The Birdcage
Disclaimer: Once not mine. Yadda Yadda. Gimmie Lana.
Author's Note: I'm back! Sorry all, some of you thought this was abandoned because I forgot to mention I would be working on several large research papers, taking my finals, and then immediately going on vacation. I made this the longest one yet, though, and I think it's the moment you've all been waiting for. I'm nervous about this one, but I hope I did it justice. Anyways, there is only one more chapter and the epilogue, unless I feel particularly long winded and end up squeezing two out of what I have left. Don't worry, though, I am already working on another SQ multi-chaptered story as well as several promised one shots. This will be the summer of Swan Queen.
Right, I've talked long enough. ENJOY!
Chapter Nine: Trees for Skies
Regina groaned, feeling the effect of the light cracking through the space between the window's curtains across her face. Was it really morning so soon? The unexpected visit from Emma had been admittedly welcome, though seriously ill-timed.
Her nap after the tiring travels the day before had not done much in the way of making up her spent energy, and the stress of Emma's family had managed to take even more out of her. She loved having Emma in such a way, but now her body was paying for it.
The groan from behind informed her that the younger woman wasn't too thrilled to see the daylight either, as it meant they would be requested at breakfast before long. An arm that she hadn't noticed before tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to a now decidedly awake Emma.
"Morning," Regina groaned, snuggling into the hold despite the fact that she clearly should have been pushing to get out of bed.
"Can we just stay here all day?" Emma grumbled. "Henry can entertain my parents, and I'm sure your mother will cause enough trouble to cover the quotas for both of us."
Regina chuckled deeply, feeling the sleep slowly drain from her voice.
"As wonderful as that suggestion sounds, we can't do that. This is what happens when you visit your parents. We don't get to sleep in."
"Not even for this?" Regina could hear the pout in Emma's tone without even seeing her, gasping when the hand around her waist suddenly moved lower and toyed with the hem of her slip.
"Especially not for that." She sighed, slapping Emma's hand away and squirming out of the hold. Another moment with the blonde's playful antics and she wouldn't be leaving that bed for a very long time.
This time, now standing, Regina could actually see the pout.
"No fair. Your mother practically lives with us, you know."
"And your point is?" Regina lifted an eyebrow in question.
"Well, we never hold off on anything just because she's around."
At this, Regina couldn't even hold in the laugh. "Dear, that's because my mother actually knows about us. That and she spends most nights in the apartments of her various sex buddies, or whatever it is you call them. Henry is a bigger threat, and really, I think the baby may have tipped him off."
The blonde, for her part, only grumbled under her breath as she finally got up from the bed. Regina smirked, satisfied that she had won their little spar, and turned to find something to put on from her suitcase.
"You didn't unpack?" The question came from a startlingly close distance, and Regina was surprised to see Emma right smack behind her.
"No, I… suppose I never got the chance."
"Or you were planning for a quick getaway," Emma teased pointedly.
"Well, perhaps you may be on to something there, dear," Regina mused. "Can I help you?" she added, realizing that Emma wasn't budging from her spot behind her.
"I, uh, left my clothes in my room last night. And Cora kind of had to poof me here when I got lost, so I don't really feel like running around through these massive hallways in my jammies. Think I can just borrow something?"
"On one condition," Regina said, pretending to think hard about her answer.
"Oh, and what would that be?" Emma asked cockily, closing the distance so that her lips were only a mere inch away, breaths mingling in the air.
"You never, and I mean never, teach that child the word 'jammies.' Understood?"
Emma laughed, and the puff of air hit her in the face due to the lack of distance. Regina smirked, holding back from connecting their lips until she got the answer she desired, all the while trying to look serious. She couldn't see her own face, but was sure she was massively failing at this task.
"Deal," Emma spoke quietly, and they closed it with a kiss.
Pulling away, Regina turned and fished something out of her bags for the blonde to wear. She selected a pair of jeans which really belonged to Emma, though she had taken to wearing them around the house more recently when she realized the effect it had on her counterpart. Her fingers met the smooth blue silky fabric of one of Emma's favorite button-down shirts, so she pulled that out as well and handed them off to the other woman.
"Thank you." Emma accepted the clothes with another peck before moving to get dressed, quickly followed by Regina.
"So about last night," Emma began, filling the silence that had fallen over them as they dressed comfortably in each other's presence.
"What about it?" Regina felt her spine stiffen at the memory. While she wasn't upset that Emma now knew, she wished she could have softened the blow by simply recounting the story herself.
"We need to talk about that."
"Perhaps, but don't you think it can wait until we get home."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
The silence was back, but this time a bit more strained. It was clear that this was going to become a thing that they would have to get over, but there certainly never was a shortage of those in their life. Regina knew there was no chance of Emma letting it drop, but at least they could wait until this whole fiasco was over.
Some old wounds should stay old wounds when the chances in the present are so beautiful.
"So, who do you think your mother is seeing?" Emma blurted in what Regina knew was an attempt to lighten the mood.
"What do you mean?" she asked conversationally.
"Well when I ran into her last night, she wasn't just wandering around. There's someone here. Any guesses?"
Regina was surprised, though she didn't quite know why. Perhaps it was the fact that her mother had only been showing interest in people from the other world, outsiders who didn't know of her past. But here she was well known as being the Queen of Hearts.
"How odd," she voiced. "I suppose we could ask her, but knowing my mother she'll take it as an invasion of privacy and lose her head."
"Yeah," the blonde murmured.
They were both moving around each other now, getting ready for the day ahead. It never ceased to amaze Regina how easily they could become in synch with their routines. Things almost felt rehearsed, though no such planning had occurred. It was merely a method both had fallen into over time, and it was pleasant to note that it transcended to any bedroom or world, for that matter.
"So what exactly do people eat for breakfast here? Any chance there are some poptarts?"
Regina laughed at her ignorance, unsure how to relay the disappointing news that there would be no processed sugar this morning. Some things would just never change, and for that, she was beginning to realize she was very thankful.
SQSQSQSQSQ
Half an hour later found both Emma and Regina making their way into the hall where breakfast was to be served. They had talked about going in separately for about a minute before deciding that if they were going to be coming clean to Snow, there was no reason not to enter at the same time.
If anything, she'd likely just think they had bumped into each other on the way there, which Regina had insisted was completely possible after some hesitation on Emma's side, seeing as she still had no idea how to find her way around.
Henry was the first to spot them as they entered the doorway, having dropped each other's hands just outside. Emma smiled down at him, ruffling his hair as he took to giving his other mother a massive hug.
"Mom, did you see how much food we get for breakfast!" He was jumping up and down in excitement, pointing over towards the feast spread out across the table. The amount of food was making Emma feel a little uneasy, after all, there was no possible way they would eat all of that. Every meal here ended up being just as large, she mused, and wondered if the people of her parents' kingdom ate as well and as frivolously as they did.
She doubted as much. And really, she wanted to ask, but figured leaving the politics of the Enchanted Forest to a different visit might be a safer option. The Regina shock would likely be enough to send Snow off, let alone finding out her daughter is opposed to how she was running everything.
"Yes, Henry, I do. Did you sleep well, dear?" Regina asked, and Emma watched on with a beaming smile. This would be the last time she had to hide them as her full family, and it was a proud moment to her that she would soon be telling the world. Well, just Snow White, really, but it was still a big deal in her little world.
"Mhmm!" He nodded excitedly, then suddenly quieted his voice so that only the two of them could hear him. "But I think I like home better. They don't have comic books here."
Emma couldn't hold back the snort of laughter that escaped, drawing the attention of a few faces she didn't recognize. Some were probably servants, others just members of the royal council or whatever Snow called the people who wandered around the castle at all hours as if they owned it.
"Can't say I don't agree there, kid," Emma cut in.
Regina nodded. "Yes, having lived in both, I much prefer the ways of our world. No matter, though. Next time we come visit, we'll just have to remember to pack some."
Emma's eyebrows rose in surprise at Regina's words. Next time? Someone was being awfully optimistic about how today was going to go. She smiled, loving how much faith Regina had in them as a couple. They could do this. She just had to get through telling one person, and then nothing else would matter.
Snow couldn't possibly take it that badly, right? She would probably be relieved. Emma enjoyed Archie's company, but she didn't imagine he had been all they wanted for her, either. In her last minute state of panic, she even found herself reasoning that they would prefer Regina for her royal roots.
Though, she probably shouldn't mention that. Emma knew it wouldn't likely help her case.
The big double doors swung open, revealing her parents, and Emma felt her heart begin thudding loudly in her head. Regina discretely placed a reassuring hand on her back, nudging her forward until Emma was being pulled into a hug by her father while Snow went over to check that breakfast was prepared properly.
"Emma, perhaps now isn't the time to tell your mother… you know," Charming whispered.
Emma startled, yanking back out of his arms and holding back the sharp glare that wanted to make its way out. Backing out was not in the plan, in fact, backing out was the opposite of the plan. That was not what she needed to hear for a boost of encouragement.
"What do you mean? I thought you were going to talk to her so she'd be prepared."
"I did talk to her, it's just…"
"Just what?" she seethed between clenched teeth.
Regina's hand looped around her wrist, tightening fiercely, and she knew that her girlfriend was overhearing every word of this conversation. That was her warning not to mess up this time, or there would clearly not be a next time.
Emma hoped that her glare towards her father relayed the message properly.
"I ended up having to deal with something a little more eminent."
"What could possibly be more important?"
Emma shook her head, looking over at Henry who was watching them in confusion. She hoped he couldn't hear what was being said, but the looks being shot from both his mothers was probably a good clue-in. Emma considered asking Regina to take him away, but it was obvious the older woman had no intention of missing a word of this if her solid stance was anything to go on.
"Uh, well, you know how she gets these ideas into her head," he replied pathetically. Not for the first time she wished Prince Charming wasn't such a, for lack of a better term, pathetic wimp.
"Good morning, Emma!" A shrill voice sounded through the air, breaking them from the moment before Emma had the chance to really snap at him. She did shoot one more glare though, making it perfectly clear that she was not okay with this. He looked down like a kicked puppy, and she almost felt bad for causing the reaction, but it was nothing compared to the hurt she'd caused Regina over the past day.
"Snow, er- Mom. Morning."
Emma shifted uncomfortably, accepting the forced hug weakly.
"Did you sleep well? I came to check on you this morning but you were already up apparently."
Emma blanched. She had, of course, been in Regina's room, but her mother wasn't supposed to have checked to find that out. What was she, a little child that needed to be constantly watched? And she was about to say as much before realizing that she would also be revealing that she was sleeping with Regina.
That probably wasn't the best way to introduce her mother to the idea of their relationship.
"Oh, yeah. Early riser and all that. Hey, listen I need to talk to you about something." Emma needed to stay focused and get this out before it accidently slipped out any other way.
"Oh, Emma before I forget! I've been thinking…"
"Yeah?" Emma gulped, seeing her father's nervous fidgeting out of the corner of her eye.
"Snow," he warned.
"Oh, Charming, calm down. Emma will tell us if this is too imposing, but you know how limited time is. Emma, you see, here we have customs that differ from yours a little. And since you're the Princess rightfully, there are certain… expectations that you are desired to uphold."
"But I don't live here," Emma reminded, weary of where this was heading. She could just picture the lecture she was entering. It would be something along the lines of, 'Princesses can't have magical babies with Evil Queens' or some other mindless shit, she was sure.
"True," Snow nodded in acknowledgement. "However, you are still the Princess, and should you ever choose to come home and accept that title—"
"Wait, hold on, my home isn't here, and I can promise you right now that I have no intentions of being all Princessy and running a kingdom," Emma cut in.
Snow sighed, shutting her eyes for a brief second as if trying to tamper down some sort of tantrum.
"Perhaps, but you've seen how quickly things can change, so do you think you can just hear me out?"
Emma nodded begrudgingly. She didn't like where this was heading, but figured it wouldn't make much sense to snap at the woman without even knowing what she was getting so angry over.
The old Emma would have done that, maybe, but she was trying to change. She wanted to be a good mom, and snapping at a person before the suggestion was even completed wasn't going to get her there. So she took a deep, steadying breath, and motioned for her mother to go on.
"Right, so anyways, in this world there are certain customs that typically take place between a man and a woman, and they are very similar to some from your world, but here it tends to be much more expected when a woman is with child and…"
Emma interrupted again, despite her inner resolution to hear her out first. "Woah, hold up! I know you weren't really around much during those years, but I do NOT need the sex talk, no matter what world I'm in. And, Jesus, my kid is right here!"
Snow blushed, bringing a hand to her face as if she didn't quite know how to respond to that.
"Actually, Emma, that's not where I was going with this. I was talking about marriage. Here, for a Princess to have a child without being married, it's… well… quite the scandal. And we were hoping to have a ball to officially introduce you as the Princess before you part for your 'home,' so there would be the perfect opportunity. And really, you wouldn't have to do anything for it if you didn't want. It would just mean a lot to me to have that assurance in this world, at least, just in case you change your mind."
Emma would have cut in sooner, she really would have, but her jaw was too busy trying to stretch and reach the floor. Her eyes sought out Regina, who looked just as flabbergasted by the suggestion as she felt, and then moved on to her father, who was staring intently at an invisible spot on the floor.
Emma tried to successfully find her words, but even as the muscles in her jaw pulled it together and were able to move again, she couldn't quite get any sound to come out.
Marriage? Her brain couldn't even process the word. Her mother wanted her to get married. To Archie. So she could rule a kingdom that she had no interest in without making them look bad.
The fragmented thoughts were all she could manage.
She wasn't sure what should come first—the anger that Snow wanted her to do this out of selfish gain for some stupid family image, or the fear that someone she thought she could at least trust would do this to her.
If having a baby now without marriage was so horrible and dishonoring, what did they think about Henry? Was he just her bastard child that didn't count because she'd been knocked up at 18 and his father had sent her to jail? Emma felt sick, and this time it had nothing to do with morning sickness.
Her palms were sweaty, clenching firmly at her side as she tried to look up to all the many faces now pinned on her, waiting for a reaction. Her mother was standing in all her self-righteous glory, as if expecting that she would never dream of denying such an offer. Her father was still refusing to meet her gaze, but she could read the guilt stretched across his face clear as day.
And then there was Regina. She expected to see anger in the woman's eyes, but instead all she saw was sympathy. Sympathy from the woman who had been through something so similar in her life, that all she could do was look on to the woman she loved with a gaze that was so clearly filled with blind hope. Despite everything she had put her through in the last twenty-four hours, Regina still believed that she was going to do the right thing.
And then the door swung open, revealing a chipper Archie who had no idea what kind of storm he'd just entered.
This was the last observation before Emma realized the room was growing fuzzier with every rapid breath she inhaled in panic, and soon it all went black.
SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ
"Emma… Emma!"
The fuzziness faded away from her vision and Emma found herself staring up at a pair of concerned chestnut irises.
"What happened?" she groaned, feeling as the though wind had been knocked clear out of her.
"You fainted," Regina supplied with a little pout of disappointment. "You've been out for several minutes; I was growing concerned."
Emma tried to sit up, because she was apparently lying down somewhere now, but was stopped by a hand on her forehead pressing a cool cloth down.
"Don't. I don't want you going on me like that again. Just stay down until you get your bearings, all right?"
Emma nodded in acquiescence. She was still quite confused as to what was going on, and tried wracking her brain for the last thing she could recall.
They were getting ready to eat breakfast, Henry had said something about comic books, her parents showed up, and then the word marriage had fallen onto her like a bomb and nearly knocked Emma clear off her feet.
Actually, she realized, it seemed to have succeeded in knocking her all the way down.
"Wedding… I can't marry Archie!" she mumbled, trying yet again to sit up and locate her mother to inform her that she was in love with Regina.
This time, the older woman didn't stop her from sitting up, but she placed a hand on her thigh so Emma wouldn't try and stand, which she figured was a good idea and opted not to fight against. The cool cloth was whisked away, and Emma finally noticed where they were.
"Why are we in your room?"
When silence was the only sound to greet her, Emma tore her gaze over to the all too quiet brunette. "Regina, how did we get here?"
She saw the bright pink blush creep up the other woman's olive cheeks and waited, cocking an eyebrow as she knew whatever had happened had Regina embarrassed. Those moments were rare and few, but seeing as Emma seemed to have quite a few in comparison, she liked to treasure the ones she could get.
"Well, I was a little concerned when you just collapsed, and your mother was driving me absolutely insane, so I…"
"You what?"
Regina was biting her bottom lip, now, and Emma braced herself. This was going to be good.
"Well, I sort of panicked, and jumped down next to you. And you know, I was already sort of frazzled by everything and my mind decided it was a good idea to try and kiss you awake. Of course, nothing happened because you clearly fainted and were not cursed, but I was so afraid to look up and see everyone's reactions that I sort of poofed us away."
Emma just stared at the woman she loved, sure her face was only capable of holding a blank expression as she tried to piece together a probable visual of the events in her head. Regina was fidgeting nervously next to her on the bed, and it took everything in her not to straight out laugh.
"Well, I think it's safe to say my mother knows now. I should feel bad, but after that shit she just pulled, I could honestly care less," Emma declared.
At this, she got the smile she was hoping for, and swooped in to take it between her own lips.
Their lips moved against each other, relaying every bit of stress from the morning as they took the moment to properly treasure each other. Soon they would need to go back and face the music, but that could wait. Emma pulled back with a smirk, looking at her heavily panting girlfriend from up close.
Her lips were red and swollen from their kiss, the scar even more enunciated than usual, which Emma loved. She could feel herself grinning in response to the one spreading rapidly across Regina's face, and she took the moment to push her down onto the bed, straddling her hips over the giggling woman to pin her in place.
And she was going to punish Regina for being so naughty, but it was at that moment that the door to the room banged open, revealing a very distraught looking Snow White.
"Emma, get away from her, now! I don't know what she did to you down there, but it's not real. Come with me," Snow demanded, stepping into the room without invitation.
Emma growled, rolling off Regina but staying seated next to her on the bed. She reached out a hand and placed it on the older woman's thigh in a signal that she should stay put. Whatever was about to go down, she wanted to stand through it with Regina by her side.
"Snow, Regina hasn't done anything to me," she spoke calmly.
Snow merely scoffed, stepping forward and physically grabbing Emma by the wrist to try and yank her up and away from the brunette on the bed.
"Nonsense, Emma. You just don't remember. We'll go find Archie and he'll straighten this all out for you, though. She made you pass out and kissed you. It's a trap."
Emma ripped her arm out, narrowing her eyes at the woman as a jolt of pain shot through her chest. Not a physical pang, but rather that same buried one from her childhood that had been locked away after so much abandonment that it hurt too much to let the feelings out.
"I remember fine, Snow. Archie and I were never together. I just panicked when you asked about the baby and… and I shouldn't have lied. The thing is, I'm not good at this. I don't know how to be a daughter, and I was scared of how you would react, so I screwed up and took the easy out."
Emma stood up to continue her speech, approaching the woman who was just looking at her with betrayal and glassy eyes.
"Regina and I are in love. The baby, your grandchild, is hers just as much as mine. I don't quite get how, but I guess True Love magic is like that. Weird, huh? But I'm happy. I'm so, so happy with her in my life, and I don't want to go any longer with you not knowing that.
"You can't know me, as your daughter, without knowing the person I love. So I'm sorry you found out in such a sudden way, and I'm sorry that this spoils your big plans, but I'm happy. That's what matters, right?"
Emma was waiting for the big hug; that big movie moment where the mother takes her daughter into her arms and everything is suddenly right. That moment didn't come, and after a minute of staring at each other as strangers, Emma realized it wouldn't.
"Emma, this is wrong."
She felt tears welling up, strangling her with the realization that things weren't going her way.
"Look, I'm sorry I lied," Emma began, but was cut off by a raised hand.
"No, don't be. In fact, I wish you hadn't told me the truth."
The slap in the face couldn't have echoed louder if she had physically touched her, in that moment. Emma felt Regina pressing up behind her, supportive hands holding her up when all she wanted to do was crumble.
Emma Swan hated, more than any of this, how weak it made her feel. She was supposed to be the tough one, not some weak coward who falls at mommy's request, yet here she was.
"How can you say that?" she choked out.
Snow scoffed, looking at her with disgust, and Emma felt her stomach churn. "Oh, Emma. You could have lied. I offered you an out with a marriage to Archie. You could have everything here—a family, a kingdom, a very nice status. Instead you're what, planning on raising that thing with her? Regina is evil, Emma, and that won't change. What happens when you wake up and realize how you've fallen into her trap, what then?"
"I can't believe you," Emma said with a hysterical shake of her head.
"Why are you doing this to me, Emma?"
And that was it—the final straw that broke the camel's back. Only it didn't break Emma, in that sense. Rather, it set off a ferocity that even she didn't know existed inside her.
"Because you don't get to take that away from her this time!" Emma all but screamed.
"Emma, don't," Regina tried calmly, but it fell on deaf ears.
"No, Regina, she'll never get it if I don't tell her. She'll just go on, believing she's this perfect saint who wouldn't hurt a fly, but that's not true. She hurt you all those years ago, and now she's hurting me with all of this."
"What are you talking about, Emma?"
"I'm talking about the fact that you took Regina's first chance at being a mother away from her. You drank water from that stupid lake and caused her to lose the baby she was carrying, because all magic comes with a price and you were so selfish that you didn't even stop to consider… to consider that what you did would have consequences just the same. You made it so I exist at her cost."
"Emma, that never happened. She's just manipulating you to think—"
"No! She didn't even tell me that. The baby did, I guess, which is weird. But that's what happens when you get a magical baby. Regina should hate my very existence, but instead she just loves me. She loves me so much that she can actually look at me and become blind to the fact that I took the life intended for her kid.
"And now I have the chance to do something for her, to give her the baby that we made together, and you are being such a self righteous bitch that you can't even see it. You can't see past your pretentious goggles that only view black and white to see that Regina isn't the Evil Queen. She's just a woman that I love, my True Love, and I won't have you take that away from either of us."
"Emma," Regina spoke up sadly, pity heavy on her voice.
"Emma, please, just think about what you're doing."
"No!" she cut in, a sob breaking through her throat. Regina's arms were around her in an instant, holding her up as she kept her eyes burning into those of her mother. "No," she spoke a bit more softly.
"Maybe this was too soon for us to do this," Snow said, all signs of emotion gone from her voice.
Emma nodded in agreement, watching as the only mother she'd ever known walked out of the room and closed the door behind her without another word.
All that followed were her angry sobs, soothed by Regina's shushing sounds and the circles she precariously rubbed on her back.
