The next morning, Emma heard faint footsteps walking down the hallway.
"Morning, dear," Regina said in her raspy voice.
Henry didn't respond, which made the mayor respond with a sigh.
Emma finally opened her eyes and look at the time on the clock, 7:34am. She groaned and rolled herself out of bed. The blonde hair was everywhere and she didn't have to look in a mirror to know that. So, she decided to put into a messy ponytail. As she was changing out of her pajamas into the same clothes as yesterday, there was a knock at the door.
Regina woke up at 6:45am to take her daily shower. After, she wrapped a towel around her wet olive skin and carefully picked out her outfit for the day. Wide legged dark grey dress pants, navy blue button up, a matching dark grey blazer with her black pumps, of course. She carefully laid the outfit on the bed. She put on her underwear, bralette and pants. She blow dried her hair, then did her makeup, not wanting to get powder on her shirt or blazer. Finally, she finished getting dressed and picked up her shoes. One final look in the mirror and the mayor was content with her work. She looked at the clock, 7:32am. "Henry should be awake by now." She walked and opened her door to see Henry walking to the stairs. After his rude lack of response, maybe Emma will need another shirt, I don't have jeans though, I would never, she scoffed. Regina got her most casual shirt, a black long sleeve turtleneck, then decided to knock on Emma's door.
"One sec!" Emma said startled, rushing to put on her pants and her tank top. The blonde ponytail swayed towards the door, opening it to the beautiful woman. "Oh...uh, morning," she said finishing putting on her tank top. Seeing just how well put together the brunette was at 7:45 in the morning was annoying, but Regina was simply stunning, especially in a suit.
"I thought I would offer a change of clothes, well, shirt, so you don't have to wear the same as yesterday," Regina smiled. She barely noticed just how stunned Emma was because the brown eyes were staring at the blonde's arms. Holy shit, throw me on the - sshhh!
"Oh, I'll be alright. Thank you, though," Emma responded finishing putting on her see through shirt and boots. "Pancakes you said?"
Snapping back to reality, "Suit yourself, dear. And yes, Henry should be almost done with them. He's quite the cook, you know." Regina left her shirt on the dresser in Emma's room, just in case.
"Oh?" Emma questioned.
"Come see," Regina gestures towards the stairs.
Emma follows the mayor down, still trying to wake up. She smelled eggs, bacon, pancakes, coffee and... something burning? "Do you smell that?" Now this really woke her up.
Regina didn't answer and quickly went down the stairs and into the kitchen dropping her heels by the doorway, "Henry?! Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine, mom. Just dropped some batter on the stove by accident," he replied.
"You scared me, be more careful next time."
As Emma entered the large kitchen, two sets of plates and silverware was on the table very neatly. She raised him, alright. One cup was filled with orange juice and there was an empty mug by the coffee machine. Henry didn't notice Emma walk in, he was too focused on on cleaning his mess, not doing well though.
"Henry, why don't you set another place at the table for Miss Swan, I'll finish this up," Regina said taking the spatula.
Henry turned around questioning whether or not his mother was lying, but he spotted Emma and smiled so big running towards her. He hugged her so tight, she almost fell over.
"Woah, kid!" Emma hugged back awkwardly. "You cooked all this?"
"Yeah!" He finally let go, "do you like pancakes? I love pancakes!" the boy said rushing to get her a place at the table.
"Sure do! Smells delicious!"
"Do you want OJ or coffee?"
"Oh, definitely coffee, please."
"Okay!" He was basically running around the kitchen getting a plate, a fork and knife, a mug, a napkin, the syrup bottle, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. "Mom likes these in her eggs, if you want some!"
"Does she now?" Emma spying Regina putting the last pancake on the stack and turning off the stove. Damn, her ass looks good in those.
"Yes, I do. I love a good kick in the morning," Regina responds setting the stack in the middle of the table.
Emma decides to help by placing the other plates of food on the table while Henry got serving utensils. Regina made her coffee and brought Emma a black coffee with a stack of sugar cubes and a little cup of creamer.
"Thank you," Emma said.
"Wasn't sure if you needed these," Regina sat down.
"Yes, thank you. And thank you, Henry, for cooking, it all looks delicious!" Emma sat down across from Regina, but next to Henry, making her coffee.
"Thanks!" the kid smiled.
After a few minutes of quiet eating, Regina looked at the clock on the stove, 8:22am, her eyes widened and she stood up wiping her mouth somehow keeping her lipstick perfect. "C'mon Henry, you'll be late for the bus!"
Emma watched them scramble around the kitchen as she finished her last bite of eggs. Henry put on his backpack while Regina got his lunch out of the fridge and handed it to him. They walked to the front door and she kissed him on the head, "off you go!"
"Can Emma walk me?" Henry pleaded.
"No, she has to head home today, so go say goodbye," Regina gently pushed him back towards the kitchen.
Emma was cleaning the dishes from the table and rinsing them off in the sink when the kid came running in, "please don't leave, you need to stay!"
"Kid, I-... I gotta go back. Maybe I'll come visit, but you gotta got to school," Emma turned and replied sadly.
"But, you can't leave, no one can, that's the curse!" He whispered.
"Henry!" Regina yelled.
"Now go, before you mom yells at me too," Emma turned him around after a long hug and watched her son walk away. She wasn't sure if she'll see him again.
The front door opened and closed. Regina waltzed back in noticing that the table was clean except her mug and a few silverware. "oh, you didn't have to clean."
Regina decided that now was the time to make a move, even the smallest one. She walked towards the blonde ponytail and gently placed her hand on the small of Emma's back. Regina was now very close to her. Regina's perfectly manicured hand reached around her for one of the remaining dishes in the sink, "well at least let me help you," Regina was fully blushing, not believing that the she made the first 'move'.
Emma's breath hitched as soon as she felt her, stopping in her tracks. Fuck. Her face was turning red and hot, her hands were starting to sweat, knees getting weak, FUck.
Regina finally let go after what felt like hours but was really 10 seconds. She rinsed the plate and placed it on the drying mat. "Will you need to stay another night or did you decide to go back?" Regina questioned hoping it was the first option.
"What?" Emma was still weak, "Oh, uh...I thought I might look around town today to get a feel for the land. I'll, uh... let you know," hoping Regina didn't see her almost drop the cup four times while drying the same spot over and over.
Regina did notice and decided to 'make another move'. So she gently grabbed Emma's hands to stop them from furiously drying and gently took the cup away from her, "any more and the cup might break."
Emma's breath hitched again, knees weaker, God, "sorry, I-" Emma was really embarrassed now.
"You're fine, dear," Regina placed the cup back in the cabinet, ever so precise. "I don't have much to do today in the office, maybe I can give you a personal tour of my town."
Emma desperately tried to not look at the mayor because who knows what she would do. She tried to find something else to do, but failed. As she built up courage, she finally turned around and leaned against the sink, sighing, "I might take you up on that."
"I'll be at my office by nine, to work on paperwork. Just let me know when you're ready, dear, and I'll pick you up?" Regina walked to her shoes and slipped them on. She acted as if she was fixing her blazer, but she unbuttoned another button.
Emma noticed as soon as Regina flipped her brown hair around. C'mon now. Emma was breathing a bit harder now, cheeks redder than the apples from the study. "Will do, Madam Mayor." Could you be more of an idiot?! Calm down, Emma, damn.
"Please, Regina is fine, dear. And don't start curtsying or Henry might get the wrong idea," Regina joked.
Emma let out a chuckle, still weak in the knees though.
"Well! I better be going, I'll see you soon, Miss Swan," Regina got her purse from the counter and started to head out.
"Emma is fine."
"Hmm?"
"Oh, I said, Emma is fine."
"Em-ma," the mayor cooed, "see you later."
Emma could barely hold herself up as Regina glided out of the kitchen and through the back door. Now why did she have to say it like that? Regina's car zoomed off and Emma took a deep breath. "Well, Swan, time to see about this 'curse', " she air quoted. The blonde went back upstairs to get her remaining few items and headed out to her car.
When Regina got in her car, she was smiling from ear to ear. "Damn," she sighed. I feel so young and stupid, She laughed, I touched so little of her and I'm going crazy. She turned on her car and left the garage. She drove down Mifflin street, looking back at her house, "damn."