The blare of the alarm sounded the second after Emma had finally closed her eyes. She woke in the unfamiliar bed, pressed against a familiar body. Pushing up and reaching blindly over Regina she pounded on the clock until it stopped bleating. Regina slowly opened sleepy eyes, startled to see Emma hovering over her so close. Her expression softened and she bit her lip, the corners turning upwards in a smile.
Emma rubbed at her sore, sleep-deprived eyes and allowed herself to collapse on top of Regina. She burrowed her face into the crook of her neck, and whined against her throat, "Does Captain America really need a shield?"
"Have you ever seen him without it? The glue and stars are in the craft box," Regina wrapped her arms around Emma and squeezed her in a tight hug before releasing her.
Emma reluctantly and grumpily threw back the sheets. She single-mindedly headed out the door, hoping to finish the shield in record time so she could crawl back into bed. She turned around in a daze and located her crumpled jeans, tugging them on, but not bothering to button them up. Regina had turned back over, and Emma paused to watch her from the doorway.
"Are you getting up too?" Emma asked hopefully.
"My alarm is set for 7," Regina gloated as Emma watched dark hair sink deeper into the pillow.
"Oh...dear?" Regina called sweetly, and for a moment Emma was sure she would coax her back to bed to make love as the sun rose.
"Yes?" Emma was already three steps closer to the bed.
"Make me some coffee."
~~~~~~~`V
By the time Henry plodded down the stairs, Emma had the circles painted on the shield and the big white star glued on.
"Morning, mom! Happy Halloween!" Henry skidded past the dining room, sensing a presence but not bothering to confirm that it wasn't Regina sitting at the table, "Do we have any juice?"
"Um…don't know. I finished your costume, kid," Emma felt her heart beat quicker at Henry calling her mom, even if he directed it toward the wrong one. She was always addressed as Emma. She pushed back from the table and followed him to the kitchen to present the finished shield to him.
"Awesome!" He said admiringly, between swigs of juice straight from the carton. He was not at all surprised to see that it was in fact his other mother standing before him.
"I stayed up all night working on it," Emma felt her cheeks flush at the blatant lie.
"No you didn't," Henry corrected, a self-satisfied smirk pursed on his lips as he glided a hand over his face to wipe away his juice mustache.
"Yeah, I did. That's why I'm still here," Emma argued even as she realized her jeans were still unbuttoned. She held the shield in front of her and used her free hand to awkwardly fasten herself up.
"I came down here in the middle of the night and you weren't here," Henry reasoned, "So you must have either snuck in early or you stayed over."
"Fine, I stayed over. Are you putting on your costume now?" Emma quickly tried to change the topic before it required further discussion.
"Duh, we get to wear them all day at school. You're coming for the party, right?" He asked pleadingly.
"At 2, I'll be there," Emma thought about how long a day she was in for, even as her eyes burned. Maybe Regina was right that they get some sleep last night, although, sex would have been much more rejuvenating than sleep in Emma's opinion.
"And you'll be wearing your costume too, right?" Henry looked over his costume with approval before grabbing it off of the dining room chair it was draped over.
"Regina's going to pick it up from the shop and bring it over before the party."
"You shouldn't have let her pick it out…" Henry scolded as he scampered up the stairs trailing his costume behind him. Emma didn't get a chance to respond as she heard his door slam. She wondered what costume Regina had picked out for her. She hadn't really thought about it and just let Regina get one for her. Emma laughed to herself. They had become such a couple without even realizing it.
Emma heard her phone buzz and retrieved it from the table. She checked the screen: 8 missed calls. Halloween was apparently a big day for Storybrooke and the pranksters started early. She grabbed her jacket, looked once to the top of the stairs in hope that she'd see Regina come down.
Unfortunately, she couldn't wait and she had Sheriff's duties to handle. Regina would be furious if she let personal matters get in the way of town business even if the personal matter was her. She was just about out the door, before turning around and racing back to the kitchen remembering just in time to make coffee.
~~~~~~~`V
All Emma had wanted was a quiet morning so she could eat her donut in peace, fill out some paperwork, and maybe catch a little desk nap. That hope was a distant dream as she listened to the messages the concerned citizens of Storybrooke had left on her voicemail during the night.
All the calls were basically the same: pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns missing from yards and in some cases the pumpkins were present but gnawed on. She didn't think pumpkin stealing and gnawing was a chargeable offense, but the frantic, angry calls she received seemed to suggest the people of Storybrooke took their festivities seriously.
A few more calls and eye witness sightings led her to the address of the purported pumpkin perp. She pulled the cruiser up to the curb intending to give the occupant a warning, when she heard screaming from within. Darting around the side of the house, she listened intently at the in-progress domestic disturbance.
"This is it! I'm leaving your ass once and for all!" A female voice screamed. At the sound of shattering glass, Emma kicked open the door, gun drawn.
After making her arrest and booking the suspect, (pumpkin seeds and orange guts still covering his shirt and face,) Emma had had enough. She intended to give him a warning, a citation for vandalism, but the man was out of control due to his wife leaving him. She put him in the cell mainly to cool off and take some time to think. Emma hadn't even broached the awkward topic of what possessed him to eat the neighbors' raw pumpkins.
She was just sitting down for the first time all day to take a little break when her phone rang. She glanced at the clock before answering. It was almost 2 and she had promised Henry she'd be at school for his party.
"Sheriff's office," the fatigue was obvious in her weary voice.
"I have your costume. Are you joining me at the school or shall I pick you up?"
Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The only thing burning more than her eyes was the unfulfilled place between her thighs, and the need became more prominent instantly upon hearing Regina's honey smooth voice purring in her ear.
"Can you come by? I'll change here," Emma asked even as told herself she could do this: be in proximity to Regina without jumping her. That was until Regina actually arrived and Emma saw she was back in her witch costume, looking even more wickedly delicious than ever.
"Come," Regina nodded by way of greeting and Emma followed her to the restroom like a lovesick puppy.
"Hi," Emma gushed when Regina turned her full attention to her and looked her up and down.
"You slipped out this morning without saying goodbye," Regina sounded hurt and worried.
Emma crossed the small space of the room in a flash and hugged her in reassurance, "Had to go and protect the town."
"Oh, I thought maybe…never mind," Regina waved her away, looking down so Emma couldn't' see her eyes.
Emma's heart clenched in fear, but when Regina looked back up she had her usual look of no good.
Emma caught a glimpse of pink crinoline sneaking out of the bottom of the garment bag, "My costume? What am I going to be anyway?"
"Mine," Regina clutched the hem of Emma's shirt and roughly pulled it over her head. Emma's arms lifted automatically. She felt a little dizzy all of a sudden, her balance completely thrown by Regina's words. As soon as the shirt was over her face, Emma lunged forward to possessively kiss Regina, unable to stay her distance. Regina kissed back eagerly, hands skimming Emma's naked sides. They finally pulled apart, breath ragged.
"We're going to be late," Regina drawled in disappointment.
"Ugh…let's skip it, stay here…" Emma was moving back in for more kisses, when she felt Regina's palms on her chest holding her back.
"We promised Henry we'd be there, and furthermore we're certainly not going to be engaging in carnal activities in a dingy unisex bathroom."
Emma leaned against the sink and splashed some cool water on her face, "Okay, give me the outfit."
Regina handed the bag to Emma smiling in anticipation at her reaction. Emma unzipped the bag, taking on a horrified expression: a bright pink princess costume with an extra fluffy skirt and poofy sleeves.
"The hell?" Emma looked at Regina in disbelief.
"Hurry. Put it on," Regina urged, delighted at the sight.
"You want to see me in this?" Emma pulled the dress to her front, looking at it in the mirror. It was a horrifying sight.
"If you wear this for me, without complaint, I promise to make all of your fantasies come true tonight," Regina was deadly serious.
Emma couldn't argue with that bargain. She flipped the dress over, swimming through fabric to get it on. Regina adjusted the front, while Emma reached beneath and shimmied out of her jeans. She looked in the mirror again, as Regina smoothed her hair, and placed a silver tiara on her head.
"You're so beautiful," Regina said it with such conviction it made it all bearable.