Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and make no profit.
AN: Basically set before Regina is kidnapped and on Mother's Day. Any and all mistakes are my own as this is not proof-read. Sorry in advance...
Regina is sitting in the living room, staring at the empty fireplace and sipping at the third glass of her famous cider. She should probably slow down on the drinking, but it's not like she has to be alert for anything. Nobody will be coming. She's alone. Like she's been for so many weeks now.
She's angry at herself because a part of her was hopeful that today would be remembered, like it has been for the last five years. She should know better than to hope. She's not a mother anymore. She's the Evil Queen.
Regina swipes aggressively at a lone tear that's making its way slowly down her cheek before taking another sip from her drink. She's weak; pathetic. What would her mother say if she was here? Love is weakness. Especially when it's for a boy who doesn't return the sentiment.
She takes another sip and fights the urge to throw the almost empty glass at the fireplace. She's never been a big fan of violence, not really, but there's something so satisfying about destruction and havoc when it's an outlet for the emotions stirring inside.
With a tired sigh Regina downs the remainder of her cider in the glass and stands, making her way across the room for a refill. This will be her fourth. She's going to have to set the line at five or else things could get out of control.
Her hand freezes midair half-way to the decanter when her doorbell rings. She looks over at the clock on the wall. Who in their right mind would come to see her this late on a Sunday?
The bell rings again and with another sigh Regina sets down the glass and heads leisurely for the door. Maybe someone has come to finally end her misery? She might even let them this time. She's tired of living, but not being alive.
The chime of the bell calls out a third time just before she reaches the door and Regina feels her anger flare at the impatience and rudeness of whomever is on her doorstep.
"What?" she growls as she throws the door open with flourish and shoots daggers at the person standing in front of her. If she's going to die, she's damn well not going to be polite about it.
Emma Swan takes a surprised step back at the hostile greeting before shrugging in fake apology at her own impatience and completely ignoring the other woman's animosity like she usually does. "You busy?"
"Why? What do you want?" Regina asks skeptically, eyes narrowing dangerously at the blonde.
"Henry wanted to see you if you're not doing anything."
At the mention of her son – she should probably try to stop thinking of him as that now that he wants next to nothing to do with her and has his real mom – the former mayor deflates and softens immediately. But then a thought occurs to her and she glares at the woman in front of her.
"If Henry wants to spend time with me, he knows all he has to do is ask. So why then, are you at my doorstep instead of him?"
Emma shoves her hands inside the pockets of her tight jeans uncomfortably. "I just wanted to make sure-"
"That I wasn't plotting the demise of your mother or the whole town, practicing dark magic and brandishing fire?," Regina spits out offended and the blonde scowls at the look of anger and disdain on the woman's face at what is partially true.
"I wanted to make sure you weren't occupied before he barged into your house so late and demanded your time and attention," Emma clarifies as she stoically overlooks the brunette's outburst and accusations.
"Last time I checked, we had phones for that," Regina replies curtly as she crosses her arms to appear intimidating. "And Henry is my son; I'm never too busy for him. He can come whenever he wants to and he's never a burden," the woman adds hotly, enraged the blonde would ever imply that he could be.
Emma raises her hands in surrender. "Okay, well now I know that," she counters with a wry smile. She didn't come here to fight. She came to make sure the other woman was all right. "I'll go get him."
The blonde disappears quickly and Regina barely has time to calm herself and school her features before Henry is barreling towards her with a bouquet of flowers. He screeches to a halt right in front of her and presents her with the flowers, white lilies, proudly.
"Happy Mother's Day," he declares brightly and the woman would be unable to hide the smile that blossoms across her face even if she tried.
In the background Emma is standing slack-jawed as she looks at the smile of genuine happiness that light up the brunette's features. She thinks it might be the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. The thought makes her uncomfortable and she shifts restlessly from one foot to the other as she has the sudden need to get away from what feels like a private moment.
"Call me when you want me to pick you up or to tell me you're spending the night or whatever," Emma calls to Henry and she's relieved when he only glances at her briefly and nods before he grabs hold of his other mom's free hand and drags her inside. The blonde ignores Regina's perplexed look as she glances back over her shoulder at the woman and turns, almost jogging to the safety of her car before Henry can come up with the idea that she should stay with them. She isn't sure she can handle looking at the brunette right now when she's so…joyful. It makes her think and feel confusing things.
"Thank you Henry, they're so pretty," Regina tells her son as she finds a vase and walks into the kitchen to prepare the flowers. The boy follows her and rests against the counter next to her, watching as his mom cuts and arranges his present carefully.
"I wasn't sure what to get you, but then I thought, all girls like flowers right?" he says with an uncertain smile and Regina nods in encouragement at his thinking, even though she knows it's unrealistic. There's always someone who doesn't like something, but her son is so young still. He doesn't need to learn that yet.
"I didn't want you to think I forgot," Henry mumbles, looking away embarrassed and the brunette almost loses the knife she's using at his soft admission. Maybe he still cares about her after all.
"What did you get Emma?" she asks him conversationally, jealousy burning in her throat that she deftly ignores in favor of steering the conversation to something easier for her son. She hates to see him uncomfortable and struggling.
"Just flowers. Different ones than yours though," he says with a shrug before he frowns. "I'm not sure she liked them."
"What? No, Henry I'm sure she loves them. I think she's just not used to getting many gifts. She's been alone for a long time before she got here," Regina states quickly, trying to disperse her son's uncertainty and doubt. Henry gives her a grateful smile as she puts the last of the flowers in the vase and studies it with fondness.
"Have you eaten?"
"Of course," her son replies before looking over at the freezer longingly. "I'd love some dessert though," he hints hopefully and the brunette grins down at him knowingly.
"I'm sure I can find something," she tells him, delighted at the happy grin that spreads across his young face.
"Awesome," Henry exclaims as he does a mini cheer that reminds Regina of how he used to be before he got the book that started everything. "So what do you want to do," the boy asks once he's calmed down a little.
"Whatever you want to do," the brunette replies automatically with a smile and her son gives her a pointed look, like he's done on this day for the last years.
"Come on mom, this is your day. What do you want to do?"
His words warm her heart and brings tears to her eyes, just like it always does, and all she wants to do is wrap him up in her arms and hug him until they fall asleep. The joy is short lived as she remembers he has another mom too now that she has to share him with.
"What about Emma?" she asks, her voice neutral, but her heart hammering with worry, fear, jealousy and a dozen other emotions that she keeps bottled up carefully inside.
"We celebrated earlier. It's your turn now."
His words are so innocent that Regina can't find it in herself to feel resentful at the blonde. "Well in that case, I think there are some board games calling our names," she replies with a grin that Henry matches. "Why don't you find some and I'll prepare dessert?"
Regina deliberately ignores looking at the clock to see what time it is as they play. It's been so long since her son has looked at her with anything other than anger and skepticism, and she's missed his laughter. She wants this time to go on forever.
Eventually, after nearly two hours – which means it is way past his bed time – it's Henry who looks at the time as he yawns, his eyes widening in realization.
"I need to call Emma," he says and Regina immediately masks her sadness at the thought of him leaving her again. She gives him her phone with a smile that is a little too sweet to be genuine and she hopes he doesn't notice.
Henry looks down at the phone thoughtfully, his face taking on a frown, and the brunette barely manages to refrain from asking what's wrong, instead trying to wait patiently for him to come to a decision about whatever it is he is pondering.
"Can I…Do you think maybe I can sleep here tonight?" he asks softly, looking over at her uncertainly, reminding Regina that he's only an eleven year old boy who's had his whole life turned upside down in the last year.
"Of course Henry, you can stay here whenever you want. Your room is just like you left it," she replies gently, forcing her voice to sound calm and soothing, and not too hopeful. She doesn't want to pressure or smother him, knowing it will just push him away from her.
He gives her a wry smile before he starts punching on her phone to find Emma's number.
Regina leaves him to his conversation with his other mom while she cleans up after them, ignoring her urge to listen to his mumbled words with the blonde. She jumps slightly when he holds the phone out for her once she returns.
"Emma wants to talk to you," he tells her and she hesitates for a moment before reaching out to take it. She's pretty sure the other woman isn't exactly going to wish her a good night.
"Miss Swan," she says curtly, watching as Henry disappears from her sight.
"I hate when you call me that," Emma replies with a groan and the brunette isn't sure if the woman is pouting or scowling, but she's sure it's one of them, and she smirks pleased to herself, glad her son isn't there to see it. So what if she finds the blonde's childish behavior amusing?
"Henry told me he wished to spend the night, is there a problem?" Regina asks, ignoring the other woman's complaint as she prepares herself for what's to come.
"No, no problem. Just a plea."
The brunette can't deny that this makes her curious. She expected threats and rudeness. "I'm listening."
The line is silent for a long moment and Regina briefly wonders if the line has been broken. She's just about to check, when the woman on the other end speaks.
"Please don't take him from me," Emma begs softly, her voice barely above a whisper and sounding uncharacteristically small and filled with fear. It's an unspoken knowledge between them how easily the former mayor can do so right now if she really wants to. Not just because of legal rights, but because of magic. This is the sheriff telling the other woman to show she can be trusted and is trying to change.
Several thoughts and possibilities flit quickly through the brunette's mind; not least a biting retort of 'what comes around, goes around.' But something stops her. She isn't sure what it is, but refuses to delve deeper into it right now, choosing instead to chalk it up to the fact she doesn't want to risk Henry getting mad at her when she's had such a wonderful night with him.
The words coming out of her mouth shock them both into silence at its unexpectedness. "Why don't you come over for breakfast tomorrow and make sure he's fine?"
"Um, okay," Emma replies apprehensively, the first to get herself together somewhat.
"I mean, Henry will need his backpack for school and I know you have a tendency of oversleeping and skipping breakfast. I need to make sure you're fit so you can take care of my son," Regina excuses quickly, starting to panic slightly at what she's just suggested. Why would she invite Henry's other mom to spend time with them? She's keeping him away from her.
"Our son," the blonde corrects automatically and the other woman huffs in displeasure, but doesn't bother arguing.
"Are you coming tomorrow to make sure I haven't whisked him away or not?" Regina prods impatiently, wanting to finish this conversation so she can check on Henry.
"No, I'm coming because our son says you make the best pancakes in the world."
There's playfulness in Emma's voice that the brunette finds she appreciates, even if it's a poor attempt at hiding the woman's concern of what she might do and trying to downplay it.
"I guess you'll be judging that at seven thirty tomorrow morning," Regina replies, grinning despite herself at the groan on the other end of the line. "Don't forget Henry's backpack and his books." The distinct sound of a whine this time. "Goodbye Miss Swan." She doesn't wait for a reply, swiftly ending the call as she looks around the living room and decides she can finish up tomorrow.
She hurriedly turns off the lights on the first floor before climbing the stairs. If she's lucky, maybe Henry will let her tuck him in.