Thanks again for all the reviews! It's awesome knowing you love it! Because I have nothing to do during the day, I've written this quickly and figured I would go ahead and post this tonight. I would just like to take a moment to point out that in the last chapter I said that James and Snow had known Emma was their daughter for a little under a year? I actually meant a little over a year but didn't type it that way obviously. So switch your mindset to a little over a year. The timing in this will make more sense.
She watched the rain outside the window by her table at Granny's. It was pouring but you would occasionally see someone walk out with an umbrella. What they had to do was apparently important enough to brave the torrential downpour.
Emma felt cold, wearing only shorts and a wet shirt in the air conditioned diner. She had reached Granny's right before the rain got too bad. She had jogged when it was light but didn't think she was up for the waterfall. She went into Granny's hoping to wait out the rain but didn't expect it to take this long. The mug in front of her was empty and her leg under the table bobbed repetitively.
"Do you want me to refill that Em?" Ruby watched Emma as she jumped, having startled her.
"Yeah Rubes that would be great," she replied. The goose bumps on her arms and legs were gigantic.
"You're shivering. Do you want me to get one of my jackets from the back?" Ruby was concerned. Emma looked like death. She would bet the blonde hadn't slept in days and still hadn't quite recovered from being sick. Emma nodded and she headed into the back, returning with the warmest jacket she had and a nice, steaming cup of cocoa.
"Thanks." Emma smiled, slipping Ruby's jacket on.
Wrapping her hands around the warm mug, she had an odd feeling she was about to go through another memory. Sighing, she stared at the chocolate liquid in front of her, preparing her heart for more torture.
It was March and she was sitting in this very booth when Regina walked in and headed for the bar. Emma listened as the brunette ordered a coffee and her usual breakfast, an egg white omelet with a side of fruit. Taking a table across the room, she sat and opened a book. It was Saturday and it was something she loved to do when Henry had a therapy session. Emma had started coming on Saturday's just to watch the former mayor and today, something good was going to happen.
Hopefully.
Looking down at her mug of cocoa, she smirked, hearing Ruby walk to Regina's table and place a giant vase of red roses down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Regina blush and smell the flowers.
Emma and Regina had hated each other so much that they liked each other, were physically attracted to each other. They had been sending each other messages since Regina had saved them at the well, three months earlier. Emails, texts, letters, were constantly being sent. It was all a secret, even to Henry, but Emma was ready to take it to the next level.
"Who are these from, Ruby?" Regina asked, curious.
Ruby winked, "Secret admirer I suppose. They were delivered here about 20 minutes ago. I think there's a card." Emma had sent the flowers through the floral shop so no one would know they were from her. Well no one but the flower guy. Still watching, she saw Ruby walk off and Regina look for the card. It was stuck between a couple of the roses in the middle. Excitement filled Regina as she read the card, seeing Emma's handwriting.
First date tomorrow at 7?
Nod yes, cough no.
E
Emma continued watching out of the corner of her eye, knowing Regina had read it. It seemed like hours before the nod came. Smiling, she drank the rest of her cocoa and left a tip for Ruby. She walked confidently toward the door and just before she exited, she turned her head and smiled at Regina, who had been trying to secretly stare at her as she left.
Emma grinned all the way to her bug. She was in such a good mood.
We're going on a date.
Emma needed to run. She didn't care if it was pouring outside. She had to get this off of her brain. Standing, she left a tip and looked around for Ruby, hoping to give her back the jacket. Seeing the girl busy, she placed the jacket on the table and left. Standing under the awning for a few seconds, she decided the rest of her route.
She headed out into the rain, jogging slowly at first but rapidly getting faster. As she began to run full speed she thought about what had caused this whole debacle in the first place.
Cora had stayed in Storybrooke after she had been defeated by her own daughter. She finally admitted that Regina was better than her and promised to try to give up her magic. Regina had used magic in the battle but quickly stopped using afterward, knowing if she continued, Henry would be furious. She told Emma afterward that she also really didn't want to screw up what she and Emma had. They had finally become public and she was really happy.
Cora mostly gave up her magic, using it only very lightly on minor things like baking or cleaning, and even playing innocent pranks on people. Nothing too bad. Emma and Henry watched as Regina and Cora got a little closer. It wasn't anything like the relationship Emma had with Snow or Henry had with Regina and Emma, but it was something.
It was always the hardest when Cora would go back to psychotic bitch mode and give Regina a whole bunch of shit about trying to kill her and everything else that had happened in the past. It would hurt Regina and Emma was the one who always held her together, being furious with Cora. One time, she and Cora had almost gotten into a fist fight over Regina, just like she and Regina had over Graham. Mostly, they all got along and things went smoothly.
They found Cora lying face down in the grass one afternoon, only a month and a half ago. Regina shook her mother until Emma was sure the old woman's head would pop off, but Cora never woke up. Dr. Whale told them Cora had had an aneurysm and it was so bad, he was surprised Cora had lasted as long as she had.
Regina cried for a couple nights.
One night they were sitting on their bed, watching some Nicholas Sparks movie that Regina loved. Tears streamed from Regina's eyes when she turned to Emma.
"I hate that I'm reacting like this Em. She did such awful things to me. But she was my mother and there still is that bond. I loved her. It was actually getting to be nice, having her around."
Emma didn't quite understand, knowing the horrible things Cora had put Regina through. But it wasn't her job to understand. It was her job to take care of Regina in such a terrible time.
Emma wrapped Regina in her arms, holding her as her girlfriend cried herself to sleep.
After the small funeral, Regina had become so angry. She never said anything that made Emma think she was angry because of Cora's death. She said things about people and everything they did wrong. She picked at people and was rude to almost everyone. Archie had told Emma that it was just one of the stages of mourning and eventually she would get past it.
So Emma had hoped for that. She hoped for it while Regina cut her up into pieces and she hoped for it even now.
She was running by the cemetery when she decided to stop under the town's largest willow tree. Her memories were hitting her like lightening. She remembered their first date and the night after they won the battle and how they secretly met in the back room of Granny's, making out just like teenagers. She officially moved in with Regina in June, three months after they went public. They declared their love a month later. They threw a back to school party for the whole town at the public swimming pool in August.
She remembered the get-away trip they had taken to Manhattan in October. Having Christmas as a family and attempting to make cupcakes for Henry's school Valentine's party while he slept, which ended up with Emma licking icing off of Regina's body. The spring break trip she and Regina took with Henry, James, and Snow. She and Regina had gotten caught in the hotel's pool at three am on that trip. The giant May Day festival Storybrooke had. The Ferris wheel had stopped while they were at the very top and they sat there for 45 minutes, talking about their future plans.
Then Cora's death happened and they began fighting about everything. They fought about dinner. They fought about Emma's bug. They fought about Emma's parents. And then they fought about the laundry and Regina kicked her out.
She was weeping, just like the willow above her. She was drenched head to toe, her shoes having that slimy feeling they get when they are soaked through. She stood, about to start running again, when she noticed the Mills family mausoleum. The door was slightly ajar.
Maybe Regina is in there.
She ran towards it, her heart beating with excitement. She squeezed through the door looking around.
"Regina?"
Regina's father's concrete coffin was there and now, so was Cora's. Emma looked around the small room, hoping Regina might be hiding behind the coffin but she wasn't there. She sagged against the wall having been so excited at the thought that Regina could be in this small room, clinging to her parents' coffins. But she was wrong. Regina had left Storybrooke and was probably never coming back.
She sat there for an hour, crying, calling out Regina's name, thinking about all the things she could've done differently. If she hadn't been sick, she would've been able to go to Regina and try to fix things. She could've grabbed Regina and shook her, making the woman realize she was pushing everyone she loved away. Hell, she could've tried to seduce her, thinking sex may have changed Regina's mind. But that damn flu had come and put her flat on her back for whole week.
She finally stopped crying, exhausted.
Maybe one more dream or memory wouldn't be so bad
She let her eyes drift closed.
Emma opened her eyes and noticed Regina was asleep, probably still worn out from their night in the pool. Emma smirked. It had been the most wonderful night, even after they got caught by the night manager.
Emma sat for a moment, listening to the ocean just outside their balcony. The balcony doors were open and the beautiful smell of salt water and sky came drifting into the room. It was wonderful. Their trip to Hilton Headwas wonderful. Life was wonderful.
The clock read 10:30 a.m. so Emma slipped out of the bed as quietly as possible. She slipped on some clothes and headed out the door to Snow and James' room a couple doors down. Henry had stayed in their room last night when Emma and Regina had asked for possible alone time.
She knocked three times, waiting for the door to open. When it did, Snow was smiling.
"Did you have a good night, Emma?"
Emma chuckled, "Yes, Mom. I did. Can I come in?"
Snow opened the door the rest of the way and Emma walked in. Henry and James sat on one of the beds, playing a video game on the flat screen TV. They were so enthralled, yelling at the TV and punching each other when one did something wrong, they hardly noticed Emma come in.
"You guys are on beach vacation and you're sitting inside playing video games?" she asked, smiling.
"Actually Em, Henry and James already went parasailing. Henry woke us up and asked to go," replied Snow. "I took a lot of pictures!"
"I wanted to go parasailing!" Emma was a little hurt that they had gone without her.
"You snooze, you lose," This came from Henry. The game had been paused and both of the boys were staring at her.
"Hey Henry, do you want to go on a walk with me?" Emma had something planned and wanted Henry with her.
"Sure mom. What's up?" Henry stood, putting on his flip flops.
"I'll tell you later," She said turning to Snow. "You two go have fun or whatever and if you see Regina, tell her Henry and I went out to run some errands." Snow nodded and Emma headed out the door with Henry behind her.
They walked down the hall and got in the elevator in silence. When they reached the bottom floor and headed out into the town, Henry finally asked,
"What are we doing?"
"We're going shopping."
"Ugh, really mom? I know you hate shopping just as much as I do." He made a disgusted face.
"Not this kind of shopping," she replied, smirking when she saw question mark on Henry's face.
Further on down the road, they stopped at a smoothie place and ordered something to go. Henry wasn't really allowed to have sugar in the morning but Emma didn't care. She was too happy to worry what Regina would say. Besides, it was almost eleven. They picked up their smoothies at the end counter, strawberry for Emma and pineapple for Henry, and then continued on down the road.
"I still can't believe you went parasailing without me." She actually was kind of bummed about that, but maybe it was better they went without her and Regina. Regina probably would've shit her pants seeing her baby boy way up high in the air, only a thin parachute keeping him up.
"Don't change the subject. What are we shopping for?" He stopped and crossed his arms, refusing to go anywhere until she told him what they were doing.
"Well kid… we're going ring shopping."
"Why would we go ring…Ohhh," his eyes got huge. "Really?" The smile on his face was infectious. Emma smiled and they looked so much alike.
"Yeah, really." She turned and walked further, knowing Henry would follow. "We do have to do some other shopping so we have something to hide the ring in but that will be quick and totally worth it. You could probably pick out a necklace for her too. She would love that."
Henry nodded, practically bouncing at this point.
"I can't believe this is finally happening! We're officially going to be a family! Hey, wait," he said stopping. When Emma turned to face him, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight.
"I love you, mom." He said. When he pulled away, that infectious smile was there again.
"I love you too, kid." Again, her smile mirrored his. She giggled as he grabbed her hand and they goofily skipped into the jewelry shop.
Emma opened her eyes, finding herself back in the mausoleum. She had planned on purposing on the Fourth, only a couple weeks away. It had been almost a year since those three little words were said and Emma figured what better way to celebrate it. Henry was the only one who knew and had actually helped her with all the little details. She knew that that was another reason he was so broken down now.
She felt nothing. She couldn't cry anymore and she was sure her heart was gone for good. Regina had left and it was time she faced the facts. Her plan was never going to be put into action. She wondered if she should pawn the ring. Or she could keep it to remind her not to ever fall in love again.
She stood, telling herself she would figure it out later. Stretching her legs, she walked out through the door, shutting it behind her.
The rain was at a more even pace now. It wasn't like a bucket was pouring down on her. She looked at the watch she wore when she ran. She had been in the mausoleum for two hours. It was almost three and she would need to pick up Henry from school. She turned the direction of her parents' house and began jogging. She was at the willow when she heard a voice calling to her.
"Emma!"
Please let me know what you thought :) I promise you won't have to wait too much longer. Sidenote: The little memories Emma remembers under the tree? Those will probably be written out as well. Keep your eyes peeled :)
