The next day was the same. Em woke up early went for work and as usual Regina made him coffee which he didnt drink. On the way to the office Regina stopped at Granny's diner, she saw Em sitting in a booth eating his burgers and reading newspaper. Belle, the waitress was standing next to Em and casually talking.
"Hey handsome, want some more coffee? " Belle asked flirtatiously and laid a hand on Em's biceps. A very muscular biceps which made Regina's blood boil.
"No, thanks Belle." Em smiled and replied and went back to eating. Regina was burning holes as she looked at Belle leaving his table to attend others while her short skirted hip swayed a little more.
"Enjoying your breakfast Sheriff?" Regina said formally as she stood next to his table.
"Indeed Madam Mayor, would you like to join?" Em asked in the same formal tone.
"No thanks. I had breakfast. I have requested for some papers to be submitted to my office today. Would you mind checking that for me Sheriff ? I need them before afternoon as I have a meeting today " Regina kept the formality to the end.
"Ofcourse Madam Mayor, I will bring it down myself to the office if needed. Will that be all ?" Em asked
"That will be all Sheriff, have a nice day " Regina replied as she walked out of the diner.
Em went back to his breakfast. 'That was awkward' he thought.
As promised, Em brought the papers to mayor's office. He stood in front of Katherine's desk. The day couldn't get any awkward. This was the first time he met Katherine after the incident couple of nights ago. He smiled awkardly as Katherine looked at him without any expression.
"How can I help you Sheriff ?" Katherine asked.
"Umm...I am here to see Madam Mayor, there are paperworks to be handed over" He replied.
"Give me a moment " Katherine went inside to check with Regina.
"Your husband is here. Well you weren't lying when you said he looked hot in the uniform" Katherine teased her bestfriend. Blush crept upon Regina's face as she quickly stood up and fixed her hair and makeup.
"Let him in and how do I look? " She asked Katherine
"Well who know the badass Mayor would be smitten over the town Sheriff" Katherin chuckled. Regina ignored her best friend.
"Madam Mayor will see you now." Katherine kept her expression neutral as she informed Em.
"Thank you. And Katherine, I am sorry for what happened. I didn't mean to, but its no excuse for me to say those awful things even when I am drunk "
"Damn right you are. But I forgive you. Just don't do this to Regina"
"I won't. I promise" Em replied quietly as he went inside.
Regina tried to sit as casual as possible but the moment Em walked through the door, she felt butterflies in her stomach.
"May I come in Madam Mayor?" she was snapped out of her thoughts .
"Yes please, Sheriff" she composed herself. "Please take a seat "
Em took a seat and handed the paperworks to Regina. "The paper works you asked"
"Thank you Sheriff for bringing in this quick" She genuinly thanked him with a small smile.
"No problem. Just doing my duty" He replied casually as he looked around the office.
"Its a nice office. "He commented.
"Thanks again. It was worse when I started here. I made some changes, making it more of my style" Regina replied
"Well you have nice taste Madam Mayor." Em's reply made Regina raise an eyebrow. 'Look who wants to know my taste' Regina thought. 'Oh please Regina get your head out of the gutter' She shook her thoughts and continued to look through the papers.
"So how's work?" She asked not trying to fill the awkward silence.
"Its quiet in here. I am not used to quiet" He simply shrugged.
"Oh" Thats all Regina could say. "Well the paperwork seems great. Thank you once again for bringing this to the office"
"Its my pleasure, Madam Mayor. If that's all shall I take my leave ?" Em asked already standing up from his chair.
"Yea..yea that's all" Regina replied as she too stood up.
"Have a good day Madam Mayor" He replied and was out the door.
"You too Em" she said quietly after Em left the office and she sat down in her chair feeling disappointed.
Ruby never had luck in finding a girlfriend. In Em's words she has the worst pickup lines. Ever since they moved to Storybrooke, her eyes caught the very sexy waitress of Granny's Diner, Belle. She regularly goes to the diner and have her breakfast and lunch, but couldn't bring the courage to talk to her. She forced Em to talk to Belle so that he can get to know her. Today was the same , she took Em to the diner for lunch. They sat on their usual table and waited for Belle.
"You have been rather quiet today" Ruby commented in her best friend's silence.
"I dont get it. Regina got angry with me the other day at the hospital and said she wants nothing to do with me. Then all of a sudden she is making me coffee every morning. Today she even talked to me like its normal. I mean I dont get it. What does she want ?" Em kept ranting.
"Yeah, about that. I may or may not have told her about Lily" Ruby said as quietly as possible
"You did what ?" Em shouted which made the entire diner look at them.
"Ssshh... calm down okay. I was drunk and it kind of blurted out." Ruby tried to justify.
"Well that explains the change of heart. I dont want anyone's sympathy"
"How do you know its sympathy? What if its her genuine feelings and you are screwing it up by being a stuck up." Ruby had enough of the cat and mouse game.
"Em listen to me. Just give her a chance. I know its hard for you but please." Ruby almost begged her friend.
Em simply sighed. Belle came to the table to take orders. "Hey guys, what can I get you?" She asked smiling and Ruby lost it. She just looked at Belle but nothing came out of her mouth. Em was watching this and face palmed himself.
"Belle, you can get us the usual and Ruby likes you." He said clearly not wanting to go through any drama. Ruby looked like a fish out of water and Belle just stood there shocked.
"Oh, I..I will be right back with your order. " She cleared her throat awkwardly and went inside to get the orders.
'What the hell man? Why did you do that?" Ruby started freaking out."Oh man she dont like me at all. She is not even my league. I made a fool of myself. Thank you Em,you ruined my life" Ruby started crying.
"Calm down...I saved you the work. Now she knows. And she didnt say anything that doesnt mean she doesnt like you. May be she is just shocked. Just give her time man" Em tried to reason with his best friend.
Even though Belle was calm and collected while giving them the order, Ruby still couldnt get over her fear. They left the diner as soon as they finished lunch.
On the way back they had a run in with drunk Leroy breaking glasses of the bar. While trying get him under control he kneed Em in his stomach which knocked the wind out of him. Regaining Em fought back and put him in his truck. He spend rest of the day with drunk Leroy in the cell. Later that night he went back home with a bruised stomach.
Regina just finished doing the dishes and went upstairs to the bedroom. While she was at the door, she saw Em looking at the mirror with his t-shirt pulled up a little showing his abs and what looked like a red bruise on the side. He was applying cream on the bruise for the pain. She heard him wince as the cold cream made contact with the bruise. Regina's mind raced to know what happened.
"What happened ?" before Regina could control her mouth blurted out the question.
Em quickly turned around pulling his shirt back down and sat on the bed. "Uhhh... Leroy got out of control" he replied as he laid on the bed
"Oh" that's all Regina could say. She wanted to do so much more to help him but she stopped herself. As long as Em is not ready to open up, she will have to wait.
Awkward silence filled the air and the night took over both of them as they slept peacefully.