Hello, folks! This is a tale that takes place in the alternative reality established in my other story, Thread Softly. In the spirit of the day that's in it, I thought a bit of fluff might be nice.
If you're disinclined to read the other story, what you need to know is that Regina's attempt to give Emma and Henry happy memories before Pan's curse goes tits up and they remember her, as Henry's mom and Emma's partner. Angst ensues as they then try to help the Charmings. Check it out. I mean, if you're reading Swan Queen fic, you'll not hate it and you might even like it!
However you're marking this day, enjoy it. Maybe recall those who are alone and touch base, even briefly. Remember those in your life who might be struggling.
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Bí bog léi
A Swan Queen Story
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"Maaaaaaa!"
Emma Swan stooped and grabbed the little bundle of energy flinging himself through their apartment. She stood with him in hear arms, regarding the toddler with a raised eyebrow as she appraised his level of messiness. Henry squealed with happy laughter and arched his back, trusting her to catch him.
"Oof," she groused, "if your mom saw this rough housing, buddy!"
"Mama!"
"Yeah!" she said, spinning in a circle with her boy. He was a bit snotty around the nose but otherwise clean, she noted, as she playfully spun him and grabbed a tissue from her back pocket at the same time. Using her powers of mom-fu, she swiped gently under his nose before plonking him on the ground.
"Come on, champ, we gotta go in a minute."
"Go go go!"
"Go go go," she agreed, searching for Henry's shoes. "Go see mama."
"Yah!" he shouted, jumping in the spot. Emma paused for a moment, holding her little boy's tiny shoes. His hazel eyes were bright with delight and his wispy hair was standing up in seventeen directions. His chubby cheeks were pulled into a bright smile, dimples adorably obvious. He regarded her for a moment, still before he leapt up onto the couch, wiggling and babbling with delight.
She rushed around the apartment, filling his diaper bag and ensuring her shirt was only minimally stained with toddler juice before shrugging into her favourite leather jacket.
"Come on, little guy!" she called, scooping him into her lap and popping his shoes on before stuffing him into his puffy jacket. "We gotta go. Today's an important day!"
"Ma!" he chirped, "go hossie?"
"Well, no, not important enough to see the horsie," she confessed. "It's a special mommy day."
He stared at her with the unwavering regard of a not quite two year old, squinting at her before busting into laughter and jumping to the ground.
"Go Mama!"
Emma felt her face relax into a wide smile.
"Yeah, Henry. Go to mama."
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Emma Swan had little time for Hallmark Holidays. She didn't like being told what to enjoy or how to celebrate. In fact, she'd never technically celebrated a Valentine's Day before. The previous year, Henry had been cluster feeding and she'd been an exhausted mess of bleeding nipples and pimples. She'd not been much in the mood for marking the holiday and her wonderful, beautiful and infinitely patient girlfriend had let it go without remark.
She drew in a breath, the thought of Regina Mills stealing her breath as always. Her partner had not displayed any hint of disappointment at missing the holiday, merely picking up a new set of bra inserts on her drive home from Boston. She'd been tired when she'd arrived, pressing a fond kiss to Emma's brow and leaving a card on the sideboard. They'd treated themselves to takeout from the nicest place in town and Regina had rubbed her feet while they caught up on Game of Thrones.
Regina had entered negotiations with BU to complete her master's largely off campus, allowing her to spend five nights of seven in her own bed. Emma suspected that her supervisors would have been less accommodating if they hadn't been dealing with Dr Cora Mill's daughter, but took the win for what it was. She worked for her mother's protege Kathryn two days a week, conducting research for the busy lawyer.
Emma sighed fondly. She'd never been academically inclined and sometimes wondered what her giant nerd of a girlfriend saw in all of it, but her heart soared when Regina came home with shining eyes, regaling her with some new titbit of information or an intriguing study. She scooped their son into her arms, wandering downstairs as they sang together. She was still kind of amazed that she could leave his stroller in the stairwell and reasonably expect it to not be stolen when she arrived.
"Come on, kiddo," she chirped, securing her little boy. "Wanna see your abuelo?"
"Yah!" Henry shrieked, allowing her to secure the straps around him. She tugged her gloves on, frowning as she headed into the chilly morning. Regina had the car with her, as she'd had an out of town morning meeting to attend. Thankfully, it wasn't raining and Emma had little reason to complain. The fresh air was actually quite pleasant.
She embarked on the short walk to her place of work, back straight with pride as she entered it as a customer and not a bottle washer. Ruby, her relentlessly cheerful best friend swooped for them as they entered, extracting a delighted Henry from his stroller with practised ease.
"Morning, Emma," she chirped, kissing Henry's cheek noisily. "Nice sleep in?"
"Oh I wish!" she laughed. "Guess who didn't settle after his mama left?"
Ruby gasped with exaggerated dismay, turning to the little boy in her arms. "Not my little man!"
"Exactly that guy," she laughed, squeezing her friend's arm fondly. Ruby was one of her best friends and absolutely Henry's favourite person, so she took advantage to let her little bundle of energy wear someone else out. Her eyes scanned the diner, landing on the balding form of her girlfriend's father. He was flicking through a newspaper, snug in a dark blue jumper. She strode over to him, plopping herself into the bench opposite.
"Morning, pop."
"Emma!" he said, a smile wide on his kind face. "Good morning, sweet girl. Where's my beautiful boy?"
Emma laughed and indicated Ruby with her chin. "With Rubes. The little dude is delighted."
"Well, I'll get him later, so I'll give this one to Miss Lucas," he chuckled, sipping his coffee. "Your plan is in place, Emma?"
She smiled at her girlfriend's father, her heart swelling with affection. He was an incredibly sweet and gentle man, who adored his little family, despite the challenges presented by the same. His wife, Regina's indomitable mother, was another story, though.
"It is," she agreed. Granny dropped her a coffee and a bearclaw, refilling Henry's cup. She thanked her and sipped the dark brew. "Mr French dropped the flowers off first thing and I'm going to grab the steaks after lunch."
Henry nodded sagely. "It's an important day, you know. Not because of the actual day, but it's always nice to take time to remind the people you love that you do."
Emma grinned lopsidely. "Especially since Regina missed her birthday." She'd needed to go to Boston for a seminar and hadn't been able to reschedule, with the result she'd been away for a full five nights, the longest since Henry'd been born.
Henry Senior nodded sagely and Emma was struck with curiosity. "Are you and Mrs Mills..."
Henry chuckled. "We're going on a trip to Cape Cod at the weekend. Cora saw a documentary about whales a few weeks ago and wants to see some before they go extinct." He took another sip. "Found a nice place in Province Town. There are plenty of galleries and good places to eat. I think she'll like it."
Emma nodded, though perhaps not entirely enthusiastically. Her mother in law was a thundering bitch who still barely tolerated her presence but for whatever reason, her husband and daughters loved her. Maybe that was it, she mused, that family were the people who loved you even when you were a raging cow.
"You sure it's OK to bring Hen around later?"
Henry senior nodded happily. "Of course! It sounds like you have a lovely evening planned for Regina, so we would be delighted to look after our grandson."
Emma grinned, some tension she didn't even realise she'd been holding leaving her spine. Jesus, if her little boy grew up to be even half as decent as her father in law, they'd have done well.
His dark eyes, filled with as much mischief as his daughter's, glittered at her. "I do have a message from my wife, though."
The tension returned, tripled, and Emma drew herself upright. "Oh?"
Henry reached below the table and placed a bottle wrapped in plain brown paper on the table. "She says, if you're going to do the whole dinner at home, at least make sure her daughter has something decent to go with it."
Emma blinked, taking in the bottle before her.
"Really?" she said, quietly, "she said that?"
Henry shrugged. "There was a remark about you being too young to actually buy decent wine without a fake ID, but it was pretty half hearted."
Emma felt a grin split her face, listening to her son squeal with joy as she sat with her father in law. An unfamiliar sense of contentment settled over her and she sipped her coffee, her eyes slipping shut.
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Their journey continued, the incredibly expensive bottle of wine secreted in the depths of Henry's diaper bag, and a club sandwich for Regina hanging off the stroller handles. Emma was singing to Henry as they walked, her partner in crime piping along with her.
They made their way to Kathryn's practice, Emma shuffling backwards into the homely reception. Mrs Davis, a woman who'd reared a family of rugby players, beamed at them from the reception desk.
"Oh! Hello, dears!"
"Hi, Mrs Davis!" Emma said, glancing around. "Want us to scoot into the staff room?"
"Oh no, not at all," she said, heaving herself from behind the desk. "They've no clients for the afternoon. They wanted to tackle some new job, so they spread out in the conference room."
Emma grinned, lifting Henry out of his strolled. "Wanna go see mama, baby boy?"
"Mama!" he cried, as Emma extracted him from his jacket. "Go go go!"
"Oh yeah, buddy," she laughed. They walked up the narrow stairs, Emma's heart light with the knowledge of who'd be waiting for her. They rounded the corner and her eyes took in the form of her girlfriend, her breath catching for a long moment. She was dressed impeccably as always, sporting a well cut black pencil skirt and a charcoal blouse. Her dark hair was still tied back in the braid Emma had secured it in that morning and her bright eyes were shining as she took in whatever knowledge Kathryn was imparting.
"Mama!" Henry cried, wriggling in her arms. Regina turned, her eyes lighting up. She was still for a moment, as she often was in situations like this. It had taken Emma a while to realise that she was drinking in the sight of them, treating herself to the view of her family.
"Hello, baby," she said, closing the distance and taking Henry from her. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and cuddled him close, before lifting bright eyes to Emma. "Hello, babe," she said, her voice huskier, as she pressed a kiss to the edge of Emma's mouth. Their eyes met and Emma's heart might have stopped, there and then, from the adoration in her girlfriend's eyes.
Kathryn made her way over, stooping to greet Henry as well. The older woman always made Emma feel like a gangly teenager but she was incredibly good to Regina and had been a fantastic mentor. She smiled at her and Emma grinned back, unleashing her toddler to the watchful eyes of his mother. Regina knelt down, listening to their precious boy babble happily away.
"Well," Kathryn said, tipping her head to one side and whispering conspiratorially. "I could release her right now but I imagine you need some time, yet."
Emma swallowed and nodded. "Oh yeah, like three hours at least." She idly wondered if the entire town knew about her date plan. "The place is a mess."
Kathryn turned slightly, letting them both take in the sight of Regina and Henry playing on the floor. There was something about moments like this that made her look as young as she was, barely into her mid twenties and full of life. She brimmed with love for their boy, her expressive eyes unable to leave him.
Kathryn bumped her shoulder fondly. "She deserves a nice date, Emma, and I cannot imagine one better than the one you're about to deliver." She patted Emma's forearm briskly. "You have my number. Text when you're ready for her and I'll send her home."
Home
A sunny apartment in the centre of a sleepy town in Maine. Ten minutes to walk to both their jobs or the beach. A tiny little apartment that was filled to bursting with laughter and love. Something she'd never thought she'd have.
Regina lifted her face and the sight of her was enough to fill Emma's heart, to suffuse cracks she hadn't even realise existed and sooth every hurt within her. She knelt beside her two favourite people and handed Regina her lunch, curling her legs beneath her. Henry, because he wanted to emulate his moms in every way he could, nibbled on a carefully selected piece of bread.
They bid Regina goodbye, a gentle press of lips as they settled Henry back in the stroller. They stood close together, sharing warmth and the comfort of the warm contact against each other for a moment. Regina stood taller than her, her heels allowing an advantage Emma's Cons did not. She looked very grown up then, and Emma's heart skipped a beat as she wondered how this scene would play out in ten years time.
With a potty trained little boy, I hope.
A final kiss, softness and heat mingling in the space between them. A gentle hand on a hip. Finger tips pressing with the memory of greater intimacy. Amber eyes shining in the early spring sunlight as she walked them to the door.
It was only a short walk home, and only a short period of time before everything literally turned to shit.
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