Summary: Just some Family Fluff on a Friday. Snow is watching over the Twins and this little interlude happens when Swan Queen arrive to pick Audrey and Sophie up.
Snow White is watching over her granddaughters while their mothers have an emergency department head meeting on a Saturday afternoon.
With the meeting over, Regina and Emma walk through the loft's front door to find Snow and Audrey coloring and Sophie and Neal playing with action figures.
THE TWINS: MOMS!
REGINA: (embraces a hugging Audrey) Hi there.
EMMA: (intercepts a charging Sophie and sweeps her into her arms) Whoa! So what are you two up to?
AUDREY: Coloring a castle with Grandma.
SOPHIE: Kicking Neal's butt at war.
NEAL: You are not!
SOPHIE: Yes, I am!
AUDREY: (rolls her eyes at them and then gives Regina an adoring look) Look, Mommy. Grandma says that this looks like our castle in the Enchanted Forest.
REGINA: (eyebrow lift, smirk at Snow) Our castle, is it?
EMMA: (snickers, plops Sophie into her wife's arms, grabs the other twin up)
SNOW: (smiles over her shoulder carrying a few dirty dishes to the kitchen sink) Yes. Our castle.
AUDREY: I wish I could see it.
Snow and Regina share a knowing grin.
EMMA: Maybe one day, we'll figure out a way to see it, Aud.
SOPHIE: Yeah! And Ma can teach us how to sword fight and Mommy can teach us to ride horses and Grandma and Grandpa can teach us how to…
REGINA: (jokes)…Lark about with canaries and get stuck in trees.
SNOW: (fixes Regina with a pointed glare) Never underestimate the helpfulness of birds. And David got stuck in that tree once.
EMMA: What? When was this?
REGINA: (giggles) That year you and Henry were in New York. His boot got caught descending and he was hanging upside down and swinging for a good few minutes.
SNOW: (in a hushed tone) It's probably best if you forget you heard that.
EMMA: Not a chance.
NEAL: (to Snow) Hey Mom, can I have a chocolate chip cookie?
THE TWINS: Me too!
EMMA: (excitedly) Me too!
REGINA: (reaches out, pulls Emma back against her into her arms, children run off toward Snow) Come here.
EMMA: But she's got cookies…
REGINA: (quietly) Which can't possibly be better than what I am offering you. (wiggles eyebrows)
EMMA: (sees kids and Snow preoccupied, realizes the privacy of the moment) Point well made. (turns in Regina's arms and kisses her)
REGINA: (deepens kiss, pulls away) There. Now isn't that better than a chocolate chip cookie?
EMMA: Almost.
REGINA: (doubtful twist of the lips) And what more is there?
EMMA: Your laugh.
Regina wears a confused crease in her forehead before Emma quickly spins her, holding her in a tandem embrace. With arms crossed over her middle, Regina laughs a little in anticipation, feeling Emma's fingers press her flanks.
REGINA: If you tickle me, I am not responsible for your injuries. (is tickled, screams) EMMA!
Regina and Emma double over as Emma tickles her. The twins notice and race over.
THE TWINS: TICKLE FIGHT! TICKLE FIGHT!
REGINA: NO! No tickle fight!
EMMA: I've got you right where I want you, Your Majesty. (buries face in Regina's neck and tickles her that way)
REGINA: (uncontrolled laughter). Miss Swan!
THE TWINS: (including a head-shaking Snow and an eye-rolling Neal) MILLS!
REGINA: (broken laughter to the twins) I will let you both have ice cream with your cookies if you help me.
Audrey and Sophie beam at each other for a heartbeat and then attack Emma.
EMMA: HEY! (laughs, releases Regina, wrestled by two 5-yr olds to the floor)
AUDREY: Sorry, Ma…
SOPHIE: But it's ice cream!
Regina escapes with a smile into Snow's kitchen.
SNOW: Bribing them with ice cream. (leans against counter, brings a cup to her lips)
REGINA: Anything not to be tickled. Your daughter is so "handsy". (pauses, wiggles eyebrows, husks low enough for Snow's hearing) Not that I would normally complain about that. (Snow sputters her tea, Regina opens the freezer door) Do you have mint chocolate chip?
SNOW: Is that the Twins' favorite?
REGINA: It is this week.
SNOW: We're more a rainbow sherbet family.
REGINA: Hmm… (closes freezer door, magically waves her hand, opens door again, pulls out mint chocolate chip ice cream)
After dishing out bowls of ice cream, Regina looks to the wriggling lumps on the floor. The Twins tickling Emma and Neal finally relenting and joining the fray to help his sister.
REGINA: ICE CREAM!
SNOW: (a second later) COME AND GET IT!
The kids race to the kitchen counter and perch themselves on stools digging immediately into the ice cream. Snow supervises while eating her own small bowl.
Regina saunters over to Emma who is sitting cross legged on the floor while leaning back on outstretched arms. Her eyes follow Regina who is approaching with hands behind her back. When she reaches Emma, Regina slowly presents a bowl of ice cream.
Emma's gaze wanders back and forth from the bowl to Regina's face and in a fast move, she grabs Regina's hand and pulls her down to sit in her lap.
REGINA: (surprised squawk) I could have dropped this all over you!
EMMA: (arms wrap around her) I knew you wouldn't have. (peppers soft kisses on Regina's cheek and neck)
REGINA: Mrs. Swan-Mills… (murmurs loud enough for only Emma's ears) If you keep kissing me like that and touching me THERE, I'm going to melt faster than your ice cream.
EMMA: (chuckles into her wife's ear) Works for me.
REGINA: (looks over at her children, notices them not paying any attention, nuzzles her nose against Emma's) So you don't want your ice cream then, Emma?
EMMA: While you are a much sweeter treat, Regina, I'm not crazy.
Emma snatches the bowl up and scoops a bite into her mouth and hums her delight.
REGINA: (chuckles and smiles) Of course you are, dear. It's what I love about you. (takes an offered bite of ice cream, shares a cold creamy kiss with Emma)