The alarm blared early the next morning rudely jolting them both out of their restful slumbers, their showers had to be quick, and their breakfast eaten even quicker. The last of the dishes had just been placed on the drainer where they would remain until their return when the door knocked announcing the arrival of the security guards, Regina directed Sidney to her bag asking him to load it into the car and informing him that they would need to stop by Emma's trailer before they left to collect her things, then she and Emma slipped on their shoes and followed him out.
Their journey felt familiar after their previous trip out to the cabin and Emma found herself looking out for areas of landscape that she had noticed when they had travelled this way before. However, in a slight change from last time they didn't stop for a picnic lunch like they had before, so they made much better time and arrived at the cabin far quicker than they had the first time that they were there.
"Déjà vu" Regina said lips curving up into a gentle smile as she stepped out of the car and looked up at the house in front of her,
"Not in every way" Emma winked leaning in to steal a quick kiss,
"No not in every way" Regina agreed wrapping her arms around Emma's neck and deepening the kiss, so lost were they in each other that they didn't notice the figure heading in their direction until he started to speak,
"When you two love birds are done out here and you've unpacked, I'd like you to come down into the dining room we're having a team meeting just to make sure everybody knows what's going on from here on out, you've been assigned the same rooms as before, though it seems that you will only be requiring one of them" Gold interrupted looking them up and down with a smirk playing across his features as they startled apart offering him a sheepish nod and giggle in response,
"I'll see you inside then" he added limping away, leaving Emma and Regina to collect their bags from the car and follow in his wake.
"My room or yours" Regina asked with wink once they had made it onto the upstairs landing,
"Doesn't really matter they're both the same" Emma shrugged
"What do you say we take mine first" Regina replied moving seductively closer to Emma and slowly walking her fingers up the centre of the blonde's chest as she spoke "and when we've finished" her fingers reached Emma's collar and Regina used it to yank the blonde closer "christening every" she paused to kiss Emma her tongue demanding the briefest of entries before she pulled back again resuming her speech from where she left off "available surface in there we'll move into yours" she finished with a nibble of Emma's ear lobe, reaching around Emma who was now pressed against Regina's bedroom door and slipping the key into the lock.
"Umm okay" a very flustered Emma gulped moving to one side to enable Regina more space to turn the key and let them in.
Just like last time Gold hadn't enlightened them as to exactly why he wanted them to meet downstairs as soon as they had finished unpacking but Emma and Regina guessed that his reasoning would be the same and that he intended to introduce the actor who was going to be playing Thomas ahead of that evenings filming or at least they hoped that he was because they were very anxious to find out who had been cast, especially after last times disaster.
They were both quick to unpack leaving their pyjamas next to the freshly folded towels on the end of the bed, Regina disappeared into the bathroom as soon as she was finished unpacking so Emma ventured in her own room pausing to relieve herself in the ensuite before grabbing the neatly folded towels that she had gone in there for and taking them with her back to Regina's room, placing them alongside the small bundle of different sized towels topped with a couple of face clothes all meant for Regina's use just as the brunette exited the bathroom with a warm smile on her face.
"Ready to go?" she asked moving closer to Emma so that they could share a gentle kiss.
"As ready as I'll ever be" Emma smiled leaning deeper into the kiss with a throaty groan,
"Rain check" Regina murmured glancing at the bed her mind in the same place as Emma's as they parted ways
"Definitely" Emma grinned taking Regina's hand and leading her to the door,
Everybody else was already downstairs waiting when they arrived smiling bashfully,
"I won't waste time on pleasantry's" Gold began as soon as they had shuffled in "I'm sure you've all already guessed why we're here and if you haven't well you're abouts to find out" he paused to clear his throat then continued "As you will all be aware after the unpleasant turn of events last time we were here we had to find a new Thomas and let me tell it was no easy feat but we finally found someone that we are satisfied with and who agreed to fulfil the role and I know that at least some of you will already know him which I hope will make for much more pleasant working conditions than before" Regina and Emma's interests were piqued now and after a quick scan around the room Emma not unexpectedly hadn't spotted anybody that she knew who wasn't usually on set so she assumed that this was someone from Regina's past and as her eyes found Gold again she hoped to all things holy that this time whoever the guy was, he was decent "so without further ado" Gold prattled on "allow me to introduce our new Thomas, Mr Killian Jones"
Emma gasped and she was sure that her jaw dropped to the floor as Killian stepped out from behind a small group of people across the room from where she was standing emerging from a spot that he had purposely positioned himself in for Golds little speech so as not to be easily spotted giving away his surprise to Emma before the punch line and moved into place beside Gold, thanking everyone who welcomed him as he went.
"You kept that one quiet Jones" Emma laughed delighted giving him a playful smack on the back after the crowd had dispersed and everyone else had gone their sperate ways,
"Well, I didn't want to run the surprise did I Swan" Killian shrugged pulling Emma into a quick embrace,
"So how did this happen? when did this happen?" Emma asked still staring at her friend in amazement,
"Couple of months ago" Killian flashed a lopsided smile "I won't pretend that I was their first choice, but I was the first to accept the part, I think they were getting a little bit desperate if I'm honest" he laughed,
"Hey, don't sell yourself short" Regina interjected "I'm sure you'll be great, and it'll be so much nicer working with a friend than winding up with another creep like Robin" Regina shuddered "Welcome to the team" she said with a genuine warm smile,
"Thanks love, that means a lot" Killian smiled back.
Killian as it turned out was somewhat of a natural in front of the camera, Emma was almost a little jealous with a rather large dose of pride dropped in for good measure when she watched him slip into the role seamlessly. Though she didn't elude to the fact that she still wasn't even close to being at the same level as Regina she was beginning to understand what the brunette had been explaining to Cora about the joy that there was to be found in watching someone grow and blossom into a role for the first time.
After an initial brief struggle with his characters deeply disturbing treatment of Emma's and allowing his true feeling towards his best friend to present a barrier preventing him from really getting into the role, Emma and Regina had offered Killian some reassurances and he had managed to let those worries go and performed so well that no watching would guess that this was his first rodeo.
He was only with them for a few days, and they seem to fly by. To mark his last night with them Regina and Emma arranged a surprise get together down by the little lake, the three of them along with Belle, Kathryn, Will and Alice had all made their way down to the little jetty that stuck out a little way in the lake and were currently sat around the Jetty's edge with a variety of alcoholic beverages between them and their bare toes dangling in the cold water,
"You really didn't have to this" Killian smiled at Emma and Regina as he took a sip from his rum flask,
"We wanted to" Emma shrugged bringing her chosen drink, a bottle of beer to her lips,
"Yeah, you've been a joy to work with" Regina beamed sipping her wine "It's been great having you here" she said, and Emma nodded in agreement,
"So pretty" Alice suddenly piped up and everyone turned to look in her direction, she had led down on the deck toes still in the water and she was looking up at the night sky
"What's that love?' Killian replied
"By the time you've seen them they've already gone" Alice chanted in a sing song voice,
"Has she had too much to drink?" Killian asked one of his eyebrows was raised and there was genuine concern in his tone "should we be cutting her off" he continued, eyeing Alice's drink wearily,
"I don't think so" Emma chuckled "she's just being Alice" she shrugged,
"If you sure" Killian replied turning his attentions back to his flask,
"You should look, see what you'll never see again" Alice continued pointing above her, Emma shrugged again and lowered herself onto the deck, with Regina immediately following her lead clasping Emma's hand as she too looked up at the night sky,
"Wow" Emma breathed "this is beautiful"
"It really is" Regina smiled in response, meanwhile Belle, Kathryn, Killian and Will all wanting to see what they were missing followed in their wake lying down in their spots one after the various gasps of joy and wonder emitting from them as they each gazed at the stars twinkling high above them in the clear night sky and Emma smiled as she suddenly realised what Alice had been referencing, she had been talking about the belief held by many that the stars were so far away that by the time we see the light that they cast the star it once shone from had already died. Her smile grew as Alice's sing song voice chanted again and Regina's warm hand gave hers a little squeeze.
Killian left early the following morning and just like when they had filmed the train scenes the feeling on set changed entirely as they moved from a much earlier stage of Isabella and Leah's relationship to a later more intimate one.
Cameras rolled as they relaxed on a settee together a movie playing quietly in the background, Regina laying down, eyes closed, with her feet on Emma's lap let out the odd sigh of content the only indication that she was awake, while Emma recited her lines and massaged Regina's feet occasionally leaning down to kiss the tips of her toes,
Though there were several intimate scenes that needed to be filmed in the cabin that week they weren't quite the same as the train one had been, the characters were still slowly building trust at this stage of the show and there weren't ready for physical love making just yet but that didn't make the intimate scenes any less intense or leave the two of them any less hot under the collar.
"God Regina" Emma groaned breathlessly as she came down from her second high of the night "I really hope that we'll be able to keep up this pace when we don't have Isabella and Leah's scenes to heat things up"
"Oh, I'm sure we will" Regina chuckled darkly moving gracefully up Emma's body to meet the blondes waiting lips with her own,
"mmm" Emma moaned into the kiss parting her lips to permit Regina's probing tongue entrance.
They were in Emma's room now with Regina satisfied that they already taken advantage of every surface, wall, and door in her own room, not to mention the shower more than once. Emma could see the end of filming fast approaching but still she couldn't muster up the courage to ask Regina what her plans for the three month break were, if she asked then she'd know for certain and if Regina told her that she wanted to spend it with Emma then Emma would be put out of her misery, the heavy ache in her heart would be lifted and she would be over the moon,
but if Regina's listed a whole array of plans that didn't include her and meant that they wouldn't see each other for barely more than a week in those three months Emma feared that the ache would grow unbearably and her heart would break, if she didn't know then at least she reasoned she could continue to hang on to the tiny morsel of hope that resided inside herself that Regina might be planning on spending most or all of the break with her and she felt that she might need that piece of hope to get her through the final days of filming and the end of season party that would follow it, so each time those ugly thoughts reared inside her head she fought to push them back down again and ignored them the best that she could.
The final week of filming arrived long before Emma was ready for it, the party would soon be upon them and then what she thought sadly,
"What's going on in that head of yours?" Regina frowned in concern when she came out of the shower one night to find Emma moping in the bedroom,
"Nothing much" Emma shrugged glumly "Just feels a bit like the end of an era you know"
"Emma it's only the end of the first series, we still have another two years of this yet" Regina laughed,
"I know, but even so" Emma shrugged shuffling about awkwardly, shoved her hands into pockets and looked down at her feet glumly,
"Come here" Regina spoke gently all traces of laughter gone as her arms reached around Emma's waist pulling close, Emma felt Regina's voice rumbling comfortingly above her as she rested her chin on the blondes head and continued to speak, "I love you so much" Regina murmured holding her tight, Emma swallowed as she felt a painful lump forming in her throat and tears welling in her eyes both temporarily rendering her unable to speak so she snaked her own arms around Regina and squeezed her back in response instead.
"So, are you up for shopping on Saturday?" Regina asked a few moments later breaking the silence that had fallen between them,
"Huh" Emma pulled back a little, confused by the sudden change in direction that the conversation had taken,
"For the party" Regina laughed,
"We're going shopping?" Emma asked still feeling two steps behind "since when"
"Since we have a party to attend and no outfits to wear to it, Ruby and Dorothy are invited to of course"
"But where are we going shopping?" Emma asked well aware that they would only have one day to shop because they were leaving on Friday and the party was on Saturday evening and she highly doubted that any Storybrooke stores would carry what they would need, I mean sure there was that one place that created custom made pieces, they would be able to come up with a suitable attire but those pieces took months to make no way would they be able to make one in a day let alone four.
"Well it won't be shopping in the traditional sense" Regina replied "Someone will be turning up at the town hall early Saturday morning with racks of clothing and we'll all go chose an outfit to borrow to wear in the evening it's advertisement for the designers when the pictures are published in the magazines, sometimes you have an option to buy an outfit if you really love the piece, other times you don't and returning them is a must" she shrugged
"Sounds great to me" Emma beamed moving away from Regina to grab her phone, her worries about the three month break temporarily alleviated as she tapped a message out to Ruby.
"And that's a wrap" Gold shouted out a couple of days later "Well done everybody that's season one complete"
"I can believe it" Emma smiled at Regina in a daze as they walked off the set together and made their way upstairs to collect their bags, they were leaving in a car back to Storybrooke immediately and had packed up ready to go the night before.
As she watched the scenery whizz past the window, while Regina snored gently next to her, Emma's worries began to return seemingly growing bigging with each passing tree until she too fell into restless slumber where she dreamed that she was looking for Regina but never seemed to be able find her.
"Emma" a gentle voice spoke from beside her waking her from her nightmares "we're back" Regina's smiling face swam into view,
"We are?" Emma replied as she stretched, yawned, and looked out of the window confirming what Regina had just told her with her own two eyes,
They were outside of her tailer, Jefferson got out of the front passenger's seat and walked around to the boot to take Emma's bags from the trailer while Sidney left the driver's seat to open Emma's door.
Emma exited the car and led Jefferson who was still carrying her bag to her trailer where she unlocked the door and took it from him. Once inside she quickly emptied her dirty washing into her wash basket, she would deal with that back at the loft after the weekend now that filming had finished, she would have plenty of free time on her hands to sort that out.
Then she grabbed the wash bag that she had packed that morning ready to take to Regina's adding a fresh washcloth to it before tossing into her trusty back pack which she had packed with overnight stuff before they had left for the cabin finally placing her phone charger on top of everything before fastening the bag, then after making a quick dash to the bathroom to relieve herself she grabbed the bag and exited her trailer locking the door behind her.
Jefferson and Sidney who had returned to their places in the car in her absence quickly got back out again and resumed their previous jobs,
"Thanks" Emma smiled handing her significantly smaller bag over to Jefferson and moving past Sidney to slide in through the door that he was holding open for her, Emma felt the whole scenario wholly unnecessary, she could have easily hitched her back pack onto her shoulders and walked the short distance between hers and Regina's trailers but Regina had insisted that they wait for her and Emma wasn't one to argue with her unless it was really warranted so however silly she felt it might be she happily went along with it.
By the time Regina had finished her own unpacking and the two had taken showers they both felt pretty much ready for bed and even though filming was over for a now they still had to be up early in the morning to meet the people bringing the outfits and choose what they wanted to wear.
"Hot chocolate before bed?" Regina yawned
"I thought you'd never ask" Emma smiled taking a seat at the counter while Regina prepared the hot milky drinks,
"Mm the taste of home" Emma sighed contentedly as her first mouthful washed over her tastebuds bringing with it a rush of fond memories with Granny and Ruby, though Regina didn't have the same extent of memories attached the drink as Emma did Emma could see from her face that it was bringing her as much joy and peace as Emma herself was feeling and that Regina already associated that taste with good times and happy memories, the knowledge of which made Emma's heart swell.
They were both very relaxed and heavy eyed by the time that they had ditched their empty mugs into the sink, so they headed straight for the bed at the back of the trailer, slipping in between the sheets and snuggling up together with Emma becoming the big spoon and Regina the small, their eyes fluttering closed the second that their heads had hit the pillow.