Chapter Nine: Secrets and Lies
There was a heavy weight on her chest as she woke up, however she knew from experience that this was just Emma either laying on her or sitting criss cross apple sauce on her. Blinking slowly, she peered into green eyes and looked intently at her daughter's forlorn expression. Emma rested her elbows on her thighs and her chin in her hands as she looked off dazed.
"Good morning, pretty bird." Regina yawned , starling the toddler.
"Morning Mama." Emma puckered up her lips before a kiss before leaning down to retrieve it from her mother.
"Did you sleep good, Ducky?" Regina asked, bringing Emma to lay down on her so that her weight was evenly distributed.
"I don't member it." Emma shrugged and Regina nodded along
"Mallie call?" Emma asked the same question every morning for the past four days and everyday Regina had to tell her the blonde hadn't called yet. Checking her phone she seen no new messages or missed calls from the older woman.
"Not yet baby. I'm sure she will soon." Regina added, her heart breaking at Emma's disappointed expression. It wasn't like Regina hadn't tried to get into contact with the other woman but all of her calls had gone unanswered.
"I think she forgot bout us." Emma murmured, and Regina simply rubbed circles on her back.
"I'm sure that's not true, darling...How about I make us some hot cakes for breakfast. We can put chocolate chips in them. Just like you like them." Regina promised
"Okay." Emma didn't seem enthusiastic about it though. Both Mills women clambered off the bed, and Regina noticed her daughter dragging her feet but she didn't have the heart to scold her for it.
"Mama I wanna see Lily and Ellie!" Emma turned to her suddenly with a pout firmly in place.
"Darling, I'm sure Mallory will call today. Then you can talk to the girls until you guys fall asleep." Regina tried to assure her.
"Not fair! First I don't like them and they always here! Now I like them and they won't come back!" Emma grunted and Regina smirked slightly at the pint sized blonde's change of attitude.
"Oh you like them now? Even though they won't play with Donatello?" Regina mused.
"It's okay cause he mine! I got to share you but I don't got to share him." Emma hummed.
"Well darling I feel flattered." Regina said dryly , as she picked Emma up and put her into one of the bar stools.
"Mama..." Emma looked to the brunette expectantly.
"Yes pretty bird?" Regina asked, grabbing the dry ingredients for the hot cakes.
"Ellie and Lily say your their mommy." Emma stated before she stopped causing Regina to turn to her. She knew that the toddlers mind wasn't really processing what had taken place but it was getting tiresome to keep butchering an explanation.
"Lily came from my tummy. So that makes me her mommy by blood. You came from Mallory's tummy, so that makes her your mommy by blood. However I've loved you with all my heart and soul, and your my baby by something much more special. You are my one true love darling." Regina gave Emma a pained smile when she realized how many doors this conversation opened.
"Mallie not my mommy. She got two babies. Just me and you." Emma clasped her hands together.
"Do you think that maybe we can open up our hearts for Lily, Elsa and Mallie." Regina tried to persuade the three year old.
"No cause then you won't love me as much." Emma shook her head.
"Ducky, with love there is no limit on how much you have. It's infinite, it goes to infinity and beyond." Regina replied
"Like Buzz? He like Jessie." Emma licked her lips before smacking them together.
"Yeah like Buzz. Just because we love other people, that doesn't mean we don't love each other the same." Regina added.
"You love them too?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows.
"Yes, my love." Regina nodded before cracking three eggs into the bowl and whisking everything together. She already had a pan heating on the stove waiting for her.
"I like them, just not like I like you Mama. I don't like Mallie all the time. I like her when she gives me cookies." Emma tilted her head to the side, watching Regina pour three small circles into the cast iron pan.
"Mallory give you cookies?" Regina raised an eyebrow.
"Mhm, but I not supposta tell you cause its a secret." Emma yawned quietly.
" A secret, hmm? Baby remember you can always tell Mama anything, even if someone says to keep it a secret. Okay?" Regina was definitely going to have a conversation with Mallory Nolan about her secret keeping ideas.
"Yes Mama. Can I get some juice?" Emma glanced quickly over to the fridge and then the bushel of apples sitting by the door.
"I didn't get a chance to make any apple juice. We have some OJ if you want that..." Regina pulled out the glass pitcher and set it on the table. Emma nodded her agreement and Regina went and grabbed a stage two cup and pour a couple of ounces.
Mallory looked down to her phone as it rang for the third time that day, Regina's name flashing across the scene as she watched both of the girls run around the park near their home. Her heart was pounding painfully in her chest as she turned to the brunette man sitting on bench beside her. He was lazily eating a bag of sun flower seeds before he turned with hard eyes to glare at her.
"So either you moved on as soon as you left, maybe even before, or those kids are mine." He remarked, spitting out the shells onto the floor.
"What are you doing here Diaval? This is a long way from LA." Mal avoided the question, causing him to narrow his eyes.
"Yes well, I've been looking for you for a while. You don't just date someone for two years and up and leave and expect me not to follow. Admittedly it was harder in the beginning but I see you've setting down some. Now answer my question." Diaval demanded
"...Why are you doing this?" Mal shook her head.
"Why did you just up and leave while pregnant with my kids?" He hissed back.
"The lifestyle you were living was only going to get us hurt! I did what I had to do for MY kids. All you are is a sperm donor!" Mal sneered back, her relationship with the brunette man had always been volatile and full of emotions.
"Yeah well this sperm donor is taking his kids! You were a fucking druggie when we first got together and now you want to throw stones?" Diaval stood up before glaring down at the blonde. Lily was the closest to him and he took off towards her with Mallory shooting off the bench.
"Diaval stop! She isn't yours!" Mal grabbed him roughly by the arm as he turned to her fuming.
"So you cheated huh?" He growled, stepping towards her.
"She was switched at birth!" Mal blurted out before clasping her hand to her
"So where is my kid?" He snapped, causing Mal to back away from him.
"Stay away from us Diaval, I mean it!" Mal glared as best as she could before storming around him and grabbing the girls. She quickly rushed home before she started throwing things into suitcases.
"Mama are we going back to see Emmy and Mommy?" Lily pipped up seeing her mother start to frantically pack her and her sister's clothes.
"Yes baby, we are going to be staying there for a while. Is that okay?" Mal sat up from where she was grabbing the twins shoes from underneath the bed.
"Yes Mama! I misted them!" Lily nodded and Mal turned to see what had Elsa so quiet.
"How about you, Princess?" Mal beckoned her child over.
"I wanna go too." Elsa agreed nodded but her normal bubbly personality seemed damped.
"Girls I want you to go put your socks and shoes on while I grab everything else. Sit down on the couch and wait for me." Mal ordered. In less than forty five minutes she had stripped the beds of their sheets, pillows and blankets. Every teddy bear and far too many tiny clothes shoved into suitcases and trash bags along with her own things. Anything of value that could be easily removed she shoved into her van before running in to grab the girls.
"Come on babies, we are going back to Storybrooke."
AN: Diaval has made his first appearance!
