Young Henry Mills knew what he was doing. He had painstakingly outlined the tasks he would need to complete in order to set this plan into motion: the plan of finally getting his two mothers together. The determined teenager had done his research, acquired the perfect setting, and enlisted all the right people to help out.

Standing in front of the abandoned warehouse be the sea, he looked at the view around him. The forecast told him it was going to be a gorgeous night, clear and comfortable, but just in case Ava and Nick brought their family's portable heating disk lamp in case it got cold, among some other things that were on the list.

Paige brought the silverware and plates along with two bottles of wine from her Dad's wine cellar assuring them that he wouldn't miss them.

Suddenly the warehouse's front door slid open and Ava saw him and she crossed her arms reproachfully. "Seriously, you're standing there daydreaming when we have a time schedule to keep?"

"No," He retorted back, "Just making sure everything is perfect."

"It will be! If we can get it off without a hitch. I assume you're done tweaking the sound system? The music sounded good from in here at least."

"Yeah it's all set. The remote works and everything."

"Come on in. You should see how Paige and I straightened and set things up in here." The girl with the dirty blonde curls stepped aside so he could bypass her to enter the building. The warehouse was not huge. It was just the perfect size for what they wanted. It was more a storage space. There was an office in the back as well as a working bathroom, clean now since he had helped scrub it down. It was a disgusting chore and thankfully he only had to clean the bathroom at home as punishment, since his mom usually took care of the house cleaning and mostly with magic. That kind of magic was okay in his book. Of course they did the lighter stuff like dishes and straightening, but neither of the Mills liked scrubbing toilets.

Henry could hardly believe his eyes. "Oh wow!" He exclaimed in disbelief. That got the attention of Paige, the teenage girl with her blonde hair gathered in a ponytail who was bent over the square table effectively sized and set for two. A row of tea candles stood in the middle, between beautifully decorated chinaware and stemware. "This place looks fantastic!"

"Well we found everything on your list in the office like you said, Henry, and we set it up just the way you wanted it," Paige informed him, "Right down to this enormous Persian rug under the table. It was a bit difficult to unroll. You should have seen Ava and I. But it's all coming together."

"Yeah," Ava laughed, "You have really been planning this for a while. Look at this table, with its long spiffy white table cloth. Geez Paige, you set this up like a gourmet restaurant."

"Well that's the mood we're going for isn't it?"

"We're all set back here!" Nick came out of the office. "I made sure they would have everything they need in the bathroom. Paper towels, toilet paper, soap…" the lanky boy, who was now as tall as his twin sister stuck his hands in his pockets and joined the rest of them at the table. "The office is ready too."

"The office? What were we doing with the office?" Henry blinked and then looked at his friends, or should he say accomplices, one by one. Paige and Ava shared a hesitant glance.

"Well… we… um…" Paige scratched nervously at the back of her neck. "We… er…"

"Oh geez," Ava piped up, standing next to her friend to show a united front. "We thought maybe we should have everything covered and this is most likely something you would not have thought of or added to your list.

Henry looked to Nick, who nodded at them and grinned a Cheshire cat smile at his best friend rocking on his heels.

"What did you guys do?" Henry sprinted the short distance to the single office and without thinking turned the light switch on not remembering if they had changed a few of the burned out lamps in here. Immediately, the room was cast in a magical colorful glow of neatly hung Christmas lights along the wall and ceiling. Then his gaze lowered to the floor where he got the shock of his life.

"You guys put an air mattress in here?" It wasn't just a plain old air mattress, but one of the more upper end models where it sat higher off the ground and it was dressed with clean white linen. "Take it down right now!"

He turned to them and was faced with three pairs of disquieted eyes. "I don't think we should." Nick countered and rubbed his cheek pensively with his fingers.

"Well it's not very romantic!" Then he looked at the girls inquiringly, pleading with them to side with him, "…is it?" He was shocked that they had apparently gone along with this, or maybe it was their idea? "Are you girls really okay with this? I mean… isn't it a little rude to think that women would…er…" Henry turned a deep shade of red.

"Well, for us, personally…" Ava explained, "...of course! We're just 14 after all, but for your moms…" The girl shrugged dismissively.

Paige tried to further clarify, "Henry, your moms have been… well…" Paige was always good with words and she was very clever. She and Henry got straight A's in school, though the young blonde's GPA was higher. She was way better in math than Henry. "…playing this game for a long while now."

Henry knew what she meant but looked to Ava who whispered the word "foreplay". Henry groaned, Nick sniggered and Henry punched him in the arm.

"Hey!" Nick rubbed his arm.

Henry reprimanded him with, "These are my moms we're talking about."

"Yeah! Both total HOTTIES!" Nick laughed which got him two extra punches from the girls.

"OW! People better stop hitting me!"

"Hello? Henry?" This came from the door. All four teens turned toward the front and saw Ruby Lucas enter the building. Henry quickly ran out to meet Ruby before she could come in pass the table. The thought of her seeing the bed and wondering what the four teenagers were up to, made the tips of his ears color.

"Hi Ruby," he plastered a bright smile on his face. "I thought Chucky was going to make the delivery on his break." Henry had asked his friend Chucky who had a part time bus boy job at Granny's to deliver the food tonight. He checked his watch and realized that time was slipping away from them. "The food's still hot right?"

"Of course, but…"

"Plate up!"

The next thing the waitress knew the take out bag was being taken out of her grasp, the containers ripped open and the food transferred on to nice plates.

"Ava, I got this. You light the candles." Paige instructed and Ava quickly followed her directions. "Nick! Overhead lights low, so the candle light will be romantic."

"Wine bottle opener?" This from Ava who lit each candle in haste and then moved around mentally making sure that everything was where it should be.

"Under the mini bags of Hershey's Kisses," Nick shouted dimming the lights referring to the small bags of chocolate, which he had been sorely tempted to rip into all afternoon.

"They have water right?" Henry was digging in his backpack for the notes he had written.

"Of course," Ava returned. "There's a case right here of bottled water, they can't miss it."

"What is going on," Ruby asked lost in the whirlwind of pubescent youngsters running around frantically.

"Holy shit, Henry!" Nick bellowed from the door. Your mom is coming!" Ruby witnessed Henry's face pale and she was confused even more.

"Which one?" Paige inquired, placing silver dish covers over the dinner plates and straightening a knife making sure everything was perfect, which she knew it was.

"The HOT one," Nick joked smiling which earned him an evil glare from Henry and a scoff from his sister."

"You are SO stupid."

"Mayor Mills," Nick laughed but then he was serious. "Crap and I can see the Sheriff's bug, dude!"

"No way!" Ava panicked. "Henry, they are a little early!"

"I can believe my mom is early. She's so on time for everything." Then Henry laughed running around the table adding his finishing touches. "Ma being early though is weird, but I'm glad that mom won't be standing around all by herself."

Ruby was suddenly getting pulled, "Can someone tell me what's going on?"

"All of this is for Henry's moms." Paige had her arm linked through Ruby's as they were following Nick toward the back of the building as there was no time now to go out the front.

"Emma and Regina? Why? It's a little too soon for mother's day isn't it?" They abruptly stopped with a crash and Ruby watched as Nick reached into a bag and tossed something into a doorway as if littering onto the floor.

"So they can finally get a clue already and hook up," Ava explained. Ruby wanted to laugh. This was insanely perfect. Wait until Snow and David heard about this. Unbeknownst to both Emma and Regina, there was a betting pool in town about when the two women would finally admit their feelings for one another. Practically everyone was in now. Snow and David were the last to join in the bet, well right before Hook who was the very last. Ruby guessed he finally realized what everyone else did. The sheriff had it bad for the mayor.

"Quick," Henry joined them. "We have to get out of here!"

As they passed the doorway to the office, Ruby's eyes went wide. "Is that a bed?!" She realized that what Nick had thrown through the doorway were rose petals.

"I know..." Henry grumbled as they all left the building through the back door. "…too much right?"

Ruby giggled, "No. Actually, I think it's perfect," she said as Henry scrunched his nose. Of course, that activity was a different bet entirely.

[ -]

"Hey," Regina heard from behind her as she was grabbing her bag from across the front seat. She turned to see Emma Swan standing beside her in her signature tight jeans and boots ensemble, completed with a short zipped brown motorcycle jacket and her grey beanie. From the looks of it, she had on a beige sweater underneath.

"Hi," she greeted giving Emma a warm smile, contemplating how far they have come from the strong animosity the dark haired mayor and the blonde savior felt that first year Emma had come to town. They were constantly fighting over Henry. Since then, they had put their differences behind them and had come together to raise their teenage son. "What are you doing here?"

"I got a txt from Henry that he had a surprise for me and that I should be here at this time. I'm just a little early," Emma stated looking at the time on her phone.

"Surprise, surprise! The sheriff is early for once," the mayor gibed grinning from ear to ear. The brunette's heart rate increased just a little when she got a knowing curl of naturally colored lips, devoid of any lipstick, in return. Emma Swan had a very pleasant smile.

Emma looked at Regina, her lips their usual deep red. She took a moment to note that Regina was dressed in her typical mayoral garb: a black pencil skirt, a burgundy silk blouse and a stylishly cut charcoal blazer with flap pockets. She had a thin black scarf draped around her neck, drawing Emma's eyes to the soft supple skin there. Emma forced her eyes back to the mayor's where she found the woman paying more attention to hanging her trench coat neatly over her arm. "I have my moments. What are you doing here?"

The brunette closed the car door and as they stared at each other, the mayor felt suddenly self-conscious. If the truth were to be known, the savior had this effect on her. Regina never really cared what anyone else thought of her. Years of being the Evil Queen gave her a thicker skin. However, since she had met Emma Swan, she found herself secretly caring how the other woman saw her. "Oh, I got the same txt."

"You did?" Emma's slight frown made her brow crinkle too.

"What do you suppose this is all about?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Emma stepped aside and let Regina lead, much to the mayor's smirk.

"What? Allowing me to go first?"

"Regina, I have gotten used to it. Whenever there is an uncertain situation ahead, you always go first, whether I want you to or not."

The older woman chuckled at that and started for the building's entrance while shaking her head. She supposed it was true, except she was quite certain that imminent doom was not lurking behind the door this time. They, slowly but surely, pulled the door back and nothing could have prepared then for what they discovered.

Stepping through the doorway, they found a beautifully decorated table set for two in the middle of a large Persian rug. Emma and Regina shared a look of disbelief and then walked closer to the table. There were lit tea candles arranged in the middle and the smell of food made Emma's stomach growl. Leaning against each of the wine glasses was a single envelope; one addressed to "Mom" and another to "Ma". The women smiled and noticed the long coat rack that stood a short distance from the table, which Regina made her way to first.

"Looks like he thought of everything." She hung her black trench coat and scarf and turned back to find Emma frowning at the table as if something were going to jump out at her any minute. The blonde then looked around to take in her surroundings.

"Yeah, I wonder where HE is…" Emma swiveled back and discovered Regina already txting on her phone. With a smile she thought, of course Regina would already be getting down to the bottom of things. She imagined that one could not have cast the curse of all curses and been such a formidable Evil Queen, and then mayor, if one did not stout-heartedly take the initiative. Admittedly, Regina's proactive nature was always something Emma admired, even when that trait was used to try and kill her.

Her thoughts went back to the first time she had met Regina Mills. The woman had come bounding down her walkway to grab her son in a tight hug, relieved that he was in one piece. She hadn't known at the time that her adopted son had traveled all the way to Boston to track Emma, his birth mother down. When the kid had bitterly informed Regina that he had found his real mom and then sprinted defiantly into the house, Regina had turned surprised moist eyes to her, as if the woman had just been punched in the gut. The very first moment their eyes had met, Emma felt a quake roll through her; as if her life would never be the same again. And true to that impulse, it wasn't.

"Well, he just txted that we should sit and enjoy our evening. He's already eaten and all we need to do is read the cards he left for us," explained Regina pulling her chair to sit, but halted when Emma still stood staring at her. "Emma?" The older woman waved her hand snapping the other woman out of her thoughts, "Emma…"

"Oh, yeah."

Regina regarded the woman closely as they both sat down because she was acting rather peculiarly. "And what had you so keenly mesmerized just now?" When the sheriff shifted uncomfortably, Regina knew she had to be persistent. "Wondering if perhaps, Henry had thought to leave a few bottles of your favorite beer instead of the wine?" She grabbed the bottle and the wine opener and expertly opened it. After sniffing the cork, she poured a little into a glass and swirled it a few times and then took a sip. "Mmm… lovely. What a fine bouquet." Then she mused inspecting the label, "I wonder where Henry got this? This is a rather expensive bottle of wine."

Emma was watching Regina's actions and then staring at the wine bottle conjecturably. Something was not adding up in her mind. She lifted a bag of Hershey's kisses…KISSES…off the table and then looked at the tall white candles that sat around them. This was a very romantic setting. Oh no! It couldn't be…

"Emma, you have to try this wine. It is superb."

"Mm," was all Emma said in agreement as her fingers were quickly tapping away at her phone.

Emma: Henry, WHAT are you doing?

She took the glass Regina offered with a smile and quickly set it down when her phone vibrated.

Henry: Ma, RELAX! Enjoy the evening. It's truth time! Read the notes I left if you haven't already. Goodnight!

Truth time. What does that mean? Emma sipped the wine and had to admit it tasted really good. Regina was right about her preferring beer but the wine had a wonderful aroma and flavor to it. She was just about to reach for the card when her phone buzzed again.

Henry: Just in case things go really well. Don't forget the burning candles.

Henry: Oh, and THAT wasn't my idea, so don't ground me.

Emma stared at her phone for a few seconds trying to decipher what that meant. Go really well? She looked over and saw that Regina had already opened her pink envelope and was reading the note that had been inside with a crinkled forehead.

She moved quickly to the note addressed to her and ripped the envelope open. A sneaky suspicion was niggling at her senses because she was beginning to figure out what this was. Unfolding the letter she began reading:

Hey Ma,

Since you're too scared to jump in, I decided I would try to help things along. Please don't be mad at me. I just want you guys to stop pretending you don't like each other when you really do. I see the way you two look at each other, kind of like how Wolverine looks at Dr. Jane Grey. And lately, it kind of feels like you guys hug me at the same time just so you can sort of hug each other and that's just stupid. Just hug each other already.

Anyway, you don't need to be scared because she likes you too. She likes you a lot. So just go for it and sweep her off her feet. One of you has to break the ice and I kind of think it has to be you. So you guys should have everything you need for an awesome evening. I've hooked up music that will play at the touch of a button. Just relax, talk and have fun.

I love you,

Henry

While Emma read her note for the first time, Regina reread a certain passage in front of her carefully again trying to process and take it all in.

"…I know that you love her and that you have loved her for a long time now. She loves you too, Mom. You guys are just so blind to it because you think you can't be together, but you can. Neither one of you wants to bring it up first, so I guess that leaves it up to me to do it because I want to see you both happy. I have the heart of the truest believer and what I believe more than anything in the world right now is that your true love, your happy ending, is sitting directly across the table from you right now…"

Regina cleared her throat and replaced the note back in the envelope. Her son seemed to be even more perceptive than she gave him credit for. "So, what does yours say?"

Emma opened her mouth and then closed it quickly. "What does yours say?"

"That he loves me." Regina smiled too quickly and then her brow crinkled as she took another sip, a long sip, of wine.

"Yeah," Emma studied her closely. That's not all the note said, Emma thought as her super power was pinging. "Mine does too." The sheriff was certain that Regina's note probably said the same, or similar, things as hers. After all, their son was being completely honest with his feelings, and apparently theirs as well. She noticed with a raised eyebrow that by the older woman not divulging more information and not quickly wanting to leave, that Henry might be on to something. Emma took a sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving the brown ones across the table and she noticed the other woman's face blush becomingly. She was nervous! And the more nervous the mayor got, the more excited the sheriff became.

"Mmm…this is my favorite dish from the diner," Regina beamed at the discovery. What did you get? Grilled cheese?" It was a joke of course. Regina was still thinking about Henry's note and Emma's perusal of her, as if the blonde could read her mind somehow.

Emma lifted the lid and a big smile crossed her features reaching happily into her eyes. "Nope! The kid ordered me a juicy steak with garlic herb butter and a fully loaded baked potato."

Regina's face scrunched up in disgust, "Fully loaded as in…"

"Bacon, sour cream, butter and chives." Emma grabbed her fork and started digging into her meal. She rolled her eyes heavenward in satisfaction after a big bite of the potato concoction and then picked up her knife and started cutting into her steak with enthusiasm. "I am starving."

"I think I can actually hear your arteries clogging." Regina took a bite of her chicken breast and used her fork to inspect her steamed vegetables and then to scoop up some rice pilaf. "Mmm…delicious." She peered at the savior's plate once more. "Are you really going to eat ALL of that?"

"Watch me."

"You must have half a cow on your plate just swimming in fat and butter," Regina admonished. "You don't even have any vegetables. Here take some of my broccoli."

"What? Yuck, are you serious?" Emma liked broccoli. She just decided that she liked giving Regina a hard time more.

"Absolutely, I can spare you a piece of broccoli and a carrot."

"Vegetables are for rabbits. And I'd rather eat a rabbit than yucky broccoli." Okay that was taking it a bit too far, Emma thought, but she loved the suspicious sidelong glance she got in return. She couldn't help but giggle then at getting caught.

"You jest! Did you forget that I spent most of my life in the Enchanted Forest? I have eaten rabbit, and this broccoli is definitely healthier for you, Sheriff Swan."

"Okay, okay, but only if you agree to take a bite of my steak…and a bite of my potato."

"That won't be necessary, dear. I'll let you keep the fat of your meal all to yourself."

"Then no deal."

"Really, I am only considering your health after all."

"And why do you care?" Regina was caught off guard by Emma's quick retort and was even pushed more off kilter by the look of challenge in the sheriff's eyes, as if she were awaiting an admission of some kind.

The brunette's mouth opened and when no words came out she closed it again. However the tip of her pink tongue made an appearance, moistening her lips and Emma was suddenly hungry for something other than her food. Then the older woman sitting across from her unexpectedly answered, "Fine, I will try your steak and potato." The mayor straightened and placed some vegetables onto Emma's plate not unlike how a mother might do the same for her child, Emma mused quietly. She couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face. Regina was really beautiful and when she was being concerned and protective, well it made the orphan in Emma rejoice. This woman who seemed to understand her better than anyone, who she could relate too and with whom she felt a deep connection with, was worried about her and wanted to take care of her; it was an awesome feeling.

The blonde presented her fork in front of Regina with some potato, sour cream, chives and bacon. "Go on…" Regina turned her head to the side nearly refusing but then at Emma's daring look she took the bite into her mouth. The brunette looked like she was going to vomit. "Chew…" Emma held back the laugh she wanted to release. Regina's mouth moved slowly; it seemed that the more the mayor wanted the food to dissolve and disappear the more it just expanded in her mouth.

"Um..mmmm…" Her smile was forced and Emma did laugh now.

"Oh geez, just spit it out then."

"Um-um…" Regina shook her head stubbornly and chewed a little quicker and swallowed. Then picked up her wine glass and drank heartily.

Emma giggled. "Well?"

"It was…still warm," Regina complimented as well as she could. Emma snorted at that and took a bite of her potato again.

Emma cut off a morsel of her steak and held her fork across the table offering it to her dinner partner who looked at her skeptically. "You promised… Your Majesty." Emma chided, the corner of her mouth curling suddenly, flirtatiously, surprising Regina and then making her do the same. Emma could not believe that they were actually flirting with each other, at least that's what it felt like.

The blonde wiggled her eyes brows and waved her fork temptingly. Regina leaned forward and just as she was going to take the meat offered, the fork pulled back just a little. The sheriff was teasing her and the younger woman's sexy smile taunted her. Regina licked her lips slowly, distracting Emma, whose lips had parted watching the tongue's movement and then Regina's lips were wrapped around the savior's fork as she pulled the bite from it slowly.

In that moment, Emma seemed to forget how to breathe. Her chest heaved allowing her lungs to catch up. The younger woman brought her empty fork back to her plate and popped a broccoli floret into her mouth, not even tasting it as she was too busy thinking that this fork that was in her mouth had just been in Regina's mouth and that made her really warm and fuzzy.

"Well I must say that was very good," Regina complimented Emma's steak. "The meat is tender and very flavorful. A little undercooked for my liking."

"What, is the Queen losing her taste for blood?" Regina whipped her head up at that, expecting to see derision but she only saw sincere mirthfulness and light hearted banter.

Regina snickered in spite of herself and donned her best Evil Queen look and said, "That would depend on whose blood we are talking about, dear." She gauged the sheriff's reaction from the blonde's halting shock as her fork paused halfway up to her lips, her eyes flashing with… arousal? Regina slanted her head as if viewing Emma Swan through a new lens. She had already known that the woman was attractive (even sexy), loyal, brave, heroic, impossible, infuriating, funny and impertinent among other things, but this evening she found her extremely more desirable than she ever had before.

"Joking about the Evil Queen, Emma? Really. Some would consider that in bad taste."

"I didn't say 'evil'." The sheriff put her fork down and wiped her lips with the linen napkin. Regina's eyes practically sparkled as they bore into hers. The sheriff picked up her wine glass and held it against her bottom lip for a few seconds and then enchantingly tilted it allowing the dark red liquid to just touch her lips as she sipped. Then she held the glass away as she licked her lips slowly.

Their eyes were connected as the air seemed to change between them bewitching them both. Regina's lips parted and she had found Emma Swan to be absolutely exquisite in this moment and studying the woman's powerful art of flirtation led the brunette to conclude that she had highly underestimated the blonde…until now. Two could play at this game. The mayor leaned back in her seat, taking her glass of wine with her, and she caressed her top lip with the tip of her tongue slowly as she let her eyes fall to the sheriff's neck and bodice. She noticed how the light in Emma's eyes darkened just then and the message of "I want to taste you right there…" hung in the air between them.

Emma could feel her nipples hardening through her sweater but thank goodness that her bra was keeping them from being noticeable. Her breathing was a little labored, that only she could really tell, and she could feel her insides buzzing with anticipation. For what, she was uncertain. This whole evening just swerved into unchartered territory for them both. The older woman's eyes were touching her in a way that made her already feel naked and wanting. Hot damn! Regina Mills could eye-fuck like no one she had ever met before. In the next instant Emma found herself disengaging and then shaking off the eye contact while she looked toward the table top and sipped her wine again.

Having the woman sitting across from her fiddle with her plate all of a sudden, pleased Regina immensely as it signified that she had won their little moment of flirtation but it was far from over. Regina had decided she liked this little cat and mouse game they were playing. Looking at Henry's envelope on the table forced her to realize that they had indeed been playing this game longer than either had known, since it had never reached this level of consciousness… or desire. At this moment she was absolutely certain that she wanted Emma Swan in a "more than friends" capacity. She wanted to be touching her, kissing her, and with a gulp she realized she also wanted to take her to bed. Of course that last bit may complicate things, she frowned.

"Well, you're certainly thinking hard about something."

"I'm thinking about how to get you into bed in the most uncomplicated and painless way possible." Regina heard a clatter as Emma suddenly dropped one of her utensils on her plate while she, herself, was arranging hers across her empty one. Oh goodness! Did I say that out loud? At the blonde's shocked expression Regina backtracked, but there was really nowhere to go. Well, okay then… She took a hearty sip of her wine and raised a hand to instill calm. "I apologize…"

"What the hell, Regina!"

"Emma, I…."

"You can't just tell me that you want to take me to bed and then say you're sorry! What the hell kind of thing is that to do?"

Regina was clearly baffled, but the blonde ranted on, "First of all, you're practically undressing me with your eyes, driving me crazy and then you tell me you want me and now you're taking it back? Well that's a shitty thing to do." The blonde leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms and staring angrily at her. Were they in the Twilight Zone? It seemed like only yesterday they were arguing about whether Henry deserved an increase in his allowance. Actually it was exactly yesterday. Emma said he should get one now and Regina wanted to wait until the next report card came out. How did they get from arguing about that to this, a discussion about having sex.

"If you would let me finish and explain for just a moment, Sheriff Swan, I will gladly clarify." Emma raised her eyebrows expectantly. She rolled her eyes at the mayoral tone in Regina's voice as if they were in a board room instead of on a date that their son put together. "I am not apologizing for what I said but rather how I delivered it. Needless to say this entire evening has taken me by surprise."

"And you have had some wine," pointed out Emma who sat up straighter with a slight frown. Regina read her doubt for what it was.

"Not enough to impair my judgment, just apparently my tongue." When the savior's eyes darkened with desire, Regina groaned. "Uhh, Emma… you have got to stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you want me to magically rid you of your clothes with a wave of my hand so that I can slowly taste every inch of your body."

"You can do that," Emma breathed on an exhale.

"Would you like to see," Regina smirked naughtily.

"Holy Fuck, Regina!"

"Oh God, I know!" Regina suddenly dropped her head into her hands. Clearly puzzled by how they were both behaving but honestly she was thrilled and excited too. She couldn't remember a time when she had wanted someone so badly.

Emma cursed loudly again at her heightened state of arousal. She had not been this horny in, well, a very long, long while. Spying the carton of bottled water close by, she rose out of her chair and ripped the cap off of one and started drinking desperately to try and quell the heat of her sexual attraction to the woman sitting across from her.

Regina stared at the woman before her and watched her throat work with every gulp and it made the older woman want her more. She needed to press her lips against that column of skin, hear the sounds Emma would make as she would suck and then flick her tongue against the sensitive spot just below her ear and she wanted to drink from the woman's lips greedily. She rose out of her chair too.

Emma put the nearly empty water bottle down and looked at the woman who got up half in caution, half in thrill. They just awkwardly stood there, wanting to move closer yet were not sure of that idea's merit. Were they ready for what might happen when they breached each other's personal space.

After a few more seconds of feet shuffling and looking anywhere else but at each other, they both spoke at once.

"I'm going to use the bathroom." From Emma, backing toward the back of the office.

"I'm going to just step outside for some air," Regina gestured to the entrance and started backing that way. The last thing she saw was Emma make a direct beeline for the restroom and disappearing through the door.

Once outside in the cold Maine air, Regina inhaled deeply and her exhale came out in a cloud of moisture. She crossed her arms to shield herself from the cold. She should have taken her jacket. It was dark already and she could see a few lights from the bigger boats out on the water.

Her thoughts went to the sexy blonde inside. When had the woman become sexy? Well, she had always been sexy. I thought she was sexy when I first met her. Of course at the time she had been too preoccupied gathering information on Henry's parentage that she scarcely let herself focus on the woman's looks, but she had, indeed, noticed. Pacing back and forth now to try and keep warm, she took inventory of her feelings. She did not want just a one-night stand with Emma Swan. She wanted the woman physically and emotionally, which meant that she wanted this to last longer than just one night. Realizing with certain clarity what she desired, she huffed, turned quickly and went back into the warehouse.

As she walked purposely into the middle of the room, practicing her speech about how she wanted to pursue a relationship with Emma and not rush into anything, she found the blonde standing outside the bathroom, leaning against the door jamb with her head back staring at the ceiling as if troubled. "Emma? What's the matter?"

Emma looked at her weakly and then turned back to stare into the office. With a frown Regina walked over and upon reaching the office doorway looked inside and became overcome with shock. "That…that's a bed," the older woman gulped.

"Yup… " Emma came up to her and together they filled the doorway staring down. "Adorned with rose petals and little chocolates on the pillows." She then jokingly looked around and feigned surprise. "When did we get to the Ritz Carlton?"

Regina chuckled and then stopped when Emma climbed onto the bed and stretched out on her stomach with her tight, denim-clad, attention-grabbing bottom in the air, drawing Regina's eyes to it, making her throat go dry. She gulped hoping to alleviate it.

"This is actually really comfortable. It feels like a real bed instead of an air mattress." Then the sheriff began to roll her body to further test the bed's form and durability, but from where Regina was standing, she was thrusting her hips against the bed's surface and the older woman could not help the sharp intake of breath from escaping her lips.

Emma's eyes flew open as she suddenly realized what she was doing and who she was doing it in front of. She looked back over her shoulder and caught the mayor staring at her shapely rear and she smiled deeply pleased. Oh yeah, she likes what she sees. Interesting. She purposely flexed her bottom and watched the mayor's breath hitch. Regina's eyes darted to Emma's and when she realized she was caught ogling, she turned an adorable shade of pink and it affected Emma greatly. She curved, turned to her side and leaned on her elbow, giving the mayor her best "come hither" invitation, "Why don't you come on down?" Emma patted the mattress in front of her. The curl of the brunette's lips was so alluring. With a tip of her finger she drew circle patterns on the cotton sheets. "Which side would you like? Or…" the blonde scooted to sit at the edge of the bed and she pulled Regina, by her hips, to stand between her legs. "We can share the middle." The mayor's hands felt good on her shoulders. Emma's splayed fingers traveled gently to the brunette's waist where she could feel the warmth of Regina's skin through the silk of her blouse. The younger woman eyed the button that held the shirt stretched taught across Regina's ample bosom, which was usually the third from the top. Emma's tongue made an appearance by wetting her lips while thinking of the treasures hidden underneath that straining button. She felt Regina's fingers tilt her face upwards so their gazes could meet. What Emma saw in the woman's eyes was unmasked desire as Regina lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"You are playing with fire, Emma."

Emma's hands glided from Regina's waist to rest on her backside and she squeezed the mayor's curvaceous bottom, causing the woman to hiss in need. "I'm not afraid, Regina." Another squeeze had the brunette throbbing with need.

Bringing her hands behind her, Regina pulled Emma's hands away from her body and stepped out of her embrace. "You should be." She then distanced herself a few more feet from Emma, not trusting herself to be so close. "We need to talk." With that she walked out and back toward the table.

Uh oh! No good news ever came from "We have to talk" though there were always some exceptions. Emma hoped this was one of them. She took one last longing look at the bed, ran her hand over the cool covers and followed Regina out to the other room. She found her standing by the table, her back to her.

"Ok. What do you want to talk about?" Emma came up and stood behind her, arms crossed as if in a defiant stance. "The fact that I just literally came on to you and you flat out turned me down?"

"Emma…"

"Because as I recall, you were the one who said you wanted to take me to bed."

"Emma," Regina sighed.

"You know what? Forget it. Let's just forget this ever happened." The more the blonde thought about how she had thrown herself at Regina, could still feel the woman's fullness in her hands, and to be shut down was embarrassing and extremely disappointing. "As a matter of fact…" Emma was pacing and babbling, "Let's just call it a night."

Regina spun around in irritation and with a wave of her hand commanded, "Will you sit down and shut up?!"

All of a sudden Emma found herself tied to her chair that had magically slid from the table to where she was. It was on the tip of her tongue to exclaim her usual, "What the hell, Regina?" but she instead went with a more calm, "If you had wanted to tie me up, all you had to do was say so."

The corner of Regina's mouth crooked up for an instant and there was mirth in her eyes, but suddenly she replaced it again with seriousness. "We need to talk about what is happening right now."

"I thought it was pretty clear. I offered, you declined, simple."

"Then you have not been paying attention, dear." The older woman sashayed seductively up to her, curled a finger under her chin again and made her face her. "If any of this was simple, I can assure you Sheriff Swan, that I would already have you naked and writhing underneath me."

Emma's eyes pierced into Regina's arduously and it took sheer willpower not to drag the woman to the bed in back and prove it to her. "So you do want me?" The savior looked up at her and Regina thought she saw a flash of vulnerability, perhaps at the possibility of rejection, that the brunette's heart swelled for her.

She brought her face down close to the savior's and said softly, "Yes, I want you, Emma. Make no mistake about that." Her thumb caressed the blonde's cheek in slow circles. "And I want you for more than just one night." She watched Emma understand what she was saying, watched those tempting lips part in wonder.

"You mean, you want… like a date?"

"Oh, Sheriff Swan, this IS a date."

"No, I mean, you want a series of dates. With me."

"Yes. With you."

Emma smiled and then thought of the bed in the back. "Define date."

"Spending time together, sharing a meal, holding hands…"

"Kissing?"

Regina smirked at her, "Yes…"

"Cuddling?"

"Most definitely."

"And the other stuff?"

"Yes…but I don't want to rush into anything, Emma. I don't want us to take this lightly. It's taken us a while to get to where we are. I do not want to find out what happens to us after a botched relationship."

Emma sobered at that. "Me neither. And we have Henry to think about."

"Precisely." Regina tucked a wayward lock of hair behind Emma's ear and smiled. "I suddenly realize that I want this though, with you, more than anything."

"I do too." Emma realized that what she also wanted, more than just a bout of hot sex with Regina, was an actual relationship with her and it sounded like it would be the greatest gift on the planet; to belong to the woman and have Regina belong to her. In this moment she wanted it more than anything as well. "So what do we do?" She gave Regina one of her signature Swan grins.

"We take it slow." Regina liked those mischievous and defiant Swan grins.

"Slow, huh? Does that mean no kissing on the first date?" Regina's sharp intake of breath added a teasing glint to Emma's eyes. "Because if we get to kiss, I'd rather do it with my hands untied."

That snapped Regina out of her reverie and she straightened, stepped back and with a wave of her hand Emma's restraints disappeared.

"That's a neat spell. Hope you remember that one for 'down the line'. It might come in handy one day."

Regina snickered and shook her head trying to force her thoughts away from either one of them being tied up for pleasure. Emma picked her chair up and carried it back to the table and sat down. "So, slow…"

"I don't want to jeopardize anything." Regina took her seat. "Though I had found you attractive on more than one occasion, I never considered this a possibility. Us, being together like this." She caught Emma nodding in agreement.

"When?"

"When what?"

"When did you find me attractive?"

"When did you find me attractive," Regina returned, unsure why she switched it around. Perhaps she couldn't come up with a definitive answer so quickly. Emma spoke immediately without hesitation.

"That first night I met you." Emma gulped her wine and chuckled at Regina's look of surprise.

"That night you brought Henry home?"

"Yup." Regina was frowning at her with her mouth hanging open as if the blonde were a mad woman. "Oh come on, Regina. If I hadn't known any better, I'd think that you totally planned to look that hot! You were scared, frazzled and relieved. You came running down the walkway and I didn't know what hit me. I just thought that you looked absolutely gorgeous. And there you were tears of relief on your face, eyes a little puffy from crying, hugging Henry. Then you were suspicious of me and the cold made your…" instead of saying nipples she gestured to her own causing Regina's eyes to widen and dart from Emma's face to Emma's breasts and then to her own, "… you know, stand out. Were you even wearing a bra? I doubt it." Regina rolled her eyes heavenward and closed them a smile growing on her lips remembering. "…and you were a mess! A friggin' HOT MESS!" Emma leaned against the table. "And that was the first time I thought about you… and sex."

Regina gasped. "The first time?" Emma filled their wine glasses.

"Mmm-hmm." Emma shrugged and Regina was intrigued.

"Just how often did you think about it?"

"That first year?"

"Yes."

"On and off. The time you came to my door with a basket of apples…"

"… And you answered the door in your undergarments…"

"… I was suspicious, but there was a moment when I wondered what you looked like naked. A brief moment." Then Emma regarded her with a teasing glint. "Tell me, were those apples poisoned?"

Regina returned with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, "Not the ones on the bottom."

To know that they could both even joke about it now said a lot about how far they'd come over the years. After several moments of just gazing at each other nostalgically and fondly, Regina admitted, "I am extremely glad that you never ate anything I gave you back then." Emma saw the flash of regret, relief and then remorse in those brown eyes and she got up from her chair and made her way to her. She stood beside her as Regina looked up at her questioningly, but when Emma held out her hand, she noticed that the older woman trustingly took it and stood next to her with a frown. The sheriff was elated to acknowledge that it had definitely taken a while but she had gained this woman's trust and that was a gift she suddenly treasured. She wasn't going to mess this up, so she proceeded cautiously.

"I have to know, Regina." When the brunette's red tinted lips parted, Emma pleaded, "I have to know what you taste like or I'm going to go crazy." She noticed the woman's chest raise slightly and it was in time to her own beating heart it felt like. "I get that you want to take things slow and I am willing to, but please…" She leaned closer, "Please kiss me."

Regina's quick inhale made her feel slightly off kilter, or was it the savior's lips coming closer she wasn't sure. But when she closed her eyes and felt nothing, she realized Emma stopped short, only a hair's breath away from her face. She was letting Regina decide. If Regina backed away, Emma wouldn't push. Of course the mayor knew the Sheriff would probably be agitated and grumpy but she wasn't going to take without permission in this instance. And that excited Regina because when it came to matters of the heart, she was never really given much choice.

She licked her lips, gulped and then tentatively touched her lips to Emma's. Their first touch was like a spark igniting a slow burning ember of emotion and need. They both moved their heads slightly in opposite directions to add a little more pressure, their lips moving more confidently and skillfully. She felt Emma's hands on her hips as hers had gone around the blonde's waist. The sounds of kissing filled the room followed by soft moans. It was Emma who slid her tongue up against Regina's top lip and the brunette answered in kind with the same motion and then their tongues were invading and retreating into each other's mouths. Regina's hands bunched the back of Emma's sweater while the younger woman's fingers dug into her hips. Their open mouth kisses now were passionately hungry and urgent and somehow, they both felt the heady rush of arousal trembling through their systems.

Emma was the one who disengaged first, in utter shock and bewilderment. Well, she got her answer. She and Regina were smoldering together and the older woman certainly knew how to kiss. "Wow!"

Regina's forehead had fallen against the sheriff's shoulder in frustration and she was nodding. "Wow, indeed."

"The queen is a really good kisser." Emma tried for humor and it worked as she felt Regina's head shake with laughter. When the brunette raised it and looked into her eyes, Emma liked the hint of softness in them.

"As is the savior." Then as both their gazes skittered from each other's eyes to each other's mouths, it was apparent that they wanted more. They knew it.

Emma's mouth moved in and stopped, remembering just how important this was to both of them. "We back away on three." She saw a side of Regina then that was so uncertain and unsure, like she didn't want to move away and could not decide what the best action to take was. She almost looked like how she would imagine young Regina to look, not quite in control of herself and caught in a weak moment. But then she nodded. "One, two, three." They stepped away from one another sorely missing each other's heat.

Emma grabbed their wine glasses off the table and handed Regina hers, which she downed in an instant, as did Emma. They were both trying to calm themselves down and not rush into anything though it pretty much felt like they wanted to.

Regina laid a hand on her stomach and wondered what she had been thinking. She was this close to begging, BEGGING, Emma Swan to make love to her. And why couldn't they, she demanded of herself all of a sudden. From their conversation, this seemed a long time overdue and if that kiss was a sign of anything it would be that they would be good together.

"Music!" Emma blurted, eyes widening. "Henry said he had music set up." She bent over the table in search of the remote. "That will lighten the mood a bit!"

"Yes! Great idea. An excellent distraction." Regina fussed with her hair trying to cool down a bit. It was getting rather warm in here all of a sudden.

"Aha!" Emma smiled at her as she found the remote and squinted to find the play button. Regina sidled up to her to look at the handheld device. The mayor's perfume permeated her senses and made her want to bury her face in the woman's neck. Emma groaned.

"Do you need help?" Regina's voice sounded huskier than normal. They glanced at each other awkwardly and then back to the remote still very aroused for one another.

"Uh no. Here!" She pressed the button and music filled the room.

Recognizing the song choice, Emma raised her arms and shouted at the ceiling, "OH, COME ON!", while Regina had her arms crossed and used a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration as Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On sounded over the loud speaker.

"It seems our son really has thought of everything."

"Yeah, I don't know whether to kiss him or kill him."

"Hmmmm…" Regina chuckled, "Well since I love him you can do the first thing. Besides he gets his annoying traits from you."

Emma glanced up and caught Regina swaying just a bit to the music. "Oh my God, you're dancing." She shook with laughter.

Regina smiled, "What? I actually like this song." Since she was caught swaying she might as well not hold back. She danced a little more prominently. She could imagine Emma's shock. After all this is the one thing she did when no one else was around. If there was one thing this realm had going for it, it was the music.

"No really, stop," the savior quipped, "…you're shattering the whole Evil Queen Ice Bitch image I have of you." Emma continued to laugh but her laughter died on her lips when she caught sight of Regina lip-synching to the chorus and swinging her hips, losing herself in song. Emma was sure this was definitely a side to Regina Mills that no one had seen before, not even her mother, Snow White. That made Emma feel sort of special.

"You know what I'm talking about…come on, baby… heeeey…let your love come out…" Regina mouthed in delight, eyes sparkling, however her dancing slowed when she noticed Emma's eyes raking up and down her body with unbridled want. Oh my. The sheriff stood with her hands on her hips looking extremely sexy. So much for slow. Regina stopped and frowned while worrying her bottom lip.

"I was kidding. Don't stop." Emma stepped closer, closing the distance. "You're a good dancer. I bet I'm the only one in town who knows that." She was.

"Henry has seen me dance… a time or two."

Emma laughed and Regina witnessed those gorgeous green eyes glitter with levity. It was absolutely captivating.

Regina huffed in resignation and walked to the long white candles that stood surrounding the table and blew each one out. Then she dimmed the room even more by blowing the candles on the table out. Emma watched her curiously. Was their night over, Emma wondered, feeling utterly disappointed. Was it something she had said?

Once all the candles had been extinguished and Regina used magic to clean the plates, she stood in front of Emma with her bag and her coat and scarf.

"Do you have everything you need, Emma." Regina removed the remote from Emma's grasp and pressed the stop button when she found it, interrupting the next love song that was in the queue.

Emma's mouth opened and closed in uncertainty and confusion.

"Is our night over?" The blonde asked totally perplexed. She reached into her jacket and pulled her car keys out.

"You won't need those." Regina smiled and gestured to the set of keys making Emma put it back in her pocket. She watched the sheriff's eyes widen when she closed the distance, her lips a mere inch from the younger woman's. "And our night is far from over. Now… are you ready to go?"

Emma nodded, staring at Regina's lips. "Where are we going?"

"I'm magically transporting us to my bedroom, Sheriff Swan." With her free hand she caressed the nape of Emma's neck and pulled her lips even closer as purple smoke slowly swirled from the bottom up. "Say what you want, but I will not have our first time happen in a bed that our son set up in some old musty office."

"Cool…" was all Emma said as their lips met, the purple smoke tornado taking them exactly where they wanted to go.