The List

Chapter 2

I stirred the soup and looked as its fumes evaporated in the air. It smelled surprisingly great. I was making a spicy zucchini soup. Now that my sweet potato mousse with grilled vegetables had made it onto the menu, I'd set the bar even higher.

The past few weeks, I hadn't been very thrilled about my creations and I only let Granny taste things I thought were worth tasting. The sweet potato had been on the special's board for two weeks now and I had yet to create a new recipe. Granny hadn't asked me to. I had asked me to.

It was starting to get frustrating. Today, after everyone had left, I'd gone to the kitchen like usual, but this was the third meal I was making and I still wasn't convinced it was something worth trying.

It was almost one o'clock and I knew Killian must be wondering where I was, but my phone was still on the counter and I was too busy focusing on cooking, in the kitchen. Usually, I enjoyed it, but it was getting late and I was tired. I knew I had to head home soon.

Suddenly, I heard the bell jingle. I frowned and felt my heart beat louder in my chest. It was past midnight, who the hell was visiting Granny's at this hour? I always kept the door unlocked until I left the building myself as well, but now I regretted that decision.

I lowered the heat of the stove and let the soup simmer softly as I left the kitchen to see who'd entered the Diner. I stopped moving and blinking when I saw who it was. I felt as though I could faint right that second.

"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to scare you. The sign said this place was still open, I already found it peculiar. Please, accept my apologies for intruding like this."

She wanted to turn around, but I managed to breathe out a soft "wait". My hands were clammy and my heart was bouncing in my chest. It felt as though I'd lost the ability to breathe normally and my mind was at an utter loss of everything.

Regina Mills was standing in Granny's Diner.

I was standing in Granny's Diner with Regina Mills.

And she was apologizing to me.

If she'd entered the diner, broken all the tables and stabbed me twice I wouldn't even have needed an apology.

"You're not.. I.. you didn't," I stuttered and I wanted to slap myself for being such a mess, but I still couldn't quite comprehend it all. "Dear God, I'm sorry. I.. you.. well, we are closed, but.. sorry."

I hid my face behind the palms of my hand in embarrassment. I heard a soft chuckle from Regina. It wasn't condescending, she was endeared. It was the most joyous chuckle I'd ever heard.

"God, I'm sorry, I'm a mess," I said and moved my hands away from my face. "I just.. I know it's a cliché, but I'm a huge fan of yours and I can't quite believe you're.. here. Sorry, this is absolutely embarrassing. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You're not," Regina said and I looked at her. I could actually look at her and she looked at me. Just me. There wasn't a crowd surrounding her, there weren't any bodyguards accompanying her, it was just the two of us in Granny's Diner. Even though we weren't standing near each other at all, it felt like the most intimate moment of my life. "You're not the first woman I've left speechless."

And then she actually winked.

Regina Mills winked at me.

I didn't think I'd ever felt my heart pound as loudly as it did now. It felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and I loved it.

"Let me try again," I said and I hoped she hadn't noticed the quaver in my voice. It'd been long since I'd last been this nervous. Regina's smile grew wider and she gave me a reassuring nod. She was only two years older than I was, but I was incredibly intimidated by her. In a good way. "Welcome to Storybrooke. This is Granny's Diner, which.. you've probably read on the huge sign out front, but somehow I felt the need to clarify it. I don't know why that was, I just want you to feel welcome. I'm really not helping myself with a first impression."