Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters.

AN: This is written for jay357 who was the 1500th reviewer of Incoming Messages. Prompt: reluctant Regina uncertain about her feelings for Emma. This setting is before the curse has broken, and it is a pre-Swan Queen story. Thank you so much for the prompt, and I hope you all enjoy it!

Regina didn't know why she was harder on Emma Swan as of late. She found herself throwing piles and piles of paperwork on the Sheriff and forcing her to speak more often at town meetings just to see her flounder. She argued with herself that if Emma was kept busy and kept on her toes, she wouldn't have time to sneak around with her son.

In truth, though Regina was loathed to admit it, was that she enjoyed watching the blonde succeed. The satisfied smirk as Emma handed in a small mountain of completed paperwork on time or the proud smile as she finished explaining her last slide in meetings had Regina suppressing her own proud grin.

She appreciated all the effort Emma put into her responsibilities and hated herself for it.

She had first seen Emma's smile when Pongo had gone missing for an unnatural amount of time. The Dalmatian had escaped Archie's backyard and hadn't been seen for hours. Along with appreciating it whenever Emma looked happy, Regina would never admit she had a soft spot for the dog, so she personally ordered Emma to find him, claiming Henry was worried sick about Pongo's well-being, which wasn't far from the truth.

Emma found him just as the residents of Storybrooke were up and about for the beginning of their morning, having stayed out all night with a flashlight and dog treats. She found the dog with a sprained paw which he was nursing under the shelter of a fallen oak. Watching her walk down the street with the whimpering 50-pound dog in her arms and a beaming smile on her face that only widened when Henry dropped his backpack at the bus stop and sprinted toward them had Regina faltering and finding that Emma looked...nice.

It would be weeks before she were to see that smile again, and it was all due to the fact that Regina had sped up a deadline on a day where she was particularly moody. But seeing the blonde trump through her office with a grimace in place as she slammed down her report before turning and catching a glimpse of that smile had Regina realizing she wanted to see it more.

For Emma's own benefit of course. She was building a healthy work habit in Emma, and that was all. It had nothing to do with the way Emma's face lit up or the way green, almost blue eyes brightened at a job well done.

No. Nothing to do with that at all.

So Regina swamped her with work, but judging by the angry stomping sounding just outside her office door, her plan was about to backfire.

She wasn't surprised when her office doors slammed open, but Regina jumped all the same at the intrusion and placed a practised glare on her face when Emma stormed in with a box of files and dropped them unceremoniously on Regina's desk.

"Done already?" Regina gave her best politician's smile. "I applaud your efforts."

"Cut the crap, Regina. What is this?" Emma pointed angrily at the box.

Regina made a show of opening the lid and peaking in. "It appears to be a box of files if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah, and you want me to make triplicates of everything by tomorrow?" Emma opened the box and rifled through the files. "There's gotta be over fifty reports in here."

"One is kept in your file, one is kept in mine, and the other gets stowed away with the person who originally filed the report. It's really not that difficult to comprehend."

"There's no way I can get that done by tomorrow. It's Henry's school recital tomorrow night." Emma reminded her.

"Then I suggest you get started if you don't want to disappoint my son," Regina replied curtly.

Emma picked up the box aggressively, her arms wrapping around it hindering her attempt to look threatening. "What is wrong with you? Do you enjoy watching me fail?"

"Quite the opposite actually." The words were out before Regina could retract them.

"What?" Emma shook her head confused.

"Just get to work, Sheriff." Regina dismissed and ducked her head back towards her computer effectively hiding the embarrassed blush that was growing on her cheeks.

As Regina got dressed the next night for Henry's recital, she couldn't help but feel disappointed that Emma hadn't come into the office with her finished documents. She briefly wondered if she had overloaded the Sheriff and debated cutting the reports in half, but she stopped herself from picking up the phone to do just that because if she did, then that would be misconstrued as caring, and Regina Mills did not give a damn if Emma couldn't make deadlines.

Or so she told herself.

Still, Regina sighed as she watched her clock tick away with no sign of Emma, or her unruly blonde hair, or her combat boots. Staying an extra half hour past her usual departure time proved fruitless, but Regina managed to process requests that were meant for the following day, and that, after all, was why she had stayed behind. She reluctantly left the office, and after dropping Henry off at school with promises that she would be back in time for the show and not to embarrass him by taking a ridiculous amount of pictures, she retreated to her home to carefully pick out an outfit. Who knew who she would be running into tonight, and being Mayor, she always had to look her best.

It took her longer than expected to finally settle on the dress with a low backline and to reapply her make up, but Regina made it to the school gymnasium right on time with her seat at the front already reserved. A part of her was almost surprised, but a larger part of her was relieved when she saw Emma in the seat next to it, Emma's chest heaving slightly indicating she had run there.

As soon as Regina's presence was felt, Emma looked up with that familiar smile, and Regina couldn't help but reciprocate it. She shook it off quickly before sitting down in her seat.

"Sheriff, glad to see you could make it." Regina made it a point to look forward so as not to betray her need to soften at Emma's smile.

"Are you?" The blonde questioned. "You seemed pretty adamant about keeping me away."

"I was simply doing my job as Mayor-"

"Your job as Mayor borders on slave labour," Emma said cutting Regina off.

Regina turned suddenly at the implication, glaring at the blonde who only smirked at her small victory of getting under Regina's skin.

"Forgive me if I want my subordinates to excel at their work."

"Here's the thing, Madam Mayor," Emma began. "I've been doing some talking and it seems as if you're only putting the heavy load on me, so clearly this is personal."

"I assure you, my personal feelings about you are kept out of the workplace."

"What is it about me that you like punishing so much?" Emma questioned, her eyes blazing.

Regina's treacherous mind immediately took her to a place where could certainly punish Emma, but she tried her best to push it out of her mind. When Regina set her jaw and remained silent, Emma scoffed. "You need to get laid."

"Are you offering?" Regina asked sarcastically. Despite the clear tone, she shut her eyes hating that she had asked a question that hit so close to home.

"Like you would want me." Emma answered before turning to face the stage simulating Regina's expression.

It was the slight turn of her head that gave Regina away. She hadn't meant to do it, but as the words left Emma's mouth, Regina found herself looking softly at the blonde beside her. It was the smallest of movements, but apparently Emma's sherrifing skills were still in effect for the blonde whipped her head to Regina with wide eyes.

"Do you?" Her voice was less angry this time to the point of soft, almost disbelieving as she leaned forward closer to Regina.

Regina couldn't help but give a sideways glance to Emma. She opened her mouth, but the lights dimmed and the curtains opened. Never was she relieved to see Mary Margaret, the emcee of the evening, as the petite brunette spoke to the crowd hoping they enjoyed the evening.

Regina couldn't concentrate as the performances of songs and dances filled the stage from all the grades. Her eyes remained focused on the children, but she could see Emma stare at her more than she was looking at the stage. Regina clenched her fists in her lap and took deep breaths, mentally preparing herself for the conversation with Emma that was sure to happen. Emma was persistent and stubborn. No doubt she would attempt to talk to her after the show. Regina could deny her moment of weakness until she was blue in the face, but she was sure Emma would not let the subject drop, thus creating a scene, and Regina couldn't have that. What was she going to do?

The fourth grade class appeared on stage, and as soon as she spotted Henry, her conflicted mind was set at ease when Henry's eyes immediately zeroed in on the front row and smiled.

Regina gave him a thumbs up at the same time that Emma cupped her hands to her mouth and hollered. Henry's smile grew wider, and Regina hoped it was directed at her.

The bars of the song began to play, and the fourth graders on stage looked intently at Mary Margaret who was on the gym floor directing their actions as they sang along to the song.

"Kid's great, huh?" Regina felt Emma's low whisper in her ear, and she couldn't stop her shuddering breath from the sensation.

Her brain told her to move away, but she remained in the same spot secretly hoping Emma would do it again. She turned her head ever so slightly and was nearly caught staring as Emma beamed that smile at Henry, proud of their son.

As soon as the final grade performed and the lights came back on, Regina sprinted away from her seat and weaved through the halls to get to Henry's classroom in order to avoid Emma. Her plan was not to have that conversation at all, and with Mary Margaret's class in sights, she was sure to make that come true.

A grip on her arm had her turning, and she shut her eyes aggravated to see Emma latching onto her with wide curious eyes.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing, Ms. Swan." Regina said insistently.

"It's obviously something when you're being weirder than usual." Emma argued.

"I am not weird," Regina huffed indignantly.

"Then what was that in the gym? Do you like me?" Emma asked, and even though her green eyes widened, Regina wasn't sure if she had imagined that bit of hope that seemed to be glimmering in them.

She looked around at the growing crowd of parents and children in the hallways hoping they hadn't heard before she answered in a lowered voice. "Don't be ridiculous."

She ripped her arm from Emma's grasp and managed to get a few yards when she heard Emma speak.

"Bullshit."

She turned slowly. "Ms. Swan-"

"I think you like me more than you care to admit, Regina." She took a few steps to close the distance between them in order to squeeze the older woman's arm. "Don't be so surprised that some people might actually like you too."

Regina remained rooted to her spot as Emma walked past her and stood just outside of Henry's classroom to crouch and catch the boy who had run at her with a hug. She watched as Emma gave Henry a high five, smiling widely at the boy and congratulating him on his performance.

Emma turned her head to catch Regina staring and gave her a smile that rivaled the one she had shared with Henry. A small inclination of her head had her beckoning Regina to join them.

Regina couldn't help the small smile from gracing her lips as she watched Emma and Henry embrace. She made her way over to them, the feeling of being a family looming over her head.

But they weren't a family now, were they? Not unless she took a chance.

As she approached them, she crouched down like Emma and engulfed her son in a one-armed hug. The other had found its way on Emma's lower back. To outsiders it looked like it was there to keep her steady, but Regina knew it meant something so much more.