TW: Small mention of domestic abuse.
An hour later Emma held the door to Granny's open and allowed Regina to lead the way into the establishment. They slid into a booth in the back where they waited for a waitress to arrive for their orders.
They chatted quietly about Regina's budget woes until Ruby stopped next to their table.
"Here you go ladies, your usual." A steaming mug of coffee was placed in front of Regina and a mug of cocoa with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon on top for Emma.
Emma took one look at the mug and lunged from the booth. She slammed her hands against the bathroom door and just made it to the stall in time to lose her breakfast. She heard the distinctive click, click, click, of Regina's heels enter the restroom. The faucet turned on and off and she felt a cool paper towel across her neck. Regina gathered blonde curls in her hand and rubbed the Sheriff's back with the other, while the woman retched a few more times.
When Emma was sure that she had nothing more left in her stomach she sat back against the wall of the bathroom stall.
"Sexy, huh?" She tried to joke.
"Are you okay?" Emma nodded as Regina pressed her cool hand on her heated forehead.
"I'm not sure what happened. Just seeing that mug of cocoa..." Saying the words made Emma turn a bit green and she felt her stomach roll.
"Come, dear, I instructed Miss Lucas to remove it and not bring it as your usual order again until you specifically ask for it." Regina reached her hand out to the other woman and helped her up from her position on the floor. Emma washed her hands and rinsed her mouth. When they returned to their table there was now a cup of tea where the cocoa used to be.
Emma slid into the seat across from Regina and took a small sip from the cup. The bright taste of Hibiscus tea raced across her tongue.
"How did you know Hibiscus tea was my favorite?"
Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I pay attentions to things I care about."
"Hey, Emma, I'm sorry about earlier. Regina said you haven't been feeling the best." Ruby looked at her friend with an apologetic smile.
"It's okay, Ruby, you didn't know." Emma brushed it off. She knew it wasn't Ruby's fault that her favorite drink may be ruined for her forever.
"Could I get some of Granny's Chicken Noodle Soup? And a side of toast, please?
"You bet. And for you, Madame Mayor?"
"The same, dear."
Ruby returned to the kitchen to place their orders. The two women fell into small talk as they waited for their food to arrive. Emma looked up as the bell above the door rang out to announce a new customer. Regina watched as Emma's whole body shrank before her and green eyes suddenly became guarded and dull.
"Shit. Why isn't she at work?" Emma grumbled under her breath.
Regina turned her head just in time to see Snow zero in on their table. The pixie haired woman made a bee line for their booth. Emma sucked in a lung full of air as she rose from her seat and prepared herself for another confrontation.
"Emma, can I please speak to you in private?" Snow glared at Regina who maintained an even stare with the other woman.
"Anything you have to say can be said in front of Regina." Emma said. Her voice flat and not even remotely interested in the conversation that was about to occur.
"David is furious with me, thanks to you." Emma's mouth fell open in shock. Before she could form a thought the woman she once considered her mother barrelled on. " I can't believe how selfish you can be, Emma. I was only trying to do what was best for our family." Emma saw Regina move to get out of the booth. She shook her head no with the barest of motions sure that Regina would notice.
Regina clamped down on every instinct that screamed at her to defend the woman she loved. Instead she respected Emma's wishes and remained seated.
Emma mentally braced herself as she turned her focus back to the petite woman in front of her.
"I mean seriously, Emma, We would have given you everything. We wanted to raise you appropriately, so that you turned out how you should have always been. A Princess. You would have known where you belonged. We would have chosen a suitable Prince for you. Maybe if we had, you wouldn't have abandoned your son." Emma heard a soft gasp from the direction of the kitchen. She could see Ruby and Granny in the kitchen, both with horrified looks on their faces. The entire diner had become as silent as a tomb. Still Emma remained silent.
The blonde's face was a mask that revealed nothing to her foe. Regina, however, saw through the facade. Each barb Snow released had an effect on Emma. When the skin around her green eyes tightened the barest of fractions, Regina saw. When the blonde swallowed hard, Regina saw. When tears were held back by sheer will alone, Regina saw. Still Snow continued on with her rant, she didn't see.
"Then to top it all off, you become friends with the Evil Queen. She is responsible for tearing our family apart. Really, Emma, how stupid can you be? She doesn't care about you, she is using you to get back at me." Snow took a deep breath and studied her only child. She interpreted the woman's silence as acceptance.
"When I gave you that potion I was saving you. I was saving you from yourself. Let's face it, you never seem to make the best choices. First the father of your son wanted to take you back, but that wasn't good enough for you. Then you had another wonderful man that was willing to love you, but you pushed him aside without a care in the world. I hope you come to your senses and apologize for not taking the opportunity to let us do better for you and tearing away a perfect opportunity for us to be a real family."
Emma cleared her throat and swallowed the lump she tried desperately to hide.
"Are you finished?"
Snow nodded. She looked hopeful that her daughter was about to make the right choice.
"I could stand here and tell the whole diner about how you slipped a potion, that you had someone steal from Gold's shop, into my cocoa the night before last, but I won't."Another small noise escaped from the kitchen. Emma's voice was low and empty as she addressed the woman in front of her.
"Maybe I should tell them how you tried to rip me away from my son and the people I love most in this world." Emma ponders then sighs. "No, I won't do that either. Instead I will say my peace and I hope you are paying attention. First, it would do you well to leave David out of all of this. I know he had no part in your little scheme. Second, the reason I left that so called wonderful man was because he was an abusive asshole, or have you forgotten the time I showed up at the loft with the evidence of his hand print clearly written across my face?" Emma refused to glance in Regina's direction. She knew the woman would be shocked at this new information. Emma continued.
"I hope you enjoyed that little bundle of lies you just spewed at me, because it is the last words you will ever speak to me. When you enter a room and I'm in it, I want you to turn and walk the other way. Better yet, just pretend I don't exist. I am no longer your daughter and you are no longer my mother." Emma saw Snow's eyes fill with shock. With a wave of her hand Emma disappeared from the diner.
Regina gathered her purse and slid from the booth. Snow turned her gaze toward the Mayor.
"This is all your fault. Once again you've taken my daughter from me." Regina opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a voice from behind the counter.
"Get out!" Regina looked over and was greeted by the sight of Granny aiming her crossbow at them.
"You heard her, your majesty!" Snow crossed her arms and stared at Regina with a smug look on her face.
"Not her, you. Get out right now." Granny nudged the crossbow toward the door.
"What?" Snow looked at the older woman in disbelief.
"After all those horrible things you just said to that poor girl, your own daughter. You are no longer welcome here. If you don't leave I would be more than happy to have Ruby escort you out." A growl was heard from behind Granny. Regina could just make out the amber ring in Ruby's eyes, her wolf was not happy. The patrons of the diner watched as Snow marched out of the diner with her head held high, so sure of her righteousness.
"Thank you, Mrs. Lucas." Regina gave the woman a small smile.
"Don't mention it, dear. Now, you better go take care of our girl."
"Regina?"
"Yes, Miss Lucas."
"Please tell Emma that I am really sorry about the cocoa this morning. I wish I would have known." Ruby's eyes conveyed her sorrow for her friend's heartache.
Regina nodded sadly, waved her hands and was gone in a puff of smoke.
She appeared in the foyer of the mansion and slipped her shoes off. The protection spell was placed around the house, only Henry could get through after school. Her feet led her to first the study then the living room, both were void of life. She made her way upstairs where she gently cracked open her bedroom door and found Emma curled in a tight ball on her bed. The stuffed horse was clutched to her chest and the woman appeared to be lost in her own thoughts. Regina wasn't sure the blonde even heard her enter the room.
Regina slipped her blazer off and tossed it across the chaise in the corner of the room. She climbed onto the bed behind Emma and slid her hand around the woman's waist and pulled them together until her front was pressed tightly into the Sheriff's back. Tension radiated off the body under her arm.
"Baby?" Regina whispered.
One word and the dam broke inside of Emma. She turned to face Regina and burrowed in close. She felt Regina's arms surround her. The tears poured out of her like never before. Her sobs were uncontrollable.
Regina's heart broke for Emma. She wasn't sure how to bring the woman comfort, so she did the only thing she could think of in hopes that it would break through the woman's sorrow.
"I love you, Emma Swan. You are a wonderful mother." She whispered in the woman's ear. "You are brave and kind. You're beautiful inside and out." She kissed the crown of blonde hair under her chin. Her hand stroked the Sheriff's back. "You gave Henry his best chance. There is no selfishness in that, my love." The sobs began to lessen. Regina pushed on. "She doesn't know the best of you, Emma."Regina leaned back and nudged Emma's chin up so she could meet watery green eyes.
"You make my life better. You make our son's life better. Please never forget that. We love you, Emma." She pulled Emma close to her again and laid there in the silence as the mid afternoon sunlight streamed into the room. Emma's tears had slowed to the point where only an occasional sniffle would break the silence.
"Don't you have to go back to work?" Emma's voice was rough from crying.
"I already rescheduled my afternoon. There was someplace more important I needed to be." She magically covered them both with a light blanket. Her fingers glided through blonde curls.
"Sleep now, baby." She soothed.
Emma's eyes slipped shut as she gave into her exhaustion. Regina kissed the blonde's forehead and closed her eyes. She pressed herself as close as possible to the body in front of her, until all that was between them was a small stuffed horse. Regina joined the Sheriff in sleep.