A/N:Why, hello loves. Here's a new update. I don't have much to say this week except that if you reviewed on the last chapter and I didn't reply I apologize and I promise I have already read all of the reviews and will respond to them in the near future. If you want to continue to review (which I would love :D) you'll probably just get more than one reply because I reply to most of them separately. Also if you want a laugh, you should check out my facebook here: www. facebook riley. c. kay and watch the "alien" videos my sister and I made. The bloopers are the best.
Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
~R.

The brunette smirked at her roommate, "I thought we were making exceptions, here."

Emma woke up the next day with too many things to think of. How should she go about wooing Regina? Should she go to class and attempt to learn more about not only the professor's subject, but also the professor herself? Should she skip the class the next few days? And what about being Regina's assistant? Was that still a withstanding job? Or had that ended before it really even started?

Before the blonde could read too far into her current, overly upsetting situation, she received a text from the woman of her thoughts.

Emma-

Please do not forget office hours today. I could still use the help, and you still need to serve your time. :)

The blonde stared at the message before passing the phone to her brunette roommate that was sitting across from her.

"This is good, Emma," Ruby encouraged, handing the blonde her cellphone and a cup of fresh coffee with nowhere near enough sugar for Emma's liking. "It means she isn't upset with you. Maybe she just needed some time to think things over, too. I mean, you did, didn't you."

"That's the thing, Rubes," Emma sighed, rubbing one palm over her face. "I didn't take the time think things over. I basically jumped the woman and I barely even knew her."

"Well, you obviously saw something you liked." The brunette smirked over her coffee cup and winked at the blonde.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Ruby. I'm really struggling with this." Emma shook her head. "This isn't who I am. I don't just go after a woman like this. I do one night stands. I do hit-it-and-quit-its. I do women with no strings attached. I don't fall for people."

Ruby smiled again, this time it showed how much she cared, instead of her humor at the blonde. Reaching across the table she pulled Emma into a hug, "Emma, we had this conversation last night. Obviously Mills is an extremely different situation. You need to make an exception here. You don't want her slipping through your fingers, do you?"

"I don't want her running away, do I?" Emma sighed. She was resigned to agreeing with Ruby eventually, but it would be much easier for her to end this thing she and Regina had now, than Regina ending it later, right?

Right.

"Emma." Ruby gave the blonde her signature glare, "You're being an idiot."

"EXCUSE M-"

"Shut up." The brunette put a hand over her roommate's mouth. "As I was saying, you're being an idiot." Ruby took in the other girl's look of hurt, "I mean that in the most loving way, honey. But you do need to know that I do mean it."

Once Ruby removed her hand Emma spoke. "I don't get it. Why am I an idiot?"

"Because, Emma. The woman of your dreams just asked you to come back and you're sitting here questioning if you have a chance with her instead of getting ready to see her and woo her."

Emma looked at her best friend, "You're right, Rubes, but I'm scared."

"You should be. Mills is one scary bitch." Ruby ducked an unfrosted cupcake that flew her direction, but smiled when she heard laughter break from her long-time friend's lips.

Regina rolled over and looked at her alarm clock. She didn't have any classes to teach on Fridays, but she still had to keep up with her administrative duties. Why she ever agreed to take over the head position when her mother retired and to continue teaching classes was beyond her.

At least I now have Emma to help me.

Emma. The adorable, foot-in-mouth blonde who had attacked her with her lips after only knowing the professor for a day.

Regina struggled with her thoughts about the girl. She liked Emma. She really did, but it was too soon to tell, and she never believed in love at first sight. Though, she never believed in a lot of things, but look at where life had taken her. She was a single mother of a five year old boy who also managed to run a college, teach a few courses, and make it home in time to kiss her baby boy goodnight. She had lost her husband, her father, and even the small little girl who once grew inside of her. She had entered a personal hell, and when it looked impossible, she drug herself through and escaped out the other side with help from no one except her mother and her self.

Even if I did like Emma, she would run after hearing my story. Anyone in their right mind would. But nothing about her screams 'In-her-right-mind,' so maybe we could give it a shot.

The brunette professor pulled out her phone and texted the blonde.

Emma-

Please do not forget office hours today. I could still use the help, and you still need to serve your time.

After rereading the text and adding a smiley face at the end, Regina deemed it perfect and sent it off to the woman she could not stop thinking about, got out of her bed, and headed to the shower.

Today was going to be a great day.

Regina waited in her desk for almost an hour before Emma knocked on the door.

"Come in," the administrator called sweetly.

The handle turned and the heavy wooden door opened to reveal a drenched blonde carrying a medium-sized Rubbermaid container.

"Hey," the newcomer said, nervously looking down at her feet and bringing hand up to pull at the back of her neck, "how's it goin'?"

Regina's mouth dropped in shock as she jumped up and almost ran towards the blonde, "Emma, you're drenched!"

"I know, and I'm sorry if I'm ruining your carpet or furniture or whatever, but it's really raining out." The student scuffed a shoe on the floor, still staring down at her feet.

"No, Emma. That's fine," Regina said. She did notice, however, that the blonde still refused to make eye contact, and placed a hand on the blonde girl's chin and lifting up. "Really, dear. I'm not upset."

"Okay."

"I'm serious, Emma." Regina stared into the hazel pools in front of her. "Let me just go get you something to dry off with."

Before the blonde could protest, her professor was out of the room, and off to who-knows-where to get Emma who-knows-what so the blonde could dry off. This left Emma alone to her thoughts.

"My Lord," Emma chastised herself aloud, thinking the brunette would be gone long enough not to hear, "You'd be less awkward if you screamed 'I love Regina Mills and I've only known her a wee bit over two days!' while running through campus. Get it together, Swan." She ran a pale hand through her long blonde locks, "Find a way to woo the woman so these feelings can stop being one-sided. Then maybe you'll be able to sleep at night."

Regina rushed down the hallway and into her old office. What a blessing it was to be able to still call the place hers. Now she had a place to store her stuff without cramping her new office. It was truly a blessing when one was as prepared as Regina Mills, and always thought to bring along the necessities for any given occaission.

The brunette entered the room and started rummaging through the adjoining closet area. She pulled out her overnight bag and rushed back to her new office, making sure to relock the door before she left.

Minutes later, she stood outside her office, wondering who Emma could possibly be talking to. There was no one else who would dare enter her office without her knowing of their presence.

She waited for a moment, knowing it was wrong to eavesdrop, but not wanting to interrupt the blonde's obviously annoyed conversation with whomever the intruder was.

"My Lord, You'd be less awkward if you screamed 'I love Regina Mills and I've only known her a wee bit over two days!' while running through campus. Get it together, Swan. Find a way to woo the woman so these feelings can stop being one-sided. Then maybe you'll be able to sleep at night."

Regina held her breath. There was no intruder. Just Emma speaking to… Emma. Saying things that obviously weren't meant for the brunette's ears. Things that had her heart beating wildly.

She actually has feelings for me. She wants to woo me. She…. loves me after two days?

Regina's head was reeling, but as she looked up through the slightly ajar door, then looked back down at her hands, she remembered why she had left the room. Emma was soaking wet and was likely to catch pneumonia if she stood in those damp clothes any longer.

The professor forced her legs to carry her into her office. "Here you go, dear. In this bag there should be a towel, a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. You can go in there and change," she motioned to the bathroom connected to her office. "On second thought, you should take a shower to warm yourself up."

"Miss Mills, it's really not that bad," the blonde argued, shivering. "I don't need to take a shower. It'll cut into my work time, and I know I'm already late."

"Nonsense, Emma. I'd rather you cut into time today than miss the next week and a half because you've caught pneumonia." Emma smiled and Regina returned the gesture before wrapping a loose arm around the blonde and ushering her towards the bathroom. "Take as much time as you need, I'll still be here when you come out."

The blonde disappeared into the bathroom and locked the door while Regina returned to her original seat and opened her computer. Five minutes passed, and the brunette had only typed on sentence, not being able to focus as her mind kept flashing back to Emma's words.

She said she loved me, but do I feel the same way? Of course not. It's only been a few days, and… well… love at first sight is impossible. I do like her, though. I am willing to try whatever this is if she is.

Regina heard the running water click off and rapped her knuckles on the door. She needed to take a walk to clear her mind.

"Emma?" she asked through the door.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm going to go grab us some coffee from down the block. Would you like anything?" The brunette asked politely.

The blonde emerged in the new clothing with a towel drying the ends of her hair. Regina noticed she was still acting shyly, and wondered why Emma was acting so strangely.

I surely cannot be because she wants to date me, can it?

"No need, boss. There's coffee in the container I brought in with me," she gestured to the corner of the administrator's desk that had her box sitting on it. "Sorry I forgot to mention it when I walked in. You kind of left in a hurry."

She noticed Regina glaring at the box and hurriedly continued, "Don't be upset. I had them put the coffee in special thermoses so they wouldn't get cold. I didn't really know what you liked, but so I got a spiced pumpkin macchiato and a plain black decaf in case you didn't like the first option."

"I'm not upset, dear," Regina amended. "At least, not over the coffee possibly being cold. I just- to be honest, Emma, I was going to go get coffee at the local shop so I could clear my head a bit."

"Oh," Emma suddenly looked slightly hurt. "I would pretend to trip and spill on myself so you would have to go get a new cup, but I don't know how many extra pairs of clothing you have stored in this place, and I wouldn't want to ruin a good t-shirt. I'm not too sure you have many."

"Oh, really, Miss Swan?" Regina asked, slowly moving towards the blonde. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Only that you're state of dress is always impeccable, Professor," Emma smiled innocently, but widely.

"I'll have you know I have much more than school clothing in my closet, Emma," Regina defended herself. "I'm not always an uptight administrator. In fact, you're wearing the clothes I was planning to change into if I had to stay too late tonight."

"They're very comfy," the blonde teased.

Regina stepped closer so there was only a breath between the two of them and grabbed the collar of the shirt Emma was wearing. Emma tried to back away but a hand on her hip stopped her.

"Don't back out now, Miss Swan," came the warning, but Emma didn't listen. Instead, she backed up and looked straight into the professor's eyes.

"We need to talk, Regina."

Looking dejected, the brunette turned around and plopped ungracefully in one of the two leather couches in her office with a huge sigh. She gestured to the other one.

"Sit."

Emma wasn't sure if it was a command or not, but it sounded like one, so she did as she was told.

Silence passed for minutes between the two before Regina looked into Emma's eyes. "You said we sound talk, Emma, so talk," she prodded gently.

"I like you. A lot." Shit. Way to be subtle, Swan.

"And I you, Miss Swan."

"No, Regina. I like you as more than a friend. I look at you and I think you're this amazing, beautiful woman with so much on her plate, but you manage to be perfect at every moment and you just…. amaze me," as per usual, Emma rambled everything she had to say into one quick sentence before looking up at the brunette.

"Go on."

"I don't know what else to say, Regina. I took the time to think everything through. I really did, and I made the decision that I was going to take my time, I was going to listen to you, and work with you, and pay attention to the small details that you perfected so I could know more about you. Then I was going to use it all to woo you in multiple romantic gestures, in hopes that you'd someday feel like I'm worth taking a chance on, but when we sat down here, I ruined it by saying I like you. And I don't want you to be scared of me or this or anything. And I don't want you to run away from it because I think we have something special."

"And…" Regina encouraged her to continue once again.

"And I know it's only been a few days, which is why I was waiting to make a move. Well, I guess I should say another move because I did attack you last night."

"Well, Miss Swan. That is a lot to consider." Regina pretended to be deep in thought.

"I understand, Professor, and I'm willing to give you as much time and space that is needed to think it over." Emma looked down at her feet dejectedly, wondering if she had just ruined everything.

Silence. Silence was all she heard. Then she felt hands on each of her cheeks, pulling her face up and towards full, plump, red lips.

She fell into the kiss. Forgot where she was. Forgot what day it was and how much word still needed to be completed before she went home. She didn't forget, however, who owned the luscious lips that were connected with hers.

"Regina." She whispered through a smile as they pulled apart.

"Yes, dear?"

"I thought you didn't make friends with students," Emma asked, smirking.

"I wouldn't call us friends, Emma," came the snarky response, followed by lips and tongue. "I can assure you I don't do that with friends."

"Well, we should stop then, too." Emma suggested.

"Excuse me?" The brunette asked pulling back.

"I'm just saying, Reggie. There is no way I can have time to think of how to woo you if you're constantly sucking on my face."

The women broke out in simultaneous loud laughter, but the brunette was the first to recover.

"...And the moment is ruined."