Emma followed Regina into a formal dress shop and rocked the stroller back and forth each time Regina stopped to look at a dress.
"What do you think of this one?" Emma asked, holding a red strapless dress against herself.
"Try it on?" Regina smiled, nudging Emma towards the changing rooms.
"For two-hundred bucks, I don't think so," Emma laughed.
"Please."
Emma sighed and caved instantly. "Fine, but I'm not getting it." Emma walked to the dressing room.
A few minutes later, Emma opened the curtain enough to poke her head out. "I'm not getting this, I look ridiculous."
"Step out, let me see. I bet you look amazing in it."
Emma took a nervous breath and pushed the curtain aside, her scars and cuts on her arms on full view to every one that happened to look at the blonde.
Regina stepped away from the stroller and took the two paces to Emma, tugging the hair tie loose from her hair and running her fingers through the blonde locks, before putting some hair over the teens shoulders. "Like I said, amazing. You look beautiful, Emma," Regina said truthfully. Emma blushed and tied her hair back into a neat tight ponytail and stepped back into the dressing room. Pulling the curtain shut with a playful glare pointed at the brunette.
As Emma stepped back out in her jeans and long sleeved shirt, she put the dress back on the rack and grabbed her water bottle from the stroller's cup holder, sipping it.
"I don't think I want anything from here. Let me help with your shopping? We're in town anyway, and I think I could help you remember if you need something." Regina said as she started pushing the stroller out of the shop.
"Regina, I didn't know you had a kid," a blonde girl said as she walked up to Regina and a sleeping Henry.
"Why would you know that?" Regina asked.
"You haven't got a mummy body, and if you do, damn you look fine."
"He's not mine."
"Regina, you left your phone on the seat in the shop," Emma said, walking over to the brunette. "Oh sorry, you have company." Emma looked down, feeling guilty for interrupting.
"Its quite alright, Dear. Emma, this is Tink, I mean Tasha." Regina cleared her throat. "Tasha and I substitute at the primary school."
"Pleased to meet you," Tasha said with false enthusiasm.
"You too." Emma forced a smile and sat her bottle in the strollers cup holder once more. "I'll let you two talk." Emma reached to take the stroller, but Regina stopped her.
"Tasha, we must go, I'll see you at work on Monday." Regina grabbed Emma's hand gently and pushed the stroller forward with her other hand.
"Who's that?" Emma asked as they walked into the grocery store.
"Tasha Bell. The other teachers at the school call her Tink." Regina sighed. "She's been hitting on me since I started there, even when I had the ring on."
"She's got good taste." Regina smiled at the blondes comment. "So, why didn't you two ever..."
"She's not my type." Regina said softly, catching Emma's attention instantly as the blonde grabbed a shopping trolley.
"So what is your type?" Emma asked, biting her lip.
"Well, there's a young lady, she's got an adorable son that was named after my father, she's beautiful, and I slept beside her all night and realized that I never want to sleep without her by my side again," Regina confessed.
Emma walked the two paces to Regina and kissed her softly. She didn't want their first kiss, since that wonderful night, to be in a grocery store,. No, she wanted it to be somewhere more.. romantic. But when she felt their lips connect, Emma's heart skipped, and her eyes fluttered shut. She felt a tingling in her stomach and she smiled when she felt Regina pull her impossibly closer.
The sound of Henry's gurgle broke them apart all too suddenly for their liking.
"Sorry, I, uh.." Emma scratched the back of her neck nervously.
"Don't apologize, Emma. I don't regret kissing you, and I doubt you do with what I saw in your folder.."
Emma blushed and smiled. "How about when we finish here, we go back to my place and watch a movie?"
"I like the sound of that, Dear. I don't suppose I need an overnight bag, will I?" Regina teased.
Emma smirked and winked. "Planning to spend the night again?"
"Only if you want me there."
"Oh, but I do!" Emma insisted with a grin.
Emma lifted Henry out of the child seat. She popped his stroller up and set him in it, smiling at how he instantly started playing with the toys on the handle in front of him.
The trunk of the car clicked open and Emma pulled the shopping bags out. Regina offered to help, but Emma just handed her the key to the house and asked her, kindly, if she'd mind unlocking the door and setting Henry up in his playpen.
Regina pushed the stroller inside with a curt nod. When she returned to help Emma bring the things inside, Emma had the handles of the bags on her arms, covering her from elbows to fingertips on each arm.
"Thanks, Chris." Emma said, giving a few notes to her neighbour after he helped her carry some bags inside.
"Your friend...?" Regina asked, taking the bags that were in Emma's hands.
"Chris is a cab driver, and on new years, the last time I went drinking, Ruby had Henry for the night with Belle. He paid for my fare 'cause as I was getting out of the cab, I turned and grabbed my wallet, some fucker stole it and took off running. About ten minutes later I called the company again, asked for the cab that just dropped me off claiming I left something in there, Chris came back, I paid him more then he needed, but it was New Years. He deserved the tip, of course I could've waited till I saw him next, but he works odd hours."
"You chased down the guy that stole from you?"
"I was nice enough to call an ambulance after I beat it from him, little shit wasn't letting go without a fight or a fuck, so I fucked him up good."
"Fff..." Henry babbled and Emma's eyes shot over to her son.
"Bubba, you want your bot-bot?"
Henry nodded quickly and Emma grabbed the bottle from his sterilizer, putting a scoop of formula in it before filling the kettle, and setting it to boil. "Want a vickie, Hen?"
When he nodded again, Emma reached up into a cupboard blindly, because it was just out of her eyesight, and she grabbed a Tupperware container. Popping the lid off, she snapped a biscuit in half whilst she waited for the kettle to boil.
"Do you want to give it to him?" Emma asked, handing the biscuit to Regina.
"He has no teeth." Regina frowned curiously.
"He sucks on it. I figured it out when I was holding him whilst eating milk and cookies one night,. He took the cookie off my lap and started sucking on it." Emma smiled.
Regina watched as Henry reached greedily for the half biscuit in her hand and smiled, handing it to him.
Henry instantly started sucking on the treat as the kettle clicked off, signalling it was hot and ready. Emma poured the measured amount of water into the bottle and shook it well before filling up a jug with cold water and setting the bottle in it to cool it down before Henry could have it.
"Where does this go?" Regina asked, holding up a loaf of bread.
"Oh, no. Go sit down and relax, I'll put everything away. It's fine. Besides, those heels look wicked uncomfortable, and Ruby will be back from work soon. She'll want a snack before her nap, then she's on Henry duty. Friday night, even on valentines day, Belle and Ruby have a date night with the only important man in their lives." Emma smiled, looking over to Henry who had one hand raised to his lips, holding the biscuit there, the other holding onto the side of the playpen, watching Regina as he stood on shaky legs before falling back onto his bottom.
"Seems you have a new man in your life, Miss Mills." Emma teased.
"The only one I could possibly need." Regina said, mostly to herself, but Emma heard it loud and clear.
Emma checked the bottle. Finding it too hot still, she set about putting the groceries away with precise movements.
Regina rested her hip against one of the kitchen stools and watched Emma, licking her lips. Subconsciously, she took a few steps towards the blonde and trapped her against the bench, bringing their lips together with an undying love-filled kiss. They both felt the spark, and neither could deny it.
Emma brought her hands up and threaded them through Regina's hair, Regina, bunching her fists in the bottom of Emma's shirt.
Emma stood straighter, spinning them quickly. The breath left Regina's lungs in a gasp as Emma easily lifted the brunette, sitting her on the kitchen island.
"Emma, you home?" Ruby's voice carried throughout the place, and Emma jumped back slightly, a blush creeping up her cheeks quickly. "Hey boo!" Ruby called excitedly as she saw Henry.
Henry screamed just as excitedly and lifted his hands to get Ruby to pick him up.
"Not with yucky fingers. Where's your wipes?" Ruby asked the boy who's bottom lip started to quiver from being rejected by Ruby's hug time he always got when she arrived home.
"They're in the diaper bag," Emma said after finally finding her voice, still standing between Regina's legs, the brunettes hands still on her waist.
Regina went to nudge Emma back so she could slide to the floor but Emma stood firmly in place.
"Emma, you got a little..." After Ruby finally cleaned Henry's grubby hands and picked him up, she'd walked into the kitchen as she talked to the blonde. Ruby reached out and rubbed some of Regina's smeared lipstick off the blondes lower lip with a wink before taking Henry back to the playpen and climbing in with him. "Has he had a bottle this afternoon?"
"It's cooling," Emma said, looking back to Regina who had still needed to find her voice. "Regina, you okay?" Emma asked.
"Yes, Dear." Regina smiled, pressing her lips to Emma's in a brief kiss.
"Hey, want to hang out upstairs?" Emma asked, testing the bottle once more then headed towards the playpen, stepping over the barricade. As she looked back to the kitchen, she noticed Regina heading towards the stairs.
"You want Nemo on?" Emma asked Ruby.
"Please." Ruby grinned.
Emma walked over to the TV and grabbed the remotes, putting the TV and the DVD player on. Emma found that Finding Nemo was already in the machine and she pressed play before going to he kitchen, making two quick bowls of fruit salad. Emma grabbed three forks, putting two in one bowl and the other one in the second bowl, taking one over to Ruby. Emma placed it on the floor beside her sister.
She took the other upstairs, nudged her bedroom door closed behind her, and sat in the middle of the bed. Crossing her legs beneath her, she handed a fork to Regina who smiled and leaned forward, kissing the blonde's cheek.
Emma beamed a smile and slid closer to Regina, allowing her fork to drop on the bed before pressing her lips firmly against Regina's. "Let me take you out tonight," Emma whispered.
Regina mumbled an 'Okay' against the blonde's lips before laying back, pulling Emma down with her.
They spent the afternoon sharing memories of some funny times, stealing kisses that left them both a little breathless, and just enjoying the others warmth as they stayed hidden in Emma's room until Belle knocked on the door at seven, breaking their mini vacation.
"Come in!" Emma called happily, pushing her school folder away from her folded legs as she leaned back, resting beside Regina.
Belle opened the door, a sleepy Henry in her arms. "Em, I know it's Friday night and you have a friend.." Belle wasn't sure what to class Regina as so she stuck with friend. "..over, but were you going out tonight or staying in with the usual Chinese take out and study session in your room?"
"What's the time?"
"A little after seven."
"Do you mind if we go out?"
"Not at all, but you still have your curfew till your birthday," Belle said, shifting Henry on her hip.
"Duh, I made my curfew, if I didn't I'd probably still come in the doors at one without fail."
"You gave yourself a curfew?" Regina asked.
"I may be a teenager, but I like crawling into bed just as I get tired so I fall straight asleep."
"You are something else, Emma Swan." Regina smiled.
"I try to be." Emma smirked. "So, movies and Kung-Pow Chicken at the Boardwalk, or something else?"
"That sounds perfect to me, Darling," Regina said before placing a kiss to Emma's forehead.
"Wait, is this a date? Does little Emma have a date?" Belle asked.
"Well, I don't know, we haven't put a name on it, have we?" Emma asked, looking to Regina.
"No, we haven't. You just asked to take me out and I said yes. Does that count as a date?"
"I guess it does. Are you okay with that?" Emma bit her lip, "It can just be a movie then dinner, or would it be dinner then a movie? But then we wouldn't have anything to talk about at dinner." Emma sat her head in her hands letting out a low groan.
"How about we go to my place and I cook for you. Then we can go get a movie from the rental shop and come back here to watch it with everyone?" Regina asked, looking from Emma to Belle.
"Sounds fine to me." Emma nodded, looking over at Belle.
"Cool, so I'll have Henry asleep soon. Is that enough time for you two to cook, eat, and spend some time together?" Belle asked, shifting Henry a little just to keep him awake a little longer.
"We can be back by ten if that's not to late for you." Regina said.
"That's fine, Regina." Belle smiled, turning on her heels and closing the door behind her as she walked out with Henry.
"Your house is really nice, Regina," Emma said as she shifted in her seat, watching Regina continue to prepare dinner. "Are you sure I can't help with that?" the blonde asked.
"Thank you, and no, thank you, I'm okay with cooking. Plus, you took me out for lunch and let me eat breakfast and last nights dinner at your place. Let me do this for you." Regina smiled, taking a sip of her wine as she stirred some chicken into a teriyaki sauce. "It's almost finished anyway."
"At least let me set some plates and cutlery out." Emma insisted.
"Plates are in the far left cupboard, and the silverware is in the top draw beside the plate cupboard," Regina said as she looked over to Emma briefly.
The blonde set her glass of juice down, having politely declined the wine she'd been offered upon entering the brunette's kitchen, and went to the cupboard, grabbing two plates out, the used her free hand to close the door before opening the draw and grabbing out two sets of cutlery, hip-checking the drawer closed as she set the items on the kitchen island.
She laid the plates and cutlery out neatly and watched as Regina served a decent amount of food on each plate, before placing the pan back on the stove and putting the lid over it to keep the heat on the food.
"Shall we eat in here?" Regina asked.
"It's your place Regina. You don't seem like the person to eat anywhere but at a table." Emma smiled.
As Emma followed Regina to the dining room, the blonde set her plate and glass down quickly and pulled out a chair for Regina, smiling when she saw Regina freeze at the gesture.
They ate in almost complete silence, Emma letting out a soft moan at the amazing taste or dropping a comment about how good the food was.
When they finished eating, Emma neatly stacked the plates and set them in front to the side as she turned in her seat, grabbing Regina's free hand that wasn't on the wine glass.
"You know, now that I've had this, you can't expect me to eat anything but your cooking ever again," Emma joked.
"I'm sure we can work something out." Regina smiled before leaning in to kiss the blonde.
Emma smiled, collecting the dirty dishes, pressing her lips to Regina's lovingly before moving to the kitchen and starting to wash up.
Regina followed behind, grabbing a dish towel, drying the dishes before setting them to the side, both talking about little facts and thoughts they shared, getting to know each other better.
Regina looked at the time and cleared her throat. "It's nine, do we want to stay a little longer, or go? It's up to you."
"Regina, we've got an hour. Why are you worrying about the time? Have I bored you that much?" Emma asked.
"No, it's just, I want Ruby and Belle to not think of me as a bad influence on you."
"Belle talks highly of you at home before we started any of this, and Ruby now agrees after meeting you."
"How do you know that?"
"I heard them talking about everything whilst you were getting your jacket from my room."
Regina smiled and Emma held her hand out, beckoning Regina to stand as she herself got up off the couch. "Dance with me."
"There's no music," Regina said, standing anyway.
"Allow me." Emma unlocked her phone and went to her media playlist, searching for the perfect song. "Don't hate me for my music," Emma said, setting her phone on the table as the intro played.
When the time came, Emma pulled Regina closer and started singing along to the lyrics on the song. "Cottonwood fallin' like snow in July, sunset, riverside, 4 wheel drives, in a tail light circle, roll down the windows, turn it on up, pour a little crown in a dixie cup, get the party started. Girl, you make my speakers go boom boom, dancin' on the tailgate in a full moon, that kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm, you're lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans, drip of honey on the money make her gotta be, the best buzz I'm ever gonna find. Hey, I'm a little drunk on you, and high on summertime. If you ain't a 10 you're a 9.9, tippin' n' spillin' that home-made wine, on your tied up, T-shirt, every little kiss is drivin' me wild, throwin' little cherry bombs into my fire, good god almighty."
Emma took that small break to rake her eyes over Regina's slender body with a delicate gaze.
"Girl, you make my speakers go boom boom, dancin' on the tailgate in a full moon, that kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm, you're lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans, drip of honey on the money make her gotta be, the best buzz I'm ever gonna find. Hey, I'm a little drunk on you, and high on summertime, let's slip on out where it's a little bit darker, and when it gets a little bit hotter, we'll take it off on out in the water. Girl, you make my speakers go boom boom, dancin' on the tailgate in a full moon, that kinda thing makes a man go mmm hmmm, you're lookin' so good in what's left of those blue jeans, drip of honey on the money make her gotta be, the best buzz I'm ever gonna find. Hey, I'm a little drunk on you And high on summertime. Yeah, I'm a little drunk on you." When the song finished, Emma connected their lips in a brief kiss which Regina deepened.
"You don't seem like the country music type," Regina husked.
Emma chuckled. "I have my secrets."
The song that played next made Emma burn bright with embarrassment
"Oh, my, god. Becky, look at her butt. It is so big. She looks like, one of those rap guys' girlfriends. But, you know, who understands those rap guys?"
"Ah, an actual song." Regina teased.
"Hush, Baby Got Back was, and still is, amazing. I'll prove it." Emma grinned and stepped away from Regina, just as the actual rap was about to start. And she rapped along with it every word, without missing a beat.
"I like big butts and I can not lie, you other brothers can't deny, that when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist, and a round thing in your face,you get sprung, wanna pull out your tough, 'cause you notice that butt was stuffed deep in the jeans she's wearing, I'm hooked and I can't stop staring. Oh baby, I wanna get with you, and take your picture. My homeboys tried to warn me but that butt you got makes me so horny.
Ooh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin, you say you wanna get in my Benz? Well, use me, use me, 'cause you ain't that average groupie, I've seen them dancin', to hell with romancin'. She's sweat, wet, got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette. I'm tired of magazines, sayin' flat butts are the thing, take the average black man and ask him that she gotta pack much back."
She let the small talking parts go, her eyes stuck on Regina who was holding in hysteric laughter that only spurred Emma on. The blonde, thankful she only had socks on, jumped up and stood on the couch. Continuing her rap, complete with hand gestures, and moans at the right times.
"I like 'em round, and big, and when I'm throwin' a gig, I just can't help myself, I'm actin' like an animal, now here's my scandal." The fact that they both knew what was coming made Regina freeze and Emma wink at the brunette, not skipping a beat.
"I wanna get you home and ugh, double-up, ugh, ugh." That's all it took, Regina lost herself in her laughter, tears streaming, sides hurting, tummy clenching laughter.
"I ain't talkin' bout Playboy, 'cause silicone parts are made for toys, I want 'em real thick and juicy so find that juicy double, Mix-a-Lot's in trouble, beggin' for a piece of that bubble. So I'm lookin' at rock videos, Knock-kneeded bimbos walkin' like hoes, you can have them bimbos, I'll keep my women like Flo Jo. A word to the thick soul sisters, I wanna get with ya, I won't cuss or hit ya, but I gotta be straight when I say I wanna fuck, till the break of dawn, baby got it goin' on. A lot of simps won't like this song. 'Cause them punks like to hit it and quit it, and I'd rather stay and play, 'cause I'm long, and I'm strong and I'm down to get the friction on."
Emma took a sip of her water whilst the minute talking part played.
"So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin' workout tapes by Fonda, but Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda, my anaconda don't want none, unless you've got buns, hun. You can do side bends or sit-ups, but please don't lose that butt. Some brothers wanna play that "hard" role, and tell you that the butt ain't gold, so they toss it and leave it, and I pull up quick to retrieve it. So Cosmo says you're fat, well I ain't down with that! 'Cause your waist is small and your curves are kickin', and I'm thinkin' bout stickin'. To the beanpole dames in the magazines: You ain't it, Miss Thing! Give me a sister, I can't resist her. red beans and rice didn't miss her. Some knucklehead tried to dis, 'cause his girls are on my list. He had game but he chose to hit 'em, and I pull up quick to get wit 'em. So ladies, if the butt is round, and you want a triple X throw down. Dial 1-900-MIX-A-LOT, and kick them nasty thoughts. Baby got back!"
Regina pulled Emma close and kissed the blonde hard. "You just got a whole lot better," Regina said between kisses.
Emma walked into the house she instantly turned back around and shielded her eyes, "Oh my god, why are you doing that on the couch. This is why there's bedrooms. I told you I'd be home at ten. It's ten. Get dressed before Regina brings the DVDs up from her car."
"Sorry, Em, we got a bit carried away," Belle said.
"Well, can you carry it away to the bedroom?"
"What's the problem?" Regina asked, looking at Emma frozen just outside a semi-open door.
"Uh, Ruby's getting dressed in the family room."
"You can come in, Emma. Geez, it's not like it's the first time you've walked in on-"
"God, burn that couch, I need to go bleach my eyes," Emma muttered. "And possibly not sleep for a week."
"Sorry, Em." Ruby said walking over to the blonde. She whispered in Emma's ear, "Not getting any? You don't have to be a cock-block."
"Ruby, you're disgusting. Relationships aren't built on sex," Emma said, squirming out of the brunettes grip, standing beside Regina.
"We're in a relationship?" Regina asked, a hint of hopefulness in her voice.
"I, uh, i-if you want to be."
Regina smiled, kissing Emma's forehead. "I'd love to be in a relationship with you."
"And I, you." Emma said, pressing her lips to Regina's.
"I'm loving this Emma seeing someone thing. She forgets exactly what we were talking about."
"Can never forget, I just bury it deep deep in my mind so it's not part of my dreams."
~Three Month's Later~Emma's Birthday~
Emma woke with a sigh. She stretched and cracked her back, rubbing her eyes.
She looked to the side of the bed Regina would sleep on when she was over and pouted, hating to wake up without her girlfriend beside her.
They'd only recently started calling each other girlfriend, but Emma loved the idea.
Emma's phone vibrated on her beside table. She waited till she heard the tone before she picked it up.
The vibrating stopped and a remix of Teenage Dream started playing. Sliding across the bed, she picked it up with a grin. "Good morning, beautiful."
"Come downstairs, I have a present for you and Henry."
"Outside or inside? Cause I don't want to get clothes on."
"Inside." Regina ended the call and Emma shifted back to the centre of the bed, picking up a still sleeping Henry.
She kissed his forehead and checked his diaper, smiling that it was clean, and carried her sleeping prince downstairs.
"Good lord, what is that orgasmic smell?" Emma asked, smiling happily as she walked over, kissing Regina softly, her eyes briefly taking in the counter filled with food beforehand.
Picking up a pancake, Emma rolled it up, dipping it in the maple syrup before taking a bite of the deliciousness.
"Happy birthday, Emma," Regina said, kissing Emma passionately.
"Mmm.. You couldn't have come and woke me with a kiss like that?"
"No, 'cause last time I did, your sister walked in thinking we were about to have sex with Henry in the room.."
"Speaking of, where's Ruby and Belle?"
"Last minute shopping. They said to make myself at home⦠So I did.." she said, gesturing to the food.
"Fair enough." Emma leaned against Regina, just as Henry started to stir and wake.
"Da!" The boy squeaked happily, his eyes instantly locking with Emma's.
"Good morning, prince," Emma said, stroking his cheek.
"Da!" he gurgled, reaching up to touch Emma's face as well.
"Say good morning to Regina, baby."
Henry blinked twice rubbing his eyes, before looking to Regina, his smile growing as he reached for her.
Regina, pleased with the attention, took Henry from Emma and hugged him, kissing his forehead. "Good morning, Darling Boy," she murmured, stroking his cheek.
"Emma, wake up. You'll never guess who we ran into," Ruby said, calling out as soon as she entered the door.
"Regina already woke me. Who'd you see?" Emma asked, picking at some strawberry's dipped in chocolate Regina prepared whilst she was sleeping.
"Lacey, and guess what.."
"Lacey, as in..?
"Yup. Belle's freaking twin!"
"Oh god, what did Belle do?"
"Punched her as soon as she tried to talk to us." Ruby grinned.
"No fucking way. Where's Belle?"
"I'm here," Belle said, walking in, dropping some shopping bags just in the doorway of her and Ruby's bedroom so Emma couldn't see them.
"You okay, B?"
"I'm fine, but Lacey needs some ice," Belle sighed, looking to the door as the girl mentioned walked in, holding her nose. "I still haven't mentioned you lived with us."
"Well shit, looks like the slut parade came to town," Regina muttered.
"Couldn't agree with you more, babe," Emma whispered to her girlfriend, kissing Regina's cheek.
"How about I take Henry upstairs, bathe him, and get him changed for the day," Ruby said, rushing over and taking her nephew off Regina. "Belle, come on."
"No way, I want to stay for the fight," Belle said, grabbing an ice-pack from the freezer and wrapping it in a dish towel before walking over to the blonde version of herself and putting force behind it, pushing it onto Lacey's nose.
"Ow, you fucking whore, ease the fuck up."
"Easy on the language. I don't want my kid picking your foul language up. If he's gonna swear, he's gonna learn from me," Emma said, stepping into Lacey's sight.
Lacey looked around and spotted where the familiar voice came from. "Well, fuck me sideways. Emma Fucking Swan." Lacey smirked.
"Well, bye!" Ruby grabbed Belles wrist with her free hand and dragged her upstairs, taking Henry with them.
"Who's the oldie?" Lacey asked, gesturing to Regina with a head-nod.
"Exc-" Regina started but Emma cut her off.
"That's my girlfriend, and I'd watch what you say, Lacey, cause I swear to God, you say another thing about her.. No, don't even fucking talk to her. What the hell are you doing here? I told you if I ever saw you again there'd be consequences."
"Chill, Baby-girl. I need money.."
"I'm not your 'Baby-girl.' Not anymore. The only people you know in this town are Ruby, Belle and myself. If you think you're getting money off us, you're sorely mistaken."
"What the hell is going on?" Regina asked, stepping behind Emma, putting her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder, making Emma instantly relax, her arms unfolding as she stopped tensing every muscle in her body.
"Regina, this is Lacey, Belle's twin, she was my first..." Emma face changed to one of disgust. "Girlfriend," she finished with distaste.
"I see, and what happened?" Regina asked, pulling Emma protectively closer, arm hooking around her partner's waist.
"The whore... And I mean that literally; I caught her in bed with my best friends. Stole my card one night and wasn't seen for a week. When I saw her again, she'd taken all my money off the card, and I told her if she ever came back... What did I say Lacey?" Emma ground out, looking at her ex.
"You said, if I ever came back, there'd be hell to pay. That's putting it lightly." Lacey rolled her eyes.
"Regina, will you give me a hand? Henry's not calming down now he's out of your arms," Belle said, stopping at the end of the stairs.
Regina looked to Emma who just nodded and kissed the brunettes cheek. "I'll be back."
"Take your time, babe." Emma smiled softly.
"Emma, don't get blood on anything," Belle said sternly.
"No promises," she said looking to her sister's girlfriend with a not-so-innocent grin.
"Maybe I should stay?" Regina hesitated, stopping at the stairs.
"They'll be fine, Regina. Trust me, if you can't, at least trust Emma."
"I'll be fine, Ri," Emma said, looking to Regina. "Go settle Henry, I promise I won't hurt her too bad."
"You, hurt me? That's a good one," Lacey laughed.
Emma turned from her girlfriend to her ex and smirked. "I suppose you're forgetting last time. Glad to see your scar is showing," Emma said, gesturing to the other blonde's bicep where a wide and long scar ran from her shoulder to her elbow.
"Whatever, Emma. When are you going to grow up?"
"Oh, that's rich, Lacey. When am I going to grow up? News flash, I grew up the second I saw you fucking the girls in MY bed. I didn't even shed a tear over you. Everyone was right; you really are just a prostitute that doesn't get paid."
Lacey dropped her ice-pack to the floor and brought her fist back, launching it forward, but Emma was quick. She grabbed the girl's closed fist with ease and smirked. "I thought we did this before? Maybe you need a hand remembering." Emma sighed shaking her head slowly with a smile.
She tugged Lacey's arm down and brought her knee up, connecting it with Lacey's stomach. "Feel better now, babe?" Emma asked, a bite to her tone.
"You fucking bitch," Lacey said, standing uneasily. She went to punch Emma again, but the teen dodged it, stepping behind Lacey and wrapping an arm around her exe's neck, putting her in a standard choke-hold.
"Belle, come get this slut off me!" Lacey yelled out, and Belle ran downstairs, looking at her sister and on a technicality, they didn't need Ruby to marry Belle to say that Emma was a sister-in-law to Belle, and laughed.
"Lacey, you got yourself into this one, you can get yourself out of it. Regina, I told you, nothing to worry about."
Regina came down the stairs and saw Emma. She covered her mouth and laughed. "And I thought you'd need help. Sorry for assuming that, Darling."
"To assume is to make an ass out of you and me." Emma smirked.
"Alright, Em, let her go. I don't want cops asking why we have a dead body," Belle sighed.
"Self-defense?" Emma shrugged, dropping the blonde from her grip.
Lacey dropped to her knees, taking a few deep breaths to regain her lost air. Emma knelt down beside her and talked softly. "Consider this a warning, Lacey. I want you out of this town and out of my life, no seeing Belle or Ruby or anyone I talk to unless they contact you. Now leave, before I get charged for manslaughter."
Lacey got to her feet as quickly as she could. She practically ran out the door. Emma just kicked her door closed and walked past Belle and Regina who were still standing at the bottom of the stairs as she went up to her room.
Regina smiled nervously to Belle and turned, following her girlfriend up the stairs, closing the bedroom door behind them. "Emma?"
"Yeah, babe?" Emma took her tank-top off and changed into sweats and a sports bra, before sitting on the bed and putting socks and her runners on.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm not gonna lie, I'm pissed that she came back, but now she's gone, I just want to go for a quick run and then enjoy my birthday with my family and my stunning girlfriend," Emma said, looking up at Regina who had stopped right in front of her.
"Emma, I know another way you can release that anger."
"What's that?" The blonde asked as she stood, the distance between them becoming almost nonexistent.
"Come to my place with me. I'll give you your birthday present."
"What is it?" Emma smiled, leaning in closer so their lips were almost touching.
"Me," Regina husked, kissing the blonde passionately.
"I'm liking this birthday more then the rest already." Emma grinned.
Emma and Regina stepped into the brunette's mansion, and lips locked as soon as the door shut.
Emma pinned Regina to the first wall they happened to be near. The breath left Regina's lungs in a gasp. Emma didn't hesitate to keep the kiss going as she pulled Regina off the wall, walking backwards, Regina guiding her as the brunette knew the house better.
Emma broke the kiss, grabbing Regina's hand, intertwining their fingers, practically running up the stairs.
"Emma, are you sure you-"
"I've been waiting, for you, you know that," Emma said as she sat on the edge of the bed, peeling her shirt off. "Unless you've changed your mind."
"No, Darling, no, I just.. I've got another present for you."
"Regina, you being in my life is present enough. You didn't have to get me anything."
"I got it made just for you," Regina said stepping into her closet, coming out with a small bag from a jewelers.
"Regina I-"
"Just open it." Regina smiled, sitting on the bed beside the blonde, handing her the small gift bag.
Emma took a small box out of the bag and looked to Regina with a questioning eyebrow raised. "Is this a proposal?" Emma teased.
"No, Dear. If it were, it wouldn't be on your birthday or any other day that's important. It'll be our own day. It wouldn't be us in my room."
"I like us in your room, all alone.." Emma kissed her girlfriend quickly but sweetly before looking back to the box, opening it slowly.
A gold chain caught her eye and she shut it quickly. "I-Is that real gold?"
"Yes." Regina cleared her throat and nodded.
"I can't accept it, Regina. I can't risk it getting lost or broken or something."
"At least look at it. Please."
Emma crumbled under that word like she always did. She opened the box fully and the breath left her lungs. "I-It's beautiful." She picked the pendant up, looking at the two circles that were joined, an apple with a ruby in it in one, and a swan with diamonds in it's wings in the other.
"Thank you, Regina, it's gorgeous." Emma closed the box once more and set it on the bedside table, leaning in to kiss Regina softly. "I love you."
Just like Emma crumpled at 'Please,' Regina smiled, crumbled at those three words. "I love you too."
Emma put her hand on Regina's shoulder and pushed her to lay down slowly. Emma straddled the brunette, nibbling her lower lip gently.
Regina caressed Emma's cheek, bringing their lips together passionately.
They didn't end up making love. No, after their make out session, Emma and Regina laid on the brunettes bed, holding each other, clothes long gone, spare their bras and underwear,. It was a warm day, so neither minded just laying together like that.
Emma brought her lips to Regina's, slowly, sweetly, her hand resting on her loves waist, enjoying the soft curve there, stroking it lightly with her fingertips.
They talked about their past, Emma's foster homes, Regina's parents, pain they've had in common in their history, people they've lost.
Regina opened up more about her father, about how her mother was abusive, verbally and physically. She talked about Daniel.
Emma listened, letting Regina know they could talk about anything.
Emma shared her history, a little more painful than Regina's was. She spoke of one of her first homes, talked about when she was younger, whether it be by a foster father or a brother, she'd was raped in most of the homes she went to, or just beaten for not doing something she was asked.
"Emma, if you could, would you ever meet your real parents?"
"I'm not sure I want to. They abandoned me on the side of a road, Regina. What kind of person does that to their child? They couldn't even take me to a church, or to someone's doorstep. But the side of the road..." Emma took a shaky breath and rolled onto her back looking at the ceiling.
Regina wrapped her arm around Emma gently, pressing a kiss to the blonde's shoulder.
"I love you, Emma."
"I love you too, Regina."
"There's a place off Ocean Avenue, where I used to sit and talk with you, we were both sixteen and it felt so right. Sleeping all day, staying up all night. Staying up all night"
Emma groaned and grabbed her phone, sliding the answer button. "Hello?"
She was met with the sound of Henry screaming in the background.
"I'll be there in five minutes," Emma said, just as she heard Ruby start to speak. She ended the call and got up, putting her clothes on. "Henry.."
"I'll drive," Regina said, not giving Emma the chance to change her mind.
Emma opened the door and Belle rushed over, handing Henry to the blonde who took him without a word, the boy instantly calming in his mothers arms.
"He just started crying, Em, I don't know why. I was laying in bed with him, then he just started screaming.." Belle said, a worried look in her eyes.
Henry had fully calmed in Emma's arms and she put a peaceful hand on her sister-in-law's arm, a soft smile on her face. "Belle, calm down, it's okay. Was he asleep?"
"No, I was reading and he was playing with my hand."
"Ruby can you get me his gummy?" Emma asked, sitting on the couch, cradling Henry close.
Ruby went to the freezer and grabbed out a pacifier. Putting a little honey on it, she bought it over to Emma.
Emma took it, a bit of honey dropping on her finger as she eased Henry's mouth open with her knuckle and set the pacifier in his mouth, the boy sucking greedily on it. Emma brought the sticky finger up to her mouth and sucked the sweetness off it. "He's okay Belle. He's fine. Stop worrying, B." Emma said, starting to hand Henry to Regina carefully as the brunette sat beside her.
Henry whimpered and latched onto Emma's necklace, the one Regina just gave her, gripping it for his life's worth.
"I think he just wants you, Emma," Regina said, handing Henry back to the blonde who cradled him close, stroking his hair as she stood, her free arm going around Belle tightly.
"He's fine, Belle." Emma smiled. "I'll feed him and put him down for a nap. Then we can discuss lunch, 'cause I'm starving. Regina, would you like to come upstairs with me?"
"Do you want me to?"
"I do, but if you want to hang out down here, you're welcome to. Whatever you want. If you want to go home, that's okay too." Emma walked up the stairs, humming softly to her son.
Emma pulled her shirt off and took the pacifier from Henry's mouth, un-clipping the strap on her bra and settling his stirs by placing her nipple in his mouth. Watching him feed, she stroked his cheek. Crossing a leg under herself, she grabbed her phone from her pocket and searched her songs. Setting her volume low, she turned her music on.
Singing in time to the instrumental tune, rhythmically patting Henry's bottom.
"Goodnight big moon, sweet dreams baby, if I could have one wish tonight, it would be that, you'd always keep, keep the starlight in your eyes." Henry smiled around his food source, milk dribbling down his chin. Emma grabbed a clean rag from her bedside draw and wiped his chin as she continued singing.
"One day you'll grow up, one day you'll walkout, in this big world on your own and there'll be days when your heart'll break and, you'll swear that all your strength is gone. But then you'll find a way, to carry on." She tapped his nose, smiling at her son, not even noticing Regina standing in her doorway with a sandwich for them both.
"Heaven knows that it's a crazy ride, it's never perfect all the time, it'll pull you down and send you flying, so baby hold on tight. On this crazy ride."
She continued patting Henry on the butt in time with the music, watching as his eyes grew heavier.
"So don't be scared when you're in the dark and, the sun is swallowed by the ground. You'll thinking to gone but it's hanging on. It's just, on the other side of town. Even when it's lost, it can be found. Heaven knows that it's a crazy ride, it's never perfect all the time, it'll pull you down and send you flying, so baby hold on tight. On this crazy ride." She smiled, kissing his hand softly before continuing the final verse.
"Heaven knows its a crazy ride, it's never perfect all the time. You kno. It's just a crazy ride, it's never perfect all the time. It'll pull you down and send you flying, so baby hold on tight, on this crazy ride."
She laid him down in the center of the bed, kissing his forehead as she whispered. "Goodnight big moon, sweet dreams baby." She slowly got up, fixing her bra before putting a pillow on each side of Henry to protect him.
Emma pulled a shirt on and looked over at the door. "How long have you been there?"
Emma took half of one sandwich and bit into it, walking downstairs again with Regina. "From 'One day you'll grow up' till you noticed me." Regina said, setting the plate with the sandwiches on the bench.
Emma nodded, pushing the last bite of the half she had into her mouth before grabbing a juice out of the fridge, pushing the straw into the box and sipping on it. "You want one? It's apple." Emma grinned.
"No thank you, Dear." Regina husked, leaning forward, she sucked on the straw from Emma's drink. She swallowed before leaning up, connecting their lips passionately.
Emma leaned in, setting her juice-box on the bench before wrapping her arms around her girlfriend pulling Regina impossibly closer.
An almost bloodcurdling scream broke their kiss and Emma ran up the stairs two at a time, pushing her door further open then what it was and she picked Henry up, bouncing him slowly as she tried to settle his cries. "Baby boy, what's going on with you?" Henry blubbered trying to stop his tears.
Emma stroked his hair, cradling his head close as she tried her hardest to soothe him "Come on baby, what's wrong?" Emma started patting his back in a soft rhythm, making sure it wasn't just gas hurting his stomach.
She laid down, resting Henry on her chest, he turned his head, sniffling as he tried to get comfortable.
"Can I join?" Regina asked softly from the doorway.
"Of course, come lay with us, babe." Emma smiled.
Regina laid beside Emma and the blonde joined their hands, her free arm supporting Henry as she rolled onto her side facing Regina, Henry fitting snugly between them.
Henry fell back asleep after a few minutes. Regina's eyes were getting heavy after an hour of laying there. She went to sit up, but Henry's chubby hand was holding the neckline of her shirt tightly. Emma smirked, reaching over to unpick his fingers, his grip changing to latch onto her hand.
Regina pressed a soft kiss to Henry's temple then leaned over, kissing Emma lightly on the lips. Emma shifted to sit up, laying Henry across her lap. The boy stirred slightly before settling down again.
Emma rested a hand on the back of Regina's neck and connecting their lips again. "I love you."
"I love you too, Emma."
