"Mom?" Henry questioned.
He and Maddox finally made it down the stairs after ten minutes of convincing her to wear matching shoes. No one could figure out what it was but she was always insistent about it. They found Regina leaning against the sink with a cup of coffee in her hands.
She was completely zoned out. Her mind had quickly drifted off to the night before. It was a real date and though at the time the date she had with Robin had felt perfect, the one she'd had with Cameron blew it out of the water. Regina was sure it was because lately, it had felt like she'd been living a normal life. A life that people outside of Storybrooke were living.
"I'm guessing motherhood is your favorite pastime activity?" Cameron grinned as Regina took a sip from her wine.
Regina tucked some hair behind her ear and blushing, "Is it that obvious I spend all my time with my children?"
"Not obvious but somehow we've had a very beautiful conversation about your daughter for the last fifteen minutes."
"I'm sorry," Regina sighed, "It's almost like having a new baby. It's exciting and I can't seem to stop thinking about her. I'm worried and anxious…"
"Don't be sorry. I adore Maddox. She has personality."
"Children typically aren't great first date conversation starters," Regina said.
"Well, if it wasn't for Maddox we wouldn't have met."
"Mom?"
Regina blinked out of her memory and looked to her two children waiting for a response. She set her coffee down next to the sink and smiled at them. Henry scrunched up his nose as she kissed his cheek and Maddox eagerly accepted her kiss.
"Good morning, love bug," Regina said with a smile and Maddox flashed her teeth with a bigger smile. She picked Maddox up and put her in the chair. "Time for breakfast, Henry?"
"Sure," the teen shrugged, "Where's Ma?"
"Somewhere. Hopefull getting ready for work," Regina smirked. She grabbed a plate and handed it to him and pulled down another for Maddox, "I forced her out of bed 30 minutes ago but she could've gone back to sleep."
"She'll be late for work," he laughed.
"I'm sure her boss won't let her live it down."
"Gina?" Maddox called in the middle of their teasing.
"Yes, sweetheart."
"I want juice, please," Maddox answered.
"Oh, look…a child with manners," Regina teased. Henry rolled his eyes as he sat down in the chair next to Maddox. The little girl looked at his plate and then turned her head back to Regina with impatience in her eyes.
"I need an alarm clock," Emma's voice chimed as she came through the doorway while she put on her jacket. When she entered the room, everyone could smell the hot shower she just took. A strong wave of vanilla overpowered even the smell of coffee.
"Soak in the soap, Ma?" Henry questioned, with a slight frown.
"No."
Emma lifted her arm to take a sniff. Maddox frowned at her but was immediately distracted when Regina finally gave her breakfast.
"Good morning, Sheriff," she greeted as Emma walked over to the counter make herself some coffee. She looked to be in a hurry.
"Morning," she mumbled before taking a semi-cautious drink of her coffee. Still burned her tongue anyway. The blonde flinched and Henry snickered at her. "Now everything is going to taste like tires all day. I gotta go."
She moved around the island and kissed the top of Henry's head and snuck a kiss to Maddox's cheek, causing the five-year-old to giggle. Emma turned to Regina and gave her a quick hug to the older woman's surprise. It lasted a few seconds and then Emma was heading towards the door, leaving Regina suddenly feeling cold at the absence of her embrace but she pushed the thought away.
"I will return this," Emma said lifting the coffee mug, "Thanks for letting me stay over. By the way, those two were total demons last night. All over the place."
"Nice try, Ma. I have plans this weekend."
"Oh, plans, huh? We'll see about that," she said, playfully. The teen stuck his tongue out at her and she did the same. "Be good for your Mom. See you at lunch, Regina."
No one got a chance to say anything to her before the front door was opening and closing.
Henry furrowed his brow and looked to his brunette mother, "She's in hurry to be on time for once and you're really happy. Today is weird."
"It's not weird," Regina said.
"It is with Ma at least," he said, "But you're just happy because you went on a date last night. So, Dr. Cameron is nice?"
"She is," Regina nodded, "She's good company."
"Mhm," Henry said with a raised eyebrow when Regina turned her back to them.
He knew some things she didn't.
Regina took another glance at her skittish secretary before she finally pushed through the door to her office. The younger woman was a bit jumpy...well, jumpier than she usually was. Instead of worrying about it Regina just shook her head and started thinking about the meeting she had for today.
"Hello, darling."
The mayor jumped as the doorknob left her hand causing the door to close firmly. She bristled as she turned around slowly to find Maleficent sitting at her desk with her feet propped up on the surface. There was a big bouquet of flowers at the edge of her desk and Regina turned her eyes to the card in Maleficent's hand.
"I thought we established we weren't exceeding the boundaries of a normal friendship," Regina stated while she hung up her coat, "Now you're bringing me flowers?"
"Yes, well..." Maleficent sighed, "After realizing some things, I've found myself quite enamored by the thought of having you all to myself. Will you allow me to seduce you once more?"
Regina stopped in her tracks, halting feet away from her desk. The admission surprised her. If anything she expected herself to not be over the past they had but Maleficent?
She opened and closed her mouth a few times, watching with widened eyes a Maleficent stood up from her chair and walked towards her with the card in hand. Regina didn't know what to say. Of course, she wasn't opposed to such a relationship with her. Anything that would keep Maleficent in her life was appealing to her but this was the same woman who wanted her to pursue Dr. Cameron...romantically.
Maleficent came behind her and held the card out. Then she leaned forward lips impossibly close to her ear. Regina shivered, still stunned. Maleficent whispered, "Oh how I do love making you squirm."
All tension left Regina's body instantly the moment she heard her friend start laughing. Her face fell into a frown and she rolled her eyes, taking loaded steps towards her desk with every intention of ignoring the woman.
Once she noticed that Regina had that annoyed and frustrated look on her face, she ceased her laughing and sauntered over to her. She stayed on the opposite side of the desk and held the card out to the younger woman. Regina cut her eyes at the object as she loudly typed out an email.
"The flowers aren't from me, dear," Maleficent said, rolling her eyes, "They're from your girlfriend."
Regina averted her eyes from her computer screen. She purposely ignored the smirk on her friend's face as she took the card from her hand. She read the card and then sighed with a small smile.
"She seems sweet."
"The flowers...cliche and corny but she is."
"I'm guessing that means you'll be seeing her again, yes?"
Regina looked up from placing the card on her desk and raised an eyebrow at the blonde, "I may..." she said before narrowing her eyes, "What exactly are you doing here?"
"Delivering an invitation."
"For?"
"Shopping."
"Shopping?" Regina frowned, turning eyes back to her email, "Clothes shopping?"
"Yes. Lily refused...said she had plans." The brunette lifted her eyes as Maleficent sat down in the seat across from her, "I haven't known her too long but I'm sure she usually doesn't have plans."
"Maybe you should look into befriending the Charmings. They have plenty of experience raising their adult child...or not raising...I don't know."
"Will you attend?"
"You don't attend shopping sprees, Mal, but yes I will go with you..." Regina paused in thought, "Only if you tell me who you've been seeing."
"No one."
"Then I'm not going."
"Regina-"
"Mayor Mills," her secretary called through the intercom, "The council has arrived."
"Thank you. Show them to conference room three. I'll be out in a moment," Regina replied.
Maleficent watched Regina collect a few things from her desk and start making her way towards the door. She turned her head, eyes following the woman all the way to the door. "Regina, what about-" Maleficent started.
The younger woman lifted a finger to her and said, "I'll go with you to shop for your date...only if you tell me who it is. Simple as that."
"You know what?" Emma shook her head. "I quit."
David looked down at her as she spoke and then back up to what both had them annoyed and frustrated. A bit confused as well. The longer they stared the more it didn't make sense.
"And leave me to deal with this? I think not."
"Well, I'm stumped. This is bullshit."
"Should I be surprised by this or...is this something normal that happens when you're working, Swan?" Hook asked as he walked over to them. "A tree? Or lack thereof...?"
David nodded to no one in particular and then put his hands on his hips, "I'm going to go have a sandwich."
Emma frowned at him as he started to turn away. She threw her hands up in the air with a groan. "Dad? Seriously?"
"You got this Emma." David waved over his shoulder and left to his cruiser.
"So..." Killian started, "What-"
"I don't even want to talk about it," Emma said with a sigh. "Can you take pictures of this? I gotta go talk to the neighbors or something..."
"No one knows what happened?"
"Look, I'm still confused on the fact that a whole oak tree is gone and nobody heard anything."
"Magic?" Killian asked.
"I'm looking into it," Emma said with a shrug.
"Have you talked to Regina?"
"No..."
"I think you know where to start your investigation, Swan."
"Just take the damn pictures, smartass."
It wasn't unusual for the mayor to be sleepless some nights so when she found herself awake at 1 am, she didn't bat an eyelash about it and helped herself to finish the 12th page of her crossword book. It crossed her mind to bother Spencer during her night shift since they hadn't talked since their date three days ago but she settled for the crossword. Thursday nights were busy at the hospital for some reason.
Although while doing the crossword, it turned out her world either revolved around Emma or fairytales more than she was willing to admit. One of her words happened to be in relation to Emma actually.
'Ugly duckling, as it turned out'
She sighed to herself and wrote in the sheriff's last name. She didn't loathe Emma but her books were supposed to be her escape. Immediately after she considered just reading a book because her next one was just as bad.
'Evil queen's offering to Snow White'
"Who wrote this damn thing?" She growled to herself, closing the book and sitting it down on her nightstand. She huffed, took her glasses off, and folded her arms across her chest before pressing her back into her pillows.
She pushed her the sheets away and got up to leave her room. Pulling on her silk robe, she walked to the door with the intention of going downstairs for a glass of cider. She made it halfway down the hall with quiet steps but was stopped the sound of crying. She turned on her heel and hurried over to Maddox's room.
Regina pushed the door open and found the girl sitting up in her bed, fists balled up at her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks. Her beloved bunny was tossed to the floor and Regina picked it up.
"Maddox," Regina said softly moving over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. She slowly reached out and Maddox jumped from her touch. Her hiccups and sniffs continued as Regina pulled into her lap. Without warning, Maddox turned to her scrambling closer into her body.
"Mommy," she cried in between a hiccup.
Regina froze and looked down at the child. She was upset and partially asleep. It was a surprise she wasn't sure how to handle. This was different than it was with Henry. He'd been calling her mommy since he'd first learned to talk but Maddox had parents before her and maybe it was too soon to start with the titles after over two months. This late at night was no time to debate it so smiled shortly down at Maddox before placing her hand against her back.
With the bunny still in her hand, she wrapped her arms around Maddox and hugged her close.
"Mommy," she heard again.
"It's okay. I'm here," Regina cooed softly into her hair.
Regina stood up, holding Maddox to her chest, and started to sway slowly. Instinctively, Maddox wrapped her legs around Regina's waist and laid her head on her shoulder. The woman didn't miss a beat, continuing to rock her and tucked the bunny between them. Then she used her free hand to rub soothing circles into her back.
"You're okay," she whispered.
She walked around the room swaying lightly and whispering assurances into Maddox's ear. The little brunette started to calm down slowly, beginning to open her eyes to the dim lights around her bedroom. Regina watched the two trains quietly race around her room and turned in a circle to watch them.
After ten minutes of silence as the crying stopped, leaving behind small trembles and sniffling, Regina tilted her head slightly so it rested lightly on Maddox's. The younger of the pair began to fall back asleep clinging to Regina.
"Shh," Regina whispered hearing a few murmurs and incoherent noises as the girl fell back asleep, "Everything is okay. You're safe."
Once she was sure Maddox was asleep she turned the lights out in the room and walked them back down to her own room. Going through this with Henry taught her to just get the inevitable over with now rather than later. If she left her back in her bed there'd probably be another outbreak of nightmares again that night and they'd both get very little sleep. At least that what she got from her first child. She laid down on her side of the bed and rubbed her back for a little longer before putting Maddox down on her back in the empty space next to her.
She turned the light out and moved to her side to keep an eye on Maddox until she eventually fell asleep herself.
The next morning, Regina woke up to giggles and curly brown hair tickling her face. Maddox was hovering over her with a toothy smile. The five-year-old leaned forward and pressed her palms into Regina's cheeks before putting their foreheads together.
"What are you doing, silly?" Regina asked with a smile.
"I want pancakes," Maddox responded, "Chocolate pancakes."
"If you get ready for school without problems, I'll make you some pancakes." Regina wrapped her arm around Maddox to steady her as she sat up. Maddox dropped her hands into her lap and Regina kissed her nose. "Do we have a deal?"
Maddox nodded and then grabbed her bunny, hugging it close to her chest as she started to make her way off the bed. She paused for a moment and turned back to Regina. She got up on her knees and planted a kiss on her cheek before hopping off the bed. Regina followed suit and got out of bed silencing her alarm minutes before it was set to ring.
After thirty minutes Regina was finishing up her lipstick in the vanity mirror while Maddox sat on the bed slowly tying her shoes. Once they were both officially ready, they went down to the kitchen so Regina could make good on her promise of making pancakes. Henry made his way down the stairs just as she was pouring the pancakes into a pan.
"Morning, Mom," Henry said, dropping the strap of his bag on the back of a stool.
"Good morning, Henry," Regina greeted in return.
Maddox offered him a little wave and he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Morning, Maddox." He smiled at her and went to the cabinet for two cups. Regina finished up breakfast while Henry occupied Maddox with some orange juice and comic book talk.
Just before the bus was set to arrive, Henry was cleaning up the island counter. He brought his plate and Maddox's to the sink. He glanced back to Maddox and then over to his mother, "Hey, mom?"
"Yes?"
Henry leaned close to her and whispered, "Figure out a theme for her party yet?"
"Honestly she keeps jumping between liking pirates and dragons, I'm not sure if I'll get it right."
"I was thinking maybe you could make it a storybook theme." Regina raised an eyebrow at him. "My storybook, so then you can do dragons and pirates. I think she'd like it. Maleficent and Lily are dragons. Killian's a pirate. And you know Maddox loves Ma. She makes her play savior all the time."
"That is true."
"Everyone could dress up as themselves. Ma and Grandpa could be knights...Maddox could be the princess."
"Have I told you, you're a genius lately?" Regina smiled.
"Not really," Henry said with a smirk.
"Well, you're a genius, my prince."
"I know."
Usually, David got all the traffic stops but for once Emma clocked someone going 30 over the speed limit...right through a red light. She was leaning to take a bite of her sandwich when the car flew by the cruiser. It was so sudden, she nearly dropped her lunch.
"What the hell..." Emma put her lunch in the passenger's seat and turned on the siren as she drove after them.
Just before the next traffic light, the car pulled over. Emma got out, hand itching to write about forty tickets, and walked up to the car. It was a black 1972 Delta 88. She was kind of jealous. It was in perfect condition. Putting that aside she walked up to the driver's side and knocked on the window. A man in sunglasses turned to her as he rolled down the window.
"Is there a problem, Sheriff?" He asked with a hint of a smug grin on his face.
"Problem?" Emma scoffed. "Are you kidding? You were going 65. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't a city freeway."
Her radio crackled to life at her hip before he could respond, "Swan. You need to get down to the park now."
She glanced at the driver and then took her radio and answered back, "Killian, what's going on?"
"Just hurry," he replied and then the static went silent.
Emma frowned and then sighed to herself. She wrote the man a ticket and he took it without batting an eyelash, still with a smug look, "If I catch you again, you can say goodbye to this ride and your driver's license," Emma warned.
The man tipped his hat and pulled off.
Emma walked back to her car, turning to look back at the Delta driving away. He looked familiar but she'd never seen him in town before. She forgot about it and got into the cruiser to make her way to the park.
Three minutes later, she was at the park entrance with a suspicious look on her face. Killian could've been joking around but he was beginning to take the deputy job seriously. So, Emma continued down the walkway until she spotted the pirate and another familiar face.
"Killian? Lily?"
"Emma, oh good. You're here," Lily said in relief, "It's really fucking weird."
"What is?"
"That." Killian tilted his head deeper into the park. Emma had seen worried-looking parents shooing their kids out of the park and standing by. Now she knew why.
A kid and a bat. A teenager, obviously, but it was clear why Killian called her out. He was walking back and forth in front on a bench, swinging the bat lightly in his hand. Probably the most concerning thing was the ski mask. Her father could be at the station getting calls left and right.
Taking a breath, she started towards the teen but a hand latched onto her forearm before she could get far. Killian looked at her with a furrowed brow and said, "Be careful, Swan."
"I'll be fine," Emma assured. The pair exchanged glances and she purposely ignored them as she walked forward. Her movement incited a few gasps as if she wasn't one of the very few who willing went head first into danger.
"Look, kid, I don't know what kind of joke this is supposed to be but this is a public disturbance. I can hold you for it," Emma stated with her usual confidence. It usually worked on most teens attempting to throw rocks at the mayor's office windows or spray painting the diner.
However, when he looked at her with fluorescent blue eyes, Emma stepped back defensively. His hood was up causing enough shadow to hid most of his face. The bat suddenly stopped swinging in his hand as he turned to face her completely.
"What the hell...?" Emma murmured to herself. The blonde quickly took a step back as he started to walk towards her. Her hand fell to her holster instinctively. "Stay where you are."
Her demands fell on deaf ears and she started to stumble back, away from his overly confident steps.
"I won't tell you again…quit moving." He continued on. "Back off."
She raised her hand, going for her magic instead. But Emma was caught off guard when the teen disappeared in a blink and was standing in front of her suddenly. Before she could react, he took her wrist sharply and all Emma heard was a crack, followed but searing pain. An involuntary scream left her throat, cut off when the teen used his other hand to clamp down on her neck.
He leaned in close to her, his face still obscured from her vision and said, "He sends you this warning, Savior."
Emma's eyes widened just before he let go of her wrist and a blast of magic forced her backward into the newly built jungle gym a dozen yards behind her. Her body hit part of the frame with a crack and she dropped to the ground like a rock. Then the boy disappeared.
"Emma!" Lily's voice was muddled in Emma's head. She slowly opened her eyes when someone pulled her up. Lily was hovering over her with a concerned look on her face. "Emma, talk to me."
No response followed as Emma fell unconscious.
