Star Grass Salve: medicinal balm for soothing sores and wounds
"Hey, kid! Look who's here!" Emma exclaimed as she entered the dungeons, the baby boy safely tucked in her arms, "It's Regina!"
"You still haven't come up with a name for him?" Regina asked, unimpressed at Emma's antics. Her eyes were focused on the homework that her first year students turned in today.
Emma shrugged. "Names are not that important to me..." she says as she sits at a table, crossing her legs so it's more comfortable to hold the boy, "Being well-fed, having warm clothes, and a nice crib, those are my priorities for the kid."
"So, you'll continue on calling him Kid until he's old enough to pick a name for his own?"
The blonde seemed to consider it for a minute, then she replies "You can name him." That statement makes Regina raise her head in surprise. "I know you love him, and I know this means more to you than to me. So... you can name him."
The potions master swallows all her emotions, and remembers all the times that healers and muggle doctors told her there was no cure for her barren uterus. And all the memories are silenced by when she looks at the beautiful blonde with the baby boy in her arms who keeps on surprising her. It has been two months since Emma found the baby. The baby boy that has brought them together and brought so much happiness into Regina's life.
"I ... um..."
"Well, I've managed to take the words out of the mouth of the great Regina Mills, former head girl and current Head of Ravenclaw," Emma jokes, but she's really trying to cover the insecurity that has stemmed from Regina's silence.
And maybe, this wasn't the best idea? Perhaps, Regina is just helping because she couldn't live with the knowledge that she has left an infant in the care of Emma Swan. Because, why would Regina freaking Mills ever want to raise a child with Emma Swan? She's just an orphan, with no real career. The only thing she's good at is flying because that's the only real thing she had done in her life.
"Henry." The word interrupts Emma's self loathing thoughts. And the blonde didn't realize that Regina had stood up and walked over to where she and the baby where.
"It was my father's name, and it would have been the name that I would have given to my firstborn son," Regina explains, because she has grown to know Emma too well to understand the blonde's body language.
"Henry," Emma repeats, then looks down to the boy, "Do you like that name, kid? Do you want to be Henry?" The baby smiles, whether it's due to the sound of the name or to Emma's silly voice, they'll never know. "Well, then it's settled."
"Henry," Regina repeats, caressing the baby's head with her hand.
"Henry... Swan-Mills...?" Emma adds in an insecure tone, because she knows she's walking on thin ice right now. She knows this could either bond them for life or break the fragile link forever, and she doesn't know if she, or Regina, is ready for that. But she needs to know, for Henry, because Henry deserves two loving parents that will put his well-being and future before theirs.
Standing in front of Emma, Regina's heart is beating faster that usual. Emma was offering her a family. Never in a million years she would have thought that she would have that. Not after her parents died and she got the news regarding her infertility. And, here was Emma, wearing her heart on her sleeve, offering Regina everything she always wanted.
The brunette places her other hand on Emma's arm and squeezes lightly. "Henry Swan-Mills," she repeats in a firm voice. And suddenly, the world around them is shining a little bit more brighter.
I'm sorry it's been a while, my niece was born and we are all living together so it's been kind of amazing and kind of chaotic.
This one is a little bit shorter, but I wanted to publish something today so you don't think I forgot about you guys. Thanks for all your support and love!
Merry Christmas!