Tada! Here it is! Chapter 2 is now being presented. Welcome, welcome one and all! Thanks so much for the great reviews for the last chapter, guys. Y'all rock! And I am totally in love with where I am going to take this story. In fact, I feel like it may be longer than I planned. But oh well, that just shows that my imagination is working extra hard! Or that I'm bored. Well, whatever the case may be…
Now, first off, kudos to SirBrigitFianna for figuring out who Lucy and Renee where. They are kind of a nod to two of my fave characters of all time, Xena and Gabrielle. If you guys want a really good read with some wonderful characters and love go read Melissa Good. You can find her books where most books are sold. I've read all her stuff and will continue to read them. Also, I've got some similar stuff at the Royal Academy of Bards (shameless self-promotion). Google search the website and then search for me under this same pen name. Check it out and let me know what you think!
But this chapter is dedicated to SirBrigiFianna. Well done! Well done, indeed! I love meeting fellow Xena Lovers! Woot!
A big thanks to Laura, yet again! I hope you aren't freezing up there, girly. I miss you!
And last order of business, I don't own Once Upon a Time. I also don't own the song "A Reason to Stay up All Night" by Emma Wallace. If you haven't heard that song, listen to it. It is amazing!
"Where are we going?"
A smirk was her only answer.
"Lucy!"
The tall woman chuckled and looked in the rearview mirror at the little girl in the backseat of her Jeep. "We're going to get a surprise for your Mama-Renee."
A squeal came from the back as the little girl started squirming excitedly. "We are? What are we gonna get her?"
"What do you want to get her?"
The squirming stopped. "But wait? Why are we getting her something? Is it her birthday?"
A head full of long black hair shook. "Nope. We're getting her something just because we can."
"Oh! It's a just cause gift!" The little girl exclaimed. "Like the time Mama-Renee got you that cool leather jacket!"
"Exactly."
"But what can we get her? It has to be something really good."
Lucy let her blue eyes look up in the mirror again to grin at the blonde girl. "You're right, munchkin. It does have to be something really good."
The Jeep pulled into the mall parking lot and Lucy quickly found an empty space. As the two got out, Lucy took in Emma's outfit. The little girl had on jeans and a little white t-shirt with brown boots on her small feet. And a perfect replica of Lucy's own leather jacket finished off the outfit.
"Munchkin, did you go to school dressed like that?"
Emma grinned and grabbed Lucy's hand. "I wanted to dress like you today since you were picking me up. Mama-Renee let me! Do you like it?"
Lucy grinned and ruffled Emma's blonde hair. "It's perfect, kid. You know I love it. I'm just surprised Renee let you out of the house like that."
Emma's grin got wider. "I gave her the puppy dog pout you taught me!"
Lucy threw her head back and laughed before she swooped Emma up and onto her back. "Come on, kid. Let's find the perfect gift for your Mama-Renee!"
So I think I'd like
I think I'd like
If I had someone to talk to
Some home to walk to
Someone to impress and delight
Somebody to tease
Somebody to please
A reason to stay up all night
A reason to stay up all night
Yeah, that's what I'd like
That's what I'd like
The music filtered through the speakers as Emma arrived at the diner a little early. She wanted a little time to prepare for what she knew was coming. James wasn't going to be an issue. He was whipped. And not by Snow as much as by Emma.
She snorted as she sat at a booth. Who knew she would turn into such a daddy's girl. Especially since her childhood didn't produce very…father-like figures. But it was true. James would do anything for her. She would just pull out the puppy dog pout and he would cave.
Of course, she used it sparingly. The phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" went through her head. She gave another snort.
"Do you have a cold or something?"
Emma looked up in surprise and then grinned as Red sat down across from her. "Hey, Red."
"So," the brunette said, propping her chin in her hands. "You got a cold?"
"Nah," Emma shook her head. "Just thinking to myself."
"And that makes you snort?" Red raised an eyebrow.
"No, I mean, I was kind of laughing to myself."
Red grinned. "Okay, I can see why you would laugh at yourself for thinking. That makes me laugh."
Emma slapped the other woman on the arm.
"Ow," was the whine that escaped Red's mouth.
"Oh, please," Emma said with a roll of her eyes. "That didn't hurt! You're a werewolf! You're like…uber strong!"
"Uber?" Red asked with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Uber?"
"Hey, sorry," Emma stated holding her hands up in mock surrender. "My only experiences with werewolves are with Buffy. I tend to revert back to Buffy-isms when I get all whiggy."
"Whiggy?"
"Sorry."
"Emma!"
Her mother's voice broke through the conversation and caused both Red and Emma to look up. Snow was standing there with James right beside her, a smile on both their faces.
"Mom, Dad," Emma said with a grin, standing up and hugging them. Red took that moment to slide out of the booth and make her way back to the kitchen, but not without punching Emma in the arm on the way by.
"Ow!" Emma exclaimed. Red just smirked at her and continued on her way.
Snow just raised an eyebrow at the two while James just ignored it all by taking the side of the booth Red had just vacated.
"Regina couldn't make it?" Snow asked as she slid in next to her husband, trying desperately to hide the relief in her voice.
It didn't work.
Emma rolled her eyes and looked at her father, deeming Snow not worthy of a response. "Anything exciting happen last night?"
"What?" James asked, his eyebrows raised and his voice full of confusion. "Why would something happen?"
"Well, the way my mother called this morning at the ass crack of dawn made me think something new and exciting had happened that must be told." Emma said the last part with so much sarcasm it was practically dripping off the words.
"Oh, ha," Snow snapped back. "I was just worried."
Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I know, Mom. I'm sorry." She smiled at Red as she placed their usual drinks in front of them; Coke for Emma, water for Snow, and iced tea for James. "Now, what's up, guys?"
James grinned after he took a sip of his tea. "Well, your mother and I were discussing,"
By the 'humph' that came from Snow 'discussing' probably wasn't the correct word James should have used. He ignored it.
"About a possibility of having a family dinner on Valentine's Day."
"A family dinner?" Emma asked.
"Sure," James answered. "Regina and Henry included."
"For Valentine's Day?" Emma asked in the same tone.
"Why not?" James stated. "We can break out of the norm. I know you and Regina go on a weekly date-"
"How do you know that?" Emma interrupted.
James just raised his eyebrow.
The blonde woman sighed. "Right. Storybrooke. Small town. Full of gossips. Got it."
"Anyway," James continued. "Valentine's Day is a day for love, right? Well, we all love each other-"
He slapped a hand over Snow's mouth to stop the smart remark he knew was coming.
"And why not use that day to get together?"
"But what if Regina and I were planning on going out?"
"Go out the next day," Snow stated, surprising both her daughter and husband. "The restaurants will be less busy then, anyway."
Wide eyes were the only thing she saw from her daughter.
"What?" she asked, annoyance very clear in her voice.
Emma blinked and shook her head. "Nothing."
Snow sighed and reached across the table to take her daughter's hand. "Emma, I know I haven't shown much…support over your relationship with Regina."
Emma just narrowed her eyes at Snow.
"And I'm sorry. I do love seeing you happy though. And I can tell, you are very happy. And that makes me happy. But you have to understand. I have spent most of my life running from her. I haven't trusted her for years. She has sought to ruin my life since I was old enough to realize that she hated me."
Emma sighed and squeezed her mother's hand. "I know, Mom. And I get it. But I want you to know. I didn't choose to fall in love with her. You know that, right?"
Snow gave a small smile. "Of course I do, sweetie. And I see how much you love her. And how much she loves you. That's why I gave her that small push on New Year's Eve. It's just a little harder to swallow than I thought it would be."
James put an arm around Snow's shoulders. "But she's trying, Emma. I can attest to that."
Snow gave a grateful smile to James and then looked back at Emma. "So, can we do this Valentine's Day dinner? As a family?"
Emma studied her parents. Their eyes held hope and fear. But most of all, they held love. And seeing two people sitting across from her with their eyes so full of love for her, made her mind flash back to 23 years earlier.
Snow and James thought the tears that were gathering in their daughter's eyes when she nodded yes were from happiness.
To be continued…