Making Exceptions (swanqueen)

Chapter 3: The Punishment

"So I guess there is only one more question, Miss Swan: Do you want to be punished for today's outburst?" the brunette smirked and emphasized the word punished, a bucket load of scenarios playing out in her mind.

Emma matched her friend's smirk with one of her own, "Depends what you had in mind, Professor Mills."

The punishment that Emma Swan received from her annoyingly beautiful professor was not going to be an easy task. Emma was sure of it as she made her way to the brunette's personal office, remembering the conversation they had before she left the classroom early that afternoon.

"I want you to be my assistant, Miss Swan."

"You're kidding me, right?" the blonde smiled, hoping it was a joke.

"No, Emma, I am not kidding. When you are not in a scheduled class, I expect you to help me with any extra duties that I may be unable to tend to myself. It's not a difficult task, but it isn't easy, either." The brunette made eye contact with the blonde.

"Emma, I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't need the help. Here is a schedule of my office hours. I expect you to start this afternoon. 3:45 PM, Emma. That's a little over half an hour from now. Do not be late." Smirking, the brunette added, "You may, however, be as early as you'd like, dear."

Emma reached the brunette's office, taking a moment to stare at the door. In big, black, block lettering, it read:

Administrator Regina Mills

Emma pondered this new information, I thought she was only a professor... hmmm.

Before she could think anymore on the subject, she was pulled from her thoughts by a voice inside, "You may enter, Miss Swan."

Opening the door, Emma peeked her head inside finding her teacher at the bookshelf next to the door, "What are you? Some sort of magical psychic thing?"

"No, dear," the professor smiled at the newcomer, "I'm just highly intelligent."

"And modest, apparently," the blonde joked, dodging a hand that flung in her direction at the brunette's offense.

"Hahaha, Miss Swan. You're very funny today," the brunette said monotonously. "Actually, I meant that I saw a shadow from beneath the door. I put that clue next to the fact that you were supposed to be here at exactly the time I saw said shadow, and I figured it was you."

"And what if it wasn't me?" Emma asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I guess we don't have to speculate that point considering that it was, in fact, you standing outside my door, dearest," the brunette answered, cocking her head to the side and giving her most innocent smile.

"Whatever you say, Regina," Emma responded with a smile, stepping into the brunette's personal space to look her in the eyes. There was definitely something wrong with the professor today, though Emma couldn't exactly peg what it was.

"It's Professor Mills to you, Miss Swan," the brunette said, staring at the other woman with a cold gaze. "It might benefit you in the long run if you remember that, dear." Because I get all hot and bothered on when you call me that, and, hopefully, someday you use that to both of our advantages. The professor added in her head.

"Really, Professor Mills? I thought we agreed on a first name ruling here. I mean-" Emma waved her hands in the air as she spoke, but before she could go on any further, the professor grabbed both of her wrists and held them above her head, slamming the girl's back into the door that she had just entered, and effectively silencing the blonde.

Regina leaned her body into Emma's and whispered in her ear, using the most sarcastic and threatening tone she could muster, "Miss Swan, as much as I love your company and your charming sarcastic humor, I've got a killer migraine, close to a hundred pages of paperwork to fill out on the new group of imbeciles that are attending my college, and no coffee. So, if you would like to live, I suggest you stay quiet, stop flapping your hands around like some sort of crazed pelican, and sit down until I give you your first order of business."

Slowly Regina pulled away looking straight into Emma's widened hazel eyes, seeing shock, fear, and.... arousal?

What could she possibly be aroused from. The brunette wondered. I just threatened her life.

"Well, then," Emma said, clearing her throat. "May I please have my arms back, Professor?"

That was when it finally hit the Professor. No wonder she looks aroused. I have her pinned to the door and I'm pressed up against her like I'm ready to take her any second... Which I would consider if it weren't for this god damned headache.

"Yes, of course," backing away, Regina released her vice grip on the blonde's wrists and turned back to her desk. "Maybe it's better if you start tomorrow, Emma."

The blonde's face fell, though the professor couldn't see it, as her back was facing her new assistant.

Not even a whole five hours and your new friend is trying to get rid of you. Way to go, Swan. You just set a personal record for yourself.

At her student's silence, Regina turned around, catching the pained expression on her face, and her obvious lack of eye contact, "Emma?"

"Miss Mills?" the blonde responded quietly, sounding like a wounded puppy.

"This is nothing against you, dear. I'm just not having a great first day back, okay? I just need to power through it by myself and maybe I'll be better tomorrow," the professor used the nicest tone she could conjure, only slightly annoyed by how different it felt to say something that wasn't sarcastic for the first time in a long time.

"Yeah," Emma replied dejectedly, "I get it."

"Please don't be hurt by it, Emma. I'll be more than happy to have you start your new position tomorrow afternoon. I think we could work greatly together. In fact, I'm absolutely positive we'd work greatly together. Just maybe not today." The professor discontinued her sentence with a sigh, then started again, "Honestly, Emma. I'm extremely agitated today, and I'd rather not lash out at you, dear. I don't want you to think of me in a negative manner in any way."

Emma looked up from the floor and into her teacher's eyes, "I get it Miss Mills. I honestly do. I'll see you tomorrow in class."

The blonde turned to the door, but before she could reach for the handle she heard her professor say one more thing, "It's Regina, Emma."

Turning around, Emma flashed her teacher a giant smile, "Bye Regina."

An hour later, Regina rigidly sat elbow deep in paperwork, wondering if her painkillers would ever take away her headache. If they didn't kick in soon, she was going to have to call it a day and return to the paperwork tomorrow. Not wanting to blow Emma off for another day, the brunette sat back down and tried harder than ever to focus.

Knock, knock, knock. Three short knocks sounded, pulling Regina from her work.

"You may enter," the brunette said, trying to return to her work until the person made themselves known.

Knock, knock, knock.

"You may enter," the professor said louder, thinking the intruder may have missed her voice the first time.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Oh, Jesus Christ," Regina mumbled getting up to open the door herself. "You know," she said loudly enough for whoever was on the outside to hear, "I haven't had coffee since 8 AM, and I am likely to rip your head off."

Finishing her speech, the professor reached for the door handle and turned it swiftly, yanking the door open as fast as she could. Once it was open, she found no one. Not a soul was around, not even in any of the other offices on this floor.

Regina's eyes searched to the left, then to the right, before finally looking downwards to see what her mystery knocker had left her.