Once Upon a Time 1. Annual Dinner Laughs

**A/N: This is based on the series 'Scandal.' It was just a little idea I had so I asked my friend parrillayoung - on twitter - and together we came up with this. I really hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave a review so I know if I should write more. Thank you and most of all enjoy! Xo**

**CHAPTER ONE**

"Madam First Lady, I have your schedule for the day, at one o'clock sharp, you have to pick out china patterns for the annual White House State dinner, which you also have to attend tomorrow but I'll give you the information for that in the morning." First Lady of the United States of America, Regina Mill's chief of staff said. Ruby was Regina's first and best choice as a chief of staff as she covered for Regina without any questions asked or any hesitation what so ever. Regina couldn't be more grateful for her until Ruby told her she had to pick out china patterns, if there was one thing the First Lady hated doing it was picking out china patterns. "Also you have a charity event to attend later this evening at seven o'clock, do you want to pick your own dresses or shall I have a stylist choose them for you?" Ruby continued as Regina took a swift swig of her hooch.

"Ugh, china patterns!" Regina groaned causing a slight laugh from Ruby.

"I'm sorry, I know how much you hate them," Ruby said as Regina nodded with her eyes shut tight.

"Ruby, what is Emma Swan doing today?" Regina asked looking up from her glass, she looked straight ahead at Ruby and waited impatiently on the information she desperately desired.

"I think she's working with the president today, ma'am, that's what I heard but I can find out for definite and let you know." Ruby said, causing Regina to take an even bigger drink of her drink as always Ruby didn't question Regina's motives or her need to drink at eight o'clock in the morning but she knew Regina hated the fact her husband got to work with Emma almost every day.

"So, she'll be in the building?" Regina said with a beautiful sparkle forming in her chocolate brown eye.

Ruby smiled and proudly said, "Yes, ma'am." She knew this information would bring a smile to the First Ladies face.

"Good." Regina said smiling away to herself – just as Ruby had predicted. Regina couldn't wait to see Emma; the blonde was always Regina's highlight of the day yet she'd never admit it to anyone although Ruby was knew without having to be told Emma was special to Regina but she just assumed it was because they were friends and Regina didn't have many of them. "That'll be all, dear. Thank you." Regina said, smiling at Ruby as she watched her nod her head and leave the room.

After finishing her drink, Regina sighed and decided she better start getting ready for her daily duties and paint on her famous perfect smile.

* * *

Regina was finally out of hair and make-up after an hour and a half, she had her hair in a half-down half-up do, she looked a million and six dollars, everyone noticed apart from the person she wanted to notice the most - well that's what she thought. Her make-up was heavy but not too over the top; her eyes were smoky and her lipstick was blood red, it was perfect for Regina although sometimes she did resemble the Evil Queen from Snow White as the newspapers willingly pointed out on a daily basis which Regina secretly loved.

She made her way to pay her husband a visit; a task she found even duller than the china patterns. "Hey," She said as she walked in to the Oval office and found her husband sitting behind his desk doing some sort of boring paperwork, being president wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

President Robin Hood looked up from his paperwork, "Hey, beautiful," he said, he was happy to see his wife but she was the opposite of happy to see him, she would gladly never see him again if it was possible, she felt like she lived her whole life to please him and never got any gratitude back, she transformed her life and lived in sadness and despair so he could achieve everything he wanted to but nope, that still felt like she wasn't good enough; she was tired of him and tired of her life.

Regina headed straight for the hooch bottle sitting on the table next to the sofas in his office; she grabbed the glass bottle and began pouring the alcohol a quarter of the way up in her glass. "Where's Miss Swan?" Regina asked as she picked up her glass.

"I don't know, she should be here soon. Why are you drinking so early, now?" He sighed; another drama and argument seemed to be heading his way.

Regina scoffed loudly before she spoke, "Who do you think you are – my father?" She then took a sip of her hooch; she desperately needed it if she had to deal with him for another second. "I don't need a lecture on when I drink or how much I drink, I'm very aware of the time and how many glasses I have every day." Regina took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't need you to tell me, thank you very much." Regina said as she rolled her eyes and poured herself another glass.

"I'm just concerned about you; you've been drinking a lot lately." Robin said as he stood up from his desk and walked over towards Regina and headed straight for her glass, he was going to take it off of her and remove the remaining alcohol out of her reach.

Regina glared at Robin like a bulldog that had just had its favorite bone taken of it. "What are you trying to say?" Regina said as she raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. Her tone was dark and dangerous, it was the kind of tone if you heard you'd run a mile and not look back.

Robin sighed, completely ignoring Regina's tone. "I'm not trying to say anything, just give me the damn drink," Robin said as he grabbed her glass, which was already secured tightly in her hand, he wrapped his fingers just as tight as she had and he pulled gently assuming he'd pull it straight out of her hand but her grip was locked around it, she pulled just as hard back, it was like a tug of war over the glass.

Just as the door opened quietly, Regina quickly let go of the marble glass, which ended in Robin accidentally throwing the drink straight over Regina's five thousand dollar Stella McCartney dress. "Now, look what you did." Regina exclaimed as she looked down at her dress and examined the damage.

"Regina-" Robin said but Regina was having none off it, until Emma interrupted, even then she was too angry to have any type of conversation.

Emma gasped before she spoke, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything." Emma said, almost sounding angry – she was glad she had interrupted if she was honest, Regina had been her friend since they were both at Law school, she hated seeing how Robin treated her, or how she thought Robin treated her.

"You didn't interrupt anything, dear. Just a slight spillage, I'm so clumsy, it's unreal, First Ladies are supposed to be elegant then you get me who can't even hold a drink." Regina fake-laughed, which Emma seen right through; Emma had known Regina for way too long to believe the brunettes fake laugh; she knew the difference because Regina's real laugh was her all-time favorite sound. Regina didn't realize Emma had actually seen everything. "I'm just going to change my dress and clean up; I'll see you soon, darling." Regina said through gritted teeth as she smiled at her husband and kissed him on the cheek.

"Okay, babe." Robin retaliated as Regina as elegantly as possible walked out the room.

Emma was already standing halfway in the office but Robin decided to be polite. "Miss Swan, please come in." Robin said as he motioned for Emma to step further inside, she desperately wanted to follow Regina and make sure she was okay, but no one ever disobeyed the president.

* * *

Regina went to her room attempting to avoid as many people as she could, some people she passed looked in horror as they saw their First Lady walking with a huge alcohol stain on herself, but most of the women gasped because a five thousand dollar Stella McCartney dress was now ruined and the rest of them she passed didn't even notice.

The brunette sat on her bed in her underwear as she sat and began to think, but all she could think about was one person and one person only. She hated her life and prayed multiple times to a God she didn't even believe in that her life would change. She wanted to be openly gay and be happy instead of having to live a lie and sleep with a man who made her feel sick to her stomach every time she saw his man part.

At sixteen Regina came out to her father as gay. As soon as she did this he told her the shame she would bring upon their family and instantly he arranged a marriage and demanded she married Robin or he would disown her and leave her with no money and no house, he would kick her out on the streets alone and scared, back in that day she literally had no choice and her father knew that, he knew that there was only one option and Regina would have to take it no matter how she felt. She had never forgiven him for that and she never will.

The hardest part of it was the person she wanted to be with most was the person she saw almost every day. It was slowly killing her and she didn't even realize, she turned to alcohol to numb the pain and she was aware she was drinking more and more but it was genuinely the only thing that would get her through the day. She thought about ending everything all day, every day yet she couldn't tell anyone, no one knew she was gay at all, not one person.

So instead, Regina smiled and acted happy, yet all while dying inside.

* * *

Emma was so angry at what she had just witnessed, she then had to sit and speak to the president without saying anything, she simply smiled and nodded agreeing to help fix the latest White House scandal, but all she could think about was Regina.

After she had finished talking with Robin she headed to her office, still one thought on her mind, she didn't want to go find Regina in case Regina thought she might be stalking her or something so she just waited on Regina coming to her which never happened.

Emma had been completely in love with Regina since she could possibly remember probably since the first day they met. Regina constantly had her flabbergasted by how perfect she looked every day, Emma was in such awe of her, and it broke her heart to see the love of her life so damaged and broken.

She longed every day for the courage to tell Regina how she felt but deep down she knew she never would for their friendship meant more to Emma than anyone could ever imagine and she would rather just have Regina as a friend than a nothing, she didn't want to even think about life without seeing Regina daily, which was secretly one of the main reasons Emma took the job in the White House. Emma could have any job in the world as she was the world's greatest at what she did, she could be earning billions a year but she settled to work for one person, just to see Regina.

Emma sighed when she reached her desk before noticing a little green post it note that reminded her the Annual dinner was coming up tomorrow, "Shit," She said grabbing her phone and phoning someone to go find her a dress for it, she desperately wanted to impress Regina but she knew it was a complete waste of time, Regina was straight for goodness sake.

* * *

The next day it was the White House Annual dinner, one of the events Regina despised most of all. She had to smile, be the best host possible and pretend everything was great whilst holding Robin's hand and watching Emma at the other side of the room with men pawing all over her, the night sent her head into frenzy.

Regina was dressed immaculately as per usual, she was wearing a floor length ball gown which was gold with sequences the whole way down, not tacky at all, just simply stunning. She had gold eye shadow to match the dress, with amazing but simple false eyelashes to set of her eyes more. She had nude lips which was extremely different from her usual red lipstick she wore with pride and boldness. Her hair was down and curled perfectly to sit on top of her shoulders, she loved it when her hair was like this; it was bouncy and playful, just like she used to be before she turned sixteen.

"Madam First Lady would you like a glass of champagne?" The waiter asked Regina as he nervously approached her, his nerves were visible and Regina found it adorable, she wasn't all that bad.

Regina smiled politely at the boy who was no older than twenty-five before reaching her hand out and removing one of the glasses from the tray. "Thank you, dear." She said as he smiled at her and slowly slithered away.

Regina drank the drink elegantly but as fast as she possibly could. She was on top form and very alert, the brunette knew press would be there, and she could just imagine the headlines if she was caught downing it, she cringed at the thought, she shook her head, she couldn't dare to think about it anymore.

After, the actual dinner and a few more glasses of champagne Regina was tipsy, she wasn't drunk but she was getting there. She stepped outside to attempt to sober herself up; she was the First Lady of the United States of America for crying out loud, she of all people weren't supposed to get drunk at these sorts of events.

"Hey, I've been meaning to catch up with you all night, how are you?" Emma asked as she approached Regina who almost took her breath away; Regina was wrong, the one person who she wanted to notice, always noticed how beautiful she look. Emma was dressed in a simple floor length black dress that hugged her figure to perfection, it had a split up the side and showed of her perfectly toned legs which Regina almost couldn't take her eyes off. Emma had teamed her dress with a huge statement diamond necklace which set of the outfit perfectly. Her blonde hair which was usually down and curly was put into a messy bun, which looked effortless but it couldn't be that perfect without at least an hours' worth of work put into it. Her make-up was simple and elegant, pretty perfect.

"Hey, dear." Regina said leaning into give Emma a kiss on each cheek like she had to do with everyone else in the room but this person she actually wanted to give a kiss on the cheek too. "I'm good thank you, how are you?" Regina asked with such elegance just in case anyone was listening.

"I'm good but I need to talk to you." Emma said seriously.

Regina looked around and made sure no one was in the garden downstairs, when she noticed it was just her and Emma on the Truman balcony she quickly closed the giant white doors. She took a seat on one of the many chairs and Emma sat across from her.

"What's up?" Regina said completely dropping the First Lady of the United States act.

"You, you deserve better than Robin, Regina, when will you realize that?" Emma said quickly, she was nervous about this conversation but it had been a long time coming, she was trying to find ways to bring the subject up for a long time now but after yesterday's shenanigans she had had enough and just decided to say what she had to say, no sugar-coating.

"What?" Regina asked raising an eyebrow.

"I saw what happened yesterday and I saw what happens every other day, you drinking and him complaining," Emma said as she released the breath she didn't even realize she had been holding.

Regina looked at Emma almost flabbergasted. "I don't know what you're talking about." Regina said with a smile painted on with perfection.

"Regina, I'm your oldest friend, you can talk to me." Emma said almost pleading with Regina to open up and tell her what's really going on behind the doors of the famous White House.

Little did Regina and Emma know Robin had made his way on the balcony. Neither women had noticed him standing there watching them, he couldn't hear anything as they were speaking at a mere whisper but he could see the look in their faces and that was enough.

Regina was completely captivated by Emma's words and voice and long lost in Emma's eyes and Emma was completely lost in Regina's, yet neither women realized the other was lost in theirs, they were that captivated by each other they didn't even notice what one another was actually doing. No one spoke, it felt like they were transported into another world where it was just the two of them and no-one else, it felt good.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by Robin coughing, he had seen enough; he couldn't remember the last time Regina had looked at him with so much love in her eyes, in fact she had never looked at him like that and that almost broke his heart. It was payback time.

"Oh, hey honey, I didn't see you standing there." Regina said, now flustered as she jumped up quickly from her chair and walked over to Robin, "I was just talking to Emma about the latest scandals in this house." She blatantly lied straight to his face and didn't even think twice about it.

Regina, Emma and Robin made their way back into the main event where everyone was mingling together, talking and laughing. The senator of California shouted on Robin to come and join them which he did, leaving Regina and Emma to talk by themselves, once the waiter had given them another glass of champagne they began to talk to one another.

Neither women mentioned the previous conversation due to walls having eyes and ears. Instead they acted like the old friends they were, Emma had Regina laughing within five minutes of starting the conversation. Robin watched the women interacting with each other, he hadn't seen Regina smile in a long time never mind laughing beautifully the way she was – It was real.

That's when he realized, Regina loved Emma.


	2. I Can't

**CHAPTER TWO**

The next day was no different to any other day, The First Lady having a drink at stupid-o'clock in the morning and Emma getting ready to spend the day working with President Robin Hood. Ruby came in and gave Regina her daily schedule, today she wouldn't be doing anything important apart from looking pretty for pictures, so people could blog about the clothes she was wearing, today, she was ornamental not functional and that annoyed her the most because that meant all she was left with was her thoughts and that was dangerous beyond words.

Regina made her way to see Robin as per usual, they slept in separate bedrooms, they had for a long time but not many people knew that, they always made it look like they shared the same bedroom. The last thing the press needed to know was they didn't sleep in the same bed. As she made her way into his office, she noticed he was sitting on the sofa waiting on her.

"Good morning, darling." Robin said in his thick accent.

"Hey." Regina said as she slumped herself on to the sofa in front of him, all elegance was thrown out the window as soon as she closed the Oval Office door behind her.

"So, what are you doing today?" Robin asked, with a slight smile.

"Nothing, just looking pretty." Regina said, with so much angst in her voice, you could almost feel it. She leaned over to pour herself a glass of hooch.

"Ok. It's just iced tea" Robin simply said, his mind was on his crazy plan he had been stewing all night, today, he was going to go through with it. Regina scoffed as she put the lid back on the bottle. "Emma will be in soon, I'll text you when she comes in, we have stuff to discuss." Robin smiled his usual charming smile that won the hearts of the nation, but not Regina's heart.

"Sure," Regina said, getting back up off the sofa. "I'm going to get ready, I'll see you soon." She said, her whole demeanor had perked up since she found out she was getting to see Emma and spend time with her and Robin hadn't missed it.

* * *

Regina headed to hair and make-up where she told them she wanted to 'look perfect' and her stylist happily agreed. Once again, her trade-mark blood red lipstick was applied to perfection; her eyes were smoky and set off her whole face, immaculately. Her hair was down and curly just like the previous day. She then headed to wardrobe where she picked a black knee-length dress, which hung off her shoulders, revealing all her collarbone and shoulders, it was perfect.

She paced around her office; she couldn't concentrate on anything apart from her phone desperately waiting for a text to come through. After an hour, she sat at her desk and attempted to do paper-work but she just couldn't concentrate. Her heart was racing profusely and her stomach had butterflies in it, she hated feeling this way but at the same time she absolutely loved it. It was mind-boggling to her how she could feel this way towards someone, someone that wasn't her husband, but she just couldn't help it, the heart wants what the heart wants, and Regina had learned to accept that fact.

Regina finally got stuck into some paper-work, and suddenly her phone beeped. It was time to head to the Oval office and see Emma.

* * *

In the Oval office, Emma had just walked in and Robin's adrenaline was in over-drive. He was ready for payback on his wife; he just had to get his timing to perfection. It was all about the timing.

He invited Emma in and they began speaking about the latest scandal and Emma's progress on fixing it, all the while Emma's thoughts were solemnly on Regina and nothing else, she couldn't concentrate knowing Regina was somewhere in this building miserable and pissed off at the world, it broke her as much as it did Regina.

"Can you stay for a bit?" Robin asked, he was ready.

"Sure, why?" Emma asked curiously.

"Regina wants to see you, I was to text her when you were finished here, so I'll just text her now and get her to come down," Robin smiled through gritted teeth.

Emma smiled and Robin didn't miss it. "Okay." She simply said, while her mind was going crazy, how she had wished she had put make-up on that morning.

Robin stood up from the sofa and made his way to his desk. He stood at the front of it rather than going behind it, but Emma was more interested in Regina than what Robin was doing, truth be told, she didn't care about him in the slightest.

Robin had sent the text and knew Regina was a mere few minutes away, this was when his timing had to be perfect. "Emma can you come see this please?" He asked holding up a blank piece of paper but from where Emma was you couldn't tell it was blank.

Emma politely stood up and made her way over to the desk.

Just as Regina walked in and opened the door, Robin spun Emma around and pinned her against the desk and began kissing her passionately, Regina felt her whole world die in that minute. She couldn't believe her eyes at what she was seeing.

Just as she slammed the door, Emma managed to break free from Robin's grasp and push him back with some force. "What the hell are you playing at?" Emma screeched, she was angry, she was beyond angry.

"My wife won't be in love with you anymore now and that's all that matters." Robin smiled, almost evilly. "She's never been in love with me, so I had absolutely nothing to lose." He added.

"She's in love with me?" Emma asked, her eyes wide and her heart still racing from what had just happened.

"Don't act like you didn't know." Robin said, almost with disgust lingering in his voice.

"I really didn't." Emma said softly and almost vulnerably.

* * *

Regina made her way back to her bedroom, she almost jogged, she knew she didn't have much time before the tears escaped her eye ducts and she couldn't risk been seen around the White House like that; all emotional and vulnerable.

As soon as she closed the door of the bedroom she felt her legs give way and her whole body began sliding down the door as every emotion she had been feeling finally came out. She sobbed almost hysterically and couldn't stop, she was a wreck. The betrayal she felt was unreal and the heart break she felt was indescribable. Regina was well and truly broken. She couldn't get the image of Robin and Emma out of her head. She couldn't understand why her oldest friend would betray her like that; she expected it from her husband but Emma? That was devastating.

After a long few minutes Regina finally found the strength to stand again, and she made her way to the en-suite where she had to fix her make-up which was halfway down her face, huge black lines leading from her eyes to her jawline. Her eyes were red and so was the tip of her nose. You could tell she had been crying hard.

Just as she began wiping the make-up away, there was a knock at the door but before she could tell them to leave the door was already opening. Emma walked in and looked around. "Regina?" She shouted, and closed the door behind her, Emma had checked her office and she wasn't there, so the bedroom was the only other place she could be.

"Regina?" Emma shouted again as she looked around and made her way into the bathroom, where she found Regina attempting to quickly regain composure and authority.

"Go away, Miss Swan." Regina said through a sadness-ridden voice. Even by her voice you could tell Regina was upset.

"So, I'm Miss Swan now?" Emma asked, softly and almost hurt but she couldn't blame Regina from what she had seen, she didn't expect rose petals and cuddles.

"No, you're a whore who has been sleeping with my husband but I was just being polite." Regina said, now anger had taken over and her voice was cold and dangerous, her grip on the bathroom sink was that hard the tips of her fingers and her knuckles were starting to go white. Her teeth gritted extra hard together and her eyes closed hard against each eye lids.

"You really think I've been sleeping with your husband?" Emma asked this time the hurt in her voice was visible and completely on display but Regina was far too angry to even notice, the image of the two of them still on repeat in her brain.

"Think? I saw you with my own eyes!" Regina exclaimed, her grip getting tighter on the sink, she wasn't even angry at the fact they had been sleeping together, she was angry at the fact someone else got to have Emma, that someone else being the man she hated most.

"What you saw was your husband kissing me, so you wouldn't be in love with me anymore!" Emma exclaimed this time, raising her voice so she could get through to Regina.

Regina opened her eyes, and she opened them wide. Her grip loosing on the sink and her heart began racing even harder than it was before, her mind going into over drive. "What did you just say?" Regina said looking in the mirror and looking Emma in the eye's through her reflection.

This was the first time Emma had seen Regina's face and the for the first time she saw how well and truly broken Regina actually was. "You're husband pinned me against the table and kissed me, I couldn't pull back or push him away because he had a hold of my hands and once you left he let me go and said he done it so you wouldn't be in love with me anymore." Emma said softly.

Regina slowly turned around, finally facing Emma. She was sporting big black circles around her eyes followed by the tear stains down one side – she had managed to clean one side before Emma arrived. Emma was waiting patiently on Regina dismissing or denying the accusation but instead nothing surrounded them by silence.

Finally, Regina broke the silence and spoke. "Why him? Anyone but him, Emma, seriously, if you're going to sleep with someone please don't be him, the man I hate the most," Regina said her eyes wide and almost as if they were doing some sort of begging. Her voice soft and extra vulnerable, she was speaking from the soul and heart.

Emma took a few more steps closer to Regina. "Regina, I don't want to sleep with him, I don't want to sleep with men, I don't like men." Emma said praying that Regina would get the hint.

"You don't like men?" Regina asked raising an eyebrow, she was now curious.

"I don't like men," Emma repeated, "I like you." She said taking Regina and herself completely by surprise.

"You like me?" Regina asked all anger had disappeared; she was beyond confused and excited at the same time but refused to show it. The butterflies in her stomach were back and the voice inside her head gone; it was just the two of them in a bathroom.

"I always have." Emma replied, staring intently at Regina, waiting impatiently for her reply which seemed to take forever to come.

"I really like you, Emma but I can't do this, and you have to go." Regina said, turning away from Emma, she couldn't bear to watch her walk away.

"What, why?" Emma asked, now confused, if Regina liked her then why did she have to go?

"Because I am the First Lady of the United States of America, I am an inspiration to so many people, I have responsibilities and duties and I have to be the best wife I can be to my husband, I can't be gay, I can't be the person I want to be, I have to be the person I need to be and kissing you right now would be such a bad idea because I know I wouldn't be able to stop myself, so you need to go, you _really_ need to go." Regina said softly but Emma stood there without moving an inch. Regina turned around and looked Emma straight in the eye which was clearly filling up with tears again. "Emma, please go." Regina pleaded.

Emma broke the eye-contact by looking at the floor and thinking for several seconds. "Okay," Emma said as she slowly backed her way up to the door before turning and leaving, now, just as heartbroken as Regina is.

* * *

After fixing her make-up and fixing her dress, she made her way to confront her husband, now she wasn't mad at Emma, she was just mad at Robin. She couldn't bring herself to think about Emma, she had to forget about her and just get on with life. She had to dress up and show up, no matter what.

She made her way into the Oval office without even knocking, she didn't care who was in there. She walked casually up to Robin and slapped him across the face with full force; she used every inch of her body she could in that one slap. "You take everything from me!" She almost screamed at him, she hated him so much, she couldn't comprehend it.

"I only wanted you to love me and not her, is that so much to ask?" Robin said as he rubbed his cheek which if it stung as bad as Regina's hand did then he was sore.

"I'll never love you, stop trying to make it happen, I can't love you, I can't bring myself to love you," Regina said, realizing she had said too much, but what the hell he already somehow knew Regina loved Emma. "What are you talking about, me loving Emma?" Regina asked, seething.

"I saw the way you look at her; you've never looked at me like that. I saw the way you laugh with her, you're lucky if I can get you to crack a smile." Robin said, "I knew you loved her from the minute I seen that. You can't hide a love that strong, but clearly she likes me because that was some kiss!" Robin winked at Regina blatantly adding fuel to an already burning fire.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about," Regina said lifting her chin slightly, she was standing her ground and if she was going to tell anyone about her love for Emma, Robin would be last on the list.

"Yes, you do," Robin said moving closer to Regina before Regina held her hands out not letting him come any closer to her.

"Are you going to force me to kiss you like you made Emma?" Regina said raising an eyebrow, anger laced in her voice and her eyes were deadly, if looks could kill Robin would be six-feet-under.

Robin scoffed at Regina and took a step back. "Now, I don't know what you're talking about, she _wanted _to kiss me." Robin smiled, bitterly.

Regina gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut, just like her daddy her taught her for many years. As much as she wanted to tell Robin where to go and scream at him a little more, she didn't. Instead, she smiled weakly through gritted teeth and made her way out of the Oval office. She headed for her office where the rest of her paper work needed to be finished, as far as she was concerned everything was ruined.

* * *

That night Regina didn't get a wink of sleep, every conversation playing on her mind and the image of the love of her life and her husband haunted her dreams. The next day Regina had a charity event to attend and a dinner to attend later on that night, she hated being First Lady she found it seriously boring and sometimes the boredom was crazily dangerous, because she was left with just herself and her thoughts.

Once, she had smiled and pretended to love her job and everything about it, she headed back to the White House, as she made her way into her office, Ruby tried to stop her and speak to her but Regina just shrugged her off and kept walking until she slammed the door in Ruby's face, leaving Ruby to take the hint.

As Regina sighed against the door with closed eyes, she was startled when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hi," Emma whispered, she had been waiting for hours on Regina but didn't want to risk bumping into the President so she decided to just hide in the First Ladies office.

"Hi," Regina said, she couldn't get over how beautiful Emma looked as per usual, she was dressed to perfection and her hair was to die for.

"I was looking at these pictures on the wall, there's one of Jackie Kennedy, can you believe she sat in this office? And Hilary Clinton, like now the office is yours, your picture will be up here someday." Emma smiled as she stood at stared at the giant portrait of Jackie Kennedy on the wall. "I could just reach out and touch these pictures, not many people could do that." Emma smiled as Regina walked next to her with folded arms and stood looking up at the picture.

"You could but," Regina said pausing for effect, "We do not touch the First Ladies," Regina continued.

Emma smiled weakly. "We do not touch the First Ladies," Emma repeated softly.

"Unfortunately," Regina added before she snapped out of the trance she was in and made her way to her desk where she took a seat. "What can I do for you?" She asked.

Emma followed closely behind Regina until she took a seat in front of Regina's desk. "We need to talk," Emma said, looking at Regina with big wide eyes full of fear and emotion. Regina could tell this was just as scary for Emma as it was for her.

"We do?" Regina asked raising a perfectly polished eyebrow.

Emma paused for a moment before answering. "We do." She simply replied.

"We can't talk in here," Regina said pointing her pen towards the camera in the office. "Come on," Regina said as she stood up and without a word Emma got up and followed Regina around the White House and into her bedroom, it was the only room in the house where a private conversation could be had.

Once, Regina sat down on the sofa in her bedroom, Emma took a seat across from her, "What do you want to talk about?" Regina asked pretending not to know what Emma was talking about, this was so awkward, and you could cut the awkwardness with a knife.

Emma paused again before deciding to bite the bullet and throw it out there. "About yesterday, about the fact your husband thinks you love me, about the fact that you think I kissed your husband, about the fact you can't even look at me," Emma said quickly.

"I know you didn't kiss Robin," Regina said softly, still not looking Emma in the eyes.

"You do?" Emma asked, hope and a slight bout of happiness lacing her voice.

"I do," Regina smiled. "My husband thinks I'm in love with you because he saw the way I looked at you," Regina said vulnerably. She was putting it out there, there was only so long she could carry this secret and before everything boiled over the edge and she had a breakdown, she had to tell someone. "I like you, Emma, I always have, but I can't like you, it just can't happen," Regina said, baring her feelings out in the open.

"Why can't it happen?" Emma asked, she couldn't believe Regina felt the same way as she felt about her, it was crazy that Emma had spent all these years in love with her but couldn't say anything and in this moment in time, how she wished she had said something sooner.

"Like I said yesterday, I'm The First Lady of the United States I can't be gay," Regina said, this time it was he voice that was laced with angst and fear. "I just can't."

"It's not a choice, Regina." Emma said, finally causing Regina to look up at Emma. "You didn't choose to be gay, you didn't choose not to love your husband, stop being so hard on yourself," Emma said, her words hitting Regina like a bullet, she had never thought about it in that way before, maybe if she had spoken to Emma about it all those years ago, things would be so much more different now. "I see the way he treats you, you can't live like this anymore, and it's going to kill you." Emma said.

"I feel numb all the time, so it won't kill me but the way I look at it, numb and fine are the same, I can do this and I can be a good wife without loving my husband as long as the media thinks everything is good then that's all that matters," Regina smiled not realising Emma's mind was now crazy in over drive.

"So, if we were to get together and the media or Robin was never to find out everything would be great, right?" Emma said with hope in her eyes.

Regina's eyes fluttered wide and her heart was racing was Emma really suggesting they have an affair? She paused for what seemed like forever, she had no idea what to say. "I can't." Regina simply said. "I'm sorry but I really can't."

* * *

"Have you seen The First Lady?" Robin asked her chief of staff, he was desperate to find her after their little argument earlier.

"I'm sure she went to her bedroom with Emma, they had things to talk about in private, apparently." Ruby smiled innocently thinking absolutely nothing about it.

"She went to her bedroom with Emma?" Robin asked, in shock, his plan had failed.

"Yes, sir." Ruby smiled as she walked away holding a bunch of files close to her chest.

Robin's thoughts were seething; it was time to get the ultimate revenge on Regina. It was time to tell the media his wife was a lesbian.


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Drama, Romance