Chapter Text

Chapter One

Prologue

In the mid twenty-first century, a world-wide nuclear war broke out, killing nearly half of the world’s population. After the war was over, those who survived the violence and the nuclear blasts were left to rebuild society. For the first time in hundreds of years, the human race had hope for a peaceful world. That was until people began to experience unexpected organ failure, for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Scientists and doctors worked diligently for years, attempting to determine what was causing the random organ failure. Eventually, after years of continuous research, they discovered a tiny genetic mutation–caused by the dangerous nuclear fallout and passed down to younger generations–in the affected organ’s DNA sequence, which led to the organ’s ultimate failure. The only treatment was organ transplantation, which resulted in a critical need for organ donations. Millions of people needed transplants and the United Network of Organ Sharing and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Waiting List could not keep up with the demands as thousands of people continued to die from organ failure. Laws were eventually passed forcing everyone to become an organ donor at the time of their death. 

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Waiting List changed drastically as well. Since all patients suffering from this disease were classified as critical, a patient’s position on the transplant list was no longer based on the inherent need for the organ, but by how much a person was able to pay for their place on the list. Those with the financial means paid for a place higher on the list, and those who could not afford to pay were placed at the bottom. One hundred years later, as humans continued to evolved, so did the mutation–known as Isolated Idiopathic Total Organ Failure or IITOF–and now only affected roughly twenty-five percent of the population, the odds of the mutation being higher amongst those with family members who were affected with the mutation.

While researching and attempting to find the cause and a cure for IITOF, scientists and doctors accidently stumbled upon a small piece of genetic code buried deep within the strands of a person’s DNA. A genetic code that was too small to have previously been detected, until now. Soon they discovered that, while this genetic code was as unique as a person’s fingerprint, it was possible for two individuals to contain the exact same genetic code in their DNA. And so the soulmate gene was discovered. Now, scientists were able to find a person’s soulmate, the one person on the planet that shared the same unique genetic code. 

As soon as this information was made public, AI companies raced to develop the means to search for each individual pairs, bringing together those who were genetically linked. A database was developed and filled with DNA samples that could be run through a computer program, identifying the individuals with identical genetic codes. From that, The Eros Network–named after Eros, the Greek God of love, desire, and procreation–was born. A virtual network that allowed people to connect with their soulmates, regardless of where they were located in the world. The Eros Network brought together hundreds of millions of people who would never have had the means of meeting without the technology. One hundred years after a world-wide nuclear war nearly destroyed all of humanity, humans were connecting in ways they never could have dreamed of. 

This is the story of two women in the year 2150, who met and fell in love in this virtual world.

Chapter One   

The busy waiting room was buzzing with activity, everyone anxiously awaiting their turn. The trio sat patiently, mindlessly swiping through the holoscreen in front of them, preparing themselves for what lies ahead. Suddenly, the door opened and a woman in a long lab coat walked out, her eyes trained on the tablet in her hands as she scanned the screen for the next person’s name. 

“Emma Swan?” she called out, her head snapping up to scan the people waiting. 

“Right here,” Emma said, raising her hand as she slowly stood from the uncomfortable waiting room chair. 

“Good luck, sis!” Neal said with an excited smile. 

“Knock’em dead, kid! We’ll meet you out here when we’re all done,” Ruby said, smacking her ass and laughing as Emma rubbed her throbbing cheek. 

“I’m sorry about them,” Emma said, following the woman down the long hallway to the last room on the left. 

“It’s alright. We get a lot of people coming in with their friends and family. It can be a bonding experience if you do it together,” the woman said, motioning for Emma to have a seat. Emma cautiously took a seat in the equally uncomfortable chair as the woman sat down across from her, plugging her tablet into the large computer on the desk. 

“Welcome to The Eros Network. How are you feeling about everything?” 

“I’m alright. I’m a little nervous to be honest.” 

“That’s completely normal. There’s nothing to be worried about, though. It’ll be over before you know it. What made you decide to join The Eros Network?” the woman asked, attempting to ease Emma’s anxiety. 

“My brother and sister convinced me. I was very hesitant for a while, the whole thing feels very sci-fi to me. But they made a compelling argument, so here I am,” Emma said, nervously picking at her nails. 

“I completely understand. I was on the fence myself for a long time until my best friend convinced me. She and her husband got married last year. After they met in The Eros Network, and I saw how happy she was, I made an appointment the next day and applied for a job a week later,” the woman said. 

“Did it work for you?” 

“I would say so. My soulmate and I met for the first time outside of the network last month.” 

“So obviously you don’t regret doing this?” 

“Not at all. It was one of the best decisions of my life. We wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for The Eros Network. He lives in Scotland, and I have a fear of flying. The network gave us the opportunity we would never have had otherwise.” 

“That’s encouraging,” Emma said with a nervous smile. 

“I know it sounds weird at first. And I’m not going to lie, it does take some getting used to. But before you know it, logging into the virtual network to meet your soulmate for a date is going to feel like the most natural thing in the world.” 

Emma shifted uncomfortably. “I hope so.” 

“You’re going to be fine, Miss Swan. I promise,” the woman said with a reassuring smile. “And, to be frank, most people are just as nervous as you are.” 

“That makes me feel a little better.” 

“Great. Why don’t we get going so I can send you on your way. Are you familiar with the procedure?” 

“Kinda?” Emma said with a nervous shrug. “I know it has something to do with my DNA being uploaded to a server or something.” 

“That’s the short, short version of what we do here. First, we take a small sample of your blood, which gets sent to our lab. There, our scientists work to locate the tiny genetic sequence they call The Soulmate Gene and map it out, leaving behind your unique genetic sequence. Think of it like a fingerprint for your DNA,” the woman explained, as if reciting from a script. 

“That kinda makes sense.” 

“Next, we upload your DNA fingerprint to The Eros Network database where it will hopefully be matched with the person with the identical genetic sequence. Once your match is located, you will get a notification on your personal communication cuff and your journey together can begin. There are a few more rules about maneuvering through our virtual network, but all that will be explained once you complete the tutorial later.” 

“Sounds simple enough,” Emma said, releasing another nervous laugh. 

“It really is,” the woman said with a smile. 

“Now, there are two parts to this procedure. Which would you like to start with, the full body virtual scan or the blood draw? Most people like to start with the full body scan, since it can be the most uncomfortable.” 

“Yeah…can we start with the scan?” 

“Of course,” the woman said, standing from her chair and opening the door in the corner of the room. “It’s really easy, don’t worry.” 

“Thanks…” Emma said, joining the woman in the back of the room. 

“Just step in here and lock the door. Because The Eros Network allows you to have consensual sex with your partner within the virtual network, you will have to take off all of your clothes in order for the program to obtain the most accurate scan of your entire body.” 

“That makes sense.” 

“Now, all you have to do once you’ve completely undressed is to stand in the center of the room,” the woman said, pointing to the metal circle in the center of the room. “When you’re ready, you just need to press the red button on the back wall. You’ll then have ninety seconds to assume the correct position before the scan begins. The lights in the room will turn off during the scan and turn back on once it’s complete. Then you just redress and come back out for us to continue.” 

“Do you…ummm…do you see the scan when it’s done?” 

“No! No human will see the scan except you and your soulmate, and that only happens when you consciously remove your clothes within the virtual network. No one will see the image unless you want them to,” the woman assured her. 

“Okay. I’m not usually this self conscious,” Emma said, trying to convince herself–more than the woman–of her lack of insecurity. 

“It’s completely understandable, It’s very invasive. I felt the exact same way when I did my scan. Between you and me, if you don’t like the way the scan comes out, or if you change your physical appearance, you can come back as many times as you want to update it,” the woman said with a wink. 

Emma chuckled. “That’s good to know.” 

“Now, make sure you spread your legs as wide as you can, and extend your arms so you’re in a “X” formation,” she said, demonstrating the proper position. “That will ensure the most accurate scan. Once the scan starts, it should only take about five minutes.” 

“Okay…” Emma said, her nervous energy returning. 

“Take your time. I’ll meet you back out here when you’re finished,” she said with a reassuring smile. “If you unlock and leave me your cuff, I can get everything set up on there while you’re scanning, so we can move things along quicker once you're done.”

“Sure,” Emma said, quickly turning off the DNA scanner on her cuff and handing it to the other woman.

“Perfect. I’ll get started.” 

Emma took a deep breath and stepped into the small room, locking the door behind her. She quickly undressed and hung her clothes on the small hooks along the wall before stepping onto the metal circle as instructed. She quickly hit the large red button before she could chicken out, initiating the procedure. 

“Please stand according to the chart in front of you. Hold the posture as accurately as possible and avoid moving to assure the best possible results. The room lights will turn off while the scan is in progress to avoid light pollution interfering with the results. Scan will commence in ninety seconds,” the automated voice instructed. A timer counted down as she assumed the instructed position and the room went completely dark once the timer reached zero.

It was the longest five minutes of her life, as she stood in the pitch black room while the computer system scanned every inch of her body–including her most intimate areas. Ruby had warned her about this part, but no amount of forewarning could truly prepare you for that level of intimacy. Eventually the lights turned back on, indicating the scan was over. She got dressed as fast as she could, eager to leave that tiny room–and her embarrassment–behind. 

“How did it go?” the woman asked as soon as Emma reentered the room. 

“Alright. I hope I stood still. It’s hard to stand with your legs spread eagle and your arms over your head for five minutes, wearing nothing but your birthday suit.” Emma laughed slightly, to cover up her embarrassment.

“At least that’s over,” the woman said with a chuckle. 

“Thank god!” 

“Now comes the easy part,” the woman said, sliding her chair over to Emma, along with a metal tray that was already set up. “We just need a small blood sample,” she said, snapping on a fresh set of gloves and grabbing the rubber tourniquet. She quickly found a vein and cleaned Emma’s pale skin with an alcohol swab before grabbing the needle. “Alright, Emma. Small pinch,” she said, before she carefully pricked Emma’s skin. The vial quickly filled up with Emma’s dark red blood, and a few moments later it was all over and she was covering the small puncture wound with a bandaid. “Alright. The hardest parts are over. Now all that’s left is all the technical mumbo-jumbo. Ten more minutes and you’ll be on your way!” she said, dropping Emma’s blood sample into an envelope with a large code on the front and placing it carefully on the desk. 

She typed a few things quickly into the holoscreen keyboard that was projected on top of the desk before scooting back over to Emma and handing her back her cuff. “These are your transmitters. They will allow you to access the virtual network,” she said, flipping open the small container to show Emma the buds inside. 

“Oh, I’ve seen things like this before,” Emma said as she reattached her cuff to the magnets implanted into the dermal layer of the skin on her wrist. “In the early twenty-first century, they used to call these airbuds, or earpods, or something like that. They used them to listen to music.” 

“Airpods. I’ve seen those too. These are very similar, but instead of transmitting music, they will transmit your consciousness into The Eros Network. All you have to do is place them in your ears like this…” she said, pulling out one of the transmitters and gently inserting it into Emma’s right ear. “That will automatically pull up The Eros Network on your cuff. Once you are ready, you can either hit the connect button on your cuff or holoscreen, or verbally respond to the prompt, and you’re in! Easy peasy!”

Emma inspected the small transmitter carefully. “What does it feel like? When you go into the network.”

“It feels like…” The woman paused for a second, trying to find the right words to describe the experience. “...it feels like falling asleep. One minute you’re awake in your bed, aware of the world around you and then the next you’re in the middle of a dream. You don’t remember how or when the dream started, you’re just suddenly in the middle of it. It’s the same with the network. One minute you’re lying in your bed, and the next you’re in The Eros Network main menu. You don’t remember how or when it happened, it just does.”

“Does it feel weird? When you’re with your soulmate inside of a computer network?”

“Honestly, maybe a little at first. But after a while, you don’t even notice.”

“That doesn’t seem so bad,” Emma said, pulling out the foreign object and rubbing the inside of her ear before handing the transmitter back to the woman. “Alright. Unless you have any questions, that’s all we have to do here. The rest of the setup is done at home.” 

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. You’ll eventually be asked to complete the tutorial on how to maneuver through the system, but other than that, you’re good to go! Do you have any questions?” 

“How long…umm…how long do I have to wait for the results?” 

“It takes a few weeks for the scientists to locate and extract your code. Once they find it they can quickly upload it to the network. When that happens, the computer will immediately start searching the samples already in the network for your code. If your soulmate is already in the system, you’ll be informed as soon as the connection is made.” 

“And what if they aren’t already in the system?” 

“Then, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until they decide to join the network.” 

“What if they never join? Or worse, what if they are already gone? ” 

“Gone?” 

“As in…no longer a part of this mortal coil?” 

“Oh. As of now, there is no way of knowing if your soulmate has already passed on. It’s unfortunately a risk you have to take.” 

“Gotcha.” 

“Any other questions?” 

“No, I think I’m alright,” Emma said, looking down at the transmitters in her hand. 

“Perfect. If you think of anything, we have 24/7 customer service representatives, who can be reached right through your cuff. And come back anytime if you want to update your avatar.” 

“Will do. Thank you so much,” Emma said, standing from her chair. 

“You’re welcome. Good luck!” 

“Thanks,” Emma said as she started to walk out of the room, double checking that her new transmitters were securely in her pocket. 

“Oh! One last thing. Make sure you keep the transmitters in the case whenever you’re not using them so they stay charged. There’s nothing worse than having your transmitters die while in the heat of the moment, and you get pulled out right at the good part,” the woman said with a sly wink. 

“Good to know!”

“Good luck! And thank you again for choosing to be a part of The Eros Network!” Emma smiled back as she walked out of the door and followed the signs back to the waiting room. 

Ruby practically knocked her over as she entered the room. “What the hell took you so long?” she asked as they took their seats to wait for Neal. 

“I was a little nervous, so I think the woman took a little extra time explaining things to me.” 

“So, what did you think?” 

“It wasn’t as scary as I thought.” 

“Told you! Joining the network is the easy part. Waiting for the match, now that’s going to be torture.” Ruby laughed just as the door opened again and the next person waiting was ushered back. 

Neal returned to the group a few minutes later, just as excited as Ruby was to meet his soulmate. They talked excitedly for a few more minutes until the waiting room became too overcrowded, forcing them to leave the building.

“Who’s going to call the pod?” Emma asked as soon as they walked outside.

“I ran out of credits yesterday. I only get enough free credits to get to-and-from school and I forgot to ask Mom to refill my ride credits,” Neal said.

“I’m a little scrapped for cash this month, and I only have enough to get me to work tomorrow,” Ruby said.

“You guys are a mess,” Emma said as she started tapping on the screen of her cuff. “If you wanted me to pay for the pods today, all you had to do was ask.”

“Hey, you’re the one with the fancy job,” Ruby protested.

Emma rolled her eyes. “I would hardly call my job fancy…” she paused as she reviewed the ride request. “Pod should be here in three minutes.”

“Thanks, sis. I owe you.”

“No, you’re fine. I don’t mind paying, even though this whole thing wasn’t my idea,” Emma said with a sarcastic tone.

“Yeah yeah, you’ve mentioned that already…quite a few times,” Ruby said, playfully punching Emma’s arm.

Exactly three minutes later the Automated Electric Driver Pod pulled up directly in front of them, the words: Ride scheduled for Emma Swan scrolled around the entire sphere in large letters. 

“Please identify yourself,” the automated voice announced as soon as they approached the vehicle. Emma stepped forward and allowed the car’s retinal scanner to search her eyes. “Emma Swan has been identified,” the pod announced as the automatic door slid open.    

They climbed into the pod and quickly took their seats. “Please stand clear of the closing door,” the pod announced a few seconds before the automated door closed. “Please confirm the intended drop off location.” Emma loudly and slowly recited their home address, trying to speak as clearly as she could. “Thank you. Please fasten your seatbelt and enjoy your ride. The expected travel time from Jacksonville, Florida to Tallahassee, Florida is approximately two hours and thirty minutes.” A moment later the pod merged into traffic and they were on their way back home. 

Ruby and Neal talked a mile a minute as Emma stared out the window, her mind running as fast as her siblings were talking. 

Ruby gently nudged Emma with her foot, pulling her out of her trance. “You’re awfully quiet. Did we lose you, kid?” 

“No, I’m still here.” 

Neal shifted his entire body to better look at his sister. “What’s up, sis? You’ve been silent since we left The Eros Network. You okay?” 

“Yeah, I’m alright. Just thinking is all.” 

“I thought I smelled smoke.” Ruby laughed, receiving a kick in the shin from Emma. “OWW! That hurt, bitch!” 

“You’ll live.” 

“What’s going on, Em?” Neal asked, ignoring the fact that his sisters were fighting like children. 

“I don’t know. I’m probably just tired,” Emma said, trying to change the subject. 

“Nope. You’re not getting out of this one. Tell the class what’s going on! And that’s an order.” 

“Bully!” 

“Ruby’s right-” 

“NEAL SAID I’M RIGHT!” 

“Ruby’s right…” Neal started to say, ignoring Ruby’s outburst. “You can talk to us.” 

“I don’t know…” Emma said, stalling for a few more seconds. “What if they aren’t in the system? Or what if they never join the network?” Emma paused, taking a breath. “Or worse, what if they have already passed on?”

“Hey, I thought about that too. It’s just the risk we have to take for the opportunity to meet our other half. Besides, the odds that they are already gone aren’t that high.” 

“Not that high? Do I have to remind you of that tiny little genetic mutation that’s been killing people for more than a hundred years? Or have we forgotten how they discovered the very genetic sequence that leads us to our soulmates?” 

“Okay…you might be right,” Neal said, defeated. 

“Listen, kid. Here’s the thing. Yes, your soulmate could be dead. All of our soulmates could have had the mutation and are no longer on this plane of existence. But, they could also be out there, just waiting for our DNA to be uploaded to the server. It’s the risk we have to take for true love. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? Your life won’t be any different than it is right now, other than wasting two pod rides! The only thing that can happen is you meet your soulmate and you fall ass-over-elbow in love with them! I, for one, am willing to take those odds!” 

“Yeah…I guess you’re right…” 

“Of course I’m right. Neal even said so,” Ruby said, winking at Emma. “Why don’t we do this: let’s order take-out tonight and eat ourselves sick. And, if we are still sober after everything, we tackle the tutorials before we pass out. That way, all we have left to do is wait.” 

“I’m down!” Neal announced, turning his attention back to Emma. 

“Sure, why not!” 

“Perfect! Now, where are we ordering from? Mexican or Italian?”

<~**~>

“Alright guys,” Ruby said, tossing the used napkin into the empty to-go container. “Now that we are stuffed with tacos and guacamole, why don’t we all retreat to our respective rooms and tackle this tutorial BS. And when we’re done, we meet out here for some celebratory drinks.” 

Emma laughed, stuffing the last bite of her taco into her mouth. “Someone’s eager.” 

“Hey listen, I want to be prepared for when my soulmate match comes through. I don’t want to have to fumble and rush around finishing the tutorial before I can start talking to them. I want to be READY!” 

“Can’t argue with that.” Neal laughed. 

“So it’s settled. We tackle this tutorial and meet back here for an evening of drinks,” Ruby said, jumping off the couch and rushing toward her bedroom. 

Emma rolled her eyes as she started to pile the empty to-go containers. “She’s just trying to get out of cleaning up.” 

“She’s excited. I can’t say I blame her. It’s really exciting,” Neal said, gathering the rest of the garbage. 

“Why don’t you head to your room too and get started. I’ll finish cleaning up and then I’ll start my own tutorial.” 

“It’s okay, I can help.” 

“Go, bro. I’ll be right behind you.” 

“You’re going to do the tutorial though, right? You’re not just going to pretend to.” 

“No, I’m going to do it. You guys are right, I’ll never know if I don’t try. I’m just going to finish cleaning up so we don’t have to deal with it later. I’ll meet you back here when I’m done.” 

“Sounds good, sis! I’ll see you soon. And you’ll see, everything is going to work out, I promise,” Neal said, hugging his sister for a second before rushing off to his own room. Emma rolled her eyes again but smiled. Maybe they’re right , she thought to herself as she tossed the garbage into the can. Maybe everything will work out after all.

She plopped down onto her bed and pulled the transmitters out of her pocket. “Alright,” she said as she stared down at the foreign white cube. “All I need to do is put these things in my ears and then I go into the Eros Network thing, right?” she asked out loud in the silent room. She took a deep breath as she pulled the tiny objects from the cube. “Here goes nothing.” Her hands shook slightly as she carefully pushed them into her ears.

And nothing happened.

“Shit. Why isn’t this working?” She panicked, pulling the transmitters out of her ears and put them back in, pushing them farther into her ears this time. A second later, still nothing happened. “Shit. I really wish I had paid more attention to what that woman was saying earlier. What am I doing wrong?” She tapped her cuff to open the holoscreen to search for the problem when an alert startled her.

“Eros Network transmitters have been detected. Would you like to connect to The Eros Network?”

“Yes,” Emma said with a shaky voice. A second later her body fell against her bed as her mind was transmitted into The Eros Network for the first time.

<~**~>

“Welcome to The Eros Virtual Network!” a strange voice announced a moment later. Emma tried to look around but all she saw was darkness. Everything was so dark, she wasn’t entirely sure if her eyes were open or closed. “Thank you for choosing to be a part of The Eros Network. Our mission is simple: to connect soulmates from all across the globe, giving them the ability to meet and fall in love, regardless of where they are on the planet. Before you can proceed with your mate, you’ll need to complete a small tutorial. Are you ready to begin?” 

“I…ummm…” Emma said, startled at the sound of her own voice. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that response. Are you ready to begin the tutorial?” the voice asked again. 

“Ye-yes. Yes I’m ready,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. 

“Wonderful. First, we need to verify your name, date of birth, age and location. Please confirm that you are Emma Swan, date of birth October 22nd, 2122, twenty-eight years old and currently residing in Tallahassee, Florida. Is this correct?” 

“Yes,” Emma responded. 

“Great. Just a reminder, none of this information will be revealed to your match, with the exception of your name. You can decide what and how much information you reveal to your match, once you have progressed past your third date. The Eros Network will never disclose any personal information unless given prior authorization. Now, in a moment you will see a figure standing before you. This is the avatar that is associated with your account. Please confirm that this is you.” 

A moment later a pale figure began to take shape in front of her, revealing the scan she had done earlier that day. “Damn, am I really that pale?” she asked out loud, laughing as she looked at herself as if looking into a mirror. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get that. Can you confirm that the avatar before you is your likeness?” 

“Yes. Yes, that is me.” 

“Great. You may change your avatar at any point by returning to any Eros Network facility and participating in a new scan. Do you have any questions before we proceed?” 

“No.” 

“Wonderful. The next step in this tutorial is personalization. Here, you can choose the clothes your avatar will wear. For now, you will only be able to choose one outfit. Once you and your mate progress past your third date, you will be free to change your clothing at will. For now, we suggest you choose an outfit that best fits your personality. First impressions are very important, so be sure to choose something that accurately represents your style. We’ll give you a moment to think of your outfit before we proceed in dressing your avatar. Just say ‘I’m ready’ when you’re ready.” 

It took Emma less than a minute to decide on her outfit. “I’m ready,” she announced a minute later. 

“Great. Now, to change your avatar’s clothes, or to make any other changes to the environment once the option becomes available, simply say the words ‘Eros Network main menu’ out loud and you will be brought back to this room, where you will be given the options available. Say ‘Eros Network main menu’ when you are ready.” 

“Eros Network main menu,” Emma said a second later. A large screen appeared in front of her, with only a single option that read ‘Change Avatar Appearance’. 

“Speak your choice out loud to make your selection.” 

“Change Avatar Appearance.” 

“Great. Now, you can either say a specific look you would like to achieve, such as ‘little black dress with stiletto heels’, or say ‘browse black dresses’ to flip through different options. Speak your choices as soon as you are ready.” 

Emma didn’t waste any time making her perfect selection. “Dark skinny jeans, black tank top, brown lace-up knee high boots, red leather jacket,” Emma announced without hesitation. 

“Wonderful choice. One moment while we generate your outfit.” Emma watched as the avatar in front of her changed, revealing the outfit she had chosen. “Take a moment to look over your selection. Remember, you can not change your avatar’s appearance until you and your soulmate have passed the third date test. After that, you may change appearance and have access to more specific and detailed clothing options, including personal undergarments. Say ‘I accept’ when you are ready.” 

The image began to move in front of her, showing off all aspects of the outfit for Emma’s consideration. “I accept,” she said after a few minutes. 

“Wonderful. This concludes the personalization portion of the tutorial. Once you and your soulmate pass the third date test, this menu will expand to allow for more and detailed customization–including venues for future dates–which can be saved at any point. Please say ‘I understand’ to continue.” 

“I understand.” 

“Wonderful. Next is the final section: rules and regulations. Please say ‘continue’ when you are ready.” 

“Continue.” 

“Great. There are only a few rules of The Eros Virtual Network. The most important being to always remain polite and respectful. Just because this is a virtual network, doesn’t negate the rules of common decency. There is a real person on the other side of these avatars. So please be respectful. Please say ‘I agree’ to continue.” 

“I agree. Of course I agree.” 

“Wonderful. Once you and your soulmate have been matched, you may begin your dating journey. Your first three dates will be within the monitored community, so that our professionals can make sure that everything is running smoothly, and each of you are complying with our standards. The first date will take place in our First Date Cafe where you will meet over coffee to break the ice. The next two dates can be locations of your choosing, selected from our list of predetermined locations. If, at the commencement of your third date, you and your soulmate have shared a first kiss, you and your mate will be granted full access to our network. At that point, the possibilities are endless, and up to you and your mate to navigate. Each date will have a time limit, commencing once both of you have connected to the network, and will be monitored to ensure everyone’s safety. Once you pass the third date test, our team of security professionals will no longer be monitoring you, unless explicitly requested by one or both participants. Say ‘I understand’ if you understand the procedure or ‘I am confused’ if you don’t.” 

“I understand.” 

“Great. Do you have any questions about anything we have discussed today?” 

“No,” Emma said confidently. 

“Wonderful. If any questions or issues arise, please contact the 24/7 customer support line. Please say ‘I understand’ to continue.” 

“I understand.” 

“Great. My records indicate that your DNA has been logged and sent to the lab for processing. All that remains is to sit back, relax, and wait for your DNA to be processed and your gene sequence to be uploaded to the network. Once your soulmate has been identified, you will receive a message. You can begin to communicate with your soulmate as soon as the match has been accepted, and together you can navigate to your first date. Please say ‘I understand’ to continue.” 

“I understand.” 

“Great. To disconnect from The Eros Virtual Network at any point, say ‘disconnect’ when in The Eros Network main menu. Please say ‘I understand’ to continue.” 

“I understand.” 

“Great. This concludes The Eros Network tutorial. You may disconnect whenever you are ready.” 

“Disconnect.” 

“Thank you for choosing The Eros Virtual Network. Goodbye.”

<~**~>  

Emma’s eyes fluttered open a second later, returning her to the real world. It took her a second for her eyes to adjust to the bright light in the room, making a mental note to turn the lights off next time to avoid being blinded upon waking up. She pulled the buds from her ears and returned them to their charging case, carefully placing them in the drawer of her nightstand to keep them safe. 

“So, how did it go?” Ruby asked as soon as she entered the living room to find her sister and brother already waiting for her. 

“Not bad,” she said, flopping onto the couch next to Neal. 

“What did you choose for your outfit?” Ruby asked, cracking open a beer and handing it to Emma. 

“Skinny jeans and a tank. And my jacket, of course.” 

Ruby rolled her eyes at her siblings. “God, you two are so boring.” 

“Not all of us dress like a slut. Let me guess, you choose the most revealing outfit they would allow.” 

“You know it, kid! I didn’t work this hard on this body to cover her up!” Ruby said with a shit eating grin. 

“I’d like to propose a toast,” Neal said, raising his half finished beer. “To taking the leap of faith for the sake of true love.” 

“To true love!” Ruby and Emma said in unison, clinking their bottles in the center. 

“So, what’s next?” Neal asked after they all took a sip of their beers to conclude the toast. 

“Now, kids, we wait.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

“Dinner was great, Regina,” Zelena said as she started clearing the table. “I’m so glad Daddy taught you how to cook when we were kids. If not, I would have starved to death a long time ago.” 

Regina groaned ever so slightly as she stood from her chair with her plate in her hand. “Daddy was a great cook, wasn’t he?” 

“Put that plate down! You worked all day and cooked dinner. The least I can do is clean up the kitchen,” Zelena said, grabbing the dirty plate from Regina’s hand. 

“Yes, ma’am!” 

“Go, get settled on the couch and watch some stupid videos online until I’m done. Then we can watch all the stupid TV we can handle until we pass out or start to lose brain cells,” Zelena said with a chuckle. 

“I’ll keep the couch warm for you.” Regina settled into their old couch and pulled the soft blanket over her lap to get comfortable. Her feet were sore from standing all day and she welcomed the opportunity to sit for the rest of the evening. She tapped the screen of her cuff a few times and pulled up a holoscreen containing the book she was currently reading, ready to read a few pages while she waited for her sister. Her eyes focused on the first word when she heard her cuff chime with a new notification. She sighed, annoyed that the device was interrupting her reading time. She knew it was likely a junk message, but she was compelled to check regardless. 

“HOLY FUCK!” she yelled as soon as she saw the message on the screen of her personal communication cuff.

Zelena ran out of the kitchen, her arms dripping with soapy water. “What is it? What’s the matter? Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine.” 

“What is it then? You scared the crap out of me.” 

Regina looked at her sister in disbelief. “You’ll never guess what just happened.” 

“What?” 

“I just got a notification from The Eros Network!” Regina exclaimed, turning her cuff towards her sister to show off the newest notification. 

Zelena wiped her hands on the back of her pants. “The Eros Network? I thought you canceled that?” Her words remained neutral, but her tone indicated irritation. 

“I meant to, but I guess I completely forgot. Do you want to look at it together?” Regina asked, an excited smile spreading across her face. 

“Regina. I thought we talked about this.” 

“I know, I know. It can’t hurt to look though. I don’t have to message them. There’s no harm in just looking.” 

Zelena sighed as she looked down at her younger sister, who had a bright twinkle of hope in her eyes. “Alright. We can look together when I’m finished cleaning up the kitchen. But that’s all we’re doing, just looking. Then you should cancel the service.” 

Regina’s heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst through her chest as she waited for Zelena to finish. She and her sister had signed up for The Eros Network a few years ago on a whim and Zelena’s match came in just a few months after they joined. But after five years with no word, Regina had given up all hope of being matched with her soulmate. She really had meant to cancel the service, and now she had never been more happy for her forgetfulness. 

“Alright, let’s have a look,” Zelena said as she took a seat on the couch next to her sister. Regina fumbled as she tried to close the holoscreen containing her book to switch to a new screen that would contain The Eros Network. She had waited over five years to hear from The Eros Network, and now that the time had finally come she could hardly contain her excitement. 

“Here we go!” Regina said with excitement as she quickly tapped on the icon on her cuff. “ CONGRATULATIONS!” flashed across the holoscreen that was projected from Regina’s wrist and appeared in front of the sisters. 

“Congratulations, Regina Mills. Your soulmate has just joined The Eros Network. Would you like to launch The Eros Network?” an automated voice asked.

“Yes, please,” Regina responded instantly, before the question was finished being asked.

A second later, a picture of a young blonde woman with a crooked smile appeared in front of them. “Wow…” Regina breathed out. 

“A woman? That was unexpected,” Zelena said as she looked at the picture of her sister’s soulmate. “She's pretty.” 

Regain couldn’t stop staring at the woman’s bright green eyes. “She’s beautiful,” she whispered. 

“Let’s see, what’s her name?” Zelena asked, forcing Regina out of her trance. 

“Emma…Emma Swan,” Regina read. 

“Well, Miss Swan. Too bad you didn’t join the network five years ago. You might have had a shot,” Zelena said, turning her attention back to the TV. 

“Ye…yeah.” Regina said, her eyes staring at the woman in the picture. She had to force herself to close the holoscreen to keep herself from staring at it. Eventually she had to remove the device from her wrist and lock it away in her bedroom to keep herself from messaging the woman.

“Hey, are you okay?” Zelena asked when she returned from quarantining her cuff.

“Yeah, why?”

“You never take your cuff off, except for when you take a shower, and even then you forget half the time.”

“I just needed to disconnect for a little, that’s all. I read somewhere that it’s good for your health to disconnect every once in a while,” Regina lied. There had never been any research to suspect that continuously wearing your personal communication cuff was damaging to your health.

“Whatever you say,” Zelena said, turning her attention back to the television.     

Regina found herself idly staring at the TV, neither watching nor listening to the program Zelena had chosen. All she could think about was the woman named Emma, whom she had just been informed was her soulmate. “I think I’m going to head to bed early tonight. I’m not feeling well all of a sudden,” Regina said after a while.  

“You’re not feeling well? Is everything alright? What’s the matter? Should we call the doctor?” 

“No, I’m fine Zee, really. I’m just tired, is all. The little monsters were extra rambunctious today. That always happens when we get closer to summer vacation,” Regina said as she stood from the couch. 

“You’re not just saying that because you want to message that woman, right?” 

“No. I told you I wasn’t going to do that. I’m just going to lay in bed and read a little and try to get to sleep early, that’s all.” 

“Alright. I’ll pop in and check on you before I head to bed myself. Feel better.” 

“Thanks. I’m sure I’ll be right as rain after a good night’s sleep.” 

“Let me know if you need anything.” 

“Will do.” Her bedroom door was barely closed before she snatched her cuff off her bed and opened a new holoscreen to start a new message to Emma Swan.

“Hi, Emma! It’s very nice to meet you. I’m Regina.” She hit the send button before her brain could talk her out of it. “Now I just need to wait,” she whispered as she began to get ready for bed. She checked her cuff every few minutes for the rest of the evening as she anxiously waited for Emma’s response. 

<~**~>

Emma sighed as he climbed out of the pod, which had clearly not been cleaned for weeks. She was exhausted, starving, and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for the next three months. “Evening agent!” Ruby announced as soon as she walked into the door. “How was your day?” 

“Same shit, different day. Keeping the streets safe from all the riff-raff.” Emma laughed, tossing her backpack onto the chair. “Some wannabe punk tried to steal an electrobike right in front of me when we stopped for lunch. He acted all tough until we arrested him and threw him in the back of our cruiser pod. He cried like a baby the entire time.”

“Awww, he was probably just trying to impress someone. Did you really have to arrest him? Besides, those electrobikes don’t work half the time.”

“We didn’t really arrest him,” Emma said as she started to pull the items off her belt and lock them in the safe against the wall. “We just told the pod to drive around the block a few times to scare him. He was so hysterical that he didn’t even realize what we were doing. We eventually let him go with a warning.”  

“Good. We all do stupid things when we’re young.”

“I know. I distinctly remember you trying to steal alcohol from a liquor store when you were what, sixteen? Mom and Dad grounded you for six months AND made you do all of our chores the entire time. It was the best six months of my life.”

“Yeah yeah yeah,” Ruby said, sticking her tongue out at her sister. “You hungry? Neal cooked tonight.” 

“I’m famished. I’m going to take a shower and wash this day off before I eat. You going to be up for a little while longer?” 

“Of course.” 

She peeled off her uniform as quickly as she could, carefully hanging it up to be worn the next day. If her feet could speak, they would be singing hallelujah when she pulled the tights boots off her cramped toes. She really needed to put in a request for a new pair of boots, but that would have to wait. She needed to shower and eat more than anything. Grabbing clean clothes, she made her way to the bathroom, doubling back when she realized she nearly forgot to remove her cuff.

The warm water felt good on her skin as she stood in the shower. She had finished her third double shift in a row, and she still had one more to go the following day. She leaned against the cool tile wall to conserve what little energy she had left while she allowed the hot water to soothe her aching muscles, her eyes closing on their own accord as she started to doze off while standing in the shower. She could have stayed rooted in that very spot for the rest of the night, if the loud grumble of her stomach didn’t wake her from her nap. All she wanted to do was sleep, but her stomach had other plans. 

After finishing her shower in record time, she eventually got dressed and made her way back into the living room where Ruby was waiting for her; her tattered slippers making a soft flopping sound against the worn hardwood floor of their apartment. “Perfect timing,” Ruby said, placing her plate on the table. 

Emma sat down at the table, looking at the plate of food skeptically. “You warmed my dinner up for me?” 

“Yeah. I could tell you’re exhausted so I thought I would do something nice for you,” Ruby said, placing two bottles of beer on the table before sitting across from Emma. 

“Why are you being so nice to me? What did you do?” 

“What? Can’t a person do something nice for her sister without being accused of having ulterior motives?” 

“Not when you’re my sister.” 

“Alright, fine,” Ruby said as she rolled her eyes. “Neal and I got notifications today that our DNA sequences were successfully uploaded to The Eros Network and it appears that our soulmates have not joined the network yet. It also said that, when the time comes, we will receive a separate notification with their information as soon as it becomes available.” 

“Alright…” Emma said, taking a large bite of pasta. 

“Well, when you didn’t say anything about getting the same notification when you got home, I decided to snoop on your cuff to make sure you got the same notification.” 

“My cuff was on silent all day. I’ve been too tired to check it, to be honest,” Emma said before shoving another forkful of pasta in her mouth. “Wait, how did you get into my cuff? I have the DNA lock on.”

“We added each other to the DNA lock, remember? Just in case we needed to unlock each other’s cuffs.”

“Oh…shit I forgot. That’s right,” Emma said, shoving another forkful of food into her mouth. They sat in awkward silence as Ruby stared at her with a strange look on her face. “Well, did I get the same notification?” 

A shit eating grin formed across Ruby’s face. “Yeah…yeah you did…” 

“Why do I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me?” Emma asked as she reached for her beer. 

“Because there is!” 

“Ruby? What aren’t you telling me?” 

“You got a match, Emma…” 

Emma almost choked on her beer as she spit it out all over the table, nearly showering her sister in malt liquor. “Are you fucking with me right now? Don’t fuck with me Ruby. I’m too tired for that shit right now,” Emma said, her eyes shooting daggers at the brunette across the table. 

“I shit you not, Emma. Your soulmate was already in the network,” Ruby said, sliding Emma’s cuff across the table. Emma looked at the screen and was met with two large notifications from The Eros Network. 

CONGRATULATIONS! You have been matched with your soulmate.

“Holy fuck!” Emma yelled as she read the words on the screen. “What do I do?” 

“Open the message, asshole!” Emma tapped on the screen to launch a holoscreen containing The Eros Network message. 

“Congratulations, Emma Swan. It appears your soulmate is already part of The Eros Network. Would you like to view their profile?”

“Yes…NO!” Emma shouted.

“What are you doing? Don’t you want to see your soulmate?” 

“Neal!” Emma blurted out 

“Yes, Neal is our brother. He can’t be your match.” 

“No, ewww,” Emma said, throwing a piece of pasta at Ruby. “He should be here. We decided to do this together. It’s only fair that he’s here when we get our matches. I can wait until tomorrow to read it,” Emma said, closing the holoscreen and turning her attention back to her dinner. 

“Bullshit!” Ruby jumped up so fast she nearly knocked over the chair. A second later she was pounding on Neal’s bedroom door, barging in before he even had a chance to respond. 

“Damnit, Ruby. What the hell?” Emma could hear her brother’s voice, and by his tone, she could tell he wasn’t thrilled by the impromptu wake-up call. 

“Get up!” 

“What the fuck for? I was sound asleep.” 

“You’re really going to want to get up for this.” 

She could practically hear Neal groan. “What can be so important that I need to get up right this second?” 

“Emma got a match!” 

“You mean?” 

“Yes! Our sister just got a match on The Eros Network! She found her soulmate!” 

“Give me two minutes!” Neal screamed. “Tell her NOT to open ANYTHING until I get there!” She could hear two sets of footsteps running around the apartment like excited children. “Let me see! Let me see!” Neal declared as she rushed toward the table. She held out her cuff for her brother to see, his eyes lighting up the moment he looked at the screen. “Holy shit! It’s true!” 

“Told you!” 

“Are you going to open it?” Neal asked. 

“I wanted to wait for both of you. We started this together, I want you both to be here when I open it.” 

“DRINKS!” Ruby exclaimed, startling Emma. “We need drinks!”

 “I already have a beer,” Emma said, holding up her half finished bottle. 

“No, this calls for something fancier than beer!” Neal said, following their sister into the kitchen. 

“Tequila? We might have enough left for a couple of shots,” Ruby suggested. 

“No. Not tequila. Tequila leads to bad decisions. We need something classier.” 

“We might have a bottle of red wine in the cabinet above the fridge.” Ruby dragged a chair across the kitchen floor and began rummaging through the small cabinet above their ancient fridge. After a few seconds of searching Ruby pulled out an old dusty bottle of wine and jumped off the chair with a loud thud, which would definitely cause their cranky downstairs neighbors to complain. “I don’t know how old this is, but I’m pretty sure it won’t kill us.” 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Oh that’s encouraging.” Ruby found the corkscrew and quickly opened the bottle while Neal found and rinsed three mismatched wine glasses. Emma would never admit it, but her heart was pounding while she waited for Ruby to pour the wine. She had been so nervous that she would never find her soulmate, and now that the time has come she could hardly contain her excitement. 

After what felt like forever, Neal and Ruby finally joined her at the table, pulling their chairs on either side of her so they had the optimal viewpoint. “Here we go…” Emma said with a shaky breath. 

“Wait! We need to propose a toast!” Neal exclaimed, holding up her glass. “To Emma! The first one of us to find true love!” he declared. 

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t even know who they are yet.” 

“Shut up! Whoever this is, is your soulmate and you know it. It’s science!” Ruby retorted. 

“Fine! To true love!” Emma said, raising her glass. 

“To true love,” the others repeated as they clinked their glasses and took a small sip. 

“Alright, enough of this,” Ruby said, her excitement practically oozing from her skin. “Get to the good part already!” 

“Alright…” Emma said, taking a deep breath. “Ready?” 

“Yes yes! Do it already. Or Ruby is going to do it for you!” Neal said. 

“Alright…here I go!” They all held their breath as Emma tapped the screen of her cuff, projecting a new holoscreen in front of them. 

Emma was speechless as she stared at the woman on the holoscreen with the most amazing brown eyes she had ever seen. “Woah, Emma! You’re a lucky lady! She HOT!” Ruby said, nudging Emma in the ribs. 

“She’s beautiful…” Emma whispered. 

“Regina Mills,” Ruby read. “Sounds regal.” 

“She looks like she could have been royalty in a past life. Like a princess or something,” Neal said. 

“She’s beautiful…” Emma whispered again, unable to hear her family’s discussion. 

“Emma?” Neal asked, looking over at his sister. 

“Emma! Earth to Emma!” Ruby shouted, snapping her fingers in front of Emma’s face, forcing her out of her trance. 

“What?!??!” 

Ruby laughed. “Someone is clearly already smitten.” 

“I…what? No…no I’m not…” 

“Hey, it’s alright. She’s very pretty. Plus, she is your soulmate after all. It’s alright to be taken aback by her beauty.” 

“Neal’s right. I think what we are seeing here is the classic ‘love at first sight’!” 

“I…no! I’m not…” Emma released a deep sigh. Who was she kidding? “Okay, maybe you’re right,” Emma said, her face turning a deep bright red. 

“And to think you were worried that your match was already dead!” Neal said, nudging his sister slightly. 

“I’m glad I was wrong.”

“Alright, what else does it say about her? I want to know everything!” Ruby said, leaning over to interact with the holoscreen being projected from Emma’s cuff. 

Emma slapped her hand away, punching her sister lightly in the arm. “I don’t think they give you a lot of information, for privacy purposes. You get to choose what and how much you tell them.” 

“Hey Em? You know you have a message right?” Neal asked, distracting the woman from their play fight. 

“What?” 

“Yeah, see. There’s a message icon in the corner,” Neal said, pointing out the small envelope icon in the right upper corner of the screen with a red number 1. 

“Shit! I think the match came in hours ago. She’s probably been trying to message me and I never knew.” She quickly tapped the icon which flashed her mailbox onto the screen. The name Regina Mills appeared on the screen in bold letters, indicating an unread message, time stamped for seven o’clock that evening. “Shit!” Emma said, looking at the clock in the corner of the screen, the time showing after eleven. “She messaged me over four hours ago. She probably thinks I’m ignoring her!” 

“I don’t think she thinks that,” Neal said, taking a sip of his forgotten wine. “Besides, she doesn’t know what time zone you’re in. I’m sure she just thinks you were at work.” 

“But I was at work. I have to put my cuff on silent when I’m at work because I get distracted.” 

“See. I’m sure she will understand, and doesn’t think you’re ignoring her. I would respond to her though. You shouldn’t leave her on read.” 

“OH GOD! I never even thought of that! What if she thinks it’s weird that I’m taking so long to respond? What if she thinks I’m regretting this whole thing?” 

“Will you get a grip? Do I need to smack you?” Ruby threatened. 

“Please don’t!” 

“She’s not going to wonder why it took you so long to respond. Now shut up and say something!” 

“Okay…” Emma said, tapping the reply button. “Shit…what do I say?” 

“You could start by saying hi! And introducing yourself,” Neal suggested. 

“Or you could start off strong and tell her how hot she is!” 

“RUBY! I can’t do that!” 

“Why not? It’s true!” 

“Yes, of course it is. Anyone with eyeballs can see that. But I can’t start off like that!” 

“Then why don’t you start out with something simple like… Hi, I’m Emma! It’s so nice to meet you as well, Regina! ” Neal suggested. “Maybe add that you were at work when she first messaged her, so she knows you weren’t ignoring her.” 

“SEE! I knew it!” 

“No. I’m not saying she thinks you are. But just in case,” Neal said, trying to calm his sister down. 

“Okay, yeah…yeah that sounds good actually,” Emma said after she calmed down a bit. “So…so I just write that and press send?” 

“That would help.” 

“Alright…” Her hands were visibly shaking as she typed her response, hitting send before her brain could talk her out of it. “Okay, now what?” 

Ruby laughed. “Now you wait for her to respond, dumbass. That’s how conversations work.” Emma nodded, as if this was a novel concept. She stared at the holoscreen for a solid minute before a deep yawn ripped through her body. 

“Get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day. You made your first contact, that’s the most important part. You have forever to talk to her. Make sure you’re rested so you can give her the best version of yourself,” Neal suggested, nudging his sister gently. 

“I hate to admit it, but the little kid is right.” 

“Hey!” Neal protested. 

“Tomorrow is a new day. Get some sleep so you’re awake when she responds.” 

“Yeah…yeah you’re right. I’m going to get some sleep. We should all get some sleep,” Emma said, downing the rest of her wine. She quickly cleaned up her dishes and put them in the dishwasher before making her way to her bedroom. 

Emma settled into bed, the only light in the room emanating from Regina's picture projected on the digital screen in front of her face. “Goodnight, Regina, wherever you are. I can’t wait to meet you,” she whispered out loud before closing the holoscreen and putting her cuff back onto silent. She was asleep within minutes, with a bright smile plastered across her face.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Regina was sound asleep when her alarm went off the following morning, pulling her from what she assumed was a good dream. But, as dreaming often goes, she didn’t remember anything about it upon waking, only that she was left with a wonderful warm feeling. She stretched and opened a holoscreen, not quite ready to start her day just yet. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the large notification on her home screen. 

You have a new message from Emma Swan.  

Nearly squealing with delight she tapped on the screen and opened up Emma’s message. 

“Hi Regina! I’m so sorry it took me so long to respond. I was working a double shift and I just saw your message. It’s really nice to meet you! I’m Emma, by the way.” 

“Good morning! Don’t worry at all. Working a double shift must take a lot out of you. I hope you were able to get some sleep when you got home.” Regina couldn’t help but smile as she aimlessly scrolled through her email accounts, swiping to delete the many junk emails she received overnight. She often thought about how it would feel when she discovered who her soulmate was. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined it would feel this wonderful. 

She nearly jumped out of her skin a few moments later when her cuff pinged with another notification. “Oh my, that was fast!” she said as she opened Emma’s message. 

“Good morning, Regina!” 

“Good morning, Emma! I hope my previous message didn’t wake you.” 

“Not at all. It was a wonderful surprise to wake up to.” 

“Did you sleep well?” Regina regretted hitting send the moment her message appeared in the text window. “I’m sorry. I sound like an idiot. I’m just very excited to be talking to you. And, if I’m being honest, I'm a little nervous as well.” She hit send and softly rubbed her temples to soothe the headache that was developing. 

Her cuff pinged a second later and she held her breath as she read Emma’s next message. “You do not sound like an idiot. Not even in the slightest. And, if we’re being honest as well, I am also very excited and nervous to be talking to you. I really didn’t expect to ever hear from anyone at all when I signed up, so your message came as quite a surprise.” 

“I will admit, I was also quite surprised when I received the notification as well. I had pretty much given up hope that you were out there.” 

“Now I’m extra glad I signed up for The Eros Network. God, now I sound like an idiot!”  

Regina chuckled as she quickly typed a response. “We truly are a match made in heaven.” She waited patiently for Emma's next message when a knock on her bedroom door pulled her from her thoughts. 

Regina quickly closed the holoscreen just in time as Zelena’s head suddenly appeared through the cracked door. “Hey, Regina, are you up?” 

“Yeah,” Regina said, trying to cover up the wide grin spread across her face. 

“You’re still in bed? Are you feeling alright?” 

“I’m fine. Just felt like spending a few extra minutes in bed this morning is all.” 

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright? You went to bed early last night, and now you’re having trouble getting out of bed. Should we call the doctor?” 

“Zelena. I’m fine. I’m just feeling a little lazy this morning. I promise you that I am fine.” 

“Alright. I’m sorry to bother you. I just worry about you, is all.” 

“I know, and I appreciate it.” 

“Good! Now, get your lazy ass out of bed before you’re late for work.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Regina laughed as Zelena rolled her eyes before she left her sister’s room. A second later her cuff dinged, causing Regina to smile. 

“Thank you science!” Regina chuckled as a second message appeared on the small screen on her wrist. Usually she would open a holoscreen to respond to messages, but she couldn’t risk Zelena walking in again. “Well that certainly was a cheesy response. I’m sorry, I’m still half asleep.” 

“That’s alright. It often takes me a little while to wake up as well.” 

“Another thing we have in common!” Emma responded right away, which caused Regina to chuckle again. 

“Speaking of which, I better get out of bed and start my day before I’m late.” 

“I should do the same. I’m working another double shift today, so it might be hard for me to talk until tonight. I’ll try to check my messages throughout the day if I can, but unfortunately I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to.” 

“Don’t worry about it at all. Focus on your job. I’ll be here when you can.” 

“Thanks, Regina. Have a good day. I’ll message you again when I can.” 

“You too, Emma. Have a wonderful day!” Regina jumped out of bed with newfound energy. It was certainly going to be a wonderful day!

<~**~>

Emma could barely keep her eyes open. She had been working double shifts all week, and she was so tired she wasn’t sure she was going to make it to the end of her very long day. “Hey, you doing alright, Swan?” August asked, startling her from her exhausted trance. 

“Yeah…” she said, yawning so deep she nearly fell over in her seat. 

“You don’t look so good. Are you going to make it?” Jefferson asked. 

“Yeah. Just fucking exhausted,” she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before focusing out of the window of their cruiser pod, which had been set to patrol their assigned area. 

“How many doubles have you been working?” 

“Not sure. I lost track weeks ago. I think this is the fourth one this week. Could be my fifth.” 

“Damn. You need to rest or you’re going to pass out.” 

“I know. But I need the money. Besides, if neither one of you lazy asses sign up for the overtime, it automatically goes to me. It wouldn’t kill you to take on an extra shift every once in a while,” Emma snapped. “Sorry guys. I’m just really tired,” she said, rubbing her tired eyes again, hoping to wake them up. 

“No need to apologize. I get it. And you know I would if I could, but I have Grace. I don’t have anyone to watch her after school if I’m working a double. Not since her mom died.” 

“I understand,” Emma said, looking at August as if to silently ask what his excuse was.

“Hey, I have a second job, remember? I can’t be at two places at once.” Emma rolled her eyes. She knew they were telling the truth, and she knew there was nothing any of them could do. She was just frustrated and exhausted and ready for the day to be over. 

“Listen, we have what, two hours left on our shift? Why don’t you lay back and rest your eyes. There doesn’t seem to be much going on today. If we spot any activity, we’ll wake you,” August said, looking to Jefferson for confirmation. 

“You sure?” 

“Yeah. You’ve been working all damn day. Besides, you’ll be no use to us when we need you if you’re passed out from exhaustion,” Jefferson said, trying to hold back his laughter. 

“Thanks for your concern.” 

“For real though, it’s quiet. Take a nap, we’ll cover for you. And we’ll even try to keep our voices down while you sleep.” 

Emma released an exhausted sigh. “Believe me, if I fall asleep, you’ll be able to detonate an atomic bomb next to my ear and I probably won’t wake up,” she said as she settled into the seat. 

“Hey, listen. Let me see if I can find someone to watch Grace a couple of days after school. If I can find someone reliable I can take a couple of your shifts off your hands. It’s not fair for you to have to work so much.” 

“Thanks, Jefferson. I really appreciate that. I really need a break.” She closed her eyes and was sound asleep a few moments later. It felt like she had only been asleep for a few seconds when August was gently shaking her awake, which meant their patrol was over, and it was time to head back to the station for the rest of her shift.

After decades of budget cuts and department restructuring, all non-essential employees were eventually phased out due to lack of funding. Which meant all administrative tasks had to be delegated to the only employees remaining, the active agents on the payroll. Each trio of agents were assigned specific administrative tasks that needed to be completed each week, outside their designated patrol shifts. And since her partners had previous engagements after work, Emma was expected to cover all extra shifts and tasks assigned to them. The money was nice, but her poor exhausted brain couldn’t keep up with working twelve-to-sixteen hour shifts nearly every day. She wished she could take a company computer and work from the comforts of her own bed, but she couldn’t. She had to remain available as backup should the other agents require additional help. She settled into her desk and unbuttoned the top few buttons of her uniform as she waited to be logged into the computer, nearly crying when she saw the extraordinarily long list of new administrative tasks that had been assigned to her that day, as well as the overdue work she had not finished the day before.   

At some point during the second part of her shift she received a message from Neal informing her that he and Ruby had decided to go out for the night and would likely be home late since they were both off the following day. She was, of course, welcomed to join them after work, and partake in the leftover pizza in the fridge. “Well, at least two of us are having fun,” she whispered to herself as she rubbed her tired eyes. She sighed and went back to the to-do list on her computer, which had only seemed to have grown longer, not shorter. 

She flopped down onto the couch as soon as she got home, too tired to stand any longer. Her stomach started to growl as soon as she closed her eyes, reminding her it had been far too long since she had last eaten. “I just need a few minutes to reboot before I eat. I’m just going to rest my eyes for a few seconds…” she said out loud to the empty room. She was just starting to doze off when a familiar sound rang from her wrist. The sound that meant Regina had sent her a new message. She tapped on Regina’s message, all evidence of exhaustion instantly disappearing. 

“Hi! I know you’re probably still working for another hour or so, and I hope I’m not bothering you. I just wanted to let you know that I’m thinking of you and I can’t wait to talk to you when you get home.” 

“Hi! I’m so glad you messaged me. I’ve been thinking about you all day.” 

“I hope I’m not disturbing you while you’re at work.” 

“You’re not, actually. I’ve been home for a few minutes. I was just starting to doze on the couch.” 

“I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.” 

“That’s not going to happen! Besides, I should probably eat something before I go to bed. I don’t remember the last time I ate, to be honest.” 

“Go eat! Please go eat! I can’t have you dying of starvation before I can meet you!” 

“In that case, I’m on my way to the kitchen as we speak. There’s leftover pizza waiting for me!” 

“That sounds delightful. Don’t burn your mouth on molten cheese!” 

“Yes ma’am.” Emma chuckled as she rushed to the kitchen to throw her pizza in the air fryer.

They talked for the rest of the evening, until Emma accidentally fell asleep mid conversation, the light from the holoscreen illuminating the room. 

<~**~>

“Are you in bed yet?” Emma asked before turning off the light and settling into bed.

“I just climbed under the blankets.” 

“I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow. I love my job, don’t get me wrong. But it’s keeping me from talking to you.” 

“I wish you didn’t have to work as well. I don’t want to stop talking for the night.” They were silent for a few moments as Emma dozed off, the sound of a new message waking her suddenly. 

“Can I ask you something?” Regina asked. 

“Of course. You can ask me anything.” 

Regina was silent for a few painstaking minutes. “We’ve been talking every day for over two weeks. Would you be interested in meeting for our first official date?” Emma could tell that Regina had been working up the courage to send the message. 

“I would love nothing more than to meet you, Regina. I would connect to the virtual network right now! But I’m so exhausted I don’t think I’ll last more than a few minutes before I fall asleep. And you deserve my utmost and full attention!” 

“I would gladly take just a few minutes with you, but I understand. Should we plan something? Something soon, hopefully.” 

“There’s a chance that I won’t have to work a double shift tomorrow. One of my colleagues thinks he might have found someone to watch his daughter after school. If he does, he’s going to take my second shift, but I won’t know for certain until tomorrow though. If I can get out of work on time, would you be interested in meeting tomorrow evening?” 

“I would love that, Emma!!!” 

“YES! I’ll let you know as soon as I can.” 

“In the meantime, I will hope and pray that your colleague has found someone to care for his daughter.” 

“You and me both, Regina! I can’t wait to meet you!” 

“Me too. I was so worried that you wouldn’t be interested in meeting me. I’ve been trying to muster up the courage to ask you for a few days now.” 

“I’m glad you did.” 

“Get some sleep, Emma. Hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“I’ll sleep with my fingers crossed all night. Fingers and toes! Goodnight, Regina.” 

“Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well!”

Regina’s heart was practically beating out of her chest all day while she waited for news from Emma. She eventually had to take her cuff off and lock it in her desk drawer to prevent herself from checking for new notifications every few minutes. The wait was excruciating. 

The much anticipated message arrived just as she was preparing to leave work for the day. “Hi! I hope your day is going well. I come bearing good news. My colleague was able to secure a babysitter for his daughter tonight, which means I will not have to work a double shift today. If you are still available, I would love to meet you for our first official date tonight.” 

Regina smiled so wide her face hurt as she quickly typed her response. “I would love nothing more than to meet you tonight, Emma Swan. Just let me know the time, and I’ll be there.” She held her breath while she waited for Emma’s response, receiving a new notification a few minutes later. But instead of a new message from Emma, the notification said something completely different. 

“Emma Swan has invited you to join her in The Eros Network First Date Cafe. Do you accept?” Regina didn’t have to think at all. She tapped the accept button before she even finished reading the notification. 

“I’ll see you later!” she messaged Emma, knowing she was still at work and wouldn’t be able to respond. She was pleasantly surprised when she got home and saw a message waiting from Emma. 

“I can’t wait!” 

Time stood still while Regina waited for her first date with Emma. She tried to distract herself but nothing worked. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been on edge all evening. Are you alright?” Zelena asked as Regina nervously checked the time for the hundredth time that evening. 

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said defensively. 

“You’re lying. You’re a terrible liar. What’s up with you? Why can’t you sit still?” 

“Nothing’s wrong. I…ummm…I think I had too much coffee today, that’s all. I’m still feeling a little jittery.” 

“You know you’re not supposed to drink too much coffee,” Zelena scolded. 

“I know. I guess I was feeling a little sluggish this morning and I just needed an extra pick-me-up this afternoon.” 

“What’s the matter? Why were you feeling sluggish? Did you have trouble sleeping last night?” 

“I’m fine, Zelena. You don’t have to worry. I think I just had a little too much coffee. It happens. I’m perfectly fine.” 

“You know I worry about you, Regina. That’s all.” 

“I know, Zee. And I appreciate it. I’m fine, I promise.” 

“Good.” 

Time continued to trickle by painfully slowly as she waited, until she finally received a new notification from The Eros Network regarding her date with Emma. “Emma Swan is waiting for you in The Eros Network First Date Cafe.” Regina stretched and faked a yawn, hoping it would rub off on Zelena and make her drowsy. A few seconds later her sister yawned right on cue. 

“Goodness, I’m exhausted all of a sudden,” Zelena said, idly rubbing her eyes. 

“Why don’t you go to bed,” Regina suggested. 

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Are you still high on caffeine?”

Regina chuckled. “No. Looks like it wore off. I wouldn’t mind catching up on some sleep myself. Perhaps we should call it an early night.” 

“That’s not a bad idea,” Zelena said, slowly standing from her seat and stretching. “You coming?” 

“I’m right behind you. I’ll just make sure everything is locked and turned off then I’ll head to bed.” 

“Don’t stay up too late reading or scrolling through the internet,” Zelena scolded. 

“Yes ma’am.” Regina rolled her eyes. “Go to bed old lady.” 

“Respect your elders, young lady,” Zelena said as she started walking away. 

“Night, old lady!” Regina called out again, seconds before Zelena slammed her bedroom door. 

Regina held her breath and counted to thirty–to make sure Zelena was in her room for the night–before she jumped up and started running around the apartment to make sure everything was turned off and locked before she rushed into her bedroom. She quickly changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, nervously fluffing her pillows until she was satisfied. Her hands shook nervously as she reached into her nightstand and pulled out her transmitters, quickly putting them into her ears, eager to join Emma in The Eros Network. 

“Eros Network transmitters have been connected. Would you like to enter The Eros Network?” her cuff announced as soon as her transmitters connected.

“Yes, please!” Regina whispered, making sure her voice and the sound on her cuff was low enough not to wake Zelena.

<~**~>

Regina stood in the bright room that she vaguely remembered from the tutorial she completed five years ago when she signed up for The Eros Network. In front of her was her avatar, which hadn’t been updated since she created it five years ago. Although she had not changed much over the years that she waited, she wished Emma could see the most accurate version of herself. A few seconds later a familiar voice began to speak. 

“Welcome back, Regina. Congratulations on setting up your first date with your soulmate. As a reminder, you are unable to change the outfit your avatar will be wearing on your dates until you and your soulmate pass the third date test. After which you will have full access to The Eros Network’s entire wardrobe catalog. Do you understand?” 

“Yes,” Regina said out loud. 

“Great. Whenever you are ready, say ‘Enter The Eros Network’ and you will connect to The First Date Cafe, where our systems indicate Emma Swan is already waiting for you. Have fun!” 

Regina took a deep breath to calm her nerves before speaking, “Enter The Eros Network.” A split second later she was standing in the middle of a quaint little cafe, which was filled with other couples on their first dates, chatting together happily. She quickly scanned the crowd, searching for Emma, finding her sitting at a table in the corner. “Oh my…” she whispered to herself as she stared at the blonde for a few moments. 

Emma was sitting quietly, her legs bouncing up and down under the table. She was clearly nervous. “Hello, young lady. Are you meeting someone here?” one of the servers asked, pulling her from her trance. 

“I…ummm…yeah. Yes, I’m meeting someone here. She’s…she’s right there.” 

“Caught off guard by her beauty, I see.” 

Regina’s face turned a bright shade of red. “Yes. Is it that obvious?” 

“Don’t worry, it happens all the time. Go over and say hello. I guarantee she’ll feel the exact same way when she sees you for the first time. I’ll come over in a little while to get you guys something to drink.” 

“Thank…thank you.” Regina’s legs shook like a leaf as she slowly walked towards Emma, her eyes locked on the blonde woman the entire time. 

Emma’s jaw practically hit the floor when she saw Regina walking toward her. She jumped out of her chair so fast it fell to the floor with a loud bang, startling her out of her trance. Regina increased her pace as Emma nervously picked up her chair and arrived just as Emma righted herself. 

“Wow…” Emma managed to say, her eyes wide with shock. “You’re…wow…” 

“Emma?” Regina asked, as if she wasn’t entirely sure the woman standing in front of her–practically drooling–was Emma Swan. 

“I…” Emma tried to say, her brain clearly short circuiting. 

“Emma? Are you alright?” Regina asked, as if she had not done the exact same thing when she first laid eyes on Emma. 

“I…shit!” Emma said, physically snapping out of her trance. “Hi, sorry. Yes, I’m Emma. And you’re gorgeous-” Emma’s face instantly turned a bright red. “I am so sorry. I meant to say, you’re Regina. I think my brain is broken. I can’t believe you’re really here.” 

“It’s alright, Emma. I’m just as nervous as you are. Yes, I’m Regina. It’s nice to meet you,” Regina said, giggling slightly. 

“Would you…umm…like to join me?” Emma asked, as if that wasn’t the entire reason they were there. 

“I would love to, thank you.” Emma practically dove in front of her to pull out her chair, scooting it forward as soon as Regina sat down. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had to wait until my sister went to bed.” 

“No worries, you're stunning…” Emma sighed, facepalming. “I’m so sorry for my verbal diarrhea. What I meant was, you’re fine. I got here a little early,” Emma said, trying not to make nervous eye contact. “I’m sorry. I’m just really nervous. You look so amazing and I look like I’m ready to fix a pod.” 

“My sister made me pick this. She told me I needed to make a stunning first impression. I don’t dress like this usually,” Regina said, looking down at the form fitting sleeveless purple dress. “And for the record, you don’t look like a mechanic. You look quite stunning as well.”

“Thanks…” Emma said with a shy smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m so nervous right now. I’m usually more articulate.” 

“Don’t worry.” Regina reached across the table to gently grasp Emma’s slightly sweaty hands. “I’m just as nervous as you are. It took me a few minutes to muster up the courage to walk over here after I caught a glimpse of you. I needed a pep talk from one of the servers to give me the courage to approach you.” 

“We really are two of a kind aren’t we?” Emma laughed, lacing their fingers together. 

They sat in silence for a few moments, holding hands, until the same server Regina had spoken to earlier broke their moment and forced their hands apart. “Good evening ladies, can I get you something to drink? Perhaps a pastry to share?” 

“May I have a cappuccino, please?” Regina asked, looking up at the server. 

“Of course. And for you?” 

“I’ll…uhh…I’ll have the same, please. And a bear claw if you have them.” 

“Of course. I’ll be right back.” The server disappeared and returned a literal second later with their order, reminding them that they were in a virtual world capable of instant gratification. 

“I’m not much of a fancy coffee drinker,” Emma said, looking down at her drink with the fancy art. “I can usually only afford a simple coffee when I order coffee.” 

Regina couldn’t help but giggle slightly as she watched Emma sip the foreign drink. “What do you think?” she asked, taking a sip of her own, discovering it was made to perfection. 

“I like it! It’s a little strong, which I like. How is yours?” 

“Perfect. I’m not supposed to drink too much coffee, so it’s nice to know I can enjoy as much as I like here without any consequences.” 

“Here’s to going buck wild in this virtual world!” Emma said, proposing a toast. 

“To the freedom of a virtual world!” Regina added, carefully clanking her cup against Emma’s. 

“So…you mentioned you had to wait for your sister to go to bed. Do you live with your sister?” Emma asked. 

“Yes. It’s just me and my sister, Zelena. What about you?” 

“I live with my younger brother, Neal, and older sister, Ruby. It was their idea to join The Eros Network in the first place, and they convinced me to join with them.” 

“I’m glad that they did.” 

Emma’s pale skin, which had just returned to its natural color, started turning a cute shade of pink. “Me too.” 

“You guys must be quite close to all share an apartment. I love my sister, but sometimes I find myself wishing she would go away for the weekend. I could use some alone time in the apartment. She can be a little overbearing sometimes.” 

“Hence why you had to wait until she went to bed to meet with me.” 

“Yes, unfortunately.” 

“My siblings and I are quite close. But I agree, as much as I love them, I don’t mind when they decide to go out for the evening without me while I am at work. It can get a little loud in the apartment when they are around, especially my sister. She can be a bit of a…” Emma paused, trying to find the nicest way to describe Ruby. “A busybody sometimes, always in everyone’s business. Don’t get me wrong, I love them to death, but I do enjoy the silence.” 

“I know the feeling.” 

“So, um…I don’t know what I can and cannot ask you. Am I allowed to ask what you do for a living?” Emma asked after a moment of silence. 

“I think that’s fine. I’m a teacher.” 

“That’s awesome. I don’t think I could ever have the patience to be a teacher. I would go insane the first time some kid asked a stupid question.” 

“It’s definitely not a profession for everyone.” 

“What grade do you teach?” 

“Second grade.” 

“That seems like a nice age. Better behaved than kindergarten.” 

“For the most part, yes. Except when we get close to summer vacation. The last month of school is the hardest. It’s like kids can feel summer break coming,” Regina said, chuckling slightly. 

“I’m assuming you’re getting close to summer?” 

“Yes. Only two more weeks to go.” 

“Stay strong! You’re almost there!” 

“Ten more days, then I’m free.” 

“So close!” 

“What about you, Emma? What do you do for a living, if you don’t mind me asking.” 

“I don’t mind at all. I’m a protection and safety enforcement agent.” 

“Oh…wow…” Regina said. 

“Does that freak you out? It usually freaks people out when they find out I’m an agent.” 

“No, not at all. It’s just…it’s such a dangerous job. I would hate for something to happen to you.” 

“I always make sure that I’m safe. Plus, I have two great partners that I work with. We always have each other’s backs. I trust them.” 

“Do you trust them with your life?” 

“Absolutely. We were in the academy together. I trust them completely.” 

“Please give them a message from me next time you see them,” Regina said, her voice suddenly very serious. “Please tell them to take extra care of you. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.” 

“I’ll be sure to relay that message when I see them.” 

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” 

“Am I allowed to ask you how old you are? Not that it matters! I’m just curious.” 

“Oh, yes I think that’s allowed. But I’m afraid that I’m a bit older than you are.” 

“That’s alright,” Emma said, reaching for Regina’s hand this time. “I like older women.” 

“I’m thirty-three,” Regina said. 

“That’s not old, Regina. It’s only five years older than me. I’m twenty-eight.” 

“Wait until you turn thirty. You’ll be singing a different tune. I had a quarter life crisis the entire year between twenty-nine and thirty.” 

“Well, hopefully you’ll be by my side when that time comes, to help talk me off the ledge.” 

“It would be my pleasure.” 

They were too enthralled with each other to notice the server approach their table. “I’m sorry to interrupt, ladies, your time is almost up. As you know, the first date is limited to only two hours. You only have a few minutes left.” 

“It’s been two hours already? It feels like only a few minutes!” Emma exclaimed.

“Now that you have neared the end of your first date, you may choose from a list of our pre-loaded activities for your second and third dates. You can find a list of places in The Eros Network main menu. Once again, we thank you for choosing The Eros Network and look forward to hosting another date soon. Your date will end in two minutes,” the server announced before walking away. 

“I’m glad your colleague was able to find a babysitter.” 

“Me too,” Emma said with a shy smile. 

“Would you be interested in a second date with me?” 

“Of course, Regina! But it might have to wait a little while. I have another bunch of double shifts coming up and I want to give you my utmost attention.” 

“Of course, whenever works for you.” 

“I’ll let you know as soon as I know my schedule better.” 

“Can we continue to message each other in the meantime?” 

“Of cou-” Emma started to say, before everything went black. 

A second later Regina found herself in the same white room as before, indicating she was in the network’s main menu. “Thank you for choosing The Eros Network. You may disconnect whenever you are ready.” 

“Disconnect,” Regina announced a second later. 

<~**~>

Regina woke up in her bed a minute later, a warm sense of calm and happiness coursing through her veins. Her first date with Emma was everything she expected–and then some–and she could not wait for the next time she could see her. She carefully put the transmitters back into their case and stored them in her nightstand before preparing to go to sleep. 

She was just beginning to doze off when her cuff pinged on her wrist underneath the covers. She didn’t have to look to know it was a message from Emma. “I had an amazing time tonight.” 

“I did as well! I can’t wait to see you again.” 

“Me neither. I wish I could spend the rest of the night talking to you, but I do have to work in the morning, so I should head to bed.” 

“Yes, get some sleep. I’ll be here when you finish work.” 

“I can’t wait. Goodnight, Regina.” 

“Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Emma couldn’t help but smile as she tried to discretely type a message. “Swan!” Jefferson called out, startling her so much she squealed. 

“What? I wasn’t texting! I was just…” 

Jefferson laughed at her frantic behavior. “Relax, I’m not going to bust you.” 

“Thanks. What’s up?” she asked as she returned her gaze out of the window of their cruiser pod, scanning the sidewalk for anything out of the ordinary. 

“Nothing. I was just going to ask what’s wrong with your face?” 

“What? What’s wrong with it?” Emma asked, nervously touching her cheeks. 

“What our uncouth colleague is trying to say is, you seem different lately. You seem happier,” August said, stepping in and speaking for Jefferson. 

“One might actually describe you as being chipper. It’s disturbing. What’s up?” Jefferson chimed in. 

“Nothing,” Emma said defensively. 

“You may be good at a lot of things, Swan, but lying is not one of them. Now out with it. What’s going on with you lately?” Jefferson asked. 

“Alright, fine. If I tell you, you both have to promise not to make fun of me or anything.” 

“I promise. Of course,” August said. 

“I make no such promises.” 

“Then you get no such information,” Emma said defiantly, turning her attention back to the window. 

August elbowed Jefferson in the ribs. “Okay, okay. Yeah, I promise.”

Emma shifted uncomfortably in the seat, unsure if she wanted to tell her partners the intimate details of her life. They were two of her closest friends, and she trusted them with her life, but she couldn’t handle it if they reacted in jest to her big news.

“Listen, we’re due for a break,” August said, as if he could feel her uncertainty. “Why don’t we swing by that good sandwich place on the next block, order some lunch and you can tell us what’s going on while we can give you all of our attention.”

“Yeah…yeah that sounds good,” Emma said.

“Perfect, because I’m famished. I ate all my road snacks a few hours ago!” Jefferson said as he punched in the new address into the cruiser pod’s computer, disabling the previous patrol, sending the pod to their lunchtime destination.

Twenty minutes later they were settled into their usual table in the back of the sandwich shop with three hot sandwiches, August and Jefferson silently waiting for Emma to tell them her news. 

“Alright. So…” Emma took a deep breath, taking a bite of her chicken cutlet sandwich to buy herself a little more time. “I met someone…” 

“Way to go, Swan!” Jefferson said, punching her in the shoulder. 

“Emma, that’s great! Why would you be worried about telling us that?” 

“It’s because of the way I met them that I’m worried you will laugh at me for.” 

“What? Did you sign up for one of those online dating things like they used to back in the twenty-first century?” Jefferson asked. 

“No…but I did sign up for something…” The men looked at her with confusion. “I joined The Eros Network,” she said, bracing herself for the ensuing laughter. 

“You didn’t just meet someone, Emma…” August started to say, as a wide smile spread across his face. “...you met THE someone. Emma, you met your soulmate! That’s incredible! I’m beyond happy for you!” 

“Yeah, good for you, Swan! I’m happy for you, too!” 

“You guys aren’t going to make fun of me for joining the network?” 

“Of course not! I joined myself a couple years ago. I’m still waiting for mine.” 

“I joined it too, when I was in my early twenties!” Jefferson declared. 

“Jefferson? You joined the network too?” 

“Yeah! How do you think I met Grace’s mother? She lived on the other side of the world. I would never have met her if it wasn’t for The Eros Network.” 

“I…I never would have guessed. I almost didn’t join, to be honest. My sister and brother had to talk me into it.” 

“I bet you’re glad they did,” Jefferson said, with a sly wink. 

Emma could feel her face warm up from embarrassment. “Yes. I certainly am.” 

“So! Tell us all about them? Who are they?” 

“Her name is Regina, and she’s amazing. And oh my god, she’s stunning!” 

“Picture or it didn’t happen,” Jefferson laughed. Emma quickly unbuttoned and rolled up the sleeve of her uniform to reveal her cuff, tapping the screen quickly to pull up Regina’s picture from her profile on The Eros Network, opening a new holoscreen to show her friends her soulmate. 

“Damn, Swan. Stunning doesn’t begin to describe her!” Jefferson said a little too loudly. 

“She’s incredibly beautiful, Emma.” 

“She really is,” Emma said, with a dreamy look in her eyes. 

“So, how far have you guys gone in the network? Please tell me you’ve passed the third date, right?” 

“Not yet. We’ve only had one official date so far. The First Date Cafe. That was a couple weeks ago.” 

“What the hell are you waiting for, Swan? Take that lovely woman out on a proper date! Unless she doesn’t want to.” 

“No, she does. We both do. It’s just been hard to find time.” 

“What can be more important than being with your soulmate?” 

“Well, if you two deadbeats will pick up more double shifts, I would have more time for her. But if I have to work double shifts every day, I don’t have the energy or mental capacity to do anything after work but shower and sleep. And someone as amazing as Regina deserves all of my attention, not just a few minutes before I pass out from exhaustion,” Emma scolded. August and Jefferson glanced over at each other with a guilty look on their faces. They both knew they had been taking advantage of Emma’s generosity when it came to covering the extra shifts, and they both knew they needed to step up and take on more of the work to help her out. Soulmate or not, Emma deserved time to rest.

“Listen. Let me see if I can give up one of my usual shifts at the bar. If I can, I can take one of the shifts off your plate.” 

“Thanks, August. I appreciate it.” 

“It’s the least I can do. Besides, I get paid more to work overtime here than I do at the bar. And it’s easier work than bartending.” 

“You don’t get extra tips for your cute ass here though.” 

“Speak for yourself. Late nights at the station can get pretty exciting sometimes,” August said, shaking his butt in his seat.

“Eat your sandwich, Booth, before you hurt yourself,” Jefferson said with a laugh. 

“I don’t even want to think about what you’re talking about,” Emma laughed.

“One day when you grow up, I’ll explain how babies are made.”

“Gross!” Emma said, faining disgust. 

“And let me see if I can set something up to have someone permanently watch Grace one night a week, so I can take a shift as well.” 

“Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. Not just because it gives me more time with Regina, but because I’m so exhausted at the end of the day I can barely function,” Emma said with a soft smile. 

“We got your back, Swan.” 

“Now, the most important question: where is your second date going to take place?” August asked. 

“I don’t know yet. We haven’t talked about it yet.” 

“Well that’s unacceptable. We need to plan!” A second later, all three of the wireless communicators they wore on their shoulders sprang to life, informing the agents of an incident that was called into the station.

“That’s going to have to wait,” August said as he quickly tried to gather all their garbage. “Duty calls!”

“You guys are good! I’ll clean everything up,” Rocky said from behind the counter. “You guys get going.”

“Thanks, Rocky!” Emma said as she sprang from her seat and followed the others out of the shop. 

Jefferson was already typing the new address into the cruiser pod when she climbed inside, springing to action a second after the door automatically closed.   

<~**~>

Regina sat at her desk at work with her lunch in front of her, another boring salad that Zelena made for her that morning. She knew that Emma was likely at work–and she would be unavailable until that evening–but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop herself from sending her soulmate a message. She looked down at her personal communication cuff only to find Emma had beaten her to it. 

“Hi! I hope I’m not interrupting you at work. I just wanted to tell you the good news. My colleagues have both agreed to each take one of my double shifts every week so we have more time to be together. The new schedule starts next week, so we can start planning our second date.” 

“Emma! That’s incredible! Please thank them for me!” 

“Believe me, I’ve thanked them so much already that they have threatened bodily harm if I thanked them again.” 

“Please don’t do that!” 

“So, I was thinking. Would you mind if I planned the next date, since we can choose where to go?” 

“Of course. As long as I get to plan the one after that!” 

“You got it! I should probably pay attention to what’s going on. I’ll message you when I get home and we can plan our next date.” 

“I’ll be waiting patiently! Please be careful, Emma!” 

“I always am!” Regina was in an even better mood than usual for the remainder of the day, knowing it was only a matter of time before she could see Emma again. 

Regina tried her best to remain calm while she waited for Emma’s message, but she was having a very hard time containing her excitement. She somehow convinced Zelena that she was feeling perfectly fine, but wanted to head to bed early to read before she fell asleep. She loved her sister, and she knew her sister loved her and was only looking out for her best interest. She hated lying to her, but she knew Zelena wouldn’t understand. She tried to pass the time by resting her eyes, hoping she could fall asleep for a moment to make the time go by quicker. But she was too excited to sleep, and ended up idly scrolling through social media on a holoscreen while she waited for Emma to finish work. 

Her heart skipped a beat the moment the notification popped up on the screen. “Hey! I’m finally home from work,” Emma’s message read. 

“How was your day?” 

“Long. But it’s over, that’s all that matters.” 

“Very true. And now we can plan our next date!” Regina eagerly wrote, instantly regretting it. “Sorry. That sounded desperate.” 

“Not at all, Regina. I’m just as excited!” 

“Good. That makes me feel less pathetic.” 

“You’re far from pathetic, Regina.” 

“Thanks.” Even though she knew Emma couldn’t see her, Regina still blushed. 

“So, the first day I don’t have to work a double is Friday. Would Friday be good for you?” 

“Friday is perfect. It’s my final day of school before summer break, so it’ll be a wonderful way to start my vacation.” 

“Perfect! I know you probably want to wait until your sister goes to bed to meet, so just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll set up the date then. Is that alright?” 

“That’s perfect. Thank you for understanding.” 

“Of course!” 

“Will you tell me what you have planned?” 

“Nope! It’s a surprise!”

<~**~>

“Tonight’s the big night!” Jefferson announced as their cruiser pod automatically merged into traffic to begin their patrol. “You nervous?” 

“Not really, actually. I was super nervous before our first date, but not now.” 

“It’ll hit you right before you connect. I was nervous before every single time I met Natalie in the network, even though I knew in the back of my mind that she would be there.” 

“Oh great. So I’m always going to be nervous?” 

“Probably. But it’s the best kind of nervous.” 

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” August said. There was a slight bit of sadness in his voice. 

“Sorry, August. We won’t talk about it around you anymore.” 

“No, it’s cool. I get to live vicariously through you.” 

“Me too! Since Natalie passed there hasn’t been much romance in my life.” 

“Jefferson, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t bring up Regina when you’ve lost Natalie.” 

“It’s alright. We knew she had IITOF when we matched on the network. I knew there would come a point when she wouldn’t be around anymore.” 

“I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel. I’ve only known Regina for a few months, and I already cannot imagine my life without her, even if it’s only in a virtual world.” 

“Hey, it’s okay. I brought it up, remember?” Jefferson asked, punching Emma lightly in the arm. “So, do you have everything planned out?” 

“Yup! I even took your advice and kept it a secret. She’s going to let me know when she’s ready and I’m going to invite her then,” Emma said with a proud smile on her face. 

“That’s my girl!” 

“You wish!” 

It was no surprise that the day dragged on. Even though she was only working eight hours–instead of sixteen–it still felt like forever. She was practically shaking with excitement when she got home and nearly popped the buttons off her uniform shirt trying to take it off as fast as possible. Even though she still had a few hours before their date, she didn’t want Regina to have to wait for even a second. 

“Good luck, kid!” Ruby said when the time drew near and she retreated to her room to wait for Regina. 

“Yeah, sis! I can’t wait to hear all about it.” 

“I’ll be sure to give you the play-by-play in the morning.” Emma laughed. 

“Great, now get the hell out of here!” Ruby said, pushing Emma out of the room. 

She raced around her room as she attempted to get ready for bed, crawling under her blankets in record time. She would never admit it, but Jefferson was right, she was starting to get nervous for their second date. She turned on the TV, but it did nothing to provide a distraction while she not-so-patiently waited for Regina.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity (but was in actuality closer to an hour and a half) of waiting, Regina was finally ready. “Hey, my sister just went to bed. I’m ready whenever you are!” 

“Perfect! I’ll see you soon!” she responded instantly. She opened a new holoscreen and began tapping the air in front of her, setting everything up and officially inviting Regina to their second date, before connecting to The Eros Network to wait for Regina to join.

<~**~>

She started to pace nervously–not even the amazing view outside the window could distract her–until the door in front of her opened and Regina walked in. Emma knew nothing had changed with Regina’s avatar since the last time she saw her, but somehow Regina looked even more stunning than she had when they first met. 

“Hi…” she said nervously as Regina approached.

A shy smile appeared across Regina’s face. “Hello.” 

“I…um…this is for you,” Emma said, producing a single red rose from behind her back. “I know it’s not real, and you can’t keep it once we disconnect. But I wanted to get you something nice.” 

“It’s beautiful, Emma. Thank you.” Regina brought the virtual flower to her nose and inhaled. Even inside a computer, the rose smelled wonderful. 

“Good evening ladies, and welcome to Restaurant Dans le Ciel. Our restaurant in the sky offers the most amazing view from atop of the famous Mount Everest. Shall I show you to your table?” the host asked as she suddenly appeared in front of them. 

“Yes, I think we’re ready,” Emma said, looking over at Regina for confirmation. Regina nodded quickly. 

“Follow me!” Emma motioned for Regina to lead as the hostess began to escort them to their table. As Regina passed she reached out for Emma’s hand, grasping it tightly as they followed the hostess through the restaurant. 

They were brought to a small intimate table in the corner where the only source of light was a half dozen perfectly placed candles. Emma rushed over to pull out Regina’s chair, her heart skipping a beat when she gently grazed the soft exposed skin on Regina’s back, before taking a seat across from her. “This place is wonderful, Emma,” Regina said, glancing over at the small card on the edge of the table, announcing the table was reserved for Swan-Mills. 

“Thanks. I’ll never be able to afford to take you to a fancy place like this in real life, so we should take full advantage of it while we can.” 

“It was a wonderful choice,” Regina said, her eyes purposely avoiding the large window next to them. They sat in silence for a few minutes while they perused the menu, until their server appeared next to the table to take their order. 

“Good evening ladies. How are we doing today?” 

“Much better now that we are here,” Emma said with a wide and goofy grin.

“I am so pleased to hear that. Are we ready to order?”

“I…ummm…” Emma paused, her face turning a bright red from embarrassment. “I don’t know what any of this is.”

“Do you have any recommendations for someone not acquainted with such fine dining?” Regina asked.

“Certainly. To begin, I would recommend a bottle of   Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, vintage 1945. It is considered one of the finest pinot noirs in existence.”

“Yes, we will start with that, as long as that’s alright with you, Emma.”

Emma nodded in agreement. “Yeah. That’s fine with me.”

“Wonderful. To start, might I suggest our Freshwater Beluga Caviar.”

Regina looked over at Emma for her input, finding only an uncomfortable and confused expression on her face. “I’ve never had caviar before. I guess I can give it a try.” 

“Yes, we’ll start with that, thank you.”

“Wonderful. As an entree, we recommend the Kobe beef–cooked to a medium-rare–along with our white truffle and Matsutake mushroom risotto and white asparagus.”

“Now you’re speaking my language! Yes, I’ll take the steak!” Emma exclaimed.

“Wonderful. And for you?” the server asked, turning his attention to Regina.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll have that as well.”

“Wonderful. And for dessert, we recommend our Golden Cannolis paired with a cup of Kopi Luwak coffee.”

“What’s Kopi Luwak coffee?” Emma asked, hesitantly.

“It is coffee harvested from the droppings of Asian palm civets,” the server said nonchalantly.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard your right. Coffee made from animal…poop?” Emma asked, whispering out of embarrassment.

“Yes. Coffee beans are ingested by the animals. The enzymes in the animal’s digestive system begin to ferment the beans during digestion. They are excreted whole and harvested by trained professionals. They are then cleaned and roasted to absolute perfection before grinding.”

“I’m going to say yes to the cannoli, but no to the poop coffee. Thanks.”

“I’ll do the same. Thank you,” Regina said politely.

“Absolutely. Will there be anything else we can add to your meal?”

Once again Regina looked at Emma for her input. Emma shook her head. “No, thank you. You’ve been a huge help.”

“It’s my pleasure. I’ll be right back with your drinks and appetizer.”

A second later he returned with a bottle of wine and two empty glasses, once again reminding them they were inside a computer program. He opened the bottle with ease and poured them each a glass before leaving the rest of the bottle in a bucket of ice. 

“Your caviar, ladies,” he said, gently placing a large white plate in the center of the table. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Regina said as he disappeared into the restaurant.

“Have you ever had caviar before?” Emma asked, staring at the fancy plate in front of her.

“No. It’s certainly too rich for me as well. Shall we give it a try?”

Together, they each picked up a tiny pearl spoon and dropped a small amount of caviar onto a cracker. “You know something is fancy when it’s served in a giant seashell and you have to use tiny pearl spoons.” She smelled the black fish eggs for just a second, as if still trying to decide if she wanted to try it or not. “Well, here goes nothing.”

Emma quickly bit the cracker in half and instantly began chewing, the tiny eggs crackling as she chewed. “Well, what do you think?” Regina asked eagerly.

“You know, it’s not that bad. The eggs make a cool popping feeling when you chew them,” Emma said before eating the rest of her cracker.

Regina hesitated for a moment before taking a bite of her own cracker, her eyes instantly growing wide with excitement. “This is exquisite!” she said, eating the rest of her cracker.

“So, how was your last day of school?” Emma asked as she carefully piled more caviar onto another cracker, handing it to Regina. 

Regina released a sigh of relief. “Chaotic and hectic. But I’m glad it’s over.” 

“I can imagine. You probably count the days until summer vacation just as much as the kids do.” 

“That’s absolutely true. It is a little bittersweet though.” 

“Bittersweet? How so?” 

“Well, you spend six hours a day, five days a week for nine months with these kids. You learn everything there is to know about them and start to get attached. On one hand, you are ready for the break, but on the other, you know you’re going to miss the kids. And once school starts again, you have a new group of students to grow attached to all over again.” 

“Just another reason I could never be a teacher. I give you all a LOT of credit!” 

“Thank you. It can sometimes be a thankless job.” 

“You would think after all these years, people would finally realize the importance of teachers and treat them better.” 

“One could say the same about protection and safety enforcement agents,” Regina said. 

“Yeah, it can be tough sometimes. I try extra hard to ensure people see us as the good guys.” 

“Can I be honest?” 

Emma took a nervous sip of wine. “Of course.” 

“I get a little nervous when I think about your job.” 

“You…you do?” 

“Yes. I don’t know what I would do if something ever happened to you, Emma.” 

“Do you…do you want to stop seeing me because I’m an agent?” Emma’s voice shook with fear. 

“Are you being serious?” Regina asked, her voice just as serious as Emma’s. 

“Yeah. People always leave when they find out I’m a protection and safety enforcement agent,” Emma said, trying everything in her power to hold back tears. “I’d rather get it over with now before I get even more attached and you completely decimate my heart.” 

“Emma…” Regina whispered, reaching forward to gently wipe away the stay tear that escaped Emma’s eye. “There is literally nothing in this world that would make me want to leave you. As long as I am still alive, I will never leave you.” 

“I…” Emma started to say, her emotions getting caught in her throat. “I will never leave you either,” she managed to say. As if on cue, their server appeared next to their table, carrying two plates of food, refilling each of their glasses with more red wine. 

“Perfect timing,” Emma said, casually wiping the tears from her eyes. 

“Enjoy, ladies. Please let me know if you need anything else.” 

“We will, thank you,” Regina answered for both of them. She quickly cut into the perfectly cooked steak and took her first bite, savoring in the incredible flavors. “I can’t remember the last time I had steak.” 

“Ditto,” Emma said as she enjoyed her second bite, this time sampling the risotto. Neither said a word for a few minutes, until Regina broke the silence. “What made you decide to become a protection and safety enforcement agent, if you don’t mind me asking.” 

“Not at all. I didn’t start out on the path to becoming an agent. I actually wanted to become a psychiatrist. I was even in school working on my bachelor’s in psychology.” 

“What made you change your mind?” 

“My father passed away.” 

“Oh, Emma, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s alright.” Emma paused for a second to compose herself. “After he passed, my mother had trouble making ends meet and paying for college. She told me in confidence that she could only afford to send one of us to college, and my brother would need to take out hefty student loans. Luckily, Ruby decided not to go to college after she graduated from high school, or she wouldn’t have been able to send any of us to school. So I made the decision to drop out of college so she could use that money for my brother. I applied to the academy the same day. I needed a stable job so that I could help support my mother and brother. He doesn’t know it but I pay his portion of the rent and household expenses as well as my own, and I send my mother money every month for his tuition. Sometimes, when I have extra money, I even send my mother extra money to fill up my sister and brother’s pod credits if they are running low that month. He thinks my mother pays for everything so he can focus on his studies.” 

“Emma, I don’t know what to say. That’s incredibly noble of you. What brought you to that decision?” 

“Neal is way smarter than I am. Always has been. He deserves that money more than I do.” 

“Is he in school?” 

“He is. He just started med school. He wants to be a heart surgeon.” 

“That’s a very difficult profession!” 

“If anyone can do it, my brother can!” 

“And because of you, he has the opportunity to do so. That’s incredible, Emma.” 

Emma’s face turned as bright as their wine. “Thanks…” She took a deep breath to release some emotions. “What about you? What made you want to become a teacher?” 

“I’m afraid it’s not as exciting as your story.” 

“I’m sure it is.” 

“I was always a very slow reader in school. So slow, in fact, that my teachers believed I couldn’t read and because of that I was marked as having low intelligence.” 

“I call bullshit on that!” Emma said, interrupting Regina’s story. 

“Thank you. Anyway, I was always behind on classwork and assignments, and thus received poor grades. By the time I got to the fifth grade, most of my teachers just brushed me off and focused on the smarter kids in the class. Until my fifth grade teacher noticed something. She noticed that, although my work was incomplete, everything was always correct. Everything was spot on. She realized that I wasn’t low intelligence after all, however there was something else going on. She took the time to have me tested and found that I had an undiagnosed reading disorder. My reading comprehension was far above my grade level, but my reading speed was that of someone years younger. She worked with me every day after school and eventually I was able to bring all my grades up and even made the honor roll. She took the time to help me when everyone else wrote me off. I decided that I wanted to follow in her footsteps and help kids the same way she helped me.”

“Wow. That’s amazing. I also want to hunt down and find every teacher who disregarded you because they thought you weren’t smart, and kick them all in the head.” 

Regina laughed. “How chivalrous.” 

“I bet you’re an amazing teacher.” 

“I like to think I am,” Regina said with a wide smile. 

Their conversation continued to flow freely, as if they had known each other for years, not weeks, until their server arrived at the table. “Ladies, before you enjoy your dessert, might I recommend a short walk outside. There is the most amazing sunset occurring over the mountain that you should not miss out on.”

“Are you interested?” Emma asked. Her voice and face was so full of hope that Regina could not resist.

“Of…of course. Yes. I would love that.”

“Wonderful. The door in the corner will bring you out to the deck. There are already two chilled glasses of champagne waiting for you. Enjoy the view, ladies. Your dessert will be waiting for you when you return.”

“Thank you!” Emma said, jumping out of her seat and rushing over to pull out Regina’s chair. “Shall we?” 

Emma gasped when they stepped foot onto the small wooden deck. The view was absolutely breathtaking, like nothing she had ever seen before. The air was chilly, but not cold as one would expect for the top of Mount Everest. They stood in silence for a few moments, enthralled by the beauty of the view, until Emma reached out for the champagne, turning to hand one of the glasses to Regina, expecting to see her in stunned silence.

Instead she found Regina with her eyes squinted closed, her hands gripping the railing so hard her knuckles were white and her body shivering slightly.

“Hey, are you alright?” Emma asked, quickly returning the delicate champagne flutes to the railing and turning her attention to the woman shaking next to her. 

“Yeah…yeah I’m fine…” Regina said, her eyes still squeezed tight.

“Regina, you’re shaking. What’s the matter?” 

“I…umm…I’m a little afraid of heights,” Regina eventually said.

“A little afraid of heights?” Emma asked.

“Okay, I'm a lot afraid. I’m petrified of heights. And right now I feel like I might be having a panic attack.”

“Regina,” Emma said in the softest voice she could manage. “Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have suggested coming out here if I had known.”

“Because you seemed so excited to come see the view. I couldn’t take that away from you.”

“I can see the same view online. Your safety and comfort is more important. Let’s go back inside.”

“I…I can’t. I’m afraid to open my eyes and let go.”

“Then let me be your eyes,” Emma said, trying to gently pry Regina’s shaking hands from the railing. “I’ll be your guide. Just hold on to me and I’ll make sure we both make it safely inside.”

Regina nodded and allowed Emma to completely pry her hand off the railing, grasping Emma’s strong arms immediately. Slowly, Emma led her back inside, whispering that she was safe and could open her eyes as soon as they were back in the restaurant with the door closed behind them.

“Thank you,” Regina said as they made their way back to their table.

“It was my pleasure, my queen,” Emma said, pulling out Regina’s chair once more. “But, from now on, let’s stay on the ground.”

“Yes, please.”

Regina seemed to calm down as soon as they were back at their table and enjoying their fresh golden cannolis. “This may sound kinda creepy and stalkerish, but…ummm…” 

“It’s okay. You can ask.” 

“Am I allowed to ask where you are?” 

“I’m right here, sitting on top of Mount Everest, having dinner with you.” 

“You know what I mean.” 

“I know. But I don’t want to disappoint you when I say, I don’t think we are allowed to divulge that information just yet.” 

“Oh. That makes sense.” 

“And the moderators do supervise our time during the first three dates.” 

“Yeah, I can see why. I know you’re not a crazy stalker serial killer, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else in the network isn’t.” 

“How do you know I’m not a crazy stalker serial killer, Emma?” Regina asked in a creepy voice. 

“Let’s just say that if you were, there is no one I would wish to spend my final moments with than you. Even if you’re the one killing me.” Emma stopped suddenly, her face scrunching with embarrassment. “Sorry, that sounded funnier in my head.” 

Regina chuckled. “It would be an honor to kill you, Emma.” 

“Alright, ladies. I’m sorry to report that your date is coming to an end. The second date is limited to just three hours. Thank you for choosing The Eros Network. We look forward to seeing you again for your third date. You have two minutes remaining,” their server announced, disappearing from the table as quickly as he had arrived.  

Emma rolled her eyes. “Are they going to say that after every date?” 

“I’m not sure.” 

“I really hope not, because that’s going to get really old, really quickly.” Emma chuckled. 

“Thank you for an amazing night, Emma. I had a great time,” Regina said, standing from her chair, instinctually reaching for Emma’s hand. 

“The pleasure is all mine, Regina.” 

“Thank you again for the rose,” Regina said, smelling the delicate flower once more. 

“I’m sorry it’s not real. One of these days I’ll get you a real one, I promise.” 

“I’m going to hold you to that.” 

Before Emma could say another word, she was back in The Eros Network main menu, indicating they had run out of time. “Disconnect,” she announced, waking up in her bed a second later.

<~**~>

There was already a message from Regina waiting for her by the time she returned to reality. “Get some rest, Emma. You need to be alert and rested for work tomorrow.” 

“I’m going to sleep now. Enjoy your first day of freedom. I’ll talk to you when I can.” 

“Yes, please. Goodnight.” 

“Night, Regina. Sleep well.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

“Hi! I’m ready whenever you are.” Emma’s face lit up when she saw the message on her holoscreen. Tonight was her third date with Regina, and she hasn’t been able to stop smiling all day. 

“ I’m ready!”  Emma messaged back immediately.

“Can you do me a favor though? Can you wait five minutes or so before you join me? I want to make sure everything is perfect before you arrive.” 

“Of course! Take all the time you need.” 

“Great! I’ll see you in a few minutes!” 

“I can’t wait.” Emma stared at the holoscreen, her heart skipping a beat when she received the notification, letting her know that Regina had invited her to their third date and was waiting for her in The Eros Network. 

She waited exactly five agonizing minutes before she placed her transmitters into her ears and connected to The Eros Network, and to Regina. She lingered in the main menu for a few moments to give Regina a little extra time to prepare before she officially entered the network. 

<~**~>

She saw Regina standing barefoot in the sand before her brain could register where they were. “Hi,” Regina said softly as she approached, leaving behind footprints in the warm sand.

“Hey,” Emma said, approaching the woman. “This place is great!” 

“Thanks,” Regina said, looking around, as if it were the first time she was seeing the beach. “I love the beach. My sister and I try to take a beach trip every couple of years. I hope this is alright.” 

“It’s perfect. My siblings and I go to the beach as often as we can. Although none of the beaches near us are half as beautiful as this place, and they are usually packed with people. A quiet beach is so refreshing.” 

Regina smiled, relieved she had chosen a perfect date. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”

“I’d love to,” Emma said. “Let me just slip out into something more comfortable.” The gears turned inside her head for a few seconds, her face twisting with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. That didn’t make sense. I think the butterflies in my stomach have flown into my brain,” she said with a chuckle. 

A slight blush creeped up Regina’s face. “I know the feeling.” 

“What I meant to say was, let me just take off these boots,” Emma said, plopping down into the sand to quickly remove her shoes and socks, rolling the bottom of her jeans up to prevent them from getting wet. Regina waited patiently, offering Emma her hand to help her stand when she was ready. The sand felt warm on her feet, but not nearly as warm as Regina’s hand felt in her own. She let Regina lead the way, their hands still linked, neither wanted to be the one to break their contact. 

They walked down the beach until they were standing in ankle deep water, the waves crashing against their skin while the cool ocean breeze tickled their faces. The sun was just beginning to set as they stood with their feet in the water, watching as the waves moved toward the shore. “It’s so peaceful here,” Emma said, breaking their silence. 

“It certainly is.” There was a slight tremble in Regina’s voice. “The world is so loud and busy, I thought we could both use a respite from the insanity.” 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Emma smiled as she looked over at Regina. “Hey, are you alright?” 

“I’m alright.” 

“No, you’re not. You’re shaking. Are you alright? You’re not afraid of water too, right?” 

Regina chuckled. “No, I love the water. I’m fine.” Emma gave her a harsh look. “I’m just a little chilly. This outfit isn’t really conducive for the beach,” she said, looking down at her short and tight sleeveless dress. 

“You’re right. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great dress and it looks incredible on you! But you must be freezing!” Emma said, looking Regina up and down. Once again she thought that Regina looked even more beautiful than she did the last time they met, even though she knew there was no way her appearance had changed. 

“Yes…just a little…” 

“Here, take this!” Emma said as she ripped the red leather jacket off her body. 

“No, it’s alright. I’ll be fine.” 

“Regina, you’re shivering,” Emma said, her voice filled with compassion. 

“But won’t you be cold too?” Regina asked, looking at Emma’s bare shoulders. 

“I’ll be fine. I have long pants on at least. Besides, if we both get too cold, we can snuggle together…to conserve body heat,” Emma said, chuckling slightly. 

“Yes, of course. To preserve body heat.” Regina hesitated for a few seconds before she reached for Emma’s coat, only to have it snatched out of her reach. 

“Allow me,” Emma said, sidestepping behind Regina to help her into the jacket. 

Emma’s jacket was warm and cozy, her body heat still lingering in the leather. She had to keep herself from pulling the collar to her nose to inhale the scent that was all Emma Swan. “Thank you.” 

“It’s my pleasure, ma’lady,” Emma said with a slight bow. 

“There’s…umm…there’s a little surprise down the way. We can check it out wherever you want,” Regina said nervously. 

Emma reached for Regina’s hand again, linking their fingers immediately. “Lead the way!” 

Regina led them down the shore for a few more yards, until a small blanket became visible in the sand. “I thought you might like to have a nice picnic on the beach,” Regina said, her nervous energy resurfacing. 

“That sounds amazing,” Emma said, dragging Regina toward the blue and white checkered blanket in the sand. She waited while Regina awkwardly sat down on the blanket and uncomfortably tucking her legs underneath her. 

“I really wish I hadn’t let my sister talk me into wearing this dress. It’s so uncomfortable to sit in it. It’s so tight.” 

“You look amazing in it though…” Emma said without thinking. “I’m sorry. I mean, I completely understand. My sister tried to persuade me to wear something else. But this is how I’m the most comfortable. I didn’t want to give you any false advertising.” 

“I’m sure you look amazing in everything you wear.” Regina’s face suddenly turned a bright shade of red. Emma found it adorable how nervous Regina got when she tried to flirt. 

“What do we have to eat?” Emma asked, changing the subject to relieve Regina’s embarrassment. 

“The network gave me a few options for food, which is why it took me a few extra minutes to prepare. I went with a large Charcuterie board. It’s not as fancy as our last meal, but I figured we could have a little bit of everything,” Regina said, gently uncovering the large wooden board that was covered with different meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. 

“This looks amazing. And so fancy that I almost don’t want to eat it.” 

“Oh no! Is it too fancy? Do you not enjoy these types of food?” Regina asked nervously. 

“Oh no! I love it all. I’m just not used to such fancy food. We don’t have a lot of money, so we can’t afford the fancy stuff. Store brand shredded mozzarella cheese and plain saltine crackers are about as fancy as we get,” Emma said, dipping a carrot into the cup of hummus, taking a large bite with a crunch. “God, I can’t remember the last time I had real hummus.” 

“It’s a good thing everything is free here,” Regina said, smearing some white cheese onto a small piece of sourdough bread and handing it to Emma. “Here, try this.”

Emma smelled the cheese, making a face. “What is it?”  

“It’s brie.” 

“Oh, that’s cheese from the fancy part of the supermarket,” Emma said. She smelled it once more before tentatively taking a small bite. 

“What do you think?” Regina asked, hopefully. 

“That’s interesting,” Emma said, eating the rest of the bread. 

“Do you like it?” 

“I think I do, actually. It’s really fancy though.” 

“Here,” Regina said, smearing the rest of the small chunk of brie onto another piece of bread. “Have as much as you like!” 

“Now this is more my style.” Emma started piling a slice of muenster cheese on top of a water cracker, gently plucking a piece of pepperoni that had been rolled into the shape of a flower, instantly causing the rest of the flower to collapse. “Damn. I ruined the pretty pepperoni rose,” she said sadly. 

“OH! I almost forgot!” Regina exclaimed, awkwardly reaching for the wicker picnic basket off to the side, pulling out a single rose and handing it to Emma. “This is for you. You got me one last time…so I wanted to get you one this time…” 

Emma smiled as she took the rose from Regina, gently smelling the delicate flower. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” 

“You don’t think it’s too cheesy or cliche?” 

“I like cheesy and cliche!” Emma chuckled, reaching to gently squeeze Regina’s hand. “Everything is perfect.” 

“You really mean it?” 

“I really do.” Emma could see Regina release a deep breath that she has been no doubt holding onto since their date started. “How has the first couple weeks of summer vacation been going?” Emma asked to lighten the mood. 

“Great. As much as I love my job, I always look forward to summer. I need a few weeks to recover from the school year.” 

“I can’t even imagine. Teachers never stop working, between lesson plans and grading essays. Plus, you have to spend six hours a day with other people’s screaming, bratty kids. You definitely need summer vacation for your sanity.” 

“That’s the truth. Although, most of the kids are well behaved by the time they get to second grade. Mostly.” 

“I could never be a teacher. You must have the patience of a saint,” Emma said, handing Regina a cracker stacked perfectly with meat and cheese. 

“You have such an important job, too. I could never do what you do, and risk my life every day to keep others safe. It’s a very noble profession, Emma.” 

“Yeah…I guess…” 

“You don’t think so?” 

“No, I do. It’s just tough sometimes.” 

“Have you ever thought of leaving the profession?” 

“I have…” Emma said, eating a grape to give herself more time to process. Her demeanor changed suddenly. “But I don’t know what I could do that would pay as well. I’m not smart enough to do anything more important.” 

“You’re smart, Emma. You’re very smart. I think you can do just about anything you put your mind to.”

“Maybe one of these days, but not right now. Right now I need to focus on working and paying our bills until Neal finishes med school.” 

“Just promise me you won’t forget about your own needs in life just because you’re supporting your brother.” 

“I’m sure you’ll remind me.” 

“You bet your cute ass I will.” Regina slapped her hands over her mouth, instantly regretting her flirtatious statement. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I said that.”

“So, you think I have a cute ass?” 

Regina’s face turned bright red again. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s like I have no filter around you.” 

Emma laughed. “If you’re not careful, people might think you have a crush on me or something.” 

“Believe me, Miss Swan. What I feel for you goes far beyond a simple crush.” 

“Well that’s good, Miss Mills. Because my feelings for you far exceeded a mere crush the moment you walked into The First Date Cafe.” 

“Science is a wonderful thing,” Regina said with a smile. 

“So…uh…I have a question. You know a lot about this whole Eros Network thing, right?” 

“I think so.” 

“Okay…so…today is our third official date, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“And…umm…so…we’re supposed to share our first kiss today to…pass the trial phase or something, right?” 

“Yes, that’s true,” Regina said nervously. 

“So…umm….do you know if…ummm…if we have to wait until the end of the date to share that kiss, or can we do it whenever?” 

“I don’t think there are any restrictions as to the timing. As long as it happens before we disconnect today.” 

“Okay, good.” Emma looked directly into Regina’s brown eyes, her green eyes suddenly sparkling. “Because I really really want to kiss you right now, and I don’t think I can wait until the date is over. I might explode.” 

“You…you want to kiss me?” 

“Regina, I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since you walked into the cafe on our first date.” 

“Oh…” Regina’s entire body was in shock. 

“But only if you want me to. I won’t force you to.” 

“Emma…” Regina said, snapping out of her stupor and shifting closer to Emma with a newfound courage. “...if you don’t kiss me right now, you aren’t going to be the only one exploding.” Regina barely finished her sentence before Emma closed the gap between them. 

Emma gently caressed her cheek for just a moment before pressing her lips against Regina’s. Their kiss was soft and gentle at first, as they both carefully tested the waters to make sure the other was comfortable. It only took a few seconds before they deepened the kiss, sharing a passionate moment that they would both remember for the rest of their lives. 

“Wow…” Emma whispered as soon as they separated, her eyes still closed and her mind fuzzy. 

“My sentiments exactly.”

“That was…” 

“...the most amazing experience of my life…” Regina said, finishing Emma’s sentence. 

“Yeah…” Emma said as her eyes fluttered open. As soon as her vision cleared she was met with the most incredible dark brown eyes she had ever seen. “Hi…” she whispered, her brain still recovering from the powerful kiss. 

“Congratulations!” an invisible voice announced “You have just passed the trial period. You now have full access to all of The Eros Network, which includes the ability to create and share personalized and unique meeting areas. Everything you’ll need can be found in The Eros Network main menu. We will also be adding an additional two hours to today’s date as a congratulations. Thank you again for choosing The Eros Network.” 

“I think we won!” Emma said with a silly laugh. 

“Oh, thank god!” Regina exclaimed as she struggled to jump to her feet. 

“Wait! Where are you going?” Fear filled each of Emma’s words. 

“Oh hey, don’t worry. I’m not leaving,” Regina said, leaning down to softly kiss Emma again. “I just need to get out of this dress and start looking like myself again. I’ll be right back.” Regina disappeared a second later, leaving Emma sitting alone on the beach. 

She nervously started to clean up, making sure the leftover food was carefully returned to the picnic basket. Even though she knew the food wasn’t real, she didn’t want to waste any of it. Time seemed to stop as she waited for Regina to return. She tried to focus on the waves crashing into the shore to pass the time, but not even the tranquility of the ocean could distract her. 

Eventually–after what felt like an eternity–Regina appeared in front of her, this time wearing a completely different outfit, looking even more beautiful than she did before. She was wearing a long flowing floral skirt that ended at her mid calf with a soft deep purple cardigan sweater, her feet left bare. Her hair was wild and curly and flowing in the breeze and her face was completely void of any make up, except for her fingernails and toenails, which were the same shade of purple as her sweater. 

“Oh my god…” Emma whispered, her brain unable to formulate words. 

“This is how I usually look. Do you…do you like it?” Regina asked nervously, her hands fanning out her skirt slightly. 

“I…oh my god…” 

“Do you prefer me the other way? With the tight dress and the straight hair? Because I can change back if you want.” 

“No! No! Please don’t!” Emma said, snapping out of her trance. “You’re so beautiful, Regina.” 

“Do you really mean it?” 

Emma immediately sprang to her feet and rushed over to Regina as she stood nervously in front of her. “You’re the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my entire life, Regina.” 

“Really?” Regina’s voice cracked slightly. 

“Really!” Emma said, before pressing her lips against Regina’s again. “And, for the record, I like this version of you better. I like the real you.” 

“You didn’t like the way I looked before?” Regina asked, her voice shaking with nervous energy.

“Of course I did. But you clearly didn’t. I would rather you be comfortable and dress the way you like,” Emma said, reaching for Regina’s hands. “From now on, don’t listen to your sister and dress however you wish. You don’t need to impress me, Regina. You already have me.”

“Does that mean you’d like to have another date?” 

“Regina Mills,” Emma scolded. “I would walk across hot coals to get to you. I would walk across the globe on my hands and knees if it means I could be with you.” 

“I take that as a yes.” 

“It’s a FUCK yes!” Emma exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Regina and lifting her up slightly bringing her to eye level. 

“Good. Because I would really love to see you again, and again, and again…” Regina said, her sentence stopped by Emma’s lips. 

“Can we go for another walk?” Emma asked. “I was so nervous about the kiss that I couldn’t enjoy it the first time.” 

“I know the feeling.” Suddenly the gears began turning in Regina’s head. “Wait, were you worried that I wouldn’t want to kiss you?” 

A guilty expression spread across Emma’s face. “A little…” 

“Emma, kissing you has been all I can think about for weeks.” 

“Maybe we shouldn’t have waited so long for this date. We could have been making out for weeks.” 

“We have all the time in the world now to make out like teenagers.” 

“Really?” 

“Now that we passed the trial, we have more time each day to be together. There is a time limit, but it’s way longer than before. I’ll have to look up the exact time tomorrow. Because right now, we have a romantic walk to take before the sunset is over.” 

They walked in silence along the shore, the water once again lapping against their ankles. The sky turned from pink to orange to a deep blue as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, until the familiar disembodied voice announced their date was officially coming to an end. 

“I had such an amazing time tonight, Emma. Thank you.” 

“I should be thanking you, Regina. I never thought I would ever be able to eat the fancy cheese from the expensive part of the supermarket.” 

“Only the best for you.” 

“And, of course, the kiss that changed my life,” Emma added, causing Regina to blush once again. 

“It was certainly a magical experience. One that I won’t soon forget.” 

“Me neither,” Emma wrapped her arms around Regina’s waist and slowly pulled her closer. “Can I pick the next date?” she asked as Regina wrapped her arms around her neck. 

“Yes, please.” 

“I’ll start planning it as soon as I wake up.” 

“I can’t wait.” 

“One last kiss for the road?” 

“You never have to ask.” They kissed for the final time that evening, their embrace ending only when they were pulled from each other and deposited in the main menu, indicating they had run out of time. Emma disconnected immediately, waking up a second later in her bed.

<~**~>

She quickly placed the transmitters back in their case and returned them to her nightstand drawer for safe keeping before she climbed out of bed to search for her roommates. “So? How did it go?” Ruby asked when she heard the floor creaked under her feet as she walked into the living room. 

“Wonderful!” Emma said, with a dreamy sparkle in her eyes. 

“Tell me EVERYTHING!” Ruby insisted. 

“Wait! Drinks! We need drinks first!” Neal said, running to the kitchen, returning a second later with a bottle of wine and three glasses. He quickly opened the bottle and poured them each a glass before settling in to hear Emma’s story. 

“It was a romantic picnic on the beach. Apparently they let you pick the food in the basket, so she chose a fancy charcuterie board. I got to eat the fancy cheese that we can never afford.” 

“How did it taste?” Neal asked. 

“Amazing!” 

“Yeah yeah, food is great and all. But that’s not what I want to know. Did it happen?” 

“Do you mean, did we share our first kiss?” 

“Duh!” 

“Let’s just say, we passed the third date test,” Emma said with a shit-eating grin. 

“You kissed her?” Neal asked, hope in his voice. 

“I did…a few times actually,” Emma said. 

“I want all the details. Who initiated it? How was it? Did it feel like kissing someone in real life?” 

“I’m sorry guys, I never kiss and tell.” 

“Come on! we need to live vicariously through you since our soulmates are taking their sweet ass time joining.” 

“Sorry guys,” Emma said with a nonchalant shrug. 

“Bitch!” Ruby said with a playful punch to her arm, nearly causing her to spill her wine.

“Maybe one day I’ll tell you. But right now, I need to head to bed. I have to work a double tomorrow,” she said, as she downed the last of her wine in two gulps. 

“Night sis, sweet dreams,” Neal said as she walked away. 

“She’s going to dream of her lady, she’s going to have the sweetest dreams,” Ruby chimed in. 

“Jealous?” she asked over her shoulder before walking out of the room. 

There were two notifications waiting for her from The Eros Network. One was from Regina, thanking her for an amazing date, and wishing her sweet dreams. The second was from The Eros Network, congratulating them on passing the third date with a kiss. Attached to the second message was a video capturing their first kiss, as a reminder of their third date. Tears of happiness filled her eyes as she watched the video over and over. It has only been three dates, and she was already falling for Regina Mills.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six

Regina smiled as she looked down at her cuff under the table, reading Emma’s message a few times before responding. She was so engrossed in their short conversation that she didn’t hear the person approach until they were seated in the booth across from her. 

“Hey stranger!” the woman said, startling her and causing her jump and smack her cuff against the underside of the table. 

She quickly looked up at her friend. “Hey, Belle!” 

“It’s good to see you’re still alive. I was starting to think you dropped off the face of the earth since I haven’t heard a peep from you in months,” Belle said–slightly sarcastically–as she looked at the menu. 

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been a bad friend. Do you still love me?” 

“Of course. Ride-or-die for life, remember?” 

“How could I forget?” 

“But you are doing alright, right? You’re feeling well and everything.” 

“I am, yes.” 

“Good,” Belle said with a smile. Regina heard her cuff ping under the table, and it took everything in her power not to look at it. Even though she couldn’t see the screen, she just knew it was a message from Emma. 

They ordered lunch and quickly fell into their normal banter. Regina tried to listen to her best friend’s story, but all she could think about was Emma. “Okay, I know you’re dying to check your cuff. Just look at it already,” Belle said after a little while. 

“No, I’m not. I’m listening to your story.” 

“Regina, what was I just talking about?” 

“You…umm…you were saying something about a creepy guy who came into the library and started asking you weird questions about the historical documents.” 

“That was twenty minutes ago. I was talking about my father and his flower shop.”

“How is your father?” Regina asked. 

“If you had been listening, you would have known he’s doing well. What’s up with you?” 

“Nothing,” Regina lied. 

“Okay, check your damn cuff. Then, after you respond to whatever you’re itching to respond to, you’re going to tell me what…or who…has you so distracted.” 

“I…” Regina released a sigh. She knew she could never lie to her best friend for long, nor could she keep something this big from her. “Alright, fine, I’ll tell you. Just give me a second” 

“Hey, sorry for the delayed response. I’m having lunch with my best friend,” she typed, waiting a few seconds to see if Emma messaged her back. 

“Now spill, young lady.” 

“So…I met someone,” Regina said with a shy smile. 

“DUH!” 

“Is it that obvious?” Regina asked, as her cuff pinged again. 

“Oh shit, you did tell me you were meeting your friend today. I totally forgot. Sorry to bother you. Have a great time, babe! I’ll talk to you later, and I’ll see you tonight!” 

Regina responded immediately. “That’s alright, darling. I can’t wait to see you tonight. Be careful please.” 

“I always am.”  Regina smiled at the last message before she realized she had been completely ignoring her friend. “Sorry. What were we talking about?” 

“Uh, you just dropped the bomb that you met someone and then disappeared into your little love bubble without giving me any details! Now spill! Or I’m disowning you.” 

“I don’t know where to start.” 

“How about you start with a name, Regina. Give me a name!” 

“Emma.” An uncontrollable smile spread across her face at the sound of Emma’s name. 

“Emma. That’s a pretty name!” 

“I think so.” 

“So? Give me more woman. Where did you meet Emma?” 

“You have to promise not to make fun of me when I tell you.” 

“I would never do that.” 

“No? How about that time I threw up all over myself after drinking too much in college? You make fun of me for that everyday for nearly a month. You called me Regurgitation Regina for Christ's sake.” 

“Okay, guilty. But you have to admit it was hilarious.” 

Regina rolled her eyes at the memory. “Yes, fine, whatever.” 

“Seriously though, I promise I won’t make fun of you.” 

“Pinky swear?” Regina asked, extending her pinky to Belle. 

“Pinky swear,” Belle answered, hooking their little fingers together. 

“Alright…” Regina took a deep breath. “We met on The Eros Network.” 

“Really?” Belle’s eyes lit up with excitement. “That’s great, Regina! I’m so happy for you!” 

A slight blush crept across Regina’s face as she nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Thanks.” 

“You didn’t just meet someone, Regina, you met THE ONE!” Belle exclaimed, so loud that a few people turned to look in their direction. 

“Belle, keep your voice down,” Regina whispered. 

“I’m sorry. I’m just so excited for you. How long ago was it that you and Zelena joined? Has to be, what, four years?” 

“A little over five when Emma and I matched.” 

“Tell me ALL about her!” 

“Well…” There was a sudden glimmer in Regina’s eyes as she thought about Emma. “She’s a protection and safety enforcement agent. She works really long hours so it’s hard to find time for each other.” 

“That doesn’t sound right. Surely she can find the time to see you, especially since she doesn’t have to leave her house.” 

“She works sixteen hour shifts most days of the week, so by the time she gets home she’s exhausted. She says she doesn’t want to give me her half-assed attention. She wants to give me her full attention.” 

“Can’t she cut down her overtime?” 

“She can’t. She’s supporting her younger brother while he goes to medical school. And she helps out her mother since her father passed.” 

“Well, fuck me, that’s noble.” 

Regina smiled so wide her cheeks started to hurt. “She’s pretty great.” 

“Do you have a picture? There’s usually a picture with their profile right?” 

“Yes, but I can do you one better,” Regina said, pulling up The Eros Network on a holoscreen. “Here’s her profile picture,” she said, showing Belle Emma’s picture, her goofy half smile shining back through the screen. 

“Oh Regina, she’s gorgeous!” Belle said. 

“And then there’s this,” Regina said, flipping to the video of their last date. 

“Holy crap! Is this real?” 

“Apparently The Eros Network will take and send you videos of important and romantic moments on your dates. This was our first kiss.” Regina’s heart skipped a beat as she thought back to that moment, and the feeling of having Emma’s lips against her own. 

“That’s so romantic, Regina. I’m so happy for you!” 

“Thanks,” Regina said with a shy smile, quickly closing the holoscreen to prevent her from being distracted by Emma again.

“What’s it like? Being in the virtual network. Is it weird knowing it’s a computer and that you’re really just laying in your bed?” 

“I will admit it was weird at first. My brain knew it wasn’t real and that the people around us were just part of the computer. But, to be completely honest, all that went away once I started talking to Emma. Now, I completely forget it’s a computer.” 

“It doesn’t hurt that you’re probably more focused on that lovely lady than the world around you.” 

“That’s for certain,” Regina said, with a sly smile. 

“Have you slept together yet?” Belle asked, her voice just above a whisper. 

“Not yet. We’ve only just kissed. But I suspect we will eventually make it to that point.” 

“Does it feel the same? The kissing? Does it feel like you’re kissing a person or just air.” 

“Belle, it feels so much better than the real thing.” 

“Imagine what sex is going to feel like,” Belle said with a wink. 

Regina’s face turned a deep red color. “I’ll let you know when it happens.” 

“What does Zelena think of all this?” Belle asked, causing Regina’s smile to disappear instantly. “I mean, I just know how Zelena feels about The Eros Network ever since-” Belle’s sentence trailed off, never reaching its conclusion. 

“Well…she doesn’t know.” 

“How doesn’t she know?” 

“She knows that Emma and I matched, but as far as she knows I never started talking to her, let alone started meeting her.” 

“Regina! You can’t keep this a secret forever. She’s going to find out eventually. Can you imagine what she’ll do if she finds you asleep in bed and can’t wake you up because you’re in the network with Emma? She’ll shit a brick!” 

“That’s why we always wait until Zelena goes to bed before we meet.” 

“Regina. You have to tell her.” 

“I know. And I will. Just not yet. I’m not ready yet.” 

“What are you waiting for?” 

Regina sighed. “I don’t know.” 

“Hey, listen. Either way, I am really happy for you, Regina. You seem really happy with Emma and I wish you both the best of luck!” 

“Thanks, Belle! That means a lot!” 

“Of course. I just want to see you happy, Regina.” 

“I am happy. I’m so happy I feel like I might burst!” 

“Good!” 

“Now enough about me. What’s new with you? How’s the library?” 

“It’s fine. Full of smelly old books. I help people read said smelly old books without destroying the three hundred year old paper. There was something I wanted to talk to you about, but given your current situation, I think I may already know your answer.” 

“Ask me anyway.” 

“I was thinking of joining The Eros Network and was going to ask your opinion, but given how blissfully in love you are, I already know you’re going to tell me to do it.” 

“Yes! I fully support this decision!” 

“You think so?” 

“Yes!” 

“Was it hard? The whole process?” 

“Not really. They take a little blood and do a full body scan for your avatar. That’s the only part that’s a little uncomfortable. But it only lasts a few minutes and you’re alone in the room. The waiting is the worst part, honestly.” 

“Where did you go to get it done?” 

“Portland.” 

“That’s not bad.” 

“Not at all. And after they do all that and explain everything you’re out in no time. Then you just go home and do a short tutorial on how to navigate the network and you’re done. Easy peasy.” 

“You really think I should do it?” 

“I really do! In fact, make your appointment now before you chicken out!” Belle released a nervous breath as she opened a new holoscreen. Together they navigated The Eros Network website, and by the time they paid the bill for their lunch, Belle had an appointment set up to join the network the following week. 

<~**~>

“For tonight, dress warm.” 

“What do you mean, dress warm? Where are we going?” 

“It’s a surprise.” 

“I need more information than ‘dress warm’.” 

“Casual. Jeans, t-shirt and a light jacket or hoodie is fine. No sandals though, you’ll want closed shoes.” 

“Emma Swan, where are we going?” 

“It’s a surprise, Regina Mills.” 

“I hate you.” 

“No, you don’t. Dress warm and let me know when you’re ready.” Regina managed to turn off the holoscreen just in time for Zelena to walk into the room. But she couldn’t hide her smile in time. 

“What’s with your face? Why are you smiling like that?” 

“Belle just said something funny, that’s all.” 

“Tell Belle I said Hi!” 

“Will do,” Regina said, glancing down at her cuff to make sure Emma hadn’t messaged her again. 

Zelena took her sweet-ass time going to bed. It was almost as though she drank a pot of coffee to ensure she stayed up all night. Eventually, after what felt like forever, she finally announced that she was heading to bed and retreated to her bedroom. Regina waited a few minutes to make sure her sister was settled before rushing to her own room and letting Emma know she was ready. A few minutes later she was inside The Eros Network main menu, picking out her warm yet casual outfit for the evening. 

<~**~>

She settled on a pair of jeans, not too tight but not too baggy, with an oversized sweater and ankle boots. She left her hair curly and wild, making sure each strand was curled to perfection without a hint of frizz. Once she was satisfied with her look she entered the network. She held her breath until she saw Emma standing in front of her, her hands nervously crammed into her back pockets. 

“Hi…” she said as soon as Regina appeared in front of her. She looked almost identical from the last time they were together. She wore her usual skinny jeans and tall boots, although this time her red leather jacket was replaced with a black and red flannel shirt, the cuffs rolled up to her mid forearm. Her long blonde hair was left loose and curly, flowing softly in the virtual breeze. 

“Hey…” she said, closing the gap between them and gently tucking a lock of blonde hair behind Emma’s ear. 

Emma smiled so wide that it practically reached her ears. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t given much to go on so I had to improvise,” Regina teased. “Now will you tell me where we’re going?” 

“Nope. You’re just going to have to find out when we get there,” Emma said, reaching for her hand and dragging her over to a large tractor a few yards away. Emma quickly climbed into the large cart filled with hay attached to the back, holding out her hand to help Regina up as well. 

Regina hesitated for a second before climbing in and taking a seat next to Emma. “Emma? What is this?” Regina asked as the tractor’s engine roared to life and began to drive away slowly. 

“This is called a hayride.” 

“We’re going on a hayride?” Regina asked skeptically. 

“No. I mean, yes we are, but that’s not the entire date. This is going to take us to the actual date,” Emma said, chuckling slightly at Regina’s uneasiness. Emma reached for her hand and held onto it tightly as the cart bumped through the woods, the sound of festivities growing louder and louder every second until they reached their final destination. 

“What is this place?” Regina asked in awe as they jumped out of the hayride. 

“It’s an autumn harvest festival,” Emma said with confidence. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to one.” 

“We used to go to one every year as a family, until the year my father…” Emma stopped to compose herself. “...we haven’t been to one since. I have so many really good memories of going to harvest festivals as a kid, and now I want to share them with you,” Emma explained. 

“I love it,” Regina said, kissing Emma softly. “Lead the way.” 

They walked under a large arch made of pumpkins and were immediately greeted with the sounds of people laughing and talking. The area was filled with a small number of people, not enough to get in their way, but just enough so they didn’t feel completely alone. 

“So, there’s three main components: Rides, games and food. Which do you want to start with first?” 

“Which do you recommend?” 

“Are you hungry? We could eat first if you want.” 

“What did you usually start with when you used to come here as a family?” 

“We always started with the games!” Emma declared with excitement. 

“Then that is where we shall start!” 

Emma led the way through the festival until they reached the small cluster of booths that held the carnival games. “When we were younger Ruby, Neal and I used to compete to see who could win the most games. Ruby always kicked my ass in that game where you have to shoot water into the clown’s mouth, but I always dominated any games that required you to knock things over,” Emma said, approaching a familiar game with six large metal bottles stacked in a pyramid. “Poor Neal never won any games. I guess that’s why he’s the smartest one out of the three of us.” 

“I’m sure that’s not true.” 

“No, it is,” Emma said, accepting the large softballs from the attendant. “But I’m okay with that. Not everyone can be top of their class.” 

Emma stretched her neck as she prepared to play the game, concentrating hard on the task at hand. Her first throw knocked over the top three bottles, leaving the last three standing. Her second throw missed completely and the third only knocked down one, leaving two standing. “Damn it. I’m rusty,” Emma said, requesting another try.

On Emma’s second attempt she knocked down even less bottles and on her third attempt she missed all three times. Regina could tell she was getting frustrated with her failure. “It’s alright, Emma. We can always come back later if you want.” 

“No! I’m determined to win you a stuffed bear, if it kills me!” 

Regina stepped up to Emma and gently guided her chin toward her. “Let me give you a little luck before you try again,” she said, leaving a soft kiss on the blonde’s lips. 

“Mmmmmm…” Emma hummed. “I think I might need a little more luck, just to be safe.” 

“As you wish!” Regina cupped Emma’s cheek as she gently pulled her in for a second soft kiss. 

Emma knocked down all six bottles on her first throw, winning instantly. “You’re my good luck charm,” Emma said before kissing Regina once again. The attendant waited patiently for them to separate before handing Emma her prize. 

“This is for you,” she said, handing the small stuffed bear to Regina. “I know it’s not real.” 

“Real or not, I love it. Thank you.” 

“One of these days I’ll win you a real one that you can keep at the end of the night.” 

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Regina said with a wide smile. 

“I don’t want to hog all the fun. Do you want to try a game or two?” 

“I saw one over there where you need to pop balloons with darts. I wouldn’t mind giving that a try.” 

“Lead the way, my queen.” 

“You need to pop at least three balloons to win a prize,” the attendant explained as he handed Regina five darts. 

“Sounds easy enough,” Regina said, discreetly testing the sharpness of the darts with her finger. “Can I have a little luck?” 

“Always,” Emma said, rewarding her with a kiss. Regina threw all five darts in quick succession, popping five balloons with ease. 

“You’re a ringer!” 

“I used to play darts a lot in college. I got pretty good after a while, even won a few tournaments,” Regina said with a smug smile. She quickly handed the small stuffed duck to Emma. “This one is for you. It’s not quite a swan, but it’s close.” 

“It’s perfect,” Emma said, emotion catching in her throat. “Do you…umm…do you want to get something to eat?” 

“I’d love to. What type of food do they have here?” 

“Let’s find out!” Emma said, reaching for Regina’s free hand.

They could smell the food before they saw the stalls, filling the air with the rich aromas. “Why don’t you grab a table and I’ll get us some good stuff.” Regina hesitated for just a moment before nodding in agreement and heading towards the picnic tables set up off to the side. She looked around at the twinkling lights as she waited, taking in all the sights. 

Everything smelled like pumpkins and apples and french fries, and she was pleasantly surprised at how much she was enjoying everything. “So, I got us a variety of deep fried, artery clogging food,” Emma said when she returned, placing two trays of food onto the red and white checkered tablecloth. “Grilled cheese with bacon and a side of hot tomato bisque soup for dunking,” Emma explained, placing the containers in front of Regina. “I also got us an order of cheese fries, fried mac and cheese balls, and jalapeno poppers to share. And for dessert, fresh pumpkin pie and apple pie.” 

“Emma, this is too much.” 

“Oh, I almost forgot. Hot chocolate and apple cider to wash it all down!” 

“Emma. This all looks amazing. But we can’t eat this. It’s so unhealthy we’ll be sick for days.”

“That’s the beauty of this place, Regina. It’s not real, remember? None of this is real,” she said, grabbing a fry that was dripping with melted cheese. “We can eat whatever we want here and nothing will happen. Other than enjoying the crap out of it.”

“You make a good point.” 

“Think of it as our reward for taking a chance on love. All the fried food we can manage with none of the consequences.” 

“I like the way you think, Miss Swan.” Regina picked up half of her grilled cheese sandwich and dipped the end into the soup. “This is delightful,” she said mid-chew. 

Emma took a large bite of her own sandwich. “I’m a sucker for grilled cheese.” 

“I’ve never heard of a jalapeno popper, what is it?” 

“Do you like spicy food?” 

“I love spicy food!” 

“Then you’ll love this,” Emma said, handing Regina a popper. “It’s a jalapeno pepper, stuffed with cheese and then deep fried.” 

Regina took a tentative bite and her face immediately brightened up. “This is delightful!” she said before eating the rest in one bite. 

“So, I did a good job picking the food?” 

“You did very well!” 

“Speaking of food, how was lunch with your friend?” 

“It was good. I’ve been neglecting her a little over the past few months, so it was nice to see her again.” 

“It’s not because of me, is it?” 

“No, not entirely. The end of the school year is always a stressful time. Although, I will admit that maybe there was a small part of me that was choosing to talk to you instead of calling her. But she understands, after I told her all about you.” 

“You told your friend about me?” 

“I did, I hope you don’t mind.” 

“Not at all. But now you have to tell me all about her,” Emma said with a smile. 

“Her name is Belle, and we’ve been friends since we were five years old. We met at summer camp, and have been inseparable ever since. We even went to the same college for undergrad.” 

“Is she a teacher too?” 

“No. She’s a librarian, historian and research specialist. She specializes in twentieth and twenty-first century research, literature and historical documents. She’s been obsessed with history and reading her entire life. She even tried to write a historical fiction novel that takes place shortly before the war, but hasn’t found the right publisher for it yet.” 

“Maybe one day.”

“She hasn’t given up yet, just taking a little break,” Regina said, eating the last jalapeno popper. “I convinced her to sign up for The Eros Network. She has an appointment next week to join.” 

“That’s awesome. I hope our success story helped sway her decision.” 

“I think it did. She seemed to be on the fence, but seeing how smitten I am with you convinced her to take a chance as well.” 

“Tell her I wish her the best of luck! And that I hope she doesn’t have to wait very long for her match.” 

“I’ll tell her next time I talk to her.” 

“How long did you have to wait for me to join?” 

“About five years, give or take.” 

“Five years! I only had to wait a few weeks, and even that was torture. Regina, I’m so sorry. Had I known you were waiting for me, I would have done it ages ago!” 

“How would you have known, silly?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“It’s alright, I promise,” Regina said, reaching out for Emma’s hands. “I would gladly wait another five years for you. I would wait an entire lifetime for you.” 

Emma laced their fingers together. She would always be impressed how well their hands fit together, like two perfect puzzle pieces. “Me too…” 

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. So I’m certain the universe had a reason for keeping us apart until now.” 

“Yeah? What could that be?” 

“I don’t know, and I don’t care. We are together now, and that’s all that matters.” 

“Yeah. That’s all that matters.” 

“Now, will you please stop with the pity party and kiss me? Even though we passed the third date test, there is still a time limit. We don’t have all night,” Regina said with a sly smile. 

“As you wish, my queen,” Emma said, leaning over the table to give Regina what she desired. 

They finished every bite of food, including splitting the apple and pumpkin pie, and decided to grab a hot pumpkin spice latte to keep them warm as they continued to walk about the festival. They laughed so hard they gave themselves the hiccups as they attempted to navigate through the large maze made of hay bales and shared a caramel apple on a stick as a reward for finding the exit. 

“Whenever we came to these places, we would always end the night with a trip on the Ferris wheel. Ruby, Neal and I would cram into one of the seats, while my parents would sit behind us. We all pretended we didn’t see them stealing kisses when they thought we weren’t looking. I know you’re afraid of heights, so I won’t make you take a ride with me.” 

“I think I’d like to give it a try.”

“Really? You don’t have to do something that you’re afraid of just for me, Regina. I’m fine skipping the Ferris Wheel.

“No, I’d like to give it a try. We’re in a computer, right? So nothing bad can happen while we’re here, because none of this is real.”

“Good point,” Emma said with a smile.

“Just…please let me hold your hand if I get scared.”

“Always.” Emma eagerly jumped into the bucket seat that was waiting for them when they arrived, reaching out for Regina’s hand to help her in as well. The attendant locked the safety bar in place and a second later the ride sprang to life. Regina reached out for Emma’s hand as soon as they started to move, lacing their fingers together and holding on for dear life.  

The wind from the carnival ride caused Regina’s wild curly hair to fly around her head. “I love your hair like this.” 

“Thank you,” Regina said, a shy blush flushing her cheeks. “Your hair is beautiful too.” 

“Thanks. It’s usually pulled back in a tight bun for work. It’s nice to let it run free for once,” Emma said, shaking her head, causing her own hair to fly around her face. 

The ride started to slow, until they were stopped at the top. “Are you alright?” Emma asked, her eyes trained on Regina next to her, ignoring the view.

“Yeah…I think so…” Regina said, her hand grasping Emma’s just a little tighter.

“I can call down to the attendant and ask him to make the ride move. We’re the only ones on it right now.”

“No. I’m alright. Let’s enjoy the view while we still can.” Regina clung to Emma’s hand so hard it began to hurt, but Emma didn’t say a word. Regina was trying to face her fears for her sake. 

The view was spectacular. The full moon brightened the night sky and caused the stars to twinkle even brighter. They sat in silence for a few moments while they took in the scene, Regina’s head eventually finding its way onto Emma’s shoulder. 

“Attention! Your date will end in approximately five minutes.” 

“How can it be over already? I feel like we just started.” 

“Time flies when you’re having fun.” 

“Why do we have a time limit anyway? Didn’t we pass the test?” 

“Yes. But we still have a limit. It’s longer than before, but still there. I think they don’t want us to spend our entire lives inside the network. I think over time our limit will grow larger, as we grow closer.” 

“That’s something wonderful to look forward to.” 

“Since this looks like the end of our night…” Regina started to say as she reached out to gently tuck a lock of hair behind Emma’s ear. “...I suppose it’s time for our goodnight kiss.” 

Regina gently swiped her thumb along Emma’s bottom lip before she pulled her closer into a deep and passionate kiss. They each tested the waters with the kiss slightly until they each invited the other’s tongue, deepening the kiss even more, adding a level of heat and passion they had never experienced before this very moment. 

“Wow…” Emma managed to say when they parted, both gasping for breath. “I will never get tired of doing that.” 

“Good,” Regina said with a soft giggle. They each leaned in for another kiss when the world went black, and Regina found herself back in The Eros Network main menu. She took a minute to gain her bearings before she disconnected and returned to the real world. 

<~**~>

She checked her cuff as soon as she woke up in her bed, finding a notification from The Eros Network with another memorable video from their date. She opened it quickly to find a video memory of their final kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel. Emma’s fingers were tangled in her hair as her hands gently cupped Emma’s cheeks. She smiled as she watched the short video, grateful that she would always have evidence of this moment. She opened her messages and quickly typed one for Emma before she fell asleep. 

“I had an amazing time tonight. Thank you for another incredible date.” She hit send and carefully secured her transmitters in their case for safe keeping. Just as she was ready to settle into bed for the night and turn her cuff on silent, it pinged with a new message from Emma. 

“My lips are still tingling from your kiss. Thank you for allowing me to relive those wonderful childhood memories. Sleep well, my queen. I’ll talk to you soon.”  

Regina smiled as she wished Emma sweet dreams and quickly fell asleep herself. It had been an amazing day, one she would never forget.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven

“RUBY!” Emma screamed as she raced out of her bedroom. “RUBY WHERE ARE YOU?” 

“WHAAAT?” Ruby yelled back. 

“RUBY! I need your help!” 

Neal ripped open his bedroom door suddenly. “What’s all the screaming about? I’m trying to study.” 

“Your sister is losing her damn mind apparently.” 

“Ruby, I need your help NOW!” 

“What? I thought you were going to meet Regina.” 

“I was. She just told me I need to wear a cocktail dress to our date. What do I do?” 

“You can change your clothes now. Wear a dress, dummy.” 

“How do I pick out a cocktail dress? I’ve never worn a cocktail dress before. I don’t even know what a cocktail dress is. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I wore a dress to begin with. What do I do?” 

“Okay, here’s what you do…” They spent the next ten minutes meticulously picking out the perfect dress and shoes combination for Emma to wear on her fancy date, giving her several variations to the dress in case Emma couldn’t find the exact same one.

<~**~>

Emma took a few tentative steps in her heels, trying to get the hang of the strange shoes while she searched the small crowd for Regina, finding her standing nervously next to the bar in the corner. Emma stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw her, wearing a long and skin tight dark blue dress with matching heels. She looked down at her own black dress and suddenly felt underdressed. Regina’s face lit up as soon as she saw Emma standing in the center of the room and rushed over to greet her with a soft kiss. 

“Wow…” Emma managed to say. 

“You’ve been saying that a lot these days.” 

“It’s because you keep stunning me into silence. Regina, you look amazing.” 

“You look pretty great yourself.” 

“You make me look like I’m wearing a potato sack.” 

“If that’s a potato sack, it’s the most beautiful potato sack I’ve ever seen,” Regina said, her face suddenly turning bright red. “That was really stupid. It sounded better in my head.” 

“It’s alright, I knew what you meant.” 

“Shall we have a drink before the show begins?” 

“Sure.” Emma followed Regina back to the small bar where they each ordered a glass of red wine. 

The lights in the lobby began to flicker as soon as they finished their drink, as if right on cue. “Come, let’s find our seats before the show begins.” 

“So…ummm…where are we?” 

“At the opera!” Regina said with excitement. 

“The opera? As in singing in Latin the entire time, opera?” 

“This one is in Italian, but yes.” 

“Regina, I don’t speak Italian. How are we going to understand what’s going on?” 

“Don’t worry, we’re in a computer, remember. We’ll be able to understand what they are saying, even if it’s in Italian.” 

“Oh…umm…okay.” 

“I know you might be a little out of your element. But I was inspired by you and wanted to share a piece of my own childhood. My family and I would go to the opera once a year. Even if I didn’t understand what was going on, it was always thrilling to hear the beautiful music. And I always felt fancy dressing up for the night. I hope it’s alright.” 

“It’s perfect!” 

Regina reached for Emma’s hand, interlocking their fingers as they walked toward the large open doors along the wall where they were instantly met with an usher who showed them to their seats. “We’re the only ones sitting here?” Emma asked as the door was closed behind them in their own private box. 

“Yes. These are the best seats in the house. They give us a perfect view of the stage, with optimal acoustics,” Regina explained as she picked up the program on her velvet seat and sat down. Emma followed and looked down at the program. 

“Orfeo ed Euridice?” she asked, trying her hardest to pronounce the Italian words. 

“Yes. It’s my favorite opera.” 

“What’s it about?” 

“It’s about a musician named Orfeo, who loses his wife.” 

“Well that’s depressing.” 

“There’s more to it than that. He is so distraught by the loss of his beloved wife, Euridice, that the gods allow him to bring her back from the afterlife.” 

“If this doesn’t have a happy ending, I’m sending you the bill for my therapy.” 

“I would gladly pay that.” The lights dimmed a second later as the orchestra started playing the overture. Emma reached for Regina’s hand in the darkness and held on tight as the red curtain opened in front of them. 

Emma remained silent as she watched the play in front of them, her face expressionless the entire time. By the end of the second act Regina was convinced that Emma was bored out of her mind and that she had ruined their date. 

“Are you enjoying the opera?” Regina asked as the lights turned back on for a few minutes. 

“I am.” 

“Are you having trouble following along?” 

“Not at all, actually. I can’t explain it, but somehow I understand Italian. I wish I had this program when I was in high school. I would have done better in Spanish class.” She laughed. 

“But you’re having fun, right?” 

Emma smiled so wide it almost hurt her face. “I am. I really am.” Emma brought Regina’s hand to her lips, kissing her knuckles softly. 

The final act started a minute later and Emma’s eyes were glued to the stage. Regina tried to focus on the actors, but all she could think about was Emma, and she couldn’t help but glance over to make sure she was still enjoying herself. At the most critical moment of the opera Regina looked over at Emma and found her eyes closed. 

Regina’s heart broke instantly. Emma was sleeping. She was ready to wake her up and end their date when the lights flashed slightly, reflecting off something on Emma’s cheek. That’s when she saw them, the silent tears falling from Emma’s eyes. Emma wasn’t asleep, she had closed her eyes to focus on the words. Emma had been moved to tears. 

Emma’s eyes fluttered open a few seconds after the music ended and the curtain closed, immediately looking over at Regina. “Sorry…” she said, wiping the tears from her face. “I’m not usually such a mess.” 

“I think it’s wonderful,” Regina said, softly squeezing Emma’s hand for comfort. “I was moved to tears the first time I saw Orfeo ed Euridice as well.” 

“It’s just that…they were so in love that Orfeo was willing to risk his life to bring Euridice back. And then when he realized he couldn’t, he was willing to give up his life to stay with her. He was willing to give up everything just to be with her.” Emma’s eyes began filling with fresh tears. “I guess…I guess I know how he feels.” 

Regina gently cupped Emma’s tear stained cheek, softly wiping the tears from her eyes. “I do as well.” 

“I would do anything for you, Regina. I know we’ve only had a few dates, and only really known each other for a few months. I just…I…” Emma struggled to find her words, too taken by emotions to think clearly. 

“Shhhh…” Regina whispered, gently pressing her lips against Emma’s to silence her. “I know how you feel.” 

“You do?”

Regina smiled, her own eyes filling with tears. “Yes, I do.” 

“I really liked the opera. Thank you.” 

“Even though it made you cry?” 

“They were happy tears, I think.” 

“Good.” 

“Do we have to leave yet? Or can we sit here a little longer?” 

“We can sit here as long as we like, or until we run out of time. Is everything alright?” 

“Yes. Yes, of course. You just look so elegant and regal tonight that I’m in awe of you. I look like a peasant next to you.” 

“Why do you keep doing that? You keep selling yourself short and putting yourself down. You’re just as amazing, Emma.” 

“Not compared to you. I’m awkward and clumsy. I needed Ruby to help me pick out a dress for tonight because I didn’t know what a cocktail dress was. And I’m seriously surprised that I haven’t gone ass-over-elbow in these shoes.” Emma chuckled. “You’re so incredible, Regina. And I feel like the luckiest person in the universe. Not just because you’re in my life, but because fate has chosen you to be my soulmate.” 

“It is I, who is the luckiest person in the universe. I won the genetic lottery when we were made soulmates. I…” Regina struggled to find her words this time, as her heart pounded in her chest. “Emma…I…” 

“Attention, your date will end in approximately five minutes.” 

A defeated sigh escaped Emma’s lips. “I’m getting a little tired of all these time limits.” 

“I’m sorry. I think the opera was longer than I anticipated. It took up our entire date.” 

“It’s alright. I really enjoyed it. My sister is going to shit herself when she finds out I went to the opera tonight,” Emma said with a hearty laugh. 

Regina laughed along with Emma. “I don’t know how to respond to that.” 

“When can I see you again?” 

“Whenever is good for you.” 

“How about right now? Can we have two dates in one night?” 

“I don’t know.” Regina chuckled. “I would suspect that would be against the rules.” 

“Tomorrow then. Are you available tomorrow?” 

“For you, I have all the time in the world.” 

“Good! I have to work, then I’m supposed to have dinner with my mom. But I can cancel that.” 

“No, Emma. Don’t cancel dinner with your mom. She’s your mother, you should spend time with her.” 

“Alright. After dinner then?” 

“Of course. After dinner.” 

“I’ll message you tomorrow with the details. But right now, I really need to kiss you before this date ends and we run out of time.” 

“Yes, please!”

<~**~>

Emma woke up a few minutes later, safely tucked away in her bed. She could still feel the remnants of Regina’s lips against her own as she stared up at the ceiling. She really did despise the evil time limits The Eros Network put on each of their dates. She understood why they existed; it prevented them from spending all-day-every-day in the network together. But understanding something doesn’t make it feel any better. Her heart was starting to ache for Regina, and she knew it was only going to get worse. She could hear her cuff ping under the blanket, a message from Regina no doubt. But she just wasn’t ready to read it yet, not when her heart still hurt. 

She started to doze off when a soft knock on her door woke her up. “Hey Em, you awake?” she heard Ruby’s voice ask through the door. 

“Yeah.”

“Can I come in?” 

“Of course. Since when do you care about my privacy?” she asked as she shifted toward the door as her sister entered the room. 

“Hey, I don’t know what goes on in the network. I wouldn’t want to walk in on some “private time” you might be having,” Ruby said, sarcastically using air quotes. 

“Very funny. What’s up?” 

“I was just checking to make sure you were alright. You’ve been in here for a while and you usually come out to tell me all about your date. Did everything go alright?” Ruby asked, upon seeing the sad look on Emma’s face. 

“Yeah. Everything was amazing actually.” 

“Where did you guys go that you needed to wear a cocktail dress?” 

“She took me to the opera, Ruby. The freaking opera.” 

“Like singing in a different language?” 

“That’s exactly what I said!” Emma laughed so hard she gave herself the hiccups. “It was in Italian.” 

“Seriously? You sat through an opera in Italian and didn’t fall asleep?” 

“No, Ruby, it was incredible. The Eros Network did something to my brain so that I could understand what they were saying even though it was in Italian. Ruby, it changed my life.” 

“Wow! Okay, tell me everything!” Ruby said, snuggling into Emma’s bed next to her. 

“Oh god, Ruby. Regina looked exquisite. She was wearing this incredible dark blue dress with matching heels. We got to sit in our own private booth and everything.” 

“Sounds amazing.” 

“It was!” 

“Tell me about the opera. What was it called?” 

“Orfeo ed Euridice.” 

“Translation? What’s it about?” 

“Oh god, Ruby. It’s this incredible story of a husband whose wife dies. He’s so heartbroken by her death that Cupid arrives and allows him to go to the underworld to find her and bring her back. He finds her, but something happens and she isn’t able to return to the world of the living after all. Then, in an ultimate act of true love, Orfeo decides to take his own life so he can stay in the underworld with Euridice instead of returning to the world of the living. He was willing to give up his entire life to be with Euridice, because he couldn’t live in the world without her.” 

“Fuck me that’s romantic.” 

“I cried, Ruby. I cried through most of the final act. Because I realized something, Ruby. Something big.” 

“Yeah?” Ruby asked, nearly at the edge of her seat. 

“I would have done the exact same thing for her, Ruby. I would go to the ends of the world to be with her. I would give up everything just to be with her.” They were silent for a few seconds, both taking in Emma’s confession. “I think I’m falling in love with her, Ruby.” 

“Duh!” 

“God, is it that obvious?” 

“Well, she is your soulmate. Falling in love is kind of inevitable. But yeah, you’re pretty bad. A blind man can tell you’re falling in love.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” 

“Because I keep talking about Regina, and I know you and Neal are still waiting.” 

“Hey, it’s all good. We all knew we might have to wait a while before our soulmates joined the network. Besides, Neal and I are over the moon excited for you. And I know when I get my match, you’re going to be by my side as well.” 

“I always have you back, woman!” 

“Thanks, kid.” 

“Is it bad that I miss Regina already?” 

“Not at all,” Ruby said, nudging Emma slightly. “Try to get some sleep.” 

“Yeah, I should try.” 

“Message Regina goodnight then go to sleep,” Ruby said as she climbed out of Emma’s bed. “Night, kid.” 

“Night, Ruby.” She opened a new holoscreen to find two messages. The first was a message from Regina saying goodnight. The second was a message from The Eros Network. She quickly responded to Regina’s message, thanking her again for the amazing experience and wishing her good night. She opened the message from The Eros Network, this time met with a simple snapshot of their date. An intimate moment between the two of them during the short time after the opera had ended. A moment that they had been gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes, as if they were the only two people on the face of the earth. 

“Goodnight, my queen,” she whispered to the photo, her hand grazing over the image of Regina on her screen. “I love you.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight

Regina woke up with a bright smile on her face. Her dreams had been filled with a beautiful blonde woman who had quickly stolen her heart. She opened a new message to Emma to wish her a good morning and found herself stuck staring at the most recent picture of the two of them from their date the previous night. She was so deep in thought that she didn’t hear the soft knocks on her bedroom door until Zelena’s voice startled her out of her trance.  

“Hey, are you feeling alright?” she asked as she peeked her head through the cracked door, nearly catching her staring at the picture of Emma on the holoscreen. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?” 

“Because you’re still in bed.” 

“It’s my final week of summer vacation, I’m just trying to enjoy the quiet relaxation time before it’s over,” she said with a chuckle. 

“Alright, as long as that’s all.” 

“I’m fine, Zee. I promise.” 

“Alright. Do you have any plans for today?” 

“I’m going to pick up some take-out and have lunch with Belle during her break.” 

“That sounds fun.” 

“You better get going or you’re going to be late for work,” Regina said, teasing her sister. 

“I’m on my way out. Just wanted to check on you since you weren’t up yet.” 

Regina rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, Zee.” 

“Have fun and tell Belle I say hi. And don’t stay in bed all day.” 

Regina rolled her eyes again. She knew Zelena meant well, but it felt like she was treating her like a child. “I’m getting up in a few minutes. Now get out of my room and go to work.” Zelena released an annoyed huff as she turned around and left the room. “Have a good day!” Regina called out, receiving a muffled response. She listened for the confirmation that Zelena was gone before she opened a new holoscreen, reading Emma’s response to her message with another wide smile. They talked for a few more minutes until Emma needed to focus on work, forcing Regina to finally get out of bed for the day. 

She spent the morning futzing around the apartment, preparing things for her return to work the following week before heading out to pick up lunch for her and her best friend. 

“Hey, just head back to my office, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Belle said as soon as she saw Regina enter the quiet building. Regina nodded and headed to Belle’s office where she started to unpack their lunches. 

“Hey, sorry about that,” Belle said, shutting the door behind her as she entered. “That guy was moments away from destroying a three hundred year old text because he didn’t listen to my instructions the first three times I told him.” 

“Not to worry,” Regina said as she closed the holoscreen she had been looking at while she waited for her friend. 

“How are things?” Belle asked as she pulled the top off of her take-out container which held her wrap. 

Regina took a bite of her salad, chewing quickly. “Not bad. Just trying to enjoy the final days of freedom and relaxation before I return to work next week.” 

“I will admit, I envy your summer vacations. I would kill for three months of freedom every year. However…” Belle took a bite of her wrap, chewing a few times before continuing. “...I do not envy the hard work of being a teacher. I’m glad I grew out of that phase a long time ago. I don’t think I could handle being a teacher for the rest of my life.” 

“It’s not that bad,” Regina said, taking another bite of salad. 

“Are you kidding? Kids can be little shits sometimes. The worst thing these old books can do is give you a paper cut, or squish your toes if you drop one on your foot. Books don’t talk back.” 

“Touche,” Regina said with a giggle. “So…” she said, resisting the urge to check her cuff to see if Emma had messaged her. 

“So? So what?” 

“Did you match with anyone yet?” 

Belle released a deep sigh. “No, not yet.” 

“Don’t worry, it’ll happen. It’s only been a few weeks, right?” 

“Yeah. Three weeks.” 

“It can take a while for them to process everything and add you to the database. Have you received anything from them yet?” 

“Not a peep.” 

“That’s a good sign. It means they are still processing your information. They’ll send you a notification to let you know when you are officially added to the network. Then it can be anytime.” 

“But what if they aren’t in the network yet? I could be waiting a long time, like you.” 

“True. But remember, even though I had to wait a few years, I still got my match.” 

“That’s true. How did you not go crazy waiting as long as you did?” 

“I had other things that occupied my mind.” 

“True. But it still must have been torture. It’s only been a few weeks and my heart stops every time I get a new notification.” 

“Yeah it was pretty rough in the beginning. But, to be honest, I almost forgot all about it when I got the notification that Emma and I matched.” 

“Liar. There’s no way you just forgot about waiting for your soulmate. We used to talk constantly about finding our true loves as kids. You’re a hopeless romantic, Regina. There’s no way you just forgot all about it.” 

“Okay, fine. I didn’t completely forget about it. But it wasn’t in the forefront of my mind all the time, only some of the time,” Regina said. 

“Speaking of which, did you really think you would get through lunch with me and NOT talk about your honey?” 

“No, of course not. I just didn’t want to sound like I’m bragging.” 

“Regina Mills, bragging? You’re the humblest person I’ve ever met. I don’t think you even know how to brag. Now spill! How are things with you and Emma?” A smile spread across Regina’s face at the sound of Emma’s name. “And given the shit-eating grin that just appeared on your face, things are going well?” 

“She is spectacular, Belle. Everything is simply amazing.” 

“Tell me EVERYTHING!” 

“We went to the opera last night.” 

“Orfeo ed Euridice?” 

“Of course.” 

“And? Did she love it?” 

“She cried, Belle. She actually wept at the end. And she said she understood how Orfeo felt. She actually said she would do anything for me, Belle. We had a moment and I…” 

“You what?” Belle was practically on the edge of her seat. 

“I almost told her that I loved her. Oh god, Belle, I almost said I love you!” 

“What stopped you?” 

“They announced that the date was ending.” 

“Damn, they couldn’t have given you a few more minutes.” Belle laughed. 

“My thoughts exactly! I could have used an extra few minutes.” 

“So?” Belle asked after a few moments of silence. 

“So, what?” 

“Do you love her?” Regina’s face turned a bright red as she stared at the remnants of her salad. “Regina! Don’t leave me hanging. Do you love her?” 

Regina bit her bottom lip as she looked up at her friend. Her head moved in a slow and shy nod. 

“Holy crap! Are you serious?” 

“I think so. Oh god, Belle! I think I’m in love with her!” Tears began to form in Regina’s dark brown eyes. “I’m in love with Emma Swan.”

<~**~>

“Emma! How wonderful to see you!” Mary Margaret said as Emma entered her childhood home, engulfing her daughter in a tight hug. 

“Hey, Mom.” 

“Ruby and Neal are already here, and Ruby has already had a few glasses of wine,” Mary Margaret whispered. 

“I’ll make sure she gets home safe. Is Neal drinking too?” 

“Yes, he just opened his second beer.” 

“I’ll make sure they both get home safe, Mom. Don’t worry.” 

“Our family knight in shining armor.” 

“I’m an agent, Mom. It’s what I do.” She followed her mother into the living room where she found both of her siblings already slightly tipsy. “What a bunch of lushes,” she said as she flopped down onto the couch next to Ruby. 

“Have a drink. You need to catch up.” 

“No, thank you. Someone has to make sure we all get home safe tonight. If I leave it up to you, we’ll end up in a pod to Orlando to visit Mickey Mouse!” 

“Hey! That only happened once!” Ruby said, refilling her glass with red wine. “And we didn’t actually go all the way to Orlando.”

“Only because you didn’t have any more credits left for the pod.” 

“Can I tear you away from your bickering long enough to eat dinner?” Mary Margaret asked as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. 

“If you’re cookin’, I’m eatin’!” Ruby declared as she jumped up and rushed to the dining room. 

Emma grabbed her brother’s arm, holding him back so they were alone in their childhood living room. “Hey, you’ve been working really hard in school. Have as much as you want to drink tonight. I’ll make sure we all get home.”

“Thanks, sis. I could use a night where I don’t think about Atrioventricular Nodes and Mitral Valves.” 

“Now you’re just showing off,” Emma said, playfully punching him on the shoulder. “Rest that big brain of yours, little brother.” 

“Thanks, sis,” Neal said, linking his arm with Emma’s as they walked to the dining room. 

Emma tried to discreetly check her cuff, sending Regina a quick message before the rest of her family noticed. “Everything smells great, Mom,” Emma said as she took her usual seat at the table next to Ruby. She couldn’t help but look over at the vacant spot at the head of the table, her father’s seat, left intentionally empty out of respect. 

“It’s just a couple chicken breasts with some roasted potatoes and veggies. Nothing special,” Mary Margaret said as everyone started loading their plates with food. “So, my children, what’s new in your lives? I feel like I haven't seen you guys in months. Neal, how’s school?” 

“It’s good. Much harder than I thought, though. It’s going to be a long four years.” 

“But if anyone can do it, Neal can. He’s a certified smarty pants,” Emma said. She would always hype her brother up, no matter what. 

“Of course he can. He can do anything he puts his mind to. All of you can do anything,” Mary Margaret said, beaming. She would always be her children’s biggest fans, no matter what they did in life. “And what about you, Ruby? How’s the restaurant treating you?” 

“It’s fine. It keeps me busy. The owner says she wants to start training me to be the assistant manager soon. And if everything goes well, eventually promote me to general manager one day.” 

“That’s great! Sounds like more responsibility.” 

“It is. I have a feeling she’s going to give me the restaurant in her will. She says I remind her of her granddaughter, who wants nothing to do with the food industry.” 

“Is that something you would be interested in? Owning a restaurant?” 

“Yeah. I think so. I can see myself owning my own restaurant one day.” 

“That’s wonderful! I know you will be successful!” 

“Thanks, Ma!” 

“And what about you, Emma? How’s work going?” 

“You know, it’s going. People need protecting.” 

“Anything new in your life? I hate to think you just work all the time without enjoying yourself.” 

“Yes, Emma. Is there anything new in your life?” Ruby asked in an annoying tone. 

“Am I missing something?” Mary Margaret asked, her eyes shifting between all three of her children. 

“There may be a new development in my life, outside work.” 

“Yes? Are you going to tell me? Or do I have to pry the information out of your drunk siblings?” 

“So…umm…you know that thing…The Eros Network?” 

“I’ve heard of that. Where they find your soulmate and you date inside a computer, right?” 

“Yeah. Something like that. Well…” Emma started to say, hesitating. 

“Oh for fucks sake. Ma, Emma, Neal and I signed up for The Eros Network a couple months ago,” Ruby blurted out. 

“All three of you?” Mary Margaret asked, looking at each of her children. 

“Yeah, we went together,” Neal explained. 

“And so far, only one of us has found their soulmate. And I’ll give you a hint, it’s not me or Neal.”

A look of shock fell upon Mary Margaret’s face. “Emma? You met someone?” 

“Yeah…I matched with someone as soon as my information was entered into the network. She was waiting for a while.” 

“Oh, Emma!” Mary Margaret exclaimed. She jumped out of her chair and rushed over to Emma, pulling her into a deep hug. “I’m so happy for you!” 

“Thanks…” Emma said, shyly. 

“I want to know EVERYTHING! Tell me, who is she? Where does she live? Should I start planning the wedding?” 

“Woah! Pump the breaks. No one is talking about getting married yet. We’ve only been on a couple of dates.” 

“She took Emma to the opera last night! The freaking opera! Can you even imagine Emma Swan at the opera?” 

“Not in my wildest dreams!” 

“It was surprisingly nice. I didn’t think I would enjoy it, but I really did.” 

“I’m sure it didn’t hurt that you had a beautiful woman by your side,” Ruby said, gaining a swift kick under the table. 

“That’s wonderful, sweety! You all need more culture in your lives!” 

Ruby laughed. “Who would have thought that Emma would be the most cultured of all of us.” 

“Don’t make fun of your sister,” Mary Margaret scolded. Ruby laughed as she poured herself more wine. “What’s her name?” she asked, turning her attention back to Emma.  

“Regina.” 

Emma’s face turned a bright red at the sound of Regina’s name. “Oh my, you’re blushing.” 

“She does that a lot these days,” Neal chimed in. 

“When are you seeing her again?” Mary Margaret asked, ignoring the fact that Emma threw a piece of bread at her brother. 

“Tonight. When we get home.” 

“Well then, I won’t keep you guys too late.” 

“No, it’s okay. She usually has to wait for her sister to go to bed before we can meet.” 

“Wait, is she hiding you from her sister?” Emma shrugged in response to her mother’s question. 

“Does her sister not know about you?” Neal asked. 

“I don’t know. I guess I assume she does.” 

“Then why do you have to wait until her sister goes to bed?” Ruby asked. 

“I don’t know. Maybe she’s annoying and asks too many questions,” Emma said, kicking Ruby under the table again. 

“Hey, I’m just looking out for you, that’s all.” 

“All kidding aside, there has to be a reason she’s hiding you from her sister,” Neal chimed in. 

Emma shrugged again. “I don’t know. I never asked. She did mention her sister matched with her soulmate early on, but she never mentions them.” 

“Maybe they are no longer with us,” Mary Margaret said sadly, her eyes darting toward the empty seat across the table from her. 

“That would make sense,” Neal said. 

“Maybe. I’ll ask her when the time is right,” Emma said, trying to change the subject. Eventually the conversation drifted away from her and her budding relationship, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Regina, and her reasons for hiding their relationship from her sister. 

Emma practically had to carry Ruby up the stairs and into their apartment, her long legs tripping over nothing the entire time. With Neal’s help, they eventually got their drunk sister into bed with a bucket next to her and a bottle of aspirin on her nightstand. She’s going to be hurting in the morning, Emma thought to herself after she made sure everyone was tucked away and the apartment was closed and locked. Now, all she had to do was wait to hear from Regina. All she could think about all day was Regina, counting down the hours until she could see her again. 

“Hi! My sister just went to bed. I’m just about ready. Is this a good time to meet?”  

“Yes, of course. Do me a favor. Wait a few minutes before you join me. I want to make sure everything is perfect before you get there. Oh and dress comfortably and warm.” She didn’t wait for Regina’s response before she placed her transmitters into her ears and entered the network. 

<~**~>

She was fanning the fire she had carefully built when she heard footsteps behind her. “Emma?” Regina asked. 

“Regina! Hi!” Emma said, jumping up out of the squat she had been in to greet Regina with a soft kiss. 

“Where are we?” 

“Camping!” Emma exclaimed. 

“Camping? Like sleeping outside, in the wild?” Regina asked, unsure as she looked around at the trees that surrounded them. 

“Yes. Well, except for the sleeping part,” Emma said with a grin. 

“I’ve never been camping before,” Regina said, taking a seat in one of the camping chairs next to the fire. 

“We went a few times when we were younger. But then Ruby decided it was too dirty for her, so we stopped going.” 

“I can’t say I disagree,” Regina said, digging the toes of her shoe into the loose dirt. 

“It’s a good thing this isn’t real.” Emma chuckled as she tossed the cooking grate over the campfire. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Cooking dinner.” 

“On…that?” Regina asked, pointing to the grate over the fire. 

“Food cooked over a campfire is absolutely delicious. The wood gives everything a smoky flavor. It’s wonderful,” Emma said, dropping two foil packets over the fire before grabbing the old cast-iron pan. 

Regina watched in awe as Emma fried four strips of bacon to crispy perfection, wrapping them in foil to keep them warm. “Uhh…Emma?” Regina asked as she watched Emma drop four balls of chop meat into the bacon grease, smashing them into thin patties. 

“Yes, my queen?” 

“Are you cooking that in bacon grease?” 

“Yes, I am,” Emma said, carefully flipping the thin patties over. 

“Are you aware that grease is not good for your heart?” 

“Yes, I have heard that. It’s a good thing this isn’t real,” Emma said looking over her shoulder. “We get to eat whatever we want, and nothing bad happens to us,” she said, dropping slices of cheese onto each of the patties. 

Regina laughed. “Thank you science.” 

A few minutes later the burgers were finished, and Emma transferred them to a plate before carefully slicing open two crusty kaiser rolls and dropping them into the pan with the remaining bacon and burger grease. 

“You really do like cooking in grease, don’t you?” Regina asked with a chuckle. 

“Believe me, once you taste these burgers, you’re going to be cooking like this even in the real world.” Emma laughed, flipping the rolls over to make sure each side was toasted to perfection. 

“Can I help you?” Regina asked after a few minutes. She was feeling slightly out of her element. 

“Nope! Just sit back and relax while I finish making dinner. It should be ready soon,” Emma said, rushing off to the picnic table a few feet away. Regina stared at the fire burning in front of her, mesmerized by the flickering flames and falling into a trance of her own thoughts. “Dinner’s ready!” Emma announced a few minutes later, jolting her out of her thoughts. 

Before her, Emma held a large plate containing a tall burger dripping with pink sauce and melted cheese, along with a large plastic cup filled with a deep-red liquid. Regina’s eyes went wide in astonishment at the taste after taking a tentative sip. “Wine?” she asked. 

“Pinot Noir, actually. I remember you saying that was your favorite type of wine,” Emma said matter-of-factly as she flopped into the chair next to Regina with a proud smile on her face. “Only the best for my lady.”

“It’s quite good. Excellent choice,” Regina said, taking another sip. 

“Thanks. Now eat, before your burger gets cold,” Emma said before taking a large bite of her own sandwich, smearing the pink sauce on the corners of her mouth. 

Regina giggled slightly as she gently wiped the mystery sauce from Emma’s face with her thumb. “Thanks,” Emma said with her mouth full. Emma watched with anticipation as Regina took a small and tentative bite of her burger. 

“Oh wow!” she said a second later as sweet and savory flavors exploded in her mouth. “That’s surprisingly good!” 

“Thank you?” 

“I never expected something so delicious to be cooked over a primitive campfire,” Regina said, taking an even larger bite. 

“See? Told you. The wood gives it a smoky flavor.” 

“You’re right, it does.” 

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Emma exclaimed, pitching forward to carefully pull the large packets of foil off the fire, placing one on Regina’s plate. 

Regina looked at the strange foil package skeptically. “What’s this?” 

“Corn on the cob!” Emma said with an excited smile. She carefully unwrapped her own corn to allow the steam to escape. “Just be careful opening it. It’s hot and might be a little messy.” 

Regina delicately unwrapped the corn and took a bite of the steaming corn. “Holy crap that’s good!” she said, as melted butter dripped down her chin. “And messy.”  

Emma giggled. “Told you!” 

“I’ve never had corn that tasted this good. More than just being cooked over a campfire.” 

“I cooked it with garlic powder and cajun pepper, and enough butter to give you an instant heart attack.” 

“That explains why it has a little kick to it,” Regina said before taking another bite. “I have to say, this was not the meal I thought I would be eating tonight.” 

“It’s different, I know. Hopefully it was a good surprise,” Emma said, slightly nervous. 

“It’s delightful. Not something I would cook or eat outside of a digital world.” 

“That’s exactly what I was going for,” Emma said, clearing their plates. “I also saved the best for last,” she said with a devilish smile. 

“It gets better?” 

“Did you honestly think I would take you camping and NOT have roasted marshmallows and s’mores?” 

“Silly me.” Regina laughed, stabbing a large marshmallow with a thin stick. “I haven’t had a marshmallow in years! I can’t even remember the last time I had a roasted one.” 

“Well that’s unacceptable. When the time comes that we can be together in person, we are eating s’mores at least once a week.” Emma smiled as she held her marshmallow over the fire, carefully toasting it to perfection. 

They both had a good laugh together when Regina’s marshmallow suddenly became engulfed in flames. “I guess I’m a little rusty,” she said after she quickly blew out the fire. 

“It’s okay, we can switch,” Emma said, grabbing Regina’s stick before she could stop her. “I don’t mind if it’s a little extra crispy.” Emma quickly went to work assembling the s’mores, making sure Regina received the one with the perfectly toasted marshmallow. 

“Well, Miss Swan. You certainly surprised me tonight. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive when I found out we would be spending the evening at a campsite. But this really is quite peaceful,” Regina said as she stared up at the stars. Neither of them knew when it had become dark until they noticed the twinkling lights above them. 

“I’m glad you’re having fun. I wanted to do something different, out of your element,” Emma explained as she refilled their cups with wine that didn’t seem to end. 

“How was your dinner with your mother tonight?” Regina asked after a few minutes of sipping her wine. 

“It was fine. My sister and brother got drunk. Ruby needed to be put to bed. She’ll be hurting tomorrow, that’s for sure.” Emma laughed as she sat back in her chair. 

“Does she often drink too much?” Regina asked with concern in her voice. 

“She does like her wine.” Emma chuckled. “But she’s responsible. She works really hard, so she’s allowed to overindulge every once in a while. I volunteered to be the responsible adult so they could both drink.” 

“Do you not enjoy drinking in real life?” 

“I do. I’ve been known to have a beer or two from time-to-time, but not regularly.” 

“I don’t drink much either. I do indulge in a glass of wine a few times a year,” Regina said, sipping her wine. It felt nice to drink without worry or guilt. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying their wine and each other’s company, until the moment felt just right. “Can I ask you something?” they asked in unison, causing them to giggle together slightly. 

“Go ahead,” Regina said. 

“No, it’s alright. You start.” 

“Okay…” Regina took a deep breath. “Have you known anyone who died from IITOF?” 

“Yeah…yeah I have.” 

“Who, if you don’t mind me asking.” 

“My Aunt Anita. She was my mom’s sister and Ruby’s mom. It affected her lungs. She didn’t tell anyone when she started getting sick because she knew there was nothing anyone could do. Ruby was five when she died, I was two and Neal wasn’t even born yet. My parents adopted Ruby before she died, so she could leave knowing that her daughter was safe. Ruby says she doesn’t remember what she looks like anymore.” 

“It must be hard to lose a parent so early in life. I’m glad your parents were there to help her.” 

“Yeah. Me too.” Emma paused for a moment. “There was someone else.” 

Regina could sense Emma’s hesitation. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” 

“No, it’s alright. I want to. The other person was my father. It affected his heart. He passed suddenly. Neal, Ruby and I didn’t even know he was sick until it was too late.” 

“He didn’t have any warning signs?” 

“My parents knew he was sick, but they kept it from us because they didn’t want us to worry. He was there one minute and then all of a sudden he was gone. I was away at college when it happened. He wanted to video chat the day before but I told him I was too busy for him that day. I chose hanging out with my friends over talking to him for the last time. I will always regret not taking a few minutes to talk to my dad. That decision will haunt me for the rest of my life.” 

“Oh, Emma. I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s alright. I understand why they didn’t tell us. They didn’t want us to worry. Ruby was trying to make it on her own, I was in college and Neal was in high school. I get it. I just wish I knew that was my last chance to talk to my dad,” Emma said, a silent tear running down her cheek. 

Regina reached over to wipe the stray tear from Emma’s face. “I know how you feel.” 

“You do?” 

Regina nodded. “I lost both of my parents to IITOF.”  

“Both of them?” 

“Yes. They passed within a few months of each other. My father passed first, followed by my mother.” 

“How?” 

“Their hearts as well.” 

“The heart is a rough one.” 

“It is. My father passed first. His heart just gave out. Neither of them told us they were sick until a few weeks before my father passed.” 

“Were you able to say goodbye to them?” 

Regina nodded. “It was the hardest conversation I’ve ever had. I loved my father with all my heart. My mother was a difficult woman, but my father had a heart of gold, no pun intended. I had barely started grieving my father when I lost my mother.” 

“IITOF is a truly horrible disease. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone,” Emma said with a discrete sniffle. 

“That it is.” 

“Has there been anyone else you’ve lost, other than your parents?” 

“Indirectly, yes. Zelena’s soulmate, Chad.” 

“Your sister lost her soulmate?” 

Regina nodded. 

“Oh god, Regina. That’s horrible.” 

“She never had the chance to meet him before he was gone. He lived in Seattle. She had plane tickets and everything, but his liver couldn’t hold on long enough. He died a week before her trip.” 

“Now I know why you have to wait for her to go to bed before we can meet.” 

“Huh?” 

“We always have to wait until Zelena goes to bed before we can meet. I was starting to think it was a little weird, but now I understand. You don’t want to remind her that she lost her soulmate and you still have yours.” 

“Yeah…she knows that we matched, she just doesn’t know that we’ve been seeing each other.” 

“I don’t mind being your little secret,” Emma said with a sly wink. 

Regina leaned over and pressed her lips softly against Emma’s. “Thank you for understanding.” 

“And just so you know, after my father died, we all got tested and none of us have the mutation. So, if you ever decide to tell her about us, you can let her know that you won’t suffer the same fate she did. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” 

“Thank god for that.” 

“I can’t imagine life without you, Regina. Now that I have you in my life, even if it’s only in this computer, I don’t think I could live without you.” 

“I know I can’t live without you, Emma.” 

“And you’ll never have to.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine

“EMMA SWAN! WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!!!” Ruby screamed as she slammed open Emma’s bedroom door. 

“Ruby, today is my day off. I only get three of these a month. Please let me sleep while I can!” Emma scolded. 

“I MATCHED!!! I GOT A MATCH!!” Ruby screamed. 

Emma’s eyes shot open and she nearly fell out of bed with sudden excitement. “Where’s Neal?” 

“He went to the library to study early this morning. I called him and he’s already on his way home.” 

“Perfect! Go make the coffee! I’ll make us breakfast, and as soon as Neal gets home we can all sit down and look!” Emma said, racing out of her bedroom and to the kitchen to start making breakfast. She was just putting the finishing touches on their bacon-egg-and-cheese wraps–an idea she got from Regina–when Neal came rushing through the front door. 

“I’M HERE! I’M HERE!” he screamed, finding his sister nervously pacing in the kitchen. 

“Emma made breakfast,” Ruby said, chewing on her nails nervously. “I made coffee.” 

“Good! I was going to stop and pick something up, but I figured Ruby would probably be pacing so much she’s wearing a trench into the floor.” 

Emma laughed. “Almost.” 

“Okay, great. Enough chit-chat. Can we look please? I think I’m dying with anticipation.” 

They piled onto the couch, Emma and Neal flanking Ruby–who was shaking slightly as she mentally prepared to find out the biggest news of her life. “Big scary Ruby is nervous?” Emma asked, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Shut up. You were just as nervous as I am,” Ruby said. Ruby’s hand shook as she tapped on the notification and opened a holoscreen in front of them all. A second later she gasped as she saw the picture of her soulmate for the first time. 

“Wow! Ruby! She’s stunning,” Neal said. 

“I…I know…” 

“I mean, she’s not as beautiful as Regina, but she comes in a very close second,” Emma said, chuckling as she received an elbow to the ribs. 

“What’s her name?” Neal asked. 

“I…I don’t know. Shit! How did I not look at her name first?” Ruby asked, frantically searching the screen for her soulmate’s name. 

“It’s because you were instantly mesmerized by her beauty. The same thing happened when I saw Regina’s picture for the first time,” Emma said, pointing to the top left side of the screen, showing her soulmate’s name. 

“Isabella,” Ruby whispered. 

“A stunning name for a stunning woman,” Neal said. 

“What do I do? What do I do now?” Ruby asked, suddenly panicking. 

“Check to see if she messaged you yet,” Neal suggested. 

“I…no. I don’t see any messages. Does that mean she doesn’t like me?” There was more fear in Ruby’s voice than either of them have ever heard before. 

“No. She probably just hasn’t seen the notification yet,” Neal explained. 

“Hey, that means you get to message her first!” Emma added. 

“Message her. Right. Send her a message. How do I send her a message?” 

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say you just tap on the send message button,” Emma teased. 

“Screw you,” Ruby scolded. 

Emma instantly threw her hands in the air in surrender. “Hey, I’m just trying to lighten the mood.” 

“What should I say?” 

“Hi, I’m Ruby. I think you’re gorgeous.” 

Ruby started typing Emma’s message, pausing when she reached the end. “I can’t say that! She’s going to think I’m a perv.” 

“You kind of are.” 

“Not now, Emma!” Ruby yelled. 

“Sorry.” 

“What did Regina say to you?” 

“She said Hi, Emma. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Regina, ” Emma recited from memory.

“Should I say the same thing?” 

“Sounds like a solid idea,” Neal said. His bedside manor was already incredible, he was definitely going to be an excellent doctor one day. 

“Okay…” Ruby tried to type the message but her nervous energy made it hard to hit the tiny buttons. 

“I can’t type right now, you do it.” Emma quickly took over and typed the message, pressing send before her sister could change her mind. “Okay, what now?” 

“Now you wait,” Emma said, reaching for her plate to eat her breakfast. Ruby took exactly one nervous bite of her breakfast when her cuff pinged, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. 

“It’s her!” she exclaimed. 

“What does it say?” Neal asked, nearly falling out of his seat. 

“She said, Hi Ruby! I’m so glad that you messaged me first. I’ve been sitting here for forever, staring at your picture, trying to muster up the courage to reach out to you. I’m afraid I would still be sitting here trying to will myself to type if you had not reached out first. I’m Isabella. It’s so nice to meet you! ” A wide smile spread across Ruby’s face as she read Isabella’s message. “Wait! Does this mean she’s nervous? Was she nervous about reaching out to me?” 

“It sounds like it,” Neal answered. 

“But why? She doesn’t have to be nervous. I’m not scary, am I?” 

“Well-” Emma started to say. 

“Don’t answer that!” 

“You’re a lovely person, with a heart of gold. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” 

“Thank you, Emma.” 

“As long as they don’t mind getting kicked in their sleep.” 

“AND there it is,” Ruby said, rolling her eyes. 

“I’m just messing with you. You know I love you.” 

“Yeah yeah yeah. What do I do now?” 

“Answer her back, dummy. Tell her everything I just told you, minus the kicking thing. We can let her discover that little fact on her own.” 

Ruby gave Emma the finger with one hand while she started typing with the other, composing her second message to Isabella. “Okay, I said, Hi Isabella! I’m glad you messaged me back so fast. I think I might have lost my mind if I had to wait hours for your response. And, for the record, my sister and brother were the ones who pushed me to reach out so quickly. If it were up to me, I would still be sitting here trying to figure out what to say. How does that sound?” 

“Good! It’s funny and honest. Sounds like the perfect response,” Neal said. 

“You think I should send it?” 

“Absolutely!” Ruby took a deep breath and pressed send. 

“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Emma asked with a laugh. 

“What?” 

“She, who never has a loss for words–especially curse words–is suddenly speechless and needs advice from us? I don’t even know who you are anymore.” Emma wasn’t fast enough to dodge a punch from Ruby. “And there she is.” She laughed rubbing her arm. 

“Leave Ruby alone. You were a ball of mush when you matched with Regina. Love makes you all funky,” Neal said, sipping his coffee. 

“Yeah! What he said!” 

“Okay, okay! You’re right, I’m sorry.” 

“Apology accepted. Now, go get me more coffee to make up for being a bitch,” Ruby demanded, shoving her mug into Emma’s hand. Emma rolled her eyes as she climbed off the couch and made her way to the kitchen to refill Ruby’s mug. By the time she returned, Isabella had already responded. 

Ruby spent the rest of the day talking to Isabella while Neal studied quietly in his room and Emma napped on the couch, and by the end of the day they had already made plans to meet for their first date later that evening. She and Ruby retreated early to meet their respective soulmates, with a promise to meet in the living room later that night to discuss how their dates went. 

Emma laid in bed staring at the ceiling as she waited for Regina’s sister to go to bed so they could meet again, her mind wandering to the magnificent brunette who had completely stolen her heart. “Hi! I’m ready. Can you wait a few minutes before joining me? I want to make sure everything is perfect.” 

“Of course! See you soon!” She set a timer for five minutes and watched as the numbers counted down. She hit the join button as soon as the timer hit zero, no longer able to contain her excitement. 

<~**~>

When the world around her came into focus, Emma was standing on a small front porch of an equally small home. She hesitated for a moment before knocking on the light blue door. Exactly five seconds later the door was flung open to reveal Regina, wearing a flowy light purple sundress. “Hi!” she said with a wide smile. “Come in.” 

“Where are we?” she asked as she looked around, marveling at the beautiful and simplistic home. 

“Technically, the beach,” Regina said, pointing out the large floor-to-ceiling window on the opposite side of the room. 

“I love the beach,” Emma said, walking toward the window to find it was a sliding glass door, leading out to a small deck in the sand. She stepped outside into the late afternoon sun, the ocean breeze causing her long blonde hair to dance around her head. “But this looks different from the beach where we had our first kiss. I don’t remember seeing this house.” 

Regina instinctively reached for Emma’s hand. “That’s because this is a different place.” 

“Where is it?” 

“I….umm…I made it,” Regina said sheepishly. 

“You made it? What do you mean you made it?” 

“The Eros Network allows you to create your own special places to share together,” Regina explained. “You start with a blank canvas and mentally create the world.” 

Emma was silent for a few moments, in shock at all the intricate details. “You made all this?” 

“I did.” 

“How long did it take you?” 

“A while. I started the day after we kissed for the first time. I put the finishing touches on it this morning.” 

“This must have taken forever,” Emma said, reaching down to pick up a handful of warm sand. 

“I spent the entire summer inside the network while Zelena was at work. I wanted us to have somewhere that was just ours. Do you like it?” 

“Like it? No, I don’t like it, Regina,” Emma said, snapping her head towards Regina, whose face fell with Emma’s words. “Regina, I fucking LOVE it! I love everything about it! I love it even more because you made it for us!” 

“Really?” 

“Really! I love it, Regina! It’s perfect!” Emma said, kissing Regina softly. “Now, give me the grand tour!” 

The house was small, only one large room broken into three sections: the large kitchen, a cozy living room with a fireplace and a television mounted on the wall above the mantel–stocked with enough wood to keep a fire going for days–and an open area in front of the sliding glass door, overlooking the beach. It was the perfect little love nest for them. 

“It smells amazing in here,” Emma declared, following her nose to the kitchen. “Are you cooking?” 

“I am. I threw together a lasagna,” Regina said, as if it were the most casual thing in the world.  

“You cooked for me?” 

“You cooked for me on our last date, I wanted to return the favor.” 

“I grilled a couple burgers and some bacon. You made an entire meal!” 

“It’s just a lasagna, it’s not a five course meal,” Regina said as her face started to blush. She quickly pulled the lasagna out of the oven, the cheese on top cooked to a crispy golden brown. 

They sat at the small table on the deck as they ate, the sunset over the horizon provided the perfect backdrop for their romantic meal. “Regina, this is amazing,” Emma said before shoving another forkful into her mouth. “If you cook like this in real life, I’m going to need to double my workouts.” Emma laughed, cutting herself a second piece. Regina giggled as she gracefully dabbed the napkin against the corners of her mouth. Emma marveled at her sheer perfection. Was there anything Regina Mills couldn’t do? 

“It’s nothing, really. My father shared his recipe before he passed. I think he wanted to make sure his famous lasagna recipe didn’t die along with him.” 

“I’m glad he did,” Emma said, taking a bite, her eyes suddenly growing wide with fright. “No, not that he…died…but that he told you the recipe. I didn’t mean-” 

“Shh…” Regina said, leaning forward to kiss Emma softly, effectively stopping her rant. “I knew what you meant.” 

“Okay good. Because you know I would never wish that on anyone, right?” 

Regina smiled. “Of course.” 

“You’re going to have to give me this recipe one day. Ruby will be so impressed if I made this. Maybe she’ll stop making fun of my inability to cook anything other than scrambled eggs and pasta.” 

“I bet you make wonderful scrambled eggs,” Regina said with a soft chuckle. 

“I do! I made some this morning actually. I took your advice and made us all breakfast wraps!” Emma said, feeling proud of herself. “It was a special occasion, and it deserved a fancy breakfast. Neal even came home from studying at the library for it.” 

“What was so exciting?” 

“Ruby got her match this morning. Woke my ass up from a deep sleep and everything.” 

“That’s wonderful! Tell her I’m happy for her.” 

“I will. She spent the entire day talking to them. She’s having her first date with them right now.” 

“That’s wonderful! I wish them all the love in the world. I hope they can be as happy as we are,” Regina said, her face turning an adorable pink color that matched the sunset behind her. 

“I hope so too. She’s been through a lot. Plus, she has to put up with me and our brother. If any of us deserves this, it’s her.” 

“Don’t second guess yourself, Emma. You deserve happiness just as much as everyone else,” Regina said without missing a beat. 

“Thanks,” Emma said, her face turning a matching shade of pink. 

Neither of them knew when it happened, but at some point while they were eating, the sun set completely and the stars began to twinkle in the night sky. “Would you like to take a walk by the water and explore the beach?” Regina suggested. 

“That sounds like a wonderful idea!” Emma said, jumping out of her seat and reaching for Regina’s hand. Together they walked down to the water until the waves began to crash against their ankles. The light from the full moon reflected off the water, causing it to glow. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been,” Emma whispered, in awe of the beautiful scene in front of her. 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Regina rested her head against Emma’s shoulder as they stood in silence, watching as the waves bounced up and down against the horizon, until Emma suddenly broke away and ran away from the water. “What’s the matter?” Regina asked, rushing after her. 

“I have an idea. It might be a really stupid idea, but it’s an idea none-the-less.” Emma paused to pull her hair back into a tight ponytail. “Take your clothes off!” she said, as she pulled off her own shirt. 

“What? What are you doing?” 

A mischievous smile spread across Emma’s face as she began to unbutton her pants. “Going skinny dipping.” 

Regina hesitated for just a second before she began to undress as well, looking up to find Emma standing in front of her, as naked as the day she was born. Regina stopped, her eyes falling on Emma’s perfect body. She could count each of Emma’s abdominal muscles and could clearly see the perfect outline of every one of her lean muscles. “Oh my god.” Regina’s eyes didn’t blink once as she looked at the perfect goddess in front of her. “I don’t…I don’t look like that…” she said, hesitation and fear in her voice. She quickly pulled up her dress and wrapped her arms around her clothed body. 

 Emma took a tentative step toward her. “Regina? Are you alright?” 

Regina took a step back, keeping the same amount of distance between them. “I don’t look like you, Emma.” 

“What?” Emma asked, curiosity in her voice. It was then that she realized what Regina was talking about. “You mean, my body?” Regina simply nodded. 

The light of the moon glistened off the tears collecting in Regina’s eyes. “I don’t look like this in real life,” Emma tried to explain. 

“You did a full body scan, Emma. You did it right before we matched.” 

“That’s true. But I don’t actually look like this, Regina.” Emma quickly grabbed her pants and pulled them on–without her underwear–and reached for her shirt. “I thought you would like me better if I had a perfect body. I went to the gym for hours three times a day for two months to make sure I looked my best. I barely ate anything for those two months and didn’t drink a drop of water for days before the appointment so I could look my absolute best. None of this is real, or healthy for that matter.” 

“Oh…you don’t…you eat now, right?” 

“I ate my weight in tacos as soon as we got home that night.” Emma laughed, trying to break the tension. 

“Good. You have to take care of yourself, Emma,” Regina said in a worried tone. 

“Don’t worry. I do. I just did that so I could look my best for you.” 

“You didn’t have to do that, starve yourself and kill yourself at the gym, for me.” 

“I wanted to look my best.” 

“Well, it certainly paid off,” Regina said, with a slightly dirty smile. 

“I’m sorry I made you feel bad,” Emma said, closing the gap between them. “I’m sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. I shouldn’t have suggested we go skinny dipping so early in our relationship. I’m sorry.” 

“You shouldn’t be sorry. I’m the one who should apologize for overreacting. I’m sorry.” 

“No need to be sorry,” Emma said, kissing Regina softly. “Let’s put skinny dipping on the back burner for now, and enjoy what’s left of our date.” 

“I…uhh…I’m feeling quite tired. Would you mind if we called it an early night?” Regina asked, her eyes fixed on the sand at their feet. 

“Oh…” Emma said, her tone falling drastically. “Of course. Get some rest.” Emma’s words said one thing, but her eyes said another. She was hurt, not because Regina was ending their date early, but because she was to blame. 

“Thanks for understanding. I’ll message you later,” Regina said, leaning in to give Emma a quick peck on the lips, before calling out for The Eros Network main menu, disappearing instantly.

<~**~>

Emma walked out of her bedroom a few minutes later after sending Regina a long apology, receiving only a short response of goodnight in return. 

“Hey! You’re done already? I thought you would be-” Ruby started to say when she heard Emma’s footsteps, changing her tone the moment she saw the tears falling down Emma’s face. “What’s the matter?” 

“I fucked up, Ruby. I think I fucked up royally,” she said, flopping onto the couch next to her sister. 

“What happened?” 

“She built us this wonderful beach house, next to the most amazing ocean. She spent months building us this scenario because she wanted us to have somewhere that was just ours. She even made dinner.” 

“None of that sounds bad.” 

“Then I fucked it all up.” 

“What happened?” Ruby asked again. 

“I took my clothes off.” 

“I’m going to need more information.” 

“We were walking along the water, the full moon was so bright and so calm, when I got the bright idea to go skinny dipping. I took off my clothes and she started freaking out.” 

“Did she not want to do it?” 

“She seemed into it, until she saw my body. She said she didn’t look like me. I think I intimidated her.” 

“I don’t understand. Don’t get me wrong, your fit, but not model fit. You do love to eat bear claws.” 

“Because I took your advice and killed myself at the gym and starved myself for months before the appointment, and I looked like I was ready to step on the stage at a bodybuilding competition.” 

“Oh…” 

“I fucked up, Ruby. What do I do?” 

“Apologize!” 

“I did. A couple times. In great length. All she said was goodnight. She ended our date early, Ruby. What if she breaks up with me?” 

“I doubt that. She’s your soulmate.” 

“But what if she never forgives me?” 

“She will. Just give her time.” 

“I hope you’re right, Ruby. Because if I fucked this up, I’ll never forgive myself.” 

“I’m always right!”

Emma kicked Ruby softly, chuckling. “I’m sorry. I brought down the mood. Tell me all about your date with Isabella! What’s she like?” 

Emma listened as intensely as she could, all the while her mind wandering back to Regina and that hurt look on her face before she abruptly ended their date. By the time she made it back to bed that night, she knew exactly what she needed to do to fix things with her soulmate.

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten

Regina woke the following morning to another message from Emma, apologizing profusely for making her feel uncomfortable the night before. She felt horrible about the way she had left things with Emma, and felt even worse for cutting their date short, but she just couldn’t do it. Seeing Emma’s perfectly chiseled body brought up too many emotions. She could hear Zelena’s footsteps, knowing it was only a matter of time before she came looking for her to make sure she was awake. She reluctantly rolled out of bed and left her room, meeting her sister in the hallway. 

“I was just coming to make sure you were awake. Is everything alright?” she asked when she saw that unhappy look on Regina’s face. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied. 

“Are you feeling alright?” 

“Yes. I’m fine, just tired. I didn’t sleep well last night.” 

A worried expression shot across Zelena’s face. “Why not?” 

“It’s the beginning of the school year. I’m always extra stressed out at the beginning of the year. I’ll be fine once I find my groove.” She wasn’t being entirely untruthful. The first couple weeks of the school year were always hectic. But that wasn’t the entire reason she felt bad, and she didn’t want to burden her sister with her emotions. Zelena had enough on her plate without having to worry about her mental health as well. 

“Alright. You better get going or you’ll be late.” 

“Yeah.” 

“I’m heading out. There’s coffee in the kitchen and some oatmeal on the stove. Try to have a good day!” 

“Thanks Zee. I’ll see you tonight.” She waited until Zelena left to start her day, welcoming the silence. 

Regina stood in the bathroom while she waited for the water to warm up, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She pinched her sides, finding more there than she would like. She sighed as she turned to the side, her midsection protruding more than before, and her backside stuck out a little further than she remembered. Even her face was looking a little fuller than she remembered. If she had been pregnant, she would have been excited to see her body changing. But she wasn’t pregnant. She could hear Zelena’s voice in the back of her head, reminding her it was just water weight, but she knew better. She knew it wasn’t all from retaining water, she had been gaining weight over the years. Eventually the steam from the hot water obstructed her view in the mirror, indicating her shower was ready. 

She made it to work only a few minutes late. She took a deep breath to steel herself as she prepared to put on a happy face for the rest of the day. Sometimes it was physically exhausting pretending to be alright all the time. Although she dragged her feet all morning, the distraction that work provided allowed her the time she needed to take her mind off her perceived imperfections, leaving her feeling better by the end of the day. All that was left was the guilty feeling that still lingered from the way she treated Emma the night before. 

“Hey, I hope you’re having a good day. I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night, for ending our date abruptly and disappearing until now. That was not mature of me. I’m sorry.” She knew Emma was likely at work, which is why she was surprised when she received a response almost immediately. 

“You have nothing to apologize for, Regina. I should never have taken my clothes off without your permission. It’s I who should be sorry.” 

“Can I make it up to you? Can we redo our first time at the beach house?” Regina asked, hoping Emma wasn’t mad at her.  

“I would love that! I need a couple of days though, if that’s alright.” 

“Of course! Take all the time you need. Just let me know when it is good for you.” Much to Regina’s relief, conversations between them continued as if nothing had happened. But, no matter how hard she tried, Regina couldn’t help but think the reason Emma didn’t want to meet her again was because of how she acted on their last date. She couldn’t get those thoughts out of her head until she finally heard from Emma, eagerly setting up their next date a few days later.

<~**~>

She was hoping to find Emma waiting for her on the front porch of the beach house when she arrived, and she was visibly disappointed when she found the porch empty. She knocked on the door softly and waited a few seconds before letting herself in. She knew Emma was already there–The Eros Network told her so–but she couldn’t find her anywhere in the small home. She was moments away from calling out for her when she caught sight of Emma standing in the sand, her blonde hair flowing in the wind. 

“She’s here…” she whispered as she opened the door and walked out onto the deck, slowly making her way toward the water. It took Emma a few seconds to notice her, as she stood perfectly still, mesmerized by the ocean waves. 

“Hey!” Emma’s face lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw Regina approach. “You came!” 

“Of course I did. Did you think I wasn’t?” 

“No…well mostly no. There was a little part of me that thought you were still mad at me and that you would stand me up.” 

“No, Emma. No. I wasn’t mad at you. You should have been angry with me. I shouldn’t have left like that. I’m sorry.” 

“No, Regina. You didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have done that when you weren’t ready. It was all my fault. I’m sorry.” 

“You did nothing wrong, Emma. I want to take that next step, I do. I just get in my own head sometimes.” 

“I don’t ever want you to feel uncomfortable around me, Regina. Never. So please, promise me that you’ll let me know if I ever do, and I’ll change the behavior immediately.” 

“I promise.” 

“Good!” Emma said, ending the conversation with a kiss. “So, I was thinking that we could have a quiet evening together, and just talk. No pressure, no activities, just you and me and the ocean.” 

“That sounds amazing,” Regina said. 

Emma reached for her hand and gently led her toward the water where two beach chairs were already set up and waiting for them. “I…ummm…I got your favorite wine,” Emma said, pulling a full bottle of Pinot Noir out of an ice bucket. “How about we share some wine and watch the sunset together.” 

Regina smiled. “Yes, please.” Emma carefully poured them each a glass before taking her own seat next to Regina, the chairs placed in the perfect spot so that each wave broke against their ankles. They sat together in silence for a few minutes, drinking their wine and watching the soft pinks and oranges reflect across the water. 

“I’ve had body image issues for most of my life…” Regina started to say, her eyes fixed on the horizon. She could feel Emma’s eyes on her, giving Regina her full attention. “My mother would always make comments if it looked like I gained a few pounds. She never told me I was overweight or that I needed to lose weight, but she would often tell me that I should think about skipping dessert, or perhaps only have one helping at dinner. I was never overweight or unhealthy, but I was never a traditionally skinny child. Until I was in high school. Hormones started running wild, and I started noticing the female celebrities on television and in the media. They all had perfect bodies, a body I could never achieve.” Regina took a deep breath. 

“You don’t have to keep going,” Emma reassured her, gently squeezing her hand for support. 

“No, I want to tell you.” She paused for just a second to find her bearings. “I developed an eating disorder my freshman year of high school. At first no one noticed that I wasn’t eating dinner, or that I was rapidly losing weight. All my mother saw was my skinny body and she was happy, she didn’t care how I achieved it. But when I passed out in gym class my junior year, that’s when they knew there was a problem. I was so skinny you could count my ribs and see my bones through my skin. My father put his foot down and demanded I get treatment. They pulled me out of school and sent me to an inpatient treatment facility. By the time I started my senior year, I had put back on all the weight, was eating regularly again, and had the healthy coping mechanisms to manage the urges to fall back into the old routine.” 

“Oh god, Regina. Are you okay now?” 

“I’m fine. I still struggle sometimes. I know there will always be my mother’s voice in the back of my mind that rears its ugly head every once in a while. But I’ve learned how to battle it when it comes.” 

“Thank god.” 

“Seeing you, with your perfect body and perfect physique brought that voice back to the present, and gave it a megaphone.” 

“Regina, I’m so sorry. I never meant-” 

“Shhh,” Regina said, silencing Emma with her index finger over her lips. “I know. I’m okay, I promise. I just needed a little time to process the emotions that were stirred up.” 

“You’re telling the truth, right? Are you really okay?” 

“I promise. I have my days sometimes, but I’m fine. I promise.” 

“Good. I really never meant to make you feel bad. Had I known I never would have suggested we go skinny dipping.” 

“I know,” Regina said with a smile, leaning forward to kiss the worried look off Emma’s face. “That’s my deepest darkest secret,” Regina said. Now that Emma knew her secret, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. 

“I have a secret too,” Emma said after a moment. 

“I would like to hear it, if you are comfortable telling me,” Regina said softly. 

“I’ve never told anyone this secret, not even Ruby.” 

“Then you should keep it to yourself. You don’t have to tell me.” 

“I want to. I want you to know everything about me.” 

“Then I’m all ears, whenever you’re ready.” 

Emma refilled their glasses with wine, taking a very large gulp of the dark red liquid to give herself the courage to tell Regina the truth. “I got pregnant when I was seventeen,” she managed to say. 

“You have a child?” 

“No. I said I was pregnant. I never said I had the baby.” 

“Oh.” 

“My boyfriend at the time was much older than me. I was fifteen when we started dating, and he was twenty-three.” 

“That’s quite an age difference when you are so young.” 

“I know. My parents didn’t approve of him, which only made me want him more. I went through a bit of a rebellious phase.” 

Regina chuckled. “Most kids do.” 

“He called himself Bae, short for Balefire.” 

“Balefire?” 

“Yeah. He said his parents were weird and wanted him to have a unique name, or something. Looking back now, I don’t think that was his real name at all. I always suspected it was something normal and boring like John or Richard. He just wanted people to think he was different,” Emma said with a sad chuckle. “In retrospect, he wasn’t a great guy. He took advantage of my youth and naivety, and in turn, I thought I was the coolest girl in school because I had an older boyfriend. It was fun while it lasted though,” Emma paused to take a deep breath before she continued. 

“When I found out I was pregnant, I nearly passed out from shock. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was only sixteen, I couldn’t have a baby. When I told him I was pregnant he instantly got angry at me, accusing me of cheating on him, which of course was a lie. I was so blinded by puppy love that I was willing to keep the baby and raise it with him if he wanted it. He slapped me across the face and told me to get rid of it. He even threatened to leave me if I kept the baby. He threw three hundred dollars at me, told me to cover the rest and demanded I not speak to him until it was done. I used my entire savings–which wasn’t much at that time–to pay for the rest.” Emma’s eyes were stuck on her feet, which were buried in the water. “I skipped school one day and took the bus to a Planned Parenthood clinic a few towns away and had it done. Because I went alone, they made me stay there all day to make sure I was alright.” 

“You went through that by yourself?” 

“Yeah. I couldn’t tell my parents, because they already didn’t approve of him, and they would have made me break up with him if they knew he got me pregnant. I begged him to take me, but he refused. So I had to go alone.” 

“Oh, Emma, I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s alright. It’s in the past.” 

“Did you have any complications?” 

“No, thank goodness. I went home and pretended that nothing happened and went back to school the next day. I had to sit through class with the worst cramps I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.” 

“Oh, Emma, that’s horrible.” 

“And to make matters worse, Bae ghosted me two weeks later.” 

“Do you regret having the procedure?” 

“Yes, and no. Of course I felt bad about ending the pregnancy, anyone would. But I knew I couldn’t raise a child, I was a child myself. I could barely remember to feed my hamster every day, let alone take care of a baby. I know I made the right decision. But I still feel guilty every once in a while.” Emma released a deep breath and drank the rest of her wine before refilling her glass. “So, you know about my shitty ex, tell me about some of yours,” Emma said, changing the subject. 

“I haven’t had many relationships, I’m afraid. And none as bad as yours.” 

“I want to hear about them.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes. I want to know everything there is to know about you, Regina. The good, bad and the ugly, and everything in between.” 

“I’ve only had two relationships before you. My first was my high school sweetheart, Daniel. We started dating our freshman year of high school, and continued into our college years. We were the perfect, cookie cutter couple. We won best couple in our senior superlatives, and we were the prom king and queen. We even lost our virginities to each other on prom night. He was the quarterback on the football team and I was the head cheerleader.” 

“You sound like something out of a cheesy teen movie.” 

Regina giggled slightly. “We were. Until we weren’t.” 

“What happened?” 

“I couldn’t give him what he wanted.” 

“What did he want?” 

“He wanted a family.” 

“And you didn’t?” Emma asked. Regina could hear a slight hint of nervousness in Emma’s voice.  

“Not when I was twenty years old.” 

“Twenty? That’s way too young.” 

“That’s what I said. We were sophomores in college, and he had been struggling since day one. He was at the top of the class and on the top of the popularity totem pole when we were in high school, and suddenly he was back down at the bottom. He went from being the starting quarterback to sitting on the bench for the entire season. He wasn’t used to being on the bottom. He wanted us both to drop out of college, get married and start having babies instead of finishing school. I told him I couldn’t do that. I wanted to be a teacher, and to do that I needed to finish college and go to grad school.” 

“You were smart!” 

“He made me choose between him and my education. I chose my education so we parted ways.” 

“Smart move.” 

“My second relationship wasn’t nearly as exciting. It was only my third year teaching, and I had just started working in the school I am currently at. I didn’t know anyone there so when the suave gym teacher, Robin, approached me during lunch one day, I was smitten. We dated for a year until he blindsided me one day and broke my heart.” 

“What did he do?” 

“He joined the network behind my back. He said he was curious to see what all the hype was about. He matched with a woman named Marian and was seeing her in the network for the majority of our relationship. I was so embarrassed when word got out that Robin had been seeing her at the same time. I don’t begrudge him his happiness, especially knowing how strong the connection can be with your soulmate. I just wish he had told me when he matched so I could keep some of my dignity. Instead I felt like the laughing stock of the school.” 

“I hope he doesn’t still work there, so you don’t have to see him every day.” 

“No, he left a few years ago. He and Marian met and he moved to be with her.” 

“At least you don’t have to see him everyday.” Emma laughed. 

“Thank goodness. In the long run, the only damage done was to my dignity.” 

“You got off easy. My last relationship almost got me kicked out of the academy.” 

A shocked expression flashed across Regina’s face. “What? How?” 

“I was working as a bartender while in the academy, and the owner of the bar was this sleazy, greasy guy named Killian. He flirted with anything with tits, so I don’t know why I thought I was so special. I guess I was lonely and looking for any attention I could get. And he made me feel like I was beautiful.” 

Regina instantly reached for Emma’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “You are beautiful, Emma.” 

“Thanks,” Emma said, her face turning the same shade of pink as the sky. “It wasn’t worth all the attention though. I found out after a few months of sleeping with him that he was married, when his wife confronted me outside of the bar. She tried to attack me, and if I had not already learned how to subdue a suspect in the academy, I might not be here right now. Needless to say, I took a few punches and never went back to the bar. She threatened to have me kicked out of the academy because I had to subdue her on the ground until she calmed down. Luckily there was a security camera that provided the evidence that she struck me first, and that I was using proper non-violent police tactics. I gave up on love after that, and focused all my attention on finishing the academy and supporting my brother. Until you came along, that is.”

A soft blush formed across Regina’s face. “I’m glad you didn’t give up completely.” 

“You can thank Ruby and Neal for that. They practically forced me to join the network. I wouldn’t be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for them.” 

“I must thank them someday,” Regina said, before pulling Emma by her shirt and kissing her deeply. 

“It got dark…” Emma said after a few minutes when they parted, both gasping for breath. 

“So it has.” 

“That keeps happening to us. We always miss the sunset.” 

“We control the environment. We can make it sunset again.” 

“No, leave it. I like the moonlight. When it reflects off your hair, it looks like you’re glowing.” 

“I can say the same for you,” Regina said, giggling slightly under her breath. She was relieved that the sound of the crashing waves drowned out the sound of her childlike giggle. “Thank you for telling me your secret.” 

“Thank you for telling me yours,” Emma responded. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through all that alone. If I had known you back then, I would have been by your side the entire time.” 

“I know. I would have done the same for you. I would have been there everyday visiting you while you were in the recovery facility, and I would have called you at least three times a day as well. Just so you knew you weren’t alone.” 

“I would have really liked that.” 

Emma settled back into her chair and refilled both of their glasses, her mind clearly preoccupied all of a sudden. “Hey, what are you thinking about?” Regina asked, trying to pull Emma from her thoughts. 

“I want to show you something. I was planning on showing this to you tonight, but after hearing your story, I don’t think it’s such a good idea.” 

“What is it?” Regina asked, concern in her voice. 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

“It’s alright. I’ll be alright.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“If I start to feel uncomfortable, I’ll let you know.” 

“Alright,” Emma said, standing slowly from her chair. “Close your eyes for a second.” Regina obliged, and shut her eyes tightly with a soft smile on her face. She could hear Emma rustling around and resisted the intense urge to take a peek. “Okay…” Emma said a minute later, hesitation in her voice. “...you can open your eyes.” 

Regina gasped at the sight in front of her. Emma stood before her, completely naked, the full moon radiating off her pale skin. “This is what I really look like, Regina.” Gone were Emma’s chiseled muscles and washboard abs. Instead, Emma was chubby, her thighs thick with muscle and a layer of fat that wasn’t there a few weeks ago. She looked less like a supermodel mixed with a bodybuilder, and more like a normal person, with her own imperfections. Her breasts sagged slightly and there was even a layer of short hair covering her previously smooth mound. 

Emma looked like she did. 

“Emma…I don’t understand…” 

“I remembered hearing that you can change your avatar at any point after you pass the third date test with your soulmate. I even contacted customer service to make sure it was possible. I made an appointment for the next day, called in sick to work and took a pod four hours away to the only clinic that had a last minute appointment available to have myself rescanned. I even made sure to have a big lunch so I had a little belly. That’s why I needed to wait a couple days before meeting again. I had to wait for my new avatar to render,” Emma explained. 

“You did all that just for me?” 

“Of course I did, Regina. I saw how uncomfortable you were with the way I looked, and now I know why. That physique wasn’t real. I only looked like that after months of preparation. I thought you would like me better if I looked like a bodybuilder. This is what I really look like.” 

“Emma…” Regina said, standing from her chair and taking a step toward the blonde. “...I don’t know what to say…” 

“Do you want me to put my clothes back on?” 

“No. I definitely don’t want that,” Regina said with a sly smile. A second later–before her brain could talk her out of it–Regina started to undress, tossing her clothes on top of Emma’s in the sand. 

“Regina, what are you doing?” Emma asked, trying to avert her eyes from the gorgeous, half-naked woman in front of her. 

Regina didn’t say a word, only smiled, as she removed her bra and panties and tossed them aside. “I’m showing you every piece of me,” she said, resisting the urge to cover herself with her hands. 

“Regina…” Emma breathed, unable to take her eyes off of Regina’s body. “Regina you’re stunning…you’re gorgeous…you’re spectacular…you’re…you’re…I can’t think of another word. Regina, you’re perfect,” Emma said, stumbling over her words. 

“No one has ever said that to me before.” 

“Everyone else who has ever met you are fools. You’re perfect.” 

“I’ve gained some weight over the years. I don’t have a small belly anymore,” Regina said, looking down at herself. 

“I don’t care, Regina,” Emma said, taking a tentative step forward. “To me, you’re the most beautiful person I have ever seen.” 

“Really? You’re not just saying that.” 

“Really really.” Emma reached out to gently cup Regina’s face. “You’re perfect, in every way possible.” She softly pressed her lips against Regina’s before the brunette could counter her statement. “We can get dressed again if you don’t feel comfortable,” Emma said after a few moments. 

“I have a better idea,” Regina said as a sly smile spread across her face. She grabbed Emma’s hand and dragged her into the water. “Maybe we can try skinny dipping again.” 

Regina dove into the warm water and surfaced a few yards away. “Well, are you going to come in…” She paused as she slicked back her soaking wet hair. “...or are you just going to stand there drooling?” 

Emma dove under the water and swam as fast as she possibly could and reappeared behind Regina, startling her. “Tag, you’re it!” she said before diving back under the water and swimming away. By the time Regina realized what happened, Emma was already a few yards away. Regina swam underwater as fast as she could, wrapping her arms around Emma’s legs and pulling her down under the water.

Regina sprang out of the water just in time to see Emma flailing around in an attempt to stand, coughing and spitting out the warm water. “You’re going down, Mills!” Emma declared, picking Regina up over her shoulder and tossing her into the water as if she were a rag doll. Regina quickly righted herself, springing out of the water and wrapping her arms around Emma’s neck, pulling her down with her until they were both completely submerged. Even in the dark she could still see Emma’s body under the water, her long legs kicking in an attempt to stand. 

“Truce!” Emma declared as she gasped for breath, her hands held above her head. 

“I am the winner!” Regina beamed. 

“No, Regina. I am the true winner,” Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina’s waist and pulling her body closer, but not quite touching. “Because I get to spend the rest of my life with you.” 

“No, Emma. It is I who is the winner. I get you all to myself, forever,” she said, wrapping her arms around Emma’s neck and pressing her body against Emma’s. 

A soft moan escaped Emma’s lips when their breasts pressed together for the first time. “I could get used to this…” Emma whispered, pressing her forehead against Regina’s. 

“Kiss me, Emma.” Emma didn’t miss a beat as their lips locked, their kiss filled with love and passion as the water continued to sway around them. “Emma…” Regina moaned as she laced her fingers in Emma’s wet hair. 

“Regina…” Emma answered, pulling her in for a second kiss. 

“Emma…I want you…I want all of you…” 

“I want you, too, Regina. Just say the word.” 

“Now, Emma. I want you now. Right here, right now.” 

“No. Not here. Inside,” Emma said, detangling herself from Regina’s grasp. Emma scooped Regina up into her arms and started walking out of the water when an all familiar disembodied voice rang through the air. 

“ATTENTION: Your date will end in five minutes.” 

Emma groaned. “You have GOT to be kidding. I’m really starting to hate that voice.” She hesitated, not quite ready to let Regina go; but the mood was gone so it was starting to feel uncomfortable. 

“You and me both,” Regina said as soon as her feet hit the sand. 

“Will there ever be an end to this infernal time limit?” Emma asked. 

“One day.” 

“Just not today, it seems,” Emma said with disappointment in her voice. 

“I’m sorry it took me so long to be comfortable bearing it all. We could have been together already.” 

“No, don’t think like that. We move at your pace. It’ll happen when you’re ready, and not a moment sooner,” Emma said, the disappointment disappearing from her voice. Instead it was filled with nothing but love and affection. 

“Thank you for showing me your true form. And thank you for taking the time to have your body rescanned and your avatar changed for me.” 

“I would do anything for you, Regina.” Emma gently wiped a stray drop of water from Regina’s face. “Thank you for showing me you as well. I meant what I said, you’re perfect in every single way.” 

“You are too, Emma.” 

“There’s something I want to tell you, but I don’t know how to say it,” Emma said nervously. 

“There’s something I want to tell you as well. You go first.” 

“Regina…I…” Suddenly the world around them turned black and Regina was standing in The Eros Network main menu. They had run out of time. 

<~**~>

Regina woke up in her bed with a smile so wide spread across her face that she was convinced it was stuck like that. She opened a new holoscreen to send Emma a message, only to find she had beaten her to it. “We ran out of time, I’m sorry.” 

“It’s alright. There’s always next time,” she wrote back. 

“I meant what I said, Regina. You’re perfect, in every sense of the word. And I intend to tell you that as often as I can.” 

“How did I get so lucky?” 

“Fate.” 

“Then I must be the luckiest woman alive.” Regina sent the message as a stray tear of pure happiness escaped her eye. 

“Second luckiest.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven

“I miss you. I can’t wait to see you.” 

Emma smiled as she read Regina's message, quickly sending her response before anyone caught her. “I miss you too. I’m counting down the hours until I can see you.” 

“Just a few more hours. Then I’m all yours.” 

“A few very very very long hours.” 

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Emma chuckled slightly at Regina’s cliche response. 

“You two are pathetic,” she heard Neal say, pulling her attention away from her cuff. She looked up to see Ruby smiling as she stared down at her cuff as well. 

“Neal is right. Put them away. This is family time,” Mary Margaret scolded.  

“Sorry guys,” Emma said, switching her cuff to silent. She kicked Ruby in the shins to grab her attention, scolding her as well. “Put it away.” 

“Sorry, sorry. One more message then I’m done,” Ruby said, typing away before putting her cuff on silent as well. “Okay, I’m all yours.” 

“It’s about time. I swear I haven't seen either one of your faces in weeks. All I see when you’re around is the top of your heads because you’re glued to your cuffs,” Neal said. 

“Hey, I’m sorry, Bro. We didn’t mean to alienate you. We just got caught up with things. I’m sorry,” Emma said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, Neal.” 

“It’s alright. I forgive you guys. And I understand, I do. You’re talking to your soulmates. It’s exciting and I’m beyond happy for you both. I just miss you guys, that's all.” 

“And I miss all of you. I never see any of you anymore,” Mary Margaret said. 

“Wow, laying down the guilt pretty thick, aren’t ya, Ma?” Ruby chuckled. 

“Hey, whatever works. As long as I get to see you guys, I don’t care how it happens.” 

“I guess we’ve all been a little preoccupied these days. Sorry, Mom. We’ll try to do better, won’t we guys?” 

“Absolutely!” 

“Definitely.” 

“Well then, Ruby, are you going to tell me about your soulmate, or do I have to get the information out of your siblings?” 

“Sorry, Ma. Her name is Isabella and she’s wonderful!” Ruby said, her smile lighting up the room at the thought of Isabella. “She’s so smart and so kind.” 

“So, the complete opposite of you then?” Emma yelped as she received a swift kick in the shin that would no doubt leave a bruise. 

“Rude!” 

“I’m sorry, Ruby. You are smart.” Emma managed to swing her legs around just in time to dodge another kick from Ruby. 

“These women can be anywhere in the world, is that correct?” Mary Margaret asked, changing the subject. 

“Yeah.” 

“So, do you know where they are in the world?” 

“They don’t give us that information. It’s up to the person to tell you where they are and arrange to meet outside of the network when you’re ready,” Emma explained. 

“But surely you have some idea of where they might be, right?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Yeah, can’t you tell based on their voices? Like if they have an accent you can at least figure out the general area they live in, right?” 

“Isabella has a slight accent, actually. I can’t place it though. British maybe? It’s hard to tell.” 

“Maybe she’s somewhere in the UK.” 

“I don’t know, maybe. It’s so slight that I don’t even notice it half the time. Like she’s trying to cover it up or something.” 

“Maybe she doesn’t want you to figure out where she is just yet,” Neal suggested. 

“Maybe…” Ruby said with a slight sadness in her voice. 

“Maybe she just moved around a lot as a kid and her accent is a mix of different places, which is why you can’t place it,” Emma said, trying to lift Ruby’s spirits. 

“Yeah, that sounds more like it,” Neal agreed. 

“What about Regina?” 

“She doesn’t have an accent so I’m pretty sure she’s somewhere in the US. But not somewhere with a strong accent like New York or Boston. And definitely not the deep south either.” 

“Do you ever think about meeting them, outside of the network?” Neal asked. 

“Every day,” Ruby and Emma said in unison. Neal laughed at their eagerness. 

“But it’s too soon. I know it’s too soon. We’ve only been on a few dates. Doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it though,” Ruby said. 

“What about you, Em?” 

“I’ve seriously thought about it. I’ve seriously thought about it a lot actually. But Regina hasn’t said anything and I don’t want to rush things.” 

“If she wanted to, would you be willing to go to her if she asked you to?” Ruby asked. 

“In a heartbeat. I would get into a pod and leave right now if she asked me to.” 

“Well isn’t that romantic,” Neal said, causing them all to laugh; all except for Emma. She was serious. If Regina asked her, she would go to her in a second. 

“I would like to meet these women someday. Preferably before the wedding!” Mary Margaret said. 

“Hey now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. No one’s anywhere near getting married! Not for a long time!” 

“Oh come on. You can’t tell me that you haven’t thought about marrying her,” Ruby said in an accusatory tone. 

“Of course I have! I’ve thought about it all! The ceremony, the honeymoon, sitting on the front porch of our home, growing old together and yelling at the kids to stay off our lawn. I’ve thought of it all! But it’s too soon! Way too soon to be thinking like that. Only crazy people think about marrying someone after only a few months of knowing them,” Emma said, trying to shake off the wonderful thought. 

“I don’t think so. I thought about marrying your father after only our second date. And we didn’t have science telling us that we were soulmates.” 

“Yeah. It’s called true love, Em!” Neal said. 

“I don’t care when it happens, as long as I’m your Maid of Honor when you tie the knot!” 

“No way! That’s my job!” Neal protested. 

“How can YOU be the Maid of Honor, idiot?” 

“Best Man, hello!” 

“Emma! Tell him he can’t be your Best Man, because I’m already your Maid of Honor! I’m older, it’s my job!” 

“Hey, guys. Relax! I’m not getting married anytime soon. We haven’t even been intimate yet.” 

Mary Margaret’s face turned a slight pink color. “I have a feeling that was something I wasn’t supposed to hear.” 

“Besides, I still haven’t met her outside of the network yet. We have PLENTY of time to discuss who my Maid of Honor or Best Man will be.” 

“Fine, whatever,” Ruby said, taking a sip of wine. She mouthed “It’s me!” to Neal, thinking no one could see, gaining a discrete middle finger in response. Emma rolled her eyes and kept eating, all the while she could feel her cuff vibrate on her wrist. And she just knew it was a message from Regina. 

Ruby skipped off to her room as soon as they got home that evening, eager to start her date with Isabella. Emma hung out with Neal in the living room for a while, until her brother went to bed for the night. She was equal parts excited and nervous to see Regina, and her anxiety caused her to pace in her room until she heard from Regina, letting her know her sister had gone to bed and she was ready to meet Emma at the beach house–the home they had labeled their place .

<~**~>

Emma waited five minutes–as per Regina’s request–before entering the network. As soon as the familiar light blue front door came into view she threw it open, no longer able to contain her excitement. Her jaw dropped as soon as she entered the house. The previously empty space in front of the sliding glass door now held a queen size bed filled with pillows and a dark purple comforter and sheets to match. 

But what truly shocked her was Regina, standing in the center of the room, wearing next to nothing. A black lace corset was wrapped tightly around her midsection, the top pushing her breasts up until they were practically in her throat. She was naked below the waist except for the lace garter belt holding up her sheer stockings. She appeared to be six inches taller and as Emma’s eyes grazed over her body, she discovered her feet in a pair of black stiletto heels. Dangling from her index finger of her right hand was black harness with a large purple dildo already situated inside. 

The air escaped her lungs as she stared, unblinking, at the woman in front of her. “Regina, oh my god.” 

“Hello, Emma.” 

“What’s going on?” 

“I’m ready. I’m ready to give myself to you. Now, do you want to fuck me with this first, or shall I fuck you?” 

Emma rushed forward and snatched the phallic device from Regina’s hands. “Regina. No.” 

“I guess I’m receiving first,” Regina said. Emma could tell she was trying to be sexy. 

“No, Regina. Not like this,” Emma said, tossing the contraption aside. 

“I thought…” Regina started to say, her confident exterior waning. 

“Our first time should be between you and I, not a piece of plastic and silicone.” 

“I thought…” Regina repeated. 

“Not that I don’t want to one day experiment with every position and every toy imaginable. But not on our first time together. Our first time should just be you and I, together in each other’s arms.”

“I thought…I thought this was what we were supposed to do.” 

Emma reached forward, grabbing Regina’s hands and squeezing slightly. “Where did you get that idea?” she asked softly. 

“I didn’t know how two women were…intimate…together, so I did some research. I watched some videos…” 

“You watched porn?” Emma asked, her voice soft and sympathetic. 

Regina nodded. 

“Honey, porn isn’t real. Not even close. Yes, we can use fake phallics and toys to pleasure each other, but we don’t need them. All we need is you and me.” 

“I thought this was what you wanted.” 

“All I want is you, Regina,” Emma said, gently cupping her face. “Are you remotely comfortable wearing that corset?” 

Regina shook her head. “I can’t breathe. It feels like my insides are being squished into my throat.” 

“Go change into something more comfortable. I have a better idea.” 

“You don’t like what I’m wearing?” 

“Regina, you look so sexy right now I think my clit is going to explode. But you are visibly uncomfortable. I want you to feel good too, and more importantly, I want you to be able to breathe.” 

“This isn’t real, Emma. You know I don’t NEED to breathe.” 

“I know. Still doesn’t make this outfit any more comfortable. Go change into something you can take a deep breath in and meet me back here. I have a better idea.” 

“Alright,” Regina said, stepping out of Emma’s embrace and calling out for The Eros Network’s main menu to change her clothes. 

Emma disappeared a second later into the same menu, quickly making a few changes to their place before Regina got back. Emma waited patiently on the small deck, gazing out at the ocean in front of her, until she felt Regina’s arms around her from behind. 

“I’m back,” she whispered with a sense of relief in her voice. Emma turned around to find her wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, with her favorite cardigan wrapped around her. 

“Much better,” Emma whispered, reaching for Regina’s hand. “Follow me.” Emma led her out onto the beach, the perpetually full moon illuminating their way. 

“It’s dark,” Regina said. 

“Yes, I know. I did that on purpose.” 

Regina gasped suddenly. “Emma…did you do this?” 

“Of course. Do you like it?” 

Before them, nestled in the warm sand was a large blanket, covered with every type of blanket and pillow she could think of. Surrounding the entire area were dozens of candles in all shapes and sizes, their tiny flames flickering and dancing against the sand. 

Tears of pure happiness instantly filled Regina’s dark brown eyes. “Emma, I love it.” 

“You do?” 

“I do. It’s perfect. So much better than my original idea of just throwing myself at you.” 

“I wouldn’t mind if you did that in the future.” Emma chuckled. “I just thought our first time should be special. Not just a quick fuck. I want the first time that we make love to be just that…making love.” 

“I want that too, Emma.” 

“Now, let’s take our time. We’re not in any rush. We have all night…theoretically. I thought we could lay here and watch the stars for a little, and let things unfold naturally.” 

“That sounds amazing,” Regina said, grabbing Emma’s hand and leading her toward the nest of blankets, pulling her down with her. 

“Are you cold?” Emma asked. 

“No. It’s perfect,” Regina said, awkwardly laying next to her. 

They laid side-by-side for a few minutes, silently gazing at the stars until Emma quickly shifted to her side. “You’re supposed to be looking at the stars, Miss Swan.” 

“Yeah yeah. I’ve seen the stars before. They look like they always do. I would rather look at you.” 

“Smooth,” Regina said, rolling over to face Emma. 

“I try. Did it work?” 

“What do you think?” Regina asked before leaning in to kiss Emma. 

“Yes,” Emma whispered, her eyes still closed. “This is far superior to watching the stars.” 

“I couldn’t agree more,” Regina whispered, pulling Emma closer and into a deep and passionate kiss. 

Slowly, Regina began to inch closer and closer until she was laying on top of Emma, the blonde’s hands brushing against the skin on Regina’s low back. Waves of excitement rushed up Regina’s spine every time Emma touched her, causing her skin to practically boil. Regina broke their kiss, each of them gasping for breath as Regina sat up and positioned herself across Emma’s hips while she peeled her cardigan off her rapidly overheating body. 

“Regina…I…I think I’m going to explode,” Emma said as she awkwardly tried to pull her flannel shirt off, the bottom caught underneath her body. 

“Me too!” Regina said, practically ripping her own shirt off her body, unclasping her bra seconds later. Emma abandoned the struggle with her shirt and reached up to gently run her hands over Regina’s midsection, stopping just below Regina’s breasts, hesitating until she received consent from Regina to touch her intimately. Grabbing Emma’s hands, Regina encouraged Emma to keep going, gasping when Emma gently ran her thumb over her sensitive nipples. “I want you to touch me, Emma.” 

Emma sat up suddenly, her lips instantly finding the sensitive pulse point, sucking Regina’s skin slightly before gently kissing her neck. Regina moaned and squirmed in Emma’s lap, her hands clumsily grasping for Emma’s shirt in an attempt to rid her of the offending clothing. Emma removed her lips from Regina’s skin long enough for Regina to pull her shirt over her head, returning to the soft flesh as Regina unclasped and removed her bra. Emma’s skin was on fire where Regina was pressed against her, their hearts pounding so hard it was practically audible. 

“Emma…” Regina breathed as Emma switched sides, her hands continuing to caress and massage her full breasts. The anticipation was too strong and suddenly Emma found herself flat on her back with Regina climbing off her body, tripping over her own feet. 

“Regina…” Emma managed to say, her eyes trained on the half naked woman in front of her. “Are you okay?” 

Regina fumbled with the buttons of her jeans, her hands trembling with anticipation. “No!” 

“Let me,” Emma said, sitting up so fast her head began to spin for a few seconds. She reached up and quickly unbuttoned Regina’s pants, slowly pulling them down until they pooled by her ankles. Regina stepped out of the stiff jeans and stood nervously in front of Emma in only her lace panties. 

Emma was on her knees in front of her, placing soft kisses along her abdomen just above her navel, her fingers gently caressing the skin along the edge of the only clothing left on Regina’s body. She looked up, searching for the consent to continue, receiving a wide smile and an eager nod from the woman before her. She hooked her fingers around the elastic and slowly pulled Regina’s panties down, helping her step out of the delicate material. Emma’s face was inches away from Regina’s bare core, and all she could think about was burying her face between her legs. 

“I want you so bad, Regina. I want you so bad my skin is on fire.” 

“Take me, Emma. I’m yours…” 

“And I’m yours, Regina. I am yours forever…” 

“...forever and ever…” 

Emma was flat on her back a moment later with Regina’s lips against her burning skin, placing soft kisses on every inch of her body and she descended down, stopping only when she reached the top of Emma’s jeans. Regina began to unbutton Emma’s pants without hesitation, peeling the tight denim off her legs and tossing them into the sand behind her, leaving Emma in just her cotton panties. “May I?” she asked, waiting for the consent the Emma sought in her. 

“Fuck yes!” Emma purred as she lifted her hips to allow Regina plenty of room to remove her remaining garments. 

Regina looked down at the woman below her, laying completely vulnerable, waiting for her to make the next move. “Are you nervous?” she asked. She tried with all her might not to allow her voice to shake, but Emma heard the tiny variations in her speech. 

“A little. You?” 

“Very.” 

“Do you want to stop? We don’t have to tonight.” 

“If we stop right now, I think I might spontaneously combust. I want this. I’m just nervous I won’t know what to do, or that I’m not going to be good.” 

“Regina, you’re going to be great. Because you’re spectacular.” 

“Have you ever been with a woman before?” Regina asked. She knew she was ruining the mood with her insecurities. 

“No. Just you.” 

“I’ve never been with a woman either. What if I do it wrong?” 

“That’s not possible,” Emma said, sitting up and wrapping her arms around the woman in her lap. 

“What if I can’t find your clit? Or I scratch you with my nails?” 

“I have an idea,” Emma said, shifting under Regina slightly, moving them both into a more comfortable position. “Give me your hand.” Regina offered her right hand to Emma, who gently grabbed it and slowly moved it between her legs. 

Emma gently pressed the tip of Regina’s index finger into the sensitive bud at the apex of her thighs. “That’s my clit,” she said. The air escaped her lips as Regina gently rubbed the throbbing organ in slow and soft circles. “Now show me yours.” 

Regina directed Emma’s hand to the same spot, allowing Emma to caress it. “How does this feel?” Emma asked after a few moments. 

“Amazing.” Emma allowed Regina to set the rhythm, her own hand matching Regina’s in speed and firmness as they began to explore each other until she felt the very tip of Regina’s finger press into her opening. “Please,” Emma whispered, encouraging Regina to continue, gasping as she felt her finger enter her. 

“Did I scratch you?” 

“Not at all.” Emma smiled, her own finger circling Regina’s entrance, waiting for permission. Regina shifted her body ever so slightly, pressing Emma’s finger inside. Emma’s free hand gently cupped Regina’s face, her skin already slightly damp with sweat. “Are you ready?” 

“Yes…” Regina whispered. Emma pulled her into a passionate kiss–one filled with all the emotions that words could not describe–as she slowly began to move her finger in and out of Regina, exploring every inch of Regina’s core. Regina’s confidence began to build and she was the first to add a second finger into Emma, causing the blonde to call out with sheer pleasure. 

“Oh god…Regina…oh god…” she moaned as Regina continued to finger her, her own fingers struggling to keep up with Regina’s movements. Emma’s back was on fire as she strained to keep them both upright, but the feeling of Regina inside her was too great for her to focus on anything other than the woman in her lap. 

“Emma…I’m so close…” Regina moaned, her eyes closed so tight all she could see was red. 

“Let go, my queen.” 

“Not without you,” Regina managed to say through her labored breathing. 

“I’m there. I’m waiting for you. Let go.” 

“Together?” Regina asked. 

“Together.” Emma moaned. Regina pressed her forehead against Emma’s as hard as she could while her free hand wrapped around Emma’s body, their sweat covered skin sticking together like a magnet. 

Fireworks exploded inside of them a second later as their powerful and intense orgasm washed over them like a wave in a hurricane, causing them both to scream out in euphoria so loud they both lost their voices momentarily. Emma collapsed against the blanket with Regina sprawled out across her chest, each of them struggling to catch their breath as their bodies twitched together in ecstacy. 

“Holy fuck,” Emma managed to say when her mind cleared. 

“My thoughts exactly, my love,” Regina said, shifting slightly to look at Emma. “I’m sorry I almost killed the mood earlier with my insecurities.” 

“You did no such thing,” Emma said, gently tucking a lock of hair behind Regina’s ear. 

“That was incredible, Emma. I can’t feel my legs.” 

Emma chuckled. “Me neither.” 

“That was more intense than anything I’ve ever felt before. Is it always going to be like that?” 

Emma smiled. “I fucking hope so.” She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Regina’s body, holding her as tight as her exhausted body could manage. She kissed the top of her head before gently twisting a lock of Regina’s hair between her fingers. “Would it be really cliche if I told you that I loved you right now? It’s not just because we just made love. I’ve been trying to muster up the courage to say it to you for weeks and I really need to tell you that right now before I lose my nerve, but I don’t want to ruin the mood.” 

“Not at all, my love.” Regina giggled. “Would it make you feel better if I told you that, if you choose to say those words to me right now, I would say them back?” 

“Yes. That is comforting.” Emma smiled as she shifted slightly to get a better view of Regina. “I love you, Regina.” Although she already knew Regina reciprocated her feelings, her voice shook with nervous energy. 

“I love you, too, Emma,” Regina said without missing a beat, ending the conversation with a soft kiss. 

They made love three more times that night, until they were both exhausted and fell into a post-coital sleep. Regina woke a little while later alone on the blanket, with another soft blanket draped over her naked body. Her heart stopped as her eyes frantically searched the beach for Emma, releasing a sigh of relief when she saw the blonde goddess standing naked by the shore, the light from the full moon radiating off her bare skin. 

She unwrapped herself from the blanket and made her way toward her soulmate, gently wrapping her arms around her from behind and placing her head against her shoulder. “Hey,” she whispered, hoping not to startle the blonde. 

“Hey,” Emma said, reaching behind her to gently thread her fingers through Regina’s hair. “Did I wake you?” 

“No, but you should have.” 

“You looked so peaceful, I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” 

“Are you alright?” 

“Yes. Just thinking.” 

“Good thoughts, I hope.” 

“All good, don’t worry,” Emma shifted in Regina’s arms, allowing Regina’s grasp on her to tighten. “I love it here. I don’t ever want to leave,” Emma whispered a few moments later. 

“Me neither.” 

“How long can we stay here?” 

“As long as we want,” Regina said, kissing Emma’s bare shoulder. 

“Can we stay here forever?” 

“Forever and ever.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve

Regina idly stabbed a piece of lettuce with her fork and quickly popped it into her mouth, trying to enjoy every moment of her short lunch break. She loved her kids, but she cherished the silence while she ate lunch at her desk. A wide smile spread across her face as she flipped through the pictures and videos of her and Emma from The Eros Network–her cheeks turning a bright red when she came to the more risque moments–reminding her just how amazing it felt to be with Emma, in every way possible. She was a woman in love, and she didn’t care who knew it. 

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the notification appear in the corner of the holoscreen, alerting her of the new message from Emma Swan. “I literally can not stop thinking about you.” 

“And I you.” 

“I swear I almost lost my job this morning. I was so deep in thought that I walked right into my boss and spilled coffee all over the floor and now my uniform smells like coffee. I have to beg a dry cleaner to clean it on the spot after work or I’m going to smell like coffee for the rest of the week until my other one comes back from the uniform service.” 

“Please be careful, my love. You need to be alert while at work, your life depends on it.” 

“I know. I just can’t get you off my mind. You’re driving me crazy, Miss Mills.” 

“And you have been running through mine ever since I woke up this morning, Miss Swan.” 

“I need to see you, Regina. When can I see you?” 

“Whenever you can.” 

“Tonight. Can I see you tonight?” 

“You have to work a double shift today.” 

“Shit, that’s right. Tomorrow night then.” 

“You have to work another double. I think you’re working a double shift for the rest of the week.” 

“Damn it. I can’t wait that long, Regina. If I don’t see you, I might explode.” 

Regina giggled softly to herself. She felt the same. “We mustn’t allow that to happen.” 

“Tonight. Can we meet tonight? Even if it’s just for an hour. I miss you, Regina.” 

“I miss you, too. Are you sure you’re not going to be too tired in the morning?” 

“I don’t care, Regina. I just want to see you. I’ll drink an extra cup of coffee if I need to.” 

“Be serious, Emma. I worry about you when you’re at work. Knowing you’re sleep deprived because we were together will make me worry even more.”