Authors Note: This story came from a prompt I did on Tumblr called Songs and Swan Queen. You are welcome to follow me there at "burningexistence". swanqueenery suggested the song "Need You Tonight" by INXS, so this song is what I wrote this story to. I would recommend turning it on when you see [**] in the story, and then putting it on repeat. I do not own anything affiliated with Once Upon a Time, the selected song, or anything to do with Toy Story. If I use lines from the shows or music, the OUAT/Toy Story/song writers get that credit. I decided to make this particular story an AU. Hope you enjoy, comments are always welcome, please! (Unless they are rude, then keep them to yourself) – burningexistence.
Star Command and Spaghetti
Henry screamed in a fit of giggles and clapped his hands together, knocking his Toy Story covered sippy cup of milk on the floor. Thank heavens it was spill-proof.
"Moe!" he screamed. "Moe, Emma! Uhhh gen!" He drew out the first part of "again", making it sound much too dramatic for a three year old. Emma laughed and once again put her arms out like she was going to fly.
"To infinity," she said, as she looked up toward the ceiling. "And—"
"Beyon!'" Henry screamed, not giving her a chance to finish.
Emma winked in his direction and took off flying around the kitchen, purposefully knocking over objects with her arms as she went. Down went the salt, down went the toothpick holder, down went the tub of butter. Henry laughed and laughed, his hands never ceasing their clapping.
"Buzz Lightyear to Star Command, do you read?" Emma said, as she flew around the center island in the kitchen, glancing down at the tub of butter each time she passed it, making sure Henry could see the dramatic look she gave it each time.
"Copy, we read!" Henry yelled, eyes focused only on Emma. He kept glancing from her outstretched arms to the butter on the floor.
Emma zoomed around the island again, talking to an invisible gadget on her arm. "Buzz Lightyear to Star Command, we have an immediate problem, send help."
"Buzz," Henry said, speaking into his own invisible gadget, "nine four, we read you. What's you problem?"
Emma giggled at Henry's nine-four comment, clearly he forgot it was supposed to be ten-four. "Buzz Lightyear to Star Command, we have spaghetti noodles on the stove and the tub of butter is on the floor. Need help. Send backup." She zoomed over to Henry and kissed him on the forehead as she passed, barely missing his hands that tried to grab her wings.
"This is Star 'mand," Henry giggled, watching Emma fly through the adjoined living room and back in to the kitchen. "You needs to pick up butter. All Star 'mand soljers are fighting scary sighborgs. Can't send help." He pretended to flip close the invisible gadget on his arm. "Over n' out."
Emma flew over to the butter, bending down and intentionally bumping her arms on the counter. "Copy that Star Command, commencing to pick up butter. May be dangerous. Will use laser if I have to. Over and out." Emma clicked shut her non-existent gadget and grabbed the tub. She tossed it high into the air, spun in two circles, and then caught it with both hands.
Henry squealed from his high chair, screaming, "Again Emma, again!"
But she shook her head, and patted the top of his head. "I have to keep cooking little man, or your little tummy is going to be hungry tonight when you sleep." She strode over to the small CD in the corner of the kitchen and pushed play, not knowing what Regina had in the player, but figured it was probably good. They had similar tastes after all. [**]
Unbeknownst to Emma, Regina had been watching from the door, tapping her foot with her arms folded across her chest.
"So, I leave you in charge for two hours and you feel as though you can toss my food into the air in front of Henry?" Regina leaned against the door frame, raising her eyebrows at the woman who stood holding a tub of butter in one hand and a cooking glove in the other.
Emma paused, wondering if Regina was really mad or just joking. But before she could think about it any further, Regina cracked a smile and looked to Henry.
"I'm just sad I missed all the fun!"
Emma exhaled in relief and set the tub of butter on the counter. "Well, that's what happens when you're the Mayor and have to go to a boring town meeting."
"Yeah, momma!" Henry yelled, throwing his hands into the air like he was going to fly too. "Emma was Buzz and I is Star 'mand!"
Regina laughed and crossed over to her son, kissing him on the forehead and picking up his sippy cup. "You mean Star Command?"
"That what I said!" exclaimed Henry, rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his milk. "Star 'mand."
"Eh, we'll work on it," Regina said, knowing that he would probably request to watch Toy Story again before bed. She crossed over to the island and sat down at one of the bar stools, watching Emma turn down the heat on the noodles, and then pour some tomato sauce into another pan. "So, how was your day? How has Henry been for you?"
Emma stirred the sauce with a spatula, turning the heat on low to make sure it didn't spit and sputter everywhere. "It was pretty good, actually," she said, as she set the spatula next to the stove and leaned against the counter. "I was able to write a little more this morning, and I called Cody to tell him I'd have the article done in a day or two." She crossed over to the cabinet, still trying to remember if she had the right one. It was only her second time navigating the kitchen herself. Yes, she had been here before. But usually Regina traversed the kitchen while Emma either waited in the living room or sat at the kitchen table. She grabbed two wine glasses from the pantry, grateful she chose the right one—she didn't want to look incompetent in front of the woman she was trying to impress. After pouring some Sauvignon into the glasses, she handed one to Regina, noticing how tired she looked. Gorgeous, of course. But tired.
Regina smiled, taking a small sip of the wine before she spoke. "You're writing about—"
"I is your father!" Henry yelled, raising the Emporer Zurg above his head and then crashing it into Buzz. "NOOOOO!" Henry screamed, trying to mimic Buzz's voice. Emma tried hard not to laugh, turning her back to him to stir the sauce.
"Henry, inside voice please," Regina said, taking another sip of her wine as she shook her head and let a smile form across her face.
"I'll tell you what," she said in a whisper, gesturing to the boy in the high chair. "At this point, I'd watch The Little Mermaid or Sleeping Beauty, or even Snow White and the Seven Dwarves!" She chuckled to herself and took another sip of her wine. "I'm about ready to put a sleeping curse on Buzz and his friends."
Emma couldn't help herself, and as she grabbed a strainer from the dishwasher and poured the noodles into it, she laughed aloud. "Uh huh, if you say so," she teased. "Because that would make you Snow White's stepmother. And you're about as evil as one of the birds that sing to Cinderella." She scooped a small amount of butter from the tub with a spoon and dropped it into the noodles, stirring it with the spatula so that it melted completely. She grabbed another small bowl from the cabinet next to the cups and poured the sauce into it, placing the dirty saucepan in the sink.
"Hey, you don't know me," Regina said with a smile, glancing at Henry to make sure he was doing okay.
"Oh but I think I do," Emma said. She grabbed two big plates, one small one for Henry, and began to dish out the noodles. "I may have only met you a couple weeks ago, but you aren't that hard to figure out. Not when you are so like me." She licked some sauce from her finger and looked at Regina, raising her eyebrows with a look that encouraged the woman to contradict her.
"Oh, you may be surprised at what you don't know, dear." She stood from the barstool and went to the drawer to get three forks. "But even so, I'm grateful you were able to babysit Henry again tonight. Thank you so much," she said, placing two plates on the table and one small one in front of Henry who was still playing with Buzz and Zurg, murmuring to himself something about lasers and Woody. "I swear, I won't do this to you again. I know you have so much to do with your journalism articles, and I'm sure Cody won't be happy if you miss your deadline."
Emma carried both of their wine glasses to the table and placed them at the plates across from each other. "Oh please, I hope you do this to me again. I love spending time with Henry. I've loved getting to know him. And besides," she said, making sure her faced was turned before she said the next part. She would probably turn red. "I like spending time with you, too."
To this, Regina smiled. She grabbed Emma's hand for only a second and squeezed ever so slightly before dropping it again. "I was hoping you'd say that."