Chapter 3
Regina carefully lowers Emma into the bed, a soft smile playing on full lips as she removes Emma's little shoes. The child moans at the loss of contact, so in tune with Regina even whilst asleep. Regina places a light kiss to Emma's forehead, pulling the comforter around her girl before she sneaks out of the bedroom.
Regina has an impatient wait ahead of her before she can tell Emma about the surprise she has been planning. It had been extremely hard for Regina to keep her plans to herself for the past few days, but she knows Emma's excitement will make it all worth it.
Regina makes her way down to the kitchen and switches the coffee machine on, leaning against the counter as she waits for it to be ready. She smiles to herself as thinks about her plans, imagining Emma's face when she tells the girl. Regina is actually a little disappointed that Emma had fallen asleep, especially since she is excited herself.
Once her coffee is ready, Regina takes the steaming mug into the living room with her and pulls a map from her purse. Dark eyes immediately focus on the small town she had circled last week. A quaint little seaside town a couple of hours away; Emma's surprise.
In the four years since Regina enacted the dark curse, she has only left town once. To find and retrieve Emma. This time, Emma will be leaving town with her, on their very first vacation. Regina can't wait to tell Emma, and she can't wait for the next five weeks to pass.
She has so much planned for their time away. Relaxing on the beach, hiring a little boat, sight seeing and overindulgence. Regina thinks she will enjoy herself just as much as Emma will, and it is long overdue.
Running Storybrooke as well as raising a small child is exhausting and it will be nice to take a break from her mayoral duties. Graham can handle the town business for a few days. Whether he wants to or not. A little whisper into his heart will ensure that.
Regina casts her gaze over Emma for a moment, making sure the tiny toddler is still happily playing with her blocks before going back to her paperwork. It's the third time this week that she's had to bring Emma to the office with her and Regina is starting to feel guilty about it. City hall must be so boring to her adventurous 15 month old, but Regina doesn't want to be away from Emma for hours at a time.
It's selfish, really. There is adequate daycare facilities in the town, places that would be much more fun for her daughter, but Regina always feels much happier when she is with her little love. She is aware, though, that it will be best for Emma to spend more time with other children and Regina plans on enrolling her at daycare soon. For now, though, Regina is just going to relish being able to spend her days with Emma.
"Ma?" Regina jumps when she hears the little voice that is suddenly by her side, eliciting a sweet giggle from the child. Regina grins down at the girl, dark eyes suddenly widening.
"Emma? Did you... did you walk?!" Regina exclaims, as though expecting a detail response from the toddler. Emma beams up at her momma, still standing on wobbly legs as she reaches up for Regina. "You did," Regina says, lifting Emma onto her lap. "You clever little girl."
Emma giggles when Regina plants several kisses on little cheeks, leaving red lipstick on the porcelain skin. She has no idea why her momma is so happy with her, but she isn't going to complain about all of the positive attention. A little face buries into a warm neck, snuggling as close as possible as Regina carries her across the room.
"I'm going to need to keep an eye on you at all times now, hmm?" Regina says, settling onto the sofa with her little one still in her arms. Full lips find a blonde head in a soft kiss, the scent of the child's apple shampoo filling her nose.
"Ma." Emma's sweet voice takes on a demanding tone, and she attempts to wriggle from her mother's grasp.
"Okay, okay," Regina chuckles. She places the child on her, still unsteady, feet and watches as Emma slowly walks back to her blocks. She's quick to grab the camera from her desk and snap a picture of Emma walking unaided, making a mental note to have the pictures developed sooner rather than later.
Regina smiles, still watching Emma as she plops down onto her butt, immediately grabbing her blocks again. Her smile fades, though, as she realises what this now means. The more independence Emma gains, no matter how little, the harder it will be for Regina to keep her safe from the world.
Time seems to be moving so quickly. It seems like only yesterday that Emma couldn't even hold her own head up, and now she's walking. It's only a matter of time before she outgrows the need for a stroller, then after that she won't even need to hold Regina's hand.
Regina shakes her head, as though attempting to dislodge those thoughts from her mind. It's hard, though, to accept how little control she has over her sweet baby growing up. She adores having someone who relies on her so heavily, and it's difficult to accept these changes.
She stands, her gaze suddenly a little blurry from unshed tears, and walks back to her desk. It only takes a second to retrieve the item she needs, and she holds the glowing heart close to her mouth.
"You will protect Emma with your life. Her safety is the most important duty you have. Your life means nothing unless she is safe and happy."
Regina knows that Sheriff Graham will heed the order, and she relaxes slightly knowing that her child has a permanent bodyguard. One that will die before allowing anything to happen to her. The heart is placed back into it's box almost as quickly as it had been brought out, Regina glancing over at Emma to ensure she is still distracted by her blocks.
"You'll always be safe, my love."
Regina glances at Emma via her rear view mirror and sighs softly at the grumpy green eyes glaring back at her. Emma had, indeed, been very excited to hear about their vacation, but Regina regrets telling her on a week day. It had been damn near impossible to get Emma into bed the night before and, of course, even harder to get her out of it this morning.
A firm swat to a little backside had succeeded in getting Emma to do as she was told, but it most certainly had done very little to change the sour mood. Regina can't blame the child for being too excited to fall asleep at the usual time, nor can she blame her for feeling a little extra tired this morning. She won't, however, allow disobedience from the child.
As much as Emma wishes to stay home in bed, Regina won't allow it unless she is sick. Emma has still definitely had a sufficient amount of sleep, so there was no chance of the four year old getting her own way this morning.
"Don't wanna go." Regina sighs when she hears Emma's mumble, having lost count of how many times she has heard that statement this morning.
"I know you're tired," Regina says, "but you still have to go. I'm tired, but I still have to work. You can nap with the rest of your classmates, and I still expect you to be on your best behaviour, little one," she warns.
"I know," Emma grumbles, her little eyebrows furrowing. "Wanna go on 'cation now."
"Vacation," Regina corrects with a small smile. "I'm looking forward to it,too. Just you and I, no work and no school." Regina wonders if she should have waited until nearer the time of their vacation to tell Emma about it. Her girl had never been one to exercise much patience. Then again, maybe this will be a good lesson for Emma.
"On the beach," Emma says, allowing her first smile of the day to grace her adorable features.
"Yes. On the beach," Regina nods. "We'll have a lot of fun, little one." Regina eases the car into the parking lot beside Emma's preschool and turns in her seat to look at the girl. "You ready, my love?"
"Yeah." The answer is the one that is expected from her and, for that, Regina allows the heavy sigh that follows to go unchecked. Today seems like it's going to be an exceptionally long one.
Regina takes a tiny hand into hers and keeps her grip firm as they cross the parking lot, only allowing Emma to break free once they reach the safety of the school yard. She happily accepts her usual kiss and hug from the girl, and watches with warm eyes as a blonde head disappears into a crowd of her peers. They've arrived early enough that there's still time for some playing.
"Madame Mayor?" Regina's entire demeanour changes when she recognises the voice behind her, and dark eyes are cold when they land on the woman behind her.
"Miss Blanchard, what can I do for you?" Regina's voice is polite, mayor like, but there's no warmth in her tone at all. Her hard stare makes Snow White, or Mary Margaret as she is known here, squirm. Good. That's how Regina prefers her interactions with Mary Margaret to be. Well, she'd rather not speak to the woman at all, but if she has to then at least she gets some joy out of the fear she invokes.
"I tried to make an appointment with your office," Mary Margaret says, features timid. "About the library..." she trails off when the intimidating mayor's gaze hardens.
"I believe we have already had this discussion, Miss Blanchard," Regina coolly replies. "The building is unsafe, and will not be reopening anytime soon. By all means, speak to the Sheriff if you do not believe me," she adds, knowing fine well that Graham will tell Mary Margaret whatever she wants him to.
"Of course." Mary Margaret ducks her head, embarrassed about the way Regina seems to scold her like a child, but not brave enough to call her out. "I just...the children..."
"I will ensure the children have any and all books they so desire," Regina states, growing bored with the conversation. It is, after all, the fourth time they've had it. "I will hear no more of the library, Miss Blanchard. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Madame Mayor, of course." Regina smirks as she watches her former step-daughter rush away from her, thoroughly enjoying her small victory against the insufferable woman. Perhaps this will be a good day, after all, she thinks.
...
As Regina walks into Granny's diner she's surprised by how quiet it is. It would usually be a struggle to find a seat at this time of the morning, but today there's only a few people that Regina doesn't even recognize. Nobody important, she assumes.
Regina slides onto one of the stools at the counter, where she always sits when Emma isn't with her; the booths being Emma's favoured place to sit. She waits for Granny to finish with a customer and surprises herself by looking around for Ruby. The young woman is officially under her skin and, although Regina won't admit it to anyone, she's disappointed that Ruby isn't here.
"You should buy shares of this old place," Granny jokes as way of acknowledgment of Regina's presence. Regina allows herself to chuckle at the comment. She had grown to respect the old woman in the last four years. Granny is tough, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Not even Regina.
"I already have a hard enough time keeping Emma away from your grilled cheeses," Regina states, smirking.
"Good point." Granny shakes her head in amusement. "Coffee to go?"
"Hmm," Regina nods. "And a slice of strawberry cheesecake, a little treat for Emma," she says.
"Coming right up."
Regina smiles at the old lady, waiting patiently for her order. She wonders how Granny and the others would feel if they knew the truth. Regina, as much as she hates to admit it to herself, actually enjoys being treated differently by her former enemies. There's even a couple that she actually cares about, but she can't imagine how different things would be if they ever found out. It's a thought that never truly leaves the back of her mind.
Regina doubts she would actually care about these things if it weren't for Emma. It had been because of her little love that Regina even bothered interacting with the people in Storybrooke in the first place. Emma would talk the ears off of any person she recognised whilst out with Regina. A little social butterfly already.
"Yes, she's right here." Regina is drawn out of her thoughts by Granny's voice, and she looks up just as Granny hands her the telephone. "It's Miss Blanchard." Regina frowns, not understanding what could be so important to interrupt her early lunch break, but she takes the phone anyway.
"Yes, Miss Blanchard?" Regina narrows her eyes at Mary Margaret's panicked tone, struggling to understand what she's actually saying. It takes an agonising moment, but Mary Margaret finally begins to make sense.
Regina's blood runs cold, her heart slamming wildly against her rib cage. Only a few words were required.
Emma...hurt...hospital.