Bonding Time
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
A/N: There's a hint of past Regina/Graham (Wolf Queen?). Other than that, lots and lots of Swan Queen fluff :]
"C'mon, Regina, you took great care of Henry, I know you can help me."
"Indeed I can, Miss Swan. But why would I?"
Emma sighed into her phone. "I'll… I'll bake you a cake if you do it."
"I don't trust your cooking skills, Miss Swan."
"Ugh," Emma groaned. "Fine, I'll… okay, I don't know what I'll do, but I promise I'll make it up to you somehow."
Silence.
"Think of it as bonding time for us," Emma tried. "You know, because Henry would like it if we got along more."
Emma heard Regina scowl on the other side of the line. "Fine. I will be there to assist you in ten minutes."
Emma breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the three taps on the front door. "It's about time," she muttered. She wrenched open the door and noted the irritation on Regina's face.
"I could hear her from the street," Regina said as she stepped through the doorway.
"Yeah, try hearing it from the same room for the past hour," Emma retorted, closing the door behind the brunette. "I've tried feeding her, I've tried burping her, I checked her diaper three times, I walked around jiggling her in my arms for twenty minutes— and nothing. Absolutely nothing! I can't turn her off!"
Regina snorted uncharacteristically. "'Turn her off?' Miss Swan, she isn't a machine. Babies don't come with a Terms and Conditions contract for you to agree to."
"Well I certainly didn't agree to this," Emma muttered.
"Why are you babysitting her, then?" Regina asked, walking over to the crib that the little baby girl was nestled in.
"Because my parents needed a night off to go and relax, so I said I'd take her for the night. She is my sister, after all. I thought I was doing them a favor."
Regina picked up the little girl. She cradled the child perfectly in her arms, swaying back and forth gently. Emma stifled a giggle at the cooing noises coming from her mouth. It was bizarre to see the high-strung mayor looking so down-to-earth. More surprisingly, the little baby girl was starting to quiet down. As Regina continued making faces at the baby, the cries lessened and became gentle coos.
"How the hell did you do that?" Emma asked loudly.
"Shhh!" Regina glared at Emma. "You'll upset her if you talk to loud."
Emma watched as the baby's noises ceased and she fell asleep in Regina's arms. After accepting that the baby wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, Emma gazed at Regina. She noticed the softened features and the small smile on her face. But the most surprising thing was the twinkle in her eyes. Emma had never seen the woman look so happy.
"You're a natural," Emma commented softly.
Regina glanced up at Emma, the smile not leaving her face. "Thanks," she replied as she started walking to the crib in the room. She looked back down at the small child in her arms. "It feels like just yesterday I was trying to get Henry to go to sleep. Time flies by, doesn't it?"
Emma nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it does."
She watched as Regina lowered the baby into her crib and gently laid a blanket over her. Regina put a finger to her lips as they crept out of the room and shut off the light.
"That went a lot quicker than I expected," Emma softly joked as they walked back to the front door.
"Yes, well, I have lots of experience when it comes to crying babies," Regina said. "I never had a daughter to come and babysit for me."
Emma stopped and turned to the brunette. "Why didn't you ever have kids? I mean… you had your… arrangement with Graham. You could have… you know…"
Regina gave a small smile. "Yes, I could have. But what I had with Graham… It wasn't real. I wanted it to be, but he never really loved me. It wouldn't have been… right to have children with him. Besides," she added, her voice quieting, "after a... after an accident and a subsequent trip to the hospital, I ended up finding out that I couldn't have children. That's when I decided to adopt Henry." She smiled at the thought. "He was—is—the light of my life. Sometimes I feel like he's the only thing that keeps me going."
Emma was speechless at Regina's revelation. She had never known that there was so much depth to this woman. "And you raised him… all by yourself?" Emma whispered. "How'd you do it?"
"I guess I almost cheated on the 'single mom' part," Regina replied with a small smile. "Graham insisted on helping me out after he found me asleep at my desk one day," she said with a laugh as she walked back over to the couch and sat down.
Emma smiled. "Sounds like something he would do." She sat down gently next to Regina and folded her legs beneath her. "What was he like when he was younger? Henry, I mean."
"He was perfect," Regina said quietly with a smile. "He loved to help me around the house. He'd pick apples with me, and he'd help me bake in the kitchen. He loved to play in the mud whenever it rained because he knew he would get to take a bubble bath after."
"So you're the reason he's such a brat," Emma teased.
Regina mocked offense. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Swan."
"You spoiled that kid rotten," Emma said, "and you know it."
The corners of Regina's mouth twitched upward. "Someone had to." She noticed Emma's longing look at her comment. "Do you regret it?"
"Regret giving him up?" Emma shrugged. "I regret not being able to see him grow up. I used to tear myself up over it. How could I give up a child and chance him ending up in a situation like me? But when I came here, I saw how good of a home he had with you, and I stopped regretting. I started being thankful, because he led me to you." She smiled and grasped one of Regina's hands in her own. "Almost seems like fate, doesn't it?"
Regina's eyes widened slightly but she smiled back. "Almost." She glanced away nervously and noticed the time. "It's almost midnight."
"Do you have a pumpkin to catch?" Emma joked, not fazed by Regina's glare.
"I guess I should excuse myself before your parents return," Regina commented as she stood up.
Emma jumped up from the couch. "They won't be back until the morning. I have Johanna for the night."
"I wouldn't want to impose on you," Regina said softly. "You'll need your rest, especially if you have her for the rest of the night."
"What if I need your help again?" Emma knew she was practically begging Regina to stay, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. "Just stay for the night. Henry's at a friend's house so there's no reason you need to go home to an empty house."
Regina narrowed her eyes. "What do I get out of it?"
"Whatever you want. If you want to sit her and mock me, go ahead. If you want to ignore me and just be here when Johanna wakes up, that's fine, too. We can even make out on the couch if you want," Emma joked, laughing at her own humor.
Regina, however, didn't seem to see the humor. Her face remained stoic. "Miss Swan…"
Emma's eyes widened. "It was a joke! I was just trying to… lighten the mood. You don't have to make out with me. I mean, unless you want to, but it's completely up to you! I wasn't trying to suggest anything inappropriate! I'm not going to force you into anything—"
She was cut off from her rambling when Regina's lips were pressed against hers. As soon as Emma recovered from the surprise, the warmth of Regina left and they both stood there, staring wide eyed at each other. After a minute's pause, Emma let the smile slip onto her face.
"I guess I know which option you chose now," she smirked, licking her lips.
Regina rolled her eyes in her usual fashion. "You are quite good at ruining the moment, Miss Swan."
"Who said the moment was done?" Emma asked, stepping closer to the brunette.
A cry echoed through the small apartment just as Regina started to lean forward.
Emma groaned. "This kid is ruining my life!" She narrowed her eyes at Regina. "I thought you got her to shut up!"
Regina shrugged. "Apparently not, Miss Swan."
"She probably shit her pants and wants me to change her nasty diaper," Emma muttered, turning towards the bedroom they had just left. She glanced back at Regina. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow… if I live through tonight."
Regina stepped towards Emma. "And here I thought you needed my help." She stopped a few inches from Emma. "You don't have to do this alone, you know. I am… willing to help. Assuming I receive my payment."
A grin split out on Emma's face. "Of course, your majesty. I always pay my debts." She looked back to the bedroom as Johanna kept crying. "Let's go take care of her, first, though."
A/N: feel free to leave a review on your way out :]