Hey! I didn't have time for an earlier update... Well, it's wayyyy better than my draft anyway =p
Enjoy
Chapter 10 : Make-Believe Family Outing
"Come on, Mom !"
"I won't ride this thing !"
They were in front of the Oziris attraction, one of the biggest thrill ride of the park.
Henry took one of her hand and tried to pull her, but Regina stood still completely frozen from apprehension. The twinge of guilt Emma felt was suppressed by the kicky feeling of witnessing the unusual sight of Miss In Control being panic striken.
"We could fall" Regina argued
"It's safe" Emma tried to reassure with a lopsided grin.
"How can it be safe ? They are hanging in the air !" Regina exclaimed horrified "It's dangerous !" she added.
"Dangerous? I am the bodyguard here. If I say it's safe then safe it is !"
The deathly look that darkened the businesswoman's face made Emma bit back a laugh.
"Thank you Yoda. If I recall, you're one of the people who laugh in the face of danger jumping from boat to boat" Regina deadpanned.
Rolling her eyes Emma answered with the same tone :
"Yes, I walk on the wild side."
And to prove her point, she pulled Regina by her hand. The scared woman fought a little but finally reluctantly followed Emma and Henry.
"There's nothing to be afraid of..."
Emma squeezed Regina's hand.
"That's not what their screams are telling" the other woman argued as cars were passing above them on the inverted roller coaster.
Barely arrived, Henry had obviously pushed them towards one of the most recent and the most frightening roller coaster. They were lucky, there wasn't too many people in the amusement park so the queue wasn't too long. As they were waiting in line sheltered from the hot weather, Emma offered to Regina :
"If you're really not fine…" the bodyguard began, turning to look at the frightened woman but Regina was looking down at their hands still clasped. Emma quickly disentangled like she was burnt. "I am sorry, I didn't mean…"
When she realized her hands were sweating like crazy and that Regina rubbed her hand against Emma's jeans, the bodyguard wanted to disappear six feet underground. Regina gave her a questioning look which Emma answered by a smile that went more as a grimace expressing her discomfort than an actual smile.
To forget the fact that she had unwillingly held Regina's hand for too long with a sweating hand, Emma focused on the Ancient Egypt decoration of the room. When Emma saw the frightening statue, she asked Henry to take a picture before kneeling in front of it but she was given a roasting by Regina about dirt on her new clothes which – she shouldn't forget- had been gifts.
Well, the false bodyguard had brought a change of clothes but she had to lend it to Regina who couldn't enjoy rides wearing her usual fitting dress and stylish fucking heels shoes. So Emma was still wearing the expensive suit. But it wasn't so bad, Regina was fabulous in the bodyguard's clothes. Usually a tad taller than Emma, Regina was now some inches smaller. And maybe, because of the rarity of that style, it was incredible to see her in a tank top that was revealing her tanned arms and skinny jeans that was bringing up her curves. Emma inhaled deeply and looked away. Well, Regina was fabulous in anything, anyway.
The false bodyguardchose a pose in front of the statue that wouldn't dirty her clothes.
"I'll send it to my friends " she said.
"You have friends ?" Regina asked.
Emma didn't know if she had to be offensed by it or not.
"Yeah, like everyone ?" she deadpanned. Regina's stone cold expression quickly replaced any traces of genuine suprise she had just been sporting. Emma cleared her throat and tried to lighten up the mood "Well, some people even have girlfriends..."
"One is enough" Henry, suddenly feeling concerned, blurted.
"One girlfriend is enough? What girlfriend?" Regina inquired.
Regina's body language changed into a defensive pose and all kinds of emotions followed one after the other on her face, curiosity, anger, worry, terror, irritation… Emma could read like better and better, almost like an open book, something she couldn't do four days ago or didn't care enough to try.
"She's not my girlfriend" Henry answered too quickly.
"Who's not your girlfriend?"
Emma tried not to was such a Bear Mom.
"Henry, who's this girlfriend?" Regina pressed again.
"If you need any dating tips…" Emma nugded him with her elbow, knowing she was pouring salt on the wound.
"Over your dead body" Regina cut her, dead serious.
Emma bursted into laugh and Henry rolled his eyes. Then Emma pushed Regina by the elbow to catch up the line that was moving ahead.
"So, who is this girlfriend? What do you know about her?"
Right, she was persistent as hell.
"Mooom stop it !"
This exchange lasted a few more minutes, with none of the stubborn Millses having the intention of backing down. Emma watched them amused but feeling deep down heaviness crawling it way out because the pang of loneliness reminded her she never had someone that had been truly interested in her love life or her life at all when she was younger.
The loud screams on the background brought her back to reality and Emma swallowed hard. Fear took roots when she remembered it was actually the first time she was going to ride a thrilling attraction.
"Don't tell me you're afraid" Regina teased.
"I am not ! Just a little…apprehensive. "
Regina raised an perfect sculpted eyebrow.
"So you actually do have some vocabulary."
"Really funny ! You're so smart yourself !" Emma scoffed ironically.
"You took some time to realize it" Regina boasted with all the due snarkiness.
Emma rolled her eyes before moving forward in the line when she felt a resistance on her back. She turned and noticed that Regina was holding the hem of her white shirt. Emma looked down pondering her options, her heart and her brain advising her complete opposite directions of action. The first one shouting out to go for it and the other was warning her about the dangers. One tempting, the other repellent. She clenched and unclenched her itchy hand many times. Oh, fuck it ! Emma thought, she was a woman of action not reflection, and she took Regina's hand and squeezed it.
"If you really don't want to do it…" Emma tried again.
"I am perfectly fine" Regina insisted "I won't let fear guide me."
Emma fight the urge to roll her eyes. In the near future, if rolling eyes were a sport, she would be able to enter the competition because she had the best trainer in Regina.
"Being afraid is normal"
"I am not a runner" Regina said with a tone that let no place to argument that was more directing at her than at Emma.
"There has to be a first time" Regina whispered, letting go of her confident side.
"Is it ?" Emma asked, completely surprise.
Regina looked at her blinking.
"The first time you're going to an amusement park, I mean."
Regina nodded, then clenched her jaws and looked away as if she was waiting for Emma to make fun of her. Discomfort wasn'ta colour that look good on her and Emma was willing to make it disappear from that beautiful face. She squeezed Regina's hand again :
"It's my first one too."
After a silence, Regina said :
"It's explaining everything" she smirked.
Emma tilted her head, asking for clarification.
"You were so excited over a simple theme park. Maybe more than Henry"
Emma opened her mouth, feigning surprise.
"It's so not true ! Are you saying I'm like a kid ?"
Emma narrowed her eyes at Regina when her lips quirked up.
"I am not trying to decipher the meaning of the hieroglyphes…"
And Emma doubted there was one.
"Let's take a picture with the jackals !" Henry screamed when he saw the two 3 meters statues standing at the top of the staircase.
Emma took the picture of Regina and Henry, looking like the little family they were. Then Henry asked a picture with Emma.
When it was finally their turn, Emma was sweating from apprehension whereas Henry was bouncing from excitement. She looked at Regina searching for support but she was the epitome of calm even if she was still clinging to Emma's shirt and it didn't help to settle the false bodyguard's inner turmoil.
"Front !" Henry answered when one of the employee asked where they wanted to sit and Emma gulped audibly.
The security gate opened and Emma's became more livid with each steps that brought her closer from the side seat where she sat, Henry on her right, between the two adults.
"If you want to wait for us…" Regina raised an eyebrow mockingly.
Maybe making fun of Emma was the businesswoman's way to forget her own fear but the bodyguard wasn't a sissy and she gave Regina the darkest blanched look she could over the head of Henry who was giggling. One of the employee came to check the different safeties. He withdrawed and started off the cars. Emma clenched each handles near her shoulders when she felt her feet loosing their support as the ground disappeared below them. She swallowed. Okay, her legs were now dangling in thin air. Oh, oh, oh, my fucking god, Emma screamed internally. And the cars started.
They climbed, climbed, climbed. Henry was already screaming. Regina was as quiet as Henry was loud. Emma was peeing in her pants. Figuratively speaking. Of course ! Not that she was that afraid. Oh shit ! They were going to fall. Her body leaned forward and she realized there was nothing. There was literally nothing below her !
And they fell. Her heart jumped to her throat preventing her from screaming. She was falling like she had been pushed from the last floor of the Rockfeller Center and was going to be squashed perfectly flat. They were gaining speed and before she crashed into the ground, they went up and turned upside down.
She saw the light blue sky when they looped the loop, her legs carried away by the wind power. Her voice returned and she screamed, screamed and screamed as much as she could. A flash dazzled her butit was already forgotten when they passed through a misty tunnel before turning again and looping again and again.
The cars braked abruptly, her legs dragged away like a puppet. It was over and Emma finally breathed out. The cars turned around and stopped. The floor rose and when she stood up from her seat and walked, her belly still clutched, she lost her balance and tripped over her own feet.
"They took pictures ! And they recorded it ! " Henry shouted in awe.
"Which one is it ?" Regina asked
"Number 301"
Emma took a better look. She was pathetic. Her hair were all over her. And her face… There was nothing good about it. She had bulging eyes and her mouth was wide open. She wondered how she didn't gulp any flies. Then… something called her mind. She checked her ears. Her earpiece… She hadn't her earpiece. It had surely fell down with the ride. She was going to be quatered then butchered or the reverse by her friends. She shivered. She didn't know which option was best but, anyway, it wasn't going to be pretty but pretty hurtful.
The first thing Henry asked, as every kid would do :
"Let's do it again !"
"Maybe later…" Emma tried, looking at Regina pleading her for saying no. She wasn't really ready for another turn. Regina chuckled.
"Okay, let's do it again" she agreed with a sadistic grin.
Emma gaped before mouthing « Traitor » over Henry's head.
"Unless Miss Swan don't have the guts" Regina challenged.
Emma narrowed her eyes and walked purposelly under the hot weather to the entry line, her rebellious awakened despite herself. Henry was running in front of her and his mother catched them up a little later.
Since they were in the park, Regina was a lot more peaceful and softer around the edge than she had been in the four days Emma had known her. She had almost an another personality since she had changed clothes, as if her owns were her armor and she had got rid of it for the day. She was smiling a lot more, her face less tense, her whole body language more relaxed, even her walking was more slow-paced. Emma realized that she was really fond of this serene side of Regina. On reconsideration, she also liked the other sides, the snarky and mischievous one, even if it equated pain in the ass.
Thanks to the other round, the sickness settled and Emma felt better. They tried other rides, more or less thrilling. The large wooden roller coaster with no loops left them all shaking, it had been too frightening on its own. Emma was sure they suffered a two-way trip to hell in a few seconds, so much for making fun of the floral underwear of Zeus statue.
At lunchtime, they ate in one of the shacks near the Menhir, where the air was cooler because of the water rides that were close by. Emma and Henry won the argument about food and they finally all took hot dogs with french fries.
"Can we do the Oziris ride again ?" Henry asked with his puppy eyes and ketchup on his face.
"We've just eaten" Regina observed washing his face with a napkin. "We should do something less twirling. "
"We could watch some shows" Emma approved.
"Okay." he answered already checking which shows they could watch.
The false bodyguard ordered an ice cream for Henry and her while Regina waited for a waffle with Nutella because Emma had seen her eyeing it and she had ordered it anyway against Regina's excuse of having a so-called meal with too much calories.
"What are you doing ?" Regina asked while Emma was avoiding Henry's hand.
Emma smirked.
"He is trying to do this..."
She slowly slided her hand behind Regina's slender neck as if it was made of porcelain while Henry gawked.
"No ! You woudn't dare ! We're going…."
Not minding his warning, Emma gently nudged Regina's facetowards her waffle, putting Nutella on her lips and nose. Emma laughed and Regina bit her lips, death in the eyes. Henry stood up and ran away from to his mother's wrath before hell dredged up to the surface.
Emma waited not knowing what to do, run, beg or stay and fight. Her body chose for her and froze half standing up. Regina's tongue was seductively passing over her lips, licking the Nutella while gazing at Emma like she was going to eat her. The tricked prankster gulped. That was… Well whatever Regina did turn out sexy but that was way beyond and Emma's mouth opened from shock, her gaze staring at those full shining cherry lips. Regina removed the rest of the spread with a napkin that Henry had just brought back and was offering to her.
"Miss Swan, is everything alright ?" Regina asked amused and pleased with herself.
"Hmm. Yeah, Sure. You still have some there" Emma showed on her cheek.
Regina tried to remove it but failed.
"Not here. Here" Emma moved closer to Regina and removed the rest of chesnut spread with her thumb before licking it off "Better. Hey, it's pretty good !"
Emma looked up, Regina was looking at her with those dilated dark eyes that Emma could drown in or fly into to reach the constellation of stars that were illuminating her eyes she could watched all day. She didn't know much time they looked into each other until she had to stop, her face suddenly pushed in her ice cream.
"YEAH !" Henry shouted proudly.
"Henry !" Regina gawked, surprised before bursting in laughter. Emma stayed stunned, enthralled by Regina's carefree laugh. Its depth of expression, ultimate level of perfection was transcending the most lushly beautiful sound Emma had heard. She finally sobbered up feeling her sticky face.
"I am going to kill you kid…" Emma growled.
"No you're not" Regina warned her.
She humidified a napkin with which she washed Emma's face like a mother would wash the dirt off the face of her toddler.
"Better" she said putting her face on the back of her hand, a satisfied smile adorning Regina's face and her olive skin crinkling around her soft and aglow eyes.
Emma's face was becoming hotter every seconds Regina was looking at her with that adorable expression, her heart accelerating as fast as her face was turning red. She looked away from embarrasmentand her eyes fell on Regina's bottle of water.
"Aren't you going to finish it ?" Henry asked breaking the spell that had taken over Emma.
Emma narrowed her eyes at him and his too proud smile. She was going to make him pay a way or another. She finished her ice cream while the Millses ate their own desert. At the end of their break, they headed towards the show they chose to watch.
On their way, Henry stopped in front of a basin where kids could drive a boat.
"Do you want to drive one ?" Emma asked.
"No way. I am to old for this" he answered sternly.
Emma raised her eyebrows and Regina's lips quirked up, amused at his answer.
"I am just hot" he said fanning himself with his shirt.
"I have water if you want" his mother told him, searching for the bottle in her bag.
"If you're hot…" Emma began, her hand caressing the surface of water, preparing her revenge.
Henry narrowed his eyes and when he realized what she was going to do he tried to run away from her, but Emma caught him and splashed him non-stop. His shouts were followed by Emma's surprised one when she realized she was being sprayed in turn by Regina with her bottle. The false bodyguard released Henry and fought for the bottle trying to sprayed Regina back. Emma caught her assaillant, one arm circling her waist and the other emptying the bottle on Regina who screamed and squirmed in her arms. The more she wriggled, the more Emma tightened her grip not caring anymore who she was spraying, her target or herself. Eventually, they ended up laughing with their clothes stinking to their bodies.
"You're all wet" Regina observed.
"That's what water supposed to do, Miss Mills." Emma imitated Regina's snarky tone.
"What a shame. You just can't even aim accuretaly for a bodyguard."
"Sometimes victory means great sacrifices"
"Because you think you won ?" Regina asked, fingers sliding along Emma's wet shoulders.
"I clearly won !" Emma said removing strands of dark hair from Regina's face.
They both froze their movements mid-air when Henry made something fall and swore. Coming back to her senses, Emma realized that she was so close to Regina she could count her moles on her face and that she could feel Regina body against her, her arm still circling around her waist. Emma cleared her throat, her heart hammering her chest trying to get out while hotter and hotter waves ran through her with each heartbeat. She stepped backwards, afraid that Regina would feel it. The other woman's hands slowly slided down from Emma's shoulders before she smarmed her hair and fixed her wet clothes.
"You should take more care of the gift you're given" Regina said with admonishing tone that was covering a hint of something else waving her hands at the transparent shirt before looking away and licked her lips.
Emma ran her hand through her wet hair and she fixed her own clothes, her heart beating in her ears still. She checked on Henry who had suddenly turned away, his back towards them, rummaging into his bag like he wanted to hide something. Suspicion rising, Emma narrowed her eyes.
"What are you doing kid ?"
"Checking if we're on the right path" he answered while taking his map out.
The afternoon activities were quieter opposed to the morning ones. The show « Main basse sur la Joconde » had already begun when they arrived because Regina wanted to buy new bottle of water. They sat on the right side and Regina made Henry drink water and pour some on his head to avoid sunstrokes. The way she behave with him was the complete opposite of what Emma had said the first day she met Henry and everytime Regina was doing something nice for the kid, Emma was decaying each time more with guilt because Regina really was a good mother.
"I would like to apologize" Emma blurted, watching absentedly the show.
"If it's for the water fight, you should feel sorry for your aim" Regina teased.
"No, not that"
"What for ?" Regina looked at Emma, completely clueless as to why.
"For saying what I said about Henry running away from you and you being a monster." She thought of everytime Regina was doing something good for Henry "I didnt mean…"
"You did."
Emma finally turned slowly her head towards Regina and met only soft eyes, with no hint of anger present in them. As Emma was stuck on words, Regina gave a gentle nugde with her shoulder.
"But it's okay. I wasn't… I wasn't the nicest person either"
"It's an understatement" Emma breathed out "You were a bitch."
She bit her lips blocking any other word vomiting from her mouth and closed her eyes waiting for a witty comeback that didn't come in the end.
"Right, I am a bitch" Regina finally said.
Emma opened her eyes to see a sad smile adorning Regina's face.
"You were, but you aren't" Emma put a hand on the businesswoman's lap, trying to undo what she had just done "you're sassy, you're stubborn, somewhat a pain in the ass..."
"Because you're not ?" Regina interrupted her, raising her eyebrow defiantly.
"We're not talking about me ! Let me finish !" Emma finished outraged "And I am not !"
"Chut !" some people said in the back.
Emma turned her head back.
"Now where were we ?" she asked looking back at Regina.
"You were a pain in the ass ?"
Emma gawked, bringing her face closer to Regina.
"You are ! You so are !" Emma whispered scowling.
Regina raised her eyebrow even higher, a ghost of smirk creeping on her lips.
"See ?"
A wild smile appeared on Regina's face. How was Emma able to rant about her so cock-a-hoop behaviour when she had such a smile ?
Emma crossed her arms frustrated by that dominant woman. She didn't even know how they got there. She just wanted to excuse herself for her own previous dickhead behaviour.
"So I was saying you're king of bitchy with new people – like me." And then Emma thought back of the day before when Regina had been so scared for Henry she had threatened Emma's hair in her text and the previous days where she smiled that reserved smile for the lucky ones, Henry and Robin.
"But… you also love deeply, and you're devoted to the people you love." Emma continued and nodded at Henry who was sitting in the row before them and was juggling watching and recording the show.
"Do you think so ?" Regina said, brushing off some imaginary dirt on Emma's jeans, with an unsure tone, a tone thick with emotions Emma could recognize from thousands. Emma took Regina's hands and stroke them reassuringly.
"From the little I did see" she lowered her head and gazed into those caramel eyes "yeah you are."
Regina gave her a small smile in response. Emma let go of her hands and leaned slightly backwards looking up at the ceiling up. She was used to live in a whirlwind of fucking foster homes, with fucking so called parents but today was so different from anything she had experienced so she tilted her head towards Regina.
"You're doing an amazing job."
Emma looked back the show absentedly, her mind fuzzy by all those sad thoughts. This peaceful vibe that was emanating from Regina and Henry was something Emma never had and she could really get used to it. And unfortunately fast. These past few days, she had learnt what a caring family really was, that was staying united while dealing with their own issues. They were already a family and she'll never be part of it. She knew she wouldn't. Anyway, she couldn't. She could just dream of it. And maybe, today was a make-believe family but the day after she would have her own little and caring family. Lost in haze of memories, she didn't really pay attention to her surroundings until she felt a gentle squeeze on her knee.
"Is everything alright ?" Henry asked to Emma when he turned back, the show already over.
"Yeah." Emma cleared her throat. Dwelling on illusions would do no good, even more so when the day has been really fun. She stood up under the Millses' watchful gaze.
"Where do you want to go next ?"
They took a walk into the Gallic village where was the reproduction of the village of the comic book.
After Regina and Henry took pictures with one of the characters, one with a white long beard, they walked around the different houses of the multiple characters. Emma tried the gruesomely big false shoes of the hero who fell into the magic potion when he was a little boy. When she got out of Falbala's house, a hand patted her shoulders. Emma spun and she jumped back suprised by the big false face. The character with a beard –did they all wear beards ? - carrying a hammer was waving at her. She waved back, unsure. A little girl who was carrying a big teddy that Emma had seen earlier in some stands came and shyly asked for a picture and a hug. When he turned back, he made the sign "I am watching you" to Emma who looked behind her, troubled, but there was no one. He was really doing it to her… It was disturbingly disturbing...
Henry wanted to get a picture with him and before Emma took it, Suspicious Big False Face Guy took the camera and ask someone who was passing by to take the picture so Emma, Regina and Henry were on the same picture. Once the pictures were taken, the three of them thanked him before going to the next show but Crazy Guy stopped Emma from leaving.
"How is it going ?" she heard a too familiar voice.
"Ruby !" she whispered more than surprise. "What are you doing here ?"
Ruby was hitting the hammer against the palm of her hand. Even in costume Emma knew Ruby was furious.
"Checking on you ! Someone forgot her earpiece !"
She had forgot it ! Thanks godness, that was all.
"How did you find me ?"
"Your phone, woman." She added " So?"
"They seem to have fun."
"Okay then first part done. Pass on to the second stage"
Meaning "Talk to Henry about Robin and Regina". Emma sighed. Fun was over.
She put the earpiece that Ruby gave her in her right ear before catching up with Henry and Regina. She didn't know how to process. She had to isolate Henry from Regina but it wasn't the goal she had been looking for this morning.
While thinking, she almost crashed into a man carrying a stuffed red dragon who crossed her path. She excused herself and her eyes followed him absentedly.
"Zelena said she won't pay for anything if we don't succeed."
It was normal, Emma thought.
"Not even the hotel rooms we booked for a week."
Ouch.
"How much does it cost again ?" August asked.
"You don't want to know" Ruby answered. "We'll have to sell our organs to pay them off and I don't know if it will be sufficient."
"Emma we're counting on you !" August cheered up "Or we'll need to find a plan B."
She turned around when her hands brushed something soft that ended up being Regina's hand. She was watching the guy too. Did Regina want a stuffed toy ? Emma doubted she was really interested in the man. Was she ? When hot waves ran through Emma while needles prickled her heart, she clenched her jaws and she brought her hand to her neck. Well, whatever. She wasn't jealous.
Meanwhile the stress was rising up when Emma's two friends were talking about a plan, she tried to talk to Henry without success. First, he had been so obsessed by the show that she hadn't be able to catch his attention and then, during the remaining time, Regina and the young boy were glued together. And the only time she could, it turned into an examination.
"What do you think of Robin ?"
"He is… old. Why ?"
Emma rolled her eyes.
"I didn't mean like this!"
"Why do you want to know ?" he asked suspicious.
She stayed silent under his scrutiny.
"Is your mother happy ?"
He examined her suspiciously like a cop would face a con in custody.
"Why don't you ask her?" he finally answered wary, his eyes narrowed at Emma.
His careful searching alarmed Emma and she stopped.
Near the end of the afternoon, they sat up at a picnic table on the shore of the lake to eat some snacks because both stomachs on legs were hungry. When Henry walked away to throw away the waste in the bin, Regina asked :
"What did you talk about yesterday ? What did you tell him ?"
Emma didn't answer. She didn't want to tell Regina that she empathized with Henry because she had almost been in the same situation. She just hadn't had the happy ending all abandoned kids wished for. Last but not the least, she didn't want to be pitied.
"Robin and I were at lost, but since yesterday Henry has changed. He is almost like he was before he…" Regina stopped and took a good look at Emma who was suspecting they were trying to drive her insane with their scrutinity "before he found out about he was adopted. I don't know what you did, but you were helpful." Regina added "Thank you."
And then, she smiled to Emma like no one had ever before, full of genuine recognition. It was one of the most sincere smile from Regina she had received and Emma really liked it. The false bodyguard looked down, embarrassed. She didn't deserve it.
"We… We talked about his adoption" Emma finally confided knowing it would just confirm Regina's suspicions "Were you going to tell him ?"
Regina stayed silent for a moment, observing her little prince, while background screams came from multiple rides.
"I wasn't hiding on purpose. I just never knew when to tell him or how" she confessed "I am guilty for not telling him but I didn't want him to disown me. I thought I wouldn't bear it if he asked for a boarding school or to go back to the orphanage" when her voice almost broke, it shattered Emma's heart at the same time. If Emma didn't know her better, she could believe Regina was going to cry.
"In the end, we spent months not sharing anything anymore as if he wanted us to be strangers. And I spent my days at work or he would spend time at his friends' place, we were running away from each other, to avoid fights. It was so hurtful, for him as for me" her melancholic expression looked like Henry's the day before.
Emma finally understood it wasn't easy for both parties, while the child felt betrayed, parents were scared and guilt overflowed them. Regina watched Henry as he was going back.
"Not having someone, that's the worse curse imaginable."
Regina'sconclusion hit Emma like a truck running his course at full speed. She clenched her jaws, her tears stinging her eyes, when her stomach turned upside down from envy mixed with desperation of never having someone. Emma buried deep, deep down to forget this sentence that was summing up her entire life.
They made another round on the Oziris ride to Henry's blissfulness. When they got out, they realized it was already late and it was time to come back to the hotel. On their way to the exit, Emma saw Regina watching the blue plush animal with long ears. The false bodyguard came up to the stand and payed for one game. She had to throw a bouncing ball into a tilted plastic bucket. Emma had her fair share of con games and she knew the tricks. She threw it gently, making it almost rolled on the edge of the bucket. It went in.
"Yeah !" Henry shouted. Then he frowned "It's easy actually!"
Emma was concentrating for the second ball when someone from behind her moved closer. Regina took Emma's elbow and put her chin on Emma's shoulder to whisper into her ear :
"Miss Swan, don't miss it…" with a so fucking sultry voice that Emma caught her breath and tensed up when she felt Regina's breathe on her ears.
Those same ears Emma swore were becoming red as peony – not the best shade of her skin- because they were hotter and hotter. She turned her head towards Regina who was already stepping backwards, her hand still in the crook of Emma's arm. The false bodyguard swallowed. She was done for. Regina was looking at her with those dark eyes Emma didn't know what to think and that stupid smirk Emma wanted to make it disappear by kissing her.
…
What ? She wanted to kiss her ? How… ?Where was it coming from ? Okay, Emma was just losing her mind. She suppressed the urge of doing something that had just crossed her mind by pursing her lips before her non-logical thoughts prompted her to behave in a manner she would regret.
Emma turned back to the game, burying those stupid and useless thoughts. She concentrated but she couldn't anymore.
"Steady. Steady" she said gathering her thoughts.
She threw the ball that found its way at the bottom of the plastic bucket. But it bounced at the upper edge… and fell out.
"Why you little !" Emma cried mixed with Henry's gaps of disappointment. She narrowed her eyes at Regina who was bitting a laugh "You distracted me !"
She spent ten euros like this without getting another chance. At this point, Emma was going to sell her house, well, the van. Regina was laughing her ass off and Henry didn't believe his eyes.
"I'll teach you to laugh at something that's funny!" Emma exclaimed frustrated
When Regina stopped her from giving more money, Emma pouted. She really wanted that stuffed animal. Well, for Regina. But Emma knew it was wiser not to spend to much money. Her distracting companion gave two euros for one game. The first ball went in and didn't bounce. Regina was going to launch the second ball when Emma put her hand on the small of her back and felt Regina's body tensed up.
"Relax" Emma said in her ear, enjoying her revenge "Take your time"
"Don't worry about it, I" which she emphasized "can do it, Useless Bodyguard. Your aim is terrible…" she sighed.
Regina clenched the ball. She took her time before launching it and when she finally did it, it was too forcefully. It bounced against the edge three times before rolling at the bottom of the bucket. Did she use magic ? The employee rang the bell. She smirked at Emma who had her mouth opened while Henry was cheering on his mother.
"Close your mouth, or you'll catch flies" she said putting her forefinger and middle finger under Emma's chin to close it and winked, or tried to at Emma.
Regina asked for the blue stuffed animal she had been eyeing and gave it to Emma.
"That's the one you wanted, right ?"
Emma stood still.
"Weren't you the one who wanted it ?"
Regina raised an eyebrow.
"What use would I have for it ?"
Was Emma actually the one who wanted it ?
"You eyed every people carrying stuffed toys around" Regina continued.
That answered Emma's question.
"But you won it"
The only answer she had was Regina holding the blue alien out to Emma.
"Thank… thank you" she whispered.
Emma wasn't used to be given gifts and a very pleasant wave flared hot in her. When she was going to take it, Regina took it back.
" I don't know if you deserve it."
It flatfooted Emma.
"Deserve it ?"
"You tried to distract me..."
Emma gawked.
"I… I… You did the same !"
"And ?" Regina asked raising an eyebrow.
Emma didn't believe what she was hearing.
"Emma brought us here !" Henry defended the false bodyguard who was grateful. "And we had fun !" he added.
Regina put her hand on her chest surprise and feigned hurt for being betrayed.
"You dared to turn my son against me ?"
Emma crossed her arms, smirking.
"I'm gifted with kids!" she lied knowing she wasn't at all.
"You did have fun, right ?" he asked his mother with a worried tone.
"Yes I had" Regina finally conceded, ruffling Henry's hair. "It was a good idea."
Emma feigned a gasp and put her hand behind her ear.
"Sorry, I didn't hear it. Could you repeat ?"
"No, I won't. I thought you would at least wash your ears while spending so much time in the bathroom."
Emma crossed her arms and Regina chuckled seeing the pout adorning Emma's face. They headed back to the car, the big stuffed Stitch in Emma's arms.
"Thank you Emma !" Henry thanked
Emma pat Henry's shoulders and squeezed the big alien in her arms. For once, she felt she belonged somewhere. Maybe that was home felt like. Emma shook her head. No she couldn't take that road. It was too dangerous. First they were targets. Meaning she would disappeared before the end of this week when her mission was over. And… they would forget her in no time.
Emma knew it her heart couldn't be lulled by an illusion that wasn't going to little girl inside herself who thought she was going to be adopted by that new family would never be despite herself. That was the same joy people felt when the moonsoon rain was finally falling after months of drought. The idea flickered in and out a few times while in the park but she instantly dismissed . As hot coffee went cold, steam evaporated, time turned all her relationships into dust. But Emma wanted to believe it even for one day. Emma didn't want it to end and it didn't make any sense.
"Tonight is the annual music festival in Paris, would you like to go ?" she asked.
Regina and Henry shared a smile and nodded
Calm before the storm...