Shoutout to Steellily and keepapplesaday for being great betas on this one.

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me and I seek no profit from this story.

September

"You're up, Swan!" said David as he slammed a manual on Emma's newspaper and stole a bear claw from her plate.

Emma looked up and glared at him. "Hey!" She pointed toward the pastry, "I was going to eat that!" Then she looked down at her paper and stated, "And I was reading that! What gives?"

"Too late," said David around a mouthful of bear claw.

Emma looked down at the manual in front of her: 'Fire Safety 101'. "What the hell is this?"

"Fire Safety manual. It's your turn." He winked as he finished the stolen bear claw.

"My turn for what?" she asked as she opened the binder and began to glance over it.

"Come on Em, you've avoided it for two years. I need a seasoned officer to teach it and you are the only one who hasn't done it yet."

Shit, thought Emma. It was customary every few months to send someone from the fire station to teach a fire safety course at an elementary school. Emma conveniently disappeared any time volunteers were needed.

"Do I have to?" She did her best to put on the sad eyes and face that David so often fell for.

David nodded. Apparently his soft spot was nonexistent today. He handed her a piece of paper with an address. "Storybrooke Elementary. Principal Mills will walk you through everything. We go there every year. Make sure to be there bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Damn," Emma muttered. David quirked an eyebrow at her. "I mean you got it, chief." She smiled and saluted him for emphasis. He nodded and walked away. When he was out of sight, she slumped her shoulders and returned to looking through the manual. This is going to suck, she thought.

...

"Henry, come on," said Regina in an exasperated tone as she started to tap her heel against the floor. She was waiting by the doorway of their home, ready to go, holding Henry's backpack along with her own bag and a cup of coffee. If Henry didn't hurry, she was sure she might fall over.

"Just a minute, mom!" came a reply whose location she couldn't quite place.

Regina rolled her eyes. If they didn't get out of the door in the next few minutes, they would be late and since Regina forgot to inform Ms. Blanchard about their visitor today, it would be a mess if she wasn't there to supervise.

Henry finally came bounding into view, seven years old and full of an energy Regina was sure she never possessed. "I found it," he said as he held the firefighter helmet that had been his Halloween costume the year prior.

Regina smiled and let out an affectionate laugh, "Henry, sweetheart, you don't need to bring that to school."

His face fell and he questioned, "You don't think the firefighter will like it?"

Regina sighed and placed their bags on the floor. She crouched down as far as her dress would allow. "Normally they bring their own helmet, dear, but I can keep yours in my office for you to show the firefighter after the presentation. Would you like that?"

Henry beamed at her. "Really?"

Regina nodded, "It shouldn't be a problem since your lunch will be right after."

Henry continued to smile at her. "Thanks, Mom."

Regina pinched his chin then picked up their bags. "Let's go before we're late."

Henry took his backpack from her and tucked his helmet under his arm. Regina shook her head and turned to lock their door after them.

...

Emma adjusted her uniform and her helmet under her arm. In her other hand she carried a stack of handouts and coloring pages. She eyed the school warily. God, why me? she thought. Emma didn't mind kids much but she could think of a hundred different ways she'd rather be spending that morning. She got up at, what she felt was, the most ungodly hour to beat the school traffic and be on time. She knew David would kill her if she was late.

Well here goes nothing, she thought as she started to walk toward the entrance. She heard a small gasp behind her and turned.

There stood a small brunette boy with a look of absolute wonder on his face and beside him was one of the most beautiful women Emma had ever seen. She wore a blue business dress, glasses and heels that Emma was sure could double as a weapon. Her lips were pursed in a tight line and her eyes quickly scanned Emma's body in a way that clearly read what one did when sizing someone up.

The boy walked up closer to her and eyed her uniform and helmet. He wore the same expression as every kid who ever visited the station and Emma knew his question before he even asked it.

"Are you a real firefighter?" he asked as if he just found out Santa Claus was real and standing right in front of him.

Emma nodded her head and bent to look him in the eye, flashing a smile. "Sure am kid, are you coming to my talk today?"

He just nodded his head, still stunned at her presence.

The brunette woman walked forward and extended her hand. "I'm Principal Mills and this is my son Henry. I assume you are Lieutenant Swan?"

Emma shook her hand and nodded, "Yes, ma'am, that's me."

Regina gave her a tight smile. "It's nice to meet you. Shall we go inside?"

Emma gave a shy smile in response and moved aside so Regina could lead the way into the school. She took a moment to observe the other woman. Principal Mills walked with the kind of power and grace Emma was used to seeing in the old movies her roommate constantly gushed over. Henry kept stealing glances back at her in utter disbelief. She thought he was a cute kid and winked at him every time he looked at her.

Regina greeted Ms. Blanchard and opened the door labeled "Principal" behind the secretary's desk.

"Henry why don't you go see if Ms. Lucas is already here and wait in your classroom?" she offered it as a question but Henry knew it was an explicit instruction.

He spared one more look at Emma before he moved to leave.

"Leave the helmet, you can show Lieutenant Swan later if she has time."

He dropped the helmet on a bookcase near the door and looked at Emma as if to confirm she might be interested in seeing it later. Emma smiled at him and politely nodded.

When he shut the door behind him, Regina gestured toward the seat in front of her. Emma sat down gently somehow feeling she was in trouble though she knew she was no longer in school and Principal Mills was certainly nothing like the principals of her youth.

Regina sat down behind her desk and folded her hands in front of her. "Officer Nolan assures me you're one of the best lieutenants on his team."

Emma's eyes shot up in surprise. "Really?"

Regina looked at her a bit confused, "Yes, he said you're one of the youngest members of his battalion but you have an amazing record. I don't let just anyone waltz into my school, Lieutenant Swan."

Emma nodded, "Course not."

"You've never done this before have you?" she asked as she quirked an eyebrow.

How the hell did she know? thought Emma.

As if she could read her thoughts, Regina continued, "I have several degrees in education and psychology. I was a teacher before I was a principal and I have a seven year old son, I know when someone has no idea what they're doing."

Emma looked a little offended and leaned forward in her chair. "Hey I do have some idea of what I'm doing. I am a firefighter."

"I wasn't implying you weren't one." She didn't offer a smile in apology but she did soften her tone a little as she explained, "Ms. Blanchard will escort you to the lunchroom this morning where you'll start your presentation with our first grade students, then your second grade presentation will be after that. It should only be a couple of hours and you'll be out a little before eleven."

"You need me to come back here and talk to the kid after?" asked Emma as she remembered Henry leaving with his hopeful eyes.

Regina shook her head. "You don't have to if you need to get back."

Emma smiled. "No, it's ok. I don't need to be there till later. I'm all yours this morning." Emma shook her head at her words and tried again, "I mean I-"

Regina held up a hand to stop her. "I know what you mean. Yes, it would be nice if you stopped by after. Henry will probably want to eat lunch in my office anyway."

"Sure thing."

Regina lifted her desk phone. "Ms. Blanchard if you're ready."

...

Emma sighed in relief. The presentation went well and she found that she actually enjoyed the children and their questions. She often forgot how much kids love a firefighter. What left her incredibly surprised and amused was the amount of teachers who not so secretly slipped her their numbers. She laughed a little as she made her way back to the Principal's office. No wonder Leroy is the number one volunteer for this gig, she thought.

She was greeted by Ms. Blanchard. The petite woman hopped up from her seat with a hesitant smile, and started to wring her hands. "How did it go?"

Emma lifted an eyebrow in question. She had a feeling that wasn't the real question Mary Margaret wanted to ask. "It was great." She pointed in the direction of Regina's door. "Is Principal Mills busy?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "She's on a conference call with the school board but it should end soon." She looked at Emma with that same hesitant smile and inquired, "Can I ask you something?"

"Oh god, not you too," She slammed her hands on her legs, hung her head, and sighed.

"What?" asked Ms. Blanchard as she shook her head and knitted her eyebrows.

As she looked back up at Ms. Blanchard, Emma noticed that she didn't seem to be checking her out and looked genuinely confused by her reaction. She ducked her head slightly in embarrassment and said, "Sorry, any time someone has said that to me today, they've slipped me their number."

Mary Margaret chuckled and shook her head. "Oh no."

Emma nodded and let out a small laugh, relieved she didn't have to navigate the awkward situation for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "You wouldn't believe it. What's up?"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "I probably shouldn't."

"Well, now you got my attention. I'm always interested in something you feel like you shouldn't do," joked Emma.

"Do you know David? Your deputy chief?" asked Mary Margaret hopefully.

Emma smiled. "Yeah?"

"He's been here before and he's always so helpful. I was just wondering, do you know if he's seeing anyone?"

Before Emma could respond, Regina's door opened and she folded her arms as she leaned on the doorframe. "Ms. Blanchard, the next time you'd like to make inquiries related to your private life, you may want to avoid leaning on my call button."

Mary Margaret blushed in a nice scarlet shade and realized that when she stood up to talk to Emma, she leaned a bit too far and hit Regina's call button.

She straightened and sat back down.

"Lieutenant Swan?" addressed Regina as she moved out of the doorway and walked back to her desk.

Emma gulped and felt as if she was the one in trouble. She threw a sympathetic smile toward Mary Margaret and mouthed "he's single". She smoothed out the smile from her face and entered Regina's office.

As she shut the door behind her, she asked, "How much did you hear?"

"Apparently that my teachers are susceptible to falling for anyone in a uniform and that Ms. Blanchard has an interest in Chief Nolan."

Emma cringed. "So all of it?"

"Lieutenant Swan I am well aware of what happens when someone comes from your station to make a presentation. I trust you might conduct yourself in a more professional manner and not call any of those teachers." She leaned back in her chair a little and folded her hands in her lap as she raised her eyebrows at Emma.

Emma wondered if this was the look Regina often gave her teachers in staff meetings and she thought there might be a hint of disapproval in Regina's tone that could be read as jealous so she decided to test the waters.

"Want me all to yourself?" she joked and by the look on Regina's face knew she shouldn't have.

"And why would you assume that?" asked Regina as she adjusted her glasses and leaned forward in her chair, straightening the papers on her desk. She rolled her eyes and pinned Emma with a glare that looked as if she found Emma to be one of the most offensive people she'd ever met.

"Look I'm sorry, I was just trying to make a joke. I don't have any problems in the romantic department and regardless of what you might think, I am a professional."

Regina quirked an eyebrow and scoffed at her. "I'm sure you are. If you could please keep your discussions with my son related to your job and not your romantic endeavors, I'd appreciate it."

Emma simply nodded. They didn't say much more and Henry came barreling through a few minutes later. Regina's expression softened and he excitedly asked Emma questions about her work.

Emma was delighted by the distraction and had to admit Henry was a pretty hilarious kid. She excused herself after he was done with lunch and thanked Regina for the opportunity to speak before taking her leave.