Saturday 12.56pm.
Regina stood outside laser tag anxiously. Why had she agreed to this, she thought. As she brushed a hand through her hair and watched other people pass by with there families and she sighed sadly.
It wasn't until five past one, that Emma appeared with three boys in tow.
"Hey" Emma said happily, as she gave he brunette a once over. Black shoes, black trousers, fancy blouse, black long jacket.
Hell, the woman liked the color black, maybe her favorite color is black, I'll have to find out. Emma thought to herself.
"Hello Miss Swan"
"Call me Emma remember?"
Regina nodded and raked her eyes, over red leather jacket, skinny jeans and boots then looked to Henry. Who had a checked shirt and black trousers on.
"Happy birthday Henry" she said with a genuine smile.
"Thanks, I thought ma was lying when she said she were coming"
"Oh?"
"I thought you would be to busy too" he added, looking at her anxiously.
"I was, but I changed my plans just for you when I found out it was your birthday" she smiled and his two friends were staring at her in a awe filled way.
Henry went all bashful and Emma chuckled before saying "Let's go inside kids" and they walked in.
Half an hour later.
All five of them, were in the dark of the game zone. Each wearing glowing red chest guards and holding a laser gun. There must have been at least twenty of them in all.
Kids and adults in this large space, with objects such as barrels and create boxes shattered around, to hide or give them cover.
The boys went their separate ways straight away. shooting the opposing team. While Emma and Regina stuck together.
Emma chuckled, at seeing the brunettes competitive side come out. She was actually a natural at this. Which made Emma wonder if Regina had played before.
It wasn't until after the game, that Emma realized that Regina had done better than her, In the scoring and she pulled a face.
"That look doesn't suit you, Miss Swan! Regina said mockingly and smirked.
Emma scoffed. This was twice now, that Regina had beat her at something.
"Are we going to the diner now ma?" Henry then asked.
"Yeah kid, let's go" and he put her jacket on and they proceeded to leave.
Twenty minutes later. They were all sat in the rather small retro diner, with their drinks and were waiting for their fries and burgers and Regina's Cesar salad.
The boys were chatting amongst themselves, while Regina watched them curiously.
"You definitely have played before right?" Emma asked, still surprised Regina had beaten her at laser tag.
"No" Regina replied. Holding her hands in her lap and continuing to watch the kids interaction.
Henry then looked to his ma and shook his head "Ma doesn't like to lose" he said and Regina smiled widely.
"Is that so!" she replied and turned her head sideways to see Emma glaring at Henry.
"Your the Miss Mills of Mills Corporation right?" Henry's friend josh suddenly said, whilst shifting in his seat.
"Yes I am"
"My father works at your Hotel"
"Oh, what is his name?"
"Archie"
Regina eyes widened in recognition.
"I know your father. He is a manager at the Hotel" she smiled widely.
"Yeah" the boy said shyly.
Regina relaxed more into her chair. "Did you know He and I play chess sometimes?"
"No" the boy smiled.
"His a very good player but rarely beats me...do you play chess?"
"Not really, because he always wins" Josh replied and Regina chuckled.
Emma meanwhile, was smiling through the whole conversation and looking at Regina with soft doe eyes. Which didn't go unnoticed by her son...
That evening.
Henry walked into the kitchen of the apartment and next to his mother at the sink.
"Hey kid you alright?" Emma asked as she washed up some plates, cutlery and cups.
"Yeah, it was so cool Regina joining us today, wasn't it ma?"
"Yeah" Emma smiled.
"You like her don't you?" he asked, watching her closely.
"Yeah, she's my boss and a friend I guess"
"I mean you really like her"
"Why do you say that?" she glanced across the room, to her parents who were talking.
"The way you were looking at her today"
"Oh and what why was that" she joked, but her eyes gave away, her panic.
"Like people do when their in love"
Emma literally stopped breathing and then chuckled nervously.
"No, I don't love Regina. Were not like that" she said pathetically and didn't look at him and continued washing.
"Yeah sure, you keep telling yourself that" Henry huffed. "I know what I saw"
"She's my boss Henry"
"I know, but not for much longer" he looked down sadly. "Do you know if she likes girls?" he asked.
"Henry" Emma sighed "She had a husband who died in a tragic accident. He was the love of her life. I'm sure she's pretty straight kid and it doesn't matter anyway"
"Her husband died?" Henry said sadly.
"Yeah"
"I want to do something nice for her" Henry suddenly said.
"Whys that?"
"I don't know. I just want too" he said.
"What do you want to do?" she glanced to him and smiled.
"How about some flowers or chocolate? usually make people happy right?"
Emma laughed.
"Or maybe I will right her a note"
Emma nodded.
"I am sure she would like that better kid"
"Cool" she rushed off into his room and Emma shook her head.
Monday morning.
Emma groaned as she walked through the office. She had woken up late, rushed around like a loon and now was five minutes late.
She then heard two other employee's talking about the development plans going through for the new Hotel and that in three weeks time, the building would be knocked down.
She clenched her fists and went straight to Regina's office.
"Regina" Emma snapped, as she stormed into her office. Regina was sat at her desk wearing her glasses and scanning a piece of paper. That was in her hands, when she looked up and saw a pissed off blonde.
"Miss Swan"
Ugh! Emma thought.
"You promised me that you would not knock down that center, if I came to work for you and I just heard it's going through"
Regina put the paper down and removed her glasses.
"Miss Swan. I did speak with my mother about alternate locations, but she is fixed on his one"
"You promised me Regina. I know parents at the school who take their kids there and I told them, you promised me, it wouldn't be destroyed" she said angrily and crossed her arms in a huff.
"I'm sorry" Regina pleaded.
"Did you ever intend to save the center?"
"I try and keep my promises Miss Swan"
"Well you are failing in this one. I Believed you"
"Emma..."
"I can't be here. I have to go" she turned to leave and Regina frowned, as her heart sank and for the rest of that day she couldn't concentrate on her appointments or paperwork. She found herself thinking about Emma. How disappointment she looked.
Emma meanwhile, went straight to her parents at the apartment and told them about it.
"I told you, didn't I tell her, not to go and work there" her mother said looking to Emma's father.
"I am just disappointed you know. She promised" Emma said sadly, putting a piece of cake into her mouth.
"Is it not her mothers final decision though?" her father said.
"Yeah. but She shouldn't have promised something she knew she couldn't keep"
"Who says she didn't mean what she said?" her father then replied and Emma tilted her head. Maybe Regina did intend to fulfill the promise. Damn Cora Mills she cursed in her head.
Tuesday morning.
Emma walked into Regina's office.
"Miss Swan, how nice of you to turn up today" Regina said sarcastically and didn't look at her. Instead looking to her computer screen.
"Um, I want to apologize for yesterday. I was upset, I was unprofessional I'm sorry"
Regina wasn't expecting this.
"Oh?" she said, looking to the blonde. Who was wearing her skinny jeans and a shirt.
"Yeah. However, I had a good think and I think It's best I give in my notice" she swallowed thickly, putting her hands in her pockets.
Regina's face fell.
"What?"
"I am giving you my notice"
"Because I broke a promise?" Regina snapped.
"It's not just that. I'm not the assistant type Regina" and she added, my feelings for you are also making it hard. In her head.
"I see" she looked down.
"I am glad I've got to met you though" Emma said softly.
Regina looked up.
"I know your my boss, but I think were kind of friends and like each others company"
"Yes. Your not so bad" Regina said teasingly.
Emma smirked and stepped forward.
"Here;s my letter of resignation and a letter from Henry. He wanted to write you something"
Regina went wide eyed.
"Um, I will speak to you later, I got to catch up on what I missed yesterday" she smiled and walked out leaving Regina not knowing what to do with herself.
She opened the resignation letter first. It was a basic resignation and correctly put. It made her feel slightly sad. She also wondered why she hadn't put up more of a fight to keep the blonde there, but she knew Emma was right. She then opened Henry's letter with curiosity.
Hi Regina.
I just wanted to write you a note to thank you for coming to my birthday. It was great and ma liked having you there too. I hope you will come to be mine and ma's good friends and do other stuff with us. Ma would really like that too.
Were going to the cinema this Friday at seven, the West End one. I would like you to come with us would you? if so meet us at the poster sign at the confectionery area at seven.
See to you soon. Henry.
Regina smiled widely, maybe she would go, she thought.
Wednesday Lunchtime.
"So, what did Henry say in his note?" Emma asked for the hundredth time.
"He just wanted to say thanks for coming to his birthday" Regina replied, as they walked to her family Hotel.
"There's more than that I can tell" Emma said.
Regina rolled her eyes and then walked through the door of the Hotel.
"Father"she said happily. Seeing him standing at reception.
"Sweetheart, have you forgotten something?"
"No, I wanted to show Emma the Hotel and have Lunch in the bar area. How is everything?" she asked.
"All good" he then glanced to Emma "Hello Emma, It is good to finally speak with the woman, who my daughter speaks fondly about" he said happily.
Emma's mouth parted and she glanced to Regina, who ducked her head with a small smile.
"Hello Mr Mills" Emma said.
"Call me Henry and Regina has told me all about you Emma. She is saddened your leaving. Do you really have to leave?"
"Daddy" Regina warned and Emma felt a fluttering. Regina talks about me. She talks about me to her father. She is sad that I am leaving.
"I do. However I hope Regina still wants to be my friend even though she broke a promise to me"
"Emma..." Regina said sadly and gave her a look and Henry Sr watched them with curiosity.
"Do you mind if I join you for lunch?" Her father suddenly said and Regina bit her lip. Of course she would love her father to join them but would he see how she felt about Emma she wondered.
"That's fine with me" Emma said happily and they began to walk to the bar area.
Over lunch, Henry Sr watched how his daughter and Emma interacted. They were bantering, laughing, sharing adoring looks and then he saw it. The look Regina used to give only to Daniel and he smiled widely at Regina.
"Why are you smiling at me like that, daddy?" Regina asked.
"I am just happy to see you happy" he replied and Regina starred at him for a few moments, knowing what he meant and Emma just looked between father and daughter happily.
"Regina tells me you have a son" He suddenly asked Emma.
"Yeah, you actually share the same name" she smiled at him.
"What a nice coincidence. I shall look forward to meeting him"
Emma tilted her head. He wants to meet Henry! He thinks he is going to met Henry, is there something coming up, that will lead to that she wandered.
Fifteen minutes later, Henry Sr was totally dumbfounded. His daughter was literally digging her folk into Emma's plate, taking her salad and putting it on own plate, whilst Emma wasn't bothered and continued telling Regina, about Henry's drawing of them at laser tag.
"I still can't believe you persuaded her to go to that place" Henry Sr then said, still surprised that Regina had just helped herself to Emma's food, without asking.
"I went for Henry, it was his birthday" Regina replied.
Hmm Henry Sr thought. As he looked at his daughter and knew that wasn't the entire truth.
"Regina was actually great at it, she beat me. Which I am still not to happy about" she smirked.
"She has always been competitive. Get's it from her mother" Henry Sr said.
"Yeah I have met Cora the once, at the fundraiser" she shifted in her seat.
"Did mother say something to you?" Regina asked concernedly.
"Um, she was fine. It was me really, I became tongue tied and felt like an idiot" she frowned.
Henry Sr chuckled. "She can make the best of us tongue tied, dear girl" he replied as he took a bite of his chicken.
Regina meanwhile, dabbed her mouth with the napkin and thought back to that night. She wondered if that was why, Emma left early.
"Anyway, this is a nice place" Emma said, looking around at other white clothed tables and the posh interior.
"Yes, You should see Regina's large apartment" Henry Sr said happily.
"Oh really, I thought it was just a room?" Emma asked and glanced to Regina with a smile.
"Father. I do not wish to brag or anything about my possessions. That doesn't matter to me and yes it was a room, but the walls were knocked out and expended into other rooms, so it's more like an apartment."
Henry Sr frowned. He knew this, but he had not meant to make Regina feel uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry" he said.
"Don't worry about it" Regina replied and they continued to eat. Whilst Emma made small talk with Henry and Regina mainly listened and was glad that they seemed to be getting on well.
"Will you be going to the benefit ball?" Henry asked Emma, whilst placing his knife and folk on his plate.
Emma looked confused.
"Oh, I haven't told her father. I have had other things on my mind"
"Oh, Well there is a benefit ball in ten days time and you are welcome to come. I am sure Regina would like that too" he smiled.
Emma nodded and looked to Regina "Would you like that?" she asked and Regina was surprised that the blonde had asked her this.
"Yes. I was going to invite you." Regina said seriously.
"I believe you" Emma smiled at her. "I will ask my parents if they will babysit Henry, but yeah"
"Good" Henry Sr said and stood up.
"I should get back to the reception. It was a pleasure to met you Emma and I shall see you soon"
"And you. See you at the ball... probably" Emma said, whilst looking up at him and then seeing Regina stand up to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"I will phone you later, daddy" she said.
"I will look forward to it" and he backed away and left, leaving Regina to sit back down and Emma to clear her throat.
"Your father is really nice" she said.
"Yes. He means the world to me" she replied with a small smile and looked around noticing the place was rather empty. "I think we should get going too, otherwise I will be late for my meeting with a client"
"Okay" Emma replied and stood up. "Um, I will go and pay for this" she added.
Regina chuckled.
"What?" Emma asked.
"Lunch has been paid for"
"Really?"
"Yes really, Miss Swan"
Emma rolled her eyes.
"I told you to call me Emma" she replied and Regina rolled her eyes and as they began to leave the Hotel, Regina glanced sideways at Emma and said "Jajajajaja te llamare lo que quiera, dulce corazón" (Hahahaha I'll call you whatever you want, sweetheart)
Emma suddenly felt fuzzy. The woman speaks Spanish. It's fucking hot. she thought. And Regina smirked, at seeing the blondes stunned expression.
"You speak Spanish...what does that mean?" Emma asked.
"It doesn't matter, what it means" Regina replied and opened her car door.
"No really, what does it mean?" Emma asked again, eagerly.
"Just get in the car, dulce corazón " Regina then said, as she got in her side, leaving Emma totally confused.
Thanks for reading everyone.
A spoiler for the next chapter - Jealous Emma.