Haven't Met You Yet Chapter 2: I Just Haven't Met You Yet, an once upon a time fanfic

So, I've read some reviews stating that they wouldn't read this if a certain someone has the G!P, which to each their own, I suppose. You'll find out who it is this chapter, and if you decide not to continue, then best of luck to you.

I personally don't understand it, but it's not my choice whether or not you read my story!

I don't own OUAT or Michael Buble's song "Haven't Met You Yet".

Chapter 2 - I Just Haven't Met You, Yet

I'm not surprised,
Not everything lasts.
I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track.

Emma's eyes narrow at her laptop screen as she drags the stylus across it, touching up the edges on a photograph she had taken of her parents. She smiles as she examines every detail of it; the way her father smiles at her mother, and the look in her mother's eyes as they radiate love in his direction. They were the perfect definition of true love, and Emma wished she could have found a love like theirs.

Talk myself in, I talk myself out.
I get all worked up and then let myself down.

But that wasn't in the cards for Emma, and she's not too sure where she went wrong. Okay, so maybe she put way too much trust in Lilith. It's not like she knew at the time that she'd placed her trust in someone who would misplace it altogether. Lily seemed sincere at the time, but Emma knew better than that now. Sincerity was a lost art, these days.

I tried so very hard not to lose it,
I came up with a million excuses.
I thought I thought of every possibility.

And I know someday that it'll all turn out.
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out.
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get.
I just haven't met you, yet.

Emma rolls her eyes as she changes the song flooding through her speakers. She really, really hated cliché love songs and her Pandora station to be playing just that for the last hour. She sighs loudly as another love song starts playing and opts for closing Pandora completely. Her attention focuses back on the photograph and she presses her lips in a small smile. It was perfect. Deciding she was done editing the photo, she saves the file and closes her laptop, leaning back in her chair.

Her cell phone captures her attention, and she bites her lower lip while contemplating whether or not she should give in to Ruby's attempts at 'finding Emma love'. Not that she thought that finding love on a hook-up app like Tinder was possible, but Ruby had gone through the effort and she had found someone who had seemed like a decent match for Emma. If their brief conversation was anything to go by.

Emma caves and grabs her phone, opening up the app and immediately finding the messages between her and this Regina person. She smiles as she reads the last few exchanges between them.

E: so, the Romeo to your Juliet, huh?

R: OH GOD! Is that what my profile says? No. I'm not one for cliches. Besides, no good date ends with barely knowing each other before getting married and committing mutual suicide.

E: true. You have a point. So what does a good date end with, then...?

R: wouldn't you like to know?

Emma chews on her lower lip while she tries to figure out a good reply. Dating was a whole new ballpark for Emma. Lily was Emma's first and only real relationship and Emma knew she was lacking in the 'how to talk to girls' department. Not that she really wanted to talk to any girls. Emma knew in the end it would just end up like it did with Lily, so she doesn't know why she's even entertaining the idea. Even if she and Regina hit it off, Emma still had her reserves for good reasoning. But somehow, that's pushed to the back of her mind as she types out a response.

E: Are you offering to show me what a good date ends with? I figured we could get to know each other first. Got to make sure you're not a serial killer or anything. ;) I'm Emma, by the way, if that wasn't obvious.

Regina groans loudly as a loud knock echoes from the other side of her office door. She just settling in and getting used to her newest real estate job. Not that she particularly enjoyed real estate, but when you come from a small town in Maine, there weren't a whole lot of jobs to choose from. She was only thankful she could find a job to support her move to Los Angeles.

"Come in!" She calls out and the door opens, revealing Kathryn. She immediately rolls her eyes, knowing her best friend was already up to something just by the look on her face. "Yes, Kat?"

"You left your phone at the house." Kat smirks, handing the device to Regina. "And it looks like that girl I matched you with on Tinder messaged you."

Regina sets her phone on her desk, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She raises an eyebrow at Kathryn. "You know, she knows you were trying to set us up. Her best friend did the exact same thing. It's honestly probably a joke at either one of your expenses."

"That's not cool!" Kathryn whines. "You were supposed to just go with it, meet the girl, fall in love, and get married!"

"And you thought Tinder, the hook up app, was the app to find me true love on?" Regina chuckles and Kathryn just nods dumbfoundedly. "I'll have to admit, Kat, she kept me entertained for all but ten minutes. And then made fun of my profile that you wrote."

"What!? You're kind of hard to peg. Forgive me for not knowing what to write about you!"

"Hard to peg?" Regina furrows her brow. She usually only hears that term when someone's trying to determine her sexual orientation, but never she as an overall person.

"Yeah. Well, she who will not be named was definitely not the person I'd see you going for. You were kind of a hopeless romantic at one point in your life. I don't know! I'm not entirely sure what you look for in a potential partner." Kathryn argues.

"But Romeo and Juliet was your best guess? You know I hate dumb cliches like that."

"Well, it obviously started a conversation between you two. You probably dismissed what I wrote to her and now she's replied and you need to move on!" Kathryn exclaims. "The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else."

"There are so many things wrong with that statement. I don't need a rebound." Regina states harshly.

"No, but you need to give love a chance!"

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see." Regina says sarcastically. "Now, do you mind? I have a few showings today and I'd really like to do my job."

Kathryn groans and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms and huffing out. "Fine. But you should just give yourself a chance, Gina."

Regina sighs as Kathryn turns to leave the office, her eyes flicking down to her phone on her desk. She reaches out and grabs it, tapping the notification icon and waiting for the app to load. She did wonder what the green eyed girl had said back, after her semi-poor attempt at what she calls flirting. It interested her, not that she was actually willing to let it get any further than playful banter and joking about their best friends.

Regina chuckles at Emma's response. Of course, the chances of either one of them being Catfishes and a serial killer was relatively high in this day and age.

R: I never said I was offering anything, Emma. And you may be right. My profile says my name is Regina, but I could be some creepy catfish and serial killer. Just looking to add a pretty blonde to my collection.

E: Well at least you think I look good enough to add to your collection. I'd say I'd add you to mine, but you have no idea what I do.

R: I suppose I don't. Do I want to be a part of your collection?

E: depends on how you feel behind a camera lens.

R: A photographer, I take it? I'm not one for having my picture taken, I must admit.

E: You'd feel differently if you saw my work.

R: Cocky, much?

Emma's eyes widen as Regina's response comes through.

"Cocky, much?" Emma repeats the response out loud, scoffing and chuckling at the same time. She looks down at her groin and then back at her phone. "Oh, if only you knew."

E: Just confident in my craft.

R: I guess that's a good thing.

R: What do you mostly take photos of?

E: Uh, everything. My most recent ones were from my parents' anniversary. They did that whole renewing of the vows thing. I do photo shoots for magazines, weddings, concerts, real estate, national parks, graduations, senior pictures. Pretty much anything and everything.

R: Real estate?

E: well yeah. Most agencies like professional photos of houses they're listing.

R: I guess I never thought of it that way. Where I'm from, we just took our own.

E: so you're in real estate? Where are you from?

R: Storybrooke, Maine. It's super small and we only had one real estate agency. So I guess there wasn't much need for photographers.

E: Well, you're in LA now. If your agency ever needs them, you kind of know a professional photographer.

R: I guess, I do.

E: So tell me more about yourself. Why Los Angeles?

R: I... needed a change of scenery.
R:I don't' really like talking about it.

E: look, you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want. You don't even have to talk to me. I know that this whole dating app thing isn't really our style. But if you need someone to listen, I'm here I guess.

And Regina knows Emma is right. Tinder is definitely not her style, nor does it seem to be the blonde's. Regina chalks it up to both of them humoring their best friends by talking to each other, but neither looking for something more than entertainment. Although, Regina does admire Emma's sincerity of saying she doesn't have to tell her anything. Most people pressed for answers when finding out Regina moved to LA, especially her mother.

She remembers that conversation all too clearly.

"A change of scenery? You're going to move from a quaint town to a sinful one?" Cora scoffs in disbelief as Regina continues packing up her apartment.

"I got a great job opportunity, mom. And Storybrooke is small. The less I run into... her... the better." Regina shudders at the thought of her ex.

"You're running away from your problems, dear." Cora replies. "You should just deal with it! Love comes and goes! No need to run."

"No, I'm not. I'm not running. I just need a fresh start, and I'm not going to get that here." Regina argues.

"You say that now, but don't be surprised when you come running back to me and I tell you that I told you so!" Cora yells.

No, she definitely wasn't going back to Maine. No way, no how. That chapter of her life had been closed, and she really needed to move on with her life. She sits at her desk, thinking hard about what Kathryn had said to her the night before. Maybe she did need to move on from her ex. Maybe talking to Emma wasn't entirely a bad idea. Maybe she wouldn't be a rebound.

Regina's pulled out of her thoughts when another message appears on her screen.

E: uh... didn't want to pry to much so sorry if I did. I got to go do a photo shoot for a... you guessed it, real estate agent. (Ironic, right?) My offer still stands if you, you know, want to talk.

Regina sighs loudly, debating on if she should wait to reply to the blonde. She has no time to think, however, as her office phone rings loudly.

"Regina Mills, Once Upon A Housing Real Estate." She answers professionally.

"Hey, Regina! It's Mary-Margaret. You have a showing today in a few minutes, I know. But I was wondering if you could meet with a client afterwards?" Her boss asks.

"Of course."

Ruby exits her car as she stands in front of the house Emma's mom had sent her to photograph while Emma went with Mary-Margaret to another property. One of the best parts of working with her best friend was that her mom always had jobs lined up for them, and Ruby really appreciated the beauty in architectural structure (much more so than the brooding blonde she calls her roommate). When they started the business together, Ruby had started out as an editor, but as soon as her best friend got her behind the viewfinder of a camera, she never looked back.

This was their life and though she didn't drown herself in work like Emma does, she really loved photography.

She spots the Mercedes in front of the house and skips up to the door with her equipment happily. She pushes the unlocked door open and calls out through the giant foyer.

"Hello!? I'm here from RedSwan Photography! Mary-Margaret said I'm supposed to be shooting this house with a Miss Mills?"

"Coming!" A voice calls from what Ruby expects to be the kitchen. The sound of heels clicking against the hardwood floor echoes off of the wall as a very well dressed brunette approaches the tall photographer. Ruby's eyes widen when she looks at the woman in detail. She knows that face. She swiped right on that face when she was searching for potential suitors for Emma. She messaged this woman on Emma's behalf and she was standing right in front of her. Oh man, Emma was going to freak out when she told her. "I'm Regina, dear. And you are?"

"Ruby Lucas! Professional photographer of RedSwan Photography." Ruby replies, extending her hand for Regina to shake. Regina just smiles and shakes the taller brunette's hand before turning around to look at the house.

"RedSwan? That's an interesting name." Regina ponders. Ruby bites her lip, she doesn't know if she should tell this woman who the other half of her photography company is. She wanted so badly for Emma to meet this woman, but she didn't want to push it more than she already had. Everything had to be subtle.

"It was my best friend's idea. She always calls me 'Red' because of my highlights. And her last name is Swan." Ruby shrugs it off. "She's cool. You'll probably meet her someday. We work for Mrs. Blanchard a lot."

"Well, I'm sure you two are amazing photographers if your portfolios that Mary-Margaret has shown me is anything to go by." Regina says honestly. God damn this woman was perfect for Emma. She already appreciated Emma's work and she didn't even know it. Plus, she was attractive AND nice.

"I'm humbled, really." Ruby smiles, pulling out her phone. "So, want to show me what I'm shooting today?"

"Right this way, Miss Lucas." Regina says as she leads them down the hallway of the house, unaware of the photographer furiously typing away on her cell phone.

Rubes: OMG, SWAN. YOU WILL NEVER GUESS WHO I RAN INTO TODAY.

Em: That cute, Australian (or British?) redhead you spotted at the library?

Rubes: even better. Your tinder match.

Em: you ran into my tinder match? How does that even happen?

Rubes: fate, duh! And holy shit, Emma. She is PERFECT for you.

Em: you say that now, but here's the catch. I haven't even met her, yet...

Ruby chuckles, hearing the skeptical tone in Emma's text. She knows the blonde's heart is guarded, especially after what had happened with Lily. But if she thought Regina Mills was perfect for Emma before meeting her, then she was certainly sure after meeting her. Regina screamed level-headed and kind, and that was exactly what Emma needed. She knew she had to find a way to get them to meet in person, and she knows just who to talk to.

Rubes: Oh, I'm sure you will very soon ;)

Ruby replies, leaving out the bit that she knows that Regina works for Mary-Margaret, aka Emma's mother. If she was going to set her best friend up, she was going to do it right. She opens a new text thread and quickly types out a message before turning her attention back to Regina and the photos she was supposed to be taking.

To M&M, Ariel, David: Operation Red Panda is a go. Time for the stubborn Swan to find true love!

If it wasn't apparent, Emma has the G!P in this story.

I'm so excited for the next chapter in this story. It's almost done, so I'll be posting it in a few days. :)