no curse au, and this is set in 2008. written for the fourth swan queen week, and I'm finally getting it posted over here.

Regina leaned her head back against the firm headrest of her seat, and closed her eyes. Her nostrils flared slightly as she took deep breaths, trying to drown out the shuffling of the other passengers boarding the flight.

Overstuffed carry-on bags and hips bumped against her shoulder as the rest of the passengers made their way onto the small plane and back toward their seats. Cracking one eye, Regina tightened her jaw and shifted closer to the window seat beside her, leaning away from the masses.

She just wanted to be home, back in Storybrooke, and with her son. Henry was barely seven, and she hadn't been away from him overnight in his entire life; no matter how much Granny had reassured her when they'd talked earlier that night, she wouldn't fully rest until she had her baby back in her arms.

Which, fortunately, was going to be a full day sooner than expected. Regina had flown out yesterday afternoon with the intent to stay in Seattle until Sunday night. Yet, here she was; first class tickets hastily traded for coach on an 11:45pm Saturday flight.

"Excuse me, I think that's my seat," someone said, as they tapped Regina on the shoulder. Opening her eyes and looking around, Regina saw that the plane had almost been filled, just a few passengers still making their way to their row.

Before her stood a disheveled blonde, long curls pulled back into a messy ponytail, skinny jeans half tucked into her boots, and a wrinkled t-shirt beneath her jacket. She was looking at Regina expectantly, and pointing to the window seat with her free hand, the other clutching a very full messenger bag. Regina eyed a shirt sleeve that was hanging over the side of the luggage - if it could be called that.

Slowly, Regina stood, holding her own purse to her waist as she did. "Uh," the woman hesitated, and looked over her shoulder towards the flight attendants at the front of the plane before turning back. "Actually, any chance we could switch?" she asked, voice low.

Regina glanced at the window seat before looking back, and taking a step into the aisle. "Flight seats are assigned," she held out her arm and gestured for the woman to sit down.

Instead, she leaned forward a bit into Regina's space and whispered, a bit twitchy, "Yeah, but I don't think people really care," she shrugged, and Regina narrowed her eyes.

"It's an issue of security," she said, voice lower as she was running out of patience. The last few passengers were finally boarding, and making their way down the small aisle toward Regina and her soon-to-be neighbor. "If you will," she raised a brow as she nodded toward the window seat.

"Fine, lady," the woman groaned, and sat down with a huff, acting much like the seven-year-old she had back in Storybrooke.

Once the woman was sitting down, Regina took her own seat once more, carefully slipping her small bag into the pouch on the back of the seat in front of her. She pulled her phone from the pocket of her purse, and flipped on the display, looking to make sure there wasn't a new message.

There was. Regina opened the new picture message from Ruby, to see her son, spread haphazardly across one of the beds at the inn, his feet poking out of the covers as he cradled his head with one hand, sleeping peacefully.

He's fine, Regina. No worries. Have a safe flight.

The phone buzzed in her hand as a second text came in: Also the red streak will come out in a week. Approximately.

Regina's eyes narrowed as she maximized the photo, and could see some brighter highlights on the side of her son's long hair. Shutting her phone off, she pressed her fingers to her forehead in irritation at the same time she couldn't help the small smile of amusement that danced on her lips.

All things considered, a streak of dyed hair was considerably less damage than either Lucas woman was capable of. Besides, Henry needed a cut soon anyway.

Really, she chalked up most of her lack of concern to the relief she felt both at seeing her son and at being on her way out of Seattle.

The flight attendants started to make their way up the aisles, and Regina slipped her cell phone back into her purse before leaning her head back once more. Tuning out the familiar safety instructions, Regina stifled a small yawn, and blinked her eyes slowly. She was rather tired, and seeing Henry well and cared for went a long way to soothe the last of her nerves.

Setting her arm on the armrest to her left, Regina glanced over at the woman beside her to make sure she wouldn't bump her. Except, the woman's hands were both in her lap, fingers digging into her legs. Her messenger bag was tucked between her feet, and when she shifted in her seat Regina could see the seatbelt pulled very tight across her waist.

Looking straight ahead, the woman didn't notice her at first, and so Regina let her focus linger, wondering why she was possibly so stressed; the weather was mild both here and where they were to land in Boston in six hours.

With her hair pulled back, Regina could see the way the woman's jaw clenched, the way her nose flared slightly as she breathed. Her cheek jumped every now and then, like she was biting at it, and her fingers curled into fists on her legs.

She was stressed, panicking, but quietly; if Regina was not so close to the woman there is no way she would have picked up on the minor signs of discomfort in an otherwise still body.

When the plane started to move to line up with the runway, the woman's arms moved to the armrests, her left settling against the window and her right landing on top of Regina's, her hot palm scorching the top of Regina's hand.

"Oh, god, sorry," she jerked back, putting her right hand in her lap as she looked at Regina.

"It's fine," Regina murmured, far more soothingly than intended. The woman gave her a surprisingly open smile, before laughing far too loudly – and a bit hysterically – for the late hour and small cabin. "Should I call a doctor?" Regina quipped, brows rising at the woman's behavior.

"No," she started to quiet, and took a deep breath. "Shit, I'm sorry. I'm, I don't fly. Haven't, I mean. Ever."

Ah. "And you're afraid of planes?"

Jaw clenching with resolve this time, she shook her head. "No. Well, not exactly. I just don't really know what to expect, I guess." Quieter: "Not a big fan of the unknown."

Well, Regina could relate to that, most notably when her mother was involved. Looking the woman over, Regina felt her face soften slightly, and she licked her lips. Taking pity on the stranger, she angled her head further to face her, and thought back to her son's first flight, how nervous he'd been. "The plane will pick up speed as it makes its way down the runway, and when it takes off you'll feel some pressure. Have you ever been on a rollercoaster?"

"Sure."

"It's not entirely unlike that sensation." Regina said with a small nod. "The plane will take off and stabilize within a few moments, and after that it doesn't really feel like you're moving at all."

The woman nodded, and satisfied that she'd done more than enough for this stranger, Regina turned back to face forward in her seat. The cabin was quiet, most passengers already settling in to try and get some sleep, and Regina did her best to relax, knowing how unlikely it was she'd be able to do the same.

"Hey, uh, thanks," the woman said, and Regina nodded again, this time a bit more dismissive as she shut her eyes and leaned back, hoping her neighbor would take the hint. "I wasn't really planning on being on this flight."

"Mmmm," Regina murmured, and reached for the iPod she'd tucked beneath her thigh, pulling it out and unwinding the headphones.

"I get it, sorry. I'll shut up," Regina cracked an eye open at the hint of disappointment in the other woman's voice. She was looking away already, fingers curled over her kneecaps as the plane started to make its way down the runway.

Satisfied the woman's nervousness would likely be over once they were in the air, Regina shut her eyes and slipped the earbuds in. Her iPod shuffle was generally reserved for jogging, and therefore held mostly upbeat, faster songs; not the kind of music she was in the mood for at midnight.

Still, the heavy beats helped against the growing noise of the plane as it moved faster, and Regina let the rhythm wash over her.

When the plane began to jostle a bit from the speed, Regina shifted, and subtly glanced over at the woman, just to make sure she wasn't about to be sick all over Regina's Louboutins.

She didn't appear so, although the woman looked undeniably pathetic; her eyes were shut, and her knuckles were white from the pressure she'd put on her fingers. Before Regina could sneer at the woman's terror, the plane lifted off, and she focused on the music she was listening to. Mostly. She spared a few more subtle looks at her neighbor every minute or so, just to ensure she was still holding her dinner down.

The plane began to stabilize as they reached their intended altitude, and Regina forced a few small yawns to get her ears to pop. Beside her, the woman's grip on her own legs had eased, and she was doing the same, though far less subtly.

Her attention switched to Regina in an instant, and Regina tensed with the realization that she'd been caught watching the woman. She gave a sheepish smiled and pointed at Regina's purse before asking, "Do you happen to have any gum?" Her words were muted, by both the headphones and the lingering pressure on her eardrums, but she understood and gave a small nod.

Pulling one earbud out, she pulled her purse free to reach for the gum she'd picked up at the airport. "Thanks, I know you were," she gestured to the iPod sitting on Regina's lap, "but I heard gum helps. Does it?"

"Yes," Regina answered, tugging a new pack out and starting to unwrap it. As she did, she looked at the woman twice, small enough looks not to seem too interested, she was sure. "You seem to have made it through."

"Yeah, not so bad, thanks." Regina held a stick of gum out and the woman started unwrapping it. "I'm Emma, by the way," she said, crumpling up the silver wrapper and sticking it in the seat pouch.

Distaste plain on her face, Regina eyed the discarded wrapper before looking back up at Emma. "Regina," she said with a small nod.

Emma smiled, and pointed to the pouch. "I'll toss it when I leave."

Clearing her throat, Regina started to slip her earbuds back in. "I'm sure the crew will be relieved," she answered dryly, drowning out her last words with the music.

Pointedly, she tilted her head back again, and closed her eyes. She didn't sleep, too keyed up from the past few days and anxious to be back home. But her mind wandered enough that she was fairly startled when she felt a knee slam the soft flesh of her thigh.

"Shit!" Regina's eyes flew open at the (rather loud) expletive, and she felt Emma's hand brush by her knee. "God, I'm sorry," she whispered, and Regina tugged one earbud back out.

"What on earth happened?" her tone was low and firm, if a bit startled.

Cheeks pink, Emma's legs shifted again. "My ankle got stuck in my bag strap, and I kinda pulled it free. Or tried to."

Eyes narrowing, Regina paused her music slowly, making sure Emma could see how disruptive her behavior was; she had no intention of putting up with this for the next six hours. "Perhaps you should have put your bag in the overhead bin before sitting down."

Emma took a deep breath, her lips curling over her teeth. "Yeah, I guess I should have. Kinda new to this whole thing, if you don't remember."

Eyebrows raising high, Regina leaned back in her seat to look at Emma more fully. For a woman that had been so awkward and apologetic just minutes ago, she apparently had no plans to put up with Regina's undisguised annoyance. It was… oddly intriguing.

Unable to help the curiosity, Regina pulled her left headphone out to rest on her lap. "You know, there are other means of travel, dear." She gave a plastic smile, "As you seem so put out by this flight."

Emma sighed, and pushed her palms into her knees. "I gotta meet someone at 10 tomorrow morning. So nothing else was really gonna work." She volunteered no more information, and instead seemed to visibly clam up, her lips thinning as she turned her head to look out of the window at the lights below. As soon as she did she pulled back, and pressed the back of her head against the headrest, taking a few slow breaths.

Regina waited another moment before she restarted her music, just to be sure the woman was truly finished. When she said nothing more, Regina slipped her headphone back in, and settled more firmly forward in her seat.

The beats of her playlist started once more, and she winced a bit at the volume, turning it down and scanning the rest of the plane. A large percentage of the passengers seemed to already be asleep, or well on their way. The brightest of the cabin lights had been dimmed, and just a few individuals left their own overhead lights on, illuminating various pockets of the plane.

Emma stayed quiet beside her, almost silent, and she found herself turning the volume down further without the need to drown out any noise. With a small glance, Regina confirmed that Emma was still awake, eyes open but head tilted back slightly. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she looked like she was trying to tuck into herself as much as possible.

Perhaps she was cold? Or simply preparing to sleep? Not that it mattered, of course. Simply curious behavior, from a woman that was shifting and uncomfortable minutes before.

The iPod switched over to a new song, the bass heavy again. Regina shut it off, the sound grating now, and slowly slipped the headphones off to tuck it all into her purse.

Regina let out a small sigh as she readjusted, and flicked her hair away from her face before settling back in her seat. And sat there.

The cabin was nearly silent now, save for the occasional cough or shuffle of a jacket. She didn't want to listen to music anymore, and she knew she would be unable to sleep, even as she felt the small headache behind her forehead. They had yet to turn the seatbelt light off, and the paperwork she'd brought with for the flight was in her carry on in the compartment above her.

So. She pursed her lips and started to make a mental list of what would still need to be done, now that she was coming home early; Henry's homework would likely not be done by the time she would pick him up, she'd need to stop at the store to get some more groceries for lunch (and pick up breakfast at the diner, as she'd have no energy to make anything by the time she made it home). Her teeth clicked together lightly as she thought.

"I can't possibly be doing anything now." Regina looked over at Emma's voice, and saw her angled awkwardly toward the window (but also trying not to be near the window), hands tucked under her arms.

"Excuse me?"

Emma popped her chin toward her. "You're clicking. Like you're irritated."

Before Regina could respond, the crew notified them that they were now free to walk around the cabin. She looked away, toward the flight attendants that were starting to move toward the back of the plane, and unbuckled her seatbelt.

Turning toward Emma, she said, "I wasn't irritated, just thinking. I assume you're familiar with the concept?"

Emma snorted in response, and Regina stood, opening the overhead bin. The compartment was fairly empty, her suitcase and a small duffle from the man in the row behind her, and she tugged hers forward to reach the folder in the front pocket. After sliding it out, she set it down in her seat, and started to close the bin.

One of the packaged airline blankets caught her eye, and glancing at Emma, tucked into herself, she pulled it down and handed it out to her. "Here," she said none too gentle.

Emma's jaw clenched, but she reached out and took the package. "Uh, thanks."

"Your knee did enough damage, I can only imagine how an elbow to my side would feel should you begin to shiver," she said, careful to keep her voice low. Emma raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and started to tug the plastic open.

Before she sat down, Regina gestured toward the messenger bag on the floor between Emma's feet. "Do you wish to put that up now, or is it still wrapped around your leg?"

Emma cleared her throat, and kicked at the bag a bit with her boot. "I'd rather keep it here."

"Very well," Regina nodded, and shut the bin firmly before lifting her paperwork and sitting down. She dropped the tray table, and set the folder on it before pulling out a pen and her glasses from the main section of her purse.

As she started to pull the first request form out of the folder, she could feel Emma moving beside her as she pulled the blanket free, and started to drape it over herself. And then try and shift the bottom to cover her legs. And then try to shift the direction of the blanket. And then try to flip the top part over her chest and arms.

"Are you quite finished?" Regina bit out, turning to look at her.

Emma huffed a bit. "Yeah, well I'm just trying to get situated here, sorry." Regina's eyes closed slowly. Shaking her head a bit she turned back to her documents, and once again started to read over them.

The first was a request from the Sheriff's office for a new cruiser – Leroy managed to do far too much damage while intoxicated – as well as an increase in the budget for the addition of a part-time deputy. The latter had been a long time coming, considering Storybrooke's recent rise in population; there seemed to be a new cast of characters moving to town at least twice a year.

Beside her, Emma had stopped shifting, and when Regina looked over, she was a bit uncomfortable to find the other woman watching her. She was fairly used to catching someone's glance every now and then, but Emma seemed almost focused.

Setting her pen down, Regina tugged her glasses from her nose. "Yes?" Emma was fairly curled up at this point, and Regina added, "Is the light bothering you?"

Emma gave a flat smile. "Nah, it's fine. I doubt I can sleep here, anyway."

Regina nodded, "Yes, I find it rather difficult myself." Emma continued to stare at her. "If that's all?"

"Yeah. Don't let me interrupt your paperwork." Regina quirked a brow at Emma's directive, before slowly turning back.

"You fidget more than my son," Regina said, irritation lacing her words as she dropped her pen to the table with a small huff. She'd barely spent twenty minutes on the forms, half of that time being spent with her jaw clenched tight.

Emma stilled beside her, and when Regina looked over, Emma gave her a sheepish grin.

"Are all airplane seats so uncomfortable?"

Regina snorted a small laugh. "In coach? Yes."

"So why aren't you up there?" Emma gestured up to the front with her chin.

Sighing, Regina slid her glasses from her nose and set them on her tray table. "Because I switched my flight at the last minute. Do you always pry into other people's business this much?"

"Only when I'm bored." Emma gave her a tight-lipped grin. "So how come you switched your flight?"

Hesitating, Regina's eyes flickered to the forms unfinished in front of her, and blinked slowly. Her eyes were heavy, and though she knew she would not be able to sleep on the plane, she also had zero interest in returning to her work.

That is, if the woman beside her would even settle long enough for her to do so.

"My plans were cut short in Seattle," she finally offered, hesitantly. Scooping the papers together, she piled them into a neat stack, and slipped her glasses into the case on the side of the tray. "I had planned to leave in the early evening on Sunday, but was ready to go by eight earlier this evening." She lifted the tray table up and slid the papers into the pouch, and behind her purse.

"You must hate Seattle."

"It has several marks against it, yes."

Emma shifted, and Regina slipped her pen and glasses into her purse before she crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "Like what?"

Regina looked at her, now, and narrowed her eyes in contemplation. She was never one to spill her guts to a complete stranger – nor, to be honest, to anyone she knew – but it had been a hellish few days, followed by a nightmare trying to change flights, and she was basically exhausted.

"Like the weather. It's bleak and gray and damp. My mother is located there, as is the business she expects me to run. And it's currently on the other side of the country from my son." She shifted uncomfortably and looked at Emma closely.

Emma eyed her before sitting up straighter, the blanket falling down to her lap. "So you switched your flight to get home to your kid?"

"Of course."

Emma smiled. "That's sweet."

Slowly, Regina replied, "I suppose." Not quite sure what to do with Emma's comment, she pursed her lips. She hadn't really thought of it that way – had barely thought of anything other than getting back to Henry – but something about the way Emma said it made her breath catch. "Yes, well," she deflected, and picked at the line of her dress pants. "And why were you in such a rush to make this flight?"

Emma shrugged. "I got a call about a bail jumper heading to Boston. He caught a flight earlier today, so I didn't want him to get too much of a head start on me. Plus I got a contact in Boston that'll meet me in the morning to help."

Regina's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but look Emma over. She was fit, to be sure, but all arms and legs and judging by the way she shifted relentlessly, not the most comfortable in her skin; a little awkward and clumsy, if the bruise on her thigh was any indicator. "I wouldn't peg you for a bounty hunter."

Emma snorted, and propped one leg against the back of the chair in front of her in an oddly casual display of confidence. And, OK, Regina could maybe see it. "Yeah, that's usually what makes me pretty effective."

Regina raised a brow at the almost arrogant way it came out. "And such a modest one, it would seem."

Emma shrugged, but smiled back at Regina. Hesitating, she pointed at Regina's things and said, "If you, uh, need to get back to those, I can shut up."

"I find that hard to believe," Regina bit out before she could stop herself. "But for some reason requisition forms are not holding my attention at midnight, in any case."

"How could they not?" Regina stifled a smile. "So, uh, what kind of work does your mom want you to do?"

Before Regina had a chance to answer – or decide how she would deflect such a question, and she was alarmed to find she wasn't immediately doing the latter – the drink cart began to roll down the aisle.

Regina fell silent as the flight attendant began to pass out beverages to the few people awake behind them.

"Would either of you like something to drink?" she finally whispered to Emma and Regina, leaning on the edge Regina's headrest.

"I'll have a bottle of water," Regina replied, and nodded as it was handed to her.

"Same for me," Emma said from behind her, voice low. The flight attendant passed another bottle over, and Regina felt Emma's murmured, "Thanks," far too close to her ear.

As the flight attendant wheeled the cart away, Regina began to sip from her water. She still wasn't sure she wanted to get into the specifics of her life with the stranger beside her, but her conversation with Emma hadn't been completely unpleasant, either. And if neither were able to sleep it wouldn't be the worst thing to continue speaking with her. Maybe.

"How did you become a bounty hunter?" Regina tilted a bit in her seat to face Emma. Now that she'd committed to this conversation, she might as well be comfortable.

Emma rolled her head on the headrest over toward Regina, and narrowed her eyes in thought. "I was qualified, I guess. Meaning I didn't need any real qualifications." Her words were self-deprecating, but she didn't seem to be searching for sympathy or pity – and Regina would have given neither – so she simply waited for her to continue.

"I knew how the whole thing worked from personal experience, and I just kind of fell into it, I guess."

"Personal experience?" Regina shifted her crossed legs. "Meaning you were in jail?"

"Prison, but yeah. Eleven months." Regina's brows raised. Emma wasn't the most put together woman she'd seen, but she still was a bit surprised to hear that. "For theft. Scare you off, yet?"

"You'll have to try harder than that."

Emma smiled. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me."

"So you chase criminals all over the country? That seems… disruptive."

"Nothing to disrupt," Emma shrugged. Again, her tone didn't lend itself to self-pity, so Regina just sipped at her water some more.

"So you're a loner? Yes, well, that doesn't surprise me."

Emma snorts a laugh. "Yeah? I just give off that lone-wolf vibe, I take it?"

Regina gave her a too-large smile. "Not so much that as the fact that I find it hard to believe anyone could put up with your constant movement."

"What can I say, I'm not a fan of sitting still or being caged in." She said it easily, but Regina thought back to her request to switch seats, to have the aisle. "Speaking of, can I get past? I want to go to the bathroom?" Emma gestured past, and Regina nodded, standing from her seat.

Emma unbuckled her belt and began to slide past Regina. Who realized very quickly that she should have stepped out into the aisle, as Emma's chest brushed against hers. The space was tight, and Regina could feel the cool leather of Emma's jacket as she started to slide past.

"Sorry," Emma mumbled, looking down, and quickly rested her hands gently on Regina's hips as she exited the row.

"Sure," Regina managed to mutter dumbly after her, and sat back down in her seat.

She wasn't sure if it was the late hour, or the fact that being around her mother always managed to make her feel so utterly alone, but Regina felt her body warm at Emma's proximity.

Swallowing, Regina uncapped her water and took another sip. In the bigger picture, Emma's body pressed against hers wasn't anything to write home about. But maybe there was something oddly intriguing about the way her fingers had pressed gently into the curve of her skin, the strength but softness of the action.

"Ridiculous," Regina muttered under her skin, and clenched her jaw. Oddly romanticising strangers was surely the best sign that Kathryn and Marian were right – perhaps it was time for her to put herself out there again.

Only, the idea of romance after Daniel, the idea of romance when she was utterly in love with being her son's mother, it all tasted a bit sour. Even after nearly six years.

Regina glanced over her shoulder to the closed bathroom door, and quickly switched seats, taking Emma's window seat and gently sliding her bag over. She sat the blanket on her old seat and pulled her purse and paperwork to the pouch that held the gum wrapper Emma had promised to dispose of.

There. Now Emma could have her aisle seat – though why she cared she was unsure – and Regina wouldn't be subjected to any further confusing physical interaction.

"Would you like headphones for the in-flight movie?"

Regina looked over to see the flight attendant back, several headphones looped over her arm. Taking a quick look back to see if Emma was about to return and finding no movement, Regina nodded, and took a pair, handing the woman a few bills from her purse before she left.

Settling back, Regina dropped her head to the headrest, and breathed out slowly. They'd been in the air just about an hour, now, and she was very anxious to get home, get back to her son.

And never see her mother again, God willing.

"Uh, what's up?" Emma asked, now back from the bathroom.

Regina rolled her head to the side and gestured around the plane. "Everyone is asleep, I suppose switching spots is not that big of a deal." Emma raised her brows a moment, before flopping down into Regina's former seat. "Besides, if that cheap leather touches my skin again I may break out."

"OK, your majesty, I'll try to keep it on my side of the row." Emma shifted as she pulled the blanket back over her lap. Once settled, Regina held out the headphones to her. "What's this?"

"There is an in-flight film in a few moments. Perhaps it will help with that boredom."

"Sick of me already?" she teased.

"I was sick of you when you slammed your knee into my thigh, dear." Her words were harsh, but she felt the smile tug at her lips and allowed it to grow a bit, glancing at Emma out of the corner of her eye.

She was smiling, too. "I could kiss it and make it better."

Regina's head tilted to the side quickly, and her eyes narrowed at Emma's suggestive grin. "After causing the injury? My, how gallant of you." She added a bit of force to the words to cover up the warmth quickly spreading through her body at the thought.

"I try." Emma looked at the headphones, and then around her seat. "Where, uh…"

"Here," Regina gestured to the armrest between them, and Emma plugged in the cord, but set the headphones down on her lap.

"So, did you get me these to avoid answering my question?"

"And which one was that, dear, you ask so many."

"What does you mom want you to do?"

Regina breathed out through her nose slowly. Debated. Looked to Emma, leaning against the chair so she was facing her. She looked curious, but not nosey, and later Regina knew she could blame it on the hour, the altitude. "She wants me to take over as CEO of one of her companies."

Emma's brows raised. "One of? Jesus. And that's a bad thing?" Regina didn't answer, just gave her an unimpressed look. "Guess so. So, what's the issue? I'm assuming you turned her down."

"It wasn't a request."

"Oh." Emma said, a bit knowingly, and suddenly the cabin air felt too thick. "So you're going to do it?"

"I didn't say that." Regina huffed, because even though her mother ordered, it wasn't just about her anymore. It was about Henry and her, and that gave her more courage than she'd ever had before. "I have a rather established life in Storybrooke, and–"

Emma started laughing, a little too loud, and she rolled her lips together, raising a hand in apology. "Sorry, but you live in a place called Storybrooke? That's…"

"Quaint?"

"I was going to say special, but quaint makes me sound like less of a bitch." Regina pursed her lips, suppressing another smile. "What have you got going on in Storybrooke?"

"My son, obviously. I would rather not uproot him, if I don't need to. I'm also the mayor and rather good at my job."

"Now who's being humble?"

Regina leaned forward a bit, eyes glinting in the dim overhead light. "Modesty is overrated."

Emma swallowed at that, enough that Regina could see her throat move, and her eyes flickered down at the action. She was close to Emma, far closer than she'd realized, and she leaned back immediately, reached for her water for something to do.

"No disagreements here," Emma mumbled, and cleared her throat. "Why would your mom want you to leave, then? Sounds like you're doing pretty good on your own."

"Mother doesn't really see it that way." She left it at that, and Emma snapped her mouth shut at Regina's brow, raised, daring Emma to push.

"Well, then, sucks for her." Regina couldn't help it, she laughed. Emma's easy disregard for her mother's power and control – even if she didn't know the woman – was quite the novelty, and her hand nearly flew to her mouth at the loud sound.

"You should laugh more," Emma said, far too presumptuous, and Regina's laugh faded into a small smile.

"How do you know I don't?"

Emma shrugged. "I've got a pretty good instinct about people," she said, matter-of-factly. "So, are you?"

"Am I what, dear?"

"On your own. Just you and your kid?"

"And how, may I ask, is that any of your business?" Regina sat up straighter, and Emma started to curl her fingers over her knee.

Giving Regina a dopey – and not at all charming – smile, she said, "It's not."

Regina hesitated on her answer. Emma – this stranger whom she just happened to be sat next to – was oddly intriguing. She had a strange ability to keep and provoke her interest and attention and that, well. It was something Regina hadn't had in quite some time.

"Are you, Emma?" She put emphasis on the name, foreign in her mouth, and smirked when Emma licked her lips.

"Lone-wolf vibe, remember?"

"Mmm," Regina murmured in response, and reached into the pouch on the back of the chair. "I suppose it's quite the same for myself, then," she whispered, and leaned over the armrest to tuck the gum wrapper into Emma's chair pouch.

Their faces were close, as close as they'd been when Emma had walked past her, and Regina felt suddenly, desperately alert. She could hear the sharp intake of breath, and forced herself not to lick her lips before she leaned back, away from Emma, and settled back into her chair.

"Your movie is starting," she said softly, and gestured to the screen just a few rows above them.

Regina felt foolish. She hadn't known what had come over her, but she had been flirting, blatantly, with the woman beside her. A woman that now sat beside her in near silence, watching the movie provided on the screen above.

With their little moment – or whatever it could be called – over, Regina pulled her paperwork back out, and attempted to work on the forms once more.

Only, she could still feel Emma looking at her, now and then. Could see her head turn out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes?" she asked, just a little hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she was worried Emma would restart their conversation or that she wouldn't.

"You wanna watch this?" Emma asked, and she sounded more tentative than she had all night, even when she'd first sat down beside Regina.

"I'm doing paperwork," she replied easily.

"C'mon, take a break. It's pretty good," she coaxed, and when Regina turned her head, Emma was smiling that dumb dopey – not charming – grin.

Glancing up at the monitors, Regina shook her head. "I see enough Disney at home, thank you."

Emma turned back to Enchanted with a small pout, before slipping the headphones down to her lap. "How old is your son?"

Regina tried to resist, to focus on her work. But if ever she had a weakness, its name was Henry.

"He just turned seven," she said, and signed her name at the bottom of the page.

"Good kid? Or is he a troublemaker?"

Regina sighed, and set her pen down. "He's an angel."

"Yeah? What's he like?" Gritting her teeth, she braced herself to direct Emma back to the movie. When she turned, though, Emma was looking at her, eyes heavy like she was tired – it was two in the morning – and she seemed genuinely interested. "Keep in mind, I don't really know a lot about kids."

Biting back a smile, Regina turned in her seat to face Emma a little more. "You're going to miss your movie."

"I'll figure it out." Emma waited.

"He's sensitive. Perceptive. He reads a lot, and he's a bit quiet. Sweet, though, and very polite." Regina felt like she could go on forever.

"He sounds great, Regina," Emma said softly, and Regina couldn't help the prideful smile.

"He is."

"What's his name?" Emma's eyes were heavy.

"Henry."

Tilting her head in interest, Emma asked, "Henry? That's kind of old-fashioned, isn't it?"

"It's after my father."

"Yeah? Is he in Seattle, too?" The question made sense, but hurt nonetheless. There was a reason she avoided these kinds of talks, after all.

"He passed, a few years ago."

"I," Emma started, then shut her mouth a bit. "That must have been very hard."

It was, of course. "I was very close with him." Regina rolled her lips, and cleared her throat. That had been far more sharing than she'd intended. "Finish your movie, Emma," she said, softly, still feeling strangely comfortable despite the weight of the conversation.

Emma scooted closer to the center armrest. "Watch with me?" Regina hesitated, but finally nodded, and dug her own pair of earbuds from her purse. She wasn't sure if she'd seen the movie before – Kathryn and Marian were both romantics that tended to spoil her son at every turn (though she did the same for Roland, of course) – as they had far too many fairytale films in her house.

Leaning back against the headrest, Regina shifted a bit closer to Emma – to see the screen more clearly, that is – and jerked her arm back a bit when it landed beside Emma's on the armrest.

"Here," Emma murmured, the sounds of the film loud over her whisper, and she tugged the small airline blanket over both of their laps. "What?" Emma prompted at Regina's raised brow.

Instead of answering, Regina let the silence fall between them, and focused on the movie. And tried not to notice how each breath Emma took made her shoulder brush against Regina's lightly.

The blanket was thin but warm, and Regina began to feel comfortable, far more comfortable than she even would have in first class. She shifted over a bit more, let her head angle on the seat until she felt Emma's warmth near her.

Checking on Emma out of the corner of her eye, she saw no sign of recognition from the other woman. So she shifted just a tiny bit closer.

Emma rolled her head to the side, to look at Regina, and at her lack of surprise in seeing how close they were, Emma must have felt her moving toward her. Her eyes were likely a light color, but the shadow from the light overhead and the dim glow of the whole cabin made her eyes look dark, just glinting as they darted between Regina's.

"I'm sorry about your leg," she whispered, and Regina laughed, just a bit. A small chuckle, really. Still, Emma smiled wide at the sight, and when she brushed her fingers over Regina's wrist, she turned her hand to let Emma take it for a brief moment.

Her palm barely brushed Regina's before it was gone, and then Emma was scooting even closer, until Regina had to force her breathing to slow, to calm.

"Should I catch you up?" Emma whispered, a playful look in her eyes.

Regina relaxed again, and pursed her lips. "I think I can manage." She turned back to face the screen, conscious of Emma's attention lingering, before she, too, looked back.

The movie went on – and wasn't completely unentertaining – and Regina started to feel very tired.

She woke to the feeling of someone brushing her hair from her face. "Regina? We're landing."

Blinking slowly, she started to sit upright, only to realize she'd fallen asleep with her head on Emma's shoulder. The earbuds were digging into skin, and she tugged them out gently before looking over at Emma.

Who was smirking at her. Lovely. "I apologize that was… unexpected," she stumbled on her words a bit as she adjusted to being awake.

"Don't worry about it," Emma rubbed her far arm on the back of her neck. "You, uh, are pretty cute when you're asleep. And mumbling."

"I do not mumble," she hissed, looking around quickly as though someone else would hear and care.

"Or drool, I guess," Emma wiped at her shoulder dramatically, but the wink she gave belied her accusation.

"Mmm. Well, I do apologize."

"Me too. Usually I take a girl out for dinner before I let her sleep on me. Among other things." It was forward and flirtatious and just the smallest bit crude, but Regina found herself heating despite all that. "Still, I'd call this a pretty successful date." Regina's eyebrows rose.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, we had drinks–"

"Bottled water," Regina corrected.

"–and a movie."

"On a plane."

Emma closed one eye a bit like she wasn't buying Regina's qualifiers. "We had a pretty personal conversation."

Regina leaned forward, leveling her with a playful glare. "To cure your boredom. It was a public service."

"And we slept together." Regina's eyes narrowed, less playfully. "OK, that last one aside, I'd still call this a date."

"I don't date," Regina dismissed, simply.

"Ever?

"No."

Emma looked a bit defeated at that, before she cleared her throat and leaned back in her chair. "Ah. Well, then, I guess this was a pretty great not-date, then."

Regina didn't argue with that, though she was tempted to at Emma's smug smile.

Emma quieted as the plane started to descend, and Regina dug in her purse for another stick of gum. "Here," she handed it over, and Emma smiled.

Once they landed, and people began to stand, Emma looked over at her and unbuckled her seatbelt. She dug through the bag between her feet before she pulled out a small legal pad and pen and started to scribble.

"If you're ever back in Seattle and want to go on a second not-date, give me a call."

Slowly, Regina took the paper, and looked at it – the messy handwriting, the pen that was nearly out of ink, and the too-large EMMA SWAN across the top. After a beat, she held out her hand for the legal pad and wrote down her number as well.

"Perhaps if you catch your runaway, you can stop by Storybrooke before you leave town."

Emma smiled her dopey and – yes, OK? – charming smile. "I think I can make that happen." Standing, she pulled her messenger bag over her shoulder, and started to turn. Pausing, she angled back and tugged the gum wrapper out of the back of the chair and held it up. "I'm a woman of my word," she winked.