Monday.
Regina arrived at work, ready for another day of trying to complete her main priority. However her mother was waiting for her in her office.
"Mother..what do I owe this pleasure for" she asked. placing her bag down on the chair.
Her mother sighed, as she looked out the large windows with crossed arms.
"We never discussed what happened on Saturday properly"
"Oh. I don't think there's much to discuss is there" she replied harshly, whilst walking to her filling cabinet.
"I won't apologize for what I did, I had good intentions and stopped you from getting hurt in the long run"
"By paying off, two people I used to know" Regina snapped.
"We both know, they were were more than friends dear" Cora said seriously and shot her a glare.
Regina stiffened.
"I assumed that's why you paid them off and because they were female and with me being the face of the company and all"
Cora frowned.
"I needed to see if they were serious about you dear. There is no way I was going to let you risk everything, for someone who wasn't serious about you, especially if it was a woman"
"Well, you were proved right. They were not serious were they" she closed the cabinet and crossed her arms, while looking down sadly.
Cora then walked over to her and put a hand on her crossed arms.
"I only want the best for you, if they had not of taken the offer I would of let it be"
Regina looked up.
"You would have? I thought you said people wouldn't like it"
"I know what I said but if this person was truly serious about you.." she sighed.
"Okay" Regina replied lowly and Cora stepped back and straightened her jacket, her heartfelt moment was over.
"Right. I have a meeting with some important staff so I shall leave you to it and don't forget to get that speech written up"
Regina nodded and Cora left.
At quarter past one Emma and Regina walked out of the conference room.
"I can't believe she wants his house, his two cars, the children and everything. She really wants to make him suffer" Emma whispered to Regina as they walked.
"She's angry because he cheated and had a child with this other woman and has effectively been living two separate lives"
"Yeah I would be really angry too, but see wants to see him homeless"
They walked into Regina's office and Emma closed the door.
"You feel sorry for him?" Regina asked curiously.
"I don't know and yeah, I wouldn't be able to forgive him but he doesn't deserve to be homeless"
There was then a slight pause and Emma put her hands in her pockets and watched Regina move around the office.
"Shall we go to lunch?" Regina suddenly asked.
Emma looked a little surprise by the sudden statement, but nodded and Regina gathered her bag and they walked out, in a comfortable silence.
"You know I've just realized I have only ever paid for one of our lunches" Emma said seriously, as she sat across from Regina in Emma and Henry's favorite Diner.
"Does that really bother you?"
"No...I don't know, I don't want you to think I am not paying my way"
Regina chuckled.
"I would never think such a thing"
Emma ducked her head and leaned on the grey table.
"You know I think your starting to like this place" Emma then said.
"What the Diner?"
"Yeah"
"What makes you say that?" she asked and gazed into the blondes eyes and smiled.
"You brought us here today and I saw the way you enjoyed your lunch, last time we were here"
"It is acceptable"
"Oh come on, you can admit it" Emma pushed and she felt slightly breathless, at the way Regina had been looking at her for the past minute.
"Okay...but I don't like the grilled cheese that you ordered"
"Your too fussy"
"I'm refined" Regina said smugly.
Emma laughed.
"Grilled cheese and kale salad" The waitress then said, as she stopped at their table.
"Thanks" Emma said, taking the grilled cheese and Regina eyed it, disapprovingly.
"You really should eat healthier dear"
"Yeah, yeah..eat your kale"
Regina rolled her eyes and the blonde then looked around the Diner. It was unusually quiet today and she thought Henry would of liked to be there with them.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked, seeing the far off look in the blondes eyes.
"Yeah, I was thinking about Henry. He would of liked to be here with us"
Regina nodded and she wandered if it was possible for them to be a family, her, Emma and Henry. The thought made her feel warm and happy.
"You've stopped eating your kale" Emma said, interrupting her from her line of thought.
"Oh" she replied weakly and dag her folk into the kale for saying "How is Henry? was he waiting up for you when you got home on Saturday?"
Emma nodded.
"He wanted to know how it went, how you were"
"He did?"
"You always seem surprised, when I tell you he speaks of you" Emma chuckled.
"I know. It's just I can't believe he likes me that much, I'm not that interesting"
Emma shook her head.
"You not interesting! are you serious? your more interesting, then anymore I know outside my own family"
Regina blushed slightly and put her folk in her mouth.
"And Henry doesn't open up to just anyone Regina. He even invited you to the movies, he thinks your great" Emma added happily.
"Thank you" Regina said lowly and put her folk into another piece of kale.
Emma just starred at her and shook her head in amusement.
"I am going to miss this" Regina finally said after a long moment.
"Miss what?" Emma tilted her head, whilst meeting brown eyes.
"Our lunches. As you know, your notice period is nearly up"
"Oh" Emma frowned. "We can still have lunches though" she added hopeful.
"You think so?" Regina searched bright green eyes.
Emma looked to Regina's mouth then back to her eyes. She licked her lips.
"Yeah, maybe not everyday but at least once a week..what do you think?" she bit her lip.
YES...with my whole heart yes...Regina thought.
"That would be nice" she answered softly.
"Great, were have to arrange it"
"Of course" she smirked.
Tuesday.
Regina was once more out of the office all day and Emma was doing random tasks whilst thinking almost constantly of where Regina might be.
The brunette however, was trying to push through an agreement with a land and property owner at a site a mile away from the proposed Hotel site.
Emma got her phone out at 2.46pm.
Emma: Regina I'm going now. I've done everything here, hope you don't mind.
She pressed send and stood up and put her coat on and sighed before walking out and once she got outside the building, she saw Regina near her drivers car talking with a middle aged attractive gentleman.
She paused and watched for a long moment, wandering who he was and then she saw Regina lean in and she thought she saw her kiss the man and her heart clenched.
That's what she's been doing...she's been have secret meetings with a new man, a new boyfriend...I'm so stupid...
She then saw Regina pulled back and they laughed. That was it for Emma, she turned away and rushed off in the opposite direction, with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
Regina however hadn't kissed the man, who happened to be Frederick. she had kissed his cheek in thanks for helping her.
She said her goodbyes to him moments later and headed up to the office, hoping to see Emma. However the blonde wasn't there. Regina frowned and walked into her office and roughly put her bag down.
"Where the hell is she" she said to herself and she pulled out her phone to ring her but found a new text message.
"Oh" Regina muttered upon reading it. She then ran a hand through her hair and replied.
Regina: That is okay Miss Swan. I have just got back to the office myself and I will see you tomorrow
She pressed send and then looked around her office, suddenly feeling sad that she had missed seeing the blonde.
"Ma whats wrong?" Henry asked concerned, as the whole car journey home had been silent and the blonde was obviously having an inner battle with herself.
"Nothing kid. Everything is cool" she replied weakly.
"Did something happen at work?" he asked.
"No, nothing at all"
"Did you and Regina have a fight?"
Emma sighed.
"No of course not. I didn't even see her today she was out"
"Oh, is that why your sad because you didn't see her today?" he smiled.
"I am not sad, I am just thinking about stuff"
"Yeah thinking about Regina" he chuckled.
Emma couldn't help but smile at that, but then her face went blank once more. As she parked the car and starred out the window at the car parked in front.
"Has she done something wrong?" Henry asked.
"No" she knew Henry would keep asking, so she said "I think I saw her with a new boyfriend, when I left work"
Henry's face fell.
"I thought you said you didn't see her?"
"I didn't...not until I left, see didn't see me though"
"Oh" he glanced down sadly. He really wanted Regina to be part of his little family.
"Come lets go upstairs and eat some ice cream, that will make us feel better" Emma then told him and they both got out the car and headed up to the apartment.
Later that evening, Regina was playing chess with Archie.
"So, how is work going at the office Regina?" he asked as he moved his bishop across the board.
"Fine, my assistant however is leaving tomorrow"
"Do you have a replacement?"
"No"
Archie raised an eyebrow.
"No one suitable?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, I have interviewed three its just...I may not have a job by this time next week so why bother" she smirked as she considered her next move on the chess table.
"May I ask why you think that?"
Regina smiled.
"Lets just say I am going to do something that mother will certainly fire me for"
"She wouldn't do that Regina" he replied as he saw Regina move her castle and take his knight.
"I'm not sure, this is...going behind her back"
Archie frowned.
"Your not working with the competition are you?"
She chuckled and leaned back, taking a sip of her wine.
"That would properly be simpler, but no" she then pondered for a moment. She knew Archie wouldn't judge her and what harm would it do to tell him "If I tell you Archie, do you must promise not to tell a soul"
He smiled and agreed.
"Well..." she started and five minutes later, she had explained what she had been up too.
Archie leaned back in his chair and shook his head in amusement.
"Your doing all this, for her" he asked in surprise.
Regina blushed slightly.
"The center is a piece of history" she reasoned, but Archie knew full well that she was doing this mainly for Emma.
"You must really like her...I mean to do something like this, to keep your promise to her. Are you in love with her?" he asked.
Regina gaped. Love was a big word. She had only ever loved Daniel. She knew her feelings for Emma were strong and intense but love..did she love Emma...
She starred at Archie, who had a smile on his face, as he waited for her response.
"Yes...I do" she answered shakily and suddenly felt overwhelmed with the confession, she had finally admitted it out loud and she closed her eyes to calm herself.
"Are you okay?" Archie asked concerned.
"Yes, I will be thank you"
"Do I know this Emma?" he asked.
Regina smirked.
"I don't think so. Although your son knows her as he is a friend of Henry, who is her son" she took a breath.
Archie paused for a moment in thought.
"Well I look forward to meeting her" he replied softly and looked back to the chess table.
"I don't think she feels the same way" Regina then said with sad eyes, while she leaned forward and moved her castle once more, across the board.
"You won't know unless you tell her" he said seriously.
Regina sighed and leaned back, putting her hand to her mouth and a long moment later, she saw Archie smile widely as he moved his queen, before saying "Check mate"
Regina's eye's widened and she quickly glanced down at the board, surveying her options, for an escape. There was none.
"How did.." Regina muttered in surprise.
"I think talking about Emma, distracted you from the game" he answered happily and Regina groaned.
Thanks for reading.