A/N: I want to be sensitive about something in this chapter. If you have any triggers regarding death in child birth. I encourage you to read around it or skip this chapter. There are NO details given, but it is referenced.
They enjoyed quiet conversation chalk-full of warm smiles and flirtatious glances. At some point Emma sat back next to Regina, and motioned for the woman to stretch her feet out onto her lap. A loud hum of delight sounded as Emma began to rub a soft foot.
"I don't know how you can be in heels all day. I barely survived having them on during our date, and we were mostly sitting." Emma took her time following the natural arch of the brunette's foot.
"Years of practice. Mother insisted I learn at an early age. To help with posture." Regina leaned back on the arm of the couch. "Oh that feels wonderful."
"Good." Emma said quietly, reaching up to an Achilles and calf. "I'll bring my special rub next time."
"Rub? You have a massage rub?" Regina wondered what the need was for Emma to have such a thing handy.
"Yes I do. I make it myself out of mixture of oils and extracts. Lavender or Jasmine scented mostly." Emma felt Regina stiffen slightly and wanted to giggle at the look of jealous confusion on the woman's face.
"Regina." Emma got her attention, "I used to do PT for athletes back in Boston. Physical Therapy. I make my own muscle rub because I'm allergic to most store brand stuff."
Regina released a heavy breath. "Oh."
"If it makes you feel any better, these [gesturing to the feet in her lap] are the first I've massaged in over a year. Well, if you don't count my own." Emma grinned at her, as she switched feet. "You're feet are so soft."
"Thank you." Regina fought against the pleasure the care to her sore feet was bringing. "Why'd you stop PT?"
"I didn't stop, so much as I moved. Back in Boston, I was a physical therapist by day, personal trainer by night." She moved her ministrations up smooth legs to massage Regina's calves.
"Well I'll gladly take a foot rub any day of the week." Regina said as she reclined further into the couch.
Moments passed before Emma realized the brunette was staring at the flames in the fireplace, seemingly lost in thought.
"Danielle was a RN." Regina almost whispered.
Emma was quiet, hoping the mayor would open up on her own. She wanted to know more about this woman that must have been an important part of Regina's life. But as it was obviously a sensitive subject, she wanted to be sensitive about it.
"She and I met totally by accident. We had the same dentist and happened to run into each other a couple of times, literally. She would be leaving and I'd open the door right into her. Or she would be getting in her car as I got out…"
Emma saw a soft smile appear on her face.
"Finally after the third time, we found ourselves alone in the waiting room before our appointments. We talked right up until she was called in. When I came out, she had waited for me. We hit it off right away, and sort-of started seeing each other. But after a couple of months I realized… I had never seen her apartment. Never met any of her friends. When we went out on dates, she wouldn't… we were never… intimate, I guess you could say."
"Sure we were sleeping together, and going out together. But in public? In public we never held hands, walked close together. We never shared romantic stolen moments with each other. She confessed that she wasn't out to her family, and had no intention of changing that. I didn't fight her on it. Then, after about a year, I found out… She was also seeing someone else… I found out because she became…"
At the stall, Emma filled in the blanks, "Pregnant. With Henry?"
Regina nodded, still not meeting Emma's eyes. "She told me she wanted to be with him. That the baby should be with his father. I couldn't begrudge her that. It was all very amicable… at least that's how I tried to see it. We said our good-byes. Four months later she showed up at my door, crying her eyes out. He had left her. Didn't want to have anything to do with her or their baby."
Emma begun softly caressing Regina's shin, offering comfort to continue.
"I'll admit… I still loved her. We had never said the words to each other, but I did. I took her in, offered her my spare bedroom. I thought I would let her stay until she got back on her feet, and that's all. But it wasn't long before things changed. She moved into my room, into my bed. We started decorating the spare room for the baby…"
"What happened?" Emma asked softly. "To her?"
"Is it ok if I don't go into detail about that?" Regina asked through teary eyes.
"Of course." Emma nodded, putting her feet down and moving to wrap an arm around Regina to bring her closer. She kissed the top of the brunette's head and waited for her to continue.
"Henry was born July 17th, 2000. 9 pounds of absolutely perfection. He was so long, and he had a full head of dark hair." Regina smiled brightly at thought of her son. "I was listed on Henry's birth certificate as his other mother, so when Danielle died giving birth to him, I was able to take him home without question. We had never discussed names before since Danielle had not wanted to know the baby's sex. So, when it was left to me, I named him after my father… and her. Henry Daniel Mills."
Emma nuzzled into dark hair, and she felt the woman move closer. "Thank you for sharing that with me."
"I'm sorry for the seriousness."
"It's ok. It's an important part of your life. I want to know."
"Thank you."
"How did your parent's react to all this." Emma asked, gently rubbing her arm.
Regina huffed, "Mother was furious. When Danielle re-appeared in my life, they were ready to essentially cut me off. More my mother than daddy. She wouldn't hear of me taking care of someone else's 'problem.' But after everything that happened and I was left alone with Henry. Something in her broke the first she saw him, and they were there for me.
When I told them that I had named Henry after my father, you would have thought they were going to coronate a new prince. It didn't matter that he wasn't our blood, he would be carrying on their name. Daddy was just thrilled to have a Grandson to dote on."
"Do you have a picture of them? Your parents?" Emma asked, thankful that Regina's demeanor had lightened talking about her parents.
Regina reached behind her to the table next to the couch. She retrieved a silver frame that held a professionally taken photograph. There was a soft burgundy colored back-drop. Regina sat on a stool holding a baby on her lap, with an elderly couple stood behind them.
"Wow, do you look like your mother." Emma exclaimed. "Same features, but your eyes and your smile are all your dad's."
That got a big smile from Regina. "That's what Daddy used to say. Henry was only a year in that photo."
"Look at the kid! His schnozz was really always that big? Good thing he grew into his nose." Emma received a pinch to her side. "I'm just kidding. You guys look so happy."
"We were. Like I said before, I'm happy Henry had them in his life. Even for a short while."
"Your dad reminds me of Uncle Charlie. When David and I were placed together, our foster mom, Joanna, had a friend named Charlie. He was awesome. He'd always bring candy for us kids when he'd visit. Not your regular candy bar you could find at any old store, either. One Christmas, he brought us all chocolate-covered grasshoppers. Really grasshoppers!"
Regina shivered and shrieked. "Oh my goodness! Tell me you didn't."
Emma laughed at Regina's disgusted face. "I did! I was the only one that ate, not just one piece, but an entire box. There had to have been six or eight of them. Some were in dark chocolate, some in white. They weren't that bad. Tasted like chocolate Wheaties."
"Yuk! I can't believe you actually ate it." Regina flash of disgust was replaced with an evil grin, "I might have to re-think letting your lips anywhere near me again."
Emma's smile dropped so fast, and her bottom lip began to quiver in an adorably pathetic way.
"Regina, no." She whimpered.
Regina laughed heartedly at the blonde's pout. She took Emma's face between her hands, and leaned in to kiss the pouty lips in front of her. When she pulled away, she smacked her lips as if she had just tasted some new treat.
"Not bad. Not a hint of grasshoppers." She smiled playfully back at her, "More like root beer."
Emma's hands caressed soft cheeks and pulled her back for more.
They spent a while gently making out on the couch. Getting more heated when Regina had Emma pressed against the arm of the couch, a hand reaching under Emma's tank top and caressed hard abs. Emma moaned and shivered as soft finger tips strummed her stomach muscles, and moved her lips to kiss Regina's pulse point.
Regina was reveling in the strong muscles under her hands, and soft lips pressing against her neck. Her fingertips reached a point on Emma's side that suddenly had the blonde woman jump with a yelp, pushing the hands away.
Regina had a mischievous smile as she stayed close to Emma. "Are you ticklish?"
Emma jumped up from the couch. "No please don't. I am very ticklish, and it makes me laugh like an insane person. Please don't."
Regina's laugh softened. She patted the seat next to her. "Come here. I promise, no tickling."
"Promise?" Regina nodded with a smile, and Emma joined her back on the couch.
Groaning at her watch, Emma sighed, "As much as I'd love nothing more than to continue exploring the softest neckline I've ever tasted, it's getting late. I know you have work tomorrow."
It was Regina's turn to pout. "I don't want you to leave yet, but I suppose you're right."
Emma stood and held out her hand, leading them to the foyer where her jacket hung. When she slipped on the red leather, she spied a look in Regina's eyes she had only seen when they… Emma swallowed hard… when they were making out. The Mayor was turned on.
"Regina?" Emma questioned when the brunette had not met her eyes.
"That… jacket looks very good on you." Regina held a hand to her chest as she tried to control her heart. "You look very good in red, Emma."
"Why thank you." Emma's smile went up one side, flashing the deepness of her dimples.
Regina had still not met her eyes, and Emma moved her hands on her own hips, pushing the jacket open. The move flexing her stomach and breasts. Chocolate brown eyes darkened.
She reached over and cupped Regina's face gently. "Thank you for today. Dinner and the floats. I had fun with you and Henry." She kissed her softly. "And thank you for telling me more about Danielle. I know that wasn't easy."
Regina kissed her back, encircling the woman's waist and pulling her closer. "With you, Miss Swan. Everything seems to be easy."
Emma arched an eyebrow at the cheekiness.
Regina playfully slapped her arm. "You know what I meant."
"Yes." Emma leaned in a kissed her again. "Lunch tomorrow?"
Regina bit her lip and nodded. "Twelve-thirty?"
"I'll be there. Don't order anything. I'm bringing." Emma kissed her once more. "Goodnight, Regina."
"Goodnight, dear."
….
"1-2-3-Ha! 1-2-3-Ha! 1-2-3-Ha!"
Henry and Emma were standing in the boxing. Henry with his MMA gloves on, punching hand pads being held by Emma.
"Good. Now let's switch to blocks and ducks. Same count, but we're going to alternate between ducking on the fourth count and blocking. It's going to go 1-2-3-block right."
Emma let him hit her right hand pad three times, then swung her left hand toward the right side of Henry's head. Henry blocking it with is left arm.
"Then 1-2-3-duck left." Emma repeated the last step, but instead of blocking the blow, Henry ducked under her it.
"Then we'll do the same with the left." Emma repeated the steps from the left.
Emma ran him through the routine a couple of times, calling out the cadence as she went along. Little by little, speeding up the movements, until Emma stopped calling the shots out loud, and Henry was doing it on his own.
Without stopping Emma said, "Alright, kid. Now we're going to slow it down a notch. Keep this cadence with me, I'm not calling it. When I say go, we're going to continue, but I'm going to mix up the blocks. You're going to have to watch what's coming for your head and block it or duck it. Got it."
Henry nodded, never letting up his movements. He was sweating through his shirt, and his eyes were beginning to sting with the sweat in them. He kept the speed Emma set, but did not look at anything other than Emma's eyes. All movement was peripheral to his focus.
Emma was truly impressed on Henry's focal point. He picked it without her even telling him. "Now."
Emma kept the same pace, but altered her fourth count. "Good, kid, good. Let's speed it up."
She moved faster, this time moving her shoulders left and right to try and through his concentration off. He did not falter. Emma swore she never saw his eyes move of hers even for a moment. "Stop."
The moment the word was spoken, Henry halted his movement but stayed at the ready. Emma motioned him to drop them as she took off the pads. "Damn, Henry. That was good. I mean wicked good, kid."
Henry reached for his towel and water, "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Do you have any idea how many professional fighters out there can't do that Bruce Lee stare with their eyes? You weren't looking back and forth to each glove, trying to figure out where the next punch was coming from, you looked straight ahead." Emma patted his shoulder. "I'm impressed kid."
"Thanks, Emma." Henry looked at the gym's giant clock. "Hey I know we still have thirty minutes or so, but would you mind if I worked on some homework? I have a paper due tomorrow."
"Yeah, go ahead. I think we've done good for the day. Plus you should type while you still have feeling in your arms." Emma laughed at Henry shook out the sore limbs. "They're going to be tender from those punches you threw. You're not used to it yet."
"I think I'll be alright." Henry boasted as the two stepped down from the ring, and walked toward the back office.
"Sure, kid." Emma pushed him by the shoulder as they heard the front door open and David walk in. "Why don't you go ahead and use my office while I talk to David."
"OK. Hi Mr. Nolan." Henry waved on his way out.
"Hey Henry." David waved back.
"What's up?" Emma greeted her brother with a bear hug.
"Ugh, sweaty sister." David's hands were hanging in the air as Emma rubbed her sweat on his shirt, laughing. "I hate when you do that."
"What are sisters for?" Emma laughed motioning to a bench by the windows, for them to sit.
"Everlasting annoyance apparently." David smiled, then turned a bit serious. "Listen, I got a bit of bad news today."
Emma steeled herself, "What about?"
David took a hold of Emma's hand. "Joanna passed away."
"What? When?" Emma stood abruptly.
"A couple of weeks ago."
"A couple of weeks ago?! How did we not hear about it?" Emma asked, surprised.
"Why would they have notified us, Ems? We were just two of, what I'm sure were hundreds of kids that stayed with her." David wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know I was horrible at keeping in touch with her."
"Me too." Emma's breathe shook.
"I only found out because Uncle Charlie found my number."
"Uncle Charlie called?" Emma smiled through tears that had begun to form.
"Yeah. He's doing great. Moved up to Toronto and married a retired Mountie, apparently." This made them release a happy sigh.
Emma pulled back. "Is there going to be a service or anything? Did they already have one?"
"No. No service. Charlie said she didn't want a big ordeal, or to burden anyone with a funeral. I guess some other foster kids got together and made the arrangements to have her cremated." David smiled wide. "Then, get this, they discreetly snuck her ashes into Fenway. She's lining up the bases for the Red Sox."
Emma and David laughed out loud, hanging onto each other for support.
"Oh, my God. Joanna's gotta be laughing it up in heaven. She's gonna trip every Yankee and Cubbie that runs through there." Emma laughed.
David and Emma laughed hard, remembering their foster mom's obsession with the baseball team. When their laughter slowed, and they grew serious, David pulled her in for a hard hug.
"I can't believe she's gone. We should have kept in touch with her." Emma cried.
"It's ok, Ems. She knew we loved her for what she did for us. Before Joanna, neither of us knew what trust or caring meant. She took us in and helped us see we had to fight for what we wanted."
Emma stepped back and wiped her eyes. She changed her voice to her foster mother's. "You're not kids anymore, and no one's going to just give you the world. You need to fend for yourselves and prepare to become adults."
"No more bullshit." The two said together.
David released a heavy sigh, "Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Emma, I know how much that home meant to you. To the both of us. But come on, you hated the old lady."
"I didn't hate her. We just liked to fight. A lot." Emma wiped her face. "She was constantly riding me about what I was going to do with my life. Even after I found a passion for fighting."
"That's cause she was convince you were just fighting in the streets, or getting beat up by a john or a boyfriend." David reminded her.
"Was it that hard to believe that I was good enough to go pro? That I could actually hold my own." Emma scoffed. "I know we weren't close, but she was the first adult to ever give a shit about me. Even if she was a pain in my ass."
"Yeah." David squeezed her shoulder. "Try convincing her that you're not gay for the better part of your teen years. All while getting set up on blind dates with other nice boys from the neighborhood. I'm happy both of us could fight."
They both began laughing in earnest again.
"Aww… you broke poor Jeremy Struder's heart when he came to the door with flowers." Emma pinched David's cheek.
David slapped her hand away. "His mother was already planning our wedding. With Jo's help!"
"I know!" Emma laughed, pointing at David's serious face.
"Billy. Rhodes." David said seriously, and Emma stopped laughing immediately.
"Shut up." They're eyes met in a serious stare, before they were laughing in a hug again.
"Wanna have a drink later? In her honor?" David asked, pulling her in for a hug.
"Yeah, that'd sounds like a plan."
"Everything alright?" The two turned to see Regina entering the front doors, with a worried expression.
"Regina." Emma used her towel to wipe her face, and straightened out.
"I gotta go Ems. Call me later, ok?" David hugged her again and made his way out, not before nodding at Regina. "Regina."
"David." Regina nodded back as the man left, then quickly went to Emma's side. "What's wrong?"
Emma took a deep breath and sat back down on the bench by the window. "David found out that our foster mom, Joanna, passed away a couple of weeks ago. We both kind of lost touch with her over the years, but our Uncle Charlie found David to let us know."
Regina sat next to her, immediately taking the woman's hands in hers. "Oh Emma. I'm so sorry. Will there be service you need to attend?"
"No. Apparently Joanna's got year round seating at Fenway for the rest of her afterlife." Emma laughed through more amused tears.
"Fenway? The baseball stadium?" Regina was confused, "I'm pretty sure that's illegal."
Emma laughed again. "You would be right."
Regina reached with one hand and ran soothing circles to Emma's back. "Are you alright, darling?"
Emma looked up and smiled. Leaning closer, she said, "I am now."
Regina met her for a long kiss. Neither woman saw a group of boys walking down the back alley, spotting them embraced in a deep kiss. Their leader hushed them to be quiet and walk back the other way.