"It's gorgeous up here," breathed Emma as she stepped out of Regina's car. The clearing next to the river was surrounding by tall trees, the waterfall thundering just upstream.
Regina smiled as she watched the blonde take in their surroundings. "Not many place like this in Boston?"
"No place like this in any of the place I've been," said Emma, her gaze still trying to take everything in.
"Go for a wander if you like, I'll set up the tent?" suggested Regina, popping open the trunk.
Emma shook her head. "I'll help you set up." She moved to help Regina lift the tent from the trunk, laying it down. "And then maybe we could walk together?"
Biting her lip as she took in the shy smile on Emma's face, the brunette nodded. "I'd like that."
Ruby pulled up to their usual spot to find Regina's car parked up, and her tent already up. "Little Miss Efficient as usual," she chuckled as she killed the engine of her truck and clambered out, running around to help Belle out of the other side.
"I guess Regina and Emma are already here," said Belle, smiling as she slipped from the high vehicle into Ruby's arms. Rubbing their noses together, she stole a quick kiss before stepping out of the embrace.
"I'll start setting the tent up if you want to go find them," said Ruby, moving to the back of her truck and flipping down the tailgate. She saw the younger girl hesitate. "I'm more likely to bite than they are," she smiled. "And besides, no offence, but I can get this tent set up quicker on my own."
True to her word, Ruby was quick to start setting up the tent, Belle sitting on rock close by, watching her work. Regina and Emma were nowhere to be found, and the brunette hoped Regina wasn't being an ass, and pushing Emma away after her realization the weekend prior. Regina had never dated. Ever. So to even consider dating Emma was a huge step.
"You look like you've done that a million times," commented Belle.
Grinning, Ruby looked up. "That's because I have. I love coming out here, the freedom of it."
"It is beautiful," smiled the younger woman.
"Beautiful place to bring a beautiful girl," replied Ruby, loving the blush her words caused.
Regina led Emma along a narrow trail that would lead to the top of the waterfall. Stumbling slightly, she found a pair of strong arms around her waist, keeping her from falling. She turned her head, finding Emma's face close to her own. "Thank you."
The blonde simply smiled, making sure Regina was steady on her feet. Her hands lingered around the narrow waist, loathe to let her go. The brunette had changed before leaving school, and somehow, in jeans and a knitted sweater, Emma found herself even more attracted to her.
Slipping her hand over Emma's arm, Regina linked their fingers, keeping their hands linked as they walked. Arriving at the top of the trail, she led them to the rocky outcrop next to the thundering water. "I come here when I need some space. The noise of the water helps me stop thinking, let's me clear my mind." She wasn't quite sure why she told the blonde, but she found she felt comfortable doing so. Moving to sit on the patch of dry rock near the head of the waterfall, she smiled when Emma sat close next to her, their shoulders touching.
"I used to go to the roof," said Emma. "The places I was before, a lot of them were really cramped. I used to go to the roof for some head space."
"You moved around a lot?" asked Regina.
Emma nodded. "Every few months…" She turned to look at the brunette. "I told you before it was complicated."
Regina tensed, sensing the blonde's admission before it came.
"…truth is, I was in foster care. Am in foster care," Emma corrected herself. "My parents abandoned me pretty much the day I was born and since then…things haven't been easy."
Regina was torn. Should she admit to having seen the file or not? She turned to find green eyes watching her closely, waiting for some sort of reaction. "I know." The blonde frowned. "I know you were in foster care."
"How?" asked Emma, leaning away from her. "Did you check up on me? Did someone tell you?" Her questions were quick and accusatory.
Noticing the gap the other girl created between them, Regina's heart sank. At this rate Emma was going to go storming off and end up calling Mary Margaret to pick her up. "Not exactly. Please, let me explain?" When the blonde didn't leave, she continued. "You know my mom's the Mayor? Well, I guess, when you came into town, a copy of your file was faxed to her or something. On Thursday night, when she was having that stupid drinks thing, I went down to her office to ask if my outfit was acceptable. The file, it was on her desk. I saw your name, and I didn't think, I just flipped it open."
"How much did you read?" asked Emma, her voice wavering between fear and anger. Her past was something she was trying to move on from. Having the very people she was trying to move on with learning of it was the last thing she wanted.
"I just flicked it open," said Regina. "I barely glanced at the pages on the top, but that was it, I swear." She reached out for Emma's hand, which had been pulled from her own. "Once I realised what it was I closed it straight away. I didn't mean to pry." Without thinking, she brought their joined hands up and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Emma's. "I want to get to know you, but not like that."
Emma looked up into chocolate brown pools. "I'm trying so hard not to be that person anymore," she said quietly.
"Then maybe let me get to know the person you want to be?"
"How can you just put what you know about me away like that?" asked Emma.
Regina shrugged. "I don't think a person should be judged on what they've done, or what happened to them. It shouldn't dictate who they are, or how people see them. I think that people, if they want to, can change. It doesn't change their past, but it helps them learn from it and move on…become a stronger person. Does that make sense?"
Emma nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It does." She scooted the few inches back towards Regina, their shoulders touching once more. "Did you mean it?"
"What?"
"When you said you wanted to get to know me?"
Regina nodded. "I did. I don't know what you think of yourself, but so far, I haven't found anything not to like," she admitted with a blush.
"I'm not a good person, Regina," sighed Emma, her gaze moving to the churning water. "Someone like you, they shouldn't want to know me."
"I think I'm more than capable of deciding who I want to know," said Regina, eyebrow raised. "And it just so happens, that I want to get to know you." She could see Emma's hesitancy as the blonde met her eyes. "Emma, I don't care if you're not perfect, or there are things that happened in your past that you hate, or that you're not proud of. Since you came here…" she paused. How had this come from a nice stroll to the waterfall to this? She shook her head, sighing, trying to put together what she wanted to say. Damn her troublesome emotions getting in the way. "I don't like many people, but somehow, when you came here, I liked you right from the start. And that might mean nothing to you, but to me…"
Any further words were cut off by a piercing howl through the forest.
"Are there wolves in these woods?"
Regina chuckled. "No. That would be Ruby wondering where we've got to. The noise carries better, and it sounds much nicer than her hollering." She stood, tugging Emma by their joint hands. Beginning to retrace their earlier steps, Regina halted when Emma didn't follow.
"You didn't tell them, did you? About the file?"
The brunette shook her head. "No, of course not. Emma, I felt so guilty for intruding myself, I would never have said anything to them." Without thinking, she stepped closer to Emma, cupping her cheek with her free hand. "That file doesn't change how I see you, if that's what you're worried about."
"So just how do you see me?" asked Emma.
Regina was pleased to see the mischief back in Emma's eyes. "Well, you'll just have to wait and find out, won't you?" Dropping her hand away, she turned back to the path, smiling when she felt Emma quickly follow, their joint hands between them.