Make Eyes
Regina sped through the lightly fogged outskirts of Storybooke as fast as her sleek, black Mercedes would carry her without arousing suspicion. After realising where the spell page was, her initial impulse was to teleport straight into Emma's bedroom and retrieve it. However, her hasty plan been abandoned when Henry called to inform her that he was at Emma's and would be home for dinner.
The sweat from her palms was making the steering wheel increasingly slippery and hard to grip. She alternated wiping each hand against her slacks and tried to remain calm amidst the internal storm of racing thoughts. She assumed a torn manuscript with Elvish incantations would stick out like a sore thumb in the Saviour's mostly vacant bedroom, but clearly Emma hadn't seen the paper yet. If she had, Regina imagined she wouldn't have been be quite so cordial earlier.
Climbing out of the car, Regina was met with a chilly wind, bringing with it the sweet, pungent smell of incoming rain. She observed the dark, gathering mass of clouds that loomed over the starry night and instinctually turned her blazer collar up and hugged the garment closer. She strode up to the door, knocked thrice and stepped back. Regina heard the smile in Emma's low voice before the door was fully open. "Hey you – "
"Oh, Regina. Hi. I thought you were –" Emma began, fumbling over her words, "I thought I was dropping Henry off at yours."
"I was in the neighbourhood," Regina explained quickly.
Emma's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "You know that this is still in your neighbourhood right?"
"Right, may I come inside?" Regina continued politely.
"Sure," Emma said, stepping aside to allow her through.
"Going somewhere?" Regina asked casually, noting the change in her look. Emma was wearing a thin, cotton house robe but also slightly more make up than usual.
"Killian's picking me up later," Emma said, a faint blush tinting her checks, "Or rather, he's walking and then I'm driving him."
"Killian?" Regina frowned, slipping off her muddy heels.
"Jones," Emma clarified, "You didn't expect me to still be calling him Hook did you?"
"Of course not," Regina said, feeling silly for drawing a blank. She surveyed the familiar living room. The high white walls were contrasted by a long, black, leather couch that sat in front of a wood panelled feature wall. A giant flat screen hung on the dark, burgundy wall and was surrounded by transparent shelves which stored new and vintage gaming consoles. Her previous impression had been right; the space looked very inviting. It was the dream living room for any teenage boy. "Where's Henry?"
"He's with Elsa, finishing up homework," Emma said, walking past the living room, beckoning Regina to follow.
"I didn't realise she was an expert on the 9th grade syllabus." Regina walked behind Emma down the bright hallway lined with music memorabilia and family photos. She was surprised to see a photo of Henry and herself among the gleaming pictures of the Charming clan.
Emma pushed the door at the end of the hallway further open. "It's more like he's schooling her on the difference between Marvel and DC."
That was indeed what they found when they entered - Henry animatedly demonstrating something in an illustration while Elsa listened with equal enthusiasm.
"Hey Mom," Henry said cheerily, "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I would pick you up, sorry to interrupt your story" Regina greeted him with a kiss to the forehead. She smiled and nodded towards Elsa, who sat on the edge of a bed, so laden with colourful comic books she could scarcely make out the pattern of the cover underneath.
"It's okay, Elsa was just about to go eat anyway," Henry said, "Plus I'm starving too, so good timing."
"Yes," Elsa added as she stood up, "Emma, would you mind showing me how to operate the magical cooker again?"
"If you mean the microwave, then yes," Emma grinned, leading the way as they exited the room.
Regina waited patiently while Henry gathered the scattered contents of his backpack. His room here looked slightly more grown up from the one at home. The stripes and storybooks of his childhood bedroom had been replaced with movie posters and graphic novels, the soft toys and board games with action figures and video games. Regina beamed at bow tied Mr. Bear in the corner of his desk. At least one survivor of his furry boyhood companions had made it here, she thought wistfully.
"Okay, I'm ready." Henry announced, slinging his bag over one shoulder.
"I don't think so young man, what about those?" Regina reprimanded, pointing to the mountain of comic books and corresponding protective sleeves that littered the bed.
"Aww, come on Mom, I'll do that when I'm here tomorrow night," Henry pleaded with a wide-eyed pout.
"Those eyes may work on Emma, but they don't on me. You will put them away now," Regina said with finality, "I'll be waiting in the living room."
Regina headed down the hallway and stopped outside Emma's room. She listened for confirmation of movement in the kitchen before she twisted the door handle and cautiously poked her head inside. Illumined by cool white, artificial light, the bedroom looked even barer than her memory of it. She immediately noticed the ensuite, a feature she had missed in her inventory of the room last night, as being occupied. Regina weighed the cost of being caught snooping versus Emma finding the spell page on her own.
It had to be now. She ventured further inside, scanning the room in sections for the yellowed parchment. Nothing. Luckily, there weren't many other places to look. She moved to the bedside table-box and inspected the space behind it. Still nothing. When she lifted the framed photo of Emma and Henry to check underneath it, two things in the periphery caught her eye: the smallest sliver of a page peeping out from underneath the bed and another figure on the other side of the double bed.
"Are you lost?"
Regina didn't know if she more startled by Emma's emergence or appearance. She was so accustomed to seeing Emma in her usual uniform of jeans and jacket that her attention was immediately drawn to the short cocktail dress. The blood red hue stood out in stark contrast to Emma's fair skin, the fabric clinging to her taut body in all the right places. The bulk of her golden hair was pinned back into an elegant knot at the base of her head, showing off her sculpted shoulders and arms.
"I was looking for the bathroom," Regina stated coolly, despite her rapidly rising body temperature.
Emma scratched the back of her neck nervously. The expression that passed across Regina's features as her darkening eyes unashamedly wandered down the length of her body, washed away any of Emma's misgivings about her unexpected presence. "It's across the hall," Emma said dryly, managing a small smirk under Regina's brazen stare.
"Thank-you," Regina said, returning the smirk. She maintained eye contact while she set down the photo frame and slowly nudged the paper further under the bed with the point of her foot. She would have to return for it later.
"Zip me up?" Despite her capability of doing so herself, the question tumbled out of Emma's mouth without a second thought.
"Turn around," Regina ordered lowly. Emma obeyed and turned to face the ensuite door. Crossing the room, Regina was rewarded with a stunning view of smooth, bare back, free from the supervision of Emma's perceptive gaze.
Emma breathed in the wafted scent of subtle floral perfume as Regina neared. She sensed the fabric at the base of her back pinch as Regina grasped the zipper and dragged it upwards, in a movement so slow, it had to be deliberate. The hairs on her neck rose as warm fingers continued to trace upwards, long after the zipper track had ended.
"I'm sorry."
The sombre words were barely a whisper. Emma twisted to look at the other woman over her shoulder. "For what?"
"This," Regina replied, her fingers ghosting over an imaginary bruise.
The touch sent a shiver down Emma's spine. Or maybe it was the cold. She glanced towards the closed window before turning fully to face Regina. A few shorter layers of silken hair escaped the bun with the motion, causing them to fall loosely around her face.
"It's okay. It's gone now," Emma assured her, catching the gaze of solemn dark eyes.
Regina experienced a sudden urge to sweep the stray blonde strands back and inched closer. Her hand began to rise of its own volition, but she resisted and redirected them, slipping an index finger under the slack strap of Emma's dress, guiding it up and over her collarbone.
Emma shivered again, visibly. Her eyes darted to the window once more. It was still closed.
"Regina did you…" Emma began, wanting to ask about the mysterious disappearance of her bruise. After witnessing Regina heal Tink, it was a fair assumption to make. Her theory however, had one flaw. Healing required physical contact, and before this moment, where they stood so close they could hear the sound of each other's shallow breaths, there had been none.
"Did I..?" Regina repeated slowly, enunciating each short syllable.
"Emma?" The sound of Snow's voice from the hallway caused them to shoot apart like two magnets of the same polarity.
"There you are, oh Emma!" Snow barreled past Regina with all the excitement of a hyperactive puppy.
Emma found herself being crushed by the smaller women in a constricting hug. "Mom, you're squeezing to tight," she huffed.
Snow took both of Emma's hands in hers, proudly observing the sight before her, struggling to supress her almost squeals of delight. She tossed a camera into Regina's unprepared hands. "Regina will you take a photo?"
"Of course," Regina acquiesced, following Snow as she dragged Emma into the living room, where everyone, including Charming and Hook, was waiting.
"You've been holding out on me Swan," Killian said, taking in the view.
Regina observed the liberal application of eyeliner to the border of his eyes, holding back a remark of her own. She watched as Hook greeted Emma with a peck on the cheek.
"Ok places everyone. Henry, Elsa, come on," Snow directed, gesturing around her.
"Oh no, I couldn't, it seems like a family moment." Elsa replied, standing behind Regina who was focusing the camera.
Snow stood to Emma's left, holding her waist. Hook took his place to her right, draping an arm over her shoulders. Henry and Charming rose to join them, standing on the borders.
Hook turned towards Emma, gleaming. "Swan, you look beautiful."
"She does," Regina agreed with a dazzling smile, locking eyes with the blonde before she snapped the picture.
Emma felt the heat of the comment flush her body instantly. She hoped the blush that ravaged her face wouldn't be as noticeable in the photo.
"So what's for dinner?" Henry asked from the passenger seat.
"Hmm?" Regina said distractedly. She had been driving on auto pilot for the past few minutes, silently praying that Emma didn't decide to do some spontaneous cleaning after her date.
"Did you make anything for dinner?" Henry asked again.
Having rushed straight from the cemetery to Emma's house, Regina hadn't given a thought as to what to have for dinner. Henry seemed to pick up on this fact, observing her carefully.
"How does Moqueca sound? I saw some bass in the fridge," he said suggested thoughtfully, "We can make it together."
"That sounds wonderful," Regina said, turning her head for a split second to smile at him. An image of a steaming hot bowl of vibrant fish stew temporarily eradicated the niggling doubt that was burrowing itself into the back of her mind.
Emma felt very drowsy, breathing in scent of leather and rum, listening to even breaths and pounding rain as she lay her head against Killian's chest. She had missed this the most. This feeling of being contented after a heavy meal and one too many red wines, snuggled into the couch with a warm body on a rainy night. She felt at ease; he was easy to be with.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look," Killian said.
"Only about ten times during dinner," Emma laughed self-consciously, shoving him lightly in the ribs. She couldn't help but wonder why the phrase seemed to loose its effect on her with every repetition.
"Emma, what's wrong?" Killian questioned, sensing she was adrift.
"Nothing," she lied.
"You can tell me," he said gently, stroking her loose hair.
"There's just something about her," Emma began, "It's so disarming."
Killian pulled away slightly to look at her. "You're still thinking about the Snow Witch?"
Emma looked into the deep pools of liquid blue, so full of concern for her. It was unnerving to see such affection. Maybe in time she could reciprocate, maybe even grow to love him.
"Yes, the Snow Queen," Emma continued, "She was talking to me as if she knew me."
"From what Elsa told us about the photo, it looked like she did know you, along with the rest of the town. She must have erased her existence from everyone's memories."
"No, it's more like she knew me before Storybrooke," Emma explained, not sure of whether it made any sense.
"Like a childhood friend?" Killian asked.
"Something like that."
Killian grew silent. He opened his mouth, as if to ask a question, but then closed it again. Emma sat upright, watching as he struggled for the right words.
"What was your childhood like?" Killian finally asked, his tone curious, but hesitant.
The question was innocent enough, Emma thought to herself. It was natural to know more about the person you cared about. Nevertheless, she already felt herself retreating, unfolding her legs from beneath her and pulling away. "I don't really like to talk about it."
"I'm sorry, you don't have to." Killian cast his eyes downward.
"It's okay. I can show you instead."
"Will you?" he said hopefully.
Emma stood from her warmed spot on the couch. "I don't have much - only one box."
Killian followed her lead, the leather groaned with the shift of his weight.
"Whoa, hold on Mister." Emma lay a hand on his shoulder. "The bedroom will not be part of your tour tonight."
"Tomorrow night then." Killian winked.
"Wait here", she commanded, unable to control the slight tug at the corners of her mouth, "I think it's under my bed."