A/N: I know there are dozens (maybe more) of stories where Regina and Emma are married in The Enchanted Forest and something happens to Emma which causes Regina to cast the curse, leaving Emma with no memory of Regina and Regina adopting Henry brings them backtogether and they live happily ever after. I really love the concept. But I want my story to be at least a little different...and worth reading. This is mostly going to be a fluffly story :).
Back Story:
Regina didn't blame Snow for Daniel's death, she blamed Cora and she never became The Evil Queen. She did hate Leopold but not because he lavished all his affection on Snow or was a rapist or an abusive bastard. She hated him because when she fell pregnant he poisoned her, causing a miscarriage and preventing her from having anymore children. Regina and Emma both lose their memories because of the curse and meet again when Regina meets with Emma who is a pregnant eighteen year old and Regina is a prospective adoptive parent. Emma didn't go to jail for the watches Neal boosted, he left her at a gas station when she told him she was pregnant. She was sleeping with him because he took care of her. She never loved him. Regina and Emma's connection is instant and Emma agrees to return to StoryBrooke with Regina and stay with her through the rest of her pregnancy. Their memories return when they return to StoryBrooke together and...
I'll just let you read the story.
Disclaimer: Emma and Regina aren't mine...unfortunately :(. If they were forest boy and guyliner would've been long gone.
Chapter One
Emma Swan sat anxiously in the comfortable leather chair at the Hopeful Hearts Adoption Agency. While she waited for Marlita Thompson to bring her, yet another couple hoping to adopt her baby. So far she had met with four couples. They were all nice, they all had stable and loving homes to offer but it didn't feel right. When she met with them, it didn't click inside of her. There was no absolute feeling in the bottom of her heart telling her, "This is who I should give my baby to!"
A quick knock to the door was all the warning she got before Marlita stepped back into the room. She was chewing her bottom lip worriedly.
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"Would you be opposed to a single parent adopting your baby?" Marlita asked.
Emma took a few seconds to process what her case worker was asking her. "No...why?"
"I have a lovely woman who has been on the waiting list for eight months now. She wants to be a Mother so badly, Emma. Please just sit and talk with her. She's successful. A politician in fact. She's educated and kind and I really like her... Please." Marlita was nearly begging on the last bit.
"Alright, ok. Don't pout." Emma says with a chuckle. "When do you want me to meet her?"
"Well...She was here on business and she popped in to see if there was any luck..." Marlita said.
"She's outside isn't she." Emma stated instead of asked. She had worked with Marlita long enough to know the woman's antics.
"Yes." Marlita said with a shit eating grin.
"Send her in." Emma said.
Marlita nodded and bounced out of the room.
Regina Mills tugged nervously at her blazer and wiped her clammy hands on her slacks. She was excited. After being on the waiting list for eight months, she was finally meeting with a birthmother! Of course, then all the doubts and insecurities flooded in.
What if the birthmother didn't like her?
What if she didn't like the birthmother?
What if she changed her mind?
All those thoughts stopped cold the second she walked into the room and met calm green eyes.
Holy Shit!
She couldn't deny her instant attraction to the girl in front of her. She sat down in the chair across from her and cleared her throat.
"Hello, I'm Regina Mills." She said holding out her hand.
Emma accepted Regina's hand and felt an immediate pull towards the woman. Something clicked.
"I'm...Emma...Emma Swan." She said almost as if she were confused.
She took the time to subtly check Regina out. She was beautiful and she definitely looked the part of a politician but she didn't look prudish or uptight. Her gaze stopped at plump red lips and she wondered if they tasted like pomegranates.
Knock it off Emma!
"So...Miss Mills, can I ask why you're interested in adopting my baby?" Emma asked.
"I've wanted to be a Mother for as long as I can remember and unfortunately I can't have any children of my own..." Regina said.
Emma nodded. "I'm sorry..." She offered.
"Can I ask you a question?" Regina asked.
"You just did..." Emma says with a flirty smile.
"Why are you giving your baby up?" Regina asks.
Emma sighed and looked away. They all asked that question and every answer she gave had been different but for some reason, she couldn't lie to Regina.
"I was found abandoned on the side of the road when I was only hours old. I was in and out of foster care until I just ran away when I turned sixteen. I lived on the streets and did things I'm not proud of to barely make it. I stole a car...well actually the baby's father had already stolen it. Anyway...he was the first person that earned my trust, I thought he loved me. He took care of me...so I let him have sex with me..." She paused when she heard Regina gasp.
"...As long as I kept putting out, he kept taking care of me. But, when I found out I was pregnant and I told him, he threw me out at a gas station. Look, I'm only eighteen years old and I'm a worthless piece of shit. I can't be a Mother. This kid deserves more than I can ever give him or her..." She finished sadly.
Regina had so many emotions swirling inside of her as she listened to Emma. Fierce protectiveness being front and center. Before she could even really think about it, she was out of her chair and kneeling in front of Emma. She cupped her chin gently and forced their eyes to meet.
"You are not a worthless piece of shit, Emma." She said softly.
If I ever meet the mother fucker who did this to her I'm going to rip his balls off!
Emma shook her head as her lip trembled.
"I know we just met, but I feel a connection with you." Regina said.
Emma couldn't believe what she was feeling and hearing. Something about this woman was extremely familiar. She felt loved and safe in her presence.
"I feel it too." She whispered. "Would you like to adopt my baby?" She asked.
"Are you sure?" Regina asked.
"Yes. I feel it deep down. You're the one." Emma said.
Regina was both elated and saddened. She was getting a child but she wouldn't be seeing Emma again until the baby was born. That's not what she wanted.
"Emma..." She said. An idea had just popped into her head.
"Yes Miss Mills..." Emma answered uncertainly.
"Please, call me Regina." She corrected.
"Regina..." Emma said, anxiety rising in her voice.
"I know this is going to sound insane but...I would like to get to know you better and I was wondering how you felt about coming back with me." Regina said.
"What?" Emma was stunned.
"This way I would be able to be there through the pregnancy and well...to be honest, I'm not ready to say goodbye to you yet..." Regina said with pleading eyes. She knew it was insane. Love at first sight was a myth, but she couldn't deny the pull she had to Emma and the thought of leaving her had her heart feeling it was being shredded in a meat grinder.
Emma felt like she was in her very own Twilight Zone episode. But, she also couldn't bear the thought of not seeing Regina for another seven months. She felt whole. She felt like Regina was the missing piece in her life. She had to follow her heart.
"Is that allowed?" She finally asked.
"Let's get Marlita back in her and find out, shall we?" Regina said. She stood to her feet and headed for the door and got Marlita's secretary to page her.
Marlita was back in the room in minutes. "What's going on?" She asked.
"Emma has agreed to let me adopt the baby." Regina said. Always diving to the heart of the matter.
"That's wonderful! I'll draw up the paperwork right away." Marlita said.
"We...Regina had an idea..." Emma said.
Marlita looked up from her computer screen and waited for Emma to finish.
"Well...we want to know if it's allowed for me to go home with her." Emma said.
Shit! I probably should have rephrased that...
"I want to be there through the pregnancy, it just makes sense for her to come back to StoryBrooke with me." Regina says.
Marlita smiles. "Emma, you're an adult. It's not like Regina is kidnapping you. If you want to go, go."
The women arrange to finish the rest of the paperwork after the baby is born.
Emma and Regina head to the women's shelter Emma had been staying at to collect her things before taking the drive to StoryBrooke.
Once in the car, you can cut the sexual tension with a knife. It's just awkward.
"Are we nuts?" Emma finally blurts out after turning off the radio.
"Possibly but nothing has ever felt more right." Regina says. She reaches over the console and squeezes Emma's hand.
"I thought love at first sight was just a fairytale." Emma says. "Do you think Marlita knew?"
"How could she not dear? You kept looking at me like you wanted to eat me." Regina said, her voice dropping an octave. It sounded extremely sexy.
Emma gulped. Fucking hormones! Regina was making her so damn horny she almost wanted to demand she pull the car over. "Like you were doing any better! You were looking at me like I had just tilted your world back on it's axis." She shot back.
"You did." Regina said.
Emma was speechless. She simply laces her fingers with Regina's and enjoys the scenery whizzing by.
After a couple more hours Regina points to a sign. "This is it."
"You never told me what exactly you do..." Emma said.
"I'm the mayor." Regina says proudly.
"Oh..." Emma says.
The second they cross the town line, Regina slams on the brakes. Memories flash in her mind of her life in the Enchanted Forest. She suddenly remembers everything. She looks over at Emma and knows by the look on her face that she remembers too. But she still has to ask.
"Emma? Do you know me?"
Emma looks over Regina and tears fall down her face. "I know you! I love you!" She cries. She leans in to kiss Regina for the first time in eighteen years and then she stops when remembers who she is now. She can't help but feel tainted, damaged and broken. She tells herself that there's no way Regina can love her now. Not if she were to tell her everything.
"Emma?" Regina says. She can see the gears turning in her beloved's head.
Emma shakes her head, unbuckles her seatbelt and hops out of the car. Then she takes off running. And she doesn't turn back. Even at the sound of Regina calling after her.