Author's Note: TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of unwanted sexual advances.

As it would turn out, Emma would hear from the brunette before the upcoming Tuesday. In fact, it was Monday morning that the girl texted her.

'Emma…' the first text read.

'What's up, hun?'

'My mom set me up for a date with some guy tonight. He lives a few towns over and is homeschooled. He's the son of some wealthy guy she works with.'

'Oh, damn. You tell 'em to piss off?'

'Of course not! They're my parents! And if they find out that I'm gay, I'm totally fucked.'

'Well, how else are you gonna get out of it?'

'I don't know. I'm freaking out right now. What do I do?'

'You could just tell them and get it over with. They're going to find out eventually anyway.'

'Emma! Not helpful! There's no way that's happening!'

'Alright. I'm sorry. Maybe you should just go and spend a few minutes with him, then tell him you're not interested and that it was your parents who set up the date.'

'But my parents… they expect me to do this.'

'So go. Just blow him off when you do and tell them he was a complete and total ass.'

'They've already met him and said he was "an upstanding gentleman."'

'Oh. Damn.'

'Emma HELP.'

'It's gonna be fine, love. Especially if he is an upstanding gentleman. He'll understand that you're not interested, and it'll be fine.'

Regina blushed as she read the message. Love. Her heart skipped a beat before she replied to the text.

'Maybe you're right. Anyway, I gotta go. Thank you for listening. I'm sorry I'm being such a whiner right now. I guess I'm just scared and wicked nervous and grossed out.'

'Hey, who knows? Maybe he'll be your prince charming and you'll fall in love with him tonight ;)'

'Hilarious. I'm gay, Emma. Meaning I'm not interested in men, regardless of how chivalrous they are.'

'Just trying to be optimistic. Anyway, in all seriousness, I wish you the best of luck tonight. Call me if you need anything.'

'Thank you… You're too sweet. Really.'

'Nah. Anyway, try to have fun at least. Maybe he's gay and doesn't want to date you either haha.'

'Hopefully that's the case! Wish me luck.'

Emma didn't expect the girl to call, especially after it had reached eleven in the evening and she hadn't heard from her. At 11:13, though, her phone rang, waking her from the sleep she'd just fallen into.

"Hey," she muttered sleepily into the receiver. "What's up, babe?"

"Emma," Regina sobbed. "It was fucking horrible. He… He… We had dinner, and then… He wanted me to go back to his place… I tried calling my parents to ask, assuming they'd say no, but my mom said it was fine and I couldn't get out of it, and then… He… He started…"

"What is it, honey?" Emma asked anxiously, sitting straight up in bed. "What happened?"

"He touched me… and I told him to stop, but he wouldn't… and he… I had to hit him to get him to stop… I had to hit him so many times before he let go of me, and I…"

"Oh, fuck… Did he… Did…"

"No. I ran out of there like a bat out of hell. I… I'm walking home now."

"Fuck, Regina! You're walking?! It's almost midnight!"

"I didn't have a choice. It's not like I could've asked him for a ride!"

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry, Gina. How close are you to my place?"

"I'm on the other side of town. I'm half way to my house already. I'll be okay… I just… I needed… I…"

"I'm coming over. I'll meet you at your place. Walk fast and keep your cell phone on you."

"Emma… You don't-"

"I'm not letting you be alone right now."

"Thank you… Thank you so much. I'll see you soon."

"Regina?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"I will."

"Good. See you in a few."

By the time Regina arrived at her house, Emma was waiting for her, sitting on the front steps. As soon as she saw the girl, the blonde rose to her feet and ran to her. Once she was close enough, she pulled the brunette into her arms and held her there as the girl began to cry again.

"It's okay. I've got you. And I'm going to fucking kill him."

"Emma… It's fine. You don't-"

"No," the blonde snapped, holding her at arm's length and looking into her eyes with piercing seriousness. "It's not fine. And I'm going. To fucking. Kill him."

"Emma…"

"Let's get you inside," the blonde said suddenly, finally pulling away. "You're gonna need a nice cold beer and some rest."

"A what?!"

Emma leaned over and picked up two bottles of Sam Adams Summer Ale from the steps and held them up with a sly smile.

"Never fails to help me relax when I'm freaking out."

"You shouldn't use alcohol to cope with your problems!"

"Oh, come on. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. Let me have a little fun, would ya? And it's not gonna kill you to join in."

"I don't drink."

"Probably because you never have before."

"Well… I…"

"Hey, listen… Let's go upstairs, and you can take a sip, and if you hate it, I'll drink it."

"You shouldn't drink. You're underage."

"I'm eighteen."

"And the drinking age in the United States is twenty-one."

"Oh, hush. Don't be so uptight, Barbie."

What had become a term of endearment brought a small smile to Regina's lips as she wiped her tears on the backs of her hands.

"Alright. Come on in."

So the girl unlocked the front door and led Emma upstairs. As the two sat down on her bed and Emma opened the first bottle, she looked at it apprehensively.

"Some people thinks it's gross," Emma told her. "But some people love it. Give it a try? Just taste it?"

"Alright… Maybe just a taste…"

So Regina took the bottle and tilted it back, allowing a small amount of the beverage to pour over her tongue.

"Actually…" she said, lowering the bottle. "That's not half bad. Sort of sweet… Sort of bitter… I didn't expect it to taste like that."

"Well it's certainly not Pabst Blue Ribbon, that's for sure," the blonde laughed. "Doesn't taste like horse piss like that shit does."

"That's what I usually hear from girls about beer. Most of my friends drink hard liquor like Captain Morgan rum or vodka."

"But you never have?"

"My parents would kill me if they found out."

"Don't worry. I'll bring the bottles with me when I leave," Emma told her with a wink.

Regina rolled her eyes and took the other bottle and the metal bottle opener, then popped the top off and knocked back the beer, taking a larger gulp.

"Whoa there, kiddo," her companion chuckled. "That it easy."

"Why bother?" Regina sighed. "Might as well get plastered."

"Well, you're sure as shit not gonna get plastered on one beer. It's just to help you relax a little."

"And I sure as hell do need to relax right now. God, that was… so fucked up…"

"You gonna tell your parents?"

"Yeah. I am."

"I'm surprised."

"I'm usually very open with them. They're very understanding about pretty much everything. I just know they'd take the gay thing and freak the fuck out about it."

"Speaking of that… Are your parents gonna be pissed when they find out I was here?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. They love you. You made a very good impression."

"I tried."

After the two had each finished their beverages, Emma looked over and Regina with concern in her eyes as she saw the wave of sadness wash over the girl's face.

"You alright?" she asked softly, subconsciously putting her hand on the brunette's thigh.

Regina looked down at the girl's hand and began to stare at it. She couldn't help but wonder at the softness of the girl's skin as she thought back to the night that Emma had fallen asleep with the skin of their arms pressed together and the girl's head on her shoulder.

Eventually, after forgetting to answer for some time, she looked up and asked, "Huh?"

"I asked if you were alright… but it's obvious you're not. What can I do?"

"I… You could…"

"What is it? Anything you ask, I'll do."

The brunette's lips parted slightly as she stared at the blonde. Emma's words had shocked her.

"No one's ever said anything like that to me before…"

"I mean it. Anything I can do to help, I will."

"Would you… Would you stay tonight?"

"Of… Of course I will, Regina. The only way I'd leave you right now is if you asked me to. Even then, I wouldn't want to. I'm so worried about you, and I'm so, so sorry this happened."

"I'm just glad he didn't… you know…"

"Me too. You're a tough cookie, apparently. I wouldn't wanna mess with you. You'd kick me in the balls and I'd collapse and cry like a baby, I'm sure. Or you'd just hit me in the head with a metal baseball bat and nearly kill me."

Regina burst into a fit of laughter at this, a little louder than she'd intended, then covered her mouth to stop the sound. Instinctively, and without intention, Emma reached up and gently pulled the girl's hand away to uncover the noise.

"Don't," she said softly with a slight smile. "I like it when you laugh."

"I'm… I'm gonna wake my parents," the brunette chucked. "Then they would be pissed."

But even though Regina had spoken nonchalantly, she was still caught up in the web that Emma's words were weaving around her. The blonde certainly knew how to stop her breath in her chest.

"I think it'd be worth it if I got to hear that again." When Emma realized what she'd said, and that she was unintentionally flirting, she blushed and looked away, muttering, "Sorry… I meant…"

When the brunette placed her hand on top of Emma's and said, "It's fine. Let's get some sleep, hun," the blonde blushed brighter, but nodded her head.

"You could use some rest, I think. You feelin' that buzz?"

"After one beer?" the girl laughed, shaking her head.

"You totally are."

"Yeah… I am."

Both of them laughed at this, before Regina stood and walked over to her dresser, pulling out a T-shirt and a pair of comfortable shorts, then throwing some at her guest. Once they were both changed – Regina had to fight the urge to turn around as Emma slipped out of her clothes – the two climbed under the sheets of Regina's bed and rested their heads on the pillows. Emma stayed awake for a while, but Regina fell asleep almost instantly. As soon as she did, she rolled over, facing Emma, and rested her head on the girl's shoulder, causing the blonde to blush once again as her cheek brushed the top of her head. As Regina breathed deeply, Emma sighed and finally shut her eyes.

Regina's head was still on her shoulder when she woke the next morning. Once she had, she got dressed in the previous night's clothes – she'd changed before she'd gone to meet Regina at her house – and slipped out of the bedroom door and downstairs. Without eating – she was too embarrassed to help herself to anything – she immediately went outside and began work on the garden.

When Regina finally appeared outside on the lawn an hour or so later, she looked exhausted and melancholy (which Emma didn't blame her for at all). The blonde waved at the girl with a small smile, and Regina waved back with a bit less enthusiasm, then sat down in a lawn chair in the middle of the grassy area behind the house. Emma was turned around, so she didn't notice the girl staring at her as she knelt in front of the center garden and began to pull out all the weeds that were mixed in among the beautiful flowers. After she was done, she collected the hose and began to water the area.

Eventually, the brunette whined, "Fuck. It's so hot."

Emma immediately grinned, turned around, and looked Regina in the eyes.

"Yeah?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah. Aren't you dying?"

Of course, Emma was. In fact, she was dripping sweat from head to toe. But she was currently too distracted by the relatively skimpy clothing the other girl was wearing to answer her.

"Well?" Regina pressed. "I'm dying right now."

"I think I've got an idea," Emma finally said, grinning mischievously.

"What… What are you talking about?" the brunette asked cautiously, giving Emma the once-over.

But the gardener had no intentions of responding with words. Instead, she covered the opening of the hose with her thumb half-way and lifted it until it was spraying the girl's torso.

"EMMA!" Regina screamed, jumping out of the chair and covering her chest. "I'M WEARING WHITE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!"

But the blonde had seen exactly that before the display had been covered. She hadn't really planned for that to happen. In fact, she hadn't really registered that the brunette was wearing white at all. Now that she'd already completed the action, though, she had no regrets. However, she was frozen still as she stared at the girl's soaked figure. Everything from the neck down was dripping.

"I, uh…" she finally managed, gaping at the sight.

Rage (and possibly amusement) blinding her to her inhibitions, Regina dove at the girl, tackling her to the ground, straddling her hips, and prying the hose from her hands. As soon as she had it secured, she poured the water directly over Emma's face, until the blonde was coughing, laughing, and shaking her head vigorously to escape the flow of water.

"Hey, hey, hey!" she choked. "Knock it off! You win, you win!"

But Regina wasn't finished. Instead of stopping, as requested, she lowered the hose slightly until it was soaking Emma's white, tightly fitting tank top.

"REGINA!" Emma laughed loudly, trying to push the girl away.

But the brunette squeezed her thighs together to keep her position pinning the gardener to the ground, unrelenting as she splashed the water all the way down to Emma's navel. Of course, this exposed Emma completely as the fabric stuck to her skin, and her face turned red as she squirmed beneath her captor.

"Gina, come on!" she whined, desperate to escape the stimulating sensation of Regina's thighs gripping her tightly.

"Hold fucking still, Barbie! Don't be such a baby!" Emma's tormentor only stopped when she was completely soaked from head to waist, then announced triumphantly, "Payback's a bitch."

The blonde, exasperated, collapsed back on the grass, laughing loudly as she shut her eyes and pushed her dripping locks of hair out of her face.

"Oooh, girl, you are mean," she told her companion.

"You don't know the half of it," Regina said, leaning in until their chests were pressed together and her full lips hovered over Emma's.

Completely shocked by this, Emma stared up into chocolate eyes as her heart raced. Just as Regina leaned in a little closer, her breath caught in her chest, but the girl pulled away instantly with a wicked, taunting grin.

"I'm going inside to dry off," she said, standing up and turning around.

As she walked away, Emma could have sworn there was an extra sultry swing to her hips. While she lay on the ground, drying off in the sun, she shut her eyes and pictured the girl's soaking frame and the way the water had coated her skin. Before she knew it, she was growing even warmer than the sun was already making her.

"You want lunch?" Regina called out, breaking Emma from her trance several minutes later.

"Huh?" Emma asked, sitting up straight.

"Jesus, Emma. I thought we hired you to do work, not just lay around."

With a wink, the girl disappeared into the house once again. Fully dried off by the sun's rays at that point, Emma stood and followed Regina inside. When she reached the kitchen, there was already a tray of a few different sandwiches waiting for her.

"Didn't know which kind you'd like," the brunette told her, "so I just sort of fixed a bunch of them."

"Damn. Wish you'd told me you were gonna make lunch."

"Why?"

"'Cause then I could've said, 'Make me a sandwich, bitch.'"

Emma laughed, but Regina just scowled at her and shoved her backwards by the shoulders. As Emma stumbled into the counter, she continued to laugh, so the brunette advanced on her until their bodies were nearly pressed together.

"I'd shut up if I were you," Regina warned, her face suddenly serious.

"Oooh, fierce Regina. I like it. What are you gonna do? Shut me up?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

With that, Regina grabbed two sandwiches off the tray and made her way into the living room. Once again following her, Emma grabbed her own two sandwiches – roast beef and turkey – then sat down beside the girl on the couch, still a little bewildered by the brunette's behavior.

Was she flirting with me? Emma wondered. It certainly felt like it. Why else would she get that close to me? But her questions went unanswered as the girl turned on the TV and flipped to the History Channel. They both silently watched the program – a random show about how heavy, industrial chain links are made – until forty minutes had passed and Emma finally decided to speak.

"I gotta go to work," she sighed, reaching for Regina's plate with the intention of bringing it back into the kitchen.

"Can't you call out?" the girl asked suddenly, looking up at Emma as she stood from her seat.

"What? Why?"

"I… I don't know. I just… meant…"

"Do you want me to?"

"N-No, I…"

"I wish I could, hun, but I really need the money."

"I know… I just…"

"You can come by tonight if you want. I'm out at nine-thirty, so I should be home by nine-forty-five."

"That would be great. I really don't feel like being alone right now, you know?"

"Oh! Oh… I… I didn't realize that was what you meant. I really am sorry that I can't call out tonight. If I could, I would. I just… I've gotta pay my phone bill, and-"

"No, I get it. I do. I just still feel really weird."

"I'll see you tonight, though, okay? A little more than eight hours from now."

"Alright. Have a good day at work, okay?"

"Ehhh. I'll try."

With a wink, Emma patted the girl's shoulder, then turned and left for work.

When Regina arrived at Emma's apartment that night, she was soaked. This time, not from a hose, but from the rain.

"Did you walk?!" Emma asked anxiously, grabbing the girl's wrists and pulling her inside.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, you're soaked! Come inside and change."

"I didn't bring a-"

"I've got plenty of clothes, Regina. Just come here."

"I'm fine, Emma. Really."

"I said come here," the blonde snapped, tugging the girl up the stairs and into her small bedroom, where she began to dig through her dresser drawers for suitable clothes.

All she could come up with was a band T-shirt and a loose pair of basketball shorts.

"Sorry," she muttered. "All I got. I don't really wear girl shorts that aren't denim."

"It's fine, Emma. I really don't need-"

"You're staying the night, right?"

"Huh? I didn't bring anything to-"

"Cool. Let's go make pancakes."

Wide eyed, Regina went into the bathroom to change, then reappeared in the doorway. As soon as she did, Emma gave her a gentle push into the hallway and pulled her down the stairs.

"Where are your parents?" Regina asked in a whisper. "Aren't they going to-"

"Nah. My parents love you as much as yours seem to love me. Anyway, I'm starving. I know I don't usually eat, but you feeding me all the time has got me feeling hungry more often."

With a shrug, the blonde began to fill a bowl with pre-made pancake mix and added the rest of the ingredients. Regina offered to help, and even reached for some of the ingredients to be of assistance, but Emma slapped her hand away and continued cooking. Once the pancakes were done, she handed the girl the jug of syrup with a smile.

"Eat up," she said happily, passing her a large plateful of pancakes next.

The two carried their meal upstairs, after shutting off the stove and rinsing the dishes, then both sat down on Emma's bed. When Regina looked down at the plate with apprehension, Emma cut up a piece of her first pancake, dipped it in syrup, then lifted the fork.

"Try it," she offered. "I make good pancakes, I promise."

Regina hesitantly but obediently opened her mouth, allowing Emma to place the fork between her lips as she took her first bite of the meal. Her eyes shut as she tasted the sugar on her tongue.

"Oh, holy shit," she groaned. "You're gonna give me a sweet tooth. And cavities."

"Darling, if you're this sweet already and don't have cavities, you never will."

The brunette froze at the boldness of this comment as she stared into Emma's deep green eyes. They were flashing with something Regina hadn't seen yet. There was flirtation there, but also… There was passion.