Regina watched Emma sleep. True to her word Emma had said nothing more about all of them going to Snow and James' castle. Even so it had been on Regina's mind since the suggestion had been made. She hadn't slept much and so she'd had time to think and had come up with a counter offer. But, offering it would involve waking Emma up and Regina didn't want to do that, not right away.
Since she and Emma had gotten together Regina had wondered off and on if a lot of the reason she'd fallen in love with Emma was because of Henry, because she was Henry's birth mother. But then every time she watched Emma sleep, or laugh, or they- debated- something, or made love, she realized she didn't care why she'd fallen in love with Emma Snow, she was just glad that she had.
"Damn, I've lost my edge."
Emma rolled onto her side and mumbled, "Yep, total softie-"
Regina hurfed, "And how long have you been awake?"
"Long enough," Emma yawned, "the way you were staring at me I thought..."
Regina slid down on the bed and put her head next to Emma's on the pillow, "Just us. We go, not Henry. He stays here with Grumpy and the boys and we go get Maine."
"Why?"
Regina bristled, "I have to have a reason?"" Emma brushed a lock of Regina's newly shorter hair from her forehead. Regina had won that fight and hacked her hair into about the same doo as she'd had in Storybrooke. Emma didn't blink as the silence lengthened and finally Regina gave in, "Fine. Fine. This whole time we've been together everything has revolved around Henry. What if he is all we have."
Emma kissed Regina, "Pretty sure Henry hasn't been there for all of it-"
"Em- I'm being serious."
Emma shook her head, then scooted over and laid it on Regina's shoulder, "What I feel for you has nothing to do with what I feel for Henry. Both are love, but trust me, two totally different loves. But- just us, I'd like that." She closed her eyes and Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde, "'course, I'd prefer a hotel in Boston or a nice B and B in Portland, but, the forest ground'll have to do."
"An inn- I do happen to know an inn between there and here."
Emma made an Mmmm noise, "Good. So are you gonna tell Henry he doesn't get to go, or am I?"
"She will say no."
Snow brushed the horse's mane slowly and methodically as she listened to her husband. "Perhaps."
James paced one way, then the other, all nervous energy. "We have powers at our borders and, and, we have to trust that Regina will not turn them on us. They were friends before. She and Maleficent."
Snow was the calm to James' storm. A bit of a role reversal for them. "Do you trust your daughter?"
James stopped in his tracks, "I don't know her. Because she's never here- she's with Regina. We could..."
Snow put down the brush and approached her husband, cutting him off, "No. We'll let her be." She took his hand and put it on her very pregnant belly. "Take a breath James. We have bigger things to worry about. And, it will all turn out alright."
James grumbled, "Maleficent breathing down our necks. Gruff making a ruckus in the dungeons, Regina keeping my daughter and grandson from me."
Snow cleared her throat and draped her arms over his shoulders. "Am I your property too My King?"
James opened and closed his mouth and shook his head, "You know I did not mean it like that Snow. Is it so wrong to want to know my daughter?"
"Of course not, but, there's time."
James blew out a breath and leaned his forehead against his wife's. "That is what we thought when we got married, when you were pregnant with Emma. There is never enough time darling. Never..."
Snow closed her eyes, "There will be this time."
A throat cleared and both King and Queen looked up, "King James, Queen Snow White, you have a visitor in the grand room. She's quite... pink."
Baelfire regarded Elphaba as she sat on the window seat in Maleficent's castle's library. "You're a witch, right?" Elphaba nodded. "Then why in the world are you still green? Can't you reverse the curse or spell or whatever was done to you?"
Elphaba closed her eyes for a moment, schooling her features, pushing down her anger, then turned to face Baelfire. "You're Maleficent's right hand, why haven't you asked her to remove your scar."
They both stood there. Neither moving. Belle entered the room glanced from one to the other and rolled her eyes. "You two should get a room."
That seemed to snap out of herself, "There is only one I have ever loved. And since I am here, it will never happen." With that she wrapped her shawl around her and left the room.
Maleficent's castle was in the mountains and so while it was still mild in the Happily Ever After kingdom below, it had snowed the night before on the mountain.
She shivered a bit as she walked. Other than her shawl she only wore a simple dark blue dress. The other thing, the one that she'd been wearing when she 'died' had been heavier than it looked. Not to mention, Maleficent had cornered the market in the castle on impressive dresses. Elphaba had power, she didn't need to make herself uncomfortable as well.
Her life had tumbled out of control at some point and she'd never been able to get it back on track, so, she would go back to simple for a bit. Good evil. Love hate. Maleficent vs. those in Happily Ever After. They had taken something from her, though Elphaba wasn't quite sure what. She'd help Maleficent take back what was hers. Simple.
She shivered again.
"Not fair, it's not FAIR!"
"Life's not fair Henry."
Henry crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Emma. "You sound like Mom. Why can't I go?"
Regina sat down in front of Henry and put her hands on his knees, "There's no answer other than because we say so Henry." He pouted, but didn't speak. "When we get back we'll have Maine with us."
Henry turned his back on Regina, "Unless you convince Emma not to bring him back while you're... travelling."
"Henry." He didn't move, "Henry Mills- look at me this instant young man."
Henry turned, a frown on his face, "What?"
Regina scooted forward, "We will be back, both of us..."
"All three of you. Maine too."
Regina inclined her head, "All three. Yes." Henry paused, then got up off his chair and hugged Regina. Regina wrapped his arms around him and they stayed that way for a minute. Finally he let go. "I get to stay with Grumpy?"
"Yes."
"Yay..."
Emma chuckled and Regina cleared her throat, "Doc will be there too."
Henry shrugged, still smiling, "That's okay. Are you guys going now, or tomorrow."
"Now..."
Henry hugged Emma around the waist and she ruffled his hair, "Just like that huh?"
Henry smirked and shrugged, "Guess I'm just adaptable huh?"
Emma raised an eyebrow, "Not the word I'd use. Be good for the guys, okay."
Henry nodded and looked from Regina to Emma and made a face, "Ewwww..."
Emma and Regina's gazes met, "Did we do something?"
Henry waved his hand in front of his face, "Stop thinking so loudly. Okay..." He kissed Regina's cheek, "I'll go get my stuff." And he was gone from the room.
Regina stood and turned towards Emma, "Were you thinking about..."
"Ah... I take the fifth."
Regina pursed her lips, "No United States Constitution here Em."
"Were you?"
Regina cleared her throat, "I'll go tell Doc we're about to leave."
Regina left the house as fast as her son had left the room and Emma rolled her eyes, "Yep, nothing alike. Another win for nurture..." Emma chuckled to herself.
