I See You

AN: I've always felt Snow could take Emma and Regina being in a relationship two different ways depending on how she found out. And normally she's not too positive to it, so I felt like doing one that's different.

—-

Snow is having an internal battle with herself. She really shouldn't be spying, it's not the right thing to do, but she can't get herself to turn away either.

It was the laughter that made her freeze before she quickly darted out of sight. Regina's laughter. And when she peeks out from her hiding place, she sees that Emma and Henry are with her, making silly faces and trying to steal each other's ice cream. Regina is looking at them both, amused and smiling. A real smile; body relaxed and eyes shining with happiness Snow hasn't seen from her in a very long time. Then Emma turns to the woman with a grin, her eyes glowing with contentment and something else, and Snow releases a soft gasp as she realizes what she's seeing.

She hurries away before any of them can see her lurking, spying.

—-

Snow tells David what she saw because she can't ever keep something so important from her husband.

"What should we do?" he asks her once she's done, pacing restlessly. "Should we talk to Blue? Is it a spell or a curse?"

Snow lays a calming hand on his arm and smiles softly at his protectiveness. "We're not going to do anything," she tells him gently. "We're going to wait for Emma to come to us."

Charming looks at her with surprise. "We can't let Regina use Emma like that, Snow. She's our daughter," he tries to argue. He needs to take care of his family and watch out for them.

"I don't think it's a curse at all, David," she retaliates calmly, firmly. "I have to believe it's not."

Charming knows better than to argue.

—-

Snow isn't surprised when three firm knocks to her door reveals Regina.

"We need to talk," the mayor offers without preamble, ignoring David completely as she studies her former step-daughter intently. Snow pats her husband's arm once and he kisses her softly before leaving them alone.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Snow offers, not wanting to seem like a bad hostess, even if her company is the woman who has tried to make her life miserable and kill her multiple times.

Regina ignores the question, not wanting to risk getting ambushed and finding it better to go on the offensive. No point in beating around the bush. "It's too easy."

"What is?" Snow asks calmly as she fills a glass of water for herself. Regina eyes her pensively.

"Your daughter tells you that she's screwing your mortal enemy and you're just okay with it?"

Snow raises her brows at how her former step-mother is clearly trying to get a rise out of her. She's not going to let her though. They both know it's so much more than that between the mayor and the sheriff.

"Are you disappointed that we're not accusing you of casting a spell on her?"

There's a brief flicker of surprise and uncertainty on sun-kissed features before Regina steps closer so she can appear more intimidating, her heels allowing her to gain the height advantage on the other woman. "What I want to know is why you're not."

Snow releases a soft sigh as she sets down her glass on the counter. "This might come as a surprise to you, Regina, but we already knew." The former Evil Queen stares at her in disbelief as silence fills the space around them.

"How?" Regina eventually gets herself to ask.

"I saw you, at the pier, with Henry and Emma three weeks ago."

Brows scrunch in thought as the woman thinks back, trying to figure out just which occurrence the school teacher is referring to. Regina looks at her former step-daughter suspiciously. "And from what you saw you just decided that you were…okay with it?"

"Well, I won't deny that certain thoughts did cross my mind," Snow says truthfully. "But despite what you may think, I've always wished for you to find happiness, Regina."

The mayor snorts in disbelief. "You'll have to excuse me for finding that implausible. Besides, I could just be using the sheriff."

"You could," Snow agrees before giving the woman a meaningful look, "But I don't think you are."

Regina raises her brow in challenge, a half smirk playing at her lips. "Is that so? And pray tell, what exactly has made you come to that conclusion?"

"Your smile," Snow replies easily, making the mayor frown in puzzlement and sending a look that demands her to explain further. "The way you smiled at them reminded me of when you saved me from that runaway horse, before…everything happened."

Regina releases a huff of disbelief at the less than satisfactory explanation. "You're risking your daughter's happiness based on a smile?"

"Well, not just a smile," Snow offers with an upturning of lips before taking a sip of her water, watching as the mayor folds her arms in impatience, but remains uncharacteristically silent. "What I saw when you were with them…I'm pretty sure that was pretty close to the Regina I first met. The one who believed in happy endings."

She looks at Regina, gaze unwavering, daring the woman to say she's wrong. The mayor stares right back. And then Regina releases a huff of incredulity before promptly turning on her heel and making her way out of the apartment without so much as a goodbye. Snow doesn't mind. The fact Regina didn't refute her claims or call her insane is all the confirmation she really needs.

She knows they're most likely never going to be friends, there's too much bad history between them. But they can play cordial with each other if it means making the people they care about happy. And if Emma is happy, well, then what more can a mother wish for?