Emma Swan wasn't one to ask for attention. Regardless of her position as the front woman for an alternative rock group, she had no problem fading back into the shadows to watch someone else's show.

When the newest alternative rock group joined the Warped Tour that year, Emma wanted to see them play live, and not during practice runs before the venue opened. She wanted to have the full experience of being in the audience.

Unfortunately for Emma, her face wasn't exactly forgettable, and her band was well-known enough that she'd be easily recognized if she looked anything like herself. That being the case, Emma grabbed a hoodie and a ball cap from her tour bus, tucking her long blonde hair back into the hoodie so that the pink streaks in the front weren't showing. Then, she slipped into the crowd.

The band started up strong, but when the lead singer made her way up onto the stage, Emma felt her mouth water. Shit, she was thinking. Who the hell is this girl?

Regina Mills, the front woman for the group on the stage, was a petite young woman with long dark hair that fell in her eyes when she moved her head to look out at the cheering crowd. The tank top she was wearing was tightly fitted across her chest. It put her breasts perfectly on display, and Emma noticed.

But what really caught her attention was the sound that came out of her mouth when she sang. Unreal, Emma told herself. No way.

But it was real. Live, raw, and perfect. No auto tuning. No fabricated notes. Just pure, unadulterated vocal power. The woman's sheer talent was undeniable, and there was nothing Emma wanted more than to know this girl. To talk to her. To tell her – in typical, clumsy Emma fashion – that, 'Shit, man! I'm your biggest fan!'

Emma realized too late that she was swooning, and the heat of the summer air surrounding her hoodie didn't exactly make her feel less dizzy. In fact, just as she felt she might faint from the heat, she managed to discretely slip behind the barrier – after holding up her all-access musician pass – and sat down on the stairs leading up to the stage where Regina was performing.

After finally catching her breath a song or two later, she stood back up and watched Regina perform with her band from the wing of the stage. When the set was over and the band started to make their way off stage, Emma froze in place, horrified by the reality that she was, in fact, also an artist performing at Warped Tour, and not just another fan in the crowd. She could talk to her.

As Regina approached, she wore a quizzical expression, and Emma quickly realized that this was because she was staring.

"Um… Hi?" Regina asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion as Emma remained completely and silently stuck in place.

"Shit, sorry!" Emma cursed. "I'm Emma. I'm the lead singer of—"

"I know who you are," Regina laughed, shaking her head. "What do you want?"

Dumbfounded by the young woman's relatively rude question, Emma hesitated before answering, "Nothing, really. I guess I just wanted to say that you did a great job, especially for your first year at Warped. Welcome to the show, kid."

"Hmm… They really do seem to love me, don't they?" Regina mused with a smirk, glancing out towards the crowd from behind the wing of the stage.

Blinking a few times and feeling quite astounded by Regina's lack of humility, Emma found herself unsure of what else to say.

"Anyway," the blonde finally started. "I gotta go. My set's up in thirty, and if Belle and Killian catch me over here, I'll get gutted like a fish." When Regina crossed her arms over her chest and said nothing, Emma added, "Let me know if you need anything. Learning the ropes here can be kinda difficult. There's a certain 'Warped Tour Etiquette' that has to be learned. Just be careful, alright?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your manners, mostly," Emma grumbled, taking her hoodie off and removing the hat.

When she shook her hair back out into its natural, unbridled form and pushed her hand through it, it became Regina's turn to stare, realizing, Damn. She's hot.

"What?" Regina asked dumbly, not having heard a word of what the other musician had just said.

"I said you need an attitude adjustment, and if you don't get one fast, it's gonna get you in trouble," Emma chuckled, shaking her head. "Especially since you're new."

"I'll keep that in mind, Blondie. Thanks."

Rolling her eyes, Emma swung her hoodie over her shoulder and made her way back to her own stage, where the rest of her bandmates were waiting for her.

~!~!~

Emma's band performed flawlessly, as they usually did, with no mishaps or mistakes on stage. When the venue finally closed and the only people left in the park were members of the venue security and the musicians who had performed that day, Emma and her bandmates sat on their stage, looking out at the empty outdoor space.

"Good work, guys," Emma commented, taking a long swig of her beer. "We really slayed it today. And I think they really liked us."

"Emma," Belle laughed. "They always do."

"Mostly cause we're the dog's bollocks, lass," Killian retorted with a grin.

"God. You really are something else," Emma laughed, shoving the drummer's shoulder and rolling her eyes.

They were all interrupted by the sound of someone's scream, coming from close by, but far enough away that they couldn't see in the illumination of the venue's dimmed lights.

"What was that?" Emma asked, looking back and forth between her drummer and her bassist.

Killian shrugged, taking a drink of his rum, but Emma hopped off the stage almost immediately, making her way towards the sound.

"Em!" Belle called out. "What are you doing?"

Without looking back, Emma replied, "Just gonna go check it out real quick. Killian, don't drink my beer!"

Grumbling, Killian looked at the girl's beer sadly and took another drink of his rum.

By the time Emma made her way to the sound, taking quicker and quicker steps as it grew louder, the screaming became yelling.

"Fuck off, Robin!" the girl was shouting.

Emma finally rounded the corner, making her way behind the stage, to find a young brunette shoving a tall man who was advancing on her.

"Jesus Christ, man. You really don't know how to hold your liquor," the brunette huffed, scrambling away from his grasp.

"Hey!" Emma barked, advancing on the man who was so aggressively pursuing the woman in front of him. "Back off, asshole! She told you to piss off!"

Eyes wide, the girl watched as Emma shoved the man backwards. When he opened his mouth to talk back, Emma kicked his inner thigh, right next to his groin, and scowled at him.

"Touch her again when she says no, and I'll cut—" Emma started, pulling a spring-action pocket knife from her pants' pocket "—your fucking balls off."

"Whoa, easy," the girl protested, stepping between Emma and the man who'd been pursuing her. "He's a bandmate. He just gets… a little drunk and handsy."

"A little drunk?!" Emma gaped, staring at the man before them. "Look at his face! He's beet red. This guy's had way too much to drink. And by the way, nice choice of a—"

"What's going on?" a woman's voice called out.

When the woman who'd spoken stepped out from behind the opposite side of the stage, Emma noticed that it was, in fact, none other than Regina Mills. Then, the realization that these two were her bandmates struck her square in the face. She hadn't noticed the other members of the band when they were performing on stage, as she'd been staring too intently at Regina. Thinking back, she could acknowledge that the rest of the band members were also quite talented, but at the time, Regina's performance in particular had been the one captivating her.

"He was harassing her," Emma explained. "She was shouting. I came to see what was wrong, shoved him off her. Now she's telling me he's just drunk and stupid."

"I didn't say he was stupid," the first brunette quickly cut in, looking at Robin apologetically. "I said he was drunk and handsy. Which, unfortunately, is usually the case. Right, Gina?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders and told Emma, "He's a pig."

"Then why do you keep him in your band?" the blonde shot back, growing irritated with the women's lack of reaction to Robin's unwanted advances.

"Because he's a good drummer," Regina said with a shrug. "Can't really replace him at the moment, so until then… we deal. Right, Ruby?"

The other brunette nodded her head and turned to Emma, saying, "Thank you, though. That was rather noble and heroic of you to come to help."

"What can I say?" Emma teased. "I'm a white knight. I enjoy rescuing damsels in distress. Especially from 'handsy' pigs like this guy who don't know when no means no."

"He's alright," Ruby promised. "Really."

Emma quickly asserted, "It's not alright," but knew she'd get nowhere with this argument. "Anyway, are you sure you're okay? Did he hurt you?"

Ruby looked down at her wrists where the drummer had been gripping her hands tightly and noticed the bruises already forming. Biting her lip, she looked back up at Emma and sighed.

"I'm fine," she lied, turning to Regina. "I'm going back to the bus. See you later. Oh, and Robin… Don't even think about making a pass at me again. Emma will cut your balls off."

Of course she knows who I am, Emma reasoned, not having considered the possibility of Ruby knowing her name before. Ugh. Why does everyone have to know me before I even tell them my name?

"Robin," Regina said sternly, tearing Emma from her thoughts. "Get out of my sight. And leave Ruby alone."

"Whatever," the man grumbling, stomping away angrily, swaying and stumbling slightly as he went.

When Regina finally looked back at Emma, there was an expression of gratitude there that surprised the blonde greatly.

"Thank you," Regina said softly. "He really is a prick, and I'd hate myself if anything happened to Ruby. She's my best friend. I guess we've just known him a long time, you know? Since high school. We're just so used to it. But you're right. He's very, very drunk tonight, and I don't really know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up to break it up."

"Wow," Emma laughed. "The shameless Regina Mills is actually thanking me for something. Boy, am I blessed."

Rolling her eyes in an exaggerated expression of annoyance, Regina shot back, "Shut up, Swan. I was being serious."

"I know," Emma sighed. "Sorry. Humor is my defense mechanism against real feelings. I guess I just… don't like when a guy takes advantage of a girl or doesn't take no for an answer… for… personal reasons."

Regina cocked an eyebrow, instantly wondering the story behind Emma's chivalry but not wanting to ask.

"Do you want to come have a drink with me?" the brunette asked suddenly, her expression softening. "I owe you one."

"You don't owe me anything," Emma asserted. "Nothing at all. I stand up for what's right because it's right, not because I'm looking for a reward."

"Oh, come on," Regina laughed. "One drink."

"I should get back to the bus before we have to head out for the night…" Emma protested hesitantly.

"One drink."

"Just one?"

"Just one."

But of course, once back at Regina's tour bus, one drink turned into four, and the two were soon laughing as quietly as possible while Ruby was sleeping in the back of the bus.

"You're pretty good too, you know that?" Regina slurred, after her fifth drink.

"Damn, girl," Emma snorted. "You're shitfaced."

"No, really," Regina pressed, her hand dropping to Emma's upper thigh. "Really good."

"You should see me in bed."

Emma was grinning – joking, maybe – but Regina's face went completely stoic.

"What, you want the back stage pass?" Regina asked, as deadpan as possible.

Emma, shocked, just stared at the other musician, not having expected her to return the flirtatious comment.

"Cat got your tongue?" the brunette teased, realizing that Emma was finding herself unable to speak. "Better not let that happen on stage."

"I won't," Emma instantly responded, Regina's comment having hit a nerve. "I don't get stage fright."

"Well, that's good. Neither do I."

Regina's confident smirk was both sexy and infuriating, and Emma could hardly stand it.

"You're a cocky, entitled piece of shit, you know that?" Emma slurred, scowling.

Regina raised her eyebrows in a surprised expression. Emma was certainly more forward than anyone had ever been with her before. Most people were intimidated by her and wouldn't dare to challenge her. But here this girl was, calling her on her shit.

"I think you like it," Regina finally replied confidently, her diction equally as messy as Emma's. "I think you like my confidence, and that I'm not swooning over you. I think you like a challenge."

"You think you're a challenge?" Emma laughed. "Hardly. I could break you in a heartbeat."

Lips parting, Regina stared. Damn. This girl was pretty confident too, all of the sudden. This was new for Regina. Very new. Emma appeared to be her match in every challenging way.

"Don't believe me?" Emma asked assuredly, smirking at the girl.

"It's getting late," Regina suddenly blurted, looking down at her watch. "Busses are about to leave."

"Crash in mine," Emma offered with a shrug. "Then I can watch you and make sure you don't choke on your own puke."

Laughing at this, Regina downed half of her sixth drink and slurred, "Yeah, right. I know how to hold my liquor, thank you very much."

"Bet you don't," Emma taunted, making Regina scowl and become serious.

"Look, that's none of your—"

"Come on, Regina. Let me keep an eye on you. The rocking of the bus on the road isn't gonna help your dinner stay down. You know that. I'm… well…"

"You're what, Swan?"

"I'm a little concerned is all."

"I can take care of myself," Regina shot back harshly. "I don't need a babysitter to make sure I don't puke on—"

But Regina felt her stomach turn, right on cue, and covered her mouth as the urge to vomit rose up in her throat.

"Hey," Emma whispered, wrapping an arm around Regina's shoulders. "Easy. Come on. Let's get you to my bus so I can keep an eye on you. It's what friends do, yeah? Not babysitting. Just… checking in. Okay?"

Biting her lip, Regina reluctantly agreed, and Emma – who held her four drinks far better than Regina was holding her five-and-a-half – easily supported her weight as she walked Regina to her own bus, after leaving Regina's bandmates a note relaying where she would be.

Emma spent most of the night watching Regina while she slept in her bed, making sure that she stayed on her side and not her back. About half way to their next venue, Regina woke up and vomited over the side of the bed.

"Fuck," she groaned, holding her stomach. "I am such a fucking moron."

"Nah, babe," Emma assured her. "You just wanted to have a little fun is all."

Regina nodded weakly, allowing Emma to wipe her mouth with a wet cloth.

When she tried to sit up, though, the blonde whispered, "Easy. Just relax. We'll be there in a few hours and the stillness will help you feel better. Hang in there, okay? And drink some water."

Regina shook her head, but Emma shoved the open water bottle into her hands, so she drank reluctantly then fell back into her dreams almost instantly after Emma took the bottle back.

~!~!~

In the morning, in true chivalrous fashion, Emma walked Regina back to her bus – after she'd thrown up several times – and started working in the tiny kitchen to make her new friend some eggs for breakfast.

"You gotta eat," Emma protested, when Regina shook her head and held her hands out to stop the blonde from handing her the plate. "Come on. You need—"

But they were interrupted by the sound of Robin shuffling out into the common space on the bus.

"Dude, are we there?" he asked dumbly, not realizing that the bus was completely stopped. "I have such a fucking handover."

"You have a fucking brain malfunction," Emma muttered, throwing the utensils from cooking in the sink before shoving the plate of eggs into Regina's hands and firmly saying, "Eat."

Regina looked up at Emma briefly, completely ignoring Robin, and searched the woman's eyes for an answer as to why she was being so defiantly and persistently nice. She didn't find an answer, though. All she found was the truth and lack of ulterior motive in Emma's expression. This girl really was just plain good.

"Thanks," the brunette mumbled, taking a few tiny bites of eggs before setting the plate on the tiny table.

Emma shrugged and said, "I gotta go. I can't be in the same space as this fucking moron."

"Hey, wait—" Regina tried, reaching out for Emma's wrist as she turned to walk away but missing it entirely.

As soon as Emma was gone, nearly – but not quite – slamming the bus door behind her, Robin turned to Regina, grabbing the plate of eggs from her and taking a few bites.

"What was that about?" he mumbled, with a mouth full of food.

"Go fuck yourself, Robin," Regina sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration.

"You fucking her?"

"Oh, my God! Pound sand, Robin! You are so disgusting!"

"What?!" Robin gaped, feigning being offended. "We all know you like a good pussy, and that girl is hot."

"I swear to God, Robin, if you don't get out of my face, I'm gonna—"

"Morning!" Ruby said brightly, interrupting the two. "Happy Friday!"

"QUIET DOWN," Robin shouted. "Fuck, you're loud. I've got a blaring headache."

"Maybe," Ruby said, exaggerating the first syllable, "you shouldn't have had so much to drink."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be such a stingy prude."

"Ugh," the girl groaned, rolling her eyes. "Emma was right. You really are a pig."

~!~!~

A few hours later, Regina found herself knocking on the door to Emma's tour bus.

Killian answered, eyes wide in surprise.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the little Mills girl from next door," Killian teased with a grin. Then, turning back to the inside of the bus, he called out, "Emma, I think she wants to know if you can come out to play!"

"And you think my drummer is a pig?" Regina quipped, when Emma pushed Killian out of the doorway and greeted her.

"Yeah, well," Emma mumbled, blushing. "It's a guy thing."

"Boys will be boys? It's all fine, cause that's just how they are?"

"No!" Emma shouted with a scowl. "They're just all like that."

Shrugging, Regina answered, "My dad's not."

"Well isn't that lovely for you," the blonde growled, grinding her teeth as she thought back to all her years in the foster care system. "What do you want?"

It took them both a moment to realize that their teasing had gotten slightly out of control, and that Regina was probably not there just to taunt Emma. But now it was too late. Emma was visibly upset, a switch having been flipped, and Regina was too surprised by the effect of her own words to recover smoothly.

"I, um… Sorry," Regina tried, avoiding Emma's gaze.

"Why are you here?"

"Actually, I was just bored and thought we could hang out…"

Blinking away her confusion, Emma gaped, "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Why not? We hung out last night."

"We didn't 'hang out' last night," Emma retorted. "You got drunk last night, and I made sure you didn't die."

Mouth slightly agape, Regina stared at Emma, not used to being challenged by anyone. This girl's gonna be the death of me, she was thinking.

"Well, I'm only a little drunk now, so… I promise I won't throw up on your floor again?" Regina tried, voice a little smaller and weaker than usual.

"Very funny," Emma laughed. "It's ten in the morning."

Regina shrugged, ignoring the comment, and asked, "So, can I come in, or…?"

Looking around the bus, Emma hesitated. Belle and Killian were sitting at the table eating breakfast, both watching them intently.

"Maybe we should just leave. Hold on," Emma sighed, pulling her shirt up over her head in one shift movement before grabbing the tank top off the back of the nearest chair.

As she put it on, Regina stayed standing in the doorway to the bus, staring at the breasts that Emma had just put so perfectly on display.

"Hey," Killian called out. "It's not polite to stare!"

Hit so hard by this comment that she almost stumbled backwards, Regina's jaw dropped. This guy was gonna have to pay for that.

But when Regina made a move to push past Emma to go after Killian, Emma grabbed her wrist hard and held on tightly.

"Easy," the blonde laughed. "He's just trying to get a rise out of you."

"It's working," Regina sneered, glowering at him.

"Come on," Emma urged her, taking her hand and pulling her out of the tour bus. Once outside, she said, "Let's walk the grounds, yeah? I wanna get a feel for the place."

Hesitating slightly when Emma's grip on her hand remained firm but gentle, Regina followed the woman around the venue.

"I hope they put us on that stage," Emma sighed, pointing to the distance where the largest stage was being set up.

"Of course they will," Regina quipped. "Don't be stupid. It's the biggest stage."

"Yeah, but—"

"You're the biggest band here."

Taken slightly aback by Regina's comment and admission of her status as a musician, Emma stared for a moment. Then, Regina rolled her eyes and kept walking, tugging Emma along behind her.

"Don't let your head get too big," the brunette told her. "It's true, though."

"Your group's doing really well, too," Emma told her, stopping in her tracks.

Regina nearly stumbled forward from the shock of the resistance she felt when she moved to take the next step. Emma was frozen in place, staring at her.

"You guys are really good," the blonde said with a shrug. "Hey, um… You think maybe you'd wanna join us for a set?"

"What do you mean?" Regina asked dumbly, looking as confused as she felt.

"I mean, like… guest appearance? Duet? You know… team work makes the dream work?"

"You want me to sing with you?" Regina gasped, her jaw dropping for the second time that day.

Shrugging, Emma looked away and mumbled, "I mean, if you felt like it."

Emma was surprised to feel Regina's hands on her arms as the girl told her, "To be honest… I'd really like that. I love watching you guys play. Killian might be an asshole, but you're all very talented."

"You think so?" Emma asked, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips. When Regina nodded, Emma added, "I'd really love to get to sing with you someday."

"Then let's get writing," Regina announced, turning away and walking to the left, back towards the buses.

"Wait, what?"

"Well, I'm not going to sing one of your songs. Not that there's anything wrong with them. Just… you know. I only sing my own stuff."

"I… don't… get it…"

"That's okay. It's early, and you're slow anyway," Regina shot back with a grin. "We're gonna write a song together."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I write all our music."

"Belle and I do most of the writing together, but I'm actually pretty sure she'll enjoy a break. Heads up, though… I'm insufferable to write with. I'm a perfectionist with my music."

Laughing hard, Regina replied, "Oh, darling. Me too. You have no idea."