Apart From You:
(Here's my divorced lesbian mommies fic to add to the mix)
Chapter 1:
(Henry POV)
Hi, My name is Henry Swan-Mills. I know what you're thinking. They had my last name changed after the wedding. Of course, it got a little awkward after the whole divorce part, but I fought long and hard to have my name reflect both my whole family and so help me God if I was going to let them change it back after their…misunderstanding.
Ever since that day all those years ago when I got on a bus to Boston to find Emma, all I wanted was her and my Mom to get along. They went the extra mile on that one after a while when they fell in love and got married. Unfortunately, they're under the impression that married life didn't suit them as a couple. I disagree. Yeah, they fought day in and day out, but that's their thing. They just got scared because they still did it when they were married. What did they think was going to happen? All I know is that they were the purest forms of themselves when they were together and the other one still came back at the end of the day. Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be?
Anyways, a while after the divorce, Ma got remarried…to my Dad. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my Dad, but it's pretty damn clear he's not Emma's True Love. They don't have the same spark her and Mom did. I don't really know what happened after that, but Emma changed. She's not badass Sherriff Swan anymore and I miss that. She's just tired of everything all the time. It's like her marriage sucked the life out of her. I just…I wish they could see what they've lost. I just need to find the right kindling to turn their old spark into a flame again. God I've gotten cheesy as hell! I blame my Moms.
(Regina POV)
I stood at the sink in my bathroom that used to be Emma's. Emma. The insufferable Town Sheriff I fell in love with the second she rolled up in that yellow deathtrap of a car wearing that stupid red leather jacket. Things have changed so much since then. Not really us, I suppose we were both the same in the ways that count. Times and situations have changed.
We'd loved each other so much that I sometimes wonder why it wasn't enough. I remember a time where I was under the impression that what I shared with Ms. Swan could conquer anything. It conquered most things: fights, disapproval from outside parties, but evidently not time. And I suppose that's what counts in the end.
In all honesty I can't stand that she married that glorified sperm donor. He had his chance with her and he sent her to have a baby in prison for God's sake! On the other hand, I suppose I knew…everyone knew it was only a matter of time. He was the man she was always destined to end up with. God, it almost makes me feel like some sort of obstacle that kept her from the inevitable.
Of course, my poor son is still in pieces about the whole ordeal. Sometimes I wish Emma and I could've held it together for his sake if nothing else. He's mostly angry with us all the time now, especially with Emma for getting remarried. I do take some pride in that he took my side over his father's, but I shouldn't. It's not like Emma is some prize to be won and I'd throw a fireball at anyone who treated her as such. Thank God Neal doesn't or he'd be long dead. Hook would have done that so thank the heavens Emma didn't fall for that idiot.
Snow White is obviously thrilled at this little turn of events. She tries to hide it when she's around me but she's just about as bad at lying as she is keeping a secret. Quite honestly I don't know what James thinks. Mainly he just sides with Snow for everything because he'd be in the doghouse if he doesn't. The thought makes me chuckle briefly as I finish applying my make-up and head out of the Mansion to Town Hall. The idiots in town reelected me as Mayor when they got it through their thick skulls that I was the only one capable of running a town in the modern world. I poured myself another cup of coffee for the road. Thinking about Emma always left me feeling inexplicably exhausted.
(Emma POV)
I sat in the study of the house Neal and I had bought after we were married. It had been maybe two years and stuff really started to pile up. I had the day off and nothing to do, so I was going through it and throwing out the junk we didn't want. I tossed countless stray pieces of paper into garbage bags I'd brought it. The one I was currently working on filling up had the strap slung over the door handle so I made a game of trying to sink the crumpled up paper into the bag. Regina would scold me for something like that. Neal would probably join me.
I was just about ready to start a new garbage bag when I came across an envelope that looked aged. It was crinkled up and the edges were worn down. I lifted the broken seal to see what was inside and found something I hadn't seen in years. It was a picture of Regina, Henry, and me on horses. God, Henry had grown up to be such a little version of Regina and me. He really didn't get a lot from Neal, not personality wise anyways. When Regina and I moved in together and really started raising him as a pair, we would take turns taking all three of us out to teach Henry something special to us.
Regina took all of us riding one weekend. The Kid and Regina were, of course, naturals and Henry took up regular lessons. He still does it and actually has won a ton of competitions since then. The trophies are all at the Mansion since it was Regina's thing. I was dead awful at riding in the beginning but Regina coached me up a bit and I actually really started to like it. One year for her birthday I took her out to the stables and surprised her with her own horse. I also bought one for Henry and one for myself so we could all ride together.
I smiled at the memory and overturned the photograph, knowing what I'd find on the other side. "Your move. -R" was scrawled in Regina's loopy handwriting on the backside of the photograph. Once Regina and me had started taking turns bringing Henry places it turned into a sort of a friendly competition. We'd try to outdo each other for the activity that Henry would like the best. It was almost like when we were fighting over Henry before, but ya know, more playful and we actually didn't hate each other.
After horseback riding I took Henry and Regina to a shooting range and taught him how to shoot. Since I had the whole bail bonds phase and then I was the Sheriff, it was sorta my thing I guess. Regina wasn't so happy with that… at least until I stood behind her and helped her learn how to hold her gun. I shook my head. I can't think like that anymore. I sighed as I tucked the photo into my wallet.
I was always convinced that Regina and I would be the ones to go the distance, you know? We were supposed to be together forever, bound by True Love. We were gonna be the Queen and her Savior and great moms for our son. I'm still suspicious that Regina's my True Love sometimes. But here's the thing, the fairytales never tell you how hard True Love can be sometimes. You don't always get the Snow White and Prince Charming happily ever after with them.
Don't get me wrong. I love my husband. I love him a lot, but sometimes I just wonder what if…? Trash bags and spring cleaning forgotten, I put my head in my hands, clutching the wallet containing the picture to my chest. Henry was with Regina this week and Neal would be out for another hour or so, so I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me cry. I'm the Savior, right? And Saviors don't cry…at least not when other's are around to notice.
