Author's note: So here's my first entry for the Swan Queen Week! Whoohoo I'm so excited about this!
I will try to publish something for all of the prompts - I really hope I won't get behind...
Here's my one shot for day one, Meet Cute AU. Characters are not mine (except Binky!). I apologize in case there are any mistakes!
Thought you should know this is set in a no-curse AU. I hope it fits the prompt, too (I was a bit unsure).
Regina didn't dare to move an inch. It had taken her son Henry hours to fall asleep in her arms, and she wasn't about to risk waking him up now. It didn't matter that she was in the most uncomfortable position ever and couldn't even see what time it was.
The previous evening had been difficult, to say the least. They had just returned from a little trip to Boston in the afternoon, and everything had gone smoothly until it was time for bed. Henry was fed and bathed, in his pajamas, ready for his story and goodnight kisses. Regina was about to ask him to pick a story when she heard him cry out for her. She had immediately rushed to his side, her heart breaking instantly as he sobbed out the words "Binky's gone". The rest of the evening had been nothing but a downwards spiral of tears and cries, mainly from the three-year-old (Regina had to admit that she'd cried, too).
Henry had eventually fallen asleep in his mother's arms, well past midnight. Regina had never imagined that losing Binky, his favorite stuffed rabbit would have such an impact on Henry. Her son was usually happy and joyful, no matter what. He had been a fussy baby at first, but this had soon changed. That's why Regina had been so taken aback by the full-blown tantrum she had just witnessed.
A part of her felt incredibly guilty for Binky's disappearance. She should have double checked that they were not forgetting anything in the hotel room. Now her son was heartbroken, and she wasn't sure about how she could make it up to him.
When morning came and Henry awoke, with a runny nose and tear-stained cheeks, Regina immediately got into action. As she made breakfast for her son, she was already on the phone with the hotel, asking them to put up signs with her phone number, stating that a reward would be offered to anyone bringing Binky back. She had used her mayor tone to make sure the hotel staff would do exactly as she asked. Now, all she had to do was pray for someone to find Binky and send him back.
A couple days went by with no news from Binky. Henry had been extremely sad and had not slept well. He was starting to get cranky from the lack of sleep. Even his preschool teacher had noticed: for the first time since he had started school in September, he had thrown a fit in class at naptime. Regina was starting to feel desperate about this whole situation.
She was starting to look for a similar stuffed rabbit online when her cell phone rang. Focused on the laptop screen, she picked up the phone without looking at the caller ID.
"Regina Mills" she answered, voice void of any emotion.
"Yeah, erm, I… I'm Emma Swan, and…"
The woman on the phone sounded young and very unsure. That pulled Regina's attention from her computer to the phone call. She waited for a few seconds before the young woman spoke again.
"I… I saw your sign at the Commons Hotel. In Boston. The sign about the stuffed rabbit? Binky, right?"
Regina couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Did you find him?"
"Yes, yes I did! It was in my room. Behind the bed. I think it must've fallen or something. Anyway, I wanted to let you know. And I wanted to ask you for your address, so I can send it back."
"Thank you so much for calling. My son has not really been himself since last weekend. He'll be very happy to be reunited with Binky. We live in Storybrooke. On Mifflin Street – "
"Oh, I know this town! Friends of mine live there! It's not too far from Boston, right? Maybe I can just drop the rabbit sometime? Like, this Friday? I don't work this Friday."
Regina was taken aback by the spontaneous offer. It was also the first time anyone from out of town told her she knew Storybrooke.
"Sure! Friday sounds perfect."
After a few more words from each woman, and half a dozen of "thank you so much" from Regina, both women hung up.
Friday came sooner than any of them had anticipated it. By the time he woke up on Friday morning, Henry was excitedly jumping all over the place. Regina had decided to keep Henry out of school for the day. By 10, he was already so excited that he had managed to exhaust all of Regina's ideas to keep him in place.
When Emma Swan rang their doorbell, a bit before noon, Henry bolted out of the living room and ran for the door. Regina had to scold him gently, as he was already on his toes, the hand on the doorknob by the time she arrived.
"Henry, you know you're not allowed to open the door yourself."
He sheepishly smiled at his mother. Regina opened the door with her practiced polite smile, and came face to face with a young blond woman. What attracted her gaze was not the woman's red leather jacket, nor her beautiful eyes. No, it was her shy smile, and the way it lit up her whole face.
"You're Emma Swan?"
"Hi..."
None of them had time to say anything else before Henry –literally- jumped out from behind his mother and grabbed Emma by the hem of her jacket. Regina instinctively caught her son before he and Emma tumbled to the ground.
"Henry! I'm so sorry, are you alright?"
Unfortunately, Regina had not been quick enough to catch the other woman. Emma had landed right on her butt. She looked quite startled and gratefully accepted the hand Regina was extending.
"Yeah, don't worry. I've seen worse!"
Regina smiled at her. She smiled fully, whole-heartedly. It wasn't the cold smile she plastered on her face during council meetings or any other mayoral duty. No, it was the true, warm smile she only had for Henry.
"Please, Miss Swan, come on in. The least I can do is offer you a drink. And then, we'll discuss the reward…"
"No, no! No reward's necessary! It was my pleasure to bring the rabbit back to you. Except maybe you could –"
"Moooooooommaaaaaaaaa!"
Henry's shriek startled them both. The little boy offered them both a huge, innocent smile.
"Can I have Binky now? Please?"
"Of course, kid! Here he is!" Emma produced the rabbit, taking it out of the bag she had dropped in her fall.
Henry gasped happily as he flung his hands around the rabbit and hugged it to his chest. He was about to go running into the house when Regina gently took his chubby arm and held him back.
"Say thank you to Miss Swan, Henry. She drove here just to drop off Binky."
"Thank you, Miss Swan!"
"You're very welcome, kid. And you can call me Emma, okay?"
"Okay!"
And, with that, Henry had raced back to the living-room, and energetically proceeded to jump on the couch.
Both women smiled at each other as Regina led Emma inside. As they were both sitting down in the kitchen and Regina was taking out glasses for the two of them, Emma cleared her throat.
"Erm… Regina? Can I call you Regina? It's just I… Erm…"
Regina could sense how uncomfortable the other woman was. She gave her a smile and nodded.
"Yes, Emma?"
"I was wondering… You know, about that reward? Well, I was thinking… Maybe you'd accept to go to lunch with me? You know, as my reward?"
Regina was taken aback by the question. She wasn't used to people talking so normally to her (people in town were scared of her).
"I'd be happy to, Emma. But I'm afraid you'll have to make it lunch for four."
"Four?"
Incomprehension was written all over Emma's features.
"Well, I can't leave Henry home alone. And I guess that, after all these adventures, we couldn't tear him apart from Binky, even if we tried."
