Author's Note: I am not sure if cellphones or so would work on a navy ship, but as this is a story I have chosen to do it. Also Henry would be about 14 going on 15 in this story, and so the years "they have been together" is from the pilot when they first met.


Playing risky

"Base to Princess, base to princess, do you read me?" Emma heard the control tower on the ship she was stationed at say.

"I read," she said with a sigh, she knew her recent move might cause her to be grounded.

"What are your position?" asked the base leader.

"Flying over enemy lines, nearing the nest, taking heavy fire," Emma said, she should have turned around when they started to fire. Still she was so close to their target that she wished to keep going.

"Abort mission and fly back," he said.

"Alright, we'll call on our guys, out," said she and changed the frequency saying, "Hook, Sandman do you read me?"

"Yeah we read you," she heard from both.

"Mission abort, back to the ship," she said making them confirm they were flying back as well. Side by side they said, and once they had landed and gotten out her copilot said, "You okay, Princess?"

"I'm good, Rex, what a rush huh?" she said with a giggle.

"Close call," she heard the guy named Sandman say as he came up next to them. He had just gotten out of his plane.

"Very much so," Rex agreed.

"What is life without a little excitement," said Emma with another giggle.

"Doubt your wife would be happy if we call to say you were dead due to reckless flying," said Hook, he was named so as he had a mean right hook if angered.

"We're not married, we're not even a..." she stopped as the five guys said, "A couple we know."

"Jeez guys," said she rolling her blue eyes.

"You should call her you know, if nothing else let her know you're alive, we've been here for almost one and a half months now," said Hook.

"Yeah even I've called my wife more than that," said Sandman.

"Fine, fine, I'll make the call," said Emma with a sigh, going to her cabin to fine her cell. She found it unbelievable it was still cover out here in the middle of nowhere, but oh well. She sighed dialing Regina's number, longing to hear her voice even if she should be snappy for her not calling.

"Emma," she said her tone soft as a cat purring as she picked up.

"I'm...not sure of the time difference so I didn't know if I...should call," the blonde swallowed hard by the sound of her voice. She never thought she would have missed hearing it so much.

"You could have called at any time, I wouldn't even have cared if I was in a meeting or asleep," Regina said, she couldn't believe how good it felt knowing she was still alive.

"I'm sorry I haven't called before, I have been busy," said Emma, it was at least half true.

"I am just glad you did," said Regina, Emma could even picture her smiling now.

"How are things at your end," he voice was quivering now.

"Good, Henry is getting better when it comes to riding, and he has started skate boarding also, Neal got that for him. He spends more time time there now, we share him. I need to be alone from time to time," she stopped. She didn't want to admit Emma being gone was harder than last.

"I miss you," now her voice broke fully, why she didn't want to call in the first place. Just then when she was at her most vulnerable her copilot came in saying, "Now I've seen everything, gosh so you are a woman after all, Princess."

"Who's that?" Regina's voice sounded, not sharp as it otherwise would be.

Before Emma could answer, perhaps to clarify anything, Rex snapped the phone from Emma, saying, "Sebastian Taylor otherwise known as Rex, ma'am, I am your wife's copilot, she is a mighty fine woman."

"That she is," Regina admitted.

"You would have thought a woman here would be after us guys, but she only has eyes for you, she talks about you and your boy nonstop, I mean heck I thought I was head over heels with me gal, but she...Nothing bad though, she did that on our last mission also," he said.

"Really?" Regina was surprised by this.

"Oh yes, she couldn't wait to get home to see you, I took it you had been married for some time," he said.

"We've been in it for a good four years now, will you give me my wife back," she said.

"Yes of course, nice talking to you, Regina, was it?" he said.

"Yes, you better make sure she come home in one piece," said Regina.

"Well tell her to not take risks like today and she will," he said and handed the phone over to Emma, that gave him a glare, before he left grabbing a towel, she assumed he was going to shower.

"Risks?" Regina answered, she did not sound happy now.

"I was trying to finish a mission," said Emma.

"I want you home in one piece, Emma, you hear me," now it was Regina's voice breaking.

"Mom, are you alright?" she heard Henry's voice in the background.

"No I am not, she's playing with her life and I am stuck here trying to cope," she knew this was directing at him rather than her.

"Easy, I will try to be more careful," Emma's tone was soft now.

"I do hope so and I need you to call more often, you...you..." Emma couldn't hear anything but sobs at least until Henry took the phone and said, "Really, not nice Emma!"

Emma sighed thinking about where the time ran off to, her little boy was not little anymore her was fourteen going on fifteen and clearly more on Regina's side now than hers. Struggling to find words rather than new tears she said, "Hi kid, you are right, but we are in the middle of a war here."

"I don't care you should call mom and me more often. The woman loves you more than anything," he said with a sigh.

"Are you saying I don't love her?" the nerve of her son.

"No, just be more careful, so are you okay?" he asked her.

"I'm alive and kicking aren't I," she said with a small laugh.

"Good and you better stay that way, so other than that what is going on over there?" he asked She was about to answer when Hook came in and said, "Captain wants to see you, ma'am."

"Tell him I will be up in five?" she said, her stomach turning now.

"I will but you better be he is not happy," he said and left her.

"I got to go, I'm in so deep shit right now, put your mom on please," she said, cursing on the inside. She heard Regina's voice say, "I heard, you need to go, call me later please, I don't care what time it will be."

"I promise I will, I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," she said back, before hanging up. Emma slide the phone in the pocket of the uniform and ran upstairs. She knocked on the door saying, "Petty officer Swan first class reporting for duty as requested, ma'am."

"Swan, did I not tell you to not to fly over their territory if they held fire?" the redhead asked her, she was far from happy.

"You did ma'am, but…" Emma bit her lip, thinking, 'Please don't ground me, please don't ground me."

"You have proven to be better than your peers, you are a good navy officer and were promoted before your time, do not make me regret it," said the Captain.

"In my defense I thought we were good to go, the LT agreed and we went in, they only started firing after we had gone in," she tried, it was true, all was clear they had a green light before hell broke loose.

"I am aware of that, but when fire was made, did you retract, you were first pilot and went in first," she said.

"No ma'am, but I thought we had it under control," Emma said, looking down.

"Clearly you were wrong," she said, raising a brow.

"Clearly," Emma admitted.

"You are aware you could all have been shot down?" she asked. The blonde nodded vaguely, feeling even guiltier than she already did. The Captain knew she should punish the young woman hard for this, still she had a soft spot for her and so she said, "Grounded for a week, and cleaning the toilets in that time, now go eat, you are dismissed."

Emma nodded, glad it wasn't worse she said, "Thank you ma'am, I'll make sure to have them shining all week long."

"Glad to hear and Emma?" she said.

"Yes, ma'am," said she, surprised as she rarely called her or anyone by their first name.

"Be more careful next time, and be sure to marry that woman of yours next time you are on leave, that is an order," she said, a smile graced her lips for a second. Again Emma nodded and ran downstairs to the galley. She was starving not having eaten anything since that morning.


"I should have been more careful," Emma said, chewing on some cold potatoes and some stew. Today's dinner, it wasn't really something to write home about.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, we've all been there," said Rex, giving her a pat on the back.

"I know, but god I miss her, I think I'm gonna call it the night and call her," said Emma with a heavy sigh, leaving the galley after fast finishing her meal.


She dialed the number and soon heard her say, "So what was the verdict?"

"Grounded for a week and I have to clean the toilets," said Emma with a heavy sigh, she was not looking forward to the latter.

"I see, well at least they didn't throw you off the ship or strip you off your grade," said Regina, knowing it meant a lot to her.

"I do suppose you are right, one more thing though," Emma said, remembering the captain's words.

"I'm listening," said Regina, figuring she could talk to her all night.

"I have to marry you next time I get home, Captain's orders," she spoke, wondering what her reaction would be.

"I can agree to that," she simply said, no debated of any kind, no nothing. Emma frowned saying, "So you have thought about it?"

"I am not getting any younger and Henry needs stability, you are as good as any," she said, casual, too casual.

"You are not that old, or at least you don't look it," said Emma honestly.

"Don't let my looks fool you dear, I'm turning fifty this Christmas," said Regina, it was true.

"Really, I never knew, then again I never asked of your age," said Emma, it didn't really bother her anyways.

"I would have told you if you did, so how are you feeling?" asked Regina, her tone softer now.

"Drained, wish I could curl up in your bed instead of this bunk, you?" she asked, knowing the time would be round seven or so in the morning where she was, making her wonder what Henry was doing up when she called last considering it would have been round five.

"Getting ready to go to work, maybe you can call me early tomorrow your time it would be night here then," said Regina with a heavy sigh. She really didn't care for the time differences.

"I will do that, god I miss you," Emma whispered, hearing her say the same before they hung up. A moment later she got an mms with a picture of Regina in her underwear, saying, "Something to help you survive over there."

She swallowed hard as Rex got inside saying, "You okay."

"Mhm, she sent me a picture that is all," Emma said with a heavy sigh, wishing she could send one back. As he had read her mid her said, "Stand up." She did and he snapped one, she said thanks and pressed send saying, "Here is one of your handsome officer ;)." She got one back saying, "You sure are a turn-on in that outfit, you'll have me tingling all day."

Emma smiled as she shook her head, getting ready for bed, she snuggled up, picturing the brunette on her way to work in one of her usual outfits insulting someone on the way.


Thank you so much for reading, would love to hear your thoughts :o)