An update! And in the same month! I'd say I'm doing good with this one. Lol (ignore me)

Okay so, I meant to mention it earlier, but this story will feature little Emma and little Lily. If that's not your thing, I'm sorry. But if it is I really hope you like what I'm doing here.

This chapter sets up the next one and I'm so excited to write that one you guys don't even know.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Enjoy :)

Chapter 3

Regina sat at the front counter of her shop, the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder. She was trying to work out the details for a wedding she would be supplying the flowers for, but everything the bride was telling Regina she wanted, the mother disagreed with. They had been on the phone for over an hour and Regina's head hurt. She hadn't even noticed the sun beginning to set outside until the breeze from the door being opened caught her attention.

She looked up to see Ruby's grandmother, known to everyone in town as Granny, held the door open. Regina nodded her head at the older woman and pointed at the phone with an eyeroll. Granny silently nodded her understanding and winked with a finger over her lips before stepping fully into the shop. The sound of little feet running across the concrete floor instantly lightened her mood and when a wild head of blonde curls popped around the counter Regina couldn't help the smile that instantly lit up her face. Regina hadn't realized how much she'd missed her little girl until she was right in front of her.

The little girl stopped short when she saw her mother was on the phone and giggled when Regina spit her tongue out at her.

Regina focused back on her phone call and realized the bride and her mother were now arguing with each other and Regina had had enough. Now that Emma was there all she wanted to do was go home with her daughter.

"I hate to interrupt, but it sounds to me like you have a few things to discuss without me," she said as politely as she could. "Why don't you give me a call on tomorrow whenever you have time and we can finish up the order then." The girl on the phone seemed grateful for Regina's understanding and promised she would call when her mother wasn't around.

As soon as the phone was back on the counter Emma leaped into her mother's lap and wrapped her arms tightly around her. Regina held her little girl close and planted a kiss on top of her head. The brunette looked over at Granny who had been silently watching the pair.

"How was she today?" she asked. Usually Emma behaved herself, but she had her days where she could be a handful.

"She was a little angel believe it or not," Granny answered with a fond smile. "We were even able to get out to the park after lunch."

"Mommy I made a friend!" Emma exclaimed happily, pulling away from Regina so she could see her face.

"You did?"

Emma nodded her head excitedly, "We're bestest friends now," she told Regina seriously.

"The two were inseparable the entire time we were there," Granny supplied. "Thought I'd have to bring home an extra youngster."

Regina raised her eyebrow at that. Emma was usually pretty shy when it came to other kids and it took more than one trip to the park for her to warm up to someone. It was surprising to say the least.

"Thank you for taking her today," Regina said looking over to Granny after Emma wiggled her way out of her lap and ran off to the back room. The preschool had been closed because of a burst pipe and her usual babysitter, Belle, had class all day. Granny had offered to keep Emma with her at the diner/B&B and Regina had happily taken her up on it.

"It was no problem. Like I've told you a thousand times, girl, I'm glad to take her whenever you need an extra hand," Granny assured her. "I will see the both of you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Regina said with a smile and Granny turned for the door with a wink.

Regina made a few notes on the order she'd been taking before standing from her seat. When she entered the back room she had to laugh at the sight she found. Emma was standing on a chair next to Jefferson who had been putting together several arrangements for their morning deliveries. The four year old was directing Jefferson where to put each flower with a hand on her hip. She was every bit Regina's daughter.

"Emma, are you ready to go?"

"One minute Mommy, Jeff'son needs my help," she said not even turning around. Regina laughed and watched the pair finish putting the flowers in their places.

"Thank you miss Emma," Jefferson said helping Emma down from the chair, ruffling her blonde curls. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He picked up a forget-me-not and stuck it in her hair.

Emma smiled up at him and hugged Jefferson before running over to Regina.

"Let's go Mommy," she said taking Regina's hand and began pulling her toward the door.

"Jefferson, can you close up for me tonight?"

"Go home, Regina," Jefferson said rolling his eyes and shooing her out of the room. "I've got everything under control."

Regina grabbed her bag and jacket before Emma pulled her completely out the door. She looked around the store to make sure she wasn't leaving too much for Jefferson to do alone, but knew he could handle everything, regardless.

Once they were out of the store Regina scooped the little girl up and sat her on her hip. Emma giggled full and loud and Regina's heart swelled at the sound. She started for her car parked in a lot down the street, but was stopped by Emma wiggling excitedly in her arms.

"Mommy, stop!" Emma whined, slapping her hand on Regina's back.

"What is it?" Regina questioned, turning around to see what all the fuss was about.

"My bestest friend!" the four year old squealed, pointing down the street.

Regina followed the girl's finger and saw another little girl coming out of Mal's shop followed by the woman herself. The little girl caught sight of Regina and Emma and her face lit up.

"Emma!" she yelled and took off down the sidewalk toward them.

Regina reacted in an instant when she saw the girl step onto the street. She quickly set Emma down and ran out to meet the girl halfway. Thankfully there weren't any cars coming and she was able to scoop the girl up and carry her the rest of the way across the street. She set her down

next to Emma and breathed out a relieved sigh.

"Lily," Mal called as she ran up to them, out of breath with a hand over her heart. "You know better than to run from me like that," she scolded.

"Sorry Momma," the girl, Lily, said looking down at her feet. "Emma is my friend!"

As if to prove her point, Lily threw her arms around Emma and the two children shared a bear hug. It was undeniably adorable.

"I can see that," Mal said, all anger gone from her voice as she watched her daughter and what appeared to be Regina's daughter take each other's hands and start a conversation she had no idea how to follow.

"They're adorable," Regina commented quietly. She stood beside Mal, watching the girls with a small smile. Her Emma didn't take to other kids this easily, but here she was acting as if she'd known Lily her entire life.

"They are, aren't they," Mal agreed, taking an obvious step away from Regina. "Although I could have done without Lily running into the street. Thank you, by the way."

Regina didn't say anything, only nodded her head. She'd acted on instinct and she was sure Mal would have done the same had their positions been reversed.

An awkward silence stretched between the woman. They hadn't seen each other in the two weeks since Mal came into Regina's shop and that wasn't by accident. A lot of memories and feelings had resurfaced for both woman that they didn't know how to deal with. They'd avoided each other as best they could, but it seemed like that would be coming to an end. All because of the little girls in front of them.

"Momma, I wanna play with Emma," Lily said, turning to look up at her mother while keeping Emma's hand grasped in hers.

"Oh Lily, I think Emma's mom wants to go home and we have to get going as well."

"Mommy?" Emma questioned in a soft voice, looking up at Regina with a pouty lip and big green eyes. It took all Regina's will power not to give in to the puppy dog look, but she stayed strong.

"Not tonight, Em." Regina said shaking her head.

Two little lips trembled at the prospect of having to be apart and tears started to fall.

It was clear Regina didn't know what to say so Mal stepped in.

"You guys can't play tonight," she said and Lily sniffled while Emma rubbed at her eyes with her balled up fists. "But maybe tomorrow we could all go to the park and play then. How does that sound?"

Emma and Lily exchanged a look as if weighing their options before Lily spoke. "Okay, Momma. Pwomise?" she asked holding out her pinky to her mother.

"Promise," Mal assured her, hooking their pinkies together and shaking. "Time to go."

"So, uh, I'll meet you at the park tomorrow then," Regina said, taking Emma's hand once again. "I usually close the shop by five. We could go after that."

"Works for me," Mal said, forcing a pleasant smile. "I have a few appointments, but I should be finished by then."

"Great, maybe we could even grab dinner or something afterwards," Regina suggested hopefully.

"We'll see," Mal said, her smile faltering for a moment before she picked Lily up and started walking back toward her shop.

"Bye Lily!" Emma called to the little brunette.

"Bye Emma!" Lily yelled back, waving over Mal's shoulder.

X

The next day, Regina did her best to go about her usual routine, but she couldn't shake her nervousness at seeing Mal outside a professional setting. She did her best to tamp those feelings down and go about her day, but it was no use. Her face, set in a grimace from the moment she got there, gave her away and Kathryn took notice. The other woman didn't say anything until they took a short break for lunch.

"You're being weird? Why?" Kathryn asked as they sat in the office, take out boxes from Granny's on the desk between them.

"I'm fine."

"Lies."

"Fine. I'm going to see Mal today," Regina mumbled, nibbling at a bite of her salad.

"Really?" Kathryn was intrigued. Ever since this woman had showed up, Regina had been acting strange, she wanted to know why. "Like on a date?"

"That's the last thing she'd want to do, with me especially," Regina said with a humorless chuckle. "Our daughters are best friends now apparently, so we're taking them to the park."

"I see. Why are you so nervous?"

"I don't know," the brunette admitted throwing her fork down and running her hand down her face. "Whenever I'm around her it reminds me how badly I screwed things up. It reminds me how much she hates me."

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You won't feel better if you keep everything all bottled up," Kathryn advised. "It sounds like you two need to talk. Get everything out in the open and stop avoiding each other."

"We can't even be in the same room together, when exactly are we supposed to talk?"

"Figure it out. You're both adults. If your girls are gonna be friends you're not going to have to be in the same room together whether you like it or not."

"You're right." Regina grumbled.

"I always am," Kathryn said with a smirk. "Who knows, maybe you guys will fall in love again and live happily ever after."

"You're ridiculous," Regina said with an eyeroll. She couldn't deny the idea of being with Mal again was appealing, but it wasn't even the realm of possibility after the way they'd parted all those years ago. "But you give good advice."

"I try."

X

Mal wasn't any better off than Regina. She'd spent the entire day closed up in her work space. She got through all her appointments in record time and took care of all the walk ins. It was unusual to say the least and Ursula and Vic took notice. They didn't say anything at first, but after Mal spent four hours straight with clients they decided to say something.

"Okay, what's going on?" Ursula questioned, stepping in to Mal's private room with Vic right behind her.

"What are you talking about?" Mal deflected, turning her back on the two women to flip through a sketch book.

"You, darling." Vic said bluntly. "You've locked yourself back here all day. Why is that?"

Mal didn't answer hoping that if she ignored them, they would leave.

No such luck.

"You can ignore us all you want, but we're not going anywhere until you talk." Ursula said and leaned back against the door while Vic made herself comfortable in the chair in the middle of the room.

"I'd talk I were you. Make it easier for all of us." Vic added.

"Fine," Mal groaned and rolled her eyes. "I'm taking Lily to the park later with Regina and her daughter."

Understanding dawned on both women and they shared a concerned look. They knew all about what had happened when Mal and Regina broke up, having known Mal long before she met Regina. To put it lightly, it hadn't been pretty.

"Why on earth would you do that darling?"

"Because Lily has gotten attached to this girl and I am not a horrible person."

"Fair enough."

"Just because your kids are friends doesn't mean you have to be friends with Regina. Hell, you don't even have to talk to her." Ursula suggested.

"And look like a complete ass? I don't think so." Mal spat. "Things are awkward enough."

"I think the best thing you can do is to try to work out your issues in order to get along. For the girls' benefit of course." Vic said and Mal and Ursula stared at her as if she'd grown a second head. "What?"

"That just might work." Ursula commented, sounding impressed with her wife.

"Well don't sound so surprised, love. I can occasionally come up with good ideas." Vic said defensively.

"You're forgetting one thing," Mal spoke up. "I don't want to talk to her."

"You can't just bottle up your feelings," Ursula told her. "You need to at least be able to be in the same room without yelling at each other. If you two hate each other the girls are eventually gonna pick up on it."

"I know," Mal admitted. She didn't know about Regina's daughter but her Lily was very intuitive. She'd asked last night why Mal didn't like Emma's mommy and Mal hadn't been able to answer. "It's just a lot to deal with."

"But if you actually deal with it instead of avoid your problems, you'll feel much better. I promise."

Mal was silent for a moment. She knew they were right and in theory their ideas were brilliant. In practice however, that's when the yelling started and feelings were hurt. But sooner or later she would have to face Regina and the pain she'd caused and it was looking like it would be sooner rather than later.

"You two are right," Mal finally conceded. "When did you get so smart?"

"Give us a little credit," Ursula said pushing off the wall and moving to help Vic out of the chair. "We have been married for over ten years."

"That you have," Mal muttered as they left her alone in the room. Her stomach was already in knots and she still had a few hours before she and Lily were supposed to meet Regina and Emma.

She could already tell it was going to be a long night.

What do you all think?

(My favorite part of this chapter was Ursula and Cruella talking to Mal, that was too fun to write)

Let me know what you think. More to come :)