Chapter 4
It was the weekend of Mary Margaret's engagement party. Emma decided that it would be more practical if she stayed the whole weekend in Storybrook. She had Ruby rent a room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast, Henry would still be staying with her as previously arranged with Regina. Since the last fight they had things had been quite amicable. Of course they avoid spending any alone time together and kept their conversations as short as possible. Emma was yet to come to terms with the fact that Regina was seeing someone else while Regina on her part never mentioned Graham around Emma. Emma was grateful for that.
"Did you get them a gift?" Emma asked Ruby via phone call. Given the fact that they were probably going to be the only single people at the party they decided to be each other's date.
"No, I thought you were." Ruby said as she put the final touches on her make up. "We're going to look like two cheap bitches."
"Whatever, we'll get them something really nice for the wedding." Emma said as she walked towards Ruby's apartment. "If M&M says anything I'm blaming it on you though."
"You suck." Ruby said.
"You suck. Open up, I'm already here." Emma said before she ended the call. Ruby opened the door clad in a tight dark green dress that made her eyes pop. Emma gave her a wolf whistle as she took in her look for the night. "Wow. You look…wow."
"Thank you." Ruby said blushing just so. "I like the whole devil in a red dress thing you got going on."
"We make a smoking hot couple." Emma said as she held her hand out to Ruby. "Shall we?"
"Yes. Wait." Ruby said after she closed her apartment door. "Where's Henry?"
"I'm meeting him there." Emma said. "He's arriving with Regina and..."
"Oh." Ruby said. "I still can't believe she's dating Graham."
"That makes two of us, Rubes." Emma said as they walked towards her car.
************
The party was taking place in Storybrook's fanciest restaurant. Everyone was looking very dapper in their Sunday's best or Friday, as it was the case... Ruby and Emma went to say the proper congratulations to Mary Margaret and David before they went to their assigned table.
"We should get hammered." Ruby casually said as they sat down on and the waiter finished pouring their wine glasses.
"Ruby, this is a classy event." Emma said. "We are most definitely getting hammered."
"Oh look at this." Ruby said as she looked at the quote on the centerpiece. "Love means never having to say you're sorry." She read out loud. "That's nice."
"That's bullshit." Emma said. "Love means you're always apologizing. For every single thing. Even for the stuff that it's in no way shape or form your fault."
"Wow, you're really bitter." Ruby said with a chuckle.
"Eh, a divorce will do that to you." Emma said.
"Preach!" Kathryn said as she sat down at the same table. "From one bitter divorcee to another."
"Are you crashing the party? What are doing here?" Ruby asked.
"David invited me." Kathryn said with a shrug. "We're friends now."
"How is that even possible?" Emma asked with a scruff.
"I'm a really big person." Kathryn said. "Plus I'm seeing someone new. The mind blowing sex helps me forget the huge bastard that David really is." When she noticed the looks she was receiving she tried to fix it. "I say that in the most loving and respectful way."
"No judging," Emma said. "I think my ex is a huge bitch. I just can't say it in public because we share a son whom we're trying not to fuck up."
"Hey! I happen to love your ex." Kathryn said. "I think she's great."
"Well that makes one of us." Ruby said before she took another sip of her wine. "I picked you in the divorce, sweetie." She said to Emma.
"Thanks, Rubes." Emma said with a smile. "I really appreciate it."
"Speaking of exes." Kathryn said poking Emma so she would look at the entrance of the restaurant.
Regina entered and immediately all eyes where on her. She had a little black dress that hanged tight in all the right places. It was sexy but still managed to be elegant. Emma always liked how Regina could dominate the room without having to utter a single word. Graham and Henry followed close behind Regina. It broke Emma's heart how the three of them looked like a family. She hated feeling like she was being replaced.
"Let's go to the bar." Ruby said as she dragged Emma away before she had the chance to run into Regina. Kathryn however went to say hi to Regina and Graham while she waited for her boyfriend to arrive.
************
A few hours later Emma and Regina ran into each other when they were washing their hands in the bathroom.
"You look nice." Emma said after she washed her hands.
"Thank you, so do you." Regina said. There was an awkward silence that neither of them knew how to fill. "Emma…about what you said the other week…"
"I didn't mean any of that, Regina." Emma assured her. "I was angry and-"
"Please, let me finish. I know you well enough to know that at least some of it you did mean." Regina said. "I'm not looking for another apology. I merely wanted to say thank you."
"For what?" Emma asked confused.
"I've been thinking and you were right. I never did say thank you for all you did for us as a family." Regina said. "I know how hard you worked to give Henry everything you didn't had. I don't know how to show gratitude very well. So I apologize for that. I want you to know that I do recognize your efforts. You've never made me feel like I was alone rising Henry, not even when you were busy with Law School. I'm thankful for that."
"You- don't…" Emma did not know how to react to that. She never expected something like that from Regina. "You don't have to say thanks, Regina. What I said was in the heat of the moment. Working hard for you and for Henry was never a sacrifice. I was glad to do it. I still am."
"I'm sorry I never took the moment to show how grateful I was to have you as a partner." Regina said. "That was wrong of me and I apologize."
"Whatever you may think…I don't hate you, Regina." Emma said. "We've been so angry at each other for so long that I get why it may look that way some times but I don't hate you."
"I don't hate you either." Regina said with a small smile. "I just merely strongly dislike you most times."
"As do I." Emma said. After a while they just stood there in front of the sinks staring at each other. "I miss you." When she saw Regina was opening her mouth to speak, she interrupted her before she could say anything. "No, listen. I miss you. Not just us being a family, but I miss you."
"Emma, it's been two years." Regina said. "We already gave this a try and we failed miserably at it."
"I know. But I can't help it. I still think of you as my wife and I hate seeing you with someone else." Emma said. "And before you say anything. No, it's not just the alcohol talking. I haven't stopped thinking about us since Henry told me about you and Graham. I know we fucked up the first time but- but maybe we can fix it this time around." She said as she invaded Regina's personal space. "Just think about it."
"I have." Regina said looking into Emma's eyes.
"You have?" Emma asked with hope in her eyes.
"I have. We can't do this to Henry again." Regina said. "We're toxic together."
"I promise I'll think things before I say them, I'll control my anger. I'll even stop drinking if you want me to." Emma said hoping to convince her.
"You're saying all the right words two years too late." Regina said.
"Do you not love me anymore?" Emma asked as she cradled Regina's face in her hands. "I know I love you still."
"I'm in a relationship with Graham." Regina said sternly.
"That doesn't answer my question." Emma said. "I couldn't give less of a fuck whether you're with Graham or not."
"Emma, you've been drinking. You will most likely regret all of this tomorrow morning." Regina said. "Lets quit this while we still can ok?" Regina's eyes were pleading Emma to stop. This was too much to take in. She couldn't risk the chance of starting over again with Emma. It was asking too much. She had already had her heart ripped apart from her chest when Emma walked away the first time. She couldn't have her family back together only to have it taken away from her a second time.
"Please say you love me back." Emma said resting her forehead against Regina's. "Say you love me back and we can start again. I'll be better this time, I promise. I'll show you that I can be what you need me to be. I want us back. Please."
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Regina said. "Lets not do this to each other."
"Say you love me back." Emma said before she kissed Regina. "Say it." Emma kept kissing Regina. Regina tried to put up resistance at first but she quickly succumbed to Emma's lips.
"Oh God, no! Emma, no!" Mary Margaret when she saw what was going on when she entered the bathroom. Regina pushed Emma away from her before she quickly fixed her lipstick.
"Mary Margaret…" Emma said exhausted.
"I trust you'll be discreet about what you just saw, Miss Blanchard." Regina said before she left the bathroom she turned around and mouthed to Emma: 'fix this'.
"Don't start." Emma said. "And don't look at me like that ok?" Emma said referring to Mary Margaret's look of disappointment.
"She's your ex-wife and Henry's mother! Think about what he will feel if he finds out." Mary Margaret said anyway. "He's just a child, Emma. He wont understand."
"I know." Emma muttered. "I only think about him…"
"Is everything alright?" Ruby asked as she cautiously entered the bathroom.
"Emma is having an affair with Regina." Mary Margaret said.
"Oh Emma, no." Ruby said.
"Could you say it again? I don't think they heard you in New Jersey." Emma said resentfully to Mary Margaret. "Can we not talk about this?" Emma asked. "This is between my wife and I. No one else should interfere." Ruby could tell that Emma was reaching her limit and was soon to explode. Mary Margaret was a good friend to Emma but she could be a little judgmental at times.
"Except she's not your wife anymore, Emma." Mary Margaret said. "She's Graham's girlfriend. Imagine how he'll feel when he finds out."
"Go." Ruby said to Mary Margaret. "Go enjoy your party. I'll take care of Emma. "And please don't say anything to David. This is between Emma and Regina. Let them handle it."
"Fine." Mary Margaret said after a minute. "I wont say anything." She said, her look of disappointment still very present.
"Are you ok, babe?" Ruby asked gently. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I don't." Emma said. "I just really want a drink right now."
"Well let me fix your make up and we'll get drinks. All the drinks you want." Ruby said as she started to work on Emma's runny eye make up.
"Thanks, Ruby." Emma said. "You're a good friend."
"I love you, that's all." Ruby said offering Emma a bright smile.
************
"There you are." Graham said with a smile when he saw Regina walking towards him. "Are you having fun?" He had been having shots with David therefore he was oblivious to anything that had happened in the bathroom.
"Would you mind terribly if I went home?" Regina asked. "Its been a long day and I bet Henry is exhausted."
"Isn't it Emma's turn to have him?" Graham asked. "I was hoping that we could spend some time together tonight."
"Emma has been drinking. I'm sure she'll just pick him up tomorrow morning." Regina said. The last thing she needed tonight was to play doting girlfriend to Graham, she needed time to herself to process what Emma told her.
"Ok. If you're sure." Graham said. It was hard to be annoyed at him when he was so understanding. "Let me know if you need anything alright?" He knew better than to insist for Regina to stay.
"I'll call you." Regina said before she gave him a small kiss on the lips.
Regina went to find Henry before she send a quick text message to Emma letting her know that she was taking Henry for the evening. Once she found Henry and they were on the way home, Regina was left thinking about how on Earth was she going to avoid seeing Emma tomorrow. She was not ready to finish the conversation Mary Margaret interrupted.