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"Don't touch anything unless I tell you to," Regina huffed, seeing Emma eyeing the glass bottles on the table in her vault like she could barely refrain herself.
"I wasn't!" Emma's mouth dropped in offense, lifting her hands by her sides to prove her innocence.
"Are you even paying attention? The whole point of these lessons is so that you can further your knowledge of magic," she lectured haughtily.
"I know! I'm paying attention," the blonde rolled her eyes, "but I still don't get why I need to know all of this. I've gotten along just fine with my magic for years now. And if we need some ancient potion or spell, you have all of this crap memorized."
"Your ambition is inspiring," Regina mocked and gave her a brittle smile, "Need I remind you of the epic failure of your enchanted handcuffs?"
"Oh please," Emma snorted, "Those were working just fine until you got your hands on them. You know, 'cause I enchanted them to keep criminals with magic from being able to get out of them. They weren't made for some gross sexual kink of yours."
Regina's brows shot up in offense, "Those handcuffs were faulty and we both know it! And I do not have gross kinks," she spat and averted her eyes back to the brewing potion.
"Tell that to Archie. He's made bank off of the emotional trauma I suffered from having to free you and my father from those handcuffs," Emma shuddered, "I can't even eat lunch at my desk anymore!"
"Must you always be so crude and obnoxious?" the brunette snapped, glaring back at the sheriff.
"I'm just saying, my enchanted handcuffs were fine," Emma crossed her arms and shrugged, "They worked on you, didn't they?"
"Miss Swan," Regina grit through clenched teeth and Emma bursted into laughter.
"Okay, okay. So maybe I'm not as booksmart as you with this hocus pocus stuff," Emma sighed and leaned her elbows on the table, watching dutifully.
"Maybe?" Regina arched one eyebrow before returning her attention to mixing, "It's offensive how little you've cared to apply yourself given your capabilities. Now, focus."
"Yes ma'am," the blonde muttered.
"Explain to me what we've done so far," the mayor ordered.
"Memory potion," Emma began, glancing at the spell book slyly.
"Without the book."
The blonde sighed in defeat, earning another stern look, "Uh...right, okay. Memory potion...it can be used to erase or bring back memories. You used sage, salt, mandrake and a fiber from one of those gross feathers," Emma scrunched her face before her eyes grew wide and mischievous with her next thought, "Hey, you think we can use this on me? So I can forget about you and Dad christening the station?"
"Emma!"
"I'm kidding! Geesh," she snickered, "Right, I'll be serious."
"Reference the book and give me the next ingredient," Regina demanded tersely.
"Got it," Emma's eyes scanned the page, squinting to understand the cursive writing, "Okay, next is water from Lake Nostos."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Regina nodded towards the dropper on the table, "I'm not going to hold your hand, Miss Swan."
"Yes, Madam Mayor," Emma mumbled as she picked up the dropper and grabbed the vial of clear liquid from the table, "Magic water, coming right up."
The mayor exhaled slowly, wrangling her patience as she stirred the bubbling potion over the burner. "Now, be careful to only allow-" she began to remind as she lifted her gaze, but Emma's hand was already above the beaker, "Only two drops!" Regina shouted too late.
The sheriff had released an entire dropper full of water into the beaker, and her eyes widened when she realized her error, "Shit."
"Emma, you-" Regina started to berate her as the beaker bubbled violently and released a cloud of smoke in her face, causing her to begin choking loudly.
"Oh shit. Shit! I'm sorry!" Emma scrambled around the table, waving her hands in front of Regina's face in an attempt to clear the smoke, "Are you okay? Shit!"
The mayor's expression was odd when the cloud dissipated and she managed to quit coughing. Emma watched with bated breath, stifling the urge to cower from the fireballs she felt sure would follow.
Emma nearly flinched when Regina's hand lifted but it came to rest on her stomach instead of producing fire as she glanced around the room warily.
"Regina?"
Dark eyes snapped back to study Emma as if they just noticed her presence, "How do you know my name?"
The sheriff snorted and rolled her eyes, "You're an asshole, you know that?" she exhaled a breath of relief at Regina's joke before realizing the woman's expression didn't change.
She almost looked...frightened.
"Where am I?" Regina frowned and looked Emma up and down, seeming confused by her appearance.
"Oh shit," the blonde's jaw dropped.
"Is this King George's doing?" The mayor's eyes darted around the vault again, similar to a cornered wild animal, "Leopold will be looking for me. He'll have your head, and George's, too."
Emma could only gape blankly at the other woman, watching Regina look down at her own outfit with an expression of horror. And in that moment, the sheriff finally understood the importance of learning more about this hocus pocus crap.
"I'm home," David called out, throwing his keys on the table in the foyer and shucking his jacket and boots by the door. He cleared the steps to the main floor, looking into the kitchen and sighing in disappointment when his wife wasn't there.
"Uh, in here."
He smiled when he heard his daughter's voice and turned to go into the living room, expecting to find Emma and Regina partaking in an overdue wine night.
Instead, he spotted Emma sitting on the edge of the chair, her knee fidgeting nervously, and Regina and Neal on the sofa with a suspicious amount of space between them.
David's smile grew uncertain as he glanced between the ominous looking trio, "Hey. Everything okay?"
Emma shot up, walking towards him before he could get any closer, "We should talk, in the study," she nodded down the hall. He frowned, rooted in place as he looked back at Regina questioningly and found her avoiding his gaze.
"What's going on?" David questioned, starting to go to his wife before Emma grabbed his arm and jerked him with her forcefully.
"That's David…" Neal offered Regina a weak smile when he caught her watching David's retreating form go down the hall.
"That's my husband?" her eyes widened, visibly putting together what they'd told her about her life here.
Neal nodded slowly, finding her shock a little unsettling, "I know you're confused, but we're telling you the truth. You're married to him."
"No, my husband is Leopold," she muttered, sounding almost disappointed to admit it, "He'll be looking for me."
The teenager frowned, noting the anxiety in Regina's eyes at the mention of his grandfather.
"The King doesn't exist here," he reassured, sensing her unease over the reaction she anticipated from her first husband, "It's been years since you were married to him. That was back in the Enchanted Forest. You're in Storybrooke now."
"This doesn't make any sense," Regina looked at him like she was pleading for the truth, "Emma said I lost my memory due to an accident with magic, but I...I don't practice it," she said in a hushed tone, as if it were a secret that she had the ability, "Not really...Well, I...I'm trying not to."
"Here you do," Neal explained, watching her recoil with an expression of self-loathing, "But you use magic for good. There's nothing wrong with it, and it's not a secret."
"Does he…" her gaze flickered towards the study, "Does he know?"
"Yeah," the teenager chuckled and nodded reassuringly, "Of course Dad knows. You two don't have any secrets that I know of. You're really happy."
Regina was silent for a moment, seeming to mull it over before she nodded slowly, "He looked...kind," her eyes met Neal's, "Is he?"
"Yeah, he's sorta known for being good," he rolled his eyes in amusement, "And he dotes on you. It's kind of gross sometimes."
"Gross?" she frowned in confusion.
"Yeah, the two of you are pretty affectionate," he scrunched his face playfully, seeing her give a frustrated look before he elaborated, "If one of you is around, the other isn't far away. And when you're together you're always touching or kissing."
Regina frowned deeply, but Neal didn't miss the flicker of longing in her eyes, "We're in love, then?"
"Big time," he answered and watched her in fascination.
This Regina was different to the warm and confident step-mother he knew. She seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders, torn between anger and sadness. Her reaction to hearing someone loved her made Neal acutely aware that she hadn't experienced much of it in her past.
"I know it's a lot to take in, but we're going to get your memories back," Neal tried to comfort her, "Just know in the meantime that there's a lot of people who love you here."
David returned to the living room after following Emma and Neal out, finding Regina sitting stiffly on the sofa, "Hey…How are you doing?" He asked, attempting a smile that was weak at best.
"I'm...uncertain," her shoulders stiffened as her old defense mechanisms fell into place, making him want to pull her into his arms and comfort her.
"I know it's frightening and confusing," David walked in and sat on the coffee table facing her, "but Emma is going to work on finding a reversal to the spell. In the meantime, we think it might help if you get to know your life here again. Do some of the things you normally would and see the people you know here. We think it might help weaken the spell while she works on the antidote."
"I see," Regina's jaw twitched, her eyes nervous and shining with vulnerability.
"So…I guess I can start with showing you around the house. It's a lot different than the Enchanted Forest, probably feels overwhelming…" David tried to sound casual despite his heart sinking as reality set in and he cleared his throat nervously, "Maybe we can start with dinner. Then I'll show you our room and where all of your things are."
"I'd rather skip dinner," She met his gaze finally, her throat working down a rough swallow, "If I am expected to perform wifely duties tonight, I'd rather skip dinner."
"What?" His lips parted in disbelief and he shook his head quickly at the suggestion, "No, Regina. That wasn't what I meant. I would never expect that from you."
"We've never been intimate?" Her brow creased in confusion.
"Of course we have, but," David ran a hand over the back of his neck, feeling her hard dark eyes observing him closely, "I would never expect it or force you into it. You don't even know me right now. That wasn't what I suggested."
Her shoulders sank from their tense posture after a moment as she appeared to believe him and nodded, "They said you were kind."
"I try to be," he gave a half-hearted smile, feeling a twinge of sadness at her wariness towards him, "How far do your memories go back? Do you know how many years you've lost?"
"Twenty-four is the last birthday I remember, I think. It's all sort of cloudy," she answered, her brows furrowing as she processed, "Though, I suppose I am quite older in this realm, if what they told me is true."
David hated the brokenness that haunted her features, not having witnessed her look that unhappy in years. He'd gotten so used to her warmth and affection and easy confidence that seeing her in such a despondent state was rather disturbing. This was Regina after heartbreak but before the Evil Queen was born, when she was hopeless to her situation and slowly slipping into darkness.
Based on what she'd told him of her past, she'd have been married to the King for six years by this point. Six years of neglect and abuse, living as Leopold's captive and Snow's surrogate mother. Six years without anyone to love her or for her to love in return.
It made David hurt for her.
"You must be exhausted," he offered a sad smile, sensing she needed some time alone. "I'll show you to our room. I'll sleep in the guest room."
Regina's expression was guarded, so unlike his wife's, as she replied quietly, "Thank you."
One month later...
"I'm not getting inside of that contraption," Regina crossed her arms and planted her feet where she stood beside her car.
"Mom, come on," Henry laughed and leaned against the driver's side, "It's been weeks since the potion incident. You're supposed to be relearning everything here to get back some normalcy. It might help you start to remember."
"I wouldn't need to use this carriage if you would simply provide me a horse," she protested, her stubbornness on full display to hide the anxiety she felt.
Regina felt chronically overwhelmed since she'd found herself in an unfamiliar land, surrounded by people who claimed to know her. She wasn't certain of who or what to believe, but she sensed a familiarity with Henry that she couldn't quite explain. He'd shared stories of their life together as mother and son with such honesty and affection that she couldn't help longing for it to be real.
Having a partner and a family of her own was all she'd ever truly wanted in life, and if these people were telling her the truth, then what a cruel twist of fate that she couldn't remember it.
Despite the pull to believe this was her reality, she remained in denial. She could've been cursed or captured or fallen into an alternate magical universe. Anything seemed more likely than actually having the life she'd always desired.
But for some unknown reason she felt she could trust the man who called himself her son, so she'd agreed to let him help her acclimate to this strange, modern realm. She was desperate to try anything that might help her make sense of this place, and even if it didn't, at least it was a distraction.
"Horses aren't practical here and this carriage will get you anywhere you need to go," he shrugged, waiting patiently. Much to her chagrin, she'd realized Henry had a sense of determination similar to her own. "It's perfectly safe if you know how to drive properly," he pushed.
"Perfectly safe? Emma's carriage sounded as if the wheels were falling off when she first brought me here," her lips parted in disbelief, "How can that be safe?!"
"Ma's car is older than she is and has probably never had an oil change," Henry smirked at her confusion, "meaning she doesn't take care of it like you have this one," he clarified and tapped the roof of the car.
"Well, that's foolish," Regina frowned.
He chuckled and nodded, "You think most things Ma does are foolish. Come on, I'll drive and prove it to you. Get in on the other side."
"Fine," she huffed when he wouldn't relent and rounded the metal monstrosity, "But if this turns out like the coffee machine, I'm never getting in it again."
"That was my fault. We probably should've started with a simpler household appliance to learn," Henry chuckled as they got into the car, "But you did like the cappuccino, so the coffee maker can't be that bad."
"That thing hissed at me, Henry," Regina's eyes widened in dramatic indignation.
Henry laughed louder, much to her annoyance, as he buckled himself in and then looked at her to do the same. He watched in amusement as she begrudgingly jerked at the belt, making it lock before she could fasten it. "Here," he bit back a grin, leaning over to gently pull it down and latch it, "Patience never was a virtue of yours, was it?"
"You must've inherited your manners from your birth mother," she muttered dryly, making him smile at her snark. Her personality was slowly starting to show as she got more comfortable around them, and it was a relief to see traces of the Regina they knew in the troubled Queen.
Henry turned the keys and started the ignition, glancing at her when it ran smoothly, "See. Sounds better than Emma's carriage, doesn't it?"
Regina eyed the dashboard and gear shift skeptically, observing his movements as he made the car start reversing from the driveway, "I suppose it does seem sturdier."
"Told you so," he teased and watched her roll her eyes as he started driving down the street. "So, any new questions for me?" he shrugged, always making a point to ask when he saw her. She seemed to accept his explanation for things and he'd spent a lot of time answering questions about her life here.
She fixed her gaze on her lap, hands fidgeting with the edge of her skirt, "You told me all of the good things about this supposed life of ours, but was it actually like having me as a mother?"
He glanced at her in surprise, but turned his eyes back to the road when she didn't look back, knowing the question had made her feel vulnerable. "It was great, Mom."
"I mean really," Regina sighed, "What was it like? Something must've made you want to believe that the storybook was real and break the curse."
"I was a kid," Henry answered guiltily, "I wanted to know who my birth parents were. It had nothing to do with you as a mother. Your life revolved around me, but I was too young and selfish to realize it. You spoiled me, if I'm being honest."
"Spoiled you?" She sounded incredulous.
"Is that so hard to believe?"
"In a way, yes," Regina murmured, looking out the window, "I didn't have the best example of what a mother should be."
Henry hesitated, deciding against admitting that he'd met Cora. They'd told his mother her parents were gone and she'd been too overwhelmed to ask how. He knew she assumed they'd passed of old age and they spared her the details for now, not wanting to admit Snow was behind Cora's death and send his mother down a dark path again.
Even though her current memories were in a time before she'd set out to murder Snow, she was still processing the news that she'd turned into the Evil Queen and cursed an entire realm. She was clearly disturbed by it, confused, and skeptical about everything. David, Emma and Henry had agreed not to unload too much on her at once, afraid it might trigger her when she was still so in denial.
"You're a natural mother. You didn't need an example," Henry offered a kind smile and watched her soften. It hurt him to see the reverence in her expression whenever she was complimented, proving how little kindness she'd received by this point in her life.
"Thank you," Regina murmured softly, looking back to her lap, "It's all so hard for me to wrap my head around. It seems…" she trailed off.
"It seems?" He encouraged her to continue.
"It seems like this is too good to be true. I'm free of my mother and Leopold. I have people who care for me, children, a real family, and a husband who is kind… I fear that as soon as I let myself believe it, I'll wake up and realize this was a dream."
"I promise you, it's real. Ma will find a way to undo the spell and you'll get your memories back," Henry reassured, "And if you don't believe me, if you still think this is all a dream, then shouldn't you enjoy?"
"You're sure this is safe?" Regina's lips pursed with concern and David had to bite back a laugh.
Her eyes had been glued to the Maleficent movie and watching her experience her first film had been his own entertainment.
"I promise," he grinned when she looked pointedly from her perch on the sofa beside him.
"You're sure they aren't actually trapped in there?"
"I am certain. No dragons were harmed in the making." David smirked at the unamused arch of her brow she gave him anytime he made jokes she didn't understand.
It was a testy little look, similar to the one she used to give when she wanted him, but not as obvious. He tried not to get his hopes up for something more, despite how well they'd started getting along. She'd slowly relaxed around him as they spent more time together, getting to know each other by talking over meals and him introducing her to what this realm had to offer.
David missed his wife. He missed being able to hold her as he told her about his day and listened to her discuss hers. He missed being able to kiss her good morning and take her to bed at night. He missed her, but he forced himself to remain patient.
She was different, but she was still Regina. If they never got her memories back, he had to make this work. He couldn't imagine his life without her and he would take any version of this woman he could. So he was careful not to come on too strong or upset her, focusing on building a new foundation for their relationship instead.
It was strange to know so much about her that she didn't know herself, and for Regina not to know him at all. He had to constantly remind himself not to mindlessly touch her or pull her into his arms in the manner that'd become so natural during their marriage.
"So the woman isn't actually a dragon?" Regina scrutinized when the movie finished and the credits began.
"No, she was just pretending to be. In this world, outside of our town, they don't believe in magic. They only make movies. They're kind of like a play, but recorded with a camera."
"Camera," she repeated slowly as if she were scrolling through a mental rolodex of modern words and concepts she'd learned, "Like the one on your communication device that takes portraits?"
"Yeah, sort of," he smiled and reached for his phone from the coffee table, "You want to see some of our portraits? They're called pictures here."
"Pictures," Regina corrected and nodded, leaning closer to him to see. "That's me," her eyes widened adorably when she saw the background on his phone and he couldn't help but chuckle.
"I have a lot of photos of you," David admitted as he opened his photos.
"Like the ones that are in the frames on the walls?"
"Some of them," he answered, careful to avoid their more private photos so as not to embarrass her.
"Is this device enchanted?" Regina asked, staring intently at the photos he scrolled through, her brow pinched in disbelief.
"No, it's called technology here," David said, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo as he watched her affectionately. "But sometimes it does seem like magic."
"We look very happy," she murmured, her eyes glued to the photo he'd clicked on. It was one Henry had snapped of them from David's last birthday party, after everyone had been a few drinks deep. The two of them were tucked into their usual booth at the diner, his arms wrapped around her waist and Regina practically on his lap, both smiling like the happy fools they'd been.
"We were very happy that night," he chuckled and forced the memory of taking her in Granny's storage closet from his mind, "It was my birthday, and you planned a party for me with everyone at the diner in town. Everyone had a great time...especially us."
Two months later…
"Just try it, Regina," Emma urged her from across her desk at the sheriff's office, seeing the brunette staring at the grilled cheese.
"You're telling me I used to order this all of the time?" Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma disbelievingly.
"Yeah," the blonde shrugged and took a bite of her own sandwich.
"I may not be aware of the cuisine in this world, but I know I would never eat this," she picked at the corner of the sandwich, "You're lying."
Emma sighed in defeat and grabbed the other bag, pulling out the salad she'd ordered just in case and sliding it across the desk to her, "How'd you know?"
"Well, it contains bread and cheese. These can't be considered healthy, therefore I wouldn't choose it for myself regularly," Regina explained primly, making Emma smirk at the glimpse of the know-it-all mayor.
"Damn, you're good."
"It pays to be observant," the brunette shrugged.
"I just wanted you to indulge. You always give me shit for eating junk food, but I know if you gave in and tried it once you'd like it," Emma rolled her eyes with a playful huff. "Anyways, how are things going at home?"
"What do you mean?"
"With David," the blonde clarified, "Are you two getting along?"
"Of course," Regina's gaze met hers as she hesitated before deciding to share more, "He's been very accommodating, but I can see this upsets him. He looks at me with such…affection, and I feel guilty that I cannot remember."
"He knows that it's not your fault," Emma reassured.
"He is very understanding and says that things will be alright, even if I don't get my memories, but I know it is a lie…" her expression wilted. "It is maddening to think I finally found happiness, only to be unable to remember it."
"I know we're close to finding a fix," Emma said determinedly, feeling her stomach churn with guilt, "Even though you don't remember your training, you're a natural with magic. You still instinctively know how to control your own. If we keep searching those books in your vault, maybe more of your knowledge will come back to you. Between the two of us, we will figure it out."
"Hmm," the brunette hummed in doubt and began pushing at her salad with a fork.
The station door swung open then with David behind it, looking rather breathless and out of sorts as he entered. His hair was disheveled and his skin sweaty, stripped down to his tank and carrying his flannel, oblivious to their presence.
"Geez, what happened to you?" Emma laughed.
David's head snapped in their direction with a look of surprise, his lips curling into an embarrassed smile, "Oh, uh, Pongo. Pongo happened," he looked down at himself with a frown, "He got loose and started chasing Granny's cat. I chased him all over town and finally caught him when he ran the cat up a tree...then I had to climb the tree to get the cat down. Did I mention it's ninety degrees outside?"
"God, I wish I could've seen that," Emma snorted and glanced at Regina, expecting her to share in the amusement.
But the brunette wasn't laughing.
Regina's expression was cloudy as her gaze lingered on David's frame. The blonde watched in morbid amusement as her father smiled at his wife when he caught her looking and Regina gave a flustered smile back.
"I should get a shower and change," he nodded towards the back of the station where their bathroom was and then smiled again at Regina. "See you at dinner."
"See you," the mayor watched him go before turning back to the desk, catching Emma eyeing her, "What?"
"You like him," Emma smirked.
"He's been very good to me. We've been sharing meals and spending the evenings getting to know one another," Regina shrugged haughtily, picking up her fork, "Why wouldn't I be polite?"
"Drop the act. I've seen you look at him like that before."
"Like what?" The brunette looked clueless.
"Like you want him."
"Emma," Regina scolded, face tinting pink as she shifted her eyes and finally admitted, "I suppose I am...curious."
The sheriff groaned internally and immediately regretted bringing the topic up when the other woman was blissfully unaware of why it would be awkward. Regina knew Emma was Henry's birth mother, but they'd left out her relation to David and David's relation to Snow. The mayor had been satisfied to learn Snow was far away, back in the Enchanted Forest with her husband, and they'd left it at that for now.
While her memories were from a time before she'd tried to kill Snow, Regina still loathed her and was glad to hear she was not around to interfere in her life, expressing no interest in finding her. And lucky for them, Snow was preoccupied with renovating the family castle, so they'd been able to keep her in the dark about the situation.
What they'd told Regina wasn't exactly a lie. Snow was living in the Enchanted Forest with her husband, Lancelot. They'd simply left out that the realms were united and easily traveled now, and that Snow's husband Lancelot was not her first.
Regina had no memories of what went into her curse and hadn't asked details about how it had ended. Therefore, she was unaware of Emma's title as savior and oblivious to the fact she was about to scar the sheriff yet again.
"Uh, curious about what?" Emma forced out the question, not wanting Regina to feel as if she couldn't talk to her. She'd told her that they were friends, and they were, so she braced herself for the awkward conversation.
"What it would be like to be with him," Regina whispered as she glanced towards the back of the station before looking at Emma, "He is very handsome. The idea doesn't seem totally… abhorrent."
"Abhorrent?" Emma's brows shot up, not being able to help her curiosity, "Geez, what a way to word it."
Regina frowned. "A wife's duty isn't exactly pleasant. How else would you describe it?"
The blonde gulped and fought the urge to crawl under her desk. She didn't want to be the one to tell Regina about her sex life, especially when it involved her own father, but she couldn't leave her friend entirely in the dark. It was clear the sexual experiences the Queen had in her past hadn't been good and Emma felt obligated to clue her in.
"A wife's duty?" The blonde questioned and shook her head, "That isn't the way it is here, Regina. Things are different for women. It shouldn't feel like a duty."
Regina looked confused and slightly embarrassed before she cleared her throat, "Well, what is it supposed to feel like?"
Emma's lips parted as she struggled to formulate a response. The brunette looked so earnest in her question that it was hard to believe this was the Regina she knew. The mayor was private and didn't indulge in topics like sex, unless she'd had tequila and was trying to traumatize Emma and Snow with talk of David. This Regina was entirely naive and, from the sounds of it, had been sorely neglected in this area.
"It's supposed to feel…good," Emma's brow pinched as she struggled to word it. "Women should feel pleasure, too."
The brunette looked thoroughly dumbfounded.
"But how would a woman achieve pleasure when we don't have…" Regina trailed off and blushed furiously when she realized she was talking out loud.
"It's...possible," Emma answered and made a mental note to hide when Regina regained her memories and recalled this conversation, "When you're with someone you want to be with, who cares about your pleasure too, your body responds. It can feel just as good for you as it does him."
"Oh…" Regina's wheels were visibly turning despite the embarrassment tinting her cheeks. "Have I...ever mentioned anything about David in that...nature?"
"Mentioned?" The blonde snorted and rolled her eyes, "Please, I've walked in on you two before. You're never not touching each other. I learned to announce myself anytime I walk into a room that I know you two are in, for my mental health's sake."
The brunette's eyes widened, "I see…"
"You enjoyed it, trust me," Emma scrunched up her face and decided she'd done her duty, quickly changing the subject before any further questions, "Oh look, my shift is over. We should get to the vault."
Regina frowned as she came out of her closet and turned to the mirror, tilting her head to the side in contemplation as she slid her hands down the sides of the form-fitting burgundy dress, "You're sure this isn't too...revealing?"
Neal snorted from his perch on the edge of her bed, "Not at all. I mean have you seen the waitress at the diner, Ruby? Her skirt barely covers her underwear."
She couldn't help the smirk that tugged the corners of her mouth when she looked up at the teenager in the mirror of her closet, "I have seen her, yes."
"See? You're fine. This is what you'd normally wear on a date night with my Dad," Neal shrugged casually, raising an eyebrow when she perked up at him in the mirror again, "I figured since you were meeting him at the diner for dinner that you'd want to dress the part."
"Well, a queen does dress for the occasion," she mused, looking back at herself in the mirror as she smoothed the fabric that hugged her hips, "As long as you think it is appropriate. Are you studying to be a tailor in this realm?" she asked when the thought occurred to her.
"Not exactly, but you have let me dress up in your ball gowns since I was a little kid," Neal snickered as she squinted at him skeptically, "I'm serious. You taught me everything I know about fashion."
"It is quite different from the Enchanted Forest," she put a hand against her closet door as she stepped into the heels he'd laid out, "And this outfit is aesthetically pleasing. I guess it does make sense that I would own it."
"Oh my god," he guffawed, falling back on the bed, "I knew you were always this vain."
"Excuse me?" Regina let her lips part, not used to anyone speaking to her in such a manner, "Did your parents not teach you how to speak to royalty?"
She'd been told the boy was David's son from a previous marriage and Regina had yet to find an appropriate moment to dig for details about his first wife. Neal had advised his mother was newly remarried and lived in another realm, and Regina was surprised at how relieved she felt to know the woman was out of the picture.
Though she was still skeptical that her life here was even real, she was growing rather protective of it.
"In case you've forgotten, you are one of my parents," Neal propped his head up on his hand and laughed at the smile she tried to stifle, "And I got all of my snark from you."
She rolled her eyes playfully and muttered, "That may be the most believable thing you've told me yet."
Regina couldn't help but stare across the booth at David, watching him scan the diner menu and finding the slight crease of his brow rather endearing. The other customers had given friendly smiles but none had approached their table, likely having heard she wasn't herself, and she was grateful for the time it gave her to indulge in her alleged husband.
His eyes were bright blue, a perfect contrast to his dirty blonde hair and the navy button up he wore. His jawline was strong, leading down to a perfectly squared chin and lips that were full but masculine in shape. She wondered for a fleeting moment what those lips would feel like against her neck before her face grew hot when he caught her staring.
"You decide what you want to eat?" He gave a grin that revealed his perfect smile and made her stomach flutter.
He was painfully handsome and Regina was even more painfully aware of the fact.
It'd been years since she felt the pull of attraction this strongly, having been since Daniel that she'd even noticed a man. But this man, her supposedhusband, was as beautiful as he was kind, and she found her desire for him growing.
"I believe I'll have the pasta you mentioned I liked," Regina nodded and averted her gaze to her own menu, pretending to look it over as she gathered herself.
"I'm going to do the burger and fries," David replied, grinning when she looked up, "You usually give me a look of disapproval when I say that."
"I do?" she smiled curiously.
"Mhm. You look after me," he gave another charming smile that she couldn't help returning, "you make sure I take care of myself. I've been kind of lost without you telling me what to eat...or what to do in general," he joked.
"I tell you what to do?" her lips parted in surprise.
"Let's just say you aren't afraid to give me your opinion," he replied, eyes sparkling with amusement.
"And you listen to what I say?" Regina raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Well, you're usually right," he offered a crooked grin and shrugged broad shoulders, making heat flicker in her abdomen, "Does that surprise you?"
"Where I come from, or...back then, I suppose you'd say," she frowned, unsure of how to reference the time she was stuck in mentally, "-not many people cared for my opinion...least of all the King."
"Things are much different here. You lead this town. Everyone looks to you for answers. Especially me," David smiled, reaching for her menu to stack on his own, "We're equals in our marriage. We make decisions together and share the control."
"Control?" Regina questioned, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Their life together sounded too good to be true and she couldn't help but want to hear more, desperately wishing she could remember.
"Mhm. I let you run the show with most things like our day to day life and the house and our schedules. But I take control in other areas. It balances out."
"What other areas?" Regina held her breath for his answer.
"Uh, well," David tugged his bottom lip with his teeth as he considered his response, "The more…intimate ones."
"Oh," she exhaled audibly, watching him stand from the booth as he smirked.
"I'll go put our order in."
David sighed as he leaned back on his pillows in the guestroom and stared blankly at the ceiling, contemplating the evening with Regina. It had been three months without any luck reversing the spell and he missed his wife desperately. Their date at the diner felt almost like things had before she'd lost her memories, talking freely and flirting shamelessly. Everything had been a reminder of the way their date nights used to end and now he had no hope of falling asleep, plagued by thoughts of her underneath him, of how she tasted and the heady noises he once coaxed from her.
There had been a lot of flirting and even light touching lately, but it wasn't enough. As much as he wanted her memories back, he didn't want to seem too eager in case it never happened. He didn't want her to think this version of her wasn't enough if they had to start over and it left him entirely unsure of how to approach her.
The way she'd looked at him recently urged him to do something foolish like kiss her. It wouldn't break the spell, for they knew Regina needed to believe this was all real before true love's kiss could work, and she wasn't there yet. Even if she did eventually believe, they weren't sure a kiss would be the answer to getting her memories back. He and Emma were no experts in magic, and the fairies couldn't guarantee what the exact antidote was or that the spell would follow the typical rules of magic, given that the potion was botched.
So David was forced to be patient, missing Regina in private and hoping they would find an answer soon.
A knock pulled him from his contemplation and it took him a moment to realize Regina stood behind his partially opened bedroom door. He sat up in his bed, pulling his sheet over his boxers and waving to her to come into the room. "Hey, everything okay?"
"Yes," Regina answered as she stepped in, dressed in a silk nightie that met her mid-thigh. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes falling to his bare upper half before they lifted to meet his own again, "I...Well, I have a proposal."
"A proposal?" David smiled in confusion and nodded once, "Okay, let's hear it."
Regina's hands clasped in front of her and she looked a little timid when she stopped a few feet from the bed, "I was informed that the act between husband and wife can be…pleasurable, not just for the man, but for the woman, too."
"Oh?" he gulped at the sudden dryness in his throat as his brain short-circuited, leaving him unable to form an intelligent response, "I mean, uh, yes…yes, it can."
She shifted on her feet and tilted her chin up as if she were mustering courage, "Since you say we are married, and-" her face tinted pink as she swallowed down nerves, "considering we've been intimate before, I thought you may be willing to help me experience that."
David gawked at her as the suggestion kick-started his libido, "You mean…you, uh, you want…me to…," he stuttered before shaking his head and answering firmly, "Yes, yes of course I'd be willing, but are you sure?"
"If you don't want to I understand," Regina took a step backwards with a flicker of rejection in her eyes.
"No, I do. Gods, I do," he shot us from bed a little too eagerly as he reassured her, "I've never stopped wanting you, Regina…but things are different now, and I just want you to be sure. I don't want to take advantage."
"You wouldn't be," She sounded sure, her eyes dropping from his bare chest to his boxers and then back up, "I may never get my memories back, and I... I want to experience it with someone who I am…drawn to."
David inhaled slowly in an attempt to gather himself as he studied her expression. Witnessing the innocent way she fumbled over her own attraction, as if the desire that darkened her gaze was entirely foreign to her, made his blood run hot. She looked confident in her decision, her lips parting with a hint of lust that shot straight to his groin and the vulnerable curiosity in her eyes gripping his heart.
It had him reaching to cup her face without another thought, tilting her head to the side as he kissed her softly at first. Determination filled him, urging him to give her everything she deserved and had been neglected from having. There had been so many quiet nights when Regina had shared with him how miserable this period of her life had been and he'd always wished he could go back in time and save her from it.
Now, in an odd and unexpected way, he finally had a chance to give her the love and care and pleasure she'd been refused.
Regina puffed a light breath of surprise when their lips touched, hesitating for a moment like she'd forgotten how to be kissed. David knew she'd been kissed and touched by Daniel during their riding lessons, but at this point in her memories, her fiancé had been gone for years. It was sadly possible that she'd truly forgotten what it felt like to be kissed with affection and David's heart ached at the thought.
He kissed her again, slowly and deeply, feeling her sink in closer to him and sigh against his lips. She was so eager to soak in his gentleness and touch that it had him stirring in his boxers but he continued the slow pace, careful not to make her uncomfortable. This was about her, for her, and he was determined to give her the experience she deserved.
"You're still sure?" David whispered in between slow kisses, running his hands from her hips to her lower back in soothing circles.
"Yes," Regina breathed unevenly, her voice taking on a familiar raspiness that let him know she indeed wanted this.
"I'm going to start with touching you," he murmured as he pressed his forehead to hers, feeling her give a quick nod of consent.
David began with peppering kisses down her jaw to her neck as he brought his hands up the sides of her ribcage slowly, stopping just under her breasts. Her breath hitched when he began caressing his thumbs under the swells of her breast through the silk material, but the barely audible moan that followed her gasp urged him on.
He continued to nibble and nip and kiss at her neck and collarbone, slowly working his thumbs up her breasts until they brushed over her nipples. He stifled a groan when he felt how pebbled they were, realizing that even without her memories she was still so responsive to his touch, and it was almost too much for his self control.
But he took his time, toying with her breasts and kissing the sensitive areas of her neck until she was mewling and shifting on her feet in a telltale sign that her legs were growing wobbly.
"Here," he murmured, lifting his head to look at her as he gripped her hips and guided her to sit on the edge of the bed.
Regina complied, her neck flushed and eyes dark as she sat down and looked up at him, waiting for his next move. He watched her for a moment, studying for any hint of uncertainty and finding none.
"Do you...do you want me to take this off so you…" she motioned to her nightgown before nodding to his lower body.
David felt a sliver of anger run through him when he realized what she meant and why. She thought he wanted her to disrobe so that he could take her already, and it was proof that her comfort had never been considered with the King. He wished he could bring the old bastard back and kill him all over again.
Instead he shook his head and sank to his knees in front of the bed with a new urgency to introduce her to foreplay.
"No, I'll do that in a moment," he murmured reassuringly, running his hands up her calves to her thighs as he spread her legs and positioned his torso between them. Her eyes were wide with curiosity as she watched him and he gave her a warm smile, caressing her thighs, "I want to make you feel good first."
"What do you mean?" Regina whispered, breath shaky when he leaned in to trail kisses down her neck to her shoulder. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, hard nipples visible through her nightie as she instinctively leaned back on her hands on the mattress and tilted her head to the side.
"I'm going to pleasure you with my mouth first," he whispered as he placed a kiss on her collarbone, lifting his head to meet her gaze.
She looked utterly confused, blinking owlishly for a few seconds before she nodded eagerly in her flustered state. He could tell she did not know what she was agreeing to and that she wasn't even sure why she wanted it so badly. But his knowledge of her body and facial expressions let him know that she was painfully aroused, and excitement surged through him at the thought of what he was about to do for her.
Regina loved his tongue. She'd let him go down on her damn near any time and place. He'd eaten her out on her desk, in their kitchen, at the sheriff's station, in the storage room of the diner, and countless other inappropriate places. His head between her thighs had resulted in some of the most powerful and wettest orgasms he'd given her, and now he was about to witness her experience it for the first time.
"If you feel uncomfortable, or want me to stop at any time, just say so," David locked eyes with her as he slowly pushed the silk up her thighs.
She nodded again and leaned back on her hands further as her thighs fell open by instinct, causing him to look down between them and groan under his breath.
"You look so good," he whispered, mouth watering when he found her open and bare underneath her nightie. She was slick and glistening, clit swollen and protruding from her lips. He brought his hand up her thigh slowly, splaying his fingers over her abdomen and brushing his thumb gently over her clit.
"Oh!" Her hips jerked up from the bed and she gasped loudly, her face flushing bright red when they made eye contact again.
David felt his cock stiffen and press against the side of the bed where he remained on his knees. He locked gazes with her, reaching his free hand up to cup her face. Her body curled towards him when he brushed his thumb over her again, their foreheads pressing together, allowing him to feel her quickening breath.
"Don't hold back, okay?" he murmured, his lips ghosting over hers as he applied more pressure with his circling thumb, "Let yourself relax and feel it."
Heat rushed through him at the needy noise that escaped her and he exhaled sharply, sinking down further between her legs without a second thought. He wrapped his arms under her thighs, spreading her wider as he lifted them to rest on his shoulders. Her legs tensed when he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh and he rubbed his hands over the tops of them to soothe her until she relaxed again.
David glanced up at her one last time, seeing her dark eyes had turned nearly black with arousal. Her skin was flushed but he knew she was past the point of shyness and desperate for him to continue, so he ducked his head and ran his tongue along her, gently and slowly.
"Oh!" Regina gasped, as if finally realizing his intent. "Ohhhh!" she exclaimed when he licked again, but this time it sounded like a moan of approval rather than surprise.
He groaned at the familiar taste of her and how much he'd missed it, deciding against wasting another moment not devouring her. She bucked and let out a whimper when he pressed his mouth against her fully, hot and open, his tongue flicking firmly over her clit.
"Mmm I love the way you taste," he murmured and heard her moan wantonly in response. "Good?"
"Mmmhm," she answered, voice strangled when he began to lick her steadily.
David's head swam with arousal at the string of surprised gasps and mewls she let out while he put his years of knowing her body to use. He alternated between direct stimulation and swirling his tongue around her clit, giving her pleasure time to build. She was impossibly wet, making it nearly impossible for him to keep a steady pace, but he forced himself to take his time.
Regina's hips began curling up, pushing herself more into his mouth, and he pulled her thighs apart wider to pay the rest of her more attention. She cried out when he slid his tongue to her opening, her hands shooting to grip the edge of the bed tightly when he probed inside. Her upper body went slack soon after, her back falling flush against the mattress, and he pulled her hips nearly off the bed, opening her up more to his mouth.
"David," she rasped, back arching and hips squirming in his hold as he pushed his tongue further inside of her and curled it, slowly pumping. A familiar pattern of mmph sounds escaped her as her thighs strained to push herself on his tongue further, her body instinctively searching for more stimulation.
"So good," he groaned into her, feeling her wetness dripping down his chin as he slid his tongue back up to her clit and made her cry out in response.
"I'm...I need…" she struggled for words, her chest heaving as he shifted his eyes to watch her. He knew she wasn't sure of what exactly she needed, but that she wanted more, and it had his cock throbbing painfully.
"I know, I've got you," David whispered before flattening his tongue against her clit and began a steady, flicking rhythm upwards. She panted and moaned loudly now, her abdomen twitching and hands finding his hair, unraveling quickly from the direct stimulation.
He felt her body tensing in his hold, her back arching and falling back to the bed sporadically as he lapped at her. She was close, coating his face with her wetness, on the edge of what he was sure would be a powerful climax. It was when he pushed her thighs wider apart and increased the pressure of his tongue that her body snapped into a rigid arch and she came hard.
A sharp cry escaped her as she shuddered, her grip of his hair tightening almost painfully while she jerked and writhed. He felt a fresh flood of her arousal smearing his mouth and chin as he kept his tongue flat and allowed her to grind against it, her hips rocking harshly as she rode out the waves of her orgasm.
David threatened to spill himself at how long and intensely she twitched and trembled before her hips body came to a rest. He pulled his mouth from her, wiping it against her inner thigh and resting his chin there as he waited patiently for her to recover. She was panting when she finally lifted her head from the bed to look down at him and the sight made him threaten to snap entirely.
Regina looked equal parts astonished and desperate for more as he straightened up on his knees and ran soothing hands up her thighs, meeting her wide-eyed gaze.
"You alright?" He asked, his voice husky with his own need as he tried to keep his eyes on her face instead of traveling down her body as she lay spread out for him.
"Yes," she breathed out the word and in one fluid motion had lifted into a halfway sitting position and pulled him to her. Her lips met his with force and they both moaned as their tongues brushed and hands roamed. "Want to feel you...inside," she murmured into his mouth, earning an eager groan from him.
She scrambled back up the bed to give him room as he lifted himself from the floor and crawled over her, pushing her nightie around her waist and kissing his way up her body. "Now we can take this off," he grinned as he reached to pull the silk over her head and she assisted him, her eyes glistening with newly discovered lust.
In a few swift movements they were both entirely naked, trading heady kisses as they disrobed one another. He felt her exhale sharply against his lips when he took her hand and guided it between them, cusping her fingers around his hardness. Knowing her sexual history up to this point made him acutely aware that, despite how aroused and willing she was now, he needed to show her there was more to sex than just the man taking.
David guided her hand, allowing her to become familiar with him as he kissed over her chest and neck before meeting her gaze. They shared a long heated look and his love for her felt overwhelming. "I won't hurt you," he reassured as he stared into dark eyes, taking himself into his hand and sliding his tip along her soaked center.
Regina shuddered at that, her eyes wide but without fear. She looked overcome by the sensations, the familiar look of her arousal darkening her features beautifully. He'd studied her body's reactions and her expressions for years and knew what each meant, especially when it came to intimacy, and there was no trace of hesitancy or fear in her now. She was ready and willing and wanted this, and she deserved so much pleasure after what she'd been through in her first marriage.
"Please," she nodded the request, tongue darting out to wet her own lips as she watched him positioning himself.
David nodded and pressed a hand on the bed above her head as he leaned down to kiss her, long and deep, using his other hand to begin guiding himself inside of her. She was so wet and open for him that it took all of his self control to keep a steady pace, but he somehow managed.
"David," She moaned his name with a praising tone as he filled her, her eyes heavy with desire when their gazes locked again. Her hands ran up his sides to grip his back when began rocking slowly, feeling her stretching around his girth, adjusting to his size. "Yes," she rasped, her head falling back against the bed as her legs hooked over his hips.
"You feel amazing," David groaned into her skin and pressed wet kisses from her neck to behind her ear. He put his expertise of her body to use, paying close attention to her sensitive areas, knowing exactly which spots were where and how she liked them to be touched. He sucked gently at her pulse point, tugged at her earlobe with his teeth, ran his tongue into the dip above her collarbone, knowing the combination would have her tightening around him in a matter of minutes.
"So good," Regina whimpered softly to herself, looking lost in pleasure as her eyes fluttered open and shut. He increased his pace gradually, curling his hips so that the head of his cock slid against her front wall with each thrust. Her wetness began to seep out of her as her walls gripped and pulled him deeper and he cursed under his breath, thinking of how good she'd feel when she clamped around him.
It had been so long, the longest they'd ever gone in their relationship, and he had missed being inside of her, missed hearing her moan his name and feeling her slick clenching around him.
"This is how it is with us, how it should've always been for you," David whispered breathlessly as he lifted his head to watch her, reaching between them to splay his hand over her abdomen and stroke her clit with his thumb, "You deserve to feel so good, Regina."
"It does..f-feels so good," She panted as her hips moved in time with his now, her dark hair disheveled and skin glistening with a light sheen of sweat.
David lowered himself to his forearm on the bed and worked himself deeper, pushing firmer and slightly faster into her tight heat. She was tensing under and around him, nails digging into his back and legs squeezing his torso as louder noises escaped her. He was straining to keep it together, forcing himself to focus on making her come.
If he listened too closely to her strangled whimpers or the sound of her wet sex taking his, if he focused too much on the delicious way her walls tightened around his cock, then he would certainly lose control. He wanted to give her orgasm time to build, wanted it to be deep and powerful and feel as blissful as it possibly could for her.
So rocked into her steadily, his thumb stroking her hard clit and his jaw clenched in determination. She was babbling endlessly now, her muscles clenching and releasing in a telltale sign she was nearly there. Within moments she shuddered violently and let out a sharp cry, her nails clawing his shoulders as her upper body curled from the bed. He plunged himself to his root, grinding into her deeply as she exploded around him, flooding them both with a fresh wave of arousal as she came. Her name escaped his lips in a gravelly tone as he found his own release seconds after and buried his face in the curve of her neck as he sank against her, careful not to let his full weight pin her down.
Regina was still trembling when he lifted his head to look at her and his heart ran cold with dread when he saw a tear slip from the corner of her eye, "Regina, oh god, did I hurt you?"
"No," her voice was hoarse and she shook her head, chin wobbling as she tried to stifle her emotion, "I just wish I could remember."
"Regina!"
She startled when the front door slammed and someone called her name, glancing up from her meal at the table to look at David questioningly, finding his eyes wide. Before she could ask who it was, a woman with a heart-shaped face and short dark hair scrambled from the foyer into their dining room.
Emma Swan ran in a second after, alarmed and short of breath, "I tried to stop her!" The sheriff gave David an urgent look.
"Regina, I came as soon as I heard! I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner!" the woman said, her porcelain complexion tinted pink from overexertion. "I swear, no one tells me anything since I moved back to the Enchanted Forest! You'd think my daughter, or my ex-husband would fill me in on something like this," she huffed and looked pointedly between Emma and David.
"Snow?" Regina felt her stomach flip violently, the sudden recognition so shocking that it took her a moment to process what had been said. "Husband? Daughter?" She questioned with icy dread and gaped at the two blondes.
"Mom," Emma addressed Snow who was looking downright confused now, "We didn't...we didn't explain the dynamic to her yet."
"You mean she doesn't know that you…that David and I were…?" Snow sputtered, looking back at Regina in fear.
"If you had given me a chance to explain you would know this!" Emma threw her hands up in frustration.
Regina's eyes narrowed at David, "Ex-husband?" she glared and then looked at Emma the same way, "Daughter?! You said Snow was in the Enchanted Forest with her husband!"
"She was," David stood when Regina shot up from her chair, putting himself between his current wife and former, "I used to be married to Snow and...Emma is my daughter...but Snow is remarried to Lancelot now."
"You lied to me!" She snapped, anger and betrayal slicing through her like a knife, "What kind of sick joke is this?!"
"It's not a joke, Regina. We just didn't want to upset you while we were trying to get your memories back, and we knew the thought of you sharing family with Snow might be...triggering," Emma explained carefully, "We were going to explain if we failed to get your memories back. We wouldn't let you go on thinking that-"
"I am married to Snow White's husband?!" Regina shouted in disbelief, seeing red, "Was this some way of getting back at me for what I supposedly did to you? Was this your way of controlling me?" She rounded the table quickly and tried to get past David who continued to block her.
"Regina, please calm down, we can talk about this," he begged.
"You're insane if you think I'm going to believe another word out of any of you!" She yelled and shoved at his chest, "I should've known you were behind this!" she screeched, looking past him at Snow.
"Emma, I think it's best if the two of you leave now," David gave a warning glance back at his ex-wife and daughter.
"No, stay here and face me, you cowardice girl!" Regina demanded, struggling against David who now had his hands on her hips while the other two ran out the front door.
"Regina, please hear me out," David pleaded.
She glowered and hit his chest with all of her might, barely budging him but creating a few feet of space between as he finally let her go, "What explanation could you possibly give me that I would be foolish enough to believe?!"
"So you're saying if we had told you that Snow was still in our lives, that she was family, that you wouldn't have tried to hunt her down? That it wouldn't have made you angry and stirred up old wounds?" he reasoned, putting his hands up in surrender, "We were merely trying to give you time to adjust here while we found a way to get your memories back. You didn't believe a word we said! And I understand it, trust me. I'd feel the same way if I suddenly woke up in a different realm with a lifetime of history I couldn't recall. You don't remember how much you've changed and how far we've all come. If Emma couldn't find a way to reverse the spell then the only other option was true love's kiss, but you have to believe this was real before it would work. We knew there was no way you'd believe us if we told you how we were all connected and that you didn't hate Snow now. It would've ruined our credibility with you and any chance we had at getting close enough to help you."
"You lied to me!" she seethed, unable to see the logic behind their betrayal.
"We didn't lie to you, we just didn't tell you everything," he countered, his own expression firm, "How could we lie to you when you don't even believe any of this is real?!"
"Not real?! I just saw her! Snow White! She called you her former husband, called Emma her daughter! Which means my son is her grandson, and of course he is!" She laughed bitterly, shaking with rage, "Of course Snow White's offspring would break my curse! Of course she would ruin whatever revenge I could get, because that's what she does, she ruins my life!"
"So you believe it now?" David asked, his question catching her off guard and making her glower at his stupidity.
"How could I not believe it? That's exactly the kind of cruel irony fate has dealt me my entire life!" she shouted, fists clenching when he silently stepped towards her, "I just saw the idiot girl who ruined my life standing in front of me, considerably older, blabbing secrets as she so expertly does! How could I not believe it now?! My problem is that you lied to me-"
Regina barely finished the sentence before David closed their remaining distance and cupped her face, bringing his mouth to hers before she could protest. The contact was electric, warm and tingling on her lips when he kissed her. A rainbow colored gust of wind swept the room as she broke the kiss with a gasp, feeling memories flood her mind and warm her chest.
"Regina?" He whispered hopefully.
"You….you idiot," she let out a half laugh, half cry and watched his expression melt with relief. A shaky breath escaped her when she reached for him, looping her arms around his neck in a desperate hug as his arms wrapped tightly around waist.
"Oh god, I have missed you," David's voice was thick with emotion as he spoke down her ear and cradled her head with his hand, "I have missed you so much."
Regina was dizzy with relief, burying her face in his chest and resting in there as she took a few moments to calm. "I am going to murder your daughter," she muttered into his flannel and he chuckled warmly, squeezing his arms around her in amusement.
"You won't have a chance. I will never leave the two of you unsupervised again," He joked, kissing her temple.
"And I am never teaching her magic again," she laughed, tilting her head back to look up at him with a smile.
"Not mad at me, then?" David asked, his expression tinged with guilt, "I wasn't sure how to handle it. I did the best I could."
"You didn't do anything wrong," Regina reassured, understanding the situation he'd been in, "Though, you might've introduced me to Snow as proof a bit sooner. We could've saved some time," she grinned.
"Or you would've flown into a fit of rage, murdered her and then ran off before we found a way to get you back," he smirked, "You forget that I know you, sweetheart."
"I have been rather forgetful lately."
"Smartass," David muttered, affection shining bright in his eyes.
"Hm," she hummed and slipped her index fingers through his belt loops, smiling mischievously when the thought occurred, "Should we pretend I'm still without my memories and go terrorize your nuisance of an ex-wife some more?"
"Regina," he laughed and let out a playful sigh.
"She deserves it," She pouted and then lifted onto her tiptoes, pulling him down by his collar to brush her lips over his ear, "I'll make it worth your while, Charming."
"Let's go."