When she saw Henry again, it was already 24th. That afternoon she heard two knocks, and after straightening her shirt, she opened the front door to find Henry raising a comic book above his head.
"Look what Santa left me in advance!" He rushed into the house, going straight to the living room to take a place on the sofa. Emma entered the house after him with a roll of eyes.
"I don't know how he found it. I thought I had hid it so well," she whispered to Regina as she closed the door.
They followed Henry into the living room and took a seat next to him, leaving him in the middle. "It's a new comic about Star Wars, ma. It's about Darth Vader!" He opened the comic book and showed her all the cool images as he told her the story.
"I can share it with you so you can read it too," Henry offered.
Regina laughed and shook her head, "It's okay, you just told there is to know about so it is as if I already read it."
She felt Emma's smile without even looking at her, and noted her cheeks blushing under her gaze. Henry started to reread the comic and Regina stood, "Do you want some hot cocoa?"
He nodded vigorously and resumed his lecture, so Regina looked over at Emma and raised an eyebrow. The Sheriff stood too and tousled his hair, "I'll go help her kid."
They moved to the kitchen and left him alone. "You should really work on your hiding skills," Regina mused grabbing the milk.
"It was well hidden, he's just too curious," Emma shrugged. "Especially on Christmas."
The Sheriff helped Regina pulling out two mugs from the cupboard she knew they were, and the Mayor was surprised she acted so naturally in her house. When Emma turned to hand her the cups, they heard a loud thud on the kitchen window and they jumped. Regina glanced through the glass and saw Henry outside, a snowball on his hand and waving with the other.
Emma smiled and looked over to Regina, "I think someone wants a snowball fight."
She left the mugs on the kitchen counter and almost ran outside to join Henry and Regina followed, with no intention to join, but just to be there with them. And also to check Henry didn't get hurt. She sat on the porch step, hugging her coat to get warmer.
Emma hid behind a few bushes near Regina. "C'mon Regina, join us," she said forming a snowball in her hand.
The Mayor shook his head, "No thank you."
"I bet you couldn't win me, even with Henry on your side," she challenged, but Regina only rolled her eyes and stood.
"I highly doubt that, Miss Swan, but nice try." She turned to the door, thinking about making the cocoa for her after all, but a snowball crashed on the door as she reached for the doorknob. She turned on her heels and her eyes met Emma's challenging ones.
"Prove it," she shouted at her before throwing at Henry another snowball.
Regina raised an eyebrow and smirked; Emma really didn't know who she was dealing with.
"That was awesome!" Henry exclaimed entering the kitchen. Regina wore a smug smirk on her face, watching Emma shivering, her clothes slightly wet.
"Not that much," the Sheriff murmured. "I didn't know you were so good at snowball fights."
Regina poured hot cocoa on the mugs and handed one to the kid and the other to Emma, their fingers brushing slightly, "I warned you; you insisted."
"Well you should've warned harder." Emma shivered again and Regina picked up one of her coats that hung next to the kitchen door, on the hallway, offering it to the Sheriff. She accepted it and put it around her shoulders to gain some warmth.
"I was easy on you so don't complain," she said rolling her eyes but with a big smile on her face.
"I wis isy in yi, blah blah," Emma sneered, mirroring Regina's smile, making her know she wasn't serious.
They drank from the mugs until they finished it and Emma glanced at the clock, "We gotta go get ready Henry, and I really need a warm shower."
Regina's face fell a little but quickly recovered and forced a smile, leading them to the front door. She opened it and Henry got out first, but Emma called for him, "Henry?"
"Right." He stopped and went back, hugging Regina. When he separated, he looked up and grinned at her, "Merry Christmas mom, I'll see you tomorrow."
Then, he ran outside again, and Emma took his place in front of Regina, who looked at her, "You don't have to do that. I want him to do it only if he wants."
"He wants, really, he has told me. But he is kinda way too excited about the comic and the party and all that," Emma assured her.
Regina tried not to focus on the fact that Emma just told her she and Henry talked about her, and cleared her throat, "Well, you better get going if you want to get to the party in time."
"You still sure about not going?" the Sheriff asked her raising her eyebrows, trying one last time.
Regina smiled kindly and shook her head, "Merry Christmas, Miss Swan."
Emma shrugged and sighed, "I had to try. Merry Christmas to you too, Regina."
The Mayor watched her walking down her front yard towards Henry, who waved at her one last time. When she closed the door, she sighed and looked at her empty house. With a glance at a clock, she walked up the stairs towards her bedroom. She may hadn't a party to attend to, but that didn't mean she wouldn't put a pretty dress and have a great dinner.
When Regina placed the last plate in the dishwasher, she heard the clock striking midnight. She rose to her feet and grabbed the glass of wine, drinking from it for the third time that night. It wasn't enough to make her drunk, but enough for her cheeks to be flushed.
"Marry Christmas to me," she said bitterly to the empty house, leaning on the kitchen counter and draining her glass of wine.
Suddenly, she heard a couple of knocks on her front door and she raised an eyebrow. Pretty much everyone in town was at Granny's celebrating, so she was curious about who it could be. As she walked outside the kitchen, she hoped it wasn't a prank because she wasn't in the mood.
The Mayor flung open the door and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Emma," she said almost breathless.
The Sheriff smiled shyly, "Hey." Regina glanced around, expecting to see Henry around, but there was only Emma. At her door. On Christmas. With a package in her hand, she noticed.
"Shouldn't you be at the party?" she managed to ask, and Emma looked at her feet.
"Uh, it's not very funny to see your newly found parents, who happen to be Snow White and Prince Charming, drunk." Regina just looked at her and Emma levelled her gaze to meet brown eyes, "Can I come in? It's kinda cold outside."
"Sure," the Mayor finally reacted and stepped aside to let her in and closing the door behind her. "I'd offer you something to drink but I think you've got enough at that party?"
"Actually a drink would be—" Emma turned and her eyes roamed her body, now fully visible. Regina was wearing a simple black dress, but it fit her perfectly; her hair was wavy, brushing her neck; and her lips were deep red. "Are you going somewhere?"
Regina blushed, aware of Emma's look, "I just like to dress up on special occasions. It's Christmas after all."
"You dress up literally for everything. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if you went like this to the supermarket," Emma said matter-of-factly. "But you look really good though."
"Well, thanks. I think," Regina smiled. "You don't look so bad yourself."
Emma looked down and smiled nervously, "Oh this, I just grabbed some pants and a blouse. It's nothing."
They shared a look and then the Mayor took a breath, "So, a drink?" She walked towards the kitchen, "What brings you to my house, Miss Swan?"
"Actually I bought you a present."
Regina turned, right under the kitchen's door frame, and looked at Emma, lowering her gaze to the package she still had on her hands. "You…you didn't have to," she almost whispered.
Emma had got her a Christmas present. A present for her. And had come over to her house, leaving the party just to bring it over, knowing they would see the next day to give Henry his presents. Regina looked up and her eyes met Emma's.
The Sheriff smiled, "I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to."
Maybe it was the Christmas spirit or just because she was really thankful to her, but staring right into her eyes, Regina took a step forward and, without a second thought, she kissed Emma.
A/N: that was bold! what do you think about the chapter?