A/N I made a tumblr where people can prompt me things/ask questions .com. Enjoy!
The sounds of a high shriek wail pierced the air, only adding to the noise of the already over crowded subway. Emma looked around in a slight panic, trying to calm her son down and answer the email that her boss had just sent her about an upcoming case that she needed to help with.
The problem with that was her already overtired toddler, and the fact that she had just gotten him back from her brother, David, and there was no way that she could focus the way she needed to.
"C'mon Henry baby," She pleaded with her son, trying to juggle him a bit with the arm that was wrapped around the two year old's stomach. "We'll be home soon and then you can take your nap."
She was nearly unaware of everything else around her, only thinking of what to tell her boss-who was only understanding of her being a single mother to a point-and providing what seemed like futile comfort to Henry.
Suddenly, though, the crying stopped, and her son gave a little hiccup in her arms. Her gaze tore to his face, to see that a slight smile had graced his lips and his own eyes were focused on something across from them. Turning to follow his where he was looking, the breath was knocked out of her at the sight of what had to be the most gorgeous woman in the entire world. A woman who was, at the moment, shooting a dazzling smile towards her son.
As soon as she looked away and past Emma, however, the whimpers started up again, making Emma's panic start to rise once more.
"Excuse me," Emma said, trying to get the woman's attention back.
The woman's gaze locked to hers with a raised eyebrow, waiting for what could possibly come out of Emma's mouth.
"I'm sorry, but he only stopped crying when you looked at him and I can't seem to get him to stop for now," Emma rambled, "He's usually okay on the subway but he didn't get his nap this afternoon and now nothing is seeming to calm him down."
At first Emma didn't think the woman would respond and would just ignore her, but when the subway stopped and a few people got off, the woman made her way towards Emma and Henry to sit next to them instead of across.
Henry followed her every movement with a wide-eyed and completely transfixed look. While he wasn't crying, his face was still bright red and the remnants of tears remained on his cheeks, making his look towards this woman all the more sad.
"I'm Regina," the woman said after getting situated, holding her hand out for Emma to shake.
She quickly maneuvered her phone into her purse, resolving to solve the issue with her boss once they got off at their stop.
"Emma," she replied, shaking Regina's hand and feeling a zap as soon as their skin touched.
The women's eyes locked on each other, and Emma noticed how deep of a brown Regina's eyes were, almost black, and growing more so with the sudden dilation of her pupils.
Get a grip, Emma told herself. It's probably just the dim lightning. There's no way a woman as gorgeous as that would be attracted to you.
"And who's this?" Regina asked in a gentle tone, reaching one finger out to softly tickle Henry's chin.
"This, is Henry," Emma said proudly, turning her son to fully face Regina.
"And what's making you so unhappy Henry?" Regina continued, addressing the boy as if they were having a completely normal conversation.
Despite being enamored with the woman, Henry was still a shy little boy and therefore nuzzled his face into his mother's neck, only his eyes peeking out to stay on Regina.
Emma laughed a bit and answered Regina herself, "He stays with my brother and sister-in-law a lot when I have work, but today it was just my brother which means there was no strict routines and apparently no chance of getting him down for a nap. David knows that Henry can be a terror when he's tired, but I guess since he was sending him home with me and didn't have to deal with it he thought it would be fine," Emma finished in a bit of a huff.
Regina's eyes softened at the explanation, and she reached forward to run her fingers through Henry's hair a bit.
"Sounds like your Uncle David needs a bit of a lesson in child care, him?" she asked in a teasing tone. She then looked back up to Emma and asked a bit more seriously, "No one else to help?"
Emma's eyes flashed, and Regina quickly backtracked, her face staining red.
"I'm sorry, that was too personal. I'm a lawyer- interrogating people is a hard habit to drop, even when I have a day off."
"It's fine," Emma replied, surprising herself with the honesty of the sentiment. She never opened up to people easily, but this woman was proving to be an exception. Something about her made Emma feel safe, and okay to open up.
"His father is not in the picture… he doesn't even know about him, but even if he did I'm not sure there would be a lot of involvement…" Emma began. "I mean, I'm sure you could tell I"m pretty young. Only 22, so it gets hard, but I do my best for my son."
"Well you seem like a wonderful mother," Regina finally said, her eyes never leaving Emma's.
The moment was broken as the subway jerked to a stop, and Emma realized that it was their stop.
"This is me," she said, apologetically getting up with a now nearly asleep Henry on her shoulder. "Thank you so much for this… keeping him quiet. And keeping me company I guess."
"You're welcome," Regina said, as they both smiled, a bit reluctant for Emma to leave.
Finally she did though, turning around and making her way down the terminal, towards the steps that would lead her to her street. Sudden footsteps sounded behind her though, and a rich voice calling her name.
She turned around to see Regina running gracefully towards her-in those heels Emma had no idea how she did it.
"I'm sorry if this is a little forward of me, but would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow night?" Regina asked. "I couldn't let you go without asking. Or if no one can watch Henry, we can stay in and cook dinner, watch a little movie with him?"
Emma's heart clenched, an affection for this woman growing even though she had only just met her.
"That sounds absolutely perfect," she said, pulling out her phone and handing it to Regina so she could add in her own number.
"I'll text you with the details then later?" Regina handed the phone back, her hand brushing Emma's slowly as she smiled at the other woman and her son.
Emma nodded, a wide grin stretching across her own face, now giddy with excitement. "I'll talk to you then."
Awkwardly the two parted ways, but looked back, smiling at each other once more. Emma continued smiling on the way home with only one thought passing through her head- Thank you Henry for having such charm with the ladies.