Gamble Until You Can't

39

It's been a week of Regina and Emma avoiding each other as much as they could. Emma has done such a good job, Anita still doesn't know she's here. Regina was just sat at her office, drinking a glass of whiskey as usual, when her door knocked.

"Who is it" Regina asked knowing Anita would of just walked in rudely.

"It's me" Emma awkwardly replied, slowly opening the door to be seen a little.

"Emma? Umm... Come in" Regina said with a confused look, not expecting her of all people. The blonde opened the door more and stepped into the room, revealing her in skinny jeans and a tight v-neck vest. Regina crossed her legs and sat up more at the sight of the blonde. "Come sit"

Emma walked over to the desk, taking a chair out and quickly sitting. She looked up at Regina and finally locked eyes with her after all this time. As soon as green met brown, all their memories filled their heads. When the memory of them breaking up appeared, Emma snapped out of the gaze and looked down.

"Umm... How have you been" Emma asked in the most awkward voice she tried to hide.

"Quite well, thank you. How have you been" Regina posed the question back, unsure how to talk to this woman anymore.

"Not as good as you but I'm well, I guess" Emma awkwardly replied, twisting her thumbs nervously.

"Why have you come to see me? You haven't been near me all week" Regina asked, lifting her glass if whiskey to her lips.

"It's 10:30 on a Monday morning, Regina" Emma questioned, looking at the glass confused.

"Thank you for the time and day, now answer my question" Regina replied with a slight hint of sternness in her voice.

"Why am I here? I haven't heard from you in 2 years and when I do, it's so you can invite me to the wedding of you and the woman you cheated on me with. Why invite me to this" Emma asked, looking at the woman half confused, half upset.

"I know everyone here misses you and you won't come back here because of me. This is my way of saying, you can visit whenever you want" Regina replied, looking down so the blonde didn't notice the lie she was telling.

"Oh, um... Thank you for that, means a lot" Emma awkwardly said in return, smiling slightly at the brunette.

"No problem" Regina said in her formal voice, as if the blonde was there for a meeting.

"It's really awkward between us, right? You feel it too?" Emma questioned, relaxing a little after finally saying that.

"Yes I do, it is very awkward" Regina replied with a slight chuckle, drinking the rest of her whiskey in the glass.

"Why can't we just talk as friends, at least" Emma asked with a sigh, slouching down in her seat.

"Because we never were friends"

"We weren't"

"No, we flirted from the moment we saw each other and never stopped" Regina replied with a laugh, pouring herself another drink.

"True, we weren't but we both know why you flirted with me" Emma said with a slight smile, hiding the fact it still hurt.

"I take it your still salty about that one" Regina asked with a smirk, chuckling a little as she rested back in her chair.

"More like the cut has scabbed, still a little swore if you touch it but not really fussed about it anymore" Emma lied to hide the fact she still hurts from it.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I'd blame it on me being in a bad place back then but I think I'm in a worse" Regina said with a slight laugh, taking a cigarette and lighter from her cleavage.

"So I've heard" Emma added with a chuckle as she rolled her eyes, remembering Isabella's words.

"From Bella? She's not my biggest fan at the moment, no one is really" Regina replied with with a sigh, inhaling the smoke from the cigarette. Emma watched as the woman smoked and drank, wondering what was going on to make her like this. Regina noticed her staring, causing an eyebrow to raise. "What"

"Why are you like this? What happened to you" Emma asked, knowing the brunette wasn't that good of an actress to fake being happy back then.

"I don't know, but I like it so I'm sticking with this" Regina replied with a tone to show she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Shit, I forgot Anita doesn't even know you're here. She may be pissed but who cares, right"

"Why would Anita be pissed? You never loved me, like you said" Emma questioned with a smirk, hoping to catch the brunette out.

"You're right, I never did but she will be pissed that I didn't say" Regina lied, accidentally looking into the blondes eyes.

Emma could still read Regina like a book, she could see everything in her eyes. When Regina broke up with her, Emma knew something was off by the way Regina said she didn't care or love her without looking her in the eyes. This just confirmed for the blonde that Regina use to love her, the question was if she still did.

"I should get going, I just wanted to talk to you for more than a few seconds that's all" Emma said with an awkward smile, standing up from her seat to leave.

"Yes, I'll show you out" Regina replied, matching the same smile as she walked around her desk.

"Thanks"

As they got to the door, both looked at each other awkwardly. Regina smiled slightly and held her arms out, hugging the blonde before she could say no. As both girls melted into each others touch, bad memories faded and good became more clear. Each others familiar sent consumed the pair and blended just as well as it did before. Regina bit her lip as she looked at the blondes neck, wanting to kiss is so bad. Emma's grip around her body was tight, tighter than she wanted it to.

"I did have feelings for you, by the way" Regina softly whispered, unsure why she shared that with the blonde.

"Thank you" Emma whispered back, trying so hard not to say anything in this situation.

As they slowly began leaving the hug, both tried so hard not to linger. Emma felt her heart breaking more, meaning she left the hug quickly. Regina smiled at her and opened the door, gesturing for her to leave. Emma slipped out without another word said. As Regina closed the door, she let her tears run from her eyes. She rested against the door and slid down to the ground.

"A few more weeks, just a few more, and I can tell her" Regina sobbed to herself, knowing her plan is harder than she ever thought possible.