Chapter 4: Heart to Heart
*A/N* Thanks again for all the reviews and messages. I am always looking for ways to be a better writer. Now, with that being said here is another chapter. All the mistakes are mine. Enjoy
Chapter 4: Heart to Heart
"Ma!" Henry yelled as he busted through her bedroom door. "Ma! Ms. Nolan is here. Wake up!"
Emma's eyes sprang open. "Shit!" she said blinking a few times as her eyes tried to focus on her son who was now jumping up and down next to her bed. Emma look at the clock. It is 8:00 already? She thought as she threw a leg out from under the warmth of her blanket. "Henry, please go tell Ms. Nolan that I:ll be out in a few minutes."
Henry nodded and skipped out the door.
"Henry!" Emma yelled after her son, "Shut the door kid!"
"Sorry!" she heard as the boy ran back into the room, gave her a quick hug and shut the door on his way back out.
Taking a quick shower she then threw on her favorite pair of jeans and t shirt and boots. She ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to smooth it out. She didn't have time to blow dry it. Katherine has already been waiting long enough. With a huff she threw her hair up into a high pony tail. "This will have to do." She said as she inspected her reflection.
"Hey Katherine, I'm so sorry! I overslept." Emma said as she came around the corner and saw Katherine setting with Henry on the couch.
"It's no trouble Emma. Just catching up." She grinned as she looked at Henry.
Henry beamed back at the blond who was now standing. It made Emma's stomach flip. She would never understand as to why her son took so well to this woman. Was she nice? Sure. But that's how she works right before she jumps in and steals everything.
"Henry, go grab your bag so I can drop you off at Mary Margaret's." Emma said as she grabbed her red leather jacket and a hat from the closet. Jumping up from the couch the boy sprinted to his room.
"Is something wrong?" Katherine asked as she bent down to pick up her bag off the floor. "I mean, do I need to prepare myself for another blow to the face? I would like to be able to pick up my friend in one piece."
"No Katherine" Emma sighed, "You don't need to prepare for another blow. How many times do I need to apologize to you? I mean what more.." She stopped as Henry came back into the living room with his bag.
"Ready! Ummm Ma?" Henry said as his eyes darted back and forth between his mother and Ms. Nolan.
"Everything is fine Henry" Emma said smiling down at her son. "ok, seems like we are good to go."
Glancing at Katherine and she gestured to the door.
"Shall we?"
Dropping Henry off at Mary Margaret's was an adventure in itself. Between the "Do you have what you need?" and the "please let us know when she lands" and the constant hugs from her friend. Emma was about to lose it.
"Seriously, it's Boston." Emma said giving MM a look. " I have been there many times. And yes I Have everything I need. And as soon as she lands I will text you." She said as she was walking out the door of her best friend's apartment.
"Be good Henry. "she said as she eyes her son who was now setting at the table devouring a box of captain crunch.
"Yes, Ma." He said between the mouthfuls of cereal he was stuffing in his face.
As soon as they were in Katherine's car her stomach began to feel queasy. This was really happening Emma thought as she stared out the window. She was going to finally lay eyes on the woman who had haunted her dreams.
"Emma, I need you" Regina said as her lips came dangerously close to her. Emma exhaled a little louder than she thought and the brunette pulled back slightly. Seeing the result she grabbed onto her forearms and gently pulled the brunette back in. Her lips grazing the plump pink ones in front of her. She licked her lips and before she knew it those beautiful pink lips were on hers. Emma's hands slowly moving up the shaking arms in front of her. She wanted more.
"So, Emma" Katherine piped up drawing Emma back to her reality. Emma shifted a little in the seat trying to help rid the now tingling sensation that was taking over her body.
"Yes?" she said as she leaned her head back into the head rest.
"Maybe we need to discuss your reasoning as to why you hate me so much." Katherine said as she smirked.
"I don't hate you.." Emma started to say but was cut off by a high pitched giggle that came from the woman driving.
"You don't hate me?" Katherine spat out between her giggles. "Ok, honey just please tell me that you won't play poker for money. Because with your poker face or should I say lack there of you would lose terribly." Katherine glanced at Emma.
"Of forget it" Katherine huffed as her giggles slowed. "Let's just try and not kill each other before we make it to the airport to get our girl." She said as she winked over at Emma.
"Our girl" Emma said softly.
"Since when is she 'our girl' Katherine?" Emma said as she took a deep breath in trying to slow her anger. What was with this woman and always putting her nose in where it didn't belong? She was not going to lose to her this time. Oh no.
"I knew you had some pent up anger in there somewhere." Katherine said and she gave Emma a smug grin.
Fuming in the passenger seat Emma shifted to face Katherine. "OK,I admit it. I hate you. I hate that you always interfered in my life. I hate that Regina would alwasys run to your beck and call. I hate that you always know what to say to calm her down. I hate that she chose you over me in High school…"
"Oh no. You wait one minute. High School? You are upset over something that happened in High School?!" Katherine said raising her voice. She pulled her black Audi over to the side of the road and turned the car off. "Don't you dare accuse me of stealing her from you in high school. Regina is my best friend. Did you forget that?" Katherine unbuckled her seatbelt and moved her body so that she was now facing Emma. "Our parents went to school together Emma. We grew up together. Hell Emma, we served together. " Katherine paused as she drew in a deep breath.
"I know you have history." Emma said quietly. Guilt? Was she starting to feel guilty for hating this woman for so many years?
"Emma, when you showed up in middle school everything changed. " Katherine said. "Everything. Then you went and had a baby and…" She paused and looked at Emma. "You ruined my life. Regina did everything for you. She put you first. She chose you." Katherine looked down. "I wanted more than a friendship with her. But she was content on being just friends. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. But when she left for flight school I knew my chances of having her were nonexistent."
The silence was deafening. How could she have been so stupid? Regina dropped everything for her and Henry. Deep down she knew all of this. But why was she so hell bent on making Katherine out to be the bad guy?
"She wanted to ask you out years ago Emma. When she came home from her first flight op she wanted to ask you out. She talked to me for hours about how she screwed up and didn't let you know. Do you remember what happened when she got back? Katherine glanced over to Emma. Emma sank down in to the seat.
Realizing she was not going to get an answer she continued. "You showed up at the diner with Graham."
Emma's head fell into her hands. Graham she thought. A mistake? No, She loved him. She misses him to this day. But it was nothing compared to the ache she always had for Regina.
"I know Katherine. I know." Emma said slowly as if she was trying to make it stick in her head.
"Hate me all you want Emma, but you and I both know you have another chance at this." Katherine said as she placed a hand on Emma's shoulder. "Just do me a favor and don't screw this up with that overthinking head of yours."
Emma picked her head up. Aggravated by the comment that was just made. "What do you mean by screw it up? Graham was not a screw up. I loved him. I didn't think she loved me back the same way. She was always gone. The phone calls and the letters didn't fix the hole she left when she joined the military." Emma stopped as she wiped a rogue tear that fell from her eye.
"I know, you love her and she does love you. But Emma, something is different this time. I don't know what it is but please be careful with her. She may not be mine in the same sense as she is to you but she is my best friend and I care about her so much. " Katherine said as she was fighting to keep the tears at bay.
Emma reached over and placed her hand on Katherine's. "Okay, well lets go get our girl." Emma said with a smile. Katherine nodded and buckled her seatbelt.
"She is lucky to have you Katherine." Emma said
"She is lucky to have you too." She said as she put her black Audi back on the road.
The drive to Boston seemed to take forever. Emma couldn't decide if it was the ridiculous traffic once they hit the Boston suburbs or Katherine's terrible music choices. Where did she find this music? Emma thought to herself and she leaned up against the cars window. She glanced over to the blonde setting next to her and chuckled. She was in her own world, her head bobbing up and down to the music that was coming out of the cars speakers. Staring back out a the city Emma wondered what exactly made Regina so distant over the last year.
Just as she was starting to get herself all worked up again "Push It" came on over the speakers.
"Ahhhhh" Katherine screamed in excitement "Emma, do you remember this? " She asked as she laughed.
"Yes," Emma said smiling at the memory.
"Come on Regina! This is our song! You have to dance with me" Emma said as she pulled the brunette off the bar stool.
"Emma, seriously!" Regina said shaking her head as she tried to catch her balance.
"I got you." Emma whispered into her ear "Now, let's dance Lieutenant."
Cheers erupted through the hole in the wall bar. Emma laughed as her friend turned around and looked at her. Raising an eyebrow she said "Now Swan, let me show you how this is done."
"That night was so fun" Emma said with a laugh. Regina was always a looker and she knew it. But seeing her flush when the crowd cheered her on did something to Emma's body that she couldn't explain.
"Maybe we can do that again." Katherine said. Trying to sound hopeful. " Well, here we are." She said as she pulled into the airport parking garage.
That happy memory suddenly shattered by reality. Will dancing and tequila shots be in their future? Or was that just a thing of the past? Just a beautiful memory that will always be etched in the back of her mind. Emma bit her lip at the thought of those beautiful cheeks turning pink as Emma grabbed her waist and pulled her in close while their friends were cheering them on in the background.
"You ready?" Katherine asked. Emma smiled back and nodded.
Emma sighed as she looked at the arrival times. One hour. In one hour she will get to throw her arms around Regina. Crap, she thought. Regina doesn't even know I am here. Maybe rushing her once she is beyond the gate is a little too extreme. Picking up a magazine from a nearby seat she takes a quick glance at Katherine. She is standing with her back up against the wall looking at her phone. Emma was never one to be patient. This hour may just test her patience.
The plane ride was not near as rough as the first one. Regina was able to take a small nap. She was shocked as to how tired she had become over the last few days of travel. Upon hearing the captain announce their arrival she sat up and grabbed her compact out of her bag. She knew Katherine was called to pick her up. Should it have been Emma. Of course. She would give anything for her to be the first person she sees walking out of the gate. But she knew it was not a smart move. She purposely distanced herself from Emma over these past months and she knows Emma is quick to let her emotions take over. She was not ready to see her. Not yet anyway.
Once the plane was on the ground Regina grabbed her bag. An overwhelming sense of serenity took over. She was going home. After this hellish year she needed to be where she felt like herself. With the people she loved. With Emma and Henry.
Walking out of the terminal she glanced around at the crowd. Katherine should be here somewhere. She thought as her eyes went from person to person. Then her gaze fell upon the most beautiful set of green eyes. Emma. Her breath hitched in her throat once she realized who was staring back at her.
"Emma…" Regina said in disbelief, dropping her bag to the floor.
"Hi…." Emma said as she smiled and innocently waved in the direction of the stunned brunette.