Hi everyone!
Firstly thank you so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews! And I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter to you, but there was life and a random holiday attack...
Things should flow a bit smoother now. I'm not promising more than one chapter a week though, since I'm also working on Boston Bound Fae, but if I can - than I might...
Chapter 2 –
"So, how are we going to do this?" Emma asked once she reached the parking lot where the rest were gathered. Regina looked up from Henry, displeased to notice a sullen Hook trailing behind the woman.
"I believe we start with the basics, dear, and move on from there." Regina remarked drily, Emma raised an eyebrow and the brunette could feel Henry move his head so that he could see her face from where he stood at her side. "We have our time frame. Unspecific though it may be," she glanced at Snow's stomach then returned her focus to Emma, "so I suggest we get as much knowledge as we can into that head of yours."
"What kind of knowledge are we talking about?"
"What do you want to teach her, Mom?" The questions were asked simultaneously, and Regina was one again practically overwhelmed by how similar Henry and Emma were.
"Mainly geography and history." Emma huffed, her shoulders slumping. "You can't very well tell people that you are from the future, dear. That means we need to figure out a back story for you."
Emma nodded.
"I can't help much with that." David interjected.
"You were herding sheep at the time, so yes. I agree." It was said without malice, and Snow couldn't help but once again feel surprised by the changes that the woman before her went in the past few years. She smiled gently, her hands raising themselves to her stomach.
"Maybe Regina, Emma, and I will go. And you can spend time with Henry." She could see the boy beginning to object. "This is not going to be an actual lesson Henry. And once you," she turned her eyes to Emma, "both of you – get to the point where you will need to learn about our history, I would rather have it planed out than just wing it." The former teacher stated firmly.
Regina half smiled. "It will always be a long and tedious list of 'and then'. Historians in our land were a stuffy lot who thought that boring people to near unconsciousness was the way to go about it." Snow couldn't help but nod at that.
"Let's go to my home. No offence, Snow, but your loft might not provide the ideal setup for what we need."
"None taken. And I agree."
Regina removed her arm from Henry. "Go with David, dear. And we will meet again later."
"But, Mom," It warmed her heart to hear him call her by that name again. It has been so long since the last time. But she cut him off nonetheless.
"I know this isn't fair, Henry. But with the time restrictions placed on us, we are going this to make everything easier for Emma." She glanced quickly at the woman in question who was folding her arms, a small scowl on her face.
He nodded after a moment, and went to the man he now recognized as his grandfather. "Can we go driving again?"
"No!"
"Absolutely not!" It took a lot of concentration not to turn her head to the blonde and smile at the synchronization and agreement between them. She chose instead to gesture towards her car. "Shall we?"
Emma huffed, but climbed in the car behind Regina, allowing Snow to squeeze herself into the seat in front and push it as far back as it could go, putting some distance between her stomach and the front of the car. After securing her seatbelt, Snow turned a bit so she could look at her daughter.
Regina started the car, waved goodbye to Henry and pulled out of the lot.
"Okay, Emma, what's wrong?" Snow asked, the question coming out as more of a demand,
"Zelena is planning god knows what with that time travel spell and you are sitting me down to study history?!"
"That's why you've been radiating 'sullen teenager' for the past few minutes?"
"I've always had the worst experience with the damn subject. Even when studying for my GED in prison." Snow raised an eyebrow in question, and Regina briefly glanced at her through the rear-view mirror.
Emma was looking out the window.
"I divided my week when studying for the GED. I had a lot of material to cover and gods know I had the time. But whenever something bad happened it was always when I was sitting with history – a prison riot, someone just trying to get even because she thought I did something to her or her friends, things like that. I think of history, I think of cuts and bruises."
The three women were silent for the rest of the ride.
"Here we are." Regina stated unnecessarily when they stepped out of the car. "Look, Emma, I understand that this topic brings up sore memories, but I don't think that your mother will ever intentionally harm you. And despite past experience – neither will I."
Emma half smiled.
"Shall we?" Regina motioned at her front door. Emma took a deep breath and nodded, looking resigned.
They sat and talked for three hours, taking only small breaks for refreshments, for dinner, through which they continued to work, or for other necessities.
"So let me see if I got this last bit – throughout most of Mom's childhood not much was known of the west and the north." The two brunettes nodded. "So I can say that I came from there. Form... which Disney princess doesn't actually live here..." she paused in thought, "Taina, or Merida, or Repunzel's kingdoms."
Snow shook her head. "I don't know who Taina or Merida are, but Repunzel is a princess. And she's younger than we are."
"Did you know that at the time?"
"No," Snow started but was cut off.
"So I can work with that. I don't have to pretend to be high nobility, do I?" She turned to Regina who shook her head.
"I don't think you would be able to pull it off. There are too many subtle behavioral cues you have not mastered that would give you away."
"She's right." Snow agreed gravely, "as high nobility you would have been taught certain things and we don't have the time to teach you all of them."
The doorbell chimed.
"That must be David." Snow said with a smile, and the three stood.
"There is one more thing that I would like to go over with you, Emma. If you wouldn't mind staying a while longer, of course."
"What's that?"
"Snow's father had an... affinity for social gatherings. It is not unlikely that you will attend at least one." Snow nodded.
"David and I can help with that."
Regina shook her head. "I am not going to teach her dining etiquette. We are going to talk politics." Emma's eyes narrowed slightly. "And I fear that you and David wouldn't be of much help in this matter. I did have quite a few of your father's advisors executed after I assumed the throne."
"Why?" Emma asked.
"Because they were conspiring to send assassins after me. I was lucky to have the Genie to warn me."
"Despite your magic?" Emma could not help but ask.
"Yes, dear. There are too many variables to take into account when it comes to assassins. I could never have protected myself from all of them."
Snow swallowed. "I had no idea."
Regina shrugged. "We both wanted each other dead for a time." Snow nodded slowly, and the three made their way to the door, reaching it as the door chimed again. The two women bid Snow, David, and Henry a good night then made their way back inside, this time to the living room.
When Regina turned back to face Emma, her hands were encircling her waist, her right thumb rubbing the knuckles of her left hand.
"Okay, now that we're alone – why did you lie to Mary Margaret? You know I can tell when people are lying."
Regina took a deep breath. "Because I need to teach you to dance, and I didn't want your parents around for the lesson. I fear it's going to be awkward enough for the two of us as it is."
Emma sat on the arm of the closest couch in shock. "You're not lying." Regina's left hand clenched, the rubbing becoming more insistent for a brief moment, then she tore her hands apart, and brought them to the small of her back.
"No," she agreed, "it is most likely that you will attend a ball, or a smaller celebration that includes dancing, and you should know at least one dance should you wish to take part in the activities."
Emma raised her eyebrow. "Don't you remember everything that happened?"
"I remember one possibility, and I remember it from my point of view. But what I remember is also your future, so technically you could change it. That's why I was so opposed to giving you a script to follow. Whatever you do will shape what I remember, so giving you a script will only make it all seem insincere, and maybe even downright ridiculous. If you're going to be," she paused unsure of how to put this thought to words, "if you are going to be anything – be yourself. The rest will happen as it may."
"That's very fatalistic of you." Regina shrugged, releasing her hands so that they fell at her sides.
"Stand up, I need to move the furniture."
Emma stood pushing up a sleeve, "I'll help." Regina waved her hand and the furniture and carpets moved to neatly stand by the walls, giving them a clear space in the middle of the room. "Or you can do that." She pushed the sleeve back down.
Stepping to the center of the room, Regina placed her left forearm against the small of her back offering her right to Emma as she bowed gracefully. "May I have this dance?" Emma looked at her dumbfounded. "That is the proper way to ask a lady to dance. I figured we should start with the basics." Emma nodded and stepped closer, but Regina lowered her hand before she could take it.
"I think we should start with a simple waltz." She stated to her student. "I will teach you the man's part first, just to get you used to the rhythm and movement, and then we'll switch."
"Why start with the man's part?"
"Dancing backwards, in heels, is not as easy as it seems. You'll want to start slow." For the next hour and a half the women danced, while Regina spoke of dancing etiquette, and the people of Leopold's court.
"You are very good at this." Emma complimented once they finished. Regina looked away momentarily.
"I had years of learning and practice before I arrived at Leopold's court, dear." She paused momentarily and tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I think we should call it a night."
Emma nodded firmly. "I could fall asleep on your couch." She stated, covering a yawn at the end of her sentence.
"I do have a guest bedroom, if you'd like to stay."
Emma shook her head. "Nah, I'll go. If only because I don't have anything to wear to bed." She declined with a grin and a gently-mocking tone. Regina rolled her eyes, trying hard to keep from smiling.
"Are you sure you can make it to Granny's safely?" Emma nodded, and the two made their way to the door.
Once outside Emma turned back to Regina, took the other woman's hand in her own and brought it to her lips, then kissed it. "I had a lovely evening." She concluded, a smirk on her lips the whole time. Regina swallowed, her own smile stiff.
"As did I." her tone, and her eyes, however showed that the words were genuine. "Good night, Emma. Sweet dreams."
"Good night, Regina" The blonde turned and walked away, placing her hands deep in the pockets of her coat.
Regina closed the door only when the other woman stepped off the path leading to her house and onto the street, then leaned her forehead against the wood for a few brief seconds, before taking a deep breath and going upstairs to her bedroom, shutting off the lights as she went thought the house.
