I'm sorry this took a bit, I've been so busy! Please review and let me know if you're still reading! xoxo
Her nails dug into the skin of his chest as she rode him harder, moaning at the heat building in her abdomen. David was tense underneath her, his sculpted body feeling as deliciously firm as he was inside of her, giving her a solid foundation as she ground their hips. They had been going at it for hours and her movements were getting sloppy, her rhythm faltering with fatigue and how over-sensitive she was from the orgasms before.
David's hands ran over her bottom, gripping it firmly as he leaned up, abs flexing with ease, bringing him into a sitting position as his mouth found one of her nipples. She gasped aloud, rolling herself on him harder, sliding her hands over his back to get more leverage as she brought herself midway up his erection before thrusting back down, evoking groans from both of them.
He teased her nipple with his tongue as she rode him, making a string of curses and choked moans of his name come out of her as she bounded toward her peak. She was wound tightly, the burning sensation igniting rapidly as she felt her body preparing to explode. He brought a hand down between them, his thumb beginning to tease her clit in slow circles, making her jerk and whimper at his touch.
"David I'm-" Regina started to say, feeling herself on the verge of coming before being jolted awake by a pounding downstairs. God damnit. Her eyes adjusted to the daylight and she felt her silk pajamas sticking to her sweaty skin from the dream. She let out a groan as the knocking on her door continued. Could Emma's timing be any worse?
She scooted to the edge of the bed, feeling how tender her breasts were from the pregnancy, undoubtedly having added to the eroticism of the dream. The throbbing between her legs ached for attention, leaving her irritable at the interruption as reality set in. Being on top of David and on the verge of an earth shattering orgasm was much more pleasant than her current situation; an empty bed and a pregnancy making her a horny, emotional mess.
"I'm coming Swan!" She yelled, though not in the way she wanted to be, as she left her room and started for the stairs. Her body was much too hot to put a robe on over her pajamas and she didn't care about her hair at this point, running a hand through it half-heartedly. If Emma had only been twenty seconds later, Regina may have been greeting her in a much more amiable mood.
"Must you really break down my door with your thumping?" She sniped when she swung open her front door, narrowing her eyes at the sheriff who stood with her fist up, ready to knock again.
Emma gave her an apologetic smile before dropping her hand and shrugging once, "Sorry, but you weren't at your office so I was kinda worried. We were gonna meet there this morning and talk, remember?"
"I remember, I just overslept," Regina waved a dismissive hand at Emma before turning and disappearing into the kitchen, leaving the blonde to walk herself in and shut the door.
"You feeling all right?" Swan asked as she followed the brunette in, watching her fumble around to make a cup of tea.
"I'm fine," Regina gritted with an unamused glance towards her as she put her mug in the machine and pressed the button.
"Hey I like it when you don't have on heels," The blonde joked, standing an inch or two taller than the mayor who was barefooted. Catching another humorless glance from the woman with bed hair, she stepped back, sitting down on the stool, "Not a morning person are we?" She jested, "C'mon Regina, I know it's tough but we don't have to be at each other on top of everything else."
"Forgive me for not greeting you with a smile and a curtsy, Swan," Regina dead panned with an eye roll, picking up her mug when the light flashed on the machine and swirling the tea bag around, "But you woke me from a particularly pleasant dream that I'd like to have finished." That will shut her up.
"Oh, ew," Emma frowned with a raise of her hand, "I'm done with this conversation, we can get down to business now," She let out a breath with a wide eyed quirk of her brows.
"Good," Regina couldn't help the smug grin that appeared behind her mug when she lifted it to her mouth to take a sip, "Did you and Killian find anything of use to us yesterday?"
"Well, we found something but I don't know if it means anything," Emma's lips pursed, leaning her elbows on the island in front of her as the brunette stood, bottom against the opposite counter, resting her mug of tea over the rounded top of her bump.
"Well? Go on Swan," Regina prodded, feeling irritable not only at the fact that Emma woke her, but that she was seen by yet another person in her disheveled, pajama clad state.
"Around Christmas I had a dream," Swan began with a frown, "I didn't put much thought into it because it was so bizarre, so I eventually forgot about it. But I wondered at the time if it was a premonition..."
"...And was it?" Regina shrugged impatiently, waiting for the sheriff to get to the point.
"I don't know, in the dream I found my mother surrounded by dream catchers. She smiled and laughed, and it looked and sounded just like her, but her eyes were completely different," She frowned, watching Regina take in the information without giving any readable reaction, "Yesterday when Killian and I were looking behind the restaurant, we found a feather from one of my dream catchers. I know it's mine because it's the same thread I used when I was the Dark One."
Regina's brows creased in thought as her eyes shifted from Emma's, staring into space as she mulled it over. What in the hell was she getting at? "Emma, do you think this is your mother coming back for some sort of revenge?" She raised a brow, glancing back at her skeptically.
"I don't know, it's the only sense I could make out of it," She groaned in response, recognizing her own doubt mirrored in Regina's expression, "Do you think it's just some strange coincidence that the feather showed up in the area dad said he woke up in? After I had that dream?"
"Emma, you and I both know that your mother wouldn't do that to David, even if she somehow came back and was angry about us," She eyed the blonde seriously, "And even if someone did resurrect or summon your mother somehow, it's not going to really be her. I told you how Daniel was when Whale brought him back," She swallowed hard at the memory, desperately hoping that wasn't the case for Snow. David and Emma didn't need to see her in that condition, no one should have to see a loved one like that.
"So you don't think it's really my mother, then?" Emma reiterated with a nod, seeing Regina return it. She needed absolution from that possibility in order to continue. The case would be easier to think about if she didn't have that nagging hope that Snow would somehow show up alive and well, and Regina understood that.
"No, Emma. I'm sorry. If it's her, it won't fully be her," Regina said in a softer tone, all sense of irritation she had earlier gone, "Do you have any idea who would've been able to get access to one of your dream catchers?"
"No, I destroyed them all after we defeated the darkness," Emma looked at her honestly, "They've been gone for a year now."
Regina bit her bottom lip, her emotions rising and making tears well in her eyes. It seemed so hopeless, no leads or ideas for them to follow. There was no starting point in sight, and definitely no end point. She just wanted her family back, preferably before she had the baby. Her hands found her stomach as she momentarily forgot about Emma's presence, relying on the child within her to give her a little bit of comfort. It was what kept her determined not to fall back into the darkness and give up on her future. It wasn't just her happy ending she was fighting for now.
"We'll figure it out Regina," Emma looked at her knowingly, catching the brunettes teary gaze, "It may not seem like it right now but we'll keep looking. Maybe Gold will know something we can use?" She shrugged, evoking a frown from her friend at the mention of Rumplestiltskin.
"You really want to ask Gold for help?" Regina gritted with a reluctant glance, "He probably did this," She scoffed, not really believing it. No, Gold's attacks were much more sophisticated.
"Right now we have nothing to go on," Swan let out a breath, "And he owes us all one for screwing us around last year, don't you think? We can talk to him, see if he has any idea what caused this or if he seems in on it," She added with a frown.
"What makes you think Rumple is just going to help us?" Regina shook her head, "Everything comes at a price with him. Trust me, I've dealt with him long enough."
"We'll take Henry along," Emma shrugged, seeing the immediate disagreement as Regina opened her mouth to protest, "Hear me out. We take Henry, between the two of us we can keep him safe if any argument ensues. You and I both know Rumple cares about what his grandson thinks of him," She raised a brow, "We can use that to our advantage, keep Rumple playing straight with us."
"I don't like that idea," The brunette grumbled, turning to put her mug in the sink, "Deep down Rumple only cares about himself...and maybe Belle. But if you think taking Henry along will get information out of him then," She lifted a hand in agreement, turning back to Emma.
"Like Henry will let us go without him anyways," Emma shrugged with a laugh, "All right, why don't you go get dressed? We can talk more over lunch at Granny's."
Regina groaned at the thought, knowing she had to face the people in town at some point, but not looking forward to it, "Must you always be such a pain in my ass, Swan?" She grumbled as she made her way around the counter, not being able to help complaining just a little bit at Emma's orders.
She chuckled, watching Regina walking with a hand on her back, remembering that stage of the pregnancy all too well. Everything was getting bigger and more uncomfortable, energy drained faster and emotions were all over the place. She had to get her friend out of this house and try to keep her spirits up. "Hurry up Preggo, I'll get you cheese fries."
"Is Swan not here?" Killian asked, poking his head into the Sheriff's office, seeing David sitting at his desk.
"No, she went to talk to Regina then text me saying they were going to lunch," He shrugged, holding up his iPhone and frowning at the fact he still didn't know how to use it. He didn't understand why he'd gotten a new one in the first place, his flip phone had been just fine.
"Ah, glad to see they're back to normal then," Hook nodded with a half smirk, "Alright mate, see you at dinner," He nodded, turning to go before David stopped him with a question.
"Normal? So Emma and Regina are friends?" He raised a brow curiously, having gotten that impression over the past couple of days but not knowing to what extent.
Hook turned back around, surprised at David approaching him of all people. David wasn't his biggest fan with his memories, let alone at the point they were at now. He supposed David not knowing currently about him working with Cora for a brief spell was partially to thank for that. "Aye, the past couple of years you all have worked together to keep the town safe and sort of...took Regina in," He shrugged, casually stepping further into the office, "You all considered her family, and when Snow died it brought Emma and Regina closer. They were having lunch every day, well..till."
"Until what?" David shrugged, leaning back in his desk chair. He didn't understand why he was here, he didn't know the first thing about being a deputy without the on the job training he'd apparently gotten the last couple of years.
"Well until she walked in on you and Regina at yer loft apartment," Killian admitted with a slight smirk, not being able but to find some humor in the fact that he was telling David about his love life. He relaxed a little, the usual tension between them not there with David's lack of knowledge of their history and his preoccupation with his situation with Regina.
"She walked in on us?" David's eyes widened, "What happened then?"
Hook leaned on Emma's desk across from him, half sitting on it before he gave a shrug of his shoulders and sighed, "Well...She and Regina had some words, she was angry because you two kept it from her. Then you and Regina supposedly fought after cause ye didn't stick up for her when Emma said all that shite," He summarized it in his own way, "Then Regina ended up passing out cause of the baby, but ye didn't know it was because of the baby yet, but ye begged her for another chance."
"I begged Regina to give me a chance?" The deputy eyed him incredulously, running a hand over his jaw and chin.
"Aye, you were smitten," He nodded with a raised brow, "Trust me, we were all just as shocked. Regina didn't trust that ye were ready to move on from Snow, but you proved yourself to her. Then I suppose you found out about the baby. Ye were practically living at her house anyways, but you moved in after that. Round Christmas time."
"It's just hard to believe, to me we were enemies the other day," David admitted, looking at Hook with a confused expression, "She does seem different, though." He glanced down towards his desk, remembering the way she cried when he left the other day and the way she treated Neal.
"You think?" Killian scoffed with a shake of his head, "I worked for her back in the Enchanted Forest, gods was she evil, and that's coming from me," He gave Charming knowing glance before continuing, "But she has changed. You two were right happy, and she loves your Neal. Even Emma came around to you two being together."
David remained silent for a moment, considering what the pirate had told him. He still didn't understand just what had made him fall for Regina. Sure, he found her attractive now, but looks weren't everything. The last time he'd had a conversation with her before he'd woken up with no memories, she'd been cold and vengeful, threatening him that when she got Henry or her magic back that he'd better watch out. Even if she had changed over the years, he found it hard to believe he could move on just seven months after Snow's death. Wasn't she supposed to be his one true love?
"So let me get this straight, Gold tried stealing the dark magic from you and Killian a year ago and you think he's going to help us in some way?" David eyed them all with doubt, standing with his arms crossed in Emma's kitchen. A week had passed since he'd woken with no memory, and they'd made no headway on how to get it back. He knew this was taxing on everyone, making him angry at himself for not being any help.
"Do you have a better idea, Charming?" Regina rolled her eyes at him, crossing her own arms in defiance, giving him a glimpse of the sassy Regina Mills he was familiar with.
"Killian and I have looked everywhere and we haven't been able to find any more clues. We have nothing to go on right now," Emma cut in, leaning her hands against the counter, "I think it's the right thing to do."
"He does owe us one," Killian nodded in agreement, standing beside Emma supportively.
"And you want to use Henry in this ruse to soften him up?" David reiterated in a tone that suggested he found fault with their plan.
"We're trying to get your memories back, David," Regina said with a frown, her tone dropping low, "Or do you not want them?" She was tired and growing more and more impatient with his resistance. How could he stand there and look at her and resist utilizing one of their last options of making any headway on finding out the cause of this? It hurt her, spurning her anger and lessening her ability to understand where he was coming from.
"That's absurd, of course I want to know what the hell has happened to me the past three years," David spat back at her, equally frustrated. They were quickly falling back into their old pattern of irritating each other and the bickering that followed. After what Emma had just told him Gold had done a year ago, he didn't know why any of them would want to ask him for help. He wanted his memories back, yes, but he wanted to ensure that his family stayed out of harms way more.
"What so you can figure out where you went wrong?" Regina jabbed with a fake smile at him, seeing him roll his eyes. She found a weird comfort in the familiarity of bickering with him. Throwing barbs at each other now felt a lot more therapeutic than him being uncomfortable and kind to her. At least this was real.
"You guys, this isn't helping matters any," Emma cut in, glancing between the two of them, "We're all going to go talk to Gold and see if he can help in any way. All right?"
"Fine, but the second things get heated we're leaving," David said firmly, looking at the three of them, "And Killian stays here with Henry and Neal."
"I thought we were taking the lad?" Killian frowned, glancing at Emma for reassurance.
"He's right, we can't bring Henry into this," Regina agreed, much to David's surprise, "I don't trust Gold, and if we have to do some underhanded dealing in order to get information from him, I don't want my son witnessing it."
The sherriff eyed them both before looking at Killian and giving him a nod of approval, "We'll be back soon."
"Good luck," The pirate replied, implying with his tone that the luck was for more than just their dealing with Gold.
Emma glanced at the two lovers, staring each other down with looks of irritation before replying, "Thanks. I'm gonna need it."
"To what do I owe the pleasure, dearies?" Gold gave a smug grin as the three of them made their way into his pawnshop, sitting behind the counter detailing one of his antiques.
"You know why we're here," Regina hissed, assuming the lead as she approached the counter.
"Ahh, yes. I heard rumors about this little predicament," Rumple's eyes glittered with amusement as he looked at David, "My my, is someone having trouble remembering whose bed they're supposed to be in?"
"Cut the crap Rumple," Emma put a hand on his counter, "Can you help us find out who did this or not?"
"I see your step-mummy is rubbing off on you," He jested, setting down his cleaning rag before eyeing all of them, "And just why should I help the likes of you three?"
"You owe me-" The sheriff growled, losing her patience before the brunette cut her off.
"Because you're Henry's other grandfather, and this affects him as much as it does me or Emma," Regina reasoned, keeping a steeled expression against the man who used to be her mentor, "All we need to know is what we're dealing with."
Rumple watched Regina in amusement before letting out a breath, "I suppose I could help an old friend. Even if you did jump ship and join the hero team," He added, his gaze shifting over Emma and David. "So, have you found any clues? Any residual traces of magic on him?"
"No, but I did find this in the alley behind Granny's, where it happened," Emma said, pulling the feather from her pocket and sliding it across the counter to him.
"And the significance of this?" Rumple picked up the feather, spinning it between his thumb and forefinger in examination.
"It's from one of my dreamcatchers I made when I was the Dark One," The blonde frowned, "And I had a dream that I found my mother in the shed with them, except it didn't seem like it was really her."
"You think your mother is back?" David asked quickly, turning to Emma, not missing the way Regina's gaze shifted to the floor at his eagerness.
"Don't get your hopes up, deary," Rumple grinned, his eyes shifting from Regina's dejected state and back to David, "Your beloved wife isn't back. Bringing back the dead comes at a price, and even if their bodies come back, it won't be them entirely. Just ask Regina, her Danny boy was quite the monster."
David glanced toward Regina, seeing her glare at Rumple, "That's enough," He said firmly, causing the amusement to slip from the older man's features, "If it isn't really Snow that's back, then who?"
"Someone using her body as a vessel," He replied simply, throwing the feather back onto the counter, "Maybe not your mummy.." Gold pointed towards Emma before shifting his finger to Regina, "...but yours?"
"Cora?" Emma frowned, looking at Regina, "But didn't you two make up before she died? Why would she do this to you, Regina?"
Regina shook her head, "When did my mother ever need a reason to ruin my life?" She sighed, shifting her attention to Rumple, "You have strong enough magic to use a locator spell and see where my mother is and how she made it out of the underworld." Gold had failed in his attempt to steal the Dark One title from Emma and Killian, but his plan had been successful enough to gain his dark magic back.
"I taught you well," Gold smiled, pushing himself up from the stool and grabbing his cane as he made his way over to where his white globe rested on the shelf, "But first, I'll need something of Cora's."
"And then you'll locate her?" Regina narrowed her eyes at him, seeing his expression shift from David to her and then her bump. His eyes seemed to lose the evil glint for a moment before he nodded.
"You'll want to keep an eye out, if Cora is indeed in our world then she's probably listening in on this very conversation," Rumple warned, his jesting ceased as he looked at Regina more seriously, "She's the Dark One now, after all. All seeing, all hearing."
"I have some of my mother's things in my vault," Regina nodded, ignoring Rumple's warning. She may have been scared of her mother during her time on earth, but it had warn off now. She was more angry at her than anything, not knowing why she'd try to continue ruining her life from the grave, even after she'd apologized for the havoc she'd brought her daughter.
"Gold's right, you shouldn't be going anywhere alone, let alone at night," Emma shook her head, "At least wait until the morning?"
"Fine," She gritted with an eye roll, "We'll be back," Regina addressed Gold before turning to go, hearing Emma and David following her.
She felt a hand on her elbow after making her way outside, turning around to look up in surprise at it being David who stopped her. He glanced at Emma who continued to her car, getting in the drivers seat before looking back at Regina as they stood on the sidewalk, "Look if Gold is right and it is Cora, I don't think you and Henry should be living alone."
"Don't be absurd, I have magic I can defend myself and Henry," She shrugged before raising an eyebrow, "Besides, whats it to you? It's not like we're together. You'd never be with the Evil Queen." She mocked his own words, bitterness and hurt lingering in her dark eyes.
"I don't doubt that you can defend yourself," David said seriously, "But Neal and I will come back to your place. I don't like the idea of you there alone in your condition." He knew how contradicting he sounded, not truly knowing her but still wanting to protect her. He was responsible for the child she was carrying, and whether they were together or not, she was it's mother and that made her safety important to him as well.
"You don't have to do this, David," Regina rolled her eyes, "I absolve you of whatever duty you're feeling here."
"Regina," He shook his head in frustration, "This is about more than me and you, here. We need to stick together to figure this out and to keep our child safe. Got it?"
"Who do you think you are speaking to me like that?" She stuck her chin out in defiance, glaring up at him with a snarl of her scarred lip that made adrenaline run through him.
"I think I'm the father of your child," David said, his tone was calm now which made her even angrier, "And I'm coming back to the home that we shared while you're in danger."
She growled in frustration, "How I ever found you remotely attractive is beyond me!" She sniped before turning to stalk towards Emma's car.
"It's the name," He cracked, not being able to hold back from egging her on some more. Everyone else had been treating him like he was made of glass, and Regina's temper was an exciting change of pace. He watched her regard his comment with her hand on the car door, not knowing it reminded her of a moment they'd shared months ago. 'How do you always know what to say, Charming?' It's the name.
A frown came to her lips then before she opened the door and pushed up the front seat, "The backseat awaits, Nolan."