Once Upon a Time 1. Prologue

**A/N:** First dip in the Swan Queen ship. I actually ship Regina with almost everybody, as long as she is happy, and this idea I had on the roads of Spain was actually working better with Emma. I'm actually quite nervous to hear what you think of it. The idea is to see the relationship between Regina and Emma evolve through a series of karaoke nights with or without Henry. This chapter is just an introduction though so our two favorite ladies will start singing in the next one.

For it to work I actually changed a few things. The main thing is that Henry never got the book so he never turned against Regina. The curse is still real though, and Emma is the savior. Henry and Regina looked for Emma together because Henry was curious, so Regina is a lot nicer to Emma.

Anyway, I hope you'll like it and don't hesitate to tell me what you think and what could be better. :)

As for my other fic (the EC one) for the ones reading it, I'm not giving up on it. It's just that I wanted to start with this idea before writing the next chapter.

All mistakes are mine (English is not my first language).

**Disclaimer:** _Surprisingly_, I own nothing. Though if someone offers me the show, I'd gladly take it.

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"Henry, did you brush your teeth this morning?"

The ten-year-old rolled his eyes at the question coming from the kitchen. "Of course mom, like every other morning." However he knew that the cause for his mother's nervousness was him and his desire to meet his birth mother, so he didn't add anything to this sentence. He didn't want to piss her off. He knew he should be thankful for her acceptance of the fact that he had wanted to invite his birth mother. It hadn't been a given, knowing his mother and her protective nature.

That's why all morning he had answered all of her questions dutifully, even if she already knew all of the answers. Yes, he had brushed his teeth. Yes, his hair was combed. Yes, his shirt was clean. Yes, none of his toys were hanging around the house. Everything was ready, except for his mother who couldn't calm her nerves.

The dread had settled in the day Henry had told her about his intentions to find his birth mother. She had been hurt at first, not understanding why he would want to look for another mother when everything was going so fine between them. Sure she wasn't here a lot, her job as mayor keeping her away from home a lot more than she would have wanted. And she hadn't been able to offer him one big happy family, all her relatives being dead and her want to find a partner close to zero. But still, things were going great between the both of them. It had always been like that, ever since she had welcomed him into her house. The mayor and her son, the only one who had been able to break her hard shell.

Henry had sensed her discomfort and had been quick to reassure her. Looking for his birth mother was mainly him being curious and he didn't want anything to change between them. And she had assured him that she believed him. She had tried to convince herself that she believed him. Although in the end she wasn't sure she had managed to.

And now, only ten minutes away from finally meeting this Emma Swan who had given birth to her son, she was pretty sure that she, in fact, hadn't succeeded at all in convincing herself that Henry wasn't trying to replace her. She was too used to the good things in her life being ripped away from her and she was afraid of this happening one more time.

The realization made her breath quicken. Why had she accepted to look for the woman in the first place? Why had she been looking for something that might ruin her?

She didn't get the chance to panic much further as Henry suddenly appeared in the kitchen and threw her a curious look. He was obviously wondering what was happening to her and she didn't want to worry him, so she managed a small smile and tried to speak in her calmest voice. "I'm just a little bit nervous, that's all."

"Don't be, mom. Everything is going to be fine." And to add to his words he went to hug her, wrapping his little arms around her middle. She quickly responded to the hug by wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her head on his and they stayed like that for a little while.

Feeling the love coming from her son seemed to calm her a bit. However it had the complete opposite effect on Henry.

Seeing his mother so nervous made him wonder if he had done the right choice. To be truthful he wasn't really sure of why he had gone looking for his birth mother. It hadn't even been a real plan of his before Mr. Gold told him that he might know of some ways to find her. It had merely been an idea that had been trotting in his head ever since his mother had told him about his adoption.

But what if his birth mother didn't like him? Or what if _he_ didn't like her? It was possible after all. His mother had warned him that his birth mother's reasons for giving him away might be ones he wouldn't like. She didn't want to see him hurting, she had said. He had brushed it off, seeing it as one more tentative to go back on her decision. But what if she was right? What if this meeting would turn out to be a total disaster?

But before the both of them could let their nerves get the best of them, they heard the doorbell. There was no going back now. They had made their choice and they'd better stick with it. That's what Regina had always taught her son: never give up. Although she often wondered if sometimes she should not have given up some grudges she held. But then she remembered that in the end it had gotten her Henry.

They entangled themselves from the hug and Regina started taking strong strides towards the mansion's entrance, her determination back up again. She was Storybrooke's mayor, former Evil Queen, and she would be damned if she didn't appear as such. Henry followed her, fueled by her determination. If his mother could do this, then so could he.

That's in this state of mind that they both opened the door to find a fidgeting woman standing awkwardly on the other side. That she was beautiful was the first thought that crossed the brunette's mind before she could shake it off and focus on other considerations. For example, she noticed how similar to Henry her facial expressions were. It made it really easy for her to decipher the intense nervousness the blonde woman was sporting and she felt a little better for it.

Just like his mom, Henry also took his time in studying the woman before him. She was tall and blonde. Though the first thing he noticed was her red leather jacket, something he didn't see that often in Storybrooke. Surely something he wouldn't see his mother wearing either. She was… different. Different from all the other people in Storybrooke and he found that he quite liked it. Little did he know that his brunette mother had reached the same conclusion, although she wasn't quite so ready to admit it, still feeling a little bit threatened by the bond Henry might form with her.

Feeling a tad bit uncomfortable under the staring of both the mansion's inhabitants, Emma decided to break the silence. "Hi, I'm Emma."

A grin broke on Henry's face and he continued for her. "Emma Swan. 28 years old. Has been living in Boston for two years. Works as a bounty hunter."

Emma chuckled at the speed with which he recited all of this. This was definitely a weird way of being welcomed, especially for someone who didn't like people knowing anything about her. But the grin on the boy's face didn't make it threatening. It was actually kind of cute. "Yep, that's me. Though it's a little bit creepy that you know all of that and I don't know anything about you."

"Well, you do know that I'm Henry Mills since we wrote it in the mail. You know where I'm born and when, obviously. And you also know where I live since you're here."

"He is a smart kid, isn't he?" said Emma while turning to the silent brunette, curious to find out more about the woman standing next to her son. She was breathtaking, that was for sure. If Emma had known that small provincial towns like this one were hiding such beauties, she would have come here sooner. However her neat clothes -red blazer, white shirt opened up just low enough to suggest without showing, pencil skirt looking like it was molded on her, killer heels- were telling her that they did not play in the same category. This woman was class itself and Emma was just… Emma.

Regina startled at the interruption, having retreated to the back of her mind. She recovered quickly and put on a smile, one of her bright political ones, and extended her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm Regina Mills, mayor of Storybrooke."

Emma shook the extended hand, not too surprised to find out that it was one of the softest hand she had ever touched. She met the mayor's deep brown eyes and almost got lost in it. But she wasn't here for that so she just shook these thoughts away and smiled. "I'm glad to finally meet you." That she had been imagining her ever since she gave Henry up for adoption was something she didn't dare to say. She didn't want to put too much pressure on the woman.

The small exchange was followed by an awkward silence which Regina eventually decided to break, being the perfect hostess that she was. "Maybe you could come inside. I cooked us lunch and I wouldn't want for it to get too cold."

It was all the invitation Emma needed to come into the house and sit at the table with her new-found son and his mother. The afternoon quickly went away, Henry being his curious self and making the discussion for everybody. Emma was thankful for it as she wouldn't really have known what to say otherwise, the situation being kind of strange, especially with the weird looks Regina was throwing at her. Apparently looking for Henry's birth mother hadn't been her idea.

But Emma had to admit that she was being very gracious about it. Sure, she wasn't welcoming her with open arms, but still, she was being polite and almost friendly. The job as a politician probably helped, Emma thought bitterly. She didn't know exactly why but she wanted this woman to like her, _really_ like her, not just to pretend to.

Or maybe she knew why, after all her eyes were drifting a little too much to the brunette's cleavage.

When six o'clock came around, Henry started looking nervously at his watch and at his mother. Emma noticed the movement and wondered if she had maybe overstayed her welcome. They had only talked about having lunch together and here she was, imposing herself on a family that didn't need her. She would always be the third wheel anyway. With these thoughts on her mind she rose from the couch they had moved on to somewhere in the afternoon, and started looking for her jacket. "I'm sorry. It feels like you have some things to do and I have already been there for quite a while. I should go."

Henry was quick to get up and stop her though. "No, it's just that we usually go to this karaoke night on Friday. But it's okay, you should stay. We can miss it this time." He turned towards his mother then, suddenly thinking about something. "I mean, if it's okay with you, mom, of course."

Before Regina could hesitantly nod, Emma shook her head. "No, please, don't miss it. I wouldn't want to get in the way of your family traditions."

Emma couldn't help but notice the gratefulness in Regina's eyes. Apparently this karaoke night meant a lot to her and Emma could easily see that Henry canceling it to spend time with her instead could have hurt her very much.

But Henry wasn't so easily deterred. It took him only a few seconds of thinking before a big excited grin covered his face. "You could come with us. It's a lot of fun."

The blonde was about to protest some more, trying really hard to find some other excuse when in fact she really wanted to go, but Regina got up too and laid her hand on her forearm, effectively calming her. "He is right. You should come with us."

Emma was surprised by the way Regina seemed to really mean it. She would have thought that the brunette would do everything she could to get rid of her, but apparently Henry's excitement mattered more to her. Although she tried to rationalize it by thinking that if Henry didn't get to have her come with them, he wouldn't be so much fun during the night, and Regina probably wanted to avoid that, but she couldn't shake the thought that maybe Regina really wanted her there.

"Okay. Though I'm not much of a singer."

"You have to sing, Emma! Everybody sings!"

Henry's excitement was nice to see but Emma shook her head anyway. "Nobody will make me go in front of a lot of people and sing, not even you, kid."

And that's when Regina did something completely unexpected that had Emma almost drooling due to the sheer sexiness of it. She leaned towards her and smirked with her perfectly red-painted lips and spoke in a low tone that had Emma's stomach dropping. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Regina couldn't not notice the effect she just had on the blonde and she couldn't deny that she really liked it. She liked knowing that she could make everyone drop at her feet without doing much of anything at all. Her smirk only grew and she pressed her fingers under the blonde's chin. "You shouldn't keep your mouth open like that, dear, it's unbecoming."

The blonde promptly closed it, not even having realized that her jaw had dropped. Embarrassed, she swore to herself that she wouldn't get caught off guard like that ever again. Now that she knew that Regina wasn't as innocent as she seemed, she would know how to answer back next time. Nobody could outdo her, not even one very hot and sexy mayor.

Regina saw the change in the woman in front of her. Even if it was only the slight squaring of shoulders, the standing up a little straighter, she could tell that maybe this Emma character would be kind of interesting.

Henry looked at the exchange curiously but didn't really think anything of it. He was quick to snap them out of her thoughts though. "So, can we go?"

"Of course, Henry. Just grab your coat and put on your shoes." The words weren't even out that he was already running off somewhere, not wanting to miss the beginning of the weekly event. Regina went to the entryway, checking that Emma was following her, before grabbing the red leather jacket and handing it to Emma.

The blonde was quick to slip it on and noticed Regina's gaze directed at her. She raised an eyebrow in question, but Regina just shook her head. "It's an interesting choice of clothing."

"Is it your way of saying you don't like it?"

"No, just that it's interesting, that's all."

She turned to grab her coat and purse, and Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Madam Mayor."

Although she pretended not to have heard anything, Regina found that she rather liked the way her title rolled off the blonde's tongue. She wondered if her previous title of_ 'Your Majesty'_ would sound just as good but she didn't get much chance to think it over. Henry was already coming down the stairs and they were off to their usual bar for their traditional night of karaoke, all filled with a lot of expectations.

Emma was curious of hearing the mayor sing. With the exception of their last exchange, the mayor had seemed to be very uptight and she would never have pictured her as a karaoke addict. However she couldn't wait to hear what that sultry voice could do when singing.

As for Henry he was very happy about introducing his birth mother to one of his favorite family traditions. He wanted to include her in his family, at least for one day. For once he would not be the kid who only had one family relative, one who was feared by all the town.

And Regina was just intrigued by Emma. 28 years with the same people could be quite boring and she had the feeling that Emma was way more interesting than all of them. One night wouldn't hurt anyway.


	2. 1st night

_**A/N:** Hello everyone! Thank you so much for all the followings and the reviews. I wasn't so sure about the idea of this fic at first. Though I guess you'll see in this chapter if I did it right or not. I actually had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you will have just as much fun reading it._

_Don't forget to review and if you have songs you want to see in this fic, do tell. I have an outline and a few songs prepared but some are not working very well so I'm open to suggestions._

_(And if you want to listen to the songs they sing in this chapter to hear what it sounds like -though you'll quickly recognize them-, I'll put the names at the end so as not to spoil the surprise.)_

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When they finally reached the bar, Emma was surprised to find out that it was actually packed. It was definitely not something she would have expected on a karaoke night, knowing how embarrassed people usually were with their singing. But Storybrooke was proving itself to be quite a different town from what she had known up until now.

They made their way to one of the only available tables in one corner of the room and Henry tilted his head at Emma's less than stellar facial expression. "You make a funny face when you're surprised."

Regina stifled a laugh at the unexpected comment and Emma glared at her before focusing on Henry. "It's just that, I don't want to upset you with this, but usually karaoke nights are kind of… lame? They are embarrassing. How come there are so many people?"

"_Don't judge, don't tell_ policy, Miss Swan. What happens here stays here." Regina was happy to supply. In fact she was convinced that it was more the curse's doing than anything else. People seemed to be forgetful in Storybrooke, they probably didn't even remember who had made a fool of themselves the previous week.

"And it works?" Henry and Regina both nodded so Emma dropped it. "If you say so…"

She was about to ask for a few embarrassing stories to taste this supposed policy when a good-looking waiter made his way towards them and focused his attention on Regina, seemingly ignoring the two other persons sitting at the table. "Hello Mayor Mills, I'm glad you could make it today. I was waiting for you. Is there anything I can do for you tonight?"

The way he had of staring at Regina made Emma's blood boil. Sure she had no claim on the woman, but she didn't appreciate watching some random guy obviously flirting with her. Fortunately Regina didn't seem in the mood for it either, as she offered him what Emma had come to recognize as her politician smile and decided to completely ignore the underlying message. "Two glasses of wine and one of juice would be good. Bring us some dips too."

She then turned away from him and replaced some hair that had fallen over Henry's eyes, which was promptly followed by a roll of eyes from the boy. When the waiter finally understood that he had definitely lost her, he went away with their order, his shoulders slumped.

Emma watched the scene attentively and waited for the waiter to be truly gone before talking. She let go of a low whistle who got Regina's attention. "Wow, you do know how to deal with unwanted attention! You didn't even have to say anything."

"It's just experience, Miss Swan."

Not content to leave it at that, Emma was about to follow up by another question on how often this was actually happening and if Regina actually indulged in it sometimes. For all she knew the woman could have a boyfriend. Sure neither she nor Henry had mentioned it but it was a possibility judging by the attention she seemed to receive.

However she thought better of it when she remembered Henry's presence at the table. She was turning out to be quite a pitiful mother. Not that she was trying to be his mother in any way, she had given up that right a long time ago, but the least she could do was using this day to get to know him better and satisfy his curiosity. Not to try and find out about his mother's love life.

Though one could argue that her love life had some kind of influence on the kid, and therefore it would be completely justified to inquire about it. In Henry's best interest.

With that new excuse in mind, Emma tried to be subtle. "So… it has always been just the two of you? No boyfriend?"

When she raised her eyes and met the brunette's gaze, she couldn't help but notice the mirth in the brown eyes and her mocking smirk. Apparently she hadn't been as subtle as she would have wanted to be. But it looked okay as Regina didn't seem offended by it, rather… interested? Could it be that Regina Mills was actually considering flirting with her?

She was pulled out of such considerations by Henry, who fortunately hadn't yet noticed the game his mothers were starting to play. Or maybe he had noticed and was just waiting to find out how it would play out, preferring to sit back and pretend nothing was happening. He was, indeed, much more observant than people usually gave him credit for.

"No. Mom doesn't date."

So ten years without dating? Emma snorted. Like someone could go this long without getting any. Especially when people were offering as often as they probably were with Regina. "Yeah… right."

But Regina stood her ground, her eyes fixed on Emma and a small smile on her lips. "No, my son is right, Miss Swan. I don't _date_."

The way she said it painted the picture pretty clearly. After all Emma didn't usually date either but it didn't mean that her bed had been empty all the time. Although she wondered how Regina managed to do that with Henry always in the house, but she must have her ways. Which meant that she still had her chances.

She berated herself as soon as the thought got in her head. No, she didn't stand any chance and she shouldn't want it anyway because she was Henry's birth mother and Regina was his mother. It was way too complicated.

To avoid embarrassing herself any further, Emma chose to concentrate on the stage where people were already singing. It didn't sound so bad actually.

Meanwhile Regina observed Emma's profile, finding that she was liking what she was seeing. But just like Emma before, she once again reminded herself that Emma was Henry's birth mother and that the situation was too weird for anything to really happen. And she was still suspicious of the blonde's motives towards her son, even if the blonde's behavior was actually pretty comforting.

Soon enough the drinks and the food were brought to the table and conversation started easily enough, everyone quite enjoying their night.

When they were done with the food Henry looked up expectantly at the stage then at Emma. "So, you're going to sing, Emma?"

"I'm not so sure, kid. Why don't you go?"

Regina shook her head at the obvious diversion tactic. "Don't be so scared. It's actually a lot of fun."

"And I believe you, you should just go first."

There was some kind of dare in Emma's tone which made Regina laugh. Apparently the blonde didn't believe that the mayor was the kind of person to get up and sing on stage. Well, she was about to prove her wrong. Not only did she not have any problem with it, but she was also doing it every week. "Alright. Do you want to sing with me, Henry?"

The ten-year-old nodded enthusiastically and quickly got up from his chair. "Yes! Let's show Emma how great karaoke night actually is."

Regina rose from her chair too, albeit with a lot more grace and placed her hand between Henry's shoulder blades. "You're right. I do believe that she still doesn't quite believe us."

And with that they both made their way towards the stage, Emma's eyes fixated on them. She watched them climb on the small wooden stage and Henry going to whisper something in the ear of the man in charge of the music. Meanwhile Regina went to lower one mike to Henry's height, apparently knowing very well what it actually was. She then brought a second one closer, placing herself behind it.

Henry ran towards his mike just as the first bits of the song were heard. He then started to sing with a huge smile on his face while Regina snapped her fingers in rhythm with the song, her hips rolling with the beat.

_"When the night has come_

_And the land is dark_

_And the moon is the only light we see_

_No I won't be afraid_

_No I won't be afraid_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me."_

He looked at his mother when he said it and the smiles they exchanged made Emma's heart clench. It was a bittersweet scene for her. On one hand she was happy that Henry had ended up with a mother who loved him as much as Regina did and who had provided him with everything all these years. It was heartwarming to be able to witness such a cute representation of the love between the mother and her son. But on the other hand her heart was aching for what she could have had.

She could have been the one up on that stage, singing with her son without a care in the world. She would have loved him. The memories of the moment when she had held him in her arms for the first but also last time were a testament to that. A single tear escaped her as she watched them sing the chorus together.

_"So darling darling stand by me_

_Oh, stand by me_

_Stand by me, stand by me."_

Although she could have tortured herself a lot more with these thoughts, she preferred concentrating on the love showing in her son's eyes. He had a mother and he loved her. He was happy, safe. Someone was standing by him, always. She probably couldn't have given him that. At the time she was just a scared teenager with absolutely no resources.

Dwelling on the past would do her no good, so she just listened as Regina and Henry continued blowing her mind with their little show.

_"If the sky that we look upon_

_Should tumble and fall_

_And the mountain should crumble to the sea_

_I won't cry, I won't cry_

_No I won't shed a tear_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me"_

She wiped away the tear that had escaped her previously and cheered for the two people she had just met but couldn't get enough of. She looked around her and saw that people were just as happy with the song as she was. They were all smiling while looking at the adorable duo.

However when her eyes fell on the waiter from earlier, her smile faded somehow. The way he was ogling Regina didn't sit well with the blonde at all. On an impulse she called him over with her best demanding glare and asked him for a glass of scotch, forcing him to turn away from the stage and go and look for her glass.

Then, with a satisfied grin, she turned back to the stage, just as the chorus once again ended. At this point Henry stopped singing and allowed for his mother to show her beautiful voice to their audience. He had noticed that Emma didn't believe in his mother's singing abilities and he wanted to show her that she had been wrong.

_"So darling, darling_

_Stand by me, oh stand by me_

_Oh stand now, stand by me, stand by me_

_Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me_

_Oh stand by me_

_Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me."_

Not only did it work to show his birth mother that the mayor could very well sing, but it also had one effect that he hadn't been expecting (and that he didn't notice, too young that he was). Indeed the sensual voice of the brunette, coupled with the move of her hips and the fiery eyes she was directing at her, had Emma clenching her thighs together and trying hard to focus on something else. The brunette certainly liked to tease.

Fortunately for the blonde the chorus came one last time and Henry joined in, somehow covering his mother's voice and diverting Emma's attention to him.

When the last note could be heard the room burst in applause and both Mills bowed while laughing before going back to their table. Henry excitedly ran towards Emma while Regina followed him more slowly, minding her steps in the dark room.

"So, did you like it?"

"I loved it, kid. You were amazing."

His grin widened, if it was even possible, before he plopped down in his chair, quickly followed by his mother. Once she was settled she turned towards Emma. "Well, did we manage to change your views on karaoke or are you still skeptical?"

"Still a little bit skeptical. I think I'll need a few more drinks. Not everybody has your voice."

"Something tells me you're just being modest, Miss Swan."

It was Emma's turn to smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Oh, I'll find out." With that she made a sign to the waiter who came back with two more glasses of scotch. She slid one towards Emma with a playful smile and waited for the blonde to drink it. If alcohol was the way to make Emma sing, then alcohol she would get. She then excused herself and left Emma with Henry and her glass of scotch.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Henry faced Emma with curious eyes. "You like her."

Emma almost spilled her drink, not having been expecting that at all. "What? …No. ...What do you mean?" She put her glass safely on the table, waiting for him to elaborate on his assertion. It hadn't even been a question… Was she that obvious?

"I can feel it. She likes you too by the way."

"I don't know where you are getting all of that, kid, but I can assure you that nothing is going on. I'm here for you, and you only."

He let that sink in for a few seconds while he took the time to examine her expression. Eventually he tilted his head. "I wouldn't mind, you know." He knew that he'd better get to the point soon, his mother would come back from the restroom and he wanted to get his message across before that. "If it's because you think that I'll be upset, it's stupid. I know you're here for me, but if you can make my mom happier too, it's awesome."

She didn't get the chance to respond. Regina was already making her way back to their table. It didn't stop her from staring at Henry though. That kid was something, that was for sure. She couldn't believe she had just gotten the green light to flirt with Regina from Henry.

The brunette in question arched her eyebrow at Emma's strange behavior. "Is everything alright, Miss Swan?"

"Emma."

"I'm sorry?"

"You should call me Emma."

Regina looked at her quizzically but didn't seem to get any other answers so she turned to Henry who just shrugged. "I think she wants to sing."

That had Emma quickly reacting. She suddenly snapped her head upwards and shook it fiercely. "Nope. No singing for me."

But Henry didn't let go. He fixed Emma with a knowing glare and discreetly angled his eyes in his mother's direction. "Come on Emma, you were just telling me that you had a song to sing before mom came back. Don't be a chicken."

She rolled her eyes at his son's antics but let herself be convinced. With a loud sigh she drank her glass in one gulp and rose from her chair. "Alright, kid, I'm going to sing."

And looking at Henry's excited grin and Regina's surprised eyebrow, she couldn't help but think that maybe it was worth it. And if it wasn't, the alcohol she had ingurgitated was enough to convince her that it was.

So she bravely made her way towards the man in charge of the music and said something in his ear which was promptly followed by a chuckle from him. And sure enough, when the first notes of 'Hungry eyes' could be heard, the audience started laughing. Apparently she would be the one showing everyone that karaoke could be embarrassing tonight.

She quickly went to the mike and asked for the music to be paused for a few seconds. When that was done and she had everyone's attention, she took a big breath and smiled to the audience who was looking at her curiously. "Hey everyone!" She was relieved when they all greeted her back while laughing. They had obviously all had quite some drinks so maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal if she made a big fool out of herself. "I would like to dedicate this song to one sexy brunette."

They all followed her gaze to see that Emma's attention was directed at Regina and they laughed. There were a few hollers for the mayor, which had Regina blushing. To say that Emma's intervention had surprised her would be an understatement. She quickly looked in Henry's direction but was relieved to find him with a wide smile and a glint in his eyes. It didn't seem to be a surprise for him and Regina wondered if he had a hand in this. But she didn't get to think about it much as Emma started singing.

_"I've been meaning to tell you_

_I've got this feelin' that won't subside_

_I look at you and I fantasize_

_You're mine tonight_

_Now I've got you in my sights."_

The attention and knowing smirks she was getting from the inhabitants of Storybrooke had Regina blushing pretty hard at first. However she quickly got over it as she reminded herself that she was no blushing maiden and chose to focus solely on the blonde's ridiculous gestures and the stupid grin she had plastered on her face. So she laid back in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest and threw Emma a challenging glare.

Emma was not one to be intimidated though, especially not after the few drinks she had had, so she only sang louder and more enthusiastically.

_"With these hungry eyes_

_One look at you and I can't disguise_

_I've got hungry eyes_

_I feel the magic between you and I."_

Regina was biting her lip while trying not to show that she was actually enjoying the song. It felt good to be serenaded, even if it was in such a cheesy way. Henry's laugh made her turn her head towards him and she saw that he was seeing right through her attempts at keeping a neutral face, so she dropped it and shook her head while laughing.

_"I want to hold you so hear me out_

_I want to show you what love's all about_

_Darling tonight_

_Now I've got you in my sights._

_With these hungry eyes_

_One look at you and I can't disguise_

_I've got hungry eyes_

_I feel the magic between you and I_

_I've got hungry eyes_

_Now I've got you in my sights_

_With those hungry eyes_

_Now did I take you by surprise_

_I need you to see_

_This love was meant to be."_

Everyone was singing along now, even Regina, and Emma felt pretty proud of herself. She made a mental note to follow Henry's advice more often. He obviously knew what he was talking about, judging by the happy face and laughs coming from Regina.

Emma was actually finding it to be one of the most beautiful things on earth when the song finally came to an end. There was a thunderous applause but Emma kept her eyes locked on Regina through it all.

Eventually she made her way back to their table with proud steps and plopped down on her chair, seemingly exhausted by such a show.

"Well it seems that you do enjoy karaoke, dear. Or do you still think that it's- what was it you said? ah yes. _Lame._"

"Okay, karaoke is not lame. But seriously though? I dedicate a song to you and that's all you have to say?"

"Actually it's going to take more than some hungry eyes to get me to say more."

"You're impossible, woman."

"I've been told."

While Henry was greatly amused by their easy banter, he didn't manage to cover the yawn that he had been trying to stifle for a while now and Regina immediately noticed. Checking her watch, she saw that it was already late and past Henry's bedtime.

It didn't take them long after that to leave the bar on Regina's orders and for Emma to be sent back to Boston in her death trap, as Regina had gently called it. There had been an offer to stay the night but Emma had politely refused, invoking some work she had to do in Boston the following morning. They would do that again someday though, or at least that's what they promised each other while waving goodbye.

* * *

_Stand by me (Ben E. King)_

_Hungry Eyes (Eric Carmen)_


End file.
