Henry's Moms
After returning home from Neverland, Regina and Emma had made a much bigger effort to both be present in Henry's life. And, more importantly, allow each other to be present in his life. The journey had made them realize that he needed both of his moms. They even let Neal spend a little time with Henry so they could spare with wooden swords or whatever boys do together.
Henry had moved back into the Mayoral Mansion, but Emma came by on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings to have breakfast and then take him to school. It was a crisp fall morning one Wednesday and Regina heard Henry thundering down the stairs. She smiled despite the fact that she'd soon be scolding him for making so much noise.
"Henry, darling," She said as he walked into the kitchen and let his backpack slide off his shoulder, "do try to be quieter when coming down the stairs."
"Sorry, Mom," he said, putting his backpack by the front door before sitting on one of the high stools at the island. The pair turned at the sound of the front door being opened and closed. Emma had since been given a key to the house since it seemed silly to have her ring the doorbell every other day. Emma walked into the kitchen sporting her usual jeans, boots, and red leather jacket. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the slight nip in the air.
"Hi, Ma," said Henry.
"Hey, kid!" replied Emma, ruffling his hair, "'Gina." Emma added placing her hand on Regina's arm for a moment.
"Good morning, dear," Regina smiled. She handed Emma a couple of mugs and went about serving French toast onto three plates. Emma filled the two mugs with coffee, keeping her own black and putting two sugar cubes in Regina's, just the way she liked it. Regina set down the plates at the places settings on the island, and Emma handed Regina her mug shortly after.
Regina's mind momentarily noted the domesticity of the whole situation, but the thought was gone as quickly as it had appeared. So the make-shift family sat down to their breakfast and ate in comfortable silence.
"Damn, Regina. You make a mean breakfast," smiled Emma, clearing her plate.
"Language, dear. But thank you," said Regina firmly but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Oops, sorry, kid," Emma said. Henry shrugged.
"It's okay. Nothing I haven't heard before." Regina choked on her coffee and Emma was sent into a fit of laughter. The two women recovered from their respective reactions to their son's remark.
"Ok, kid," chuckled Emma, "Let's get you to school and let your Mom get ready for work." Regina was still clad in her purple silk pajamas, robe, and slippers. When these family breakfasts had started, Regina had made a point to be dressed and ready before Emma got to the house, but there was a point where she'd given up. Emma didn't mind. In fact, she took pride in thinking Regina had probably never been so casual with someone besides Henry.
Henry went to put his shoes on. Emma helped Regina clear the rest of the dishes and then the two women followed Henry to the front door. Henry finished tying his sneakers, slung his backpack over his shoulders, and looked at his blonde mother expectantly. Emma placed her hand gently between Regina's shoulder blades.
"Thanks for breakfast, Regina," she said with a small but genuine smile. Regina smiled right back.
"Of course, dear," she replied. Henry threw his arms around his mom's waist and hugged her tightly.
"Bye, Mom," he said. She hugged him back and placed a light kiss on the top of his head.
"Have a good day, my love," Regina replied. The pair opened the door and started out towards the police cruiser. Henry loved riding in that thing. Regina stood in the door and watched until the car turned onto Main Street. She allowed a smile to creep onto her lips and closed the door, heading upstairs to prep for her day.
On Friday morning, Regina awoke as usual at 7 o'clock. She went into her bathroom to brush her hair and make herself look slightly less frazzled. She dawned her long robe and began the march down to the kitchen to make breakfast. At the top of the stairs, however, Regina noticed something was different. The light in the kitchen was on and she could hear someone moving around. Could Henry really be up and about so early?
She reached the kitchen and was surprised to find Emma. The blonde woman was meandering her way around the kitchen…making breakfast? Regina smiled and leaned against the doorframe. She watched, amazed to see find that Emma looked so natural and at ease in her kitchen. Regina raised her eyebrows playfully when noticed.
"Oh, hey, Regina," Emma said as if nothing was off at all.
"You're here early," replied Regina. Emma shrugged.
"You make me and Henry breakfast three days a week. I just thought it would be nice for me to return the favor for once," said Emma matter of factly. Emma began serving generous amounts of pancakes onto three plates as Regina poured the coffee and the familiar thud of feet came down the stairs.
"Oh. Hi, Ma," said a surprised Henry, "What're you doing here?"
"Making breakfast, kid!" replied Emma with a smile, "Your mom always does it so I thought I might try." Henry nodded and sat down at his normal spot between his moms and dug into the plate of pancakes slid in front of him.
"These are really awesome, Ma!" said Henry. Regina tasted the breakfast as well and her eyes widened.
"Ms. Swan, you never told me what a talented cook you were," she said. The whole "Ms. Swan" thing had pretty much disappeared on the boat ride to Neverland, but Regina resurfaced it sarcastically or when she was teasing the blonde.
"You never asked," said Emma shortly. Regina chuckled and went back to her breakfast.
The rest of breakfast went on pretty normally. The two women cleaned up and went to the door to find Henry ready and waiting. The blonde went to open the front door but this time, Regina stopped her.
"Oh, Emma, before you go," started Regina, "Henry, how would you like it if Ma came over for dinner?"
"Really?" Henry beamed.
"Of course," replied Regina, "That is, if you are available to join us, Emma?"
"Wouldn't miss it," said Emma, letting Henry exit before her.
"What's your secret, by the way? Those pancakes were divine," asked Regina. A wicked smile washed over Emma's face and she leaned closer to Regina.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" said Emma before giving Regina a quick peck on the cheek. She turned away before Regina had time to respond and left her watching from the front door and the cruiser rolled out of sight.
"Smooth move," Henry commented as Emma turned off of Mifflin Street. Emma smirked and they fist bumped.
Later that evening, Emma pulled into the driveway behind Regina's Benz. She still had on boots and jeans but traded in her red leather jacket for a blue blouse and her black pea coat. The silk blouse was actually the one Henry had snagged from his mother's closet when Emma had first come to Storybrooke.
As she walked up to the front door, she felt a strange urge to ring the doorbell instead of walk right in. She didn't know why. Something about it being dinner rather than breakfast and Emma getting dressed up made it feel more formal. But Emma knew she'd never reach the end of the teasing if she rang to doorbell. It was silly when she had a house key and she knew both Henry and Regina would make fun of her.
Emma unlocked the door and went in. She hung up her coat and found Regina in the kitchen like normal. The smell of her lasagna wafted through the house, making Emma's mouth water.
"Hey," said Emma, for the first time in a very long time feeling slightly out of place in the kitchen. Regina turned and smiled. She was wearing a black pencil skirt, a deep purple blouse, and black pumps. Emma attributed her nervousness to the new situation. She usually was here in the morning, which somehow made it all seem more casual.
"Good evening, dear," said Regina, "Henry's just washing up. Help me move things into the dinning room, would you?" Emma nodded and helped lay out all the place settings and food.
Once they settled in and began talking, Emma felt more normal. She brushed off her previous feelings of nervousness, considering herself foolish for having them. Henry dug into his piece of lasagna.
"Hey, don't forget about that salad, kid," Emma pointed out.
"Yes, Ma," Henry replied between bites of food. Regina smiled at the exchange, glad and amused to see Emma could play bad cop too.
When the three had finished, Emma and Regina began clearing while Henry went to go play on his x-box. Emma had bought it for him much to Regina's disapproval, but it made him happy so he had a certain amount of time he could play on it each day.
When everything was clean, Emma followed Regina into the living room where she dropped unceremoniously onto the couch with a content sigh. Regina smiled and went to pour them both some apple cider. Emma took the glass tumbler and the women clinked glasses before taking a sip. They fell into comfortable small talk for a long while. Emma then checked her watch, not realizing how late it had gotten.
"Shit, I should get going," said Emma getting up. Regina moved too.
"You could stay," she said awkwardly but added on, "…to put Henry to bed." Emma nodded and followed Regina upstairs. They found their son dutifully brushing his teeth. Emma walked with him to his bed and tucked him in, but not before he received a visit from the tickle monster.
"Don't rile him up!" Regina had scolded, but she was smiling and there was a playful glint in her eyes. Emma and Regina both kissed him on the forehead before turning out the lights and walking back downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs Emma wrapped her arms around the shorter woman's shoulders and pulled her into a great bear hug.
"You raised a good kid, Regina," said Emma, burying her face into the short brown hair. Regina put her hands around Emma's middle and hugged back, leaning into the warm embrace.
"You're raising him too now, dear," she commented.
"Yeah, but you were here when I wasn't," said Emma sadly. Regina pulled back just enough to look Emma in the face. She removed her hands from Emma's waist and cupped the blonde's face.
"Emma, you can't blame yourself for not being ready to be a mother. You were young and afraid. Besides, if you had been ready, none of this would have ever happened. Storybrooke would be stuck in a time loop and miserable because I didn't really win even though I thought I had. Maybe you wouldn't have come to break the curse and save everyone, including me, from me. I, for one, am thankful things happened the way they did. I got a beautiful baby boy and got to be saved by his even more beautiful mother," Regina froze as the last bit came out, but Emma smiled and took Regina back up in her arms.
"Thank you for saying that, 'Gina," said Emma, pressing their foreheads together, "Are you gonna kiss me?" Regina chuckled.
"I always thought you'd do that part." Emma nodded and leaned in to capture Regina's lips. The kiss was sweet, each women pouring their feelings into it. They pulled away after a few seconds and stood there holding each other.
"Will you stay?" asked Regina, nervous for the first time in a long while.
"Always," replied Emma, making it more of a promise than an answer to Regina's question. They walked back up the stairs and went into Regina's stately master bedroom. After changing and brushing their teeth, the two settled into Regina's bed and held each other until sleep consumed them.
The next morning Regina awoke with Emma's arm draped over her middle and she smiled. Something within Regina stirred, something she hadn't felt for a long time. It was warm. It filled her up and made her feel as light as a feather. Emma stirred and groaned.
"Go back tsleep, 'Gina," she slurred, "t's a Saturday…take th day off." Regina chuckled at the broken English brought by sleepiness and settled back into Emma's arms. For the first time in years, Regina Mills was happy.