Regina didn't stay in her bed for long after Emma had left. She felt rejuvenated and full of energy. Strangely positive. She had a shower and got dressed trying to think of things to do.
It was a bright day in Storybrooke, so she decided to have breakfast coffee at Grannies. It seems however that everyone on Storybrooke had had the same idea. Grannies was packed, even Snow and Charming were sat having breakfast cramped up with Leeroy. Regina looked around for a seat but found she didn't want to stay in the busy diner. So on a snap decision she orders two coffees and a bear claw and headed over to the station.
Emma had felt equally upbeat that morning, she hurried home, got showered and ready for work. Practically bouncing into the small office. She even sent a text to David, suggesting he come in late that morning, he could spend the morning with Mary Margret. She sat at her desk, humming along to the radio and leafing through a pile of papers on her desk. It felt like a holiday not to have to be worrying about something or nothing. When Regina came in quietly Emma jumped, she had been so lost in her own thoughts. She spilt her sheriff office coffee all over her desk and onto the floor cursing under her breathe. Regina looked for a minute and smirked as Emma laughed at her own clumsiness.
"Good job I brought you this then." She mused still smiling.
"I suppose but if you hadn't sneaked up on, I wouldn't need it."
"Don't blame me Miss Swan, you are supposed to be on duty, ready at a moment's notice. Not singing in your own world." Causing Emma to blush.
"I am ready, those were my lightening reflexes" she laughs attempting to mop up the mess.
"If you say so" Regina handed Emma the coffee and bear claw. Emma raised her eye brow and it was Regina turn to blush. She almost left there and then. What was she doing? She dismissed the worries as quickly as they came. She was just being nice, like Henry wanted. Yeah just making nice with his birth mother. He wanted a big happy family. This was nothing more than that.
"I figured you wouldn't have had breakfast Sheriff Swan" Grinning as the blonde nodded in confirmation. "Although it isn't the healthiest, I know you like them." She said as Emma took the pastry out of the bag and took a big bite grinning.
"Yeah I love 'em" she continued to smile between bites. Regina picked up here coffee and turned to leave.
"What, are you goin?'" Emma asked surprised. She wanted the brunette's company. I may stop her thinking about her if she was actually with her.
"Yes Sheriff, you have work to do, and if you don't I would suggest you tidy this place up" she says, her sarcasm somewhat diminished by her flirty smile as she spoke. "I am off to see a friend"
"A friend?" Emma grins, she couldn't resist the dig.
"Yes Sheriff Swan, I do have one or two." Regina pouts none committedly and with that she leaves striding out of the door with a roll of her hips. Making sure the Sheriff can see her curves.
Emma finishes her breakfast and carries on with her paper work, but her mind cannot get of the flirty brunette. The sexy pout left Emma's heart in the throat as she left. And was it wrong that she became turned on at went ever she was called Sheriff by the former mayor. The purr in her voice sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes drifted around the place, it was indeed a mess. So she threw some of her pent up energy into tiding up. Trying to work herself focused before David came into work and noticed her bouncing off walls. This crush was seriously effecting her concentration. It was a good job the town was quiet.
Regina decided to walk to Mal's house so it took longer than she thought. She was glad to find just her friend was at home. Lilly was at her new boyfriends house. They sat down in the double arm chairs after Mal had made them a light lunch of salmon and salad with crisp brown rolls. She poured two glasses of deep red wine. They sat for only a second when Malificent exclaimed out of the blue, "You had sex"
"What?" Regina blushed, "How did you… what do you mean" she spluttered unconvincingly.
"I know you Regina" Malificent smiled a knowing smile. Regina didn't need to ask how and neither did she deny it. She was comfortable with Mal but still it unnerved her, she knew her so well. She could read her like a book. No one had ever done that like Mal.
"Well Mal, I need to talk to you. I will try and help you with Lilly but I want your help too." She starts trying to embody the Evil Queen but still sounding like the girl that first met Mal in her castle hopefully naive but vengefully determined.
"What do you need my help for?" Mal asked Regina thoughtfully.
"Well I need clarity of magic. Magic I don't understand" Regina started nervously. "It was a true love spell I did years ago."
"Ok" Mal says warily. "Ok I will help you. What can you do to help with Lilly?" she asks.
"Well" Regina starts, "I have a teenage son, which is a start. But more importantly I know how to deal with Emma. A child of the foster system. I have seen the two idiots bond with her. If all else fails, I know a spell." She adds only half joking.
"I don't want a spell" Mal adds before she realises that it was a joke.
"I can talk to Lilly. See what she is after, but my first advice is to tone it down. You are not a mother to baby. You are mother to a woman, maybe challenge her. Not to a duel." She adds quickly, "but don't be such a wet blanket. Don't be so easy, just be you and not put up with any crap. She is acting out because she hasn't grown up with a role model. She is testing you. You have limits, decide what they are and draw some lines."
"What if she doesn't want to see me?" Mal asks in an honestly vulnerable moment Regina cannot believe.
"She wants to get to know you dear." Regina stroked Mal's arm. "But it won't, be easy. Let her come to you on her own term. It's her way of control. Come on we both know about control." She smirks.
They take a sip of their wine momentarily taking in how they used to be. Mal snaps out of it first.
"So what is going on Regina?" she asks in her sultry voice. "What do you need help with?"
"Magic" Regina starts. "Information on pixie magic, fairy magic, to find your true love."
"The one Tinkerbell performed" Mal asked, somewhat shocking Regina.
"Yes, that one" Regina confirmed suspiciously. "How do you know that?" Mal just smirks and waves for Regina to continue with her story. She does but not before making a note to get an answer from the older blonde later. "Well I am wondering what could go wrong. Can it pass through universes? Is it reliable 100%?" Regina is thinking aloud.
"What exactly brought this on Dear?" Mal interrupts, afraid she was starting to ramble.
"Well" Regina starts, thinking how to word her train of thought she has been having. "When Tink did the spell, back in the Enchanted Forest. It led us to the tavern where Robin Hood was sat. All I could see of him was a hood and his tattoo. How the light hovered about the lion. What I want to know is, is it 100% Robin Hood or something about that tattoo that is the key to my true love." Mal looks at her
"Well it is possible the magic was showing you a sign. If it couldn't reach your actual true love. But why not ask Tink or the fairies? It can't have been the strongest of spells, and given your situation, I guess anything is possible.
"My situation?" Regina asks too quickly. Panicking the blonde knew too much. How?
"Yes well Robin isn't much of a true love now is he?" Regina inwardly sighs in relief.
"Well no I guess not" she admits. Finally letting go of the last piece of hope she had been holding onto. It was liberating. "He was a bit of an idiot, I mean we slept together while his wife lay frozen"
Mal smirked "Well you agreed to try and save her. Your sister no less."
"I didn't bloody know did I?" Regina snapped.
"Ok" Mal raises her hands in defeat. She didn't want to push her friend today, she still needed her help.
"Anyway I don't want to ask the fairies, they are so defensive. To them their spells are fool proof. They act so moral but they full off pride. Ha nuns what was I thinking."
"So Regina, what has brought this on? Why are you asking now?" Mal tried to get back to the problem at hand.
"Well Robin wasn't who I thought was he. Even you can see that."
"What do you mean 'even' me? I know you Regina I know you well. And I know you are keeping something from me, tell me the whole story."
"Well there is one other thing." She hesitates not sure how to proceed. "You know I was happy yesterday, I mean I seemed better you know. Well it was a person and I thought they could first be a toy. You know to get out aggression or tension. But we were you know together last night and I noticed a tattoo. A lion tattoo. I don't know if they know about this story so I don't think they know the significance but I do. And well I feel like I am getting feelings. No I am noticing feeling I have had for a while." She sighed feeling lighter now that she had told someone but scared of her reaction. God I am rambling again she thinks. Mal sits listening with a bemused smile on her lips. Seeing her friend like this was surprising to say the least. Never had someone got under her skin like this. Not even Malificent herself. She pondered for a moment.
"So this… person. You have been sleeping with them for what two days? Three?" she starts, "And they expect what? I am guessing it not anything serious. And you are thinking true love. What are you form Disney? You need to relax Regina. Let whatever this is be whatever it is. You cannot predict the future any more than I can shit gold so enjoy the moment. No plans, no revenge, not true love." Mal finished with a mouthful of wine while Regina sits lost for words. Control was all she had had for so long it felt strange to have to let it go, but Mal was right. Between her and Emma was not a marriage. And letting Emma dominate and control her was a new high she had never needed before. But now she had tasted it, it was a craving she wasn't going to ignore.
"You're right" she finally said sipping her wine. "I think I will"
"Good," Mal says deftly, "Now back to Lilly"