A/N: So it's not exactly a songfic in the traditional sense, but this is a definitely song-inspired fit and a bit of Christmas fluff. I hope that perhaps you'll enjoy it. Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!

Baby Its Cold Outside

Emma Swan, for all her childlike qualities, had always resented the relentless cheeriness of Christmas. There were things she loved about the winter like playing in the snow, or the patterns of ice on her window in the morning making the world look jeweled and bright. As a fervent lover of hot chocolate and fuzzy hats, she didn't even mind the cold weather. It's just…Christmas always felt like she was reaching for the life she could have had if she had a family, if she wasn't alone. Even more than birthdays or other holidays, she felt her solitude as she glanced through windows to see ornamented trees decorated by families, saw impetuous smiles on adults and unbridled glee in children.

Despite being together with family for the first time in her life, who all were clearly elated in being together, Emma only felt that the incessant cookie baking of Snow, the ridiculous Santa hat that Charming insisted on wearing, and Henry's obsession with singing Christmas songs only made her feel more out of place than ever.

So when her phone rang mid-gingerbread palace creation, Emma did not hesitate to stand up from the table and walk out to take the call in her room.

"Sheriff Swan", she said quickly and with great relief.

Silence was the only reply for several seconds, and she looked down at her phone to identify the person calling her with a frown.

"Regina? I have caller ID…is everything ok?"

"Miss Swan, I…yes, everything is fine. I just wondered if…I know that it's nearly Christmas and you probably want to be with your family, but I wanted to discuss tomorrow's tree lighting, if you have the time".

Emma had never heard the usually unshakable mayor sound so nervous before. She instinctually felt that something must be wrong. Perhaps Regina, who was still struggling in her recovery from using magic, was having a difficult time. As soon as she thought this, Emma's heart sank. Of course the mayor was having difficulty during the Christmas season when she did not have Henry for company or anyone else. Knowing all too well the intense loneliness of the season, Emma opened her mouth to reply but Regina responded quickly, clearly regaining her footing, "Of course you probably have plans with Henry and your…parents. It can wait"

"No! I'll be right over, give me ten minutes" Emma said and disconnected the call.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

As she heard the quick response, Regina lowered her own phone back to her desk, her heart racing. Although she had always considered herself to be powerful in the art of seduction, the tawny haired sheriff gave her butterflies that she had not experienced since she was little more than a girl. She smoothed her hands over her pristine skirt and looked around the room. Nearly everything was perfectly in place. The flames were licking the logs in the fireplace in a very enticing manner. She pulled out two fine crystal glasses to be filled with her oldest and most premium apple cider before sweeping her hands through her hair nervously.

It's time to set aside the mayor tonight, Regina, and bring out a little touch of evil, she thought to herself. Her lips curled up in a mischievous grin as she recited her plan in her mind once again. With a start, she realized that she had forgotten the most critical part of the plan.

As she walked to the window, under which sat her perfect poinsettia plants, she felt a moment of reluctance. After all, she had promised Henry that she would not use magic. Still, she felt certain that he would not object to this particular spell and the effect it was sure to have tomorrow. She comforted herself with the thought that this was hardly dark magic and therefore it should not have the seductive pull that she found so hard to resist. She raised her hands and brought forth gusty winds and a few lazily drifting flakes of snow.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

When the wind kicked up, Emma pulled her red leather jacket tighter around her, wishing she had not decided to walk to the mayor's mansion. She had been drinking eggnog liberally laced with bourbon to help her through the merriness at the apartment, and had decided it would not be wise to take the bug.

For a moment, she debated turning back to the apartment, but she realized that she had left her car keys in the apartment, and the thought of walking into the apartment to get them and enduring another "cup of cheer" from her family made her quickly dismiss the thought. Besides, she was only a few minutes away from Regina's and the lightly falling snow was sort-of pretty. She wondered if it would keep up tonight. It would be lovely to have snow on the ground for the tree lighting tomorrow.

The only part of Christmas that Emma liked were the beautiful lights. She had always felt that they were welcoming her into a spirit that she otherwise could not embrace. The cheery glow made her feel lit up inside, ever since she was a child. One of her foster families that had been good to her in Connecticut had lived on Candy Cane lane. She would walk in awe through the street each year to look at the different colors and patterns of lights that people put on display.

As she rounded the corner and came into view of the mayor's house, she gasped. While the mansion was ordinarily one of the most stately and well-maintained homes in Storybrooke, it was like a Christmas card come to life during this season. She blew out a breath that hung in the air for a moment as she looked at the simple yet beautiful white lights that graced the mayor's home. With the snow, beginning to really come down now, gently collecting on the slope of the lawn, she thought it was exactly what a home should look like.

Feeling nervous now for no reason she could identify, she resumed walking and within moments found herself in front of the gleaming 108 on Regina's front door. It twinkled at her reflecting the lights above and Emma unconsciously drew in a breath as she brought up her fist to knock.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Regina had watched the Sheriff walk up toward the house as the snow began to pick up in earnest, but she waited behind the door for just a moment to answer. She took those brief heartbeats to straighten her shoulders, flip back her hair, and plant a winning smile on her lips. As she opened the door, however, she felt her prepared feeling flutter to the ground like so much snow as she took in the sight before her.

Emma Swan was, of course, wearing that ridiculous red jacket that Regina had secretly come to adore as it represented the bold, brassy nature of the woman it hugged so tightly. Her head was topped with a ridiculous wooly hat with a pom-pom on top that looked far too big, albeit warm. But it was the halo of curls around her rosy cheeks and the tiny snowflakes clinging to her eyelashes that made Regina's breath catch. She noticed Emma shivering and quickly recovered, graciously sweeping her arm back and saying "Please, come in Miss Swan. Let me take your coat and hat".

Emma returned her smile and said "Thank you, Madam Mayor".

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma was beyond surprised when Regina stepped behind her to help her take her coat off. She had assumed that the mayor would want to hang it up, but not that she would seek to take it off herself. As Regina's fingertips brushed her shoulders, she felt herself flushing and shivering again, but this time not from the cold outside. She had hoped that the mayor wouldn't notice the involuntary reaction, but Regina quickly said,

"You must be freezing, it's gotten so cold outside. Please come into the lounge. I have a fire going and some cider, you'll be warmed up in no time". She couldn't resist guiding Emma toward the room with a hand on the small of her back. She was nervous to have initiated the contact, but felt the warmth spread from her fingers up her arm as she ushered the Sheriff toward the room. Reluctantly, she allowed her hand to drop as she indicated that Emma should take a seat on the settee and went to pour them both a drink.

"So…how are you Regina?" she heard behind her. She felt reluctant to tell the truth, that she had been lonelier than at any point in her life. Without Henry in her home, it seemed far too quiet and orderly. Without her job to occupy her time, she had been spending far too much of it brooding over the absence of her son…and of a certain unnamed Sheriff. She had come to realize that she missed Emma nearly as much as her son, and once she had addressed her confusion, became determined in the way that she had always been with a goal in sight…relentless.

Deciding this was far too much information for such a casual inquiry, she replied "I've been fine, dear. Preparing for the holiday season as I'm sure you have been", with this she turned and handed Emma a glass brimming with cider. As she delivered it, their eyes met and she felt a flush run over her skin to her cheeks.

Emma seemed not to have noticed as she rolled her eyes and muttered something about "living with a bunch of fricking elves….". Regina chuckled and mused "With all of your childlike inclinations, I would have expected you to be overjoyed for the Christmas season to be upon us".

Emma did not look at her, but replied with surprising bitterness in her voice "Yeah, well even as a child, I learned that Christmas is for people with happy families, not friendless orphans".

Regina's heart sank at the pain in her voice and at the thought that she herself was the reason that pain was inflicted. She quickly took a large gulp of her cider enjoying the burning sensation it sent down her throat and chest before settling on a lighter topic. "About the tree lighting…"

Emma seemed relieved for the change of subject and looked up as Regina continued "Last year, there was an…incident. I wanted you to have fair warning in case there was a repeat this year. Apparently, in some cities, there is a tradition of men dressing in full Santa gear and parading through town singing baudy songs…"

Emma had taken a large drink of her cider and nodded vigorously, "I saw that once in Boston! They dress like Santa and go from bar to bar singing dirty Christmas songs! I thought it was one of the better traditions, actually" she said with a mischievous grin.

"Yes, well, dear, when it's just the one Santa, who happens to be Leroy, who happens to let his….bowl full of jelly out when he runs past the tree lighting naked in front of the town children, you might find it less charming."

Emma's eyes widened momentarily with shock before she choked on her cider and began to furiously cough and laugh at the same time. She laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks and her stomach ached from the strain of it. Regina sat smirking, pleased with herself for making the blonde sheriff laugh and feeling warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the crackling fire or the alcohol burning through her body. She felt her nerve endings come alive with a jolt and realized how long it had been since she had shared such pleasant company, in fact, she couldn't remember a time that she ever had.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma recovered from her fit of laughter, wiping the tears from her cheeks and feeling the tension she had not even realized she'd been holding slip away. As she did, she glanced around the room. It was, as always, immaculate, but the Christmas decorations in here were different than those in the foyer or the parlor. She stood up to walk closer to the small Christmas tree on a table in the corner, noticing with surprise that it did not hold the beautiful and fragile looking ornaments the tree in the great room did, but rather a small collection of clearly homemade ornaments as well as ten little picture frame ornaments, each holding a different snapshot of a smiling Henry for each year of his life.

As she leaned in closer to look at a particular picture of a toothless Henry wearing a cowboy hat, gun holster, and star, she heard Regina right behind her saying "Yes, that was the stage just before the fairy tales. I suppose it's no wonder that his mother turned out to be the Sheriff type, he always wanted to face down the criminals at high noon".

Emma had not heard Regina move in behind her and started at the sound at first, but found herself smiling at the words. "This tree is so different from the rest of the house, Regina. It's so….personal".

Regina smiled and said "Yes, I always had to have the elaborate decorations befitting the mayor's mansion, but to be honest, I rather prefer this one. I'll tell you a secret Miss Swan…" and she leaned close, her breath warming Emma's ear as she whispered "I'm rather a simple girl at heart".

Emma felt that she should respond, should participate in the easy banter that had always existed between them. But between the warmth she felt in looking at baby Henry, or the warmth radiating off of the still far too close mayor, she found herself unable to think quite straight. For something to do, she took another drink of her cider and realized with a start that her glass was empty. She looked at Regina standing beside her and realized with a start that she was close enough to embrace, and even more surprisingly, she felt absolutely compelled to do it.

It must be the cider, or the intimacy of the moment. She knew that the mayor couldn't be feeling what she was, her heart racing such that she could feel her pulse in her every finger. She decided she had probably stayed too long and with a monumental effort said,

"I really should go."

Regina dropped her gaze for just a moment and looked over to the window before saying, "I don't see your car, how did you get here, Miss Swan?"

"I, well, I walked here."

"Well, then I simply cannot allow you to leave, it's far too cold outside to walk back, take a look at that storm."

Emma looked outside and realized that the snow was coming down thick and heavy. It seemed like it must be half a foot already. "It's so odd, though…earlier today, it was like fifty degrees, and now all of the sudden there's a blizzard?"

With an abrupt shake of her head and uncomfortable shift of her feet, Regina reached out for Emma's empty glass saying "Global warming, dear. The weather is so unpredictable." As she reached for Emma's glass, their fingers touched and at once Regina put both glasses down with a clatter and gathered Emma's hands in her own, "My goodness dear, your hands are just like ice". She began to rub them between her own hands while Emma watched her, amazed. She began to feel the heat circulate at once, and not just in her hands, but down into the pit of her stomach.

When Regina brought Emma's hands up to her mouth and breathed upon them while continuing to run her hands over the outside, Emma's eyelids grew heavy and she gave a small contented sigh. Regina looked up at the rosy cheeked, blonde haired woman before her and reflected on her resemblance to a Christmas angel. Except that this one was evoking sensations that were far from angelic in her.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma was lost. The moment that the mayor had taken her hands into her own and began to warm her, she felt that she had lost the power to control this situation. Oddly, though, she felt no fear at this, instead feeling a heady, light sensation in giving herself over to the sensations rushing from her hands through her arms and into the rest of her body.

After a moment, she felt the mayor lower her hands but not release them. She opened her eyes to find the mayor looking at her lips with heavy-lidded eyes. She felt her tongue involuntarily light over her own lips for a moment under her scrutiny and heard the quick intake of breath from the mayor.

What was she doing? Not only was this woman her adversary in day to day life, she was constantly in competition for her son's attention, she was the enemy of her mother and father, she was…breathtakingly, stupidly beautiful with her pouting lips and her chocolate colored eyes.

Seeking to find some stability Emma said "My…um…mother and father will probably wonder what's happened to me."

Regina ignored this as she steered Emma over to the fireplace and set her down directly in front of the roar. She stated "I simply won't hear of it Miss Swan, I'm certain that they wouldn't want you to freeze to death just to make it home in time for cookies and cocoa".

"Well, maybe just a half glass of cider" Emma said with a genuine smile. In truth, she felt no inclination to go back outside into what looked to be a raging snowstorm when she had a fire, a drink, and a stunning companion to spend the evening with.

Regina's mouth curled into a predatory smile that made Emma feel woozy and she said "Why don't you select some music, dear, while I pour us another glass?"

Emma reached over to the Ipod dock on the mantel and flipped through the selection, surprised by many of Regina's musical tastes (she had a whole selection of showtunes?) before settling on Ella Fitzgerald. She watched appreciatively as Regina's hips began to sway to the music as she bent down to pour them a glass of cider in her charcoal pencil skirt.

"I wonder what the town would think of us weathering the storm together if they knew, the evil queen and the savior", she had meant it in an offhand way but she noticed the slight straightening of the spine as Regina turned and walked back to hand her a glass.

"Regina I…I don't know why I said that, I didn't mean…I know you're not…geez what's in this drink?" Emma asked but did not hesitate to take another healthy gulp as she stuttered.

"They'd probably think that I'd put you under some spell" Regina muttered looking at Emma, whose green eyes were glowing in reflection of the firelight and her cider-induced fever. Her voice dropped an octave as she continued, "When truthfully Miss Swan, I believe it is you who has enchanted me." As she said this last part, she reached out a hand and delicately whispered her finger along Emma's cheek, "Your eyes are like stars right now, and despite that ridiculous hat, I love the curl in your hair" and her fingers continued over her ear and into the tawny mane.

"Regina, I…probably shouldn't, you're my boss" Emma knew how lame the words sounded before they'd even fully left her mouth, but she felt so unprepared for this gentleness in the mayor, she felt herself tremble as Regina's hand found the nape of her neck and began to pull her closer. As her lashes dipped lower over her eyes she thought to herself "Well, at least I tried".

Regina simply pressed one finger over Emma's lip and said "Shhhh" before leaning in and planting a feather light kiss on the Sheriff's lips. Emma's body exploded with sensation as the light pressure became more insistent and moaned when the mayor traced her tongue over her bottom lip.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma's moan lit a fire in Regina's belly that made her feel like she would explode with happiness. She pulled the younger woman closer and moved her hand down from her neck to the small of her back, trailing her fingers lightly along the way. When Emma opened her mouth and allowed their tongues to meet, Regina shuddered. She pulled back and looked at the woman in front of her and allowed a radiant smile to light her face. Emma's eyes were still closed and she pouted at the loss of contact before opening her eyes and lazily grinned back at Regina.

Regina slid her hands down Emma's arms and took her hands. She placed Emma's cider on the table and pulled her to her feet. Emma looked confused but followed where she was led. Regina pulled her into an embrace in the middle of the room, her arms around her neck. When Emma leaned down to kiss her again, she smiled but turned her face away. She placed Emma's hand on her waist and took the other in her own, indicating her intention.

Emma immediately looked nervous "Wait, no I've never done this before, I don't know how to dance." Regina held her firm and locked her gaze on the green eyes she found to be so intriguing. "Come dear, it's simple, just one foot and then the other". Without waiting for a response, she began to sway and move them in a small circle, the throaty tones of Ella Fitzgerald providing the perfect atmosphere to continue.

After a moment, Emma relaxed into the dance and allowed Regina to pull her closer, resting their cheeks together. Regina sighed happily as Emma moved her hand down to circle Regina's waist and allowed herself to be pulled even closer into the embrace. She felt the rumble of Emma's chuckle vibrating against her as she said "I certainly did not expect this when I left Santa's workshop tonight".

Regina moved away momentarily to walk over next to the door, where she turned the dimmer switch making the room romantically full of shadow and flickering firelight. As she returned to Emma, she looked out and marveled at how much snow had already fallen without the slightest sign of stopping. She certainly had intended to make it difficult for Emma to leave but as they grew closer and touched, it seemed that the magic inside her had swelled until the storm had become a veritable blizzard.

She resumed her place within Emma's arms and couldn't help noticing how intoxicating the smell of cinnamon was as she smelled her hair. Her gaze returned to Emma's lips again which looked deliciously kiss-smudged and were blissfully turned up at the corners. She couldn't help but reach in and steal another quick kiss, tasting the cider and Emma's lip balm as she did. She smiled millimeters from Emma's lips moaning "Your lips are delicious".

As they swayed together, oblivious to the outside world, the citizens of Storybrooke marveled that they had never seen such a blizzard before. In one house in particular, the absence of a certain sheriff was suddenly felt.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma groaned with frustration as her phone buzzed in her pocket just as she was leaning in to trace her tongue across that fascinating scar on the mayor's upper lip.

"Hello? Mary Margaret…no, I'm fine, I'm at the mayor's mansion. We were just…discussing some issues for tomorrow's tree lighting and the weather…yes, I know it's a blizzard…yes, I understand that you are worried, I'm sorry I didn't mean to worry you, I…yes I'll…I'll head back as soon as the snow clears up a bit."

Regina for her part was not making the conversation easier. Instead of moving away when the phone had run, she had moved behind the sheriff and was spelling out her name with her fingers over Emma's back. She felt the delicious shivers emanating from those places the mayors fingers traced and shuddered, turning around and capturing her hands while widening her eyes and making a face.

"I…yes, just tell Henry I'm fine and I'll be back…" instead of ceasing and desisting, Regina was now skating her fingers across Emma's taught abdomen, making her gasp mid-sentence and flush bright red… "Um… Mary-Marg…Snow…um Mom…I gotta go…call you later." She said and glared (playfully at the mayor before drawing her in close…"That was not very nice".

"Well dear, they do call me the Evil Queen," Regina replied with a wicked grin.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Regina felt truly wicked for the first time in years as she drew Emma in for a scorching kiss that left them both breathless. She ran her hands through the younger woman's mane of blonde hair feeling the curls tangle around her fingers in the most delightful way. She had been longing for some time to make her feelings known to the intoxicating woman in her arms and had found the experience to be even more magical than she had imagined.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma sighed happily and pulled Regina down onto the couch with her and pulled her in to lay across her lap. She ran long fingers through raven hair and smiled into her hair when Regina shivered and moved closer. She knew that things were changed forever between them after tonight, and found she was suddenly looking forward to the tree-lighting ceremony tomorrow. The thought of spending it sharing stolen glances, maybe even sneaking out of sight for a stolen kiss or two, with the enchanting woman in her arms gave her a happy squishy feeling in her stomach she imagined other people associated with Santa and Christmas cookies.

She found that she didn't care whether the town gossiped over the union of the Evil Queen and the Savior, she felt so warm and content and loved for the first time in her life. She pulled Regina's chin up and kissed her soundly saying, "Maybe I should stay for a while…it really is cold outside."