Sorry guys! got busy there. Totally met Lana the other day! STILL FREAKING OUT! So the days leading up to that weekend didn't allow for me to focus lol and neither have the days after it! But I felt bad for leaving you guys hangin so here's an update! Trying to fit the kiss in in the next couple chapters ;) please leave a review! You guys are awesome!
Regina walked in to the diner cautiously, careful not to run in to her Storybrooke version as she explored the town against her wishes. The mayor didn't want people seeing doubles and that was understandable. But she was tired of being cooped up. She had convinced her David not to join her though. No one needed that uproar she was certain.
"Hey, Regina," Red greeted politely and the woman turned to face her, "regular?"
"Yes, please," she agreed with a smile, not really knowing what the woman meant.
"You playing with magic?" Red chuckled as she turned to make the woman her coffee.
"Hmm?"
"Your hair," she nodded to the pretty and loose french braid that draped over her shoulder, a few shorter curled strands framing her face, "it's a whole lot longer than it was yesterday."
"Oh yes. Thought I'd try something different..."
"Well I like it," Red smiled as she poured her her coffee, "makes you look friendlier."
"Thank you," Regina smiled with a happy quirk of her head.
Red chuckled to herself with a shake of her head and pushed a lid on to the cup, "leather pants, white tshirts, long hair, thank you's, and smiles? If it wasn't for the blazer and heels I'd question if you were actually Regina," she laughed and the woman smiled back, "what's gotten in to you?"
Regina shrugged with a laugh of her own, "nothing out of the ordinary really."
"I don't believe that for one second," Red smirked and handed Regina her cup over the counter and proceeded to place her elbows on the counter and her head in her hands, "who's the guy?"
"Excuse me?"
"Somebody is...making you happy," Red grinned in amusement with the tip of her tongue between her teeth and Regina rocked back on to her heels with an arrogant and amused smirk of her own, "throw a dog a bone, Regina."
"I am afraid disclosing such information would cause absolute chaos in this town," she shrugged simply with her smirk still in place.
"I don't know you as one to ever turn down an opportunity to wreak havoc."
Regina hummed in amusement and brought the cup to her lips, taking a sip before she turned on her heels and sauntered away.
"Oh come on, Regina!" Red laughed after her but the woman only shot an amused glance over her shoulder before the door closed behind her.
Regina laughed to herself as she skipped down the stairs of the diner and when she reached the sidewalk she turned right but didn't make it one step in that direction before she turned a full one eighty and walked in the other direction. The Regina of this Storybrooke world must have had the same idea for she was walking up to the diner after her but she had her nose buried in her phone and had not seen her.
Regina opened the door in to the diner and stopped at the counter, "my usual please, Red," she ordered simply and kept her eyes on her phone. When there was no sound of movement, Regina lifted her head in irritation, "Red!" But the woman was staring at her as though she had seen a ghost. Wide eyes and lips slightly parted.
"What are you staring at?" Regina snapped and Red's mouth opened wider for words to leave it but none were ever heard. "Seriously what are you-..." the pieces clicked together right then and Regina let out a long sigh and lifted a hand to her forehead to ward off an oncoming headache, "how long ago did she leave?"
"Hardly a minute ago..." Red whispered in confusion and watched as the second Regina she had seen in not two minutes, stormed out of the building without an explanation.
Regina grumbled furiously under her breath as she hurried down the steps outside and out on to the sidewalk. When she caught glimpse of the end of a slim leather clad leg disappearing behind a corner, she took a deep breath and vanished without bothering with the flare of purple smoke and reappeared in front of her younger copy. The woman didn't even blink when she appeared in front of her, "what are you doing?"
"Taking a walk. What do they do to their coffee in there? It's delicious," she examined the cup and then took a sip.
"I don't know, I have yet to figure it out!" Regina spat and snatched the cup away, "I told you to stay inside!"
"Yes, well, as magnificent as your home is, I have gotten rather bored inside its walls and only more curious as to what is outside of them."
"Alright look! I get that you don't like to be kept inside! But you can't just stroll out in to my town!"
"Why not?"
"Because it's my town!"
"Oh you must have a better reason than that. As far as these people are concerned it is just as much my town as it is yours."
"You could have at least told me you needed to get out and we could have arranged something! I could have stayed home!"
"And what would we have done with my husband? I know you don't like spending time alone with him. He makes you uncomfortable."
"We would have figured something out!"
"You worry too much," the queen commented as she plucked the coffee cup back out of the mayor's grasp and proceeded to walk past her and take a sip.
"I do not worry too much! These people are morons and they will take any excuse to start a riot," Regina argued as she fell in step beside the infuriating queen.
"Well as far as I can tell, it is a quiet day in your precious little town and the only thing causing any confusion whatsoever is the fact that there are two of us walking side by side," she shrugged and then smiled and waved her fingers at a gawking townsman across the street. She was rewarded with her hand begging smacked down by the mayor's but the queen only laughed and brought the coffee to her lips and breathed, "you need to get laid."
"I am just fine," Regina snapped sharply with her lip threatening to curl back in a snarl as she looked at the queen in disbelief as the woman skipped ahead of her and turned around so she was walking backwards
"You know who is surprisingly good at sex?"
"Do tell. I am sure my head will explode with shock at your entirely unpredictable answer," she deadpanned with an unimpressed expression while the queen laughed in amusement as she continued walking backwards ahead of her.
"David is completely wasted on that pretentious little snow flake. You should really put the poor man out of his misery before he forgets how to use his-"
"That is quite enough, thank you."
"Just saying," she shrugged with a grin and then paused her steps and turned back around so she could walk next to the uptight mayor, "so what is holding you back?"
"He is married."
"To Snow White."
"Is that supposed to change things?"
"A good part of our lives was spent trying to make that girl miserable. You clearly took it further than I did. What is stopping you from following through now?"
"We had come to an understanding shortly before Henry fell through that portal to you. But that doesn't matter for this isn't about Snow. It is about David and my respect for him. I am not about to ruin the life he has built for himself."
"What if he wants to ruin it?" She offered and took a sip of the delicious liquid in her cup.
"He would be a fool to want that."
"Love makes people do stupid things," she smirked at the mayor but she only scowled back.
"Are you certain that is coffee you are drinking?"
"Well there is no gooey love potion in here if that's what you're asking," she smirked with a rock of her head and Regina rolled her eyes and looked ahead of them with her lips lightly pursed. "Seriously do you have any fun at all?" The queen chuckled and sipped once again at her coffee.
"When I don't have to babysit a queen, I have plenty of fun," Regina smirked irritably and opened the door to the town hall and waited for the queen to walk in.
"You see, I just don't believe you," she smiled as she lifted a finger from the cup to point at the mayor who smiled a little more irritably as she walked in to the large building, "what is this place?"
"It's the town hall. Where my office is," Regina answered plainly and passed the queen as she stood and looked around.
"The architecture in this world is so different."
"And taste is constantly changing," Regina added as she unlocked the doors to her office and the queen followed her in with an excited 'ooooo'.
"I like it," she approved with a nod at the sharp decor and then walked to the ornate desk with a glass top. Then she smirked at it and took a breath to say something but was cut short by the mayor's voice as she flicked through sheets of paper upon its surface.
"Before you suggest it I have had many sexual encounters on the surface of this desk," she deadpanned and the queen gave a low laugh in her throat.
"With whom?"
"The huntsman."
"Ah so he made it to Storybrooke as well? That is certainly convenient for you," she smirked and the mayor only lifted her eyebrows in response as she read from the papers in front of her, "my huntsman got his heart returned to him and ran off with Red Riding Hood."
That caught her attention, "Red?" She questioned with a furrow of her brow up at the amused queen.
"A man raised by wolves, falls in love with a werewolf. I suppose it could be poetic."
"Especially if she eats him like the last man in her company," Regina drawled out and did smile just a little when the queen laughed.
"It would be an unfortunate way to die," she chuckled and then looked to the mayor, "so if the huntsman is here in Storybrooke, why are the pair of you not still taking advantage of one another? Or was yours not as fond of the Evil Queen as mine was?"
"I killed him over a year ago," Regina answered plainly and the queen clicked her tongue and sat on the edge of the desk.
"That's unfortunate," she nodded and pursed her lips in thought as she thrummed her fingers upon the side of her cup. "Is there no one else in this town you hold dear?" She asked curiously and the mayor shook her head and sighed.
"No. I've killed them all."
"All of them?"
"All of them."
The queen paused for a moment and then opened her mouth to ask who exactly the woman had killed but she never got the chance for David's voice was heard instead. Not her husband. The other one.
"So her majesty did manage to sneak out of the house," David commented with a light scolding tone and the woman shrugged and smiled.
"You going to lock me up, sheriff? Those handcuffs look particularly charming," she teased with a wide toothy grin and then looked down at the mayor who quickly scratched her signature on the bottom of a page.
"They are," she confirmed and the queen let out a delighted laugh and looked back at David. Only when the queen's eyes were off of her did Regina look up at David, "people are calling you already?"
"No. But I swung by the diner for Emma's breakfast and was faced with a very confused and concerned Red," he explained and Regina sighed behind her desk while the queen remained perched on top of it beside him.
"What did you tell her?"
"That you would explain the whole situation at the town meeting tomorrow morning."
"And?"
David gave a soft laugh and a nod and continued, "and asked that she please keep the sighting to herself so as not to spread rumours."
"Thank you," Regina breathed a relieved breath and let her shoulders drop a little.
"You're welcome," he smiled and then looked to the queen beside him to see what the hell she was staring at him for. "What?" He nodded at her and she shook her head and smirked as she lifted her cup to her dark red lips.
"Nothing," she answered innocently and he skeptically looked her over. After she swallowed she ran her fingertips along the glass covered desk and asked sweetly, "Regina and I were just talking about this desk. What do you think of it?"
"Don't answer that," Regina sighed at a befuddled David and then looked to the grinning queen, "do you not have somewhere to be? Like the house."
"Oh no I think I'll spend the day with you in this office," the queen smirked and slid off the desk and sauntered to the table so she could pluck a red apple from the bowl on its surface, "if you won't allow me to explore the town until tomorrow then I suppose I will just have to settle for a change of scenery."
Regina crossed her jaw at the woman as she smiled and took a bite of the apple. Then Regina looked to David and found him biting back a smile, "shut up."
"I didn't say anything!" He laughed and she huffed as she went back to organizing paper with a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.
"Your thoughts were plenty loud," Regina retorted smoothly and found it harder to hold back her smile.
"I think she's hilarious."
"She isn't."
"I am quite funny, I don't know what you're talking about," the queen smirked and David laughed while the mayor's lips pursed in to a smile as she smacked her hand and pen on to the desk as she looked up at him.
"You like her more than you admit," he chuckled and she grumbled through her smile.
"I do not."
"You do. And quite frankly it's adorable."
"Oh don't call her adorable, you'll never get her naked if you talk like that," the queen smirked as she walked behind him and both the mayor and David gave a stuttered 'what?!' In reply as they looked at her in disbelief at the words that just left her mouth. "Continue on," she waved as she dropped herself on to the sofa and took another bite of her apple.
"For the record that is not entirely true," she pointed at him and he gave a tentative raise of his brow, unsure of where the lines were now, "it simply depends on what mood I'm in and how deep I am in to the relationship-and I swear to god if you make one comment regarding my recent and regrettable word choice I will throw you to the wolves," she warned with her attention turned from David to the queen.
"Mmmm which wolves? Because I am rather certain I could sink my fingers rather deep in to that lovely Red and promptly change her mind," she grinned and laughed to herself and was rewarded with an apple hitting the back of her head, "ow!"
"Do shut your pretty mouth, dear," Regina smirked and the queen rubbed the back of her head with her hand as she laughed and moved to take another bite of the apple Regina hadn't magically flung at her head.
"Your aim is impeccable," she smirked before her teeth sunk in to the sweet and crunchy apple.
"Thank you."
David laughed under his breath at the pair of them, truly happy that they were getting along and that his Regina was smiling. She was still as uncomfortable as ever when she was in the company of both the king and queen but as he was seeing for himself, she was at least getting along much better with them separately. "Well seeing as there is no dire issue needing my attention, I suppose I should get back to the station with Emma's breakfast."
"Oh there is most certainly a dire issue that needs your attention," the queen chuckled and knew that the mayor was ready to cut her tongue out but that only made her smile more.
"We'll be fine," Regina told him with a smile after rolling her eyes at the queen.
"You sure?"
"Yes, David," she assured with a smile and a nod, "we'll be just fine."
"Alright I will see you guys later then. Try and behave. Don't go egging George's house."
The queen gasped in delight as she turned to look at the mayor with a mischievous grin, "you didn't tell me George was here."
"No."
"You're no fun," she teased with a laugh and relaxed back in to the couch.
"Do make yourself useful and pour us a drink."
The queen smirked even more and then laughed through her teeth as she gracefully swung her legs off the couch and stood so she could walk to the liquor. Just because it was first thing in the morning didn't mean they couldn't have a drink. She liked this woman more and more every day.
...
David was still trying to figure out what science created this 'stapler' when he heard the distinct click of women's shoes. Those footfalls belonged to Regina. He knew them well and that sharp rhythm belonged to both his wife and the lovely mayor. He smiled up at them in greeting as they came in but was then a little surprised when the mayor slid so easily atop his desk, perching herself upon its surface in front of him and to his left as she crossed one leg over the other. He couldn't help but smirk a little and look at the smooth skin of her toned legs revealed to him by the black skirt she wore.
When he looked up at her he could only smirk a little more at the smile that curved her lips. It was one he hadn't seen on her before. It was happy and playful and he was convinced that she thought he was the other David. Her David. "Hello," he smiled and she hummed a laugh and nodded her head.
"Hello."
"What brings you down here?" He breathed a laugh and she gave a lazy shrug of her shoulders and her smirk remained in place.
"Well it's nearing the end of the work day and I figured a...change of scenery would do me good," she smirked a little more after giving him a quick once over and he laughed and leaned back in to his chair, "have you been wearing that all day?"
"Since I woke up."
"Hmm. I like it."
"Thank you," he chuckled and she looked him over a little slower this time. He didn't know what had gotten in to her or if this was how she acted when she was alone with her David but she was not the stern and tense woman he had been growing accustomed to. He found it completely entertaining and had him liking her even more. Her legs didn't hurt his opinion either. He was going to have to get his wife in to one of those skirts. "You feeling alright?"
"Mhm," she assured happily with a smile and he laughed a little more. And then the queen slid in to view and settled herself on his lap and Regina cocked her head at her curiously with a furrow of her brow. What the hell was she doing. And why was David allowing it. Just like that a roaring fire erupted inside of her, a burning jealousy ringing in her ears and causing her muscles to tense. He was hers. What the hell did her majesty think she was doing?
"I may or may not have kept our dear hostess on the brink of drunk all day," the queen chuckled lightly and he hummed a light laugh, "just to take the edge away."
Our hostess. This was the other David. The one from the Enchanted Forest. Just like that her buzz was killed and her anger burned deep in her gut and just as she moved to slip herself off his desk, a light knock on the glass of Emma's office had her eyes snapping up to see the blonde and her father inside. Her heels clicked against the floor and she walked around the Emma's office. She was angry. Why was the king out of the house and why in the hell had she been so completely and irrationally jealous when the queen had settled herself on his lap.
She had been ready to scream at her and pull her off of him and fight. It had been a ridiculous feeling but a potent one. She didn't like it and she didn't understand it.
She had caught his eye the moment she had walked in to the station. She always did. He was preparing himself to hear the whole lecture of him bringing the king to work but then she perched herself on his desk with an easy grin on her face. It had him confused and jealous and with every laugh and every word between them, the jealousy bored deeper. He had gotten the impression that she did not get along with that David. But they looked closer than ever to him.
However realization dawned on him when the queen stepped in and the confusion and dangerous anger pulled at Regina's features. She had assumed that the David out there was him. Which was fair. Because why would she think he would be out of the house and sitting in his desk. And then realization dawned on her as well and the anger grew more concentrated while the clear jealousy dissipated. He would be lying if he said that jealousy in her eyes didn't make him feel a little arrogant as he tapped his knuckles on the glass.
"What in the hell is he doing here?!" Regina hissed when she walked in and Emma sighed.
"Talk to him," she waved off the question to David and the brunette's furious eyes snapped to his.
"It's a quiet day here. Henry is at school and the queen got to leave and spend the day with you and I felt bad leaving him sitting all alone in your house. So I brought him here for a change of pace."
"And if someone were to come in?!"
"I've been in here with Emma all day. No one has come in but if they do all I need to do is step out that door or sit on the floor," he motioned to the door behind him and she scoffed furiously as she folded her arms and shifted her weight. But he couldn't help but feel heat grow in his belly at the sight. Long slim legs, tall black heels, a tight black pencil skirt, and a dark purple silk shirt tucked in to her skirt, her hair gently tousled by her own hands at some point or several throughout her day. She was beautiful even when she was angry. If not especially when she was angry.
"You are going to be telling them all tomorrow, Regina. May as well give them a chance to see how things work in this world before they have to wander around like a couple of clueless tourists in a town full of prejudicial clowns."
"If I do recall, you were once one of those prejudicial clowns," Regina retorted and David nodded.
"And now I am here to help them see how foolish they can be," he told her and she pushed out a sharp sigh, "they are harmless, Regina."
"They have great potential to tear this town apart, David!"
"What are they going to do? Their main focus is me and you, they couldn't care less about the people in this town."
"That is exactly my point! They want the two of us together! Prince Charming and the Evil Queen together in Storybrooke!"
"Regina, that isn't going to happen," he argued softly.
"Who is to say that?!"
"You said it yourself!"
"What if I don't want to be right, David?!" She cried out and he paused, "what if I want to be wrong?!"
"...do you want to be wrong?" He asked carefully and the full meaning behind her words finally hit her and she started to shrink back in on herself, "Regina," he called gently and she dropped her eyes to the floor and started shaking her head while Emma kept her eyes down as well but listened intently, "what do you want from me?"
Regina drew in a shaky breath and swallowed anxiously. She hadn't meant for those words to come out and now she was standing there small and silent and vulnerable. "I don't know what I want, David," she breathed out and quickly backed out of Emma's office and walked away down the hall, not so much as glancing at the royal couple still at David's desk.
"Regina," he called as he followed her out but she ignored him. He called her again but continued to ignore him and only stopped when he caught her arm but she proceeded to make him walk around in front of her and she still kept her eyes down, "Regina," he cooed and she frowned and tried to shy away from him but he held her there with a hand on either of her arms just below her shoulders, "talk to me. Please."
"David, just ignore me. I've had a couple too many drinks at the office with the queen and I-"
"No, Regina, this is coming from somewhere. Alcohol doesn't make words up. It only brings existing ones to the surface."
"Is that why you brought a bottle of wine over every night you visited in Henry's absence?" She tried to tease and change the subject but it was a poor effort and her voice was small and her heart hurt.
"No. Well. Yes in a way I suppose. But that doesn't matter right now. Now talk to me," he urged softly and she opened her mouth to speak but seemed to fight with herself over words leaving her miserable expression or simply soft sobs. He waited patiently and ducked his head to try and catch her eye.
"I don't want to simply be your friend," she whispered and then forced herself to shrug out of his gentle hold on her and step away from him and keep her eyes down. Her voice broke ever so softly and quivered with the pain in her heart, "but I cannot be your lover," she told him and then with shaky legs and a still bowed head, she walked past him and out of the station, allowing for the gentlest of touches. It was a mere whisper of her fingers against his left hand, a silent addition to her quiet argument. One that hung over their heads and said 'you are married'.
David didn't turn to watch her leave. His eyes fell to the wedding band on his finger. He stared at it and as he did he couldn't help but wonder why he even wore it anymore.