Chapter 2: Morning Dew
Emma sat by the riverside. She had gotten up before dawn to come down here and meet with Regina away from prying eyes. The sun was rising, but it was still cold. She practiced her magic as she attempted to start a small fire. Use your anger. She flicked her wrist. Nothing. Okay what's really pissing me off? She thought of Walsh. That should do it! A tiny flicker of sparks lit up before her. What the fuck? I've got no more anger than that towards that… thing? Geez, I almost married a flying monkey! Don't go there, don't go there…Emma breathed in deep before she exhaled calmly. Regina sure had fun at my expense yesterday: conjuring up a banana and making jokes about bellhop caps. Hell, she was the one who put me in New York City. She had the nerve to say it was to broaden my horizons, expose me to new and different experiences. Fuck her. Emma flicked her wrist again. A huge burst of flames ignited before her. The ground was on fire, which reached to the trees and started burning the branches.
"Oh shit!" she exclaimed. She quickly grabbed the blanket upon which she had been sitting and hurled it at the flames, trying to extinguish them. Suddenly, a vortex of purple smoke descended upon the scene. The fire was sucked up into it immediately… and disappeared.
"Hey," Regina offered.
"Hey," Emma replied.
"God," Regina protested. "I hate being up this early. Just not a morning person."
"So you did that? You put the fire out?" Emma exclaimed.
"Duh," Regina yawned as she sat down. "What was that all about, anyway?"
"Oh, um… nothing," Emma replied sheepishly as she plopped down beside her.
"Give me that blanket you were waving at the flames," Regina demanded.
Emma turned the blanket over to her. Regina wrapped it up into a pillow and laid her head upon it, closing her eyes."You weren't trying magic without me, were you?" she yawned again.
"Well, yeah. Maybe a little," Emma responded.
"Told you not to," Regina's voice drifted away as she seemed to be falling into sleep. Emma waited. Regina's eyes were closed as she breathed quietly. Emma waited. Regina began to snore softly.
"Regina," Emma nudged her. Nothing.
"Regina!" Emma shouted. Nothing. All right then. You asked for it. Emma cupped her hands at the edge of the river to gather water. She splashed it upon the other woman's face.
"Buckets of water! Buckets of water! Only way to melt a…" Regina suddenly came to.
"What are you doing?" she queried in an irritated voice.
"Waking you up, hello!"
"I'm no good without my coffee: wine at night, coffee in the morning. Couldn't get coffee this morning."
"Why not?" Emma asked. "Granny's is open before dawn."
"Yeah, but then they would know I was up to something. I never go in there before ten… we're on the DL, remember?"
"Awake now?" Emma peered at her anxiously."
Yes. Let's get started."
Regina stood up and took Emma's hand."Walk with me."
"Okay," Emma offered cautiously. "But let's make sure we don't cross the town line or…"
"Or what," Regina smiled. "I might turn into a flying monkey?"
Emma cringed, as she knew what was coming.
"Thought you might like that," Regina continued. "Memories of past loves. Wild monkey sex. I mean, you almost married one, right?!"
"Maybe this is a mistake," Emma said as she dropped Regina's hand.
"What?" Regina asked innocently.
"Having you teach me magic," Emma responded. "Maybe it's a mistake."
"It's not," Regina replied sincerely as she took her hand again. "I'm sorry. Walk with me."
The sun made its way delicately through the tree branches as they continued for some time, hand in hand, along the riverbank.
"It's beautiful," Regina broke the silence.
"It is," Emma agreed. She stopped walking and stood before her. "But, what's this got to do with magic?"
"Look around you, Emma," Regina smiled.
Emma gazed at the early morning sunlight as it fell upon the bare tree branches, turning gray into gold. She glanced at the river and noticed diamond-like sparkles as the current caught the light. She looked up to the sky, as clouds ignited in red and orange, reflecting the rising sun.
"Wow. It is magic," she smiled.
Regina gazed at her face, beautiful and radiant in the morning light. All the magic I'll ever need.
"Teach me more, Regina," Emma beamed.
"Look at the river," Regina instructed. "Feel the currents."
"Feel the currents?" Emma scratched her head.
"You must become one with the power of the water."
Regina raised her hand and passed it over the water. A whirlpool emerged and then receded.
"You did that?" Emma asked excitedly.
"Yes, and so can you. Let yourself feel the power of the morning. Let yourself go."
Emma closed her eyes and listened to the water. She reached out her hand and passed it over the river. The water began to rise.
"That's good, Emma," Regina coached. "Now let go."
"Um… what?" Emma asked as she opened her eyes and stared at her.
"Let go," Regina reiterated.
"Of what?"
"Of that!" Regina was suddenly alarmed.
Emma glanced to where her hand was still extended. A huge waterspout was about to descend upon them.
"Oh," she said as she dropped her hand and jumped back. Regina was drenched from head to toe as the water cascaded upon her. "That."
Regina looked livid.
"Um… sorry?" Emma proffered in a meek voice.
"Sorry?!" Regina fumed.
"Well, you can just cast a dry-off spell or something, can't you?"
Regina used her hands to vigorously shake water out of her hair.
"As a matter of fact," she eyed Emma, "there is no dry-off spell."
"Aw, c'mon," Emma continued. "There has to be! I mean, there's a make-clothes-magically-disappear spell but no dry-off spell? Why?"
"Why? Because no one expects to be nearly drowned by a wayward waterspout! This is what I get for trying to teach a complete waste-of-talent like you!"
A minnow suddenly came flying out of her hair and lay flopping upon the ground.
"That is SO disgusting!" Regina screamed.
"It's just a little fish," Emma commented as she gently picked it up and placed it back into the river.
"Oh no," Regina smirked sarcastically. "Wouldn't want the minnow to be lost."
"A pop-culture reference?" Emma feigned shock. "Regina, did you just crack a joke?"
"Where's that blanket?" Regina ignored her question.
"Oh, here," Emma said as she wrapped the blanket around her and started drying her off. "You are a mess!"
"Oh yeah," Regina lifted an eyebrow ominously. "Well, I wouldn't want to be the only one!"
Emma realized she was standing at the water's edge.
"Oh no, Regina. No you don't!"
She put up her hands towards the other woman in a defensive manner, but it was too late. Regina shoved her hard as she fell backwards into the river. Emma stood up shivering with a scowl on her face.
"What did you do that for?"
"Just wanted to make you wet," Regina replied haughtily.
"And you thought shoving me into the river was the best way to achieve that?"
Regina tilted her head slightly and pursed her lips as she gave a quick shrug. Emma trudged out of the water menacingly. She walked right up to Regina until she was mere inches from her face.
"You are so wrong in so many ways," she shook her head. "I don't know why I bother with you."
Regina placed her hands on either side of her head and kissed her.
"Well, there's that," Emma relented.
Both women smiled. Regina extended the blanket around her as they sat down upon the ground.
"It's a long walk back," Regina sighed. "However will we warm up?"
"I could light a fire!" Emma blurted, reflexively, then quickly shook her head. "No, wait… check that."
Regina rolled her eyes.
"I'll light a fire. Go gather some wood."
Emma proceeded to do as instructed, when suddenly a thought occurred to her.
"Hey, who elected you the girl in this relationship?"
Regina extended both hands displaying impeccably manicured fingertips.
"Right," Emma shook her head. "Wouldn't want to break a nail," she muttered under her breath.
Emma stacked the wood in front of them as Regina effortlessly ignited it.
"That's kind of a big flame" Emma critiqued. "Aren't you afraid you'll burn the tree."
She pointed at branches hanging low over them.
"My fires are completely under control," Regina offered in a superior tone of voice.
"Now take your clothes off and hang them over the branches to dry."
"What? No way! That won't work!"
Regina flicked her wrist and Emma was suddenly stark naked as both their clothes were neatly hung over the branches.
"What the fuck?"
Emma glanced around quickly before scurrying under the blanket with an equally naked Regina.
"As I was saying, however will we warm up?"
"Cold, wet, and naked, huddled together under a blanket… I think I may have an idea," Emma smirked as she rolled Regina over onto her back and kissed her.
"Finally," the other woman sighed. "I was beginning to think my hints were too subtle."
Emma kissed her again to silence her as she ran her hands over her breasts. She laid a trial of kisses up and down her body, stopping to nibble on each nipple, before she buried her head between her legs. Regina arched up to meet the sensual assault on her nether regions. As the sound of the river flowed by them on a bracing note, two lovers writhed to its rhythmic song.
_____
"Warm enough?" Regina queried.
"Smokin' hot, as usual, Babe," came Emma's reply as she held Regina in a tight embrace.
"I guess we should be heading back now."
"Okay," Emma agreed. "Just dry our clothes first. I don't want to put on damp things now that I'm all warmed up."
Regina looked at her quizzically.
"Emma, I already told you I couldn't do that."
"You were serious? That wasn't just a ploy to get me naked?"
Regina gazed at her dumbfounded.
"You honestly think I know how to dry clothes? I have a woman who does that for me!"
"Geezus, Regina. That's so fucked-up."
"Not really. Good help is hard to find these days and my cleaning lady's a keeper!"
"Not that!"
"What then?"
"That we have to put on damp clothes. I hate that!"
Regina pondered for a moment.
"That is problematic. Why don't we just put on our shoes, wrap the blanket around us and carry our clothes back to our cars. It's so early. There's no one out here to see us. What could go wrong?"
_____
David set up a folding chair for Mary Margaret near the edge of the river.
"You are so gallant, sir," she smiled as he eased her into the chair.
"Anything for my beautiful wife," he said as he kissed her forehead and wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. "I swear… you become more lovely each day. Pregnancy becomes you."
"I'm so glad we can come down here to enjoy nature with our unborn child," she sighed.
"Are you warm enough, Darling?" he queried.
"Perfect. Look how beautiful everything is in the morning light!"
"It is lovely," he sighed as he sat down beside her.
"Okay," Mary Margaret said as she ran her fingers threw his hair. "Something's bothering you. Out with it!"
"You know me so well," David smiled up at her. "It's just this partnering our daughter with Regina thing. I'm not sure I like it."
"Why?"
"I know that they give us our best chance at figuring out this new curse, but," he shook his head. "I don't know. Regina could be a very bad influence on Emma."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Mary Margaret offered.
_____
Emma and Regina were making their way along the path towards the parking lot, clothes in hand, beneath a shared blanket when, suddenly, they heard voices.
"Shit," Emma hissed. "There are people over there. I don't want to run into anyone."
"We do look oddly conspicuous," Regina agreed.
Emma surveyed their surroundings.
"I think if we cut up across that hill we can reach our cars without being seen."
"Poison oak is, of course, one of my favorite ailments," Regina protested. "But it's better than being caught together, I guess," she begrudgingly agreed.
As they started up the hill, they glanced back down towards the river and spied David and Mary Margaret sitting by the river's edge. Emma quickly pulled Regina down behind a bush.
"Look!" she whispered dramatically.
"What the fuck are they doing here?" Regina hissed. "She's about ten months pregnant!"
"Shhh!" Emma cautioned. "I want to hear what they're saying!"
"You're still worried about what Archie said about love/hate relationships?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I'm sure Emma would never become involved with Regina in that way," David replied.
"They're talking about us!" Emma's gasped.
"Hardly surprising," Regina rolled hers. "They have no life of their own."
"Shush!" Emma elbowed her. "I can't hear."
"You're worried too much about it, Sweetheart. Emma's a grown woman. She won't do anything she doesn't want to do."
"I know. But she does have a tough way about her at times… her chosen profession, her jacket.""
What's wrong with my jacket?" Emma nearly jumped up from their hiding place. Regina's hand on her shoulder forced her back down.
"David, that's completely absurd. A person's sexuality is not determined by outward appearances. It's based on true love, like ours."
"Gag me," Regina coughed out.
"Shush!"
"You're probably right," David conceded. "After all, she has only been with men."
Regina began to laugh out loud before Emma silenced her with a hand across her mouth.
"Did you hear that?" David jumped up.
"It was nothing, my love," Mary Margaret soothed. "Just a bird. Relax."
David returned to her side.
"You're right," he grinned. "I worry too much, a little on edge, I guess. And as far as Emma is concerned: Neal and Killian are her only suitors."
"Oops! He forgot the flying monkey," Regina teased.
"Shut up," Emma elbowed her again.
"So, Killian, is it?" Mary Margaret smiled. "You've started to accept him?"
"He grows on you," David smiled back."But, I'm still a little worried about Regina."
"Why?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Yeah, why?" Regina repeated.
"You remember her reputation in the Enchanted Forest. She was ruthless and wanton. Everyone knows she seduced that fairy, Tinkerbelle."
"I did nothing of the kind," Regina began to jump up before being restrained by Emma.
"And you remember the stories about that girl from the land of Aladdin, Scheherazade?" David resumed. "She kept her prisoner for 1001 nights and had her way with her."
"Is that true?" Emma questioned astonished.
"It was 101 nights. I don't know why everyone gets that wrong." Regina's eyes turned seductive as she glanced at Emma. "And worth every blessed moment."
Emma hit her hard on the arm.
"Ow," Regina cried out.
David jumped up.
"Don't tell me I didn't her that!"
"No. I heard it, too!" Mary Margaret assented.
"Someone's watching us," he stated emphatically.
"I'm going to check this out!"
He began sprinting up the hill towards Emma and Regina's bush.
"Run!" Emma yelled.
As they turned to dash up the hill, their blanket caught upon the bush and was ripped from them. As David arrived at their position, he made out two naked women cresting the hill. What the hell? His instinct was to chase after them, but he quickly abandoned the notion as he looked back down to his pregnant wife, anxiously awaiting him on the riverbank. As he turned to walk back to her, he noticed a blanket caught upon a bush. He untangled it and carried it down with him.
"What was it?" Mary Margaret asked him anxiously.
"Odd," came his response. "I only saw their behinds, I mean, saw them from behind. Two naked women."
"Oh," Mary Margaret blushed. "Young lovers, perhaps?"
"I don't know. But…"
"But what?"
"I don't know…"
"Out with it," she demanded.
"One blonde, the other brunette… it kind of looked like Emma and Regina."
"David," Mary Margaret admonished. "You're obsessing! Get over it."
"Of course you're right, as always, my darling" David kissed her lips.
"They left this behind," he stated as he placed the blanket in her lap.
Mary Margaret's eyes grew wide.
"David, this is our blanket."