My Baby's Mama
Falling Pieces

"Hi! You must be Regina." Doctor Hopper seemed rather young, but he had clearly been around for a long time if he had been able to help Maleficent. She narrowed her eyes as she cautiously took the offered hand. He didn't seem offended at her reluctance. "Not the first person I encounter with magical aversion, though I assure you, the reason for my current state lies in my level of consciousness. 'As long as I remain true to the path set before me, I shall live and be fit for the task ahead.'"

"So you were blessed by a fairy," she summarized, still wary. "Kathryn sends her regards . . . and one dalmatian."

"Oh, is this Pongo?" He asked with interest, taking the leash and motioning for her to take a seat. "Hey there! Yes, I'll be the one taking care of you. So you met two of my former patients have you?! No, I'm sure you understand how kind those ladies are. I assure you, Maleficent would never eat a pet. Even if she was starving, and found a nice and plump cow, if it turns out to be someone's pet, she wouldn't eat it."

Regina reserved her thoughts, but felt that the man was genuine in his concern and care for everyone else. She could tell he included bugs in his list of 'everyone'. Yet Regina couldn't help but wonder, what made his situation more dire or in more need of a fairy than her own? Once the man and dog bonded, the leash was taken off and the dalmatian went to a doggy bed that was already in the room.

"How long have you wanted your own a dog?" She asked, curious.

"I've always wanted a dalmatian actually," he confessed, patting the dog's head and then offering a bone for him to chew on. "But I don't have time for puppies, so I ask friends and patients to keep an eye out. They're all named Pongo; no surprise there I guess."

He laughed, clearly expecting her to join, but he only succeeded in making her a tad more uncomfortable. He smiled at her, showing that it was okay, and she relaxed a bit. They talked a bit more, exchanging facts of life; apparently, he was well over a century. It would seem he reached a state of clarity when he was thirty and, ever since, remained on his path. In return, she told him about her company, smiling fondly at her success.

"It makes sense," he stated, taking his glasses off and cleaning them before continuing. "Tell me, why are you so adverse to magic?"

"According to Maleficent, I posses magic," she answered dryly. "Why do you suggest I am adverse to it?"

"Because children with magical gifts tend to develop those instead of focusing on machines and codes." His simple answer made her frown. "That's why it makes sense, you choosing technology over magic. It states to a deeply rooted mistrust of magic.

"Which also makes me wonder, how did you manage to befriend one of the creatures which embodies all that signifies magic?"

". . ." she looked at him with loss. "So, which do you want me to answer first?"

"The question you feel more comfortable answering," his response was even more surprising. "You avoided the first one, so I figured another would be easier."

"Well, Maleficent found me roaming around campus. Seems like sometimes her magic enters in conflict with the technology, so she was often in search for people with superb skills with it to help her out." She remained silent for a while, then sighed and decided to just tell him about her mother; the faster it's done the less it should hurt, right? "She had been interested in me since I arrived at Seattle, because she could perceive the magic within me. A week later, I was hired and before I knew it, I was helping her in her daily life as well as work.

"One night, returning home from staying late on a project in the library, my mother appeared. It was about two weeks since I had moved, a week since beginning some sort of domestic life with Mal and Lily." She crossed her legs and leaned back, both arms covering her abdomen and she frowned at the recollection. "My mother is the reason why I dislike magic. Her specialty lies in taking people's heart; she often took mine in order to manipulate me into doing as she pleased."

"That kind of abuse can be hard to deal with," he began with concern. "I can't imagine it was easy, seeing her again, especially with how accustomed you seemed to have become to the domestic routine with your boss, and so quickly too."

"When she appeared, all I felt was dread and helplessness because, well, the control she has over me is possible because of the blood we share," her breathing began speeding up. "I felt as if the destiny she had planned for me, was something inevitable and that I was doomed to live as a ghost and a shadow of what I could become.

"Maleficent was close by, giving my mother pause; this was a dragon, creatures that cannot be subdued by will or magic alone." She tried to swallow, and when he offered her a glass of water, she took it gratefully and drank until her throat felt better and she could continue. "In that brief instance, Mal turned to me, said a few words as she passed a hand over my front torso, then dared my mother to take my heart . . . ."

"Do you remember the exact words?"

She shifted in her place uncomfortably. Did she know them? She couldn't recall the time in which she had wanted to know . . . . For some reason, a sudden urge to know if she could remember them almost overwhelmed her, and so she stared at her hands, not quite sure why though. Why stare at her own hands?

"Burning flames, protect that which is yours, never allow a hand to touch your heart, and burn it without pause." The words caught her by surprise. Had she always known them? She truly, couldn't remember . . . . When she snapped back to reality, she was quite surprised to find flames dancing on the tip of her fingers, another in the center of her palms, stretching to caress her face as though they were old friends. "How — how do I put them out?!"

But the question itself made them subside to the point of disappearing from her. She breathed a sigh of relief. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Have you ever attempted magic?"

"No."

"Why? You clearly have a gift . . . ."

"The only way my mother can control a heart, is when they have a degree of darkness within them," she began tartly. "It is clear this is because she has mastered her own darkness within and thus, control others.

"It's also why she poisons those she cannot control." She was now trembling lightly, searching for warmth. "This can only mean that there's darkness in me, and I cannot give in to such control. I don't want to become my mother."

"And your mother is magic, meaning magic will turn you into her." He concluded.

But she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to leave, to escape everything and live her life. He understood, and that made her feel even more vulnerable and weak. She needed a game that wouldn't require much and be able to draw her away. DeVil was ideal for her purposes. So, saying bye, she left, feeling relief course through her as she stepped onto the sidewalk and the cold air bit her skin.

Regina felt alive. She was her own person, was successful, was amazing and she had done so herself. She was a powerful woman and she had shown her own mother that she was the owner of her destiny. And right then, more than ever, she could have anything.

That meant, that if she couldn't have a child herself, she would get a surrogate mother to help her achieve her goal. A womb for rent, and she really felt offended by the atrocious propaganda, but it did sum up everything . . . . It didn't make it any easier to swallow though. She would ask Kathryn about it.

It was fortunate that Dr. Hoppers' office was close to her own. Much like Maleficent, her housing arrangements were at the top floor of her company's building. If she wanted to work, she could. If she wanted to take a day off, it wasn't such a big deal and if there was ever an emergency at work, well . . . she could handle it quickly without any of the traffic or other obstacles that could surface from such emergencies, making her delayed.

With a sigh, she looked up. The skies let her know the day wasn't going to be what she had wanted; it would be one hell of a day, in the worst way possible.


Emma's day was hell.

After David dropped her off Neal managed to convince her into going down the Rabbit Hole, the dingy old bar that he had managed to open without it collapsing on itself. It was his way of showing his father he could handle a business. What made it so popular, unlike his other enterprises? For one, there were the small fires all around, giving it a warm and cozy glow and heat; they were packed with weed, making people high and drunk and hungry. Meaning patrons burned through their cash like the fires through the weed and, to top it all off, it also rented rooms for people to crash in. There was an added bonus to being a customer: if someone crashed around the bar, they were later taken to a room and charged with rent.

In that sense, it was no surprise that his shady business hadn't collapsed. There were drinks only and smoke only zones, but the 'on the house' entries were always spiked a bit, as to give people the munchies. Being taken there meant she had to pay for nothing and enjoy it.

And after all the memories . . . she wanted to forget.

The problem was she never fully forgot, and the hangover was massive.

"Emma, we need to talk!" Leopold was banging on the door of her room; unknown to him, she had August make a sturdy bolt. "Emma!"

There was something about August and wood, and it went beyond him having Geppetto's blood. It was unique in the way wood reacted to him that was magical and it protected her room against magic. It also answered to her because, well, she had some magic, not that she knew how she came to have it or how to get access to it, but she didn't need a key to work the bolt.

"EMMA!" The doorknob rattled but the door itself wasn't shaking. Wood and August, the magic made the insane amount of cash worth it. "EMMA! Open up this door immediately!"

"Go to hell!" She snarled. "You're not my father!"

"Are you disowning me?!" The very idea was outrageous.

"I was never your fucking property!" She snarled back viciously.

"I want you out of my house!" He demanded, scowling at the snort followed by howling laughter. "I taught you better —"

"You didn't!" She retorted, mockery evident and still laughing. "I met you when I was sixteen, you didn't teach me anything at all! And this isn't your house, this is Mary Margaret's. You bought it for her, remember?

"I was given full tuition with room and board and food," she stood, her anger on an all new level that made her forget her headache. "She got the tuition and food, weekly allowances to eat anywhere if she didn't want to go to the cafeteria and this fancy flat for which she doesn't have to pay rent or even worry about services, since that's on your accounts too!

"And she doesn't expect me to play perfect Mary Margaret like you do, you casted me away even if you knew who I was all along!"

"That's not true —" he tried to explain but, she knew. It was her turn to pound at the door, feeling the need to punch a hole in a wall.

"I asked one of the nurses to tell me why, every time I went to the hospital to heal some bruise or wound or cut, be they done because of an abusive house or abusive and toxic environment at a foster home, they would always take a swab to my mouth and withdraw some blood." She was winding down, feeling exhausted. "Of course, that was after taking a nearby scalpel and cutting a vein and refusing treatment until someone answered. Even after all the blood loss, they couldn't get near me! When she explained it was to ensure I was still healthy and without sexual diseases and to compare tests to make sure DNA didn't lie!"

She didn't listen to a door opening and closing. M&M forced her father to leave. She could see how upsetting it was for Emma to have him there and she truly cared for her sister. She didn't think she could care more if she had truly given birth to the blonde. By then, she was close to tears.

"You knew who I was and it was only because Snow needed to forget her mother's death that you finally sought me out!" Why couldn't she have been good enough to have a family? "Why was I never enough?!"

That time, she punched the door and went back to her bed, sobbing, with a throbbing head and fist. She would never be good enough. Her door opened, because she could never make it remain closed when it knew she was in pain. August and his in-tune ways with wood.

But Mary Margaret didn't say anything, just sat down besides her, rubbing her back. Her tears subsided a bit, some strays still running down the path of her cheek. The dark-haired one had brought a glass of water and something for the hangover. Emma took the water, drank it, then swallowed the medicine dry. Or would have, if her companion hadn't brought two glasses. She almost choked on it. Only once the two glasses were on the night table, did M&M laid down besides her, placing a comforting hand on the blonde's back.

"Come here," and Emma could almost hate herself for doing as asked, but the comfort and warmth made the hate subside. It was swiftly replaced by sadness and pain. Once again, she began to cry. Apparently, she still had enough water, or maybe it was because she had rehydrated. "You're good enough, ok? You're allowed to stay here and enjoy mine and Charming's company because we both love you."

"I was a problematic child."

"And you'd think David would let all that energy go to waste?" She asked, incredulous. "We would have gotten you those glasses sooner, even get you special goggles and you'd been an incredible jock!

"The best part, we would have enabled your kind-hearted ways and you'd have been good to others," and the rest of the words, fell on deaf ears.

It was true, she had needed glasses all her life, so even with her superb coordination, she would often miss the target. Only when Leopold had taken her in that she became a jock, and when she met old bullies on her way to championships, she would often be involved in a fight and finally show them just how capable she had always been. Emma had always been a capable close-range fighter but, with her sight improved, she was a natural at everything.

But she had had to have all those experiences to be able to see life the way she did. A person who didn't care what kind of issues someone came to her with, someone who disliked bullies. Even though Snow had, clearly, the best of intentions, something in Emma told her the truth: I would have been the worst kind of bully. The knowledge hit her hard and she realized something; she had to get away.

It was a sad truth, but the truth nonetheless. All her experiences had formed her, and she would have been someone else entirely had she not lived them. She shuddered at the thought of what she would have become, had she lived under Leopold's roof. The lights began to flicker, but that was a common occurrence whenever she was upset.

"What has you so worked up?" She relaxed, not wishing to upset the brunette any further. "David told me you spoke to him, but not of what you spoke off."

Ah! Well, the change of subject was for her own benefit, and maybe changing the tune entirely would enable her to think things more thoroughly. So, with that in mind, she began her epic escape tale, including the state in which her neighbors found her bleeding in their backyard. By the time she was done, she realized that the woman holding her was shaking, trembling, and she became worried.

"Mary Margaret, are you —"

"No, I'm not alright Emma," a blonde eyebrow jumped in surprise at the tone and how their embrace was tightened. "To think you didn't have to endure it; you didn't have to go through all that! I —" was M&M choking?! "I would give up everything if it meant your safety —"

"How would that have helped me?!" She was scandalized by the prospect. "You giving up everything wouldn't have solved anything, it would have made things harder!

"Really, I can picture it, I would have had to burst in on the next room, have to kick the man in his — privates and then drag you out through the window!" Imagining it, she snorted. "Really, by the time some neighbor found us, I bet I wouldn't be able to use my feet and I likely would have shredded the nerve endings or some shit like that."

A gasp, followed by a snort, and then laughter. She stared at her best friend with wide eyes and found out that it stung, and that she loved the woman — who was a year older — like a mother. She, Emma Swan, had her perfectly erected and well-maintained walls, crumbled down to pieces by the care and tenderness of the brunette before her. I am an irreparable stupid excuse of a human, and I can't even curse myself in my mind because she wouldn't like it. Ugh, how much of a sucker can I be? I don't even like her as a possible, romantic partner! No, she didn't. Neal was right, she was acting like a swooned girl who has her first crush. And she couldn't even be disgusted with herself.

At the thought of Neal, she groaned, but only held on tighter to the still laughing woman beside her. The smell of cinnamon helped sooth her racing mind. Leopold didn't like cinnamon but both, her and Snow loved it.

"Is Sleepy the one on guard duty?" The nickname used made her mother frown.

"Emma, don't be mean," it was her turn to chuckle at the soft chiding she received. "Walter is very nice, if a little sleepy."

"Come on," she replied in an exaggerated manner. "You have to give David credit, he is right to call you Snow."

"Emma!"

"I have to go see Neal," she began with a sigh, smiling sadly at her best friend and mother.

"Wait — what? What for?!" M&M demanded with a frown. "You know I don't like him, I insist he is a bad influence."

"Yes well, he is the only influence and the only one with influences to help me out," she countered with a roll of her eyes. The frown was still there, only with worry that time around, and Emma sighed. There was no way around it, she would have to tell her. "I'm planning on moving out."

She expected an indignant cry, but the sigh of resignation told her the woman expected as much. They remained in silence for a while, with the brunette cradling the blonde's face. With a faint and resigned sigh, she pressed their foreheads together, before going to kiss it. It made their bond more real, and it made for a longing she had no idea she possessed inside of her.

"I need to make it on my own —"

"I know."

"— to prove to him —"

"I know."

"— that I don't need him —"

"I know."

"— to make it on my own."

"I know." Her sigh was met with a dry and sad chuckle. "I love you and I understand and even if I don't like it and I want to spend more time with you, I know what you mean.

"And I just want you to be happy and not with Neal." Emma chuckled at the way Mary Margaret began questioning something over in her mind and amended. "Okay, maybe with him, if he changes his ways. Also, I'm not speaking for David here."

"It's okay, when I find someone, you'll both be the first to know." She replied with a grin; her mother shook her head.

"I'm almost certain you'll be the death of me!" Was the exaggerated cry as the blonde laughed. "Get a shower and get dressed then, I'll make you something to eat."

"Thanks mom!" She called.

"And don't you forget it!" The answer left her grinning to herself.

The day was looking up, until she remembered she had to talk to Neal. She loved the thick-headed fool, but that didn't make him less of a pig-head. Ironic how he hated pigs yet loved to indulge in cannibalism with bacon.


Emma wasn't happy. She didn't want to go to Neal with her problem, but she didn't see a way around it. Besides, if there was someone who could help her get quick cash, it was him. August could help her make some quick score, but she needed something big, and that meant Neal. He groaned as she kept the pounding on his door just right to make him feel the pounding in his head on the double. Well, if he was having a bad day she was only glad to make it worse.

"I'm coming!" He snarled, just to groan again as his own volume made everything worse. "Emma! Not to say I'm not delighted but, you should be nursing your hangover."

"Yeah — no, I don't do your nursing," she replied dryly, eying his beer. "Is the pounding lessening yet?"

"Just, one more trip to the loo," he replied, going to his destination.

She rolled her eyes and left him talking alone as she dug around his kitchen for something that vaguely resembled food. Finding a can of Pringles and Code Red Mountain Dew, both unopened, she decided that they were good enough to survive his company and to help her deal until lunch. Whenever she was invited by anyone to grab some grub, Emma was one to always collect. Jack was intent on finding the last beanstalk, and James had gotten in touch with Emma to see if she wanted to join them on a trip to the fabled bean portals and all the gold and glory that came with slaying giants.

Of course the blonde was in, mostly for the gold, but she doubted they would be able to find it. Still, in the odd case they managed, she was by far the luckiest among them, despite the fact that Jack was said to be born beneath a lucky galaxy. Money was the main corruptor of their time but the only means of survival, and Jacqueline had it all. Fame, glory in single battles, infamy, the family name, the talent and natural skills and, above all, a knack for getting away with things that should have resulted in certain death . . . . Her tales were of epic proportions, but it didn't compare with surviving sixteen years in the foster system and, well, Emma had been the one who had gotten them; Charming and Snow out of the worst scare of their life — or the best thrill, depending on which pair was asked.

Munching on her scavenged goods, she smiled at the memory. It was a good one, all things considered.

Years of searching for escape routes in a multitude of people had paid off when she found the only way of escaping the security guards at Buckingham Palace. It had been their gift from Leopold and when David was invited, George decided to pay for his, James' and Jack's, but only because James and Jack were inseparable. JJ, as people called them behind their backs, were more like bros and Emma was pretty sure that Jack was more into women and felt like a man; hence the name she went by.

Turns out those two had stolen the crown, took turns wearing it and taking pictures with it, and changed their profile pictures. Their already-crowded list of followers on Instagram and Twitter had an insane boost; Facebook was for the socially awkward and losers, while Tumblr wasn't mainstream enough for them. How they thought they were cool by making their priceless stolen goods known world-wide and making irrefutable evidence as they took one together of them licking the crown . . . Emma had no idea. All she knew was that she had helped them get away with it, and if anyone was going to get burned for it all, it would be her.

"So." Right, Neal, she didn't have time to dwell on how she got untangled from the mess. "What's up?"

"Nothing much, have plans for the afternoon," he frowned, looking displeased. Why the hell he thought she would willingly submit herself to his company, would forever remain a mystery. Why couldn't they be like James and Jack?! "I still need your help; I want to send Leopold a neon sign saying 'fuck you' — in caps, of course — and so I need a big score."

Neal gave her a look, eyes half closed as he gauged her seriousness.

"I think I need to give this some thought."

"Well, you have until after lunch," she answered, giving him an apologetic look as she stood and he did so as well. Not out of courtesy; heavens forbid these snobs think of such things, but out of a need for stopping her. "JJ have a big score, even for them, planned."

"Does it involve beans and gold?" She grinned, he frowned. "Emma, you do realize that they'll probably die there, don't you?"

"Well, do you realize I'm going with them because I plan to come back alone?"

"And you don't think that's their plan?" She frowned then rolled her eyes; of course he would be grinning then.

"I'm going to take my chances," and she was serious about it. "I'm not going to sit around."

"Wait!" She was taking with her his only edible, unopened food, even if she had just opened it. "I'll get you something planned before lunch; I'll even make you the lights! You can put one right in front of his residence here in NYC, and even better yet, another in Storybrooke and on his flat in London.

"How about it?"

"You have until four." And she left with his goods. Once the door was closed, did he realize and groaned.

"Emma!"

"Don't tell me; you want the containers back?" She asked through the door and at her laugh, his headache returned. "Enjoy your hangover! Don't forget our bet!"

"You owe me Swan!" He called out through his window.

"Only if you come through Cassidy!" She called back, going to her yellow bug. "Last time we had a bet, I won myself this sweet ride! And this isn't even a formal dare!"

"You're still going to have my child!" He yelled. She didn't even answer him, just gave him the finger through the car window. "We will get married!"

When did he become so obsessed with her? She had no idea. Maybe it was all the pranks and cons they had pulled. Maybe if they had resorted to thievery, and not the petty kind, they would have become bros. As it was, she would use every advantage, and he was one.

Emma sighed as she continued on her way to the dingy tavern where JJ spent their time. Her only skills were lockpicking, pick pocketing, dart games, escape planning, running, and playing video games. And this sad set of skills weren't things that companies appreciated in resumes. Her CV was as empty as her job offers or jobs she could perform. Emma refused to go back to Storybrooke and apply for the sheriff position; she might have a knack for finding people, as long as they weren't rich enough to barricade her . . . .

"Fucking hell." She huffed, parking her ratty bug that no one would bother to steal.

At least she was going to have a free lunch.


Regina found herself with an unexpected invite to lunch. It was Kathryn of course. Maleficent was too refined for eating outside and she truly enjoyed the privacy of her sanctuary.

The restaurant was a fairly new acquisition of Midas. Actually what was bought was the local, since the chef was the owner and she wouldn't sell it or agree to work privately for the man. For her food, he was willing to lower the rent so she became more than happy.

"You remember the dinner?"

"You mean the one my mom wouldn't allow me to eat at?" Regina drawled, with a grin in place.

"Oh gosh, you're right!" She laughed at the scandalous look and when a waitress arrived, it was actually the heir of the magnificent empire that had been built in Storybrooke. "Ruby! I heard you're dating the new ambassador of your fellow kin."

It was said in a whisper, since not many knew that the woman was a werewolf. The brunette chuckled, and with a slight hesitance, bit her lower lip. Regina soon realized something and couldn't help her own chuckle.

"So you're Mary Margaret's friend. I'm guessing she's the one you refused to kill," the easy way with which she revealed such information stunned the heir, who froze while the other two laughed softly. Regina patted an empty side of the two-seat table. "Sit down dear, I must confess I thought Graham would introduce us, but it's nice to meet you."

"Regina and Kathryn?" Graham spoke of Regina as a friend made as he began the rite of being a huntsman. "Um, okay so . . . wow, I must definitely sit!"

With that, she motioned to a waiter to bring her a chair. Once she was seated and the young man brought them menus, she began explaining the dishes. On the lasagna comments, both women smiled kindly and shook their heads. Shrugging, she continued recommending other dishes, going as far as to elaborate on all of them, not just staying with the salad and light dishes. Once they had made their choices, Regina going for a salmon carpaccio while Kathryn went for the Caesar salad, Ruby told the waiter to bring them spring rolls while they waited for the main course. He served them water, then left. Or would have, if Regina hadn't stopped him.

"Ruby, if you haven't eaten yet, would you like to join us?" She invited, much to Kathryn's surprise. Then the blonde remembered, in a way this involved a dear friend of hers, so of course she would like to learn more about the younger woman.

"We would both love to get to know you." The honesty in Kathryn's voice made the younger brunette sigh in defeat and request her usual. "Great!"

"I'm going to see Graham later today," she let them know with a smile.

Conversation was exchanged, and they enjoyed the spring rolls. Soon, of course, during the main course and once she had built enough courage, Ruby decided to ask a question she had been dying to ask when she learned that it was Regina. The woman had turned into an icon in the little Storybrooke town, with many young women wishing to emulate her in making it big. So as she began eating her BBQ ribs with her bare hands because, well, if they were genuine in their interest, they wouldn't mind if she ate how she liked.

Kathryn's wide eyes amused her, but the fact that Regina only smirked in a knowing way, let her know that she was used to it and wasn't scandalized or would begin to demand that she eat like a lady. It made her heart soar, knowing her idol was that cool and chill.

"I'll confess I find myself intrigued over something," Ruby began, cleaning the corner of her lips with a napkin after finishing her first rib, hands perfectly clean. "Which faction do you play on, Horde or Alliance?"

"Good one!" The werewolf was surprised to see that the blonde had never asked the question before. "I am Alliance."

"Well, I'm Horde. Shamans and wolves, y'know?" Ruby began on her second rib, eying the other brunette with curiosity.

Regina laughed. "Actually to the Horde I appear as Alliance and vice versa. See, at the beginning, the creators rigged it so one faction saw a wolf, the other a panther. But now, the shields are the only ones that change. The alliance is always surprised to be able to pick a fight with a night elf though."

"So you're Alliance!"

"No, she can fight the Alliance, that makes her Horde."

"She's a night elf, that's technically Alliance."

She laughed again, before Ruby could refute Kathryn. "Children, I'm neither. I play as a night elf because of the colors and for the Druid; much like you and Shamans? I have never played on Alliance or Horde territory, my tutorial came with just basic gameplay then I could go to any starting point, and play through them all. I began as a Druid, but my main character is just a night elf with no faction and with a wide range of choices for attacks not limited to race or class.

"Even when others ask me to a duel, I never leave panther form and use varying amounts of attacks that deals damage per second one after the next to finish my opponents." She took a drink of water, and resumed eating, delighted in seeing their wide eyes. At least Ruby was still eating, not that Kathryn could boast as much. She laughed again. "Just seeing my idea for the game take shape was enough for me, and I wanted to enjoy every single moment that was being offered to others and appropriate them all into one. I was the first one to test it out and the ones making it wanted to give me the best experience.

"Yes, I enjoy playing from time to time." She revealed with a cheeky smile and a self-indulgent grin. She sighed in joy; it wasn't every day that she got to talk about her baby with those who appreciate it.

"Is it true that you're researching into developing a system that allows us to enter the virtual world as though it were real?" Ruby asked softly, as though afraid of speaking too loud. She was sucking on her fifth and last rib, light-green eyes wide.

"Por la mesa redonda —" But she cut her own curse short and turned to stare the younger woman in the eyes, never breaking contact. "Where did you hear this, Ruby?"

"Uh . . . ." She began considering all the options. "A hidden website focused on all WoW-related things," she confessed. "It's also focused on future innovations from Mills' Wind-Powered Gaming System."

"Mind writing it down, or would you need to go to your computer?" Regina's worried and slightly confused face was borderline adorable as she took a notepad and pen out. Ruby wasted no time jotting it down, seeing as she knew it by heart since she was the one who had found it. "Thank you."

"This is also the name of my main character and the one I'm currently playing," of course, the werewolf couldn't help herself, she had to add a note of love and gratitude towards making her feel less alone in her wolfishness, since back then she had thought she was the only one and it helped her believe others would like to be able to change as well. "I must return to my duties now, but thank you for the company. Both, in the sense of just sharing the space and for making games. They were life-saving at different points."

With that she stood. Right then dessert that they hadn't asked for, but had wanted to try, came for Regina and Kathryn. But the brunette needed some time to compose herself. One of the reasons she had made those games, wasn't only so kids could learn, but also escape when real life took a turn for the horrible on nightmare street. Hearing someone honestly say that her games had helped, well, it made her feel it was all worth it, that she was making a difference. Kathryn understood, which is why the blonde only took the hand that fell from her face and held it, encouraging her. She said nothing, just provided support in the form of a squeeze.

"Do you think I'd be a good mother?" Maybe she could adopt.

"That reminds me!" The blonde became excited at a memory and all Regina could do was chuckle at that. "I gave deep thought to what you told me. Turns out Fredrick is really excited at the prospect of me growing a belly so, we're going to try for a baby!"

"I'm glad for you both," and she meant it, she truly did.

"But I really suggest finding a surrogate mother," she smiled, because her friend, even in her excitement, wouldn't forget her. "Really, if the girl is sweet and nice, it's worth every single expense. Besides, most of them are kinda like Ruby; awestruck at you."

"You think so?"

"Yes! Even more, if hired through the right agency, they can recommend top clinics." She nodded sagely. "I still have a few names if you're interested. The agency I found most particularly good was Baby Mama. I suggest you contact them."

"Were you planning on giving me this at some point today?" Regina inquired, not feeling that comfortable.

"Hmmm? Oh, no, I actually compiled that list for another friend," a shrug, and Regina wasn't sure of Kathryn's honesty. "But, it turned out she was pregnant, she just did her tests and they came back positive. She actually stood me up on this one, so I harassed you into coming.

"Still, the food was good, right?"

"Indeed."

"What's best, it's free," she winked. They laughed.

With that, they stood and left.

Regina didn't notice her biggest rival was sitting behind her. Taking advantage of her vulnerable moment of having succeeded in helping a kid over a rough patch in their lives, he sat down just as dessert had been brought over. So while he hadn't listened to the juicy gossips at the belly of the gaming industry, he found a way to possibly take the most advantage of her in what could be considered the weakest link of her chain mail.

"Baelfire my boy," Mr. Gold greeted, smiling.

"Yes, dad, that's my WoW main character." He huffed. Even if he had created it for amusement and to help his dad, he had fallen in love with it. "What do you need me for and what does this have to do with the enemy?"

"Well, I think I have a task for that feisty little blonde friend of yours," he began, smiling wide. "You see, this is a con I think you can both handle exceptionally well, and it also means crushing that woman once and for all."

He frowned, not liking that his empire was taking a hit simply because that woman made games for both boys and girls. Video games were for boys to become men, it was all about war. What made him even angrier was that she had made WarArt, the art of war, treating it like a craft, therefore dealing him a rather nasty blow to his bruising ego. He hated that.

"Papa, you do realize Emma worships her, don't you?" His son's counter made him frown. "She won't agree to it."

"Who said you have to tell her what it is about in its whole?" He sassed back. "See now, she's looking for a surrogate mother and I believe that little girl of yours is perfect.

"What's more, once she sees the truth for herself of what a harpie that woman really is, help her in a miscarriage; it has to be done at an early stage, then get her pregnant with your child and presto! You can continue with the scam, which I'm sure she'll be delighted and happy to help you conclude then."

"Isn't the whole point of breaking her complete by then?"

"Aren't you supposed to make money out of the scam?" He answered with a question.

"Oh, that's why I must get her pregnant!" Robert wasn't impressed with the slow upkeep of his son. "I get it now. Brilliant plan papa, and I have the perfect way of getting her on board."

"Oh really?" Maybe he wasn't that slow after all.

"She wants to live on her own, but she won't get married yet," what was wrong with women nowadays, growing up with a sense of doing things other than staying in the house, helping their husbands with warm food and bed, was Regina Mills and her games in which the female counterpart could do as much as the man and just as good. "So being a surrogate mother would provide her with a roof, food, clothes and money. That way, she can live on her own."

"Brilliant Bae," he knew his son didn't particularly like that nickname, but since that had been the name he had always wanted, he didn't care and just abbreviated it. He had grown used to it anyway. "Now put this plan of yours into motion."

Of course, it was Robert's plan but there was no better way to get someone else to do it than to say it was theirs. It wasn't like the world would know about it anyway, so the credit was the least of his problems. With that thought in mind, he ended the call. Now it was only a matter of time until the dumb blonde finally realized that Neal was her best option, and with a new heir to mold he wouldn't have to worry about leaving Peter Pans trademark to his son.