The Only Exception (Swan Queen)

Chapter 3

I still haven't figured out how to sit across from you, and not be madly in love with everything you do. ~William C. Hannan.

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At around 5 pm, Regina heard a knock on the door. She opened it almost instantly and there stood Emma.

"Hey."

Regina smiled and quickly stood to the side to let her in. The blonde came inside and followed her into the living room. "Everything okay, Sheriff?" Regina asked, sitting down on the couch. She could clearly see that something was bothering her but wasn't sure how to address it.

Emma let out a loud sigh as she sat down on the other end. "Neal's fiancée came with us and I don't trust her," she muttered. "There's just something... Off about her." Regina shifted slightly in her seat. "Everyone's freaking out about some Greg guy. Care to elaborate Madame Mayor?" Emma questioned, swiftly changing the subject.

"He came to town shortly after you left. He went to the hospital after he hit Hook with his car and crashed. That idiot pirate also shot Belle."

"Wait! Hook shot Belle?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Regina nodded. "She fell over the town line and Gold shot a fireball at him. Everyone is scared that Mr. Mendell may have seen something he definitely shouldn't have," she finished, simply brushing over the topic.

Emma's eyes widened in surprise. "That is a pretty big thing, Regina. If he did see Gold use magic, then-" she started to ramble but stopped as Regina started to laugh.

She's so cute when she's rambling.

"What?" 

Regina quickly shook the thought from her head. "Nothing." She sat back slightly. "I've already questioned Mr. Mendell and he told me that he didn't see anything."

Emma frowned. "He could be lying, Regina."

Regina slowly reached over and gently took her hand in her own. "Don't worry, Emma," she mumbled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Emma let out a soft bark of laughter.

Regina smiled as she ran her thumb over the soft flesh of the younger woman's hand before reluctantly letting go. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "So, Neal's fiancée?" she asked, changing the subject with a sly grin.

Emma let out a playful groan and they both burst out laughing. She sighed. "She's acting strange. I just have a bad feeling about her is all," she muttered.

Her sea-green eyes met Regina's. "I normally wouldn't doubt your bad feelings, but this is an ex," she whispered, not wanting to overstep.

A scowl instantly crossed Emma's face. "God, Regina," she groaned and broke eye-contact. "Neal abandoned me and let me take the fall for a crime he committed. I do not have feelings for him," she snapped.

Regina put her hands up in surrender. She smiled and watched her carefully. Do I have a chance?  She immediately scolded herself at the thought. She wasn't going to start giving herself false hope that the younger woman could ever return her feelings.

"You okay, Regina?" Emma asked softly, snapping Regina out of her thoughts.

She nodded and straightened her posture slightly. "Of course. Why?"

Emma shrugged. "Just checking. You were kind of on another planet for a while," she joked.

Regina laughed and met her gaze once again. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" she offered suddenly, taking herself by surprise as well as the blonde.

Emma smiled and shrugged. "Neal was planning on taking Henry to Granny's to get to know him a bit better, so it would just be us – if that's okay?"

"That's fine, he is Henry's father after all." Regina shifted slightly at the thought. Henry's father. That was something she was going to have to pack away for another time.

Emma shrugged and gave a slight nod in agreement.