Both women were jolted awake the next morning by their son's loud knocks on Regina's bedroom door.
"Moms, Gramps is outside in his truck. He wants to see Ma." Henry's voice announced through the door.
Emma groaned and put one of Regina's luxurious pillows over her face as she attempted to drown out her problems.
"He wasn't suppose to be back until next week." Her muffled voice reached Regina.
"Well, dear, I could always fireball him from the bedroom window." Regina's sleep laden voice said. Emma gave it a serious thought.
"No, I'll talk to him." The Sheriff had never sounded more like a petulant child than she did at that moment. Regina tried to stifle her laugh. The pillow that impacted her stomach was proof she had failed. When she glanced over at her bed mate she was met with the glint of mischief in green eyes. In her mind Regina sighed with relief. Emma was feeling more like herself.
Emma turned her attention back to the matter at hand.
"Kid, tell him to give me 20 minutes."
"Will do, Ma!" Henry began to text David as he made his way back to his room.
Emma's sigh resonated in the quiet room. She rose from the confines of the warm bed and sat on the edge. Regina's eyes skimmed over the Sheriff's body as she raised her hands above her head and stretched her arms. When the blonde began to get up, Regina's fingers circled her wrist and halted her movement. Emma turned to face the brunette.
"How are you feeling, darling?" Brown eyes were filled with nothing but sincerity. Emma took a moment to consider the question and how she felt about everything that happened.
"I feel okay. Not quite back to my normal self, but getting there." Emma answered honestly.
"Thank you for being honest with me, Emma." The small circles that Regina traced on her wrist sent goosebumps up the blonde's arm.
"Thank you for asking." Emma leaned down and placed a small kiss on Regina's cheek. When she leaned back she saw the brief flicker of shock register on the mayor's face before it was chased away by a blinding smile. Emma rose from the bed and headed into the bathroom.
When both women completed their morning routines they made their way downstairs. Regina motioned for Emma to take a seat at the island while she got their coffee brewing. Emma's gaze followed Regina's movements around the kitchen.
I could get used to this. She smiled to herself.
The sweet smell of coffee pulled her back from her daydream. She clasped her hands around the warm, steamy mug that had been placed in front of her. Her eyes closed as she savored the first sip and released a moan of appreciation. When she opened her eyes she met the raised eyebrow of the mayor who flashed a smirk of her own to the blonde.
Regina consumed half of her first cup of coffee while she waited for Emma's caffeine to kick in. She knew the blonde would need the extra help when she faced Charming.
"Are you ready, Emma?" She watched as Emma's posture changed before her eyes. Tension flowed across the woman's shoulders and she could see the blonde prepare herself mentally for whatever was about to occur. When she received a curt nod, Regina lifted her hands and lowered the protection spell around the house.
As soon as the barrier fell they heard the front door fly open. The sound of David's hurried footsteps grew until he burst into the kitchen and directly toward the mayor.
"Get away from my daughter!" David raised his ever present sword.
The point was a hair's breath away from Regina's throat as she stood next to the coffee maker. Before Regina could react David was pulled across the room and slammed against the farthest wall away from her. The toes of his shoes brushed the floor and he could feel the magic wrapped around his throat as he hung there, helpless.
"Don't you ever come here and threaten her, or any member of my family ever again." David's eyes grew wide as he saw his daughter step between himself and the Mayor with her arm outstretched toward him. Her anger rolled off her in waves, as she took another step toward him.
"Do you understand me?" Emma growled at David. Regina slid a gentle hand down the Sheriff's arm.
"Emma, it's okay. Let him down." Emma turned toward the brunette and blinked a few times to clear her head. David felt the magical grip loosen.
Regina stayed by Emma's side, as she traced her fingers across the Sheriff's arm. She could see the confusion on the Prince's face as he was lowered to the floor. He rubbed his now tender throat. Without taking her eyes off Emma, who still looked ready to throw the man through the front door if needed, she directed her next question toward their guest.
"What did she tell you, David?"
"Who?"
"Snow. Emma said you weren't coming back until next week, so what did Snow tell you that brought you running home?" The man looked more than a bit confused.
"She said that you were trying to take our daughter from us. You came to the loft yesterday and put an immobilization spell on her and took Emma away with your magic." He turned his blue eyes toward Emma.
"She said she thought you were being held here against your will by a spell." Emma began to pace back and forth the kitchen, enraged once more.
"That bitch!" Emma clenched her fists as her voice filled the room. She was so consumed by her anger that she didn't hear the footsteps enter the room.
"Umm...if someone could give me a little money, I'll just stop and get some breakfast at Granny's before school." Henry's unsure voice floated across the room.
Emma face flushed pink and she spun on her heel to escape her son's gaze. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. She slid her wallet out of the pocket of her jeans and approached him. With a sly motion she slipped the boy a twenty.
"Get whatever you want."
"Love you, Ma." He threw his arms around her and she returned the hug.
"Love you too, kid." She ruffled his hair as he turned to embrace Regina before he left for school. David stood there silently watching the exchange take place still perplexed by the venom his daughter displayed just minutes ago.
Emma stepped closer to Regina. "I'm sorry he heard my outburst, Regina."
David couldn't help but stare when Regina reached her hand up and cupped his daughter's cheek.
"It's okay, darling. I'm sure he understands." Emma gave her an apologetic smile.
"I'll talk to him after he comes home from school, promise."
David cleared his throat, almost regretful that he need to interrupt the moment between them.
"Emma, I'm not exactly sure what went on yesterday, but Snow is your mother. I'm sure you can work out what ever misunderstanding occurred between you."
Emma rested her forehead against Regina's shoulder for a moment to sort out her feelings. With a deep breath she stood up straight and faced her father.
"There was no misunderstanding yesterday. And she is no longer my mother." Emma said with a tone of finality.
"Emma! What do you mean? Of course Snow is your mother." Now more confused then ever David got the sinking feeling that Snow had done something terrible.
"It's simple David. I will no longer consider that woman my mother. She is more than welcome to see Henry, if he chooses to do so after I explain to him what happened, but never alone. She will be supervised when she wants to spend time with our son. After what she did yesterday I thought things couldn't possibly get worse, but to know she lied to you about everything. It's the last straw." She wrapped her arms around her stomach.
"What did she do, Emma?" David was a little afraid to ask. He had never seen Emma this angry at anyone, not even when Hook and her parted ways. He knew it had to be truly awful. Emma swiped a hand through her hair in frustration.
"Let me tell you exactly what your True Love did to her own daughter. She had her friend's soul mate..."
"Former soulmate." Regina interrupted.
Emma locked eyes with the brunette. "Really?"
Regina nodded. "Since yesterday. What can I say? What I wanted was in front of me all along, I just didn't realize it until it was almost taken away from me." The Mayor shrugged. Emma smiled softly at Regina then remember she was supposed to be pissed.
"Anyways, back to your wife. She had Robin Hood steal a potion from Gold's shop and used it on me without my knowledge." David swallowed. His face paled.
"What..." His mouth was so dry it was hard to form words. "What did the potion do to you?"
Emma tried to control her breathing. Regina was quick to come to her side once again.
"It turned me into a damn infant, David! She didn't care what that meant for anyone else." She took a deep breath.
"All she cared about was getting the chance to raise me her way. Thank the Gods that my mind was still my own and that my magic was still functioning. More than that, I will never be able to repay Regina for her hand in saving me. I'm not sure if anyone else in town would have been able to figure things out as quickly as she did. If it weren't for her I might have been stuck that way." Just the thought caused Emma's body to shake.
It took David two strides before he engulfed his only child in a spine crushing hug.
"I'm so sorry she did that Emma. You are more than enough. You are perfect just the way you are." He pulled back and looked into his daughter's eyes. "I love you, Emma. Do I ever wonder what it would have been like to raise you? Of course, but I would never trade this you for anything."
He pulled her close to him and cradled the back of her head in his hand. Emma was embarrassed that, once again, she was unable to stop her tears. As he released his daughter he turned to Regina.
"I'm very sorry for how I behaved earlier. I acted on poor information. It won't happen again, unless you hurt my little girl. Then all bets are off." He blue eyes clashed with Regina's brown.
"Dad!"
Regina return David's gaze. "Trust me, Shepard, I plan on treasuring Emma for as long as she will have me." David nodded and gave the former Evil Queen a small smile.
"Seriously, Regina, thank you for protecting her and getting her back to her normal self."
"I'm just glad she was able to reach me."
"Me, too."
"Guys, I'm still here."
"Of course you are, dear." Regina wrapped her arm around the blonde's trim waist. David smiled at the small sigh that left his daughter.
"Well it seems that I have to go have a long talk with my wife." He turned to Emma.
"Are we good?" He asked with a hopeful lilt to his voice.
"Yeah, we're good, Dad." He flashed her a genuine smile."I just have one request."
"Name it, Princess."
"I would appreciate it if you would keep this," Emma pointed between herself and Regina, "between us. We haven't really had a chance to talk to Henry yet and we all know how good Snow is at keeping her mouth shut. Besides, I think I might like to save telling her for a special occasion, like Christmas or her birthday."
David hung his head as it dawned on him exactly how difficult his life was going to be for the foreseeable future. In the end though, he would do anything, as long as it meant his little girl was in his life.
"You got it. My lips are sealed." He pulled her into one more hug before he showed himself out.
"I did not expect that." Emma slouched down into the chair at the counter.
"Me neither, but I think your father just earned my respect for the first time ever." Emma laughed.
"To think it only took Snow White royally fucking up for it to happen. There has to be some poetic justice or karma or something at work there."
"Indeed." Regina chuckled.
"How long do you think it will take Snow to come knocking?" Emma asked after a short pause.
"Oh, I give her until this evening." Emma groaned and hid her face in her hands. " I could always put an anti-Snow barrier up that will light her hair on fire if she tries to cross it." Regina grinned in a way that only a former Evil Queen could perfect.
"You are evil, woman!" Emma said with a teasing smile.
"Baby, you have no idea what I'm capable of." Regina replied with a salacious grin. Emma's mouth went dry at the deep timber of the Mayor's voice. Regina became serious as her eyes traced over the blonde's face.
"After this whole fiasco with your mo...Snow settles down, I would very much like to take you out on a proper date, Miss Swan."
"I would like that very much, Madam Mayor." Emma's smile lit up the room.
