"Tell me again why I agreed to do this."
Regina grimaced when her foot dug into the dirt and closed her eyes. Henry was walking in front of her and Emma was closing the line, walking behind her. She was carrying the tents and two bags of clothes, one Henry's and the other hers. IT not like she could complain; Henry and Emma were carrying more than her.
"Because it will be fun and it's what our son asked for his birthday," Emma whispered so he didn't hear. He was so ahead of them though and so excited, she might as well had yelled it that he wouldn't have heard.
"He's almost sixteen. Why couldn't he have asked for a videogame like a normal teenager?" Regina huffed as she pushed a bush aside to follow the path their son was creating as he walked.
Emma smiled knowingly. "Like if you didn't like that he is such a mom's baby."
"He is not a mom's baby!"
With a roll of eyes, Emma stepped next to Regina and leaned in to plant a kiss to her cheek. However, she was carrying so many things, she barely managed to lean a little before she tripped. Regina helped her before she fell face first into the ground and stifled a laugh.
"Well, at least you are having fun."
A smile still on her lips, Regina pecked a kiss to her girlfriend's cheek. From afar, they heard his son's voice, calling for them.
"Moms? Are you okay?"
"Yes, Henry! We're coming!" Regina answered with a shout as they made their way towards him.
"I hope you're not making out!" he yelled back and Regina rolled her eyes.
Emma chuckled. "You have to admit he's gotten witty." Regina grabbed one of the bags she was carrying to help her and Emma blew to take a strand of hair off her face. "Why don't we just magic it there though? I thought we were going to do it."
"Henry wants the full experience, and as you feel so inclined to remember me, it's what he asked for and we are going to give it to him."
"I bet he just want us to suffer for hiding our relationship from him at the beginning," Emma huffed as she walked over a giant stone.
They finally made it into the clearing, where Henry was waiting for them, leaning in a tree and looking to his phone. He had left all the bags on the ground, or more like he had thrown them all there, very much like his clothes in his room. Emma and Regina dropped the bags there too and Emma stretched, sighing happily.
She walked over to Henry and snatched his phone from his hand, a protest in the form of a groan following it. "Ma!"
"Sorry kid. Full experience; no phones." She smiled smugly at him, and raised an eyebrow, daring him to say anything else. He rolled his eyes and looked over at Regina for help, but she wore the same shit-eating grin.
"Fine," he sighed. Walking over to where the bags were standing, he smiled excitedly. "This is a good place, isn't it? There are no trees above us, so we can watch the stars tonight."
"Sounds lovely, honey," Regina smiled at him, cupping his face before turning to Emma. She found the Sheriff peeling off her sweater and her eyes glued to the toned stomach peeking out as the shirt rolled up. When Emma managed to get rid of the sweater, she noticed Regina's eyes and smirked.
Henry cleared his throat to bring the attention back at him and kneeled down to start unpacking. Emma and Regina shared a grin before kneeling down to help him. As he pulled out the first tent, Emma reached to help him while Regina gladly watched how they managed with it. It reached a point in which Regina opened a chair and sat to witness the comical scene that was taking place in front of her as she tried to hold back the laughter.
Emma, who was still kneeling down and dealing with the metal poles, rose and put her hands on her waist, glaring at her girlfriend. "Having fun over there?"
Regina smirked and tilted her head. "Plenty, thanks."
Pouting, Emma glanced at the mess the tent was, still not put up after more than fifteen minutes. She then cocked an eyebrow and looked at Regina. "Think you can do it better?"
"Come on, it can't be that hard."
Emma stood up and clasped her hands together to get rid of the dust. "Come Henry. Your mother thinks she is so smart, so let's let her prove it."
Henry raised his head from the big sheet of paper in which the steps to set up the tent were detailed and looked at Emma with questioning eyes. They both knew Regina had never set up a tent, or even walked close to one for that matter. With that knowledge, they stepped aside and let Regina handle the tent, both of them crossing their arms.
Regina eyed the instructions thoughtfully, very well aware of the two sets of eyes that were watching her and waiting for her to give up. Ignoring them, Regina started to work, kneeling down to reach for the poles and although slowly, Emma and Henry observed how Regina actually put it all together to set up their son's tent.
Once she finished, she stood up, clasping her hands to get rid of the dirt and smiled proudly at her work before turning to a jaw dropped Henry and Emma. An eyebrow quirked up smugly as her grin grew, "You were saying?"
"I bet she used magic," Henry whispered at Emma, who nodded slightly.
"I did not. I just followed the instructions like any intelligent person would," Regina mocked.
Henry raised his hand. "I was following them."
Emma whipped her head to look at him, placing a hand on her chest, "Which side are you on? My own son, betraying me! I can't believe." She dramatically sighed and turned like if she was crying, making Regina and the teenager roll their eyes in unison.
Henry chuckled and patted her back, "There, there, mom. You'll get through it."
"You can be thankful you bribed me with enough s'mores for tonight or else you would be grounded," she murmured.
"Grounded how? Without my phone?" he crossed his arms and quirked an eyebrow, with a sass he could only get from Regina, who was now enjoying the scene with a smile.
Emma rolled her eyes and snorted. "I can't believe you're so like your mother. I'm starting to doubt whether I am your biological mother or she is."
Regina stepped in, putting her arm around Henry's waist; he was taller than her now, and it was accentuated when she wasn't wearing her high heels. Now, in the middle of the forest, wearing a pair of sneakers Emma strongly believes she had bought especially for this because she didn't even own a pair, he could put his arm around her shoulder and grin at Emma, only to mock her.
"Why don't you do find some small logs to make a fire?" she asked him. He nodded and kissed her cheek before turning to get into the forest. "Be careful!" she reminded him before he disappeared behind the bushes.
"Yeah, mom," he yelled back, raising his hand.
Regina turned to Emma, who was still pouting, and slid her hands around her waist, bringing her closer. She lifted her face by her chin and smiled at her in a way Emma was lucky to be held by the other woman because she was melting.
"You make it too hard to be mad at you," she sulked.
Regina's smile grew as she brushed a blonde lock off her face, "I know."
"Not fair, you know? You looking all cute and little with your sweatpants and that hoodie—when did you grab it by the way? I thought I had packed it."
"Oh, so you like me with your sweatshirt?" Emma nodded and Regina's finger started to trail a path down Emma's neck only to come back and gently caress her scalp. "Perhaps you would like me better without it?"
Emma gulped visibly as the image of Regina wearing only her sweatshirt, nothing underneath. She decided she would definitely ask her for it when they came back home. Hopefully soon.
"I hate you, you know that?" she murmured before their lips pressed together. Her arms sneaked around Regina's waist and moved them down, squeezing with both hands.
Regina smirked, nuzzling their noses together. "I love you too."
"Can I look?" Henry asked from behind Regina.
Emma smiled and looked over her girlfriend's shoulders. "Just one second!" She pressed her lips to Regina's again, closing her eyes sighing into the kiss. When they finally separated, her grin had only grew. "You're safe, kid."
"Ew," he murmured loud enough for them to hear as he dropped the logs in front of the tent. "Please, control yourselves." Emma put her arm round his shoulder to bring him down and with her free hand she messed his hair. "Hey! Stop! Stop!" he laughed.
"When you stop being such a smartass, smartass," Emma chuckled as she messed with him a little more before releasing him. He passed a hand through his hair and brushed it back, like he liked it.
Regina rolled her eyes and walked over to the other tent's bag. "Are you done or am I going to have to set up this tent too?"
"I'll read the instructions!" he was quick to say. He knew how stubborn their mothers were and building a tent with them would be such an adventure. With the instructions, at least he was out of the war field.
Emma glared at her son and clasped her hand together. "Okay, let's do it."
"That's the wrong panel, ma," Henry said studying the instructions' sheet.
Regina, who was holding one of the poles to keep them in place, looked at Emma pointedly and raised her eyebrows, "See? I told you."
"I can't believe they are actually turning against me. Having a family for this," Emma muttered under her breath as she reached for the right panel. She showed it to Henry, who was clearly amused by the situation and when he nodded, she put it in place.
After a little more of stubbornness and jokes, they were finally able to stand up and see the tent rightfully set up. By the time they finished putting everything inside the tents and getting everything ready, it was dark, so Regina light up a fire—magic involved of course, they were not caveman—and they turned on the torches. By day, Storybrooke's weather was nice enough to go without a jacket, but once the sun disappeared on the horizon, the chill air hit their cheeks. Luckily, Regina had told them to bring blankets and sweaters.
Emma exited the big tent that belonged to the two women carrying a flashlight, while Regina and Henry were warming up the s'mores. They were already finishing the first bag of them, but since Emma had insisted on buying 3, they were far from finishing dinner. She dropped next to Regina, kissing her cheek.
"Time for horror stories," the Sheriff said with a deep voice, pointing at her face with the flashlight from the chin.
"No," Regina shook her head decisively. "We're not telling horror stories. Henry wouldn't sleep."
"I would," he spoke over a s'more he was stuffing in his mouth.
Emma raised an eyebrow at Regina after his statement. "Are you scared, Regina?"
"Of course not," she huffed looking at her own s'more. "I know stories about the Enchanted Forest you wouldn't sleep for a month if I told you. You're forgetting I am the Evil Queen." She adopted her most regal pose, smirking smugly as if to impose fear, but still wearing the same clothes she had been wearing plus a blanket over her tiny body, it only made Emma and Henry giggle.
"You were the Evil Queen. You've gone soft now," Emma laughed, earning a glare from her girlfriend. "So, what do you want first? A murderer, a cult or an evil monster from the lake?"
"There is no lake nearby," Regina quipped. This time it was Emma who glared at her, squinting her eyes and silently telling her to not ruin it.
"Murderer," Henry said excitedly. "And then it's my turn. I've got a good story about zombies. You're gonna shit yourselves," he grinned wickedly.
"Henry, language," Regina scolded him.
He rolled his eyes, "I'm 15, mom. It's okay. Besides, all I've learned is from Emma."
The Sheriff opened her mouth while he shot her that shit eating grin, knowing he had put her in trouble. Regina looked at Emma and quirked an eyebrow, "Is that so, Miss Swan?"
"Oh, she's 'Miss Swan-ing' you. You're in deep trouble," he laughed.
"Shut up." She threw at him one unmade s'more and he dodged it, still laughing. Emma ignored Regina's staring and put the flashlight back beneath her chin. "Okay, so it's said than in this very forest a man was living in a secluded cabin, on his own."
"That's unlikely. I built this town," Regina interrupted again.
Emma glanced at her to tell her with just once look not to interrupt her and then cleared her throat to continue. "So he was living here. Every day he would go out for a hunt, and using only one axe, he would kill the animals with just one hack."
"With one hack? Are you sure?"
Dropping the flashlight, Emma looked at Regina. "Do you wanna tell the story or what?" Next to the Mayor, Henry stifled a giggle.
Regina raised her hands and shrugged, "Go on. I'll shut up."
"Thanks," Emma nodded. "Anyways, he was good with the axe and could throw it from across a field and it would impact in the exact spot he wanted it to. One day, some teenagers, about your age," she said looking at Henry, "camped near his cabin and he could hear them every night, having fun and laughing and yelling. They didn't know the end was near…"
"…the bushes shook and they looked at it expectantly, scared to death. There was no way out; the Satan worshipers were close, approaching with knifes they would use to fulfil the sacrifice. The girl tried to jump the wall again but when she turned…." Emma paused, the flashlight gripped tightly in her hand. Henry was leaning forward, listening to the story, while Regina was looking at Emma, her back stiff and she swallowed
"BOO!" Emma yelled all of the sudden. Regina jumped from her seat and her breath hitched loudly. Henry and Emma looked at her and started laughing. They had told already 3 stories and in every one of them, Regina had jumped from her seat at the end. Emma was already on the ground, holding her stomach hurting from the laughter.
Regina snorted and crossed her arms, looking away. "You're both so childish."
"Oh come on Regina, don't be mad." Emma crawled over to her, putting her hand on Regina's knees and looking up at her. "It's just some stories. They are not true, you know that."
"I know," she murmured, but she didn't change her position. Emma and Henry shared a look and without saying a word, they communicated and nodded. "I'll tell you this. Let's just lay here and watch the stars, okay? No more horror stories."
Henry stood up from his chair and stretched. "Actually mom, can I have my phone for a moment? I swear I won't stay up late. I just want to check in with Violet."
"Okay," Emma conceded. "It's on the front pocket of my bagpack."
Henry nodded and kissed her head, then kissed Regina's cheek. "Good night moms. Don't let the murdered catch you."
"Henry!" Emma scolded him when she felt Regina's pose stiffening beneath her hands, but the smile on her face took away all the seriousness of the tone. He waved his hand before disappearing into his tent, taking a torch with him.
Emma turned to Regina, who was still crossing her arms. She tugged at them to bring them down and linked their hands. Regina finally looked at her and Emma smiled softly.
"I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't know you were such a scare baby."
"I'm not." Regina narrowed her eyes, daring Emma to tell her otherwise.
"Come here." Emma tugged at her hand this time, and brought her to the ground, laying on her blanket. The Sheriff made space for her so they could both lie and then covered with Regina's blanket. Instantly, Regina curled up next to Emma, placing her head on the other woman's shoulder as Emma's arm surrounded her. It was Regina's favourite position. Emma couldn't complain either.
After a while in silence, Emma looked down, "Regina?"
"Mmhmm?"
"Are you really upset?"
Regina smiled into her girlfriend's arms. "No Emma, I'm not."
"Good," Emma sighed relieved. "Because I thought it was fun but if you really got upset or—"
"I didn't. Don't over think it."
"Okay, okay." They felt silent again, enjoying the chill of the night and watching a sky full of stars, free from the town's lights. Regina focused on Emma's breathing and the smell of her shampoo, mixed with the scent of the woods, as she closed her eyes.
After a while, Emma spoke softly again. "Regina?"
"Yes?"
"The sky looks pretty tonight. But you know what's prettier?"
Regina's lips pressed into a smile, but indulged her. "No, Emma. What is it?"
"You, of course."
Rolling her eyes softly and the subtleness of her girlfriend, Regina's smile only grew. "I can't believe you're such a romantic in earnest." She raised, leaning on her elbow and kissed her deeply. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too. Also, I don't want to ruin this moment but wanna go inside? I'm getting a little cold here." Emma shivered for effect, but Regina knew her and sensed she was lying. She looked at Emma, who glanced at the bushes that were nearby and it clicked.
"Are you scared?" she asked.
"What? No!" Emma's voice squeaked and Regina raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe a little. I've never liked zombies, okay?"
Regina laughed softly, shaking her head. She rose from the blanket and offered Emma a hand, who took it. They extinguished the fire and made sure everything was okay before entering the tent. They curled up again, but when a crack was heard from outside, Emma swallowed hard and her body tensed.
"Emma, you are aware we have magic to protect us, do you?" Emma nodded but her body didn't relax, so Regina sat up and raised her hands, closing her eyes and murmuring something under her breath. "Okay. There's a protection spell now. I promise no zombies will come around in a mile or so, even if they existed here."
With a soft smile, Emma welcomed her into her arms again, this time cuddling. Regina felt Emma relaxing against her body and smiled as she closed her eyes.
At first it was one bird. Then another one joined it. Then Regina swore she could hear at least 5 different cheeps. She grunted and clasped her ears with her hands, but she could still hear them, and she decided she wouldn't be able to coma back to sleep. Sitting up, she glanced at Emma, who could sleep through a bombing.
Leaving the tent, Regina squinted her eyes at the early sun and quickly saw the source of her 'natural' alarm. She glared at the -suspected- 5 birds singing on a branch. How Snow could love them so much was a mystery to Regina, who was about to fry them and serve them for breakfast with a fireball.
Luckily for them, Henry's head pocked outside the tent. "Hey mom." He yawned and went all the way out of the tent, his hair a mess. "They woke you up too, huh?"
Regina closed her hand in a fist, feeling the warmth where a fireball had been about to appear. "How could they not? Except for Emma, who sleeps through a tornado, it would wake up anyone."
Henry chuckled and nodded, taking a seat on his chair, dropping heavily on it. Regina watched its legs shake under his weight. "It feels good though. I get why people go camping."
"Please, don't tell me you're thinking about living out in the woods because I couldn't come visit you often."
"You could; you just wouldn't want to," he grinned and Regina shrugged, not denying his statement. His stomach grumbled and his hand rested on his belly. "I'm so hungry."
Regina nodded in agreement; the s'mores had been their only dinner and it hadn't been enough. "Me too."
Henry nodded at the tent, from where they could hear the soft snoring of Emma. "Should we wait for her?"
"For her to eat everything we make, that walking bottomless stomach?" Regina shook her head with a smile. "I think we should eat while we can."
"Yeah, you're right," he laughed, nodding. "It can be like old times."
Regina looked up at him and smiled tenderly. They had gone through some heavy stuff with the curse, but it was all in the past and it all had been more than forgiven, on both sides. Of course, both of them still felt guilty about things that were said or done, but they always made sure to remind the other it was all good.
"Okay then, what shall we make?" she asked looking into the bags that contained the food. She searched for any good meal, but all she found was bakery and junk food. "I shouldn't have let Emma go with you to shop for this."
Suddenly, the sound of the zipper answered before Henry could and Emma's head popped out of the tent. "You were calling?" She kissed Regina's head and messed her son's head; she loved to because he hated it.
"Actually, we were about to have breakfast. I guess the food call was enough to wake you up."
Emma pulled out her tongue and sat on a blanket, closing her eyes and throwing her head back as she leant on her hands. "Mmm, it feels good. We could go camping more often, right Regina?"
As an answer she only got a glare from her before Regina threw at her a mini croissant. Emma looked at Henry, who shrugged and held back the smile.
It was the afternoon. After a short hike on the morning—and a full two and a half hour of Regina complaining—they had lunch and then, after just laying on the ground and enjoying the peace, they decided to play cards. They started on simple games, but ended up in a thrilling poker game, betting small rocks they had gathered. Whoever lost though, would have to do the dished for a full week.
"You are cheating," Emma accused, pointing at Regina.
"I am not, dear. You're just too bad at poker, admit it." She blinked at Henry, who chuckled as he levelled the bet.
"You have won three rounds in a row, Regina. You're using magic."
Regina eyes her cards and raised an eyebrow, "If I was you would feel it. Do you?" She let Emma close her eyes and feel the magic before she opened her eyes and looked down, defeated. "Told you."
Emma was still not convinced, but remained quiet. She didn't know how she was doing it but Regina was definitely cheating, and she had her confirmation when she glimpsed her smirk over her cards.
That night there weren't horror stories of any kind. That is if you don't count the stories about Emma's cooking or Henry's times when he was just a kid. They spent most of the time telling stories about them, remembering things that had happened to them, like that time Henry tried to cook them breakfast for mother's day and it had ended up with a call to the fire-fighters from their neighbours.
When they were back at their tents, Regina closed her eyes and smiled, both happy for how the day had gone and because the next morning they were coming back home.
When Regina finally took a seat on her couch, she sighed happily. "Finally."
They had spent the morning out in the woods, delaying the time to pack and leave, but when the time had come Henry had told them that no magic could be involved. So just like they had set up the tents, they had obviously argued over which was the right way to pull them down.
Then, they had come back to Regina's car, which had been parked a few miles from there, and she drove them home while the three of them remembered moments from the camping.
"And what about that time Regina swore war to that mosquito?" Emma laughed on the passenger's seat and Henry joined her in the back, while Regina rolled her eyes.
They carried everything from the car to the porch and finally, finally, they were back home. Once there, with one wave of hand she put everything where it belonged: dirty clothes on the washer, the tents on the garage and their bags in their rooms. She dropped on the couch and smiled.
Emma walked over to her and dropped next to her, laying her head on Regina's lap. She looked up and raised her eyebrows, "Tired?"
"God, yes. I need a long bath for this."
Henry appeared at the doorway, her clothes changed from sweatpants to some jeans and a shirt. "Hey moms? I'm gonna go out with Violet. I won't be late. Love you." They didn't have the chance to say much of anything when he closed the door, leaving the house.
"The youth," Emma sighed.
Regina looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, "Are you implying we're old?"
"Aren't you like 80 or something?" With one glare, Regina stood up, making Emma's head fall into the couch. The Mayor walked outside the living room and left Emma alone to run after her. "Wait, you are."
"Keep going, Emma, and tonight you'll be sleeping in the guest room," Regina said as she made her way up the stairs to have a good, long bath. "And I must warn you, I'm wearing only one of your sweatshirt."
"You haven't heard me finish!" Emma rushed upstairs to stop in front of Regina, one stair up from her so she was looking down at her. "You may be 80, but you look like a snack."
Regina rolled her eyes and walked past her. "Work harder, Emma. I'm taking a bath in 5 and if you haven't convinced my by then, I'm having it on my own."
Emma read the challenge on her voice and smirked before following Regina into her bedroom.