Now updated for grammatical revisions

"So Emma, how are you enjoying your first ball?"

Emma nearly jumps at the sound of the other woman's voice so close to her ear. She turns to face Regina, who has a smirk on her face, knowing she had startled Emma. Emma gives her a glare but they both know it's a playful one. Long gone are the days of their intense staring standoffs.

Regina secretly misses those standoffs a little. Someone challenged her at a time in her life where people were predictable and boring. Although she will admit that she likes the easy (well easier) friendship she has with the blonde now much better.

"Much more than I thought I would actually." Emma replies.

And it's true. Emma had been pretty against the idea of having a ball in Storybrooke. She really had no interest in pretending to participate in a life that she was destined never to live. The weeks leading up to the event were also a nightmare. Regina and her mother spent hours going over details and she barely saw either of them. It was also anyone in town could talk about. Who was going with whom? What were they wearing? When should they show up? She couldn't take it anymore.

She has to admit now that she is actually here though, that it isn't all that bad. She is wearing a surprisingly comfortable deep green gown that, though she would never admit it out loud, really does make her feel like a Princess. Seeing everyone else dressed up has been pretty fun too. Especially Henry. The town is treating the ball as sort of prom for the older students.

Regina and Emma are currently watching their son dance with Paige to the music of the live band. Both are feeling more than a little nostalgic.

"He's getting so old." Regina finally says in a subdued voice.

"I know. I can't believe he is starting college in a few months!" Emma says incredulously.

Regina goes back to watching their, now adult, son dance his way across the room with surprising grace.

Emma, on the other hand, watches Regina. Emma knows that Regina is having a really hard time coming to terms with Henry leaving for school. She looks so wistful right now, and the sight breaks Emma's heart.

Soon a new, and more upbeat, song begins playing. It is a tune that Emma recognizes and she immediately has an idea. She grabs Regina's hand and pulls her to toward the dance floor.

" What are you doing?" Regina asks indignantly. Yet she lets herself be pulled fully onto the floor.

"We're dancing" Emma explains as she takes Regina's other hand and starts to pull her around in a Jazz/Swing sort of style.

Regina rolls her eyes but makes no further comment. Emma thinks this really shows how far their relationship has come.

Regina is actually enjoying the dance. It's not style she is use to, but she prides herself on being a fairly good dancer, and is able to catch on to what Emma is doing pretty quickly. Regina muses that Emma is not exactly a good dancer herself. But what she lacks on precision, she makes up in enthusiasm. She lets the blonde twirl her around and shake her arms back and forth, as if it's a proper dance move.

When the song ends, a waltz starts playing. Emma gives Regina an awkward smile as she drops her hands. However, just as she is turning away from the dance floor, Regina reaches out and grabs her arm.

"Oh, no you don't." She says "You made me dance to a song from your world, now you have to dance to one from mine." She says as she pulls Emma to the back of the group that is forming.

Emma realizes that this is one of those big choreographed dances and panics slightly.

"I don't know the steps to this!" She angrily whispers to Regina.

"Don't worry, I'll lead you. And regardless it is one of the simpler dances." She says as she turns to face Emma once they have lined up with the other dancers.

Regina can't help but laugh at Emma's panicked expression.

"Curtsey" Regina says in a low voice, as she makes one herself.

Emma is suddenly very happy that her mom made her go over how to curtsey properly before coming here tonight. This is the third time already that she has had to perform the act.

"Step forward… to the side….walk around me…take my hand." Regina continues to give Emma instructions as the song proceeds. Emma thinks that while she may be a beat behind the rest of the dancers, she is doing pretty well so far. She also notices that almost all the other people dancing are a man and a woman, with the exception of two girls in Henry's class who seem to be half-heartedly trying to figure out the complicated dance. Regina, since she is leading, is dancing the role of the man.

Emma began to question how Regina could seem comfortable in the leading role, when surely she was usually doing Emma's part of the dance. Just as those thoughts started though, they vanished as Regina pulled on Emma's hand and suddenly they were nearly flush against each other.

There was a tickle in Emma's ear as Regina whispered "Backwards" and Emma finds herself being slowly glided backwards while still in Regina's close hold.

The hold is just too close to be comfortable, and yet, neither woman felt uncomfortable.

They both got lost in the moment. Emma was slightly dazed by the warm apple and honey smell of Regina's hair. Regina was admiring the silk of Emma's dress beneath her hand.

They had moved nearly the length of the dance floor when Emma finally looked around and noticed that the dance was changing steps and the other women were taking a step forward and to the left side. Hastily, she tried to imitate their moves but was met with a heeled foot when Regina didn't step backward like the men did.

"Ow! Miss Swan!" Regina exclaims after Emma crushes her foot. She stops dancing as she looks down at her now throbbing toes.

Emma apologizes and Regina rolls her eyes but starts up the dance again.

As Emma walks around Regina she whispers, "You know that wouldn't have happened though if you had told me what I was supposed to be doing."

Regina snaps back "Excuse me for forgetting a step to a dance that I haven't done in about forty years." Then almost lazily adds, "Walk forward."

Emma laughs and says "That's so strange to hear because you don't really even look forty now."

"I better not look forty now!" Regina exclaims in mock outrage.

"Not in that dress you don't." Emma mumbles and looks down at the tight black gown Regina has on. It is certainly fit for a queen, although it's not as intimidating as most of her "Evil" Queen gowns were.

"Step to the right." This is the only verbal response by Regina. However, the older woman can't contain the smile on her face as she says it.

The two continue to dance for a few more moments blissfully unaware that they were being watched by quite a few of the other guests.

"She looks beautiful." Charming says from across the room to his wife. "Must get it from you." He adds with a wink and sits down next to her at the table.

Snow kisses his cheek, and goes back to gazing at the pair. "They both do." She adds after a moment.

" They look happy too." He says, now watching them with his wife.

"They look more than happy." Snow says. She had been watching them for a while now. The look in Emma's eyes unnerves her a little. She knows that look. It's the same look of love and concern that her husband gave her just a moment ago.

"Maybe… maybe it's good they have each other, now that Henry is leaving." Charming says uncertainly. Though they have never discussed the topic before, Snow knows that he is following the same train of thought that she is.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about it." Snow admits. It's true too. She never would have chosen this path for her daughter. It is much too complicated and emotionally dangerous. Yet, she can see the happiness in her daughter's eyes and can't help but feel happy herself.

She also truly cares about Regina, and knows she deserves love. And who better to bring happiness to the Evil Queen than the Savior?

At that moment they see Regina swat Emma's shoulder and giggle. Snow is amazed to say the least. Giggling is not an action Snow ever would have thought she would associate with her former step-mother. Any doubt that the affection was one-sided flew out of her mind in that moment.

Then the dance ends, and the two women unceremoniously part ways and walk to opposite ends of the room.

"Well, it seems like we have some time to get use to the idea." Charming responds

"That is true." Snow concedes. "I don't think they're even aware of how they feel yet."

"But soon." Charming says thoughtfully.

"Yes…soon." Snow says with trepidation and just a bit of hope.