Remnants of Us

A Part Canon, Part AU ~ Emma Swan/Regina Mills Pairing

ONCE UPON A TIME * SWAN~QUEEN FICLET

Part One

"Henry, hurry up, your mama will be here any minute!" Emma yelled from the kitchen as she continued gathering his medication along with a healthy snack that he would take with him on his outing with his other mother.

Just then Henry walked out of his room and over to where his mom was standing at the table in the kitchen, zipping up his back pack.

"Mom, can you look at this? I think it's broken?" Henry said in mild frustration, directing his mom to the antique compass in his hands, the one his mama gave him for his last birthday; he wanted to take it with him on his day out with her.

Leaning down, she gently took the item from the boy's hands to inspect it. "Mm, you don't have any idea what happened to it, Henry? Emma asked curiously as she eyed the object carefully, turning it over a couple of times in her hands.

"No mom, I don't. But it doesn't look like it's moving," he said in a slightly aggravated tone then continued, "this stupid needle should move when I walk around!" Henry finished his sentence with some anger about the gift that his mama had given him and it's current unexpected inactivity.

"Well, first, you need to calm down Henry, but yeah, it probably should be moving? And second, maybe you just accidentally bumped it up against something and didn't realize it at the time," Emma stated as she shook the object a bit to see if that would jar it into working, but that proved futile, then Emma looked down at her son and said, "I'm not sure what to tell you, honey, but ask your mama to look it over when she gets here, okay." The light haired woman told her son with a warm smile as she handed it back to the boy then ran her fingers through his hair.

Henry half smiled up at his mom then eyed the compass wearily as he gingerly placed it in his pants pocket, he then started to say something to his mom but just at that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Mama!" Henry shouted, turned around then took off running towards the door that he opened without stopping to find out whom it was.

"Henry James Swan-Mills, haven't I told you about just opening the door without asking who it is first, don't ever do that again!" Emma said sternly to the boy, giving him a knowing glare as her estranged wife who was now kneeling down to Henry's level and hovered there in mid-hug before speaking up after getting her own death stare from the blonde woman she still loved with all her heart.

"Yes, your mom's right, Henry, you shouldn't have answered the door like that, especially since you didn't know who was on the other side." The dark haired woman finished her sentence as she looked her son in the eyes and wrapped her arms around the boy, squeezing him tightly before letting go.

"Sorry, mama," giving his dark haired mother a small smile with his apology then stepped out of the hug and turned to face his other mother, giving her a more heart-felt apology with sorrow tainting his features as he said, "I'm sorry mom, I was just really excited to see mama. It won't happen again." Henry ended his statement with a soft, genuine smile.

"That's okay, this time, Henry, I know you're just really happy to be spending time with your mama, it's fine, don't worry about it. But, uhm, you do need to go get your jacket before you two head out, it's still a bit chilly out."

Emma was just about to do something when Henry whined, "Aw mom do I have to, it's spring now?"

But, before the blonde could respond Regina spoke, "Henry, obey your mom, now go."

Emma then tilted her head towards his bedroom as a way to indicate where his coat probably was since it wasn't on the coat rack where it should have been. "And Henry get the navy blue one with the hood, oh and your gloves too."

Henry then mumbled "Yes ma'ams," to both his mothers then slowly walked to his bedroom.

Regina, took this as an invitation or more appropriately an opportunity to walk all the way into the apartment, she then closed the door behind her as she stood by it and watched as Emma and how she'd interacted with their son. She was always enamored with how at ease the whole mothering thing came for Emma. She truly had those motherly instincts down pact, even before the two of them got together nearly six years ago. Emma possessed it all; everything from being a nurturer, to showing tenderness, kindness, and encouragement, an the appropriate amount discipline, as well as unconditional love. If truth be told Regina was a bit jealous of Emma and Henry's relationship. When she had sole custody of Henry she was never as close to her son as Emma is to him. But, that's alright because she loved them both dearly and was sincerely trying really hard to keep her intentions on the side of all things good.

Once Henry was completely in his room, Regina moved closer to Emma settling just about a foot and a half away from her before she spoke again, "You and Henry seem to be as close as ever Dear... that's good - but, um... you guys were always really close from the beginning." Regina fidgited a little as she stated the obvious, her dark eyes searching her better half for some kind of genuine response. She was trying to be complimentary but it came out kind of awkward and mildly accusatory; at least that's how it sounded to her.

Emma stared at Regina for a long moment before gracing her with a reply. "Yes, we are, and will always be close. And that's because I talk with him; all the time, I ask him about everything that's going on in his life. So, yeah, we are pretty tight." Emma stepped back a few inches trying to regain her composure, Regina was just a bit too - in her face for Emma to think properly. Afterall, Emma was still very much attracted to and in love with her estranged wife.

Regina had sort of zoned out upon hearing Emma say the word tight, she'd let her mind wonder straight to the gutter, reminiscing about a particularly pleasant time, or to be more specific a specific activity that the two of them shared...

"...Mmmm, Gina, yeesss, that feels soo good, don't stop." Emma lulled sensually to Regina as the dark haired woman continued her ministrations on the blonde. "Dear, ohh shit, you're so wet... and tight." The brunette hummed then curled her index and middle fingers as she slowly began to hit the blonde's spot over and over again..."

"Regina - Regina! Are you listening to me?" Emma asked with some annoyance before she snapped her fingers, trying to bring her soon to be ex back to the present.

The brunette had some difficulty coming out of her ruminations of her and the blonde at a more joyous time in their life. She pondered how much she missed those wonderful times they'd shared, and not just the two of them but all three of them as a family, not all that long ago.

"Hey, Regina," Emma spoke softly, gazing at her almost ex-wife, wondering if she was thinking about their family in happier days the way she oft-times did. Then she allowed her own thoughts to float, if only for the briefest of moments back to a more pleasant time before touching the dark haired woman's forearm to pull her back to the here and now.

Finally, reluctantly, forcing herself back to her current state of being, which brought with it a pain so deep that she had to close her eyes in the hopes that when she opened them again that the life she currently knew would be no more. She desperately wanted - no, needed her family back. As much as she enjoyed the power and prestige of being the Mayor of Storybrooke she also knew that having those things were fleeting. She loved her family, and she had to have them back no matter what she needed to do to get them. Okay, Regina, you need to stop thinking like that because that's how you lost your family in the first damned place. The brunette scolded herself.

Emma studied Regina's features, as she considered her thoughts wisely. She didn't want to just throw out the most convenient words that would make herself feel better, for the moment, anyway. She didn't really want to hurt Regina nor did she want to start an argument but what she did need to do was let her future ex know, in no uncertain terms that she was not interested in getting back together with her, not anytime soon, anyway.

Breathing in a heavy sigh before starting her statement, "Regina, I-" Emma was quickly interrupted by Regina.

"Emma, listen, please. I know you - I know I," Regina moved closer to her wife as she pointed to herself then carried on, "haven't been very consistent in doing the right thing at all times, but, dear I'm trying my best. I haven't used any type of magic since shortly before you took Henry and left me nine in a half months ago months ago." Regina froze as she remembered the exact month, week, day, hell, the exact hour that Emma packed up Henry and hers things and left Regina standing in that big cold sterile living room all alone. She shook her head as she tried desperately to rid herself of that awful memory that still haunts her to this very day. Slightly catching her breath she continued. "And I'm working very hard not to use it. Emma, I need you and Henry with me. I want you two to come home so we can try to be a family, again. I don't like being alone, dear please." The brunette begged, literally begged to Emma Swan of all people to come back to her. And this time it wasn't a ploy to try and get Henry back as it had been in the past when they first started their tumultuous relationship; where Henry was used as a pawn in Regina's game of cat and mouse, which wound up backfiring, royally, on her when she fell head over heels for the blonde.

Emma looked at Regina with soft warm green eyes, yet with a very heavy heart, because she knew that although her almost ex was trying; she knew Regina would eventually fail at staying good, and by good she meant - keeping away from dark magic. Still looking at her soon to be ex-queen, the blonde sat down at the table and began to seriously think about what Regina had said but found it difficult to trust the brunette, as she knew her true nature; especially when she was backed into a corner, and Regina was most definitely backed into a corner. She was alone, again, without her family which was of her own doing, of course. Nevertheless, Emma had a first-hand knowledge of what Regina was like when she felt alone, broken, afraid, even trapped. Emma recalled Regina telling her one time that being alone for her was akin to what she believed an animal would feel like if it were trapped or caged! She said that if anything or anyone were to suddenly get too close to her she would feel fearful of them, because if she'd somehow manage let them in (her heart) and then something happened where they'd leave the animal; in this case herself, it wouldn't be able to cope and that would lead the animal to want to attack then escape to safety and that's how she felt when she was alone. Which in and of it self is such a vicious cycle. A cycle that Emma certainly didn't want the woman that she still loved so deeply to recoil into. But, right now she was more concerned about their son, Henry, and how'd things be if she brought him back into such an unsettling environment as they'd lived in those last several months with Regina and that was just not something that Emma was willing to do, not if she could help it.

The blonde looked up at Regina and started to say something but the brunette stopped her again...

"Emma, dear, before you push me away again, please just hear me out. Give me a real chance to explain things to you?" Regina said softly.

The blonde was a little taken aback by the gentleness in the brunette's tone but she was also a tad leery as well. Emma knew that her possibly soon to be ex could turn on the charm when she really wanted something, but she also knew that there were times when Regina was capable of genuine heartfelt emotion and the current look in her eyes and tone in her voice appeared to be quite the real deal which in a way was worse because it meant that Regina was getting to her a little and she didn't want that, especially since she knew that Regina was still into magic, even though she'd vehemently deny it.

tbc...