Prompt- Prompt: Regina and Emma having fluffy secret-girlfriend-time on the Jolly Roger on the trip to Neverland. They both try and dodge the rest of the crew so they go oblivious.
I took some liberties with the prompt because I really couldn't imagine Regina and Emma having lighthearted fluffy moments while Henry was in danger and they were on their way to save him. Hook is there but only mentioned in this fic, it's definitely not CS or pro-Hook.
TW: There is a brief mention of Regina's electrocution from the end of season 2
The first night on board the Jolly Roger was especially rough. Hook had assured them they would reach Neverland within a fortnight, but Emma didn't put much stock in his word. She's never trusted him, but especially now after he had strapped the mother of her child to a metal table to be electrocuted, well she won't be singing his praises any time soon. In fact, the only thing keeping her from ramming her fist through the sleazy bastard's face was because he was their only chance to save Henry.
So Emma did her best to steer clear of him and his advances. She's been making it a practice to avoid almost all the other passengers aboard the Jolly Roger. All but one.
The first night after they had crossed through the swirling whirlpool of a portal into the murky oceanic waters of Neverland had been unbearable. The chaotic, nonstop excitement of the past several days had dissolved into thin air. There were no more villains to chase, or magical town destroying fail safes to stop, or people to save.
Except there were. There were Greg and Tamara and Peter Pan to hunt down and Henry to rescue. But there's nothing they can do until they reach land. In the interim they're all stuck sitting idly in anticipation of the coming frenzy of battling Pan and Lost Boys in search for their son. All they can do is worry and wait and worry some more. The stillness and the inaction are making Emma feel frantic. She has so much energy, fear, and rage pent up just waiting to be unleashed that she's constantly on edge. Nothing in her mind will settle until her son is home with them, safe and sound.
That night Emma had stared up at the wooden ceiling of the cabin, eyes burning with exhaustion but unable to sleep for even a moment. She was cocooned in the hammock she had listlessly claimed earlier on when their party had concluded that they all needed some sleep. Hook had retired to his captain's quarters. The only other set of private quarters was the first mate's cabin, which Rumple had immediately claimed. This left the rest of the crew's lodgings in the form of a simple room with one chest of drawers and six hammocks slung up from the walls.
Snow and Charming had settled into one hammock together and quickly drifted off to sleep, while Emma and Regina were left to choose their own individual slings. They desperately longed to follow suit with the Charmings and crawl into one of the makeshift beds together; they could cling to each other and try to find any sort of solace in the other's presence.
But they can't. They haven't told anyone, least of all Emma's parents, about their relationship. And now is not the time, her family's reaction is the last thing preoccupying their minds but they know they don't need to add any extra stress or conflict amid the already tense atmosphere of the ship. They need to focus on Henry and preparing for a fight.
But they're both struggling to face this alone, without the comfort and support of the other. It's a parent's worst nightmare magnified a thousand fold, and the terror is churning in both mother's guts. Emma's staring match with the ceiling drags on and she's pretty sure she's losing. The sound of her parents breathing deeply and waves crashing against the side of the ship aren't enough to drown out her mind. Nor are they enough to cover up the sudden sniffling coming from Regina's hammock.
The blonde lifts her head sharply and listens intently to check and see if she heard what she thinks she did. In about thirty seconds the sniffling picks up again. When Emma hears a muffled whimper she knows she can't sit by and do nothing. She is out of her sling in one second flat, with only minor tangling on her way out of the fabric shell, and making her way to Regina's side. Regina's hammock is one slung closer to the floor, so Emma kneels on the hard, creaking wood of the cabin floor beside it.
The brunette's shuddering breath leaves a knife in Emma's heart, and when her love looks to her with eyes bloodshot and bleary from crying the sheriff throws caution to the wind. She doesn't care if her parents see her in the morning, she's holding her girlfriend through the night consequences be damned. They both need this.
So the blonde crawls into the sling next to Regina who instantly clings to Emma and they curl up together, limbs intertwining seamlessly. Emma draws the thin, scratchy blanket up over both of them and pulls it close to their chins. There are still tears streaming down the brunette's face and her voice is scratchy when she whispers, "He's just a baby, Emma. We have to save him. He's my baby."
Emma nods along as Regina speaks, and when she's finished the savior places one hand on the queen's cheek. She looks at the brunette solemnly and with fierce determination, firmly stating, "We will find him, Regina. We will." Tears are slipping out of Emma's eyes now, so she kisses Regina.
She kisses her deeply and slowly, wrapping her arms around the queen's shoulders. She wants to get lost in their own world, and make the screaming fear in their minds cease if only just for a moment. Eventually they both drift off into a fitful sleep, wrought with nightmares.
Emma wakes at first light and sees her parents are still asleep. She looks to Regina, and finds the brunette is already awake.
"You should get back in your hammock," the mayor whispers, refusing to meet the savior's gaze. Emma sighs and kisses Regina's hairline softly before disentangling herself from her lover and slipping silently back into her sling on the other side of the small cabin.
Emma is staring absently at the pot of stew bubbling on the small, dirty stove of the Jolly Roger's cramped kitchen. She was supposed to fetch the food and bring it through to the small dining area on the other side of the door. It's nothing more than a slightly elongated, wooden table with benches on either side and barely enough space between the walls and the seats to maneuver around them. The others are seated around it waiting to eat, but Emma isn't moving to dish any of the stew into bowls and bring it out like she had offered. She had walked into the kitchen and lost herself in thought, now she's standing stock still in the center of the tiny room.
The door creaks open behind her, and she feels gentle arms wind around her waist. Emma jumps and breaks out of her stupor, whipping her head around to see her love standing behind her.
"Regina, what-"
"It's alright dear, it's just us." Emma's shoulders droop and she relaxes into the embrace. The tone of her voice makes it clear that she knows the sheriff's mind had been wandering through a dark place. It's the same black cloud they've both been on since this whole ordeal began. They don't say anything, Regina just drops her chin to the blonde's shoulder and sways them both slightly side to side. She lifts her head enough to press soft kisses to her girlfriend's shoulder occasionally.
The sound of the door creaking open once more causes both women to spring apart as if the other was on fire. They awkwardly shuffle further away from each other and straighten themselves out. Snow eyes them with curious bemusement, but all she says is, "Emma, is the stew ready?"
Hook's promised them they'll be reaching shore within the next twenty four hours, and everyone's on edge. Their nerves are frayed from the journey and being confined to the very limited space of the Jolly Roger. They're all practically living on top of each other, and tensions have worn thin. But now there's a nervous energy buzzing about the ship in anticipation of what's to come. They'll be traipsing through the godforsaken jungles of the island soon, and they'll finally be moving closer to rescuing Henry. They're all sick and frustrated with waiting around on this damned boat, thinking of all the worst things that could have happened to him.
Tonight Regina is watching the sun sinking slowly behind the horizon from the deck, counting the colors as the sky is painted bloody with the fading daylight. She's resting her elbows on the rail, leaning her weight on it slightly and clasping her hands together forcefully. The smell of salt and sea air washes over her, and the breeze gently tosses her hair.
Her solitude doesn't last long, soon she's joined by another. Emma stands beside the queen and wordlessly looks out over the sea with her. She wants to rest her head on Regina's shoulder, but they're in plain view of the others. Rumple is in his quarters, he's hardly made an appearance since they set sail, but Hook is manning the wheel and Emma's parents are milling about the deck. So they keep distance between the two of them, a six inch barrier of space that feels more like a mile. After about ten minutes of silence Emma reaches into the pocket of her jacket and pulls out a thin, silver flask.
She silently holds it up to Regina with a spark of mischief gleaming in her eyes, the offer clear in her body language. Regina regards the flask doubtfully, knowing the blonde must have pilfered it from the pirate's supply.
"Rum?" She questions.
"Course not. I know you better than that." Emma smirks before adding, "Tequila. Guess Hook likes a variety."
Regina scoffs disdainfully in response but daintily plucks the flask from the blonde's hand and takes a swig. The alcohol burns down her throat but she shows no outward reaction. The brunette hands the flask back to Emma, who accepts it and throws back a shot of her own. The silence between them stretches out again, it's comfortable but there's an underlying strain wearing on both of them. Eventually Emma speaks up again.
"We're going to find him." She fights the tremor in her voice, knowing that won't do anything to reassure the queen. Truthfully she's not sure who she's trying to convince more; Regina or herself. She hopes she sounds more confident than she feels. She knows for sure that their ragtag rescue team will stop at absolutely nothing to get to Henry and bring him home safe. But what she deeply fears is that it may not be enough, that they may already be too late. And she knows Regina fears it too.
However, Emma also knows that if she lets herself fall down that rabbit hole of terror that is speculating on Henry's potential fate, then she'll be of no use in finding him. So she holds her brave face.
"We will." Regina sounds just as determined as Emma, but there's something else to it. Henry was the one who saved Regina, it was because of him that she began fighting her way out of the darkness that had clawed at her. He is the most precious person in both women's lives, and Emma loves Henry with all the ferocity of a mother, but for Regina it's different.
She isn't sure she can keep herself from returning to the blackness if Henry doesn't make it. It first started when she lost Daniel, and she had loved the stable hand with all of her heart. But Henry is her baby. If anything were to happen to him, Regina isn't sure even she can conceive of the kinds of darkness that will overtake her.
She takes another shot from the flask and hands it back to Emma. Emma can sense Regina's distress, and does what she can with the audience around them. She reaches across the space between them and grasps one of Regina's hands, waiting patiently for the brunette to ease the tight grip she had on her own hands and take hold of Emma's. The blonde weaves their fingers together and squeezes, hoping the position of their bodies is blocking their interlocked hands.
"I love you, Regina." She whispers it quietly enough that only Regina and the waves can hear her.
"I love you, Emma."
The door slams shut behind them with a thud. They had snuck away from the rest of the group, taking a turn down a short, musty hall and slipping into what turned out to be a supply closet. Before reaching it, they had had to jump around a corner and press themselves flat against the wall, quickly hushing up when Rumple had gone below decks to make his way to his cabin and almost caught them making out in the hall.
Now in the supply closet where their only company is the mop, several dense coils of rope, and a bucket; they're kissing passionately between elated and relieved laughs. He's safe. They found their beloved son, whole and in one piece. They saved him and he's really going to be okay. The two mothers have been celebrating internally since the moment their escape was solidified and they knew Henry was safe and sound. And now that he's been tucked in and fallen asleep, they're celebrating outwardly together. They still haven't even begun to register everything that's happened, let alone process it, but they're flying high on their sheer reprieve.
Emma trips over her own feet as they're walking and kissing at the same time, her foot lands in the bucket and she ends up falling backwards. The only reason why she doesn't land on her ass is because Regina catches her with quick reflexes. The queen laughs harder as Emma flails trying to steady herself, and Emma joins her. If anyone saw them, they'd think the couple was drunk. But the only thing intoxicating them was the adrenaline still surging through their bloodstreams. But now that Henry is safe, and the ship is headed home, there's no action to serve as an outlet for their exhilaration, but they both feel the overwhelming urge to do something. Anything to expend some of this excess energy.
Relieved and joyful tears are streaming down Emma's face when she exclaims, "Regina, we did it. He's back."
"He is. He is, and we'll never let anyone hurt him again."
Emma doesn't say anything, she just launches herself into the brunette's arms again. They're just hugging now, both laughing heartily. It feels strange and uncalled for given everything that happened, but the stress had to relieve itself somehow.
Regina pulls away enough to look Emma in the eye, her own bright and dancing, and says in a hushed whisper, "I love you so much, Emma Swan."
Emma's responding grin splits her face, and she returns the sentiment, "And I love you, Regina. When we get home, I am going to shout it to the rafters. I don't ever want to let you go."
"Good, because I don't want to be anywhere else." Regina husks.
Emma leans in and kisses Regina again, it starts sweet but quickly grows heated. Eventually they break for air, and for a moment they're just gazing at each other with big, dopey, smiles and love filled eyes.
But of course, it's not long before their little bubble is burst. The door swings open loudly and the couple is met with the sight of Emma's parents gawking at them open mouthed. Emma and Regina are still wrapped up in each other's arms, and they freeze up, staring wide eyed at the intruders.
"You and Regina?" Snow squeaks out. Charming says nothing, but Emma can see the pained expression in her father's eyes at accidentally witnessing his daughter in an amorous embrace. It's clear what they were in the closet for and it's not something he ever wanted to know of his daughter doing.
"Could we maybe talk about this later?" Emma finally finds her voice. The initial surprise has worn off, and now she's feeling awkward. Mostly, however, she just wants to resume celebrating with Regina. She's realizing she doesn't really care what her parents think about this, she loves this impossible woman whatever they might have to say about it.
"I- I guess?" Snow stammers out, still flabbergasted.
"Great, thanks!" Emma lunges forward to shut the door again. There's a beat of silence before she and Regina are collapsing into another fit of laughter.
"Did you see her face?" The brunette wheezes out. Emma is too far gone to respond, she's hit the point where her laughs are silent and her abs are aching, so she nods.
When the two women finally leave the supply closet behind them, they make their way to the cabin Henry fell asleep in. He's curled in a ball underneath the covers, but his exhaustion has drawn him into a deep, dreamless sleep. They know they're going to have to deal with the fallout of the nightmarish past several weeks come morning, but for tonight the mothers curl up together in the bed on the opposite wall and settle in to sleep.