A/N: I know I said 4 chapters, but (typical me) I've changed my mind, and Winter is now extended into 2 chapters and I've also written a very short epilogue.
If there's anything which you would like to see happen in Spring or Summer, write it in the reviews section :)
Just a note; Cluedo is a sort of murder mystery board game if they dont have it in your country:p
Thanks for all your support for this!
For the past couple of months, Henry had became aware of a shift in the relationship between his mothers. It was nothing of particular significance, but the little changes had began to amount to something with the potential in Henry's mind. Stealing glances at each other, conversations almost every day, staying to talk when they dropped Henry off at each other's houses. As much as Henry probably knew it was a pipe-dream, he had always secretly hoped that one day the three of them might become a proper family, and he was starting to suspect that his mothers were hoping it too. So much so, in fact, that he told Emma to come to spend Christmas evening with him at Regina's house.
"I'm not so sure, kid. You're spending the morning with me and your grandparents, I wouldn't want Regina to feel like I was trying to take more of her time." Emma showed reluctance towards Henry's plan. While she secretly wanted nothing more than to spend the day with Henry and Regina, she knew that co-parenting was a difficult business, and was best done if everyone stuck to their set boundaries.
"Come on, mom. She'd love to see you, I know you guys are good friends now. It will be fun!" Henry insisted in a childish manner, and Emma was left yearning for her false memories of Henry growing up.
"Have you asked her?"
"Not yet, but she'll definitely say yes. She likes you." Henry insisted innocently, knowing that those words carried a lot more weight than Emma might consider them to.
After more similar coaxing from Henry, both women agreed, which left Emma walking cautiously down the path to 108 Mifflin Street after dark on Christmas Day. She had dropped Henry off in the early afternoon, with the promise that she would return at 6, and the boy had seemed almost gleeful with anticipation, which Emma was putting down to his first proper Christmas with both his mothers: how it should have been.
Emma had decided to dress up for the occasion. She knew that Regina was a stickler for presentation, and if she couldn't make an effort on Christmas Day then truthfully when could she? The tight mid-thigh length dress she had decided on, however, was rising up uncomfortably as she reached Regina's door, and she found herself aching for her jeans and shirts.
"Miss….. Swan." Regina hesitated midway through Emma's name when she saw her appearance. Emma looked absolutely breathtaking, and Regina mentally noted that this was the first time she had seen her in such a dress, or in fact anything that didn't in some way involve a leather jacket. "It's nice to see that you are actually capable of making an effort; all hope is not lost."
"Hey, I try when it matters." Emma quipped, presenting Regina with a bottle of the local store's cheapest champagne. "I know you probably have a lot better, but it's the thought that counts!" she shifted on her feet. "Uh, merry Christmas, by the way."
"You too, Miss Swan. Come on in." Regina opened the door further to allow Emma entrance.
"Still with the 'Miss Swan' business? We're friends, Regina, I'm not your lawyer."
"Thank heavens," Regina smirked sarcastically, before adding an exaggerated "Emma."
The two women entered Regina's front room, where Henry was setting up a game of Cluedo.
"Cluedo?… Really?" Emma seemed unconvinced at the choice of board game.
"I know it's perhaps not in the best taste." Regina considered, referencing her checkered past, "But I employ you as the sheriff of this town, and I want to be sure that your deduction skills are up to scratch."
"Is that fighting talk? Because I'll beat you at any game you throw at me. Bring it on."
"Indeed." Regina raised one eyebrow at Emma, while their son sat grinning excitedly at their exchange.
The three of them sat in Regina's lounge for hours, playing games and enjoying each other's company. Henry excused himself to go to bed at 10pm, a lot earlier than his parents were expecting.
"Exciting day." He shrugged after their confusion, "Night moms." He kissed them both on the cheek in turn, before leaving the two of them in their own company.
"Another drink?" Regina offered, opening up another bottle of wine.
"Why not." Emma invited it, holding her glass over to Regina with a slight shake in her hand.
"Ah yes, I almost forgot." Regina got up abruptly, crossing over to the sideboard and picking up a gift wrapped object.
"I thought we said we weren't getting each other gifts?" Emma scolded her, before pulling a wrapped rectangular-shaped object out of her own bag. "I got you something anyway too, though."
"Must you always disobey me, Emma?" Regina added in a tone of mock-derision.
"Ehh, only when it suits me."
"You go first." Regina insisted, and Emma passed the small box over to Regina.
"If you don't like it, it's cool. But I saw it and it reminded me of you." Emma began to ramble as Regina carefully untied the ribbon and opened the box to reveal a pair of diamond earrings. Regina gasped at the sight of them, and immediately began to contest them.
"No, Emma, this is too much. They must have cost you a fortune!"
"It was nothing: my boss is pretty generous when it comes to my salary." Emma teased Regina, "besides, you deserved it. Classy gift for a classy lady." Regina got up from her seat, and Emma was immediately enveloped in an unexpected but appreciated hug. After a second or two, Emma began to run her hand up and down the small of Regina's back.
"Thank you." Regina whispered into Emma's ear, and she got the feeling that it was about more than the earrings; noting a mist in Regina's eyes as she pulled away. "Time for your present now. It didn't cost me anything like I can imagine these did, but…"
Emma picked up her own package with a little flurry of excitement in the pit of her stomach, and, tearing of the wrapping paper in a nod to the careful and precise way Regina had just done the very same thing, her heart stopped in her chest as she read the 2 words on the front of the book she had received.
"Our son."
"Regina, what is…"
"Open it." Regina cut Emma off, sitting down on the couch just a few inches from the woman.
Emma opened the book and was confronted with pictures of Henry. His entire life; from the day Regina brought him home. Each picture had a caption next to it of the event, the date, and other notes about it. Emma turned each page slowly, marvelling in this treasure of a life that she hadn't been a part of. She could feel tears rising in her throat as Henry began to age before her eyes; something that she hadn't been able to experience first-hand.
"I know it's no substitute for the real thing, but I wanted to give you as much as I could." Regina almost whispered this, self-conscious as Emma ran her hands over the pictures and side decorations that Regina had spent months painstakingly putting together. She had been working on this scrapbook since well before Emma's birthday, but had wanted to save it until she was absolutely sure it was perfect.
After more time spent examining the book in a stunned silence, Emma reached the last page. It was a photo of the three of them; her, Regina and their son, taken a few weeks before by Leroy on an indiscriminate trip to Granny's. Henry was sat in the middle, grinning, while Emma and Regina sat either side of him, with Emma ruffling her son's hair and Regina staring at him, seemingly laughing at something Emma had said. The caption underneath read 'And many more to come. Merry Christmas.' Emma began to seriously cry now, tears for her son, for the life she missed, and for the kindness that Regina had shown her by opening up her life for her.
Regina panicked, and attempted to take the book from Emma. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. I'll keep it."
"No." Emma interrupted, keeping her grip on the book. "This is… perfect. I just can't believe you'd do something like this for me."
"Emma, as hard as it may be for you to believe, I care about you a great deal." Regina paused. "It pains me to think that you didn't get to experience what I did of Henry growing up, and I wanted to share my experience with you."
"Talk me through it." Emma leant her head onto Regina's shoulder, and the brunette lifted her arm so Emma's head was tucked under it. "Please." Emma sniffed, pulling the book so that it was halfway on each woman's lap.
The two of them spoke for the entire night; Regina talking through each picture in as much detail as she could give, often stopping mid-way to tell another story which linked in. Emma didn't move from Regina's side the whole time, and neither of them moved the next morning when Henry got up early the next morning to see them in the same position, with Emma tucked tightly into Regina's side.
A/N: Reviews are always appreciated! *hint hint*