"Sherriff Swan, what are you doing here?"

Emma whirled around to see the Mayor of Storybrooke standing in the middle of the school gym. The lights that had been set up gave a nice glow to everything, and it made Regina's face look mysterious and sexy—

"I'm here for Henry. He said this dance needed chaperones. So here I am." Emma cleared her throat and looked anywhere but at the mayor, trying not to what show what she was feeling.

Regina nodded. "I'm sure he'll be pleased. It seems I am also a chaperone, so we're stuck with each other for the rest of the evening, I'm afraid."

Emma didn't try to disguise her groan. She didn't even like dances, and being at one with the one person in town she hated? Yeah, this was going to suck. Henry so owed her.

But then again, this is what parents do.

The dance started at 7:30. Emma had gone home and changed her usual garments—she was wearing a green sundress, but kept her brown boots on. Regina hated those damn boots. As if the woman didn't look tough enough already.

In the car I just can't wait,

to pick you up on our very first date

Is it cool if I hold your hand?

Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?

Henry beamed when he saw Emma, and Regina noticed with a sinking feeling that he had not smiled at her like that in a long time. Henry began dancing and Emma didn't know what to do with herself, so she stationed herself by the snack table and dug in. The other chaperones looked at her in askance, but she didn't care. Regina was the only one with the balls—er, guts—to tell her to leave the snacks for the kids. Emma rolled her eyes and told Regina to cover for her while she went and got some food, because she was freaking starving.

Regina frowned. "Sherriff Swan, you are supposed to stay here to chaperone this dance. Didn't you eat anything before you came?"

For some reason inexplicable to the mayor, Emma started to flush and look flustered. "No. I..um…I was getting ready for this dance."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "I didn't think it mattered to you that much."

"Yeah, well it does. I love Henry, you should know that. And before start in on how he's your son and how hell would freeze over before you call him 'ours', let me just say that I was looking forward to tonight. Not just for him." Those last four words slipped out of Emma's mouth before she could close it, and she's not really sure why she said them. She hated the woman standing in front of her with an inextinguishable passion. Didn't she?

Regina's mouth could have caught flies. She recovered quickly however, and smiled, surprisingly cordial for once. "Well, Miss Swan, it just so happens that I am hungry as well.

Do you like my stupid hair?

Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear?

I'm too scared of what you think

You make me nervous so I really can't eat

"I thought you said you were starving?" Regina had ordered Emma a cheeseburger with fries, and the blonde had not touched her food.

"Yeah, I…I guess I lost my appetite."

Regina sighed. "I can understand why. Cheeseburgers are hardly a nutritious food item—

"Then why did you order it for me?"

"I know how much you like them. At least it is better than smoking." Regina couldn't help herself from sounding like a mother. From sounding like she cared about Emma, which she absolutely didn't.

But Emma was not stupid, at least, not tonight. She seemed to understand the silent statement in Regina's words, but she was smart enough not to say anything.

After Regina had eaten her chicken salad, they left the restaurant, which was not Granny's, but a little bistro just outside of town.

Let's go, don't wait, this night's almost over

Honest, let's make this night last forever

Forever and ever, let's make this last forever

Forever and ever, let's make this last forever

Emma danced with Henry, but to her credit told him to dance once with his mom as well. Regina never said thank you, but did give Emma a grateful smile.

When you smile, I melt inside

I'm not worthy for a minute of your time

I really wish it was only me and you

I'm jealous of everybody in the room

At some point, Regina asked Emma to dance. There was no malice in her eyes, no fakeness, which made Emma even more suspicious. But she followed Regina out to the gym floor, and they swayed slowly together, even though the song was rather fast paced.

"Why are we doing this?" Emma just had to ruin the moment by overanalyzing and asking questions."

Regina laughed. "I guess because I put you under a spell."

"Wha-?"

"Relax, Miss Swan, this is just my way of saying thank you."

"For what?"

Regina hesitated. "For not minding getting stuck with me."

Emma couldn't help searching Regina's eyes for sincerity. She used her super power, and what she saw was that Regina was telling the absolute truth.

Please don't look at me with those eyes

Please don't hint that you're capable of lies

I dread the thought of our very first kiss

A target that I'm probably gonna miss

Let's go, don't wait, this night's almost over

By the time the dance was over, Emma and Regina were stuck with clean up duty, because the other chaperones were all dicks. At least that's what Emma had said, and Regina had laughed before she could stop herself. To her dismay, Emma's crude sense of humor was growing on her. Regina had arranged for Mary Margaret to take Henry home. She mandated that Emma should start cleaning up the balloons, which was a mistake. Soon Emma was sucking in helium and singing the words to 'I Got You Babe'. Regina had tried so hard not to look the least bit amused, but failed, and soon both of them were seeing who could sound the most like Alvin. Regina won by a hair, because her voice was slightly higher.

"No fair!" Emma squeaked. "Your voice is sexier than mine!"

Regina laughed. "We really should get to cleaning this up."

By midnight, the gym was spotless and all the lights in the gym were taken down. Regina was exhausted but for some reason did not want to leave quite yet. There was something she had to do. Emma had started to walk out of the building to her car, and Regina cursed her high heels as she ran to keep up.

"Miss Swan, wait!" She had to say, trying not to sound to desperate or anything, because of course she wasn't desperate.

Emma turned, tired and pissed because she had planned to be in bed long before this. "What is it, Madam Mayor?" The mask of mere toleration had slipped back on Emma's face, and Regina was taken aback by this. Where was the woman she had danced with, had gone to dinner with, and had spent two hours goofing off with? They had practically just gone on a date, for God's sakes! It was Regina's turn to be mad.

"I'm sorry, Sherriff. I guess I thought for one night, we could put aside our differences, but I guess I was wrong. Good night."

"Wait." Emma grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry, I was a total—

"Dick." Regina finished for her.

Emma laughed. "Yeah, I guess I was. I just don't know what happened tonight. I mean, you and I are supposed to be sworn enemies. I'm pretty sure Henry has it in his book. I know, that shouldn't mean anything. It doesn't—I'm just really confused, because I think I like you and I don't know why, I mean, you have nice eyes and your butt looks nice in those pants that I say I don't like but I really do, and I know I'm rambling, but I really don't know how to stop—"

Regina stepped closer, smirking. "Let me fix that for you." She placed her hands on Emma's hair, cradling her cheeks with her palms. She was so gentle, as if squeezing her too hard would shatter her into a million pieces. Her lips met Emma's, and Emma melted into her. Soon they were so molded together that it was hard to tell where one body ended and the other began. They fit perfectly together, in every way.

Honest, let's make this night last forever

Forever and ever, let's make this last forever

Forever and ever, let's make this last forever