You and Tequila

Chapter Six

"You're late," Regina bitterly growls, her eyes focusing very intently on something scribbled in her lap.

Emma's brows furrow in confusion from Regina's harsh bark, because in reality, she's actually five minutes early. She slowly removes her bag from her shoulder and gently lays it on the floor beside Regina's vanity. All eyes filled to the brim with judgement and pity are on her, provoking her hands to break out in a full-blown sweat.

"Sorry?" She mumbles, still dumbfounded by the coldness pulsating from the singer, elegantly perched upon her chair.

Neither one feels the need to communicate any further and Emma has no clue what could have possibly transpired since their private night no more than twelve hours prior. She thought things were starting to progress between them, sure it was at a snail like pace, slugs moved faster than Regina, but still, Emma truly thought they were headed in the right direction. Now, she's pretty sure they had a set back, for reasons she hasn't a clue and she has no idea how to proceed through this makeup session with this new dynamic.

The room is eerily silent, except for Kathryn's pen scratching across her clipboard and the sound of Ruby's flatiron clipping across Regina's thick tresses. It's as if the entire crew was sent some email this morning stating that Regina Mills is in full bitch mode and everyone is to be on their best behavior. Except for some strange reason, Emma never received this very important memo.

She swallows down her nerves, shakes off the taunting sensation and takes a small step forward. Of course, Regina has her head down to guarantee Emma's struggle and somehow she just knows Regina's trying to infuriate her. But before Emma has a chance to grow furious with the demanding woman and shake some sense into her, she discovers a new glow to Regina's bare face. Even though Emma can see the anger running rampant across Regina's mind, her face seems smoother, almost calmer than usual. She thinks it must be from the heavenly, healing springs from last night, it's just too bad those waters couldn't wash away Regina's bitchy attitude as well.

Emma decides that today, she may not need the extra concealer beneath Regina's usual tired eyes, because right now, they seem youthful and ready to face the day head on.

Her fingertip lightly skims the indent that somehow always manages to cease her heart and yet make it flutter all at the same damn time. Regina doesn't stiffen this time though, but her dark eyes snap toward Emma's for a moment, conveying some message that Emma just can't quite make out, before they drift down to the papers in her lap once more.

Emma's certainly not oblivious to the fact that Regina's delicate skin is silkier and she wonders if maybe tonight they could sneak away to those hot springs just once more before their flight to Tokyo? She's convinced that maybe one more night in those scalding hot springs and the thick ice protecting Regina's frigid heart might slowly begin to melt away.

However, those thoughts are quickly singed to a crisp the moment Cora comes blazing through the dressing room, her face burning with rage and steam ejecting from her ears. Emma swallows and keeps her head down, focusing on her task and pleading with any higher power that this woman will not engage with her this evening.

"I am canceling Tokyo," Cora seethes, slamming the door behind her, provoking a chill down everyone's spine in the tiny room.

Regina ignores her mother's outburst, her head down and still reading some script in her hand, allowing Kathryn the opportunity to reply. "What happened, Miss Mills?"

"The venue is not complete," she scowls, the veins around her neck popping in an attempt to run away from the maddening woman.

"That doesn't mean that it won't be ready by tomorrow evening," Jefferson kindly offers in hopes to settle the enraged woman, but it's too late. Cora is at the point where she sees red and nothing more.