Chapter 4.
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"Emma?" Ruby called out as she made her way into the Sheriff station.
"In my office!"
Ruby came in looking down at the blonde eating a sandwich without crusts instead of her usual pastry. "What are you eating?"
"What does it look like. Regina made it for me, well for me and Henry."
'Madam Mayor must be a real domesticated goddess.'
Ruby raised her eyebrow at the idea but let it slide to ask. "Did you get it?" Emma put down her lunch and opened the top drawer to take out the perfectly wrapped in green wrapping paper with a gold bow.
"Gift wrapped and all." She handed it to her friend who bounced cheerfully on the balls of her feet.
"Thank you for this. I know it had to take up all your day off."
"It was actually fun, Henry and Regina came with me and you should have seen her in the Disney stole it was hilarious...And we got Henry some Santa presents. Is it weird that he still believes in him?" Emma twirled a pen around her fingers an easy smile taking over her face as she thought back to the previous day.
Ruby smiled at her happy friend wondering if her and Regina would ever just get together instead of hiding what they both obviously felt. "Well he is the true believer right."
Emma rolled her eyes. "It is cute though." She looked over at the box in her friend's hands. "It is a really great gift."
"Do you think she will love it?" Ruby asked enthusiastically making the Sheriff raise an eyebrow.
"I think she will...I didn't know you were friends with Tink." The blonde questioned with an impish smile creeping upon her lips as her friend sat down on her desk avoiding looking at her.
"I'm not. But maybe after this...who knows."
"Are you blushing?" Emma teased making Ruby cover her face briefly. "Does someone have a crush?"
"Maybe, she's beautiful and you know after the whole Belle being with Rumplestilskin thing...I have no idea what she even sees in that retched man..." She groaned and closed her eyes trying to let her hostile thoughts toward the couple dissipate. "There aren't many available women left in this town."
"There are a few." Emma pointed out trying to add some hope.
"Really who?" The waitress challenged, crossing her arms as she turned more to look at the blonde.
"Ariel and the Blue Fairy." Emma said off the top of her head.
"Ariel has Eric and the Blue Fairy is a nun."
"Well there's Regina and uh...Wendy! In a few years..." Emma stated realising that it was true.
"Wendy is a minor and Regina while admittedly hot is kinda off the market." Ruby argued.
"Off the market?" Emma snapped.
'Since when is Regina off the market? Is she? No she can't be, well she could but...no...'
"Because...She's, you know." Ruby blushed afraid to say it out loud. Emma felt anger rise within her.
'What too perfect? I thought you were better than that evil crap.'
"No what? And don't say the evil thing because you know she isn't the same woman she was in your world. So what is it? What is she?"
'Fine you wanna know why.'
"Yours..." Ruby winced as she waited for the onslaught of her words.
Emma just stared at her with her mouth open unable to form a word let alone a sentence. "She is n-...I mean...I...What? I..."
"You don't see it...You two are perfect for each other and you obviously both care for each other." She explained carefully not wanting to scare her off.
"We are not per...You think we are perfect for each other?" She asked wondering if she wasn't the only one who actually thought that. And actually surprised that a friend of her mother was okay with the idea of her and Regina together.
"Well yeah." Ruby quirked her lips into a shy smile. "You have feelings for her right?"
Emma blushed and after a small pause she nodded making the waitress burst into a large wolfish grin. "I knew it! You are the only person other than Henry who she actually listens to, or willingly hangs out with. And I am not stepping in the way of that..."
"So Tinkerbell." Emma added hoping the burning in her ears would go down and wanting to move on from her confession.
"Yes, and her voice! Why does that accent do things to me?" Ruby asked with a wide grin on her face.
"It's different. Like lemurs." Emma guessed thinking back to how much her cursed self wanted to explore the world. Ruby grinned. "That makes some sense. So what do you like most about our esteemed Madam mayor?"
"Everything." Emma grinned gleefully finally having someone she can talk to about it. "Her voice is like velvet and when she smiles you can't help but smile back at her because it is like a gift from a higher power. And she is actually a big softie though she hides it well."
Ruby gave her a sardonic smile. "Regina a softie?"
"Yes." Emma beamed cheerfully back as she thought of how sweet Regina is with her when it is just them or two of them and their son.
"Wow, you have it bad."
"I know right."
#
[Are you finishing up soon? -Emma.]
Regina looked down at her phone and smiled bashfully to herself at the simple message.
[I will be done in 10 minutes. -R]
She went back to signing documents when her phone beeped again.
[I'll be by to pick you up in 5 -Emma]
Regina finished her last documents putting them in the out tray and storing away ones she didn't need. She gathered up her stuff and made her way down the stairs to wait by the exit for the Sheriff. She took a seat and flipped through a magazine distracted as her thoughts wandered to the blonde.
'It's just a lift home, act cool. You spent last night and this morning with her in it calm down.'
And even though she kept telling herself to not read too much into the simple gesture she couldn't help the butterflies that were currently flapping around inside her stomach.
Emma strutted into the town hall stopping immediately when she realised that the mayor was sitting on a bench near the door with her legs crossed reading a magazine. "Wow...I mean Hi."
Regina looked up. "Hi. So anything happen today? First day back and all."
Emma couldn't help but stare at her and the way she licked her lips after she spoke left her dazed for a small while. "Emma?" Regina waved her hand in front of her face making Emma shake her head. "No nothing. I was just organizing the station. It was left in a bit of a mess."
"You can organize?" Regina jabbed as they walked towards the yellow bug.
Emma poked her in the hip playfully. "Yes I can."
#
"What is that smell?" Emma wrinkled her nose as she came in the door. The smell of burnt chicken filled the entire house. Regina ran into her kitchen knowing from previous experience that Henry shouldn't be trusted to make anything other than poptarts. She found David cutting up a charred black piece of meat.
"I was gonna surprise everyone with dinner but you have a different oven than the one I'm use to." He gave them an apologetic smile. Snow patted her husband's shoulder. "He's never used a fan oven."
"If we cut around the burnt bits it's still good." David explained as he cutting up the destroyed bird.
Regina shook her head and balled her fists trying to keep her irritation at bay. "HENRY!"
"I'm sorry I ruined dinner but..." David started but was stopped when Regina raised her hand making Emma bite back a laugh. Henry came into the room with his hand over his nose.
"Ugh what is that?"
"A disaster, we're going out to Granny's."
"Yes!" He scampered off to get his coat and scarf before returning back to the room with everyone else. "Everyone else is coming right?"
Regina looked over at the blonde wanting her to join but not wanting the Charmings to come along. She knew it would seem suspicious if she just invited Emma and exhaled deeply "Fine, yeah."
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The people in the diner watched with rapt attention as the Charmings took a seat in one side of the booth while Regina and Emma took the other side. Henry took a free chair and sat by the end of the table.
"I never thought I'd see the day Regina would willingly sit down with Snow and Charming." Leroy grumbled as he bit into his slice of apple pie. Ruby refilled his coffee before taking a set of menus over to the family that just came in the door.
"Hi, menus in case you need them." She smirked at Emma who was sitting next to the brunette. "Thanks."
"Mom, what are you getting?"
"We-"
"Che-"
Both women answered at the same time and looked embarrassed neither sure who he was talking to.
"I uh, I meant Re-Regina." Henry scratched the back of his neck at the awkwardness. David gave him a soft smile. "You need to come up with a different name for your mom's like Mom and Mother or uh, mom and mam or..."
"You could just call them their name." Snow said bitterly looking down at her menu, hating that her own daughter only calls her mom in moments she thinks she is going to die and that she seems a lot closer with her father.
Emma's cheeks went pink as she slumped down in her chair feeling guilty. Regina saw the dejected look in the blonde and wanted to wrap her in a hug but knew that it would be a bold move and instead tried subtly to move her hand closer to Emma's.
Emma looked down at her hand on the booth chair when she felt something graze it lightly. She felt a small jolt shoot down her spine and wanted nothing more then to move Regina's dark back so she could make her moan when she kissed down her graceful neck.
"I call them both Mom though." Henry told David shaking Emma from her thoughts. "I will just look at who I am talking to when I say it."
The door to the diner opened and Emma tapped Regina's hand lightly. "It's Tink!"
"Since when are you excited to see her?" Regina asked curiously.
"Ruby is going to give her her Secret Santa gift." Emma told them effectively shushing everyone. The group turned their attention to the blonde fairy approaching the bar to place an order.
"Hi, Ruby." Ruby broke into an easy smile. "Hi Tink."
"What's he having?" She asked pointing to Happy's meal who was sitting three stools down.
"Uh, Burger and fries, would you like some?"
Tink looked at the meal and frowned. "I don't have any money in this land...Regina gave me some to get buy but I am not sure if I should spend it on this."
"You gave her money?" Snow asked but was quickly shushed by Henry.
"Slide out." Regina whispered into Emma's ear, her hot breath against her skin made Emma quiver before she stepped out of her seat watching the brunette walk towards her fairy friend. She whispered something in Tink's ear and Emma watched as the fairy half heartedly turned down the money she was offering. Regina called Ruby over and handed her a hundred. "That should cover a few meals here for Tink right?"
Ruby nodded and Regina grinned victoriously. "Great, turns out you will have to come here for some meals now Tink." She walked back to her table leaving the blonde speechless before sliding back into her seat.
"What was that?"
"I'm helping Ruby out, now Tink has to come here for a while."
"You are a genius."
"Ruby's not gay." Snow informed them skeptical of their set up. "And Tink has some history with Hook."
"Sexuality isn't black and white. Sometimes it's a shade of grey." Emma said the last part slower making her mother turn red at the reminder of the book she received for her Secret Santa gift.
"She's giving her the gift, shush." Henry said waving his hand back at them.
"I know it might be cheesy, but in this world you're well loved and well I just wanted you to know that millions of people believe in you." Ruby rambled as Tink opened the gift box to see a Disney Tinkerbell silhouette of her character with a small emerald where the heart was.
"This is beautiful." Tinkerbell responded in awe.
"Like you."
"Smooth." David said impressed from their table as the rest watched with rapt attention.
"May I?" Ruby took the necklace out of the box and moved from behind the counter to stand behind the happy blonde. She carefully catched the clasp and grinned shyly when Tink turned around.
"This is...ugh." Tinkerbell lost for words pulled Ruby in for a hug. The table at the other side of the diner cheered.
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They were halfway through dinner when Neal came in the diner with his father and Belle in tow. "Hi dad!" Henry called out happily.
"Hi Neal." Snow said with a rather big grin on her face. "Nice to see you here. Isn't it Emma?"
"Not particulary." Emma said bored playing with her fork, she felt a foot jab her shin sharply under the table and let out a light yelp. Regina looked over at her former enemy and pushed her fingers together. Snow's lips clamped shut and her eyes popped open in terror.
It went unnoticed by everyone else with their eyes on Neal as he bent down next to Henry. "Hey kiddo, I was wondering if you want to spend Christmas day with me and your grandpa, I know he can be a bit scary but it would..."
"He is not spending the entire day with you." Emma spat out. "We can visit you on the day but Henry is staying with his mothers." Regina added. Henry gave his father a nervous smile. "I kinda want to spend it with my moms...but we can meet up on the day if you want."
Neal looked disappointed but covered it quickly with a smile. "Of course buddy."
'Walk away asshat.'
'Like my son would want to stay with you and the imp.'
'I hope dad's okay. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings.'
'Take this spell off me right now you witch!'
'I wonder if everyone's getting dessert.'
The second Neal trudged back to his father, Regina lifted the spell from Snow. She was about to shout at the mayor when she was stopped in her tracks by a gasp from Neal's table.
Granny had her hand to her mouth and tears in her eyes as she looked at an envelope Rumple gave her. A few seconds later she was thanking him profusely.
"Wonder what that's about?" David asked intriged. They got their answer a few minutes later when Granny came by their table to get their plates.
"Three months free rent on the B&B." She told them gleefully.
Everyone turned their attention over to the man adding sauces to Belle's plate. All except Emma who was looking at Regina.
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Snow was on cleaning duty for the week after the bathroom incident, and as she cleansed the downstairs of the mayoral mansion of the smell of the burnt chicken, Emma watched TV with her son while Regina read; sitting by the tree.
"Where's Grandpa?" Henry inquired looking around aimlessly.
"He said he was going to pick up Ruby's gift after dinner." Emma shrugged. As if on cue her father came in to door holding a box that was squirming in his hands.
"What's that?"
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