When Robin took Regina's hand in his, Regina had to suppress a grimace. She knew that he wanted to comfort her but it wasn't his comfort that she wanted. It was Emma's. The thought confused her. Robin was her soul mate, the man she had mourned over for weeks, the man she'd dreamed about being reunited with. Yet here she was, shivering at his touch and not in a pleasant way. She looked to Emma and saw her looking at her hand in Robin's. She unfurled her fingers and walked over to her as Emma nervously looked down at her feet. Gently, she took Emma's phone from her hand and entwined her fingers with Emma's, squeezing reassuringly. Adrenaline is a funny thing and she knew they'd all have trouble coming down from the high.
It took her a moment to realise that the two of them were still damp, Emma in only her tank top and panties and herself in just her underwear. She wrapped her other arm around herself protectively and turned to Robin, who also seemed to be noticing the state of their undress for the first time.
"Marian's-" He choked on the word, "Marian's clothes are in the third drawer of the chest in our bedroom." He gestured to the door behind them.
Regina nodded and led Emma by the hand into the room, shutting the door behind them, before sitting on the bed and pulling Emma down beside her.
"Gold would be pleased." Emma murmured.
"What?"
"I've just taken a step towards what he wants. I'm a murderer."
"You killed in defence, that doesn't make you a murderer."
"Then why do I still feel so awful about it?"
"Because you're a good person." Regina said, squeezing her hand a little tighter. "You've spent your whole life trying to do the right thing, but you were in an impossible situation, you didn't have another choice."
"I don't feel like a good person."
"If you hadn't shot her, I would be dead. Most likely, you and Robin would also be dead. Henry and Roland would both be orphans. What you're feeling now… It will go away. I promise you. You know, deep down, that you did the right thing."
Emma smiled at her. "I know."
"Now, lets get dressed because I'm starting to get cold."
Marian's clothes didn't fit right on either of them. The long, flowing skirts looked ridiculous on a woman who mostly lived in jeans and a woman who mostly lived in designer dresses. Regina chose a high-neck top to hide what she could of the bruising around her throat but it could still be seen poking out the top.
"You didn't see any scarves in there, did you?" She asked Emma.
"Nope. While we're waiting for David, why don't we go shopping?"
"And leave Robin alone with the body?"
"I just can't be still right now. I can't sit around and wait for hours while looking at her rolled up like that, I just can't." Emma said quickly, her outburst bringing tears to her eyes. "Maybe you both can stay here and I'll go on my own."
"No! No, I'll come with you. Robin will be fine. But, you do remember that it's-" She checked the clock on the bedside table, "two in the morning, don't you? There won't be any shops open, but we can go out anyway, get some fresh air."
Emma just nodded, not trusting herself to speak again without losing control of her emotions.
Robin didn't seem to mind being left alone. He went to sit with Roland while Emma and Regina let themselves out. The night air was crisp with cold and neither had a coat on, but it was such a relief to be out of the apartment that neither minded.
Emma stepped forward and took a seat on the curb, "Join me?"
"You want me to sit on the floor?"
"You're wearing Marian's clothes, anyway."
Regina chuckled and sat beside Emma. "This is crazy."
"Tell me about it."
"Poor Robin." Regina sighed.
"Poor Marian. You think Zelena was telling the truth when she said she was dead?"
"Oh, definitely." Regina said. "I guess we'll never know the details, though."
The sound of car tyres caught their attention and they both glanced up just in time to see the yellow cab race past them. Neither had noticed the puddle in the road until the car created a wave of it which drenched them both through.
"Really?" Emma muttered. When she heard laughter, she looked up at Regina, confused.
The brunette was giggling like a child, shaking her head with disbelief.
"What did you find funny about that?" She asked the older woman.
"Just when we thought this day couldn't get any worse, that happens." Regina said between fits of giggles. It was a sound that Emma didn't think she'd ever heard her make. If it didn't sound so manic, she might have liked it, but Regina sounded like a crazy woman. Given the ridiculousness of the entire day though, Emma was surprised when a similar giggle came from her own mouth, she tried to swallow it but it was hopeless. Within seconds they were both holding their stomachs, laughing to the point of pain.
When she was finally able to draw a breath, Emma said, "I need a drink, do you want a drink?"
"Usually I'd refuse a drink at this time, but given the circumstances…" Regina laughed again. "I don't have any money, though."
"I've got a fifty in my pocket."
"Well, then," Regina smiled as she stood up and held out a hand to Emma, "Without further ado…"
It didn't take them long to find a club. They just followed the rowdy noises until they found themselves outside a busy place called 'The Dancing Moose'. The bouncer gave them both a funny look, eyeing their outfits with suspicion, Emma figured there might be a dress code, but he let them pass anyway.
"This place looks…" Regina paused, " Interesting."
"Come on, this is exactly what we need. Distraction." Emma took her hand and led her through the crowd of dancers, "Shots?"
"Depends what we're drinking."
"How does tequila sound?"
At Regina's grin, Emma slapped her fifty on the table, "Four tequila shots, please."
"Four?!" Regina gaped.
"Trust me, getting drunk can only improve this day." Emma smiled. The waitress laid out the glasses, complete with four lemon wedges and a salt shaker for them to use. "Here" Emma said as she placed a glass in Regina's hand and sprinkled some salt on her other arm before doing the same herself. "Ready?"
Regina nodded.
"Bottoms up!" Emma shouted over the music.
Regina's face scrunched as she swallowed the drink, she reached quickly for a lemon wedge and breathed a huge sigh of relief as the tangy citrus flavour chased away the tequila. When she looked up at Emma's amused expression, she said, "What are you looking at?"
"Been a while?"
"I'm just not as accustomed to drinking my nights away as you seem to be."
"Ready for the second?"
Regina nodded and they downed those too. Before Regina had even finished sucking her lemon wedge, Emma had put twenty down on the bar, "Two cranberry vodkas."
"Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack."
Regina just gaped at her, "How do you know I even like cranberry vodka?"
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Well, then!"
"Here you go." The bartender said as she placed the drinks in front of them.
Emma handed her one of the drinks and then had a look around the club. On the other side of the bar she caught a man staring intently at Regina. "Looks like you've already got an admirer."
"What?" Regina said, before following Emma's line of sight and noticing the stare of a heavy, bearded-man across from them. When he caught her eye, he smiled and she quickly turned back to Emma. "He saw me looking!"
Emma laughed as she watched the man stand from his seat and start making his way through the crowd. "He's coming over here!" She shouted. "Quick!" She grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her away towards the dance floor, "Blend in." She said as she started swaying her hips to the music. Still holding Regina's hand, she started to dance with her as she sipped her drink.
Regina joined in enthusiastically, moving closer to Emma. When she raised her hand too quickly and spilt cranberry juice all down Marian's white top, Emma burst out laughing, "Let's just down these, too!" Regina laughed as she brought the glass to her lips. Emma had to wonder if the tequila shots had already gone to Regina's head, but then maybe it was just the whole atmosphere that was bringing out a funner side to the mayor. She smiled and did as she was told, swallowing the entire drink in a matter of seconds.
She was still smiling when a huge oaf of a man moved in front of her, blocking her view of Regina, "Mind if I cut in?" he asked. It was the man from the bar, Emma realised.
As he started to dance in front of Regina, Regina tried to move around him, "No, thank you. I'm here with-"
"Hey, just one dance!" He insisted as she stepped around him. He continued to move closer, grinding against her.
Having noticed this, another man who'd been dancing near them decided to try his luck with Emma. "You know, if your friend's busy you could dance with me?" He suggested.
"Look guys, we came together. We don't want to dance with either of you." Emma said firmly as she shoved the guy away from her.
When he moved closer again and said, "What you two are together? Together, together?"
Regina opened her mouth to correct him but stopped when she noticed the mischievous glint in Emma's eyes as the blonde winked at her, "Go with it," she mouthed silently.
Before Regina had a chance to figure out what she meant, Emma had leaned in, wound a hand in her hair and brought her forward into a passionate kiss. Regina didn't even think, she just moved her lips in sync with the blonde. When Emma's tongue probed, she opened her mouth to allow her entrance without a second thought. Their tongues danced within her mouth and Emma tasted of strawberry and vanilla, Regina sighed into the kiss and brought her free hand to Emma's side and held her close, before lightly tracing it up her back. Behind them, she vaguely heard the men grumbling as they left and then Emma was pulling away, leaving her off-balance as she teetered forward.
Both of them were out-of-breath.
Emma sighed in relief, "They're gone."
Regina blinked a few times, the kiss had caused all of her thoughts to race from her mind and as she stared blankly at Emma, all she could think was that that may have been the best kiss she'd ever had. She cleared her throat and looked around awkwardly, before finally decided to scowl at the blonde and say, "What were you thinking?"
"Hey." Emma raised her hands in surrender, "It worked, didn't it?"
Regina reluctantly nodded. "Just, don't do that again." She grumbled, she didn't like how uncomfortable the kiss had made her. It shouldn't have done, it didn't mean anything. Emma was just doing what she had to to get rid of their unwanted admirers. Yet, the feeling of Emma's lips on her own had left her with a warm, tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach which unnerved her. Desperate to leave the feeling behind, she tried to ignore it.
It didn't help when Emma placed a hand on her arm. "I won't, okay? Sorry."
"Fine."
"Fine." Emma repeated. "Now, come on, this place closes in an hour and I want to dance."
Regina forced herself to smile and when Emma took her hands in her own again, she let herself give in to the music. The thoughts of the past 24 hours raced away with the beat as the alcohol filled their bloodstreams.