Hello, My Doves! So, I decided to work on both prequel and sequel at the same time because holy shit that deep dark stuff is difficult and I needed something a bit lighter to keep me sane so that I wouldn't give up on it!
Warnings: This first chapter is so fucking fluffy that you could make 20 batches of rice crispy treats and have enough left over to top 10 pies. As for the last scene, all I can say is, "When in Boston!"
Songs: Let's Go (Geronimo) by Audiogroove, Halo by Beyonce, Supergirl by Majestee of Sweden
Boston 8 months after leaving Storybrooke
Emma stared at the question on the plain white paper on her desk, but her mind refused to comprehend the words. It was the very last question of her very last exam of the spring semester, her first semester as an official bonafide college student. And her brain shut down 10 minutes too soon. She tossed her pencil on the desk and scrubbed her face beneath her glasses. Why had she wanted to come to college? She sighed deeply, snatched the writing utensil, and slapped down a half-assed answer. She nearly stood and turned in her exam, but Regina's voice nagged in the back of her mind, forcing her to sit down, erase the bullshit and formulate a proper answer. With a satisfied smile, she handed over the immaculate exam and slipped the strap of her bag over her head.
"Will I see you next semester, Emma?" Dr. Maggie Smith asked in her soft but firm lilt.
"I hope so, Dr. Smith. I've really enjoyed your class," Emma whispered, aware of the other students behind her still scribbling answers. "I never realized how beautiful Poe could be, dark and creepy, sure. The past two years have redefined my definition of beauty and insanity, though, and you definitely explain things in a way that makes me think instead of judging his characters and him as an author." She smiled brightly and turned to leave, figuring the conversation with the reserved woman to be closed.
"What redefined your definition?" Maggie asked suddenly. Emma faced the woman again and leaned a hip into the table that served as a desk in the small classroom.
"I found true love in an evil queen," Emma leaned close and answered cryptically, pushing off the desk. Maggie's eyebrows raised but a knowing smirk graced her lips. She appreciated mystery, and Emma Swan certainly had been a treat in that regard.
Emma stopped when she reached the sidewalk outside the building and held her face up the bright sun. She took a deep breath and spread her arms wide, uncaring if people stared. She was happy. The sun felt good. And they were all nuts until this week ended. It was completely acceptable behavior.
"Swan!" An accented voice called, and her arms fell in exhausted irritation. She'd nearly made it off campus without being stopped. Not that she was particularly social, but she'd made a few acquaintances that she ate lunch with occasionally.
"Hey Chase!" She called across the quad, not really interested in what he had to say. He was narcissistic and irritating, but he amused her so she kept him around. Plus, he bought her lunch a lot.
"Hey Emma," a young woman with dark brown hair greeted, much more calmly. She and Thirteen had bonded quickly, and Emma dared to tentatively consider her a friend, barring any disasters that might pull her away from Boston again. No one really knew why she liked the nickname, but everyone used it, even professors. Emma never asked, enjoying the mystery. The other woman offered a smile from between the arrogant Australian and the quiet black man who held a sharp intelligence in his eyes. They practically surrounded her, and she stepped back to make a square-ish circle.
"We're heading out for a drink. Wanna come?" Chase invited, but his tone held a much more sexual meaning to his question. She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips anyway.
"I sort of have plans tonight. Maybe another time," she declined honestly, a hint of a waver slipping into her voice at exactly what her plans were. She touched her blue leather jacket and grinned at the hard form of the velvet covered ring box.
"Thirteen, I was actually going to text you. I have a favor. Could you possibly…"
"Emma!" The shrill and broken voice of her preteen son interrupted her thought process.
"Watch my son tonight," she finished quietly and raised her eyebrows at the shocked expressions on her friends' faces. She whirled in the direction of the voice without further comment.
Henry sprinted across the quad while Regina approached at a much slower pace. She wore black slacks and a royal purple button up shirt, tucked and completely free of wrinkles. Two buttons at the top had been opened, revealing a hint of cleavage. She must have abandoned her blazer when she left the law office where she worked as a paralegal, but not her insanely high heels. It was a little muggy today, and Emma thanked the weather gods as she watched her partner approach with a sensual sway in her hips and playful smirk on her lips.
"She has a kid?" Chase whispered behind her a moment before Henry slammed into her stomach.
"Hey Kid," Emma squeezed him and then whirled around and presented him to the trio, one eye on Regina.
"These are my friends, Kid. Friends, this is my kid," she introduced distractedly, fighting the urge to crawl to the sex goddess that was her gorgeous girlfriend.
Henry introduced himself properly and chattered at the three college students, grilling them on information about their majors and if they liked fairy tales. Emma released his shoulders and stepped away when Regina stopped two feet from her. The moment she turned from their son, Regina grabbed the strap of her laptop bag between her breasts and pulled Emma into her. Emma's brain turned stupid when her lips collided with Regina's. Was Regina marking her territory or simply horny and happy to see her? Why were she and Henry here at all?
"Uhh," she uttered as Regina's lips disappeared and an uncomfortable arousal burned in her belly. "Hi. What are you doing here?" Chase wolf whistled inappropriately, and Emma rolled her eyes ready to put the man in his place.
"Hey!" Henry snapped. "Those are my moms. Show some respect, why don't ya," he berated the immature man who shoved his hands into his pockets sheepishly. Regina raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow but said nothing.
"Back in Storybrooke my mom Regina was the mayor and Emma was the sheriff. Did you know that Regina means queen in Latin?" Henry turned to Thirteen and immediately engaged her in conversation. Her dark eyes widened at the revelation of Emma's work history, and Emma covered Henry's mouth from behind and pulled him into her chest.
"Ignore him, please. This is my partner, Regina Mills. This is Eric, Thirteen, and Chase," Emma introduced, laughter in her voice when Regina cordially shook each of their hands in complete and utter mayor mode.
"Baby, your mayor is showing," Emma jabbed at her lover and smirked at the glare she received. Emma cleared her throat. "So, what do you say, Thirteen? Want to baby sit my motor mouth for a few hours?" Emma donned her best puppy dog expression and pressed her hand harder into Henry's mouth as muffled protests heated her skin.
"Well, that certainly answers our question," Chase said in slight disbelief. Emma's eyes narrowed at the man.
"What question?" Emma asked, squirming with the knowledge that something childish and inappropriate swam behind his eyes and usually came out of his mouth. She covered Henry's ears and nodded emphatically.
"Which one of us you wanted to sleep with? You've been flirting all semester. We were taking you out to see who you'd go home with," he explained as Thirteen and Eric squirmed uncomfortably.
They were embarrassed and irritated at Chase's need to turn everything into something dirty...in front of the woman Emma clearly loved, worshipped even. And yes, they had all wanted to know, too, but completely forgot the bet when they watched Emma turn completely stupid at Regina's kiss. They knew they played completely out of their league on this one.
The question and any following comments were forgotten, however, when Regina's phone rang, blaring lyrics none of them expected from the polished and seemingly uptight former mayor.
"Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it. Sex in the air. I don't care, I love the smell of it. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excited me."
Regina calmly pulled her phone from her back pocket, having grown accustomed to the constantly changing ring tones that signified an incoming call from her best friend. She smirked at the shocked blonde man and raised an eyebrow.
"And on that note, I believe the answer to your question of who my lover will be accompanying home has been elaborated upon," she spoke in a low tone, almost a whisper that rolled off her tongue, dripping sensuality with a hint of danger. She smiled prettily, innocently even and turned her back to take the call. Regina hated Chase, and it made Emma smile.
Thirteen and Eric's mouths hung open, and Emma felt a twinge of jealousy, not that they were immediately attracted to Regina because most people were but that they weren't staring at her anymore. Ah well, the game had been fun while it lasted. Emma and her friends watched her take a few steps away with gaping mouths and flushed cheeks. Emma's ears even burned. She turned Henry's face upwards and smiled down at him.
"Why don't you go say hi to Aunt Ruby and let her know that she and I are going to have a discussion about what music she lets you listen to," Emma suggested. He nodded awkwardly and took off towards his other mother.
"Please, Thirteen!" Emma whispered harshly, glancing over her shoulder as she pulled the ring from her pocket.
She held it to her stomach, positioned her back to Regina in the event she looked over, and opened it. It was unique to say the least. Emma had it special ordered after a month of finding nothing that suited Regina's personality. The band was 18k white gold. At the top, four little claws held a simply cut 1 caret black diamond. Inlaid on either side of the crowning jewel were five rubies. Swirling designs wrapped around the band, giving it the feel of an antique. She definitely would have mistaken it for an antique if she'd seen it in any of the many shops she'd wandered into during her search for the perfect engagement ring.
It had cost her a pretty, pretty penny, but her savings during her three years as a bail bonds person still offered a comfortable safety net should it be needed in future. They lived on Regina's salary from the law firm, anyway, so it wasn't as if they were pressed for funds. Even if they used her savings, she never cared about the money, not when the look on Regina's face at the sight of the custom ring would surely bring her so much more joy. She snapped it shut and shoved it back into her pocket with a quick glance over her shoulder. Regina remained oblivious, back turned as she spoke with Ruby.
"A black diamond? Really?" Thirteen criticized.
"She doesn't like the white ones. Look, don't worry about the ring. She'll love it," Emma assured, not really wanting to get into why Regina wouldn't want a white diamond.
"I only need a yes or no or a maybe pending a future date, but I've been carrying this thing around with me for two weeks now. She's almost found it twice, and I know her. She finds everything, which is why I have to carry it with me everywhere. It's burning a hole in my pocket. Please. Please. Please. I will owe you two huge favors," Emma offered and smiled hopefully.
"I'll do it for a nude picture of the two of you," Chase offered and caught Eric's eye, hoping that his fellow male comrade concurred with his wanting to make his fantasy image a reality.
"Chase," Emma closed her eyes, tamping down her anger. It didn't work. She punched his arm hard. "Shut the fuck up."
"Uhh. Ow!" He grabbed the area in a huff, no longer amused at Emma's butch-ness. It actually really hurt, and he wouldn't' be surprised if it bruised.
"Emma," Regina's thick voice called, and Emma's heart sank. She knew that tone. "We need to go to Maine, right now. Mr. Mendell returned and brought friends who are very interested in Storybrooke's unique qualities unknown to most tourists," Regina explained without actually saying anything untoward. They'd gotten good at that in the past eight months.
"Sorry, guys, I'll catch up with you when we get back. Duty calls," she walked backwards as she spoke, shrugged and then jogged to catch up with Regina and Henry.
She wiggled in between the two most important people in the world. Regina slid her fingers between hers, and Emma threw an arm over Henry's shoulders. Emma sighed contentedly, even though she knew whatever was happening in Storybrooke would inevitably destroy the feeling.
"So, not that I'm not happy, but why are you guys here?" Emma asked, glancing between her lover and their son.
"Henry had a half day of school today, remember? I took off work early with the intention of surprising you with lunch in the city. That appears to be postponed for the moment," Regina explained.
She squeezed Emma's hand tighter and wrapped her other hand around her bicep. It was a very girlish and feminine gesture, and Emma melted a little bit. Regina slowly reverted in age, the longer they stayed in Boston. She was still snappy, quick-witted, and somewhat bitchy. They word volleyed everyday, sarcasm their favorite form of communication. That and many nights of lovemaking. Neither of them were great with expressing their feelings and emotions, so they spoke through touch. It still worked for them.
But Regina was different somehow. Softer and gentler. Her coworkers adored her as did their neighbors, and their neighbors' kids. She and Emma were considered the "cool moms" of the block, and Henry practically played with a different kid every night. They'd both finally found a home, a place to belong, and a child who adored them with every fiber of his being and received the same from his doting mothers. This ending justified everything they'd gone through from birth up to the moment they departed from Storybrooke.
"So, what exactly is going on in Maine?" She asked hesitantly. Regina sighed. "Is it life-threatening or another one of Ruby's panic attacks?" Emma asked, making a valiant effort not to be irritated at her lover's best friend and at the very least succeeded in keeping that frustration from her voice.
"I'm not sure," Regina sighed. Her mood always darkened when they talked about Ruby. She felt responsible for her friend's suffering, and no amount of convincing would ever have altered that. Emma tried for months before giving up.
Ruby still woke up in the middle of the night screaming about her heart or calling for Regina because she'd watched her die for hundredth time in her dreams. They worsened around the full moon, which led to many hours of phone conversations between Regina and Ruby on their cell phones in the middle of the night while Emma calmed and encouraged Belle as best she could on hers. It only took them two months away before they realized that Ruby would have called every full moon begging Regina to come back, so they planned their visit's the weekend before the full moon every month. It helped.
Emma felt guilty for her selfish frustration, knowing Ruby had literally been willing to sacrifice everything in order to protect them. It was an issue she discussed with her own therapist in Boston during her individual sessions. She, Regina, and Henry all saw a grief and trauma specialist twice a month individually and once as a family. It helped tremendously, and Emma watched her son slowly become a happy, carefree child again. It was beautiful. She also found that venting about Ruby's situation made her better able to handle the late night calls and hours usurped from Regina's life everyday.
The waitress tried to get better, took a few wobbly steps forward and fell. At Regina's insistence, she saw Dr. Hopper twice a week for individual therapy and once with Belle to ensure their relationship received the support it needed while the Post-traumatic Stress ran its course. That also helped, but there was nothing else anyone could have done. Her mind would be healed when it healed.
When they visited as a family, they discussed their relationship and the trials they'd gone through in order to be together, the abridged and edited version of course. It didn't matter if magic was mentioned or not; the emotions remained the same no matter how it was spun. They discovered that Henry had developed attachment issues, which is why he had struggled to make friends. They both held each other and cried the first night he'd asked to go over to one of the neighbors' for dinner because he'd befriended the little boy who waited at the bus stop with him.
Their therapist assured them that when he felt secure in his relationship with both of his mothers that he would branch out into his own age-appropriate social network. They ordered a pizza that night, ate it on their bed, watched television and cried. Their son was healing, mentally and emotionally, and it was by far their proudest moment as mothers.
Emma held her tongue about her thoughts as she opened the passenger door for Regina and closed it once she'd settled into the seat. She spoke as she slid behind the wheel.
"Can we wait until tomorrow? I'm exhausted from exams. You have work, and Henry has school and therapy tomorrow. Maybe you could request next week off and spend it with her. Henry and I will come back and pick you up next weekend," Emma offered supportively.
"Are you certain? I only receive one week of vacation time every six months. Didn't you want to go to England this summer? I won't get another week until November, and by then Henry will have started school and the holidays," Regina babbled as she buckled her seat belt. Emma just watched. It was such a normal conversation, so far from the discussion of magic and death and horror that had begun their relationship. They were doing this, Emma realized. They were happy. They had moved on from the traumatizing events that had brought them together.
"What?" Regina jerked back, confused and slightly unnerved by the expression on her partner's face. Emma tucked a shock of dark hair behind her ear and cupped her neck and cheek.
"I just… I'm so in love with you," Emma choked out as she leaned across the center console of their brand new Toyota Camry they'd purchased after arriving in Boston. She smashed their lips together, far more emotionally and passionately than she originally intended, but the honest emotion behind her words dictated her actions.
"I don't need Europe, Baby," she whispered and pressed her forehead to Regina's. "I just need you and Henry and our family. Ruby is far more important than traipsing around dusty libraries and museums. They will all be there next summer," Emma explained, realizing that she wasn't that upset about their ruined plans. Ruby and Belle were family, and family came first no matter how irritating dealing with them might have become. She wanted them to feel the way she just felt, normal and healed.
"Ever the dashing hero, Emma Swan," Regina teased and pressed her lips into Emma's again.
"Good," Henry commented from the back seat, and the women pulled apart to stare at their son. "Nathan's birthday party is tonight. I didn't want to be selfish," he elaborated guiltily, confessing to his mothers with his crestfallen face that he'd wanted to be exactly that.
"Oh that's right, Buddy. We got him a present, right?" Emma asked with a crinkled brow, trying to remember if they'd actually shopped for him.
"Yes, Dear. We picked it up last week. Don't you remember? You devoured an obscene amount of Dippin' Dots at the mall and made yourself nauseous," Regina reminded her, clearly still frustrated with her childish love for the chilled treat. Emma shrugged and buckled her seat belt.
"I remember the Dippin' Dots," she mumbled and started the car. Regina smiled brightly and laced her fingers with Emma's after she pulled the shifter into drive.
"You buckled, Kid?" Emma checked and glanced at their son in the rearview mirror. She knew he was, but the longer she behaved as an actual mother to him, the stronger her protective instinct became.
"Yep," he chirped, happy now that his plans hadn't been spoiled.
Regina set her phone on her thigh and lazily texted her friend with the details of their plan and then sent one to her boss informing him that a family emergency had arisen with her "sister." She was ahead of her fellow paralegals by at least three weeks' worth of work, so she foresaw no problem with the request. She smiled brightly when he answered almost immediately, telling her to also take tomorrow off without pay if she wanted it and offering well-wishes for her sister. She took the offer with a satisfied smirk. She had Emma all to herself for nearly nine hours tomorrow.
"He has a crush on you, ya know?" Emma groused bitterly, not at all amused by Regina's boss.
"He knows that I am happily unavailable. Stop scowling," Regina chided and then leaned her head on Emma's shoulder. Her phone buzzed again and she fumbled clumsily with one hand to read the text.
"I think Ruby's phone is broken. She sent a screen containing nothing but exclamation points," Regina informed her son and partner, her own excitement at seeing her friend again churning her belly. Emma chuckled.
She missed the wolf dearly, despite their nightly chats during Emma and Henry's homework time. They'd fallen into their daily routine easily, and Ruby dictated a several hour chunk of that each day. They walked Henry to the bus stop at 7:15, and then Regina drove Emma to class and arrived at work around 8. Emma worked on papers and read in the library in between classes or grabbed lunch with Regina if their schedules allowed.
Henry's bus dropped him at the university at 4 with Emma where they played basketball or tossed around a baseball or Frisbee until 5:15 when Regina picked them up. They arrived home around 5:45. Regina made dinner while Emma and Henry played video games or watched television. Lately, though, Emma encroached on her alone time in the kitchen while Henry played with kids from their street.
She tried to help and talked for the first week, but quickly realized that making dinner was Regina's time to unwind. So, if she came to the kitchen during kitchen time, she sat quietly at the island and pretended to read but mostly just stared at Regina. She loved to watch her cook. It irritated Regina at first until she realized that Emma made her self-conscious with her adoring and desire-filled eyes. After a couple of weeks, she found herself being aroused and comforted at the same time simply by being watched with those bright green eyes. Secretly, she missed Emma's eyes on her when the college student actually had more reading than she had time and stayed in the living room in order to work.
They sat down to eat between 6:15 and 6:30, and like clockwork every night, Ruby called at 7:00 sharp. Whether Regina had finished eating or not, she always answered the call, allowed Henry a moment to say hello to his aunts, and then excused herself from the table. She poured herself a tall glass of wine during the small talk and disappeared onto the back deck or her study.
They washed the dishes and then returned to the table with their books until they finished or until Henry's bedtime at 9. If they finished early, Henry read her one of his books or they wasted time on something frivolous like t.v. or Xbox. If Regina went to her study, she appeared every so often and slipped out the backdoor wordlessly, phone pressed tightly to her ear. Emma suspected that she went out to smoke but never called her out on it.
At 9 on the dot, Regina emerged from the bedroom or back deck with an empty wine glass and a heavy heart. They tucked Henry in together, and after 9 o'clock, they followed whatever whim struck them. Sometimes Regina was so upset that she broke down and cried herself to sleep in Emma's arms. Sometimes she was so angry that she shoved Emma against a wall and fucked her silly until her knees buckled and her muscles went numb from pleasure endorphins. Sometimes they watched television and cuddle in bed. Sometimes they talked about their day. And on the really bad nights, they made slow passionate love until dawn, just like they had the day Regina asked her to carry her heart all those months ago.
On Saturday and Sunday, Regina rose at the crack of dawn and juiced herself with caffeine in preparation of Henry's habit of waking early while Emma slept in. They ate pancakes and bacon, and then Regina left a post-it note on the coffee pot stating that hers was in the microwave before heading out to the backyard or some adventure in the city. The note was unnecessary as it said the exact same words every single time, but Emma's heart also warmed at the sight every single time, so she'd said nothing on the subject.
Your fried flour cakes and grease sticks are in the microwave. Stay out of the cookies. I love you. -R-
Emma smiled and pictured Regina's perfect cursive script in her mind as she pulled into the parking lot of their favorite café. It reminded them of Granny's, so they ate lunch here as often as possible for the small comfort of home it gave them. She hustled to the other side of the car and offered Regina her hand just as the door swung open. She had spent a few weeks timing her pace perfectly in order to be at Regina's side just as the door opened to the maximum width.
Regina had scowled in irritation for a while, but soon she came to enjoy Emma's chivalry and old-fashioned displays of respect and affection. Emma never compromised her independence or dignity. She made a statement: This woman in my car is a fucking lady and will be respected or I will cut someone. Once Regina figured out her goal, she actually looked forward to Emma's heartwarming if antiquated antics. During an argument in the earlier weeks about this very subject, Emma confessed that not only did she want to show respect to Regina but she wanted to set an example for their son, teach him through action and observation instead of lectures of hypothetical principles. The hint of insecurity and quiet conviction in her words caused a reaction within Regina that she'd never dreamed possible; she loved Emma more.
"Mom, can I have a cheeseburger deluxe and onion rings and a strawberry milkshake?" Henry piped the moment the door closed.
"Hey Kid," Emma intervened as Regina reclaimed her position of holding her hand and bicep. "How about we get you a chicken salad and a hot chocolate since you're going be gorging on chips and birthday cake and pop all evening?" Emma compromised.
Henry's shoulders fell. "Can I still get onion rings?" He negotiated, and Emma floundered, not having expected him to push back. He'd been doing that more and more with her recently, and Emma lost her footing as she hadn't quite figured out the rules and sneaky plays of the parent-child bargaining game book yet. Regina chuckled into Emma's shoulder.
"Of course, Sweetheart. I think that's a fantastic compromise," she answered and saved Emma from stuttering. Henry beamed up at his mothers and barreled into the door a few steps ahead of them.
"Henry!" Kahlan, the young waitress about Ruby's age, exclaimed and wrapped the boy into her arms. Emma and Regina shared a look. Charmer.
"Hey Kahlan! Mom said I could have onion rings," he confided as if it were top secret information.
"Is that right?" The girl played along and smiled at the doting mothers over his head.
"Hey Regina. Hey Emma," she greeted them individually and pointed to their usual spot. "It's hard to believe during the lunch rush, but your booth is open. Better hurry before someone else grabs it," she warned and then flitted away when the line cook called her name.
Emma led her family to the booth near the back of the long dining room. Two men looked at them with disgust in their eyes a few booths down, and Emma unconsciously pulled her arm behind her, forcing Regina to other side away from them. Regina squinted at her and then followed her gaze to the perceived threat. They'd had very few problems with homophobia in Boston, less than one hand full to be exact, but occasionally a brazen fool dared to say something to them. Most people were like Kahlan and couldn't have cared less about their orientation.
They were nice, and that meant so much more in such a large city. Their neighbors in Salem also immediately accepted them. They had an incident with their mail carrier the first month they moved in when he witnessed them kissing goodbye on the porch before Regina started her job. Apparently, he'd waited until Emma drove off before saying anything. Luckily, their next door neighbor Felicia, Nathan's mom, witness the whole thing.
She almost intervened when Regina's sass led to a physical altercation, but Regina ripped the guy an entirely new orifice and sent him away with a broken nose and then gracefully asked the stunned housewife if she'd like to join her for a cup of coffee. It was there first interaction, and they became instant friends.
The next week, a new mail carrier started their route. When asked where his predecessor had gone, the young man said he'd switched him routes because he was attacked by a dog and afraid to go near it again. Emma had nearly died laughing when Regina told her the response. This was different, though. They were in public and most importantly, their son would have witnessed the entire ugly scene if the man spoke.
Emma gripped her hand painfully and held her breath as they neared the booth. She released both when they passed without incident. Regina had no doubt that Emma's vigilance and threatening swagger deterred the man from voicing his opinion of their family. They slid into the gigantic booth with their son none the wiser about what nearly occurred. Regina and Henry sat on the side that faced the door. Their shoulders pressed together even though four average-sized adults could have comfortable sat on either side of the spacious booths.
Henry's eyes lit up when the door opened again, and Emma peaked around the corner to see what had excited her son, not that it took much. Two women entered and greeted Kahlan with warm hugs. The brunette had wild, untamed hair and a sidearm attached to her hip, and the blonde woman looked like she might have just come from a runway in New York. After their brief greeting, the brunette set her hand on the small of the blonde's back and escorted her towards them, presumably in search of an empty booth.
"Are you a cop?" Henry blurted when the women were a few feet from the their table. Emma face palmed herself, and Regina sighed. Their son truly had a motor mouth that never stopped.
"I am. I'm a detective," the woman said in a raspy but inviting voice as she stopped beside the table. She looked incredibly familiar, but Emma failed to place where they'd met before.
"Are you a hero?" Henry queried, and the detective faltered. Emma had seen that look before. Clearly, she'd accomplished heroic acts, but she never viewed herself as a hero. The blonde woman answered.
"Detective Rizzoli is most certainly a hero. She's saved my life lots of times," she looked at Henry, but both Emma and Regina realized that she praised and also reminded the other woman of her bravery.
"Rizzoli? Jane Rizzoli? Yeah, that's where I know you from! I'm Emma Swan. I spent a lot of time at your precinct," Emma blurted aloud excitedly. And she wondered where Henry got it from.
"Swan? As in the bounty hunter as beautiful and temperamental as her namesake, Emma Swan?" The detective asked, nearly as excited as Emma was. Regina and the blonde exchanged a confused look and then returned their gaze towards the other women.
"The one and only," Emma smirked arrogantly and shook Rizzoli's offered hand. "This is my partner Regina Mills and our son Henry," Emma introduced with a wave of her hand and a proud grin on her face.
"This is Dr. Maura Isles, my medical examiner," Jane returned the favor of introduction just as proud as Emma.
"You should sit with us!" Henry implored, vibrating in his seat with a rush of adrenaline and excitement.
"Henry," Regina warned and cleared her throat. "You are, of course, more than welcome if it wouldn't be an inconvenience," she directed towards the women. Jane looked at Maura who smiled her approval of the new arrangement and then shrugged.
"Why not?" She said, secretly excited to finally meet the bounty hunter on everyone's wish list.
Emma stood and switched sides, allowing the women the comfort of their own bench sans strangers and bouncing 11-year-olds. Jane tapped her knuckles on the table and laughed.
"Maur, you remember the story Frankie told me when I was in the hospital? The one about the bounty chaser who dragged a mark in by his dread locks, literally? That was this woman," she laughed and shook her head. "I'd have given a whole months' pay to see you drag Little Eddie in by his hair!"
Regina stared at Emma with disbelieving eyes and parted lips. Her expression was unreadable and made Emma's heart pound.
"What?" She defended her actions to her lover. "He pissed me off, so I knock his ass out a moment before I realized I wasn't strong enough to carry him. Little Eddie wasn't really that little," she explained, laughter in her voice. Jane laughed with her. Henry stared in awe, and the two quieter women smiled knowingly at their respective partners. They knew exactly who they were and the physical dangers that found them regularly.
"Where the hell you been, Swan? You just dropped off the map, what about two years ago," Jane asked. Emma and Regina glanced at each other and then their son.
"It's a little complicated," Emma answered, trying to keep her tone light.
"I found her," Henry beamed, clearly proud that Emma was his mom. Emma shrugged.
"I moved to Maine to be with my kid," she answered simply. The truth was so much more complicated.
"And she fell in love with my mom!" Henry elaborated, unaware of the different darker emotions pulling through his mothers. "It's kinda cool now. Mom was the mayor, and Emma was sheriff when Graham died." His voice broke and rasped, evidence of his age, but still held that edge of childish glee that only children and drunk people pulled off. Regina and Emma stiffened at the mention of Graham. It was still a sore spot in their relationship.
Jane pulled back, surprised by the flood of information gushing at her. Maura saved her with a warm hand on her thigh.
"Being mayor sounds wonderful," She commented gently. The conversation had fallen into an uncomfortable vein, but none of the adults wanted to tell the oblivious boy.
"It was. I very much enjoyed the fast pace," Regina latched onto the comment and pushed forward, grateful to the woman.
They all breathed in relief when Kahlan appeared and took their orders. She appeared to know Jane and Maura very well. Jane and Emma were glared at by their partners when they both ordered cheeseburgers while the more reserved women requested salads. They smiled across the table as Henry squawked at the enamored waitress. Freaking Charmer.
"Why were you in the hospital, Detective Rizzoli?" Henry asked respectfully when Kahlan scurried away and the conversation lulled.
"I got shot," Jane answered seriously, not protecting the child from reality, even if she hadn't told him that she'd inflicted the wound herself. If he belonged to Emma Swan, chances were that he knew what was out there in the world. Maura's face tensed and she pressed closer to Jane subconsciously.
"Oh," he looked at his hands for a moment. "Emma got shot, too. That's why Mom stopped being mayor. She wanted to take care of her, and then we came here," he explained. They bent the truth to preserve a small piece of his innocence in the horrible situation. He believed them.
"Damn Swan, you got the real deal, didn't you?" Jane commented seriously before she thought the statement through. Her dark eyes studied Regina's face, a hint of sadness and a lot of respect on her own. Emma smiled shyly. Regina won over everyone now that The Evil Queen wasn't standing over her shoulder and reminding everyone of her dark past.
Maura wrapped her hand around Jane's bicep and propped her chin on her shoulder. "So did you," she whispered near her ear.
She gently reminded Jane of her six-week furlough as Chief Medical Examiner. She spent every second at Jane's side while everyone else returned to work and the real world. She refused to move on until Jane came with her. Jane was her world, and the detective nearly died before either of them realized that. The words were meant for Jane alone even though everyone else heard them. Jane melted a little and grinned lovingly at her partner, and Emma's hand found Regina's thigh beneath the table. They knew that expression, had shared it a thousand times.
"So, you're like a lesbian power couple, too?" Henry asked, nose wrinkled as he tried to comprehend the complex emotions floating around the table. Regina's eyes snapped to their son. Emma face palmed herself, mostly to hide the obnoxious laughter bubbling in her chest. Jane and Maura laughed outright, breaking the tension.
"Yeah, Kid. Guess you could call us that, but don't tell anyone else, alright. We have to keep it a secret because we work together, understand?" Jane leaned in, like she was sharing a secret, which she technically was.
"We should call it Operation Sawfish, cause you're fierce, like Emma and Maura is quiet and sensitive like Mom," Henry whispered as he leaned forward to meet Jane halfway across the table.
"Wait," Regina joined the group and leaned forward, her son's enthusiasm infecting her. "Aren't Sawfish scary and aggressive?" She clarified, genuinely curious. Where did her son get these things?
"Actually, Ms. Mills," Maura started and leaned on her elbows. "The Sawfish, are threatening in self-defense, but they only appear aggressive and hostile because of their long saw-like snouts and inimical names. They are actually quite docile and reclusive creatures," Maura explained, ever the know-it-all, literally.
"I think that sounds perfect, Kid," Emma concurred after hearing the explanation.
"It's settled," Jane said and slapped the table for emphasis. "We are officially Operation Sawfish!" She beamed at Henry who giggled at the attention being lavished on him.
"Mom, Emma, she's like Belle! She knows everything, too!" Henry pointed out, excited to have another brainiac to chat up.
"Aunt Belle always gets my operation names," he stage whispered to Maura who beamed at the compliment and comparison to a woman he clearly looked up to and worshipped if his eyes were any indication. She lowered her eyes and blushed, unused to children taking to her so quickly.
Kahlan arrived with their food, brows pulled tight at the giggles floating around the table. If anyone could make these four damaged women giggle like school girls, it was Henry Mills. She smiled, blew a kiss at the boy and then flitted away again. Henry blushed.
"What do you do now, Ms. Mills?" Maura asked as she cut her salad into smaller pieces, unknowingly mimicking Regina's action. They both smiled shyly when they realized how similar they were.
"Please you must call me Regina, Dr. Isles," Regina broke the silence while everyone else dug into their food. Her tone was light and deadly serious at the same time, and Emma nearly choked on a french fry.
"Only if you call me Maura," the doctor compromised, and Regina nodded without further comment. Emma and Jane shook with laughter.
"Now, I know that was a scene from a Jane Austen novel," Emma barely managed through her laughter, and Jane nodded emphatically as she covered her mouth.
"Oh Emma," Regina chided, chest flushing as she remembered that last time Jane had compared her to an Austen character.
"I like it when you talk like that, Mom. It makes you sound old-fashioned. It's cool," Henry offered, and Regina's face softened at her son. She cleared her throat.
"Thank you, Henry," she said, but the words were pointed and clearly directed towards Emma who grinned at her like a chipmunk with two jaws full of nuts. She rolled her eyes.
"Maura, I'm a paralegal with Blake, Byron and Shelley. I deal mostly with civil cases against the city because of my mayoral experience, including the Boston Police Department and Medical Examiner's office," Regina answered, bereft of pomp and bluster. She took her job seriously but never considered it special. She chewed a bite of salad, figuring enough had been said about her.
"We're very familiar," Maura assured, clearly impressed. "Jane and I have consulted your office many times for various reason. I'm sure you are aware of the situation regarding my birth father?" Regina nodded thoughtfully and chewed her food. "Mrs. Shelley helped me keep my position and title within the BPD, so I heartily appreciate the work you do. Thank you," she finished quietly. She squirmed uncomfortably with the mention of Paddy, but she wanted Regina to know exactly how she helped people and to take pride in it.
"Birth father?" Henry asked around and onion ring. "You're adopted, too?" Maura swallowed and smiled kindly at the boy.
"I am."
"Moooom!" Henry whined. "Can Maura and Jane come over sometime? They're so cool," he finished in a conspicuous whisper.
"Hey Bud, eat your food," Emma intervened. Regina rarely invited anyone into their home. It was her safe place, a place where they talked about magic and evil queens and poisoned apples and sharing hearts, not a place where they entertained guests, barring the random cup of coffee with Felicia and noisy preteen from the neighborhood.
"Yes, Emma," he hung his head and pushed his house salad around the plate with his fork. Emma felt a little guilty and hid her face in her burger. She hated breaking his heart, but she assumed the responsibility of parenting equally with Regina.
"Henry, perhaps another time," Regina countered and locked eyes with Maura. "Once I've returned from Maine, and if the idea is agreeable to Maura and Detective Rizzoli," she said, leaving the decision in their hands. The doctor understood her meaning perfectly. She'd been adopted, too, and if her influence helped the bright and loving child, she would have gone home with them tonight.
"I'd love to come to your house, Henry," Maura encouraged the boy and snatched up the offer the second it was thrown onto the table. She reached across the table and touched his hand. His downtrodden face tightened and dared to show the hint of a triumphant grin.
"I want to know all about you. I read a lot when I was your age," the awkward woman confided and then leaned into the table conspiratorially. "That's the reason I know everything," she confided with a wink.
Emma and Jane snorted at the statement but offered nothing else as they watched their adopted son and partner connect on a level they couldn't understand. Emma had been in the system, but she was never adopted. As much as she tried, she simply failed to empathize with her son's inability to reconcile with her as his birth mother. He loved her, considered her a parent, but there was still a lot of anger about his abandonment, despite the reasons behind it. Maura understood him.
"I think that's a great idea. What do you say, Jane?" Emma conceded now that she fully grasped the underlying ripple and brought the conversation back from the dark place it had ventured. Jane sniffed and wiped her nose with a smile.
"You like beer?" She answered Emma's question with a question.
"God yes," Emma laughed. She needed one right now, in fact.
"Good. I'll bring the beer. You grill the burgers," Jane ordered and shoved some fries into her mouth.
Maura and Regina smiled shyly at each other again. The conversation shifted as Henry latched onto a different subject and chattered excitedly. The women mostly listened to the little charmer, Maura answering questions as quickly as they were thrown at her. They learned all about his Aunt Belle and Aunt Ruby, how they weren't actually his aunts and also how blood didn't matter that much when family was involved, about his end of the year project for school and how much he liked science because it was like doing magic.
Emma and Regina held hands beneath the table and observed their son in all his glory. They had done good, and they knew it. Bringing him to Boston was the best decision they'd ever made as parents, except of course when they decided to share him. By the end of lunch, they exited the diner on a high. They felt good, fuller than they had before entering, and it had little to do with the food. They were so blissfully normal and happy and in love, and it just felt good. It gave them hope that, whatever happened back in Storybrooke, their relationship thrived and pulled them through. Their love was stronger than curses and noisy tourists, and they'd return to Boston after saving the day.
They lived the only life either of them had ever wanted.