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She wanted to do it when Emma broke it off with Killian. Emma had needed time, though, before a confession of this magnitude. When Emma had shown up at her door drunk and crying Regina knew she needed a friend, not…well not. Emma had cried on her shoulder that night, listing all the reasons why she and Killian weren’t right for each other, not the least of which is that they never did right by the other. “He loved me in a way that I couldn’t love him, and yet, he never respected my decisions about my life…about Henry’s life.”
That night Regina led a stumbling Swan to her guest bed and tucked her in. Leaving aspirin and water next to the bed, she called the Charmings and asked them to keep their grandson instead of sending him home after desert. He didn’t need to see his mother this drunk at five in the evening.
That had been three months ago and that night seemed to be all Emma needed to get over her split with Killian. After all, she was the one to break it off. He had disappeared shortly after realizing she was serious and wasn’t budging. In that time Emma had undergone a transformation as had her entire family. The bags around Emma’s eyes, along with the constant stress on her face was gone. Emma’s lackluster locks were back to the bouncy blonde curls. Her smiles came easy, and her hugs were handed out like candy. She looked rejuvenated, and if people saw her coming out of Dr. Hopper’s office now and again, well, why would they say anything about it?
Snow and Charming were even closer to their daughter and she no longer switched back and forth between calling them by their names and calling them mom and dad. Emma had switched permanently to giving her parents the titles they so desperately wanted her to see them as. Snow and Charming seemed lighter as well. Henry constantly had new stories about what he and his other mother got up to when Regina wasn’t around. She could tell that the bond between the two had grown ever stronger in the last three months.
Regina smiled to herself, thinking of the positive changes happening in Emma. She had to admit she also enjoyed the close friendship the two of them were sharing as well. There were moments when it seemed like Emma might feel the same affection for her that she felt for the blonde. At times the two would flirt shamelessly and when Regina would look at Emma there would be this…something…on her face, then it would disappear. Regina sipped at her cider contemplating that look.
Emma had left with Henry only 30 minutes previous. They had shared dinner and desert and talked while Henry finished his homework. At one point Regina was sure that the moment was right for her to lean over and just kiss Emma. Forget every confession her mind could come up with. Her lips had a better way of confessing than talking. She smirked to herself, fantasizing about just how wonderful a kiss with Emma would be. But Emma had suddenly looked away and made a joke cutting off the intense eye contact and diffusing the tension. Was that a sign that Emma didn’t know what Regina wanted, or that she knew exactly what Regina wanted?
She sipped the last of her cider from the glass and set it on the coffee table in front of her. She needed to make a decision. It wasn’t fair to Emma and Regina wasn’t being honest. But up until this point, Regina hadn’t been honest because of Killian, and then because Emma needed time. Was three months enough time? Regina knew it was. She knew Emma was in a place she could handle this. The fact was Regina was scared and lord knows Regina didn’t react well to being scared.
Regina jumped to her feet, suddenly restless, and began pacing her study. Perhaps Regina could find a way for Emma to confess feelings for her first? No, that was the coward’s way out. Maybe Regina shouldn’t go in lips first and should start off with a slow confession. Insinuate her feelings, providing enough plausible deniability? Another coward’s way out. No, whether Regina just kissed her or verbally confessed her feelings, she needed to be honest. A little liquid courage wouldn’t hurt, though. She was buzzed just enough to have enough guts and a look at the clock told her Henry would have gone straight to bed either to read or sleep as soon as he got home. She could do this.
She grabbed her keys and marched outside. One look at her car and she knew that she was too buzzed and that the walk would do her good. Back straight and shoulders back she practically marched all the way to Emma’s house. Before she knew it she was standing in front the house looking up. Henry’s light was off, hopefully, that meant he was asleep and not downstairs with his mother. She marched up to the front door before he lost her nerve and knocked.
Regina almost gave up when the face on the other side of the door was Henry, but she had no excuse for being there for him. Instead, she simply asked to speak to Emma, after a moment of concern on his face his face transformed into knowing grin and he called for Emma. As Emma came walking down the stair Henry threw her a wink and raced up the stairs. Emma came to the door with a happy smile plastered on her face. “To what do I owe this pleasure, Madame Mayor.”
Regina gulped, took a deep breath, placed one hand on Emma’s hip and one hand cupped Emma’s cheek. As she leaned in she whispered against Emma’s lips, “call me Regina.” Then Regina was kissing Emma, pouring her heart into the kiss, refusing to let her fear hold her back. For a heart dropping moment Emma hadn’t moved, only stood stiffly. Then she felt Emma kiss her back before two arms wrapped around her pulling her into the house. She heard the door close only moments before her back was pressed into it. One of Regina’s hand slid into golden curls while the other wrapped securely around Emma’s waist. The two arms surrounding her held her even tighter as the kiss deepened. Regina ran a tongue along the seam of Emma’s lips, until with a gasp, Emma opened them and Regina slipped inside. She felt fingers digging into her back deliciously as she ran nails over the scalp under her hand.
She moaned deep in her chest when a thigh found its way between her legs. She pulled back then, Emma needed to know this wasn’t an itch that needed scratching. This was…love was a big word…but it was something real, and beautiful. "Emma, I didn't come here to end up in your bed," she whispered.
Confusion flickered across Emma's face, "then why...?"
"I have feelings for you, Emma Swan. Real, deep, feelings. I didn't come here to scratch an itch. I came here to tell you I am falling for you, and ask you on a date." Regina looked into Emma's sea green eyes without fail, but she would be a liar if she did not admit she was scared to death.
Emma had to have been able to feel Regina's trembling, she pulled Regina impossibly tighter against her and smiled the most brilliant smile Regina had ever seen. She whispered so softly into Regina's mouth, that Regina almost didn't understand what she said, "so ask me." Then she gently ghosted her lips over Regina's.
Regina blushed bright red from relief, happiness, and embarrassment that she had been so afraid. She hadn't been imagining things, Emma was feeling something too. "Emma, can I take you to dinner sometime?"
"I would love that." Emma surged forward again kissing Regina with all the happiness she felt.
The End