A/N- guys I know it's been forever, and I tried to make this one longer, actually its about twice as long as most of the other chapters, to make up for it! I'll be getting internet Monday so I should be able to update more regularly after that! Hope you guys like this one! Please please review! Reviews are amazing and super encouraging!
When Saturday morning came, Dr. Whale ran a series of tests on Henry who, despite his recent memories not returning, looked good enough to discharge. While the nurses wrote up the discharge papers, Whale gave Regina and Emma a list of instructions for Henry's care and gave them a gentle warning to not push for his memories to come back, they would come back on their own or not at all, but pushing him could be damaging.
The three headed home in brighter spirits than they had experienced for a week. They took their turns showering, Regina going first so she could prepare breakfast while the other two readied themselves for Sidney's trial. The brunette was dressed in one of Emma's favorite outfits, a pair of black slacks, a white button-up shirt and a black vest that cinched in her tiny waist and pushed up her chest. She had just finished putting the bacon on a plate and cracking two eggs into a frying pan when Emma walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Regina's trim waist. The brunette turned her face a little, allowing the blonde to place a kiss on a tan cheek before releasing her and grabbing a piece of bacon. Regina swatted Emma's hand away from grabbing a second piece and directed her to sit at the island.
"If you eat all the bacon now, you won't be hungry for eggs—" Regina said, unfinished with her sentence before the blonde interrupted.
"Maybe eggs and bacon won't be enough for me. I am eating for two now, you know."
"Oh, my dear, if you had let me finish before telling me my food wouldn't satisfy you, you would have heard me tell you that I'm making eggs and pancakes."
Emma released a pleased groan. "Oh god, please tell me what I did to deserve such an amazing woman."
"And I am also aware that your appetite is going to increase, although I'm certain that you've always eaten enough for two."
Emma rolled her eyes as Henry walked into the kitchen and repeated the move she had made earlier, stealing a piece of bacon from the plate before he took the seat next to Emma. Regina tried to hide a smirk, unsuccessfully and pulled out three plates from the cupboard before flipping the eggs in the pan. She took two pieces of bacon and set them on one of the plates before taking the plate filled with the rest of the bacon and setting it between Emma and Henry on the island.
"If you two must, then have at it. Just do remember that eggs and pancakes are coming and if either of you don't finish your plates, I'm never making bacon for you again."
"That's no fair!" Emma whined, earning an eye roll from chocolate eyes.
After they had all finished their breakfasts and Henry and Regina were ready to go, Emma was nowhere to be found on the main floor of the house. They had just fifteen minutes to get to Town Hall for their counsel, so Regina told Henry to stay on the stairs and she would retrieve Emma. She walked into the bedroom to find Emma laying on the bed in an emerald button up shirt and black lace panties.
"I'm sorry, dear, now is not a good time for you to lounge around half naked. We need to go if we're going to be on time. Will you finish getting dressed," Regina teased Emma, standing bent over the blonde.
"I can't."
"You can't…and why is that?"
"None of my pants fit."
"I'm sorry?"
"My pants, none of them fit. I kind of wear my pants really tight and none of them will fit on my hips or this…" Emma whined, waving her hand over her small baby bump.
"Come on, it's barely there," Regina sighed. When she looked more closely though, she could tell that the blonde's hips were widening slightly, creating a more feminine shape, and the bump, though small, was right in the spot where she usually buttoned her pants. Regina just shook her head and headed into their closet. She retrieved a pair of thick and nice looking leggings. "Here," she said, tossing them on the pale, exposed stomach of the blonde. "Those should fit, they're elastic. Just, put your knee high boots on over the bottoms and no one will be able to tell that they're leggings. We'll go out of town next weekend to get you some maternity clothes."
"Next weekend? Regina that's a week away!"
"Ok, well, we shall see what happens today and maybe we'll leave tonight and stay out of town for the evening, then we'll go shopping tomorrow. Does that please you?" Emma nodded. "Alright then, dear, I suggest you dress so we may go."
When the three arrived in the counsel room they saw that it was packed with many people showing their support. Few people ever even liked Sidney, as he was Regina's pet before the curse broke and people had been anti-Regina then. Snow, Charming, the dwarves, Ruby and Granny, Kathryn and Frederick, Mr. Gold and Neal and many others filled the room. Sidney was sitting at the defense table next to Albert Spencer, handcuffed and guarded by two men that Emma didn't recall ever meeting. She knew the town was bigger than it seemed but she found it strange that she had never met guards. She looked at Regina questioningly.
"Those, I believe, are two knights from your mother and father's circle." Emma nodded and pulled a fake smile into place when Snow and David walked up to them.
"Emma, Regina," Snow acknowledged, before looking to Henry. "Henry, sweetie, how are you?"
"I'm better. I still don't remember anything since Neverland, but that's ok. What's going to happen to Sidney?"
"Well, your grandfather and I have already decided on what we think are two agreeable punishments. We'll present the case to the town and after everyone votes guilty or not guilty, we will let Sidney choose one of the punishments."
"Oh, well, what are the punishments?"
"Why don't you wait and see, Henry? We should start soon. Why don't you go sit with your dad and Mr. Gold?" Snow responded. The anger that flared in Regina's eyes at the suggestion that he sit with the man who had allowed him to be kidnapped in the first place did not go unnoticed.
"Regina, he can't sit with the counsel, you know that."
"I understand that, I simply thought he should sit with the dwarves. Grumpy is the only one of the counsel, yes? Or maybe he should sit with Tink."
"Regina, he'll be fine with Neal," Emma whispered, earning a glare from the older woman. "Yes, I know I've said that before and it didn't turn out so well, but I don't think Neal would even take his eyes off Henry long enough to let the kid stumble, let alone for anything bad to happen again. We've both ripped him a new one and he obviously feels guilty. Just let it be." Regina nodded and looked to Snow and David.
Snow White was having a hard time recognizing the woman that Regina was becoming. Emma had somehow tamed her, not in a bad and restrictive way, but in a manner that showed how compatible the two really were. She hadn't given them enough credit as a couple and she found that she was telling herself she would have to consider that better in the future.
"So, what are the punishments?" Emma asked.
"Sidney can choose to be locked in the asylum under the hospital permanently, or he can choose to be taken to prison outside of Storybrooke," David answered.
"So he would lose his memory, from the Enchanted Forest?"
"Yes."
"And you're letting him choose?"
"Yes. It seems the most just way while still making him pay for his errors."
Regina nodded quickly, allowing her girlfriend's parents to see that she agreed with their decision. Snow headed for the front of the room, sitting at a table with a gavel. Regina sat in the prosecutor's chair next to David and Emma sat in the jury booth with Grumpy, Granny, Ruby, Blue, two knights, Marco and Archie. Snow banged the gavel to gain the rooms attention. In the time they had spent talking, the room had filled up with most of the citizens that Emma had come to know as friends or acquaintances. She even saw several faces of people she barely knew but had come by in daily patrols.
"We are here today to see to it that Sidney Glass is punished for his crime," Snow began. The voice was that of Snow White, not of Mary Margaret. It was not timid, but it also wasn't harsh. But the tone was strong, demanding attention from everyone, even without the use of a microphone. "The crime he committed, for those of you who may not know, is kidnapping Henry Mills, harming him and leaving him in the woods, untreated. He hid out, instead of coming forth to take responsibility for his actions. Does the defendant choose to make a case for himself?"
Every pair of eyes in the room looked upon Sidney. He opened his mouth as though he was going to defend himself; instead he closed it quickly and shook his head.
"Very well. All in the room who view Sidney Glass as guilty, raise your right hand." Nearly everyone in the room raised their hand, with the exception of Spencer and a citizen Emma had never seen. "Those who believe he is not guilty, raise your right hand." Spencer and the other man were the only two who raised their hand. "Alright, Sidney, you are charged as guilty. The counsel will present to you your options."
Granny stood and read aloud from a paper in front of her. "Sidney Glass, you are hereby proven guilty. You may choose between two punishments. The first being banishment from Storybrooke and 30 years in a State Prison for the state of Maine, or you may choose to serve a life's sentence in the asylum below the hospital."
"I object!" Spencer yelled. "The boy had no serious bodily injuries! It was a Class B crime, he should serve no more than 10 years!"
"That's a lie! Did you even see my son after what Sidney put him through?" Regina yelled viciously back. Murmurs began to spread throughout the room and Snow banged the gavel several times.
"Order! I must call order!" Her eyes searched the room until they landed on the person she wanted. "Dr. Whale, will you please come to the front and address the counsel with your medical documents from treating Henry Mills."
The doctor made his way to the front of the room holding a manila folder in his right hand. When he reached the front of the room he opened the folder and spoke.
"To treat Henry we had to do a blood transfusion and surgery due to a bleed in his brain from what appears to have resulted from a fall, or being dropped. He also is suffering short-term amnesia, unable to recall memories from the past several months. I would personally consider this a Class A crime from the amount of damage done to the young boy."
"Thank you, Dr. Whale," Snow stated, dismissing the doctor. She looked back to her faux father-in-law. "Anything else you would like to say?" When she received a hard stare from the man in place of a verbal response, she nodded curtly and readdressed Sidney. "Mr. Glass, what will it be?"
"I'll…I'll take the asylum."
"Ok. Guards, please move Sidney to the asylum. Mayor Mills and I will be there shortly to reset the codes for the doors."
"Why are you the only two who will know the codes?" Spencer cut in.
"Because I am the chosen Queen of the people, and Regina is the Mayor of Storybrooke. Like it or not, we are the elected officials of the town. Emma will be allowed the knowledge, as she is Sheriff, and David will be given the knowledge, as he is Deputy. Further knowledge will be given only to those who will be required to bring him sustenance. Do you have any further arguments?"
"It's interesting how your family is in charge of the entire justice system," Spencer snarled.
"If you would like to run against any of us in an election, you feel free to do so. Oh, well, David is a hired official, but you can choose to run against Sheriff Swan, Mayor Mills or myself. I do believe it would be a waste of your time, and as it isn't election season, you are unable to do so at the moment. However, feel free, when election season arrives, to do so. I doubt you would win, though. Case dismissed." Snow slammed her gavel and Spencer seethed. Emma walked briskly back to Regina and pulled the brunette into her arms before searching the room for Henry. He was between Neal and Gold, who were making their way over to the Charmings, Emma and Regina.
"Grandma, you were brilliant!" Henry exclaimed after he reached the group.
"Indeed, you handled yourself quite well, Snow," Regina added.
Snow stared in shock at the other brunette. The compliment held no sarcasm or mirth, but only sheer sincerity. "Thank you," she managed.
Regina nodded. "I do believe that we were supposed to have a family dinner last Saturday and so I would like to invite the two of you to join us tonight at our house, if you are so inclined," Regina offered to David and Snow. Snow accepted, excitedly. The pixie-haired woman pulled Emma's arm and led her to a private and empty corner of the room, leaving David, Henry, Regina, Neal and Gold alone. David looked Regina in the eyes and tilted his head gently sideways toward where Neal was standing. Regina looked Neal in the eyes and saw guilt and pain filling his brown eyes. She had never been one to regret her actions, but she hadn't let Neal see Henry in the week since his kidnapping and she felt a little remorse. She also saw that her son didn't hold his father responsible at all. She sighed inwardly before speaking. "Neal, Rumple, since it's a family dinner, why don't you both come as well, and if Belle is so inclined to join, she is also welcome." Regina forced herself to release a smile.
"Dearie, how awfully kind of you, I think that Belle and I will take this opportunity to have a private dinner, but Bae, you should go and enjoy yourself." Rumplestiltskin offered Regina a smile before exiting the room and David suggested to Henry that they go talk to Emma and Snow, leaving Neal and Regina alone.
The silence between the two was uncomfortable and Regina pursed her lips a moment before looking at Neal and speaking. "I don't apologize."
"I didn't ask you to," Neal replied, though not unkindly.
"Good. You are welcome at dinner, though, if you would like to join us. It'll be at 6 tonight, and if you come I expect you not to be late."
"I appreciate that. I'll be there. Can I bring anything?"
"Just yourself."
"Great…uh…see you then."
"Indeed."
Regina walked herself over to the Charmings, Emma and her son. "What was that about?" Emma asked before placing an easy and quick kiss to Regina's cheek.
"I invited Neal for dinner tonight."
Emma looked at Regina, stunned. "That was nice, Regina. Will he be there?"
"He will. Now, if you two will excuse us, we have some things to take care of before dinner tonight. We'll see you two at 6 this evening?"
Snow nodded. "Can we bring anything?"
"If you would like a dessert that doesn't have apples, yes, I suggest you bring a dessert," Regina responded with a smirk before turning and leading her family out with one arm wrapped around each Henry and Emma.
"That was mean," Emma whispered into Regina's ear.
"Well, I can only do so much nice in one day." The women chuckled together as Henry rolled his eyes at his strange mothers.
Emma had gotten home nearly an hour before Regina since the brunette had to go with Snow to set a new code for the asylum doors, but Henry was asleep when she arrived and Emma was lounging in their bed in panties and a bra when the brunette walked into their room. Emma insisted that her afternoon's goal was to relax Regina so much that she wouldn't even be able to be in a bad mood if she tried. Around five that evening Regina turned to climb out of bed, her muscles weak from the multiple releases she had enjoyed since the time she arrived home. Emma wrapped her fingers around a slender, tan wrist and tried to hold the older woman in bed.
"Don't get up yet," Emma pleaded.
"Sweetheart, you are insatiable. I think that the nearly three hours we spent together this afternoon should tide you over for at least a few hours," Regina teased.
"I'm blaming the hormones."
"Oh?" Regina asked with an eyebrow raised. "So, you won't want me this much when the little one is born?"
"I'll blame it on the still-raging hormones. And in the years after that I'm blame it on how sexy you are. I think," Emma lowered her voice seductively while moving herself to pin Regina to the bed, hands trapping tan wrists to the pillow the dark head rested on. "I think that we have time for one more round."
"Emma my love, we don't. I'm sorry, trust me, especially in this position I am really sorry, but we need to get ready. And I have to start dinner. I'll go make sure Henry is up from his nap and getting dressed and you go start the shower for us."
"I'm game for some shower sex," Emma challenged.
"No, Emma, the shower will be for us to actually get clean in." Regina maneuvered herself out from under the blonde and patted Emma's hip before getting out of the bed and putting her robe on. "I will keep that in mind for a later occasion though. Now, go."
After Regina checked that Henry was awake from his nap and getting ready, she returned to shower, leaving her hair so she wouldn't have to go through the hassle of re-drying it to style it. Emma did the same. The women picked out outfits for each other, something Emma suggested and Regina went along with less than happily. Emma had picked out a too-short to necessarily be appropriate for a family dinner black dress for Regina to wear and watched the woman slip it on over a dark purple lace bra and matching panties. The brunette chose a pair of tight black leggings for the blonde, careful to make sure they would fit over the small baby bump and not make the woman self-conscious and a white button-up that was too tight to hide the swell of her stomach. After both woman were finished getting ready, Emma glared at Regina.
"I'm not wearing this."
"We made an agreement, Emma. I'm wearing this, you have to wear that."
"Regina, they're all going to be able to tell I'm pregnant."
"I was thinking that we should just tell them."
"Regina. It's only been 9 days or so since we found out. I don't want to share it yet."
"You told Henry."
"That was because he needed something to cheer him up. I wanted to share something to do that, but I want to keep this a little longer. We still have another week or two before I hit my second trimester. Just, can we keep this as our secret for a little longer?" Regina nodded but gave an audible sigh and a displeased look. "Babe, c'mon don't be mad at me, you said we could tell them when I was ready."
Regina gave Emma a small that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're right, dear. I didn't mean to push, let me…let me get you a different shirt." Regina chose a thick and heavy purple sweater for Emma to wear, which the blonde was much more pleased with.
"Regina, something's wrong, just tell me. I can't fix it unless I know what it is," Emma sing-songed.
"You aren't ashamed or embarrassed that we're having a baby, are you?" Regina hesitated.
"Oh god, Regina, no! I am so happy." Emma pulled Regina to the edge of the bed and tugged her to sit down next to her. She put an arm around slender shoulders and covered tan hands with her own free hand. "I have a family now, you and Henry, this baby, you're all my family now and I'm so, so excited. I just don't want to jinx anything. I promise we will tell everyone soon, just not yet. Tonight should be about celebrating Henry being healthy and safe with us, anyway."
"You're right." Regina bumped her shoulder against Emma's and gave the blonde a quick kiss. "Alright, you tell Henry that we're not telling anyone and I'll go start dinner." Regina stood and kissed Emma's nose and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
At nearly ten to six the doorbell rang. Regina expected it would be Snow and Charming, early to intrude as much as possible. However, when she heard a deep voice at the door, not accompanied by a female one aside from Emma's, she realized it was Neal who was early. Emma led him to the kitchen before sneaking off to get Henry and spying from the hallway. Regina heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see Neal.
"Neal," Regina said cordially.
"Re..ahem…Regina," Neal cleared his throat to try and force himself to speak louder. "These are for you…um…your home." He held out a bouquet of deep purple irises. "Emma mentioned before how much you know about flowers and their meanings."
Regina smiled lightly and took the bouquet. "They're lovely, thank you, Neal." She shuffled around in the kitchen, pulling out a vase and setting to trimming the stems and settling the flowers in the water. "Dinner won't be ready for a bit longer, you can join Emma and Henry in the living room if you'd like."
"Um, I was actually hoping to talk to you."
"Oh?" Regina's eyebrows raised. "What about?"
"I just, I wanted to apologize again for everything that happened last weekend. I was scared out of my mind, I can't…uh I can't imagine how you and Emma must have felt. I understand if you won't let me see Henry without one of you watching, but I hope that I didn't completely lose the privilege to see him."
"Or what?"
"Or what? What do you mean? I just... things have changed a lot and I want you and Emma to enjoy Henry having me in his life, but if all it does is cause issue, I'll stay away from you all…if you need me to."
Regina looked at Neal, shocked at what he said. "I'm not certain that would be what's best. Henry enjoys having you in his life and I'll admit that it's nice for him to have a male figure that isn't just David around to give him guidance on things that Emma and I might not be as comfortable discussing with him." Regina proceeded to cutting potatoes and carrots while speaking. "And while I'm sure that what happened Saturday wouldn't have happened while Emma or I were watching him, I cannot blame you. I want to, I really want to blame you because it would be much easier than believing that things can happen in the blink of an eye, alas, I do not and will not blame you any longer than I already have. You can continue watching Henry occasionally."
"Oh, Regina, that's great…thank you…that's—"
"But," Regina interrupted, raising the knife she was using to cut the potatoes with and pointing it at Neal. "If something similar ever happens again, so help me, I will gut you and feed you your insides for breakfast. Are we clear?"
A heavily confused look crossed Neal's face before he saw the small smirk that was threatening to bloom in the corner of the Mayor's mouth. "Right, well, I can promise that I'm never taking my eyes off the kid again as long as he's with me."
"Very well, now why don't you go tell the nosy mother and son around the corner that they can either join us in the kitchen or actually go to the living room and occupy themselves." Regina pointed to the doorway of the kitchen where a blonde and a brunette head poked through the opening, both mother and son's mouths were trying to pout to get out of trouble, but they couldn't keep the smirks off their faces.
"C'mon buddy, why don't you show me one of your video games and we'll let your moms finish up dinner before your grandparents get here," Neal coerced, putting an arm around Henry's shoulder and letting his son lead the way.
Emma walked slowly to Regina and tugged the brunette's arm until she faced her. She placed a deep kiss to full lips and when they broke apart she smiled against Regina's mouth.
"I'm really proud of you, babe. That was really amazing of you. You aren't normally so…forgiving."
"Mmm, well, don't get too used to it, darling."
"What's that amazing smell coming from the oven?"
"Hmm?" Regina raised an eyebrow and smiled mischievously at Emma. "It's apple pie, of course." Before Emma could respond, the doorbell rang.
"I'm getting that, but Regina, you be nice. That pie is the meanest thing I'm letting you do today, so better sweeten up, buttercup."
"Ugh, buttercup? It's bad enough I let you get away with calling me 'babe', buttercup is not allowed."
"Keep that in mind next time we have my parents over and you make an apple dessert." Emma smirked and left the kitchen to answer the door. Here we go, she thought. And she hoped the night would go smoothly.