Oh man, those of you who mentioned angst – don't hate me, it's coming big time. It'll get bad, then it'll get good, then worse, and then really good again. Did I mention, please don't hate me? It'll work out in the end, but to fully explore their relationship and all the aspects of it (their past, their family, & outside threats) some shit has to go down. Stay tuned for the next update, it's about to get bumpy. (; Please keep up the wonderful reviews and let me know what you think!
"What's got you in such a good mood?" Emma raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair in the sheriff's office seeing David staring at his phone with a stupid grin on his face at his own desk. "Alright, who is it?" Her mouth dropped a little when he glanced up, quickly putting his phone to sleep and setting it down.
"Just something funny Henry sent me," David shrugged, looking innocently at his daughter before pretending to busy himself at his computer, ignoring her stare. His phone vibrated again, not being able to resist shifting his gaze to the screen to see the preview of Regina's message. He could tell it was dirty from the first three words, smirking to himself at her boldness. She was going to come over tonight after Henry had went to Emma's, so naturally she'd been sending him flirty messages all day. He knew she liked keeping him thinking about her, not like that took much effort, and he certainly didn't mind how she did so. Teasing messages and pictures from Regina Mills was not a burden, whatsoever.
"Henry's in class," Emma pursed her lips, looking at him frankly, "Dad, are you seeing someone?" She asked, watching him glance back at her with a frown. He'd definitely been acting distracted lately, and Granny's comment had stuck in her mind. If she was being honest with herself she wouldn't know how to take it if he were dating. She'd like to think she'd be happy for him, even relieved that he was finding happiness again. Then again, the thought of him moving on from her mother so quickly made her stomach sink, despite how much she tried to ignore it.
"What? No, of course not," David managed to get out, shifting in discomfort that he had been that readable, "When would I have the chance?" He shrugged, looking at her seriously for a moment before looking away. It didn't feel good to lie to her, but he had promised Regina they'd keep it to themselves for now.
"I mean it's cool if you are," Emma frowned with a shrug, "Whatever you want to do, I was just wondering," She added, shifting her focus back down on her paperwork. It was a lie, she wasn't fine at the thought, but she couldn't be the adult daughter who threw a fit over her single father finding happiness. She was much too old for that, plus she knew what it felt like to be lonely. Still yet, she was relieved when he said he wasn't, giving her time to prepare herself for when he actually was and told her about it.
"How would you feel if I did start dating again?" David decided to ask, feeling her out as he leaned back in his own chair, being the one to watch her expressions this time.
"Look you're a grown man," Emma frowned, forcing a slight laugh at the awkward nature of the conversation, given their unusual age difference for a father and daughter relationship, "If you find someone that makes you happy, I won't have an issue with it. Just be upfront with me, you know," She shrugged. Hopefully by the time he did tell her he was dating, that statement would be true and she'd be able to face the idea without a feeling of resentment on her mother's behalf.
"Fair enough," He nodded, knowing he and Regina would have to speak about telling Emma and Henry soon. If it weren't for upsetting the Mayor, he'd have told his daughter on the spot, but he couldn't take a chance on ruining what was going on between them. Regina had been slowly opening up to him about things, showing him different layers of herself with each night they spent together. From her favorite color to the reason she didn't like a certain song that reminded her of a bad memory, David was learning it all. She was like piecing a puzzle together, but only getting a few pieces at a time to work with. He was never sure what shape or color it would be, or where the piece would fit in the picture, but it was still an essential part to see it in its entirety in the end. And he wanted to see Regina in her entirety.
Regina knocked lightly on David's apartment door later that evening, waiting for a few moments before hearing Neal crying. She smiled to herself, knowing he didn't hear her and deciding to let herself in when she found the door unlocked. Setting her bag on the table she made her way towards the sound of crying, seeing David pacing the kitchen with Neal in his arms, a tired look on his face as he tried to soothe the baby.
"Someone having trouble sleeping?" Regina asked softly, giving them a warm smile when David raised his head to notice she was there, Neal perking his head from his father's shoulder to regard her for a moment before going back to his crying.
"I'm sorry, he's usually in bed by this time," David said apologetically, rubbing circles on Neal's back, "I should've called you and told you not to come, I'm sorry Regina. I've just tried everything and he won't calm down, I got sidetracked and forgot to get a hold of you-," He rambled and Regina could tell he was stressed.
"David," She interrupted him gently, coming over to him in the kitchen and holding her hands out to take the baby, "I've been here. It's not a big deal, honestly. Let me see him."
David bit his lip, handing Neal over, "You honestly don't have to, I know this isn't what you came over for. You probably had a long day too and you didn't sign up for-"
"David," She repeated, giving him a reassuring smile as she cradled Neal in her arms, not fazed by his crying, "Go make yourself a drink and take a shower, I've got it. Go relax."
He looked at her tiredly before giving into her demand, "You're an angel," He let out a breath, running a hand over the back of her hair and leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead for a long moment.
"That's a first," She smirked playfully at him, nudging him to go with her elbow before turning her attention back to the boy in her arms. She could tell Neal was only overly tired, as was his father, and judging from her personal history, a single parent and exhausted baby were a pretty terrible combination. The baby only fed off of the parent's frustrated energy, keeping them up even longer and the cycle continuing.
Regina swayed with Neal, noticing his tired eyes droop with the motion as his cries slowly tapered into whimpers and then to nothing. She hummed a tune she remembered that Henry liked, watching the baby's eyes flutter as he stared up at her. He was a beautiful child, a perfect combination of Snow and David. She felt an odd protectiveness over him, not only because he was David's son, but because he was Snow's. She'd make sure Neal was always safe from harm for the girl who used to be her step-daughter and the woman she'd come to respect.
The boy was so exhausted he was asleep in under twenty minutes with Regina's humming and rocking, face nuzzled in towards her chest as she carried him towards the loft where his nursery was. After placing him down in his crib and tucking him in, she went back down to find David, seeing the bathroom door open slightly.
She slipped in, smiling to herself at the empty bourbon glass on the edge of the bathroom sink, hearing the water running in the shower. Faintly seeing him rinsing his hair from the outline in the steamy shower glass, she unzipped her dress and let it pool before undoing her bra and pushing out of her panties. It wasn't until she slipped in the back of the shower he realized her presence, turning with a surprised grin, "He's asleep already?"
"Mhm, he was exhausted," Regina smiled stepping up to him under the shower-head, letting her hair get wet, "I remember those nights when Henry was little. It's hard doing it on your own."
"Hmm, thank you," David watched her in awe as she let the water hit her hair and face, slicking it back with her hands before looking up at him. Her complexion was void of makeup as he took in her natural beauty, amazed at how the gentle woman who had just put his son to bed could be the same one to stand here now, bold and sexy by merely being bare in front of him. He loved that she was confident in her body and her ability to turn him on, but was insecure about something as simple as letting him cuddle her after sex. It was just another intricate layer to her that captivated him even more.
"What?" She let out a chuckle, tilting her head to the side at his staring, bringing him back into the present, "See something you like, Charming?" She asked, her expression turning challenging and playful.
Her seductive lips curled at the corners, eyes darkening with intent that made lust rush through him as quickly as adrenaline. This woman would be his undoing. "Come here," He growled, cupping the back of her head as he pulled her in for a hungry kiss. She moaned in surprise at the sudden shift of his mood, tasting the bourbon on his tongue and intoxicating her senses.
Regina could tell the couple drinks he had made him a bit bolder with her, as he usually didn't start off so demanding. She felt him push her back against the cold wall of the shower, her nipples hardening against his chest as their tongues explored each other's, small moans sounding from her throat at the way his hands ran up her sides, thumbs brushing the sides of her breast.
David pulled back to look down at her, smiling at the way her lips were flushed from the kiss and her breasts taught from arousal. "You're perfect," He hissed as he glanced down her body, marveling in the way it was so responsive to his touch.
"You're buzzed," She smirked in reply, reaching down as she kept eye contact with him and gripping his length. He groaned, pressing a hand against the shower wall above her head as she began stroking him slowly, twisting her grip a little when her hand reached his tip, creating friction that made him curse under his breath.
"Fuck," He blurted out, watching her slide down the wall in front of him, coming face level with his erection. His eyes were transfixed on her every move, feeling her grip slide down to his base before plush lips enveloped his tip, causing his eyes to close briefly. Her tongue was hot and wet around him as she sucked gently before taking more of his length into her mouth, his free hand running into her black hair. He could barely believe a woman as stunning as Regina was on her knees for him in his shower, pleasing him like this.
Her left hand held onto him behind his knee to steady herself, swirling her tongue around his tip before moving slowly on his length. David groaned deeply, watching her as she gazed up when she took him further into his mouth, hot water hitting his back and coursing down his muscles. He cursed aloud again, the vision of her lust filled eyes looking up at him while her mouth wrapped around his thickness making him want to explode already.
"Regina," He groaned, pulling himself out of her mouth quickly, "Come here," He demanded when she looked up at him, pulling her up and scooping her small frame up from the floor. He didn't want to come yet. No, he wanted to come while fucking her senseless.
"Impatient?" She smirked down at the heated look on his face, reaching out to turn the water off as he wrapped her legs around his waist, stepping out and carrying her towards his bed. Her stomach coiled with arousal when he didn't even respond, his focus clear as he threw her on the bed and spread her legs before him. She hadn't seen this side of him before, all traces of goofy and tender David gone, replaced with lust and delicious intent. The sight of him made her breath quicken alone, strong arms holding her legs wide, abs taut and leading to an equally stiff erection as he crawled onto the bed.
She cried out at when his mouth enveloped her as he pressed her thighs towards her, spreading her more. "David," She gasped, feeling his tongue probe her a few times before sucking down on her clit. She fisted his hair in one hand, the other clawing at the bed sheets as he allowed her legs to lay over his shoulders, his hands pressing into the mattress as he devoured her with abandon. "Don't stop," She pleaded, her stomach tensing as she rolled her hips with the movements of his tongue. Her arousal skyrocketed with the sight of him between her legs, hell bent on making her come in his mouth.
"So good," He groaned against her clit before continuing his teasing, moving his hands back up her thighs pressing them apart again hearing her cry out. Her body tensed with her orgasm, hips jerking underneath his mouth as her own opened in a silent scream, the intensity of it stealing her ability to make sound.
"Gorgeous, Regina," David murmured in amazement as he came up over her, watching her recover from her orgasm before pushing himself inside of her, hearing her gasp at how sensitive she was. She smirked up at him before leaning up to kiss him hard, her tongue running over his lips to taste herself before brushing her tongue with his.
Her eyes closed as he pumped into her harder than he normally would with how wet her arousal had made her, taking him with ease. David watched the buildup of her second orgasm on her features, the way she troubled her bottom lip in between moans and the slight crease between her brows. She pushed her hips up against his harder, nails digging into his upper back roughly, something he'd come to know meant she was about to come. He groaned at how firmly her muscles clenched around him, seeing her mouth go to open in a scream as he pressed a hand over it to muffle the sound. Her body contracted as she came and he let himself go, coming inside of her with a groan before feeling small hands pushing at his chest panickedly.
David looked up where his hand was rested over her lips to see wide, terrified eyes looking back at him as her hands clawed at his chest. He retracted from her, quickly pulling his hand away as she scrambled out from under his body to the other side of the bed. "Regina? Did I hurt you?" He asked in shock, seeing her breathing heavily at the corner of the bed, as far as she could be away from him without being off of it.
"I'm sorry," She replied in a shaky voice as she came to her senses. Guilt flooded her at the bewildered and concerned look on his face, though she was too on edge to touch or comfort him. "I'm sorry, you didn't hurt me…it was…it was my fault." She added in between breaths.
"What happened?" David watched her as she seemingly went through an array of emotions from fear to panic to regret to embarrassment, though he was afraid if he reached out to hold her it would upset her more. "Regina?" He prodded gently, reaching for her robe, scooting more towards her and draping it around in her in an attempt to help her feel less vulnerable in the moment. "Did someone hurt you?"
His heart sank at the pain reflected in those large brown eyes, giving him the answer before she even said anything. He swallowed hard, pulling the sheets up over his lap before patting the space beside of him, "Come here," He said gently. She hesitated for a long moment before closing the space between them, tucking herself under his left arm.
"I'm sorry, it's silly I just-" Regina forced the emotions down, steeling herself, "When you put your hand…on my mouth I just…it triggered a memory."
"I'm so sorry," His stomach turned at the thought of causing her to relive something like that, pressing a kiss to her head, "Who was it?" He asked after a moment, bracing his self control to not jump up and find the bastard once she said his name.
"Leopold," She replied, her voice still slightly shaky, "It's silly, that was years ago. I shouldn't have reacted like that," Regina felt embarrassed more than anything that she'd react dramatically at the memory of something that happened to her so long ago. It was humiliating enough when it happened, but now she had to make a scene in front of David during a moment that could've been pleasant otherwise.
"It's not 'silly' Regina," David said to her surprise, pulling her into his lap to hold her more tightly as he looked at her, "Pain doesn't go away simply because time has passed, not when it comes to something like abuse."
"I was his wife, it was my duty," She shook her head, swallowing hard, "It wasn't always violent, either. Sometimes he was gentle, usually when he pretended I was his late wife," She smiled bitterly, a large tear escaping one eye and rolling down her cheek. He didn't know which emotion he felt stronger, rage at the man who'd hurt her or sadness for the child she was when it happened, knowing how young she was when she was married to him.
"You've never told anyone, have you?" He smiled weakly, brushing her tear with his thumb as he cupped the side of her face. He couldn't imagine that she'd told anyone else something like this. The state she was in was unlike any way he'd ever seen her, as if some long suppressed secrets haunting her had finally spilled out.
"No, who was there to tell?" She bit her lip, studying his expression, "Better yet, who would've cared?" She leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder so she wouldn't have to look him in the eyes. She'd kept the terrible secrets of her marriage to herself for years and the truth was so raw that she couldn't tell David and watch him react at the same time.
"Your father? Did he know Leopold was cruel to you?" David's arms tightened around her, leaning back in the pillows so they were laying down more. She seemed to be more comfortable talking about it if she didn't have to look at him, so he was doing his best to appease her.
"My father did the best he could," Was all Regina offered in response. She didn't have the heart to speak poorly about her father. He'd done the best he knew how for her, being the only person who actually loved her. It wasn't his fault he was powerless when it came to Cora or Leopold in protecting her.
David stared at the ceiling, his arm wrapped around her waist securely as he processed it all. The suffering she endured at such a young age made his heart threaten to break. She'd truly had everything taken from her by the time she was 18. Her first love, her happiness, her freedom, her innocence, her dignity. "Did you at least have your first time with Daniel?" He whispered, the hand of his arm wrapped around her finding hers and holding it. He at least hoped she'd had that.
"No, we never had a chance to do anything more than steal kisses. My mother kept a close eye on me," She replied, her voice more steady now than it had been. She'd calmed now, David's presence bringing her back to reality and making it easier to talk about. It actually felt like a relief to share the burden of these secrets she'd carried solely for so many years. "My first time wasn't pleasant by any means, though Leopold didn't get violent until I started resisting. In the beginning I tried to make the best out of my situation and please him. I dressed up and smiled at his jokes and warmed his bed to the best of my knowledge at the time, but it didn't make a difference. The only time he took interest in me outside of sex was for public appearances or royal balls, so I could be the pretty object filling the empty seat where a queen should be while he danced and fawned over his daughter."
"Hence me having to teach you how to dance," David replied as it all started to make sense, running his thumb over her hand gently.
"Yes," She smiled weakly though she didn't look at him, relieved he was simply listening to her rather than trying to be over-comforting. He seemed to know exactly what she needed from him in the moment. "Being ignored and used while Snow was fawned over and adored made me defiant. I began to resist him at night, sometimes backtalk him if I was feeling especially bold. He always did what he wanted to, anyways. He even confined me to the castle, telling his guards not to let me past boundaries of the grounds. I found out later he read my diary, too." She let out a bitter laugh.
David shook his head in amazement, "And yet all Snow told me was what a wonderful father and man he was," He sighed in disgust, "Why didn't you ever tell her? Help her understand why you grew so resentful?"
"Because she adored her father," She frowned, biting her bottom lip between her teeth, "He was her everything. I couldn't ruin her memory of him."
"You're a better person than I am," David raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the ceiling, hearing her chuckle beside him.
"I bet that's something you never thought you'd say to me, hm?" She asked softly, a sad smile waiting for him when he glanced at her. He rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his elbow to face her when she turned her head to look up at him.
"I mean it, though," David studied her face, "If I had gone through everything you had, I wouldn't have survived. There's no way I could've evolved from evil to good like you have, be as selfless as you are now."
"But the Evil Queen is still a part of me, David," She admitted to him as though she were warning him with a disclaimer. "The anger was the only thing I had to hold onto for so many years. When bad things happen or people I love are threatened, she begs to come to the surface...To unleash her wrath once more."
"But you don't give into it," David traced her jaw line with his finger, "You channel her for good now and that's okay. To be honest we've all relied on the Evil Queen in you to do things the rest of us don't have the nerve to when we've been in trouble, so don't ever feel ashamed of that part of yourself. Okay?"
Regina swallowed hard and managed a nod, looking into his eyes for a long moment. She'd never opened up that much to someone before, never spilled so many secrets. She didn't even think her supposed soulmate had ever understood her in the way that David seemed to. Never had she thought she could show so much vulnerability and still feel safe at the same time. Just as the way he'd begun to look at her scared and excited her, so did the fact that he was so fully seeing her.