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Regina leaned back against the passenger seat of David's truck as he drove out the bumpy, gravel road. She emitted a groan at the nausea in her stomach before rolling her eyes at him, "Really David, where in the hell are we going?"
"You'll see," He smirked like a little boy with a secret, giving her an anxious glance. She knew he had taken a back road she wasn't familiar with to throw her off, and she'd been concentrating on not getting carsick too much to figure out where they were headed.
"This better be good," She softened her tone at how excited he seemed, seeing he'd put effort into this date. She supposed she could quit whining about the bumpy ride for the time being. "But we're almost there?"
He let out a laugh, "Yes, look familiar?" He asked as they came around a turn, white coral fence coming into view. Regina knew exactly where they were.
"The stables?" She glanced at him quickly with a questioning glance.
"I thought since we both missed riding, we could do it together," David smiled as he pulled his truck into park near the end of the stables, turning to her for her reaction.
"Oh," Regina managed to say, a mixture of emotions running through her at the thought.
"Oh?" David repeated, watching her for a moment before biting his lip in realization, "Regina I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories for you-" He started, knowing that horses and stables must've reminded her of Daniel.
"No David, it's fine," She smiled at him, swallowing the emotion in her throat, "I just haven't ridden in a long time."
"I know and I thought since you missed it this would be a good idea," He continued, a worried look on his face, "But I understand if this part of your life is better left in the past...I don't know, I guess I was thinking because it was something you loved so much, if we did it together it may help you enjoy it again, instead of associating it with bad memories."
Regina looked at him for a long moment, her initial panic deflated with his reasoning. He had put a lot of thought into it, given he knew her history and why riding had been so important to her but also the memories it held. He'd not only wanted to take her out, he'd wanted it to mean something for them and to help her heal.
"David, it's perfect," She gave him a reassuring nod, a warm smile curling her lips as her eyes glistened, "Really, no ones ever done anything this special for me," She added, her gaze lifting to see the stable hand bringing out two saddled horses, obviously expecting them.
David relaxed when he realized she understood his intent, returning her smile, "Shall we?" He asked, waiting for her nod before getting out of the drivers side and rounding the truck to open her door and help her out.
Considering the baby, she waved a protective spell over her abdomen in an inconspicuous movement as she let David lead her over to the horses. She was far enough along for riding to be safe, but she still wouldn't take the chance. "Thanks," She heard David address the stable hand, taking the reigns for his horse.
She stood beside him, glancing at her own mare with a feeling of anxiety. So much had happened since she'd last ridden for enjoyment. Not only did the action remind her of a time before her heart was broken by Daniel's murder, but it also symbolized a time when she'd felt trapped and unable to enjoy this freedom. By her mother, who caught her when she'd tried to ride away to escape a marriage to the king. The King, who wouldn't allow her out to ride, and eventually confined her to the castle itself. Her anger in the years after, that consumed her and stole her ability to enjoy something as pure as a relationship between a horse and rider.
"Regina?" David questioned gently, bringing her from her thoughts, "You okay?"
She didn't want to ruin their plans, but she felt hesitant to mount the horse on her own. It was a big step for her, as simple as it seemed, as many times as she'd sat in a saddle. "Can I just ride with you?" She found herself asking him in a small voice, realizing her insecurity was showing by the understanding expression he gave her.
"Of course," David smiled gently, nodding to the stable hand to take the second mare back. He then stepped into the stirrup and swung his leg over expertly before holding a hand down to Regina, "Ready?" He seemed to understand that she still wanted to do this, to face her anxiety and reclaim a joy that had been stolen from her like so many others.
Regina nodded once, putting her hand in his as he moved his foot so she could use the stirrup, though the strength of his arm lifting her as she stepped made her come to sit behind him with ease.
He turned, ensuring she was comfortable as he secured his footing in the stirrups, "Are you okay?" He smiled warmly to which she nodded again.
"Mhm," She gave him an empty smile, though he knew it was from distraction rather than distance or lack of emotion. He could tell she was overwhelmed with excitement and fear at the same time...and could that be a hint of adoration shining from her dark eyes?
"Good," David smiled again before turning back to the reigns, giving them a gentle whip against the mares shoulders to propel them into motion.
Regina wrapped her arms around David's muscular waist, pressing her front to his back and delighting in the warm comfort. She rested the side of her head between his shoulder blades, feeling his body flexing with each movement of the reigns as she stared out at the scenery. He remained silent, aware she was making sense of her feelings and allowing them to run their course.
They made their way down the riding path, into the more forest covered parts, at a leisurely pace. Regina reveled in the familiar feeling of the ride, letting herself enjoy the simplicity of it while allowing David's presence stave off the bad memories. One in particular came to mind, prompting her to share it with him instead of harboring it alone as usual. She'd never understood why someone would willingly divulge things before, but as her relationships with he and Emma and Henry evolved, she was beginning to see it was necessary in order to heal.
"My mother used to keep such a strict eye on me, she'd only approve of me riding if it was for lessons," She started, feeling David turn his head slightly to acknowledge he was listening as the horse made its way through the trail, knowing it by instinct now and requiring little instruction from him.
"I grew more defiant as I got older, and when I was 15, one night I snuck out for a ride," She hugged his waist tighter as she spoke, "I'd never felt more free, it was thrilling to be away from her critical eye. I was on my favorite horse, she and I were so comfortable with each other. She's the one I learned to ride on." A faint smile graced her lips at the thought of her beloved mare, causing David to glance back at her warmly when she paused the story.
She caught his gaze before he turned back to the trail, prompting her to continue, "I could tell my mare was as happy to be out riding as I was, so I led her to a gallop. I knew the trail like the back of my hand and so did she. We sped through the forest, it was so warm that night, a perfect night for a ride."
David smiled to himself at the way she was openly sharing her past with him without even being asked. It made him feel good, like he was indeed proving himself to her, "Did you get away with it?"
"I thought I had," Regina's tone changed, cuddling up to him more for warmth at the chill to the air. It was a mild December for Storybrooke, but still cool enough to get cold after a while if not properly bundled. "Unbeknownst to us, a limb had fallen across the path, and my mare tripped. The force sent my flying off, landing on the ground and my mare she...her leg was broken..." She swallowed hard, "I ran home in a panic and woke my parents to tell them what had happened."
"And?" David frowned at where the story was leading, reaching down to hold her small hands wrapped around him with one of his own.
"My mother led me back out to where my mare was, laying on the trail in distress. She insisted I watch while she killed her, said it was the least I could do since I was the one who made her lame; that if it hadn't been for me disobeying that she'd still be well. When we got back to our home, she then chastised me for the cut on my lip I hadn't realized I had gotten from the fall, and refused to heal it with her magic. She said she'd let it be a reminder to me of what happened whenever I defied her."
"Regina," David sighed, not even knowing how to respond to such a story. He couldn't imagine growing up with a parent so cold and harsh. No words he could ever say to her would be enough and luckily she continued before he did.
"You know what I found out later?" Regina's voice was weak and she was grateful David was turned in the opposite direction and that she didn't have to meet his eyes, "She'd woken and realized I'd snuck out that night. It was her that brought the tree limb down with magic, to teach me a lesson..."
David remained silent, stifling the anger he felt at Cora back down. How could a parent intentionally traumatize their own child in such a way? Discipline was one thing, but what her mother had done to her was abuse. It made him regard Regina's parenting abilities even more, realizing just how horrible her own childhood had been. "I'm sorry," He replied genuinely, finding himself at a loss for words again as he brought one of hands up to kiss the palm of it.
Regina had never shared the story with anyone, finding that it did make it easier to bear now that he knew, "It's in the past. Besides, the scar came to serve me well when I became the Evil Queen. It struck fear in people," She gave a slightly bitter chuckle, "If they'd only known what an innocent way I'd gotten it they wouldn't have been so intimidated."
"Is that why you never healed it yourself?" He asked.
"Partially, by the time Rumple began teaching me how to use my own magic, I'd grown bitter and angry at my mother, and life in general. I kept the scar as a reminder every time I looked in the mirror, of everyone who'd done me wrong. Then, like I said, it served it's purpose when I became the Evil Queen, and after, well I guess I'd grown accustomed to it. Here in Storybrooke, it's always been a symbol of my past when I see it, of who I was and who I've been over the years."
"A physical characteristic of how you feel and what you've been through," David said in understanding, feeling her give a gentle nod against his back. "I think it's beautiful, Regina. It encompasses you as a person; with scars, but no less beautiful because of them. I'm glad you kept it."
She felt her throat constrict with emotion at his depth of understanding. No one had ever looked at her and fully seen her the way he seemed to be able to. It was in that moment she knew she could trust him again. After all, he'd seen her at her worst, when her anger was directed at him. He knew the horrible stories, had seen the devastation she'd caused. He'd hated her at one point because of it, just like she'd hated herself. But he'd also given her another chance, had realized the potential for good within her, had encouraged it in the past years, had defended her, given her confidence, listened to her, and loved her. All of her.
"I love you," Regina choked out, her voice wavering with unshed tears at her admittance. As further proof at how well he understood her, he didn't turn back to look at her, respecting her need for privacy when she felt vulnerable. Instead he simply lifted her hand in his, placing it on his chest over his heart.
"I love you, Regina." He replied, as if he'd already known her feelings for quite some time.
"So where did they go on their date?" Henry asked, throwing a piece of popcorn in his mouth as he and Emma sat on her couch, watching a movie after putting Neal to bed.
"Dad took her to the stables," Emma shrugged casually, reaching for some of the popcorn from the bowl between them, "To go riding."
"Oh you mean they're not cleaning them out?" He poked fun at Emma's obvious statement, "That seems romantic."
"Shut it, kid," Emma smirked, throwing a piece at hi and making him laugh.
"So you're good with them, then?" He shrugged, watching her as she glanced back towards the television. "And you and mom are friends again?"
"I mean, Dad is the happiest I've seen him in ages and so is Regina, if she'd quit worrying and let herself be," The blonde shrugged, "I guess if he's moving on from mom with anyone, I'm glad it's her. They both deserve to be happy," Emma added seriously, giving a glance to her son. "As far as Regina and I, I think we're back on track."
"So when are you going to start calling her 'Step-Mum'?" Hook appeared in the entryway with a teasing grin, coming over to fall down on the couch beside Emma.
Emma's mouth dropped before she picked the pillow up from her lap, throwing it at the side of his head, "Too soon!"
Henry and Killian both erupted in laughter, heads falling back against the couch as Emma crossed her arms and tried not to smile, "Laugh it up, you two."
"Does this mean you're my mom and step-sister now?" Henry asked in between laughs, making Killian's own jaw drop as he guffawed again.
"This is so wrong!" Emma yelled with wide eyes before bursting into laughter herself, "We are never having this conversation again. Got it?" She glanced between the both of them as they tried to suppress their smiles with tight lips, giving her a quick nod.
"Sorry, love, couldn't resist," Killian said with a smirk, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Regina turned her key in the lock of her front door, giving David a glance when she pushed it open slightly. "Thank you for tonight," She turned more to him, looking up at him with a sense of urgency. He'd said he was getting out to walk her to her door, but she was secretly hoping he wouldn't leave. She'd thought her confession earlier that she loved him had reaffirmed their relationship, but he hadn't made a move yet.
David gazed down at her, returning the heated look she was beginning to give him. He thought she wanted it, thought they were to the point where they could resume this aspect of their relationship, but he wasn't entirely sure. Should he make the move? His pulse beat faster, blood rushing south at how badly he craved her. "It was my pleasure."
She bit her lip as they stared at each other for a few more moments, her gaze traveling down to his neck and shoulders. "Do you...do you want to come in-" She began to say, glancing back up to see him closing in on her, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.
The hint of her offer was enough to make him act on his desire, letting out a groan when she met his kiss with equal ferocity. He ran his hands over the back of her black, high waisted skinny jeans, gripping her bottom before scooping her up, feeling her legs wrap tightly around his waist in cooperation. She moaned into his mouth, increasing his urgency to get her inside as he stepped through the entryway, kicking the door shut behind him.
Regina pulled back from the kiss, scratching her nails over the base of his neck as he walked her towards the wall inside the foyer and pressed her against it. She bit her lip with a seductive grin, noting the way his bright blue eyes had darkened, relishing in the hellish desire she evoked from the usually gentle man.
David pinned her against the wall with his hips, her legs resting around his waist as he gripped her thighs to hold them up, burying his face in her neck. She whimpered at the hot, wet kisses he placed on the sensitive skin, making her head fall back against the wall as her fingers worked deftly between them at the buttons on his shirt.
"I've missed you," David whispered huskily down her ear before sucking down on the lobe, eliciting a moan from deep in her throat. He then placed chaste kisses down her jaw line to the other side of her neck, nipping and kissing the places he remembered she'd liked. Her skin was flushing from arousal as he ran a hand up to the top of her blouse, pulling it down enough to expose the top of her breasts as his lips found the sensitive flesh.
"David," She whined, her hips rolling against his in need as desire ached between her thighs, beckoning him to touch her. Anything to release the tension, the increased hormones in her body intensifying the feeling.
"Hmm," His lips curled against the top of her breast, sucking down firmly as he hiked her leg higher before letting go of it, bringing the hand in between them. He felt the way her stomach tensed as his fingers touched it while he undid the button of her pants, making him harder in his own. David lifted his head to look at her as he pulled the zipper down slowly, a devilish grin on his face.
She bit her lip in anticipation as she watched him, one hand pressed against his bare chest after undoing the buttons of his shirt to expose the muscles, her other hand wrapped around the back of his neck. He leaned in as he flatted his palm against her stomach, his lips recapturing her neck as his fingertips pushed past the waistband of her panties. "David," She moaned aloud as his fingers delved into her wetness, digging her fingernails into the flesh of his neck.
"You've missed me too," He groaned in observation, starting to massage small circles on her swollen sex. She began moving her hips with him anxiously, her hand on his chest running down his abs and around his side, bracing herself on him.
"More, David, please," She growled after a few minutes, breathing heavily already. His breath caught in his throat, throbbing in his pants now as he stroked her more firmly before slipping two fingers inside of her, cusping his thumb over her clit to continue the teasing as he slowly thrust the others. He'd never been more aroused by anyone, let alone by merely feeling up a fully clothed woman. Regina wasn't just any woman, though.
He lifted his lips from her neck for a moment to watch her expressions as he moved his hand at a faster pace. Her hips were writhing and jerking against his forearm and hand, her eyes closed and head arched back against the wall. A steady stream of moans and whimpers escaped her parted lips, followed by a choked moan as he felt her tense violently, her hand on his neck pulling him closer and nails of the other digging into his lower back when she came quickly.
"Let's never go this long again," David said breathlessly as he removed his hand, gripping her thighs as he turned to carry her up the stairs in urgency.
"Mm, I agree," Regina nodded in a breathless haze, gripping the back of his hair as she rested her head against the side of his, recovering from her orgasm while he bounded the steps with ease. "You're overdressed," She murmured as she regained control of her thoughts, pushing his shirt down his shoulders as he carried her into her room and laid her on the bed before shrugging out of it the rest of the way.
They both sensed the urgency between them, Regina leaning up slightly to pull her top over her head as David kicked off his jeans before gripped hers and peeling them down her legs. He groaned under his breath as he pulled her panties down, seeing the way the laced was dampened with arousal. She gave him a heated grin as she pulled the matching bra down her arms and threw it to the side, threatening to make him explode with the sight of her bare body. She leaned up more, legs spread before him as she came to a sitting position and pushed his boxers down, freeing his stiffness from the cotton confines.
David watched her with an animalistic expression, stepping out of them before pushing her back against the bed and coming over her. Their gazed locked as her arms came around his neck, his hands running up the back of her thighs, spreading them as his tip found her, thrusting into her with one fluid motion. She cried out, drawing her knees up around his sides to feel him deeper as he rocked into her.
"You feel so good, Regina," He groaned into her ear, threading his fingers through hers as he pushed her arm above her head, pinning it to the bed as he thrust. His other hand gripped the back of her thigh, pushing it higher as he drove into her with abandon. They chased completion as they quickly settled into a rhythm that drove them higher, not that it was hard to do with their mutual eagerness and beckoning moans of pleasure.
"David, I'm close," She gasped at the feeling of him throbbing and thick inside of her, his breath hitting the sensitive space between the corner of her jaw and ear as his face hovered over hers. Her free hand grasped at his back, helping pull him deeper with the motion, rocking her hips up as he pushed.
"Come for me," David beckoned, pressing his lips to her jaw, feeling her tightening around him in the beginning of her second orgasm. "Fuck," He cursed aloud at how hard her body tensed, her back arching up from the bed as she let out a sharp cry.
She moaned and whimpered, her fingers tightening around his own in the hand he held above her head, bare chest pressing up against his in a delicious friction as she writhed. Watching her come was enough for him to reach his own, the force of it making him shudder in pleasure. He let himself go, spilling inside of her as he groaned into her neck.
David lifted his head after a few moments, labored breathing the only sound in the room as he looked down at her. She held up no front, no mask, staring up at him with honest and content eyes. Things were different between them, he was sure of it. She'd accepted him into her life and seemed to be reaching out towards their chance at happiness. He hoped her opening up to him during their ride earlier had meant he'd earned her trust again, but for now he'd relish in the fact that she wasn't running from him anymore. She wasn't denying the feelings between them; she'd admitted she loved him. That was enough right now.
David frowned, a sound from the bathroom waking him up as he sat up in Regina's bed, the sun barely beginning to rise. He squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the dim light, reaching for his boxers on the floor as he slid out of the bed, pulling them on before recognizing the sound.
"Regina?" He frowned in concern, walking over to the bathroom door and pushing it open slowly as it wasn't latched. She was there on her knees in her short silk robe, looking up from the toilet where she'd just finished being sick.
"Are you okay?" He asked with a soft tone, grabbing a washcloth to wet it under the sink and wring out the excess water before kneeling down beside her as she gave a weak nod.
"Fine," She forced a smile as he pressed the cool cloth to her forehead before wiping it down her face and over her mouth gently to refresh her.
"Are you done?" He asked and she gave him a nod before he reached out his arms to help her up, leading her back out to her bedroom, "Do you need to go to the doctor, is something wrong?" He frowned in concern, helping her sit down in the bed before taking a seat beside her.
"No, David, it's nothing like that," She forced a smile at him. It was time to tell him, she knew. He'd proven his words to be true, sticking around and never denouncing his love for her. He'd went out of his way to plan something special for her the evening before, showing he wanted to do more than just be with her. He wanted to help her heal, to know and love all of the parts of her. She could trust him, she knew this, but still her heart leapt at admitting the truth to him.
"Regina, you're worrying me," He watched her expression go through a series of changes and he could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. David reached for her hand, giving her a reassuring look when she glanced his way, "What is it?"
She gazed at him, the early morning sun barely lighting the room, his hair messy and his expression adorably concerned. Would he look at her differently once he knew? Was this too much, too soon? He already had a baby, how would he feel about this one? The man had been so patient and given her so much, she didn't want to overwhelm him. Of course he would be loyal to her and the child, would take care of them regardless of how he felt. The trouble was, she cared about how he felt, and his feelings and his happiness. She cared about them way too much to be able to ignore it if he wasn't ready for this type of commitment. It would break her heart all over again, even if she could logically understand where he was coming from.
"Regina," He repeated more firmly, his concern obviously building at her silence, "Talk to me."
Her words caught in her throat, anxiety rising within her. If she hadn't been sick and emptied her stomach already, she'd have to do it again. She struggled with herself and getting the words out. She could trust him, yes, but that didn't make this any less scary to admit. "I'm pregnant."
*gasp* A cliffhanger, don't hate me. How do you think David will react? (;