the blond.
Emma sighed tiredly, "Ugghhh, why not? There's no harm. Besides it'd be after I've attended all your celebratory thingy magigs" She argued rationally with a wave of her hand. Regina stared at her.
"Miss Swan, I am your client. That would be highly unprofessional." She stated in her usual mayoral tone. Emma rolled her eyes at the lame excuse but suddenly a very risky and heavily punishable idea came into her mind.
Emma smirked, "Wrong answer and that's going to cost you." She watched a confused expression cross the Mayor's features. The blond picked up the police-like microphone off the pillar and began to speak through it.
"Testing 1,2,3 testing..." She looked around the shop and noticed that she had indeed attained everyone's attention in the packed grocery store.
Regina's eyes nearly came out of their sockets, "What are you doing!?" She whispered indignantly at the grinning blond.
Emma ignored her and cleared her throat, "Hey, people ermm I just want you all to witness something because she said no when I asked her one on one and I believe I have a better chance when I ask her in front of a large crowd." Emma giggled into the microphone. She glanced at Regina who was the spitting image of a raging bull, except for you know, the running part.
Emma smiled, "Regina Mills, will you go out on a date with me?" She asked hopefully and her smile widened even more as everyone in the store was encouraging the Mayor to say 'Yes'.
Regina's fury dissipated while a slight frown etched across her face as she glanced around the store. Mary Margaret caught her eyeline near the register beside her. "Go on, Regina." She clapped her hands delightfully. Regina saw Ruby and Granny give her a thumbs up. Although she disliked these people and the feelings were evidently mutual, she felt herself succumb to the 'peer pressure'...yep she was going to use that as an excuse.
The people of Storybrooke fell silent waiting the Mayor's answer. Regina raised her chin and flicked her fringe back while straightening her blazer. "Yes." She muttered with a small nod.
Emma failed to hide her surprise by the answer but continued to smile. "Well, 5 weeks from now I will take you out on a date." She smiled. Emma heard faint shouts from the back of the store and whistles blown her way. The Mayor glanced at Emma and with a small nod made her way out, her face void of any emotion. The blond emulated the expression their eyes locked on each other before Regina diverted her gaze to in front of her. What Emma hadn't seen was the small smile that tugged the Mayor's lips as she exited the store.
Emma smiled and made her way to leave the register but was blocked by a woman who seemed less than unimpressed. The older dark-skinned woman had a quirked eyebrow with her arms crossed over her chest. She tapped her shoe on the tiles.
Emma gulped and attempted a smile,"La-Quisha...Hey girl..."
...
It had been a couple of hours since the little incident at the grocery store and Emma had decided to go out on a stroll around Storybrooke as she was currently on a sugar high from the Apollo bars. She embedded her hands into her red leather jacket pockets. It had been a while since she wore her usual clothing. With being an escort you're always to expected to look your absolute finest and she got tired of it after a while. And so she had settled for her favourite jacket and tight blue jeans.
Emma glazed her eyes over Storybrooke Elementary and watched closely as children rushed out from the building and into their nother's or father's arms. She gave a small smile at the sight. When she was that age she would have done anything to be able to run into one of her birth parents arms and embrace them completely.
After a while of staring in awe she had decided that it was time to head back to Granny's. However, seconds before she was about to walk the other way she saw a small young boy trudge down the school steps and shrug the heavy backpack that rested on his shoulders. Although he was heading in the opposite direction he noticed Emma's presence. He frowned at the sight of a new person in town. The escort who seemed a little taken aback by his expression emulated the frown. They stared at each other for a few minutes before the boy hurried off in the direction of his house, not before glancing back at Emma.
"That wasn't awkward at all." She mumbled to herself.
She slowly strolled past the school and watched curiously as a short dark-haired woman lifted the hood of her old fashioned car and waved away the black smoke that erupted from the engine.
"Car not starting?" Emma offered a small smile.
The woman loosened her scarf around her neck and sighed with a tired smile. "No, it just starting giving trouble today." She spoke gently while glancing at the smoking engine before taking a couple of steps back for her own safety.
"That sucks. Mind if i take a look?" Emma quizzed as she begun to shrug her jacket off, leaving her in a white tank top.
Mary Margaret stepped aside, "Be my guest." She smiled hopefully. The blond reciprocated the smile and tied her hair up in a loose ponytail. The pixie hair-cut woman's smile widened as she recognised the blond who was currently attending to her car from the grocery store.
"Hey, you're the woman who asked Mayor Mills out on a date?" She exclaimed while moving alongside the stranger.
A throaty laugh escaped Emma's lips while she fiddled around with a few of the parts. "Yes, I am. Aren't I lucky? I'm Emma by the way." She turned her head briefly to catch the woman's eyeline.
She smiled, "Mary Margaret...I admire your guts to ask the Mayor out in front of heaps of people. I'm sure she wasn't exactly peachy about that..." She chuckled along with Emma.
Emma scoffed, "You can say that again. I'm sure if she was packing, she would aim for my head...Boom! Headshot." She snickered at rememberance of the Mayor's reaction.
"Ok yes, the Mayor...she is a little..." Mary Margaret pondered for a moment for a positive word she could use to describe the Mayor she had known for so long without being offensive.
"Rigid? Stiff? Cranky? Bitchy? Mean? all of the above?" Emma gave a cheeky smile before wiping the beads of sweat forming across her forehead.
Mary Margaret failed to suppress a playful grin at Emma's delivery of wonderful words to describe the Mayor of Storybrooke. "Definitely all of the above..." She trailed mindlessly, her eyes widened at the realisation of what she just admitted.
Emma laughed, "And here I thought I was the only one who thought that...I knew you were thinking it." She studied a few of the parts that seemed to be the problem.
Mary Margaret snickered at Emma, while knowing that she was indeed quite correct. The dark-haired woman being the nice and kind person she was, she always attempted to see the good in everyone including the Mayor of Storybrooke, who wasn't exactly a people person. "She doesn't like me very much...and the strange thing is, I don't know why..." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
Emma let out a low grunt as she tightened the screw. "Don't take it personally but I believe that if she could have it her way she would bring Osama bin Laden back from the depths of the ocean to do her dirty work." She gave the woman a weak smile.
Mary Margaret grinned and diverted her eyes over to where Emma was fiddling, "Wow, you seem to know what you're doing..." She trailed slightly taken aback by Emma's competency.
"I've just had some experience over the years..." The blond shrugged casually before continuing, "I have to admit, I feel like Megan Fox from Transformers!" She snickered, Mary Margaret joined in with her. She felt a strong yet unnerving connection to this woman and seemed to like her humour.
Emma silently hummed and pulled herself away from the vehicle. "Wanna give it a go?" She faced the short woman who merely nodded before reading into her car window and turning on the ignition.
A broad beam erupted on Emma's face at the roaring sound of the car. Mary Margaret clapped her hands in joy. "Oh my god, it's working! Thank you, so much!" She smiled gratefully at the blond. "Let me go grab my purse."
Emma shook her head furiously, "No, it's absolutely fine. Please." She smiled.
Mary Margaret reciprocated the expression, "Well, is there anything I can do for you?" She offered, walking back over to the blond who began to put her jacket back on.
Emma thought for a second, "You can tell me where I can get a decent meal around here. I've only been in town a couple of days and Apollo bars are the closest I've gotten to real food." She chuckled sheepishly.
The dark-haired woman grinned, "There's Granny's Diner that is only a few blocks away from here. She makes the best food here in Storybrooke. I could meet you there later, if you want?" She suggested with a polite smile.
Emma beamed in delight, "Yeah sure. That'd be great, say around 5?"
"Sure. I'll see you then." Mary Margaret smiled as she hopped into her car and began to driveway but not before giving Emma a wave and yelling out another 'Thank you'
The blond waved back and watched as she turned at the corner, now out of sight. Emma fist pumped the air in excitement, "I made a friend in this strange town, huh, who woulda thought." She shook her head with a small chuckled before digging her hands loosely into the back pockets of her jeans and leisurely strolling down the quiet yet comfortable atmosphere encompassing the street. However, little did she know that a pair of young brown eyes witnessed the whole encounter from a far distance. A grin smothered his face, "I knew you'd come find me...mom." He whispered to himself before sprinting off in the direction of his home in search of his book.
...
The bell chimed as Emma waltzed into the diner, turning a few heads. "Good going with the Mayor." A tall man with dirty blond hair and a hospital ID tag nudged her slightly, giving her a wink before whizzing past her out of the diner.
Emma gave a nervous smile as she noticed other people grin and mutter to their company who she was. She hesitantly moved towards the counter and was greeted with a gleaming brunette with red streaks in her hair. "Hey I'm Ruby, What can I get you?" The skimpy clothed woman asked politely.
Emma gave a gentle smile, "Hey, I'm Emma. Um...Nothing at the moment, I'm waiting for someone."
Ruby nodded and her eyes immediately widened at the recognition of the blond woman before her. "Oh my god, you're the chick who asked the Mayor out on a date!" She squealed and Emma laughed and rested her hand on the counter.
"Yep and proud of it!" Emma fired back with smirk.
Ruby quirked an eyebrow and held up three fingers, "Three words. Balls. of. steel." She grinned.
The off-duty escort tilted her head with a smile, "I guess It was a little daunting at first, I mean those dark piercing eyes and that cold icy demeanour really hits you hard, like when Harry Potter was surrounded by those dementors...that was some jacked up shit..." She trailed with a light smile.
The waitress chuckled at the reference, "I concur. The Mayor and Dementors are both soulless creatures..." She muttered distastefully.
Emma rolled her eyes in irritation, "Tell me about it..." She groaned before quickly surveying her eyes over the people in the diner.
"We'll make sure to discuss it another time, but for now grab a table and when your friend arrives I'll be right with you." She sent Emma a cheeky wink before quickly dashing over to Granny's call to the kitchen.
Emma sighed with content, glazing her eyes over the groups of people chatting away in the diner. A smirk drifted ghostly over her face as her eyes fell upon a certain brunette residing in one of the booths at the back of the diner. She studied the seemingly placid Mayor with careful eyes. Regina flicked through the paper while nursing a cup of tea. "Wouldn't it be such a shame if someone were to disturb her peace?" Emma murmured to herself. "No, it wouldn't." She smiled.
Regina sat silently with the paper and a lukewarm cup of tea, allowing herself to become lost in her thoughts. It had become a routine, once a week she would set aside herself 30 minutes in the afternoon to just relax and relish without the thought of council meetings, town plans and Henry's hatred for her.
An abrupt presence on the opposite side of the booth startled her. She sighed helplessly at the realisation that it was Emma.
"Top or bottom?"
Regina's eyes nearly tore from their sockets, "I beg your pardon?" She asked incredulously, her face flushed at the very unexpected question.
Emma smirked in accomplishment at the Mayor's bashful reaction. She rolled her eyes playfully, "Top or bottom?" She enunciated each word slowly but placed a special emphasis on 'Top' because she had a feeling that Regina was the dominant type, and definitely not submissive.
"Miss Swan, that is highly inappropriate!" Regina scolded harshly while quickly glancing around her surroundings to make sure no one else had heard the escort's question.
Emma feigned innocence and placed her hand over her chest before instantly letting a gleaming grin settle upon her face. "I would say you're a 'Top' kinda gal." She winked salaciously.
Regina rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. Her brown orbs bore into the emerald pair before her. She pursed her lips, "Dear, I am not in the mood for you antics, in fact I would like to be left alone." Regina stated coolly, her cold demeanour sending chills up Emma's spine.
Emma shrugged off the sensation and ignored her request to be left alone. "Awww honey, how long has it been?" She teased with pout. She rested her hands flat on the table and crooked her elbows while giving the Mayor her full attention.
A frown etched across Regina's features, "How long has what been?" She muttered in annoyance, her face perplexed by the question. She was beginning to grow very impatient as the blond always spoke in such cryptic, to her at least.
Emma sighed dramatically at how thick the Mayor seemed to be. "Do I have to spell it out? Sex. S...E-" Regina cut in almost instantaneously.
"Miss Swan, do you have to be so loud?!" She growled lowly and glared menacingly at the nonchalant woman across from her. "And my sex life is absolutely none of your concern." She grumbled before taking a sip of her tea.
Emma raised a finger, "Correction, non-existant sex life." She smirked sarcastically but meant everything. Regina's eyes dilated and darkened at the blond's quick remark. The woman was getting under her skin, and it seemed to be happening quite frequently. She was at the point where she couldn't tolerate how obnoxious or stubborn Emma was. She was a Charming after all. Emma also knew how to rattle her up and that was what she despised the most of all. Regina was about to chide the blond for bringing up the notion of sex in the first place, however, Emma spoke up. "Regina, Sex is like air...it's not important unless you aren't getting any." She winked.
Regina groaned, "I do not require your opinions on such topics nor am I willing to discuss personal matters with you." She reprimanded curtly while she raised her chin in an attempt to at least attain some level of authority and superiority.
Emma's jaw dropped slightly, "Wow, that long!?" She cringed for extra effect to irritate the Mayor who depicted the spitting image of a covert serial killer seconds from venturing on a ruthless killing spree. "Have you like...forgotten how to? Because it's just like riding a bicycle...except upside down." She smiled with a chuckle.
Regina let out a held in breath as her cheeks flushed slightly, "Miss Swan, I am currently debating on whether I should arrange your arrest myself or just murder you. After your little horrifying stunt you pulled off today at the grocery store and now this...you are skating on very thin ice." She leaned in closer to the blond to convey her point across.
Emma gulped at the sight of caliginous orbs in front of her, and then unexpectedly she felt a surge of temerity surge through her veins. "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!" She yelled out with a laugh. Regina immediately blushed with embarrassment as people turned to look their way and broke into a fit of giggles at the blond's out burst.
Regina kicked Emma under the table and flicked her fringe back out of her eyes, "Stop this nonsense right now! I am tired of your childish behaviour and embarrassing me in the process! And I will not be made a fool of Miss Swan." Regina snarled in contempt before abruptly sliding out of the booth, however, as she made her way past the booth she halted suddenly and leaned down to the blond's ear.
"...And dear, my fingers have enough magic of their own to satisfy my...needs." Regina whispered flirtatiously while placing her hand on Emma's jean clad thigh and squeezing gently. A smirk formed on her face as she heard Emma gasp at the touch. She took in Emma's naturally alluring scent before strutting out of the diner with a satisfied grin plastered across her face.
Emma was frozen. Regina had left moments ago but the apple aroma encircled her. She definitely wasn't expecting that, at all. Emma could still feel her body tingle as the Mayor's hot breath collided with her skin just moments ago. She felt her heart rate increase, it pounded loudly in her ears. It was a feeling that she had never experienced before yet she had a tenacious desire for more. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she replayed the moment in her head over and over again.
"Emma Swan-Mills doesn't sound that bad anymore..."
What did you think of this chapter?! Was it ok? :/
PLEASE REVIEW LOVELY PEOPLE