Glamour of Truth 7
A/N: Sorry lovelies, spent too long dithering over this chapter... it nearly destroyed me.
Best thing in 2x12 : "the two idiots". Damn you, show, for being funnier than me... Enjoy! Please review?
"Ow, Regina! What are you doing?!"
"Your hair is caught. Stand still," ordered Regina, trying to free the blonde locks that were tangled in the zip of Emma's dress.
They were stopped outside the gate of the school where they'd agreed to meet before their appointment. Since the curse had broken and the children now remembered their past-life identities, the school Principal had decided to hold parent-teacher interviews to make sure the kids were doing ok. In addition, all students had moved up a grade for the first time in 28 years, a fact which amused/horrified Emma greatly and she said to Regina:
"Wait, the kids were stuck in the same grade all this time? Except Henry, who kept moving up?"
"I suppose."
"Regina. Didn't you think one day Henry'd notice that his mom wasn't getting any older? How were you gonna explain that? Eventually he would've overtaken you!"
"Stop being ridiculous," snapped Regina in annoyance. She could see this line of questioning was going to lead to the blonde asking her how old she actually was and she was not amused.
Emma caught a glimpse of metal blades and was quick to panic. "Hey, are those scissors? Don't cut my hair!-"
"You'd rather I cut the dress? Pity you're not wearing that tragic red jacket."
Emma let out a frustrated growl. "Why do we have to dress up for this anyway?"
"Because it's Henry's new teacher and we need to make a good impression," answered Regina, finally freeing the zip.
"Why? He can't fail us."
Regina walked away rolling her eyes with Emma trailing behind. The blonde was obviously being sarcastic but her referring to them as an "us" had unsettled Regina and that alone was annoying. Regina knew they were both here for Henry but she worried her lip slightly at what the teachers and parents were going to think at their turning up together.
Inside the school building Regina noticed Emma dragging her feet like a child.
"Hurry up, what's wrong with you?"
"I hate school," muttered Emma.
"Well, it's obvious you've never spent much time in one," said Regina loftily.
"Like you can talk. As if you ever went to school," said Emma, referring to Regina's Fairytale Land upbringing.
Regina was a bit offended by the slight. "Excuse me? I had a comprehensive education. My mother had me tutored at home."
Emma scoffed. "In what? Eye of newt and toe of frog?"
Their appointment with Henry's teacher wasn't until 3:45 so they had to wait outside the classroom. Emma's restless fidgeting and bouncing her knee was driving Regina mad but the blonde ignored all the glares and pointed looks directed at her. Finally, they were called by a charismatic-looking middle-aged man wearing an extremely loud shirt.
"Ms Mills? Ms Swan? Hi, I'm Pip Hamelin, Henry's fifth grade teacher. Follow me?" He smiled kindly and led them into the classroom, gesturing that they be seated. Two chairs waited across from the teacher's desk in front of the blackboard.
"Relax, Ms Swan. This isn't detention," chuckled Hamelin, trying to put her at ease as the three took their seats.
"Right. Sooo, how's Henry doing?" asked Emma nervously.
"Very well. He's bright, intelligent, very well-mannered... It's a pleasure to have him in my class."
Regina nodded with some pride. "Yes, Henry excels in academics."
"So, what're his best subjects?" asked Emma.
"All of them quite frankly," said Mr Hamelin, smiling and shrugging. The teacher retrieved some of Henry's work from the pile on the desk and handed it over.
Emma looked a bit surprised and the honest relief showed on her face. "Really? He's doing ok though? I mean, with spelling and writing and stuff?"
"Yes, he seems very interested in creative writing..."
Regina listened as Mr Hamelin and Emma continued to discuss Henry's abilities and interests in detail. She'd heard it all before of course. But she was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest Emma was showing and the questions she was asking.
Regina glanced over one of Henry's stories A Lesser Evil: a fairytale of good people who do bad deeds, and she sighed at the obvious symbolism and how her son was trying to rationalise his mother's past. He was a sweet boy; her heart ached that she would never be worthy of him.
"There is one area in which Henry seems to need some guidance…," said Mr Hamelin, giving them a serious look. They waited for him to elaborate.
"Henry has difficulties making friends his own age. And although he got an excellent report from Ms Blanchard last year... his unexplained absences are troubling. How are things at home?"
Regina put on her best politician face. "Everything's fine, Mr Hamelin."
There was a beat of silence. Emma wasn't going to contradict her even though it was such a lie - there was in fact a lot going on at home. They'd hardly had a normal day since the curse had broken. Kid's family situation was a mess too, given that particular family members had tried (or still were trying) to kill certain others...
"Yeah look, we'll help him out with the friends thing," said Emma in an offhand manner. How exactly they would do that she didn't know, since neither of his parents was a good role model in that area.
"Great! Well I guess that's it then. If you'd like to follow me out," suggested Mr Hamelin politely.
The teacher held the door for them and they said their goodbyes. "Henry's a credit to the school. I don't suppose there's any siblings on their way?"
Regina looked horrified. "Excuse me?"
Emma tried to keep a straight face. "Once was enough. It's her turn."
When they were out of earshot in the hallway, Regina pulled Emma aside and hissed at her. "What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to start rumours about us?"
Emma just gave her an 'are you kidding me' look. "I don't care what people think."
Regina shook her head slowly, amazed. "You are infuriating sometimes."
"Guess I just have that effect on you." Emma grinned. "I do it to distract you... you know, from the path of evil."
Regina closed her eyes at the obnoxious blonde and then left the hall, letting the door smack back into Emma's face with more exasperation than spite.
Emma jogged to catch up to the with the brunette's never-faltering stride and they made their way outside the school gate.
"Hey, wait. Regina? Where are we going?" asked Emma. Her bug and Regina's merc were parked outside the school in the opposite direction; they were heading towards the main street instead.
"To pick up Henry. He asked if he could go to the arcade after school."
Emma bit her lips to hide a burst of laughter. She didn't know what he was up to but there was no way the kid was playing Whack-a-mole. Regina was entirely sincere in believing the excuse and Emma wasn't going to rat the kid out. She had her reputation as 'cool Mom' to preserve after all.
"Let's wait for him at the diner then," suggested Emma. "I want hot chocolate. And you can get one of those frou-frou gourmet lattes or whatever."
They fell into step easily, the sound of their footsteps echoing on the sidewalk, Regina was lost in her own troubled thoughts until Emma broke the comfortable silence with a question that must've been bugging her.
"How old was Henry when you told him he was adopted?"
After a pause Regina admitted, "I didn't tell him."
"Why?"
The brunette sighed heavily and wrapped her arms around herself. "I kept waiting for the right time and then… I don't know."
Emma realised with an internal groan. "He found out right before he came to me in Boston? The same time he got the book."
"Yes, he didn't tell me he figured it out," paused Regina, thinking back. "...and then he came back with you, his real mom."
How those words had hurt. At the time, the mayor hadn't known why her son had suddenly withdrawn from her. He hadn't always hated her. She'd thought it was a phase, something all kids went through. Then he'd disappeared for a whole day... and nothing was the same after that. Her mother was right, Henry would never be truly hers while ever Emma was in his life.
"Regina..." Emma stopped her with a hand at her elbow.
"I'm uh sorry about the other day, when I got up in your face. I know you're trying. Henry does too..." Emma's voice dropped. "I don't want you to think we don't see it."
Regina's face relaxed into a hesitant warmth and she spoke under her breath with only slight bitterness. "Even if no-one else does."
"Henry's smart, isn't he," said Emma, with pride.
Regina returned the smile genuinely. "Yes."
Emma nodded and looked down almost shyly. "I'm glad. I was worried that um, that he'd be like me."
"What do you mean?" asked Regina, confused.
"I had some trouble at school when I was a kid." Emma gave a soft laugh. "I have mild dyslexia so uh, school was kinda hard and I was pretty old before anyone picked it up. After a while I just stopped going."
Regina absorbed the information quietly. She felt slightly uneasy remembering back to when she was Mayor she used to berate the Sheriff for taking so long with reports. It was a strange feeling because Regina never used to feel guilty about anything. Despite the blonde knowing far too much about her past, it was the first time she'd shared anything close to personal with Regina that didn't involve Henry. It made her feel worse about what she'd been keeping from her.
"I'm glad you told me, Emma."
"Yeah, uh anyway we should get going," said Emma, still acting a bit shiftily.
They were almost ready to turn into Main street when Emma suddenly yanked Regina back behind the brick corner.
"Emma! What-?!"
"Shhh! Look."
Regina tsked, letting the blonde how uncomfortably she was squished between her and the wall. Emma pointed to direct her gaze to the opposite street where Henry was walking with a young girl, also in school uniform. They could hear the sound of laughter as the two kids, heads together, pored over a comic book.
Regina's mouth twisted into slightly displeased moue. "My son. Has a girlfriend."
Emma laughed softly and then stepped back as if realising how close they were. She frowned slightly at Regina who was staring at her with an unreadable expression.
Anything for you, sweetheart...
What do you want, Regina?
"Emma, last night, I have to tell you-"
Regina was interrupted by the sound of Emma's phone beeping in her handbag and she handed it over to the blonde.
Emma scanned the message that'd come through the Sheriff's station and frowned. "It's the station. There's been an accident."
"You have to go," said Regina.
"Yeah, sorry about the coffee. What'd you want to tell me?" Emma walked a few steps backwards, not really wanting to turn away.
Regina opened her mouth to start and then thought better of it. "It can wait."
"Okay." Emma gave her a lopsided smirk and breaking into a jog, she called something over her shoulder that should've had the brunette rolling her eyes again.
"We'll get started on those siblings later!"
Regina merely watched the retreating blonde's form.
I want my son back.
Easter egg: Henry's teacher's fairytale identity?
