In keeping with tradition, they didn't talk. After speaking with Henry, Regina had a note delivered, accepting the offer of a truce and so their ceasefire gained a name and some stability.
Regina and Emma had one last awkward meeting in Regina's office to iron out final details. Neither mentioned anything about after the play and it was overly formal and stiff. Both bit their tongues to avoid any further arguments. It was much too late in the game to be fighting.
Professor Flitwick and a few other teachers came for their dress rehearsal and declared it a success. Their approval calmed the nerves of many of the students and eased some of the tension that had built up since their public shaming.
Since it was their first attempt at doing this, their first performance was set to be for the students only. The next day they would have the families of the cast and crew as well as friends of the school. If this was worked, they had planned at the beginning of the year to expand it for the end of the year performances.
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The night before the show, they transported the entire set to the Great Hall. It fit perfectly. With Regina's anal-retentive attention to detail, Emma hadn't had any doubts it would. It was magnificent.
After everyone left, she stayed behind and took a seat on a table to just look at it all. There was something amazing seeing it all put together in the Great Hall instead of in pieces spread about their rehearsal space. It made it all feel tangible, like she had accomplished something real.
Rustling behind the wall drew her attention and she immediately stood with her wand drawn. It was only Professor Longbottom and he gave her a wry look as he came around the corner and saw her standing on the table. She blushed as she climbed down. She really hadn't been in the mood to deal with student vandals.
"On guard duty?" Neville asked.
"Nah, just hanging out," she said as she joined him on the stage. She followed a step behind as he checked the intricate vines.
"The vines look really healthy," he said as he finished his inspection. He gave her a smile she couldn't help but return. "I'm really proud of you, Emma. It looks like it's going to be a real success."
"Thanks, Neville. I hope so." He gestured to the edge of the stage and they sat side by side. He had been around her age when she had been his student and he had always been a role model. His approval meant a lot.
He looked around the Great Hall fondly. "This place is something special, but it's only as good as what people put into it." He smiled over at her. "This is a fine addition."
"I'd like to think so."
"It's nice to see you finally opening up to your students," he said after a few moments. "How is Henry Mills doing?" She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I just thought he might be special to you. He's a foster kid, like you."
"All of my students are special."
"Fair enough. I didn't mean to imply all foster children are the same or you should care about them more."
"I know, Neville."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He reminds me of you sometimes."
"He's a good kid." She looked around the hall. "Hogwarts is a bit of a safe haven for orphans like us," Emma said with a shrug. "Not all foster families are bad, but you're right. This place is special." Neville gave her a look. "And the people are as well," she conceded.
"Indeed," he said with a smile. "I was surprised that Regina had taken a special interest in the boy. She usually keeps her distance from the students."
"Oh?" Emma said, as if it hadn't noticed.
"She requested his allowance to take him to Hogsmeade during the break."
"That's nice of her," Emma said, with fake disinterest. She was starting to feel bad about insulting Regina's mothering of Henry. She would have killed for someone to care about her the way Regina cared about Henry and she had tried to make the woman feel bad about it. She just hoped Regina was careful with his emotions. He didn't deserve to have his hopes raised only to be dashed to pieces when he got a painful reminder that she was just his teacher. He was more of a dreamer than she had been. He was still looking for a family.
"Saves me the trouble of getting a social worker to take him," he said. Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. He gave her a sad smile. Before she was allowed to go on the trips to Hogsmeade, Neville had taken her down during the winter breaks to pick up little things she may have needed. She knew that some professors made their kids in the system get everything they needed via owls, but Neville never did that. He knew what it felt like to be dismissed and looked over. He always made sure his students never felt that way. It had been nice. "Something came up last minute and I can't take him."
"A social worker. Really, Neville? You could have asked me."
"I didn't want to assume. I'll be sure to keep you in mind next time." He gave her a cheeky wink.
"Already planning a next time?"
"Perhaps. You'd make a fine Head of House someday. I'd like to see you take on more responsibilities," he said looking around them. "This was a good first step."
"Wow."
"It's just something to think about. I'm still a spry young man, but you never know."
Emma snorted. "Maybe you were young when I was a student." Neville gave her a sad pout and she slung her arm around his shoulder. "You're a good guy, Neville. I have a feeling you are going to be here a long, long time."
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The day of the play arrived and things started to go bad almost immediately. David mysteriously ingested some Puking Pastilles that put him in the Infirmary Wing. With him out of the picture they were left with the one and only Killian Jones to fill his shoes. Regina and Emma knew he was responsible for the mysterious accident, but they had no choice.
Their tentative truce held as they rushed around each other checking costumes and making sure everything was in order. It surprised them how in sync they had become without even noticing. They handled the Hook dilemma without missing a beat, helping Ashley and Jefferson fit the costume to his proportions in the midst of the preparations.
They picked spots on opposite sides of the stage to watch. Often shooting each other proud looks across the way as the show went on. Henry did a fabulous job as their narrator and Regina couldn't have been more proud of him.
It seemed to be coming together nicely, until all of a sudden it wasn't. The cast crossed the stream and the plants needed for Belle to cure Mary Margaret were missing. Henry grabbed the first edible prop he could find and rolled it to her. Belle took the unfortunate apple with a shake of her head and presented it to Mary Margaret. The audience burst into laughter at her stricken look. Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, desperately hoping the Evil Regals hadn't done it on purpose. Emma looked furious on the other side of the stage and Regina just rolled her eyes.
As their Sir Luckless made his way to the Fountain, he stepped on Milah's dress, tearing it rather dramatically. He, thankfully, left the girl decent and it earned more chuckles, but it was the last straw for the girl. She chased after him and shoved him into the Fountain. He emerged in a rage, wand drawn.
Milah called him a coward and declared her love for Jones for all to hear. Regina moved to intervene, but was shoved aside by an eager Hook. The stupid boy didn't stand a chance against the most talented Transfiguration student the school had seen since Professor McGonagall. Gold's face twisted and he snarled, "You are nothing, but a worm. With a wave of his wave, Hook legs shrank away and he fell to the ground face-planting as he no longer had arms to catch himself.
By the time, Regina had righted herself and rushed onto the stage, the boy was mostly worm and Milah had pulled her own wand to attack her now ex-boyfriend. She quickly froze the two dueling students as Ruby climbed onto the stage to tend Jones. Ruby sent Gold a furious look. His access to the Restricted Section of the Library was most definitely over.
"What the hell, Regina! I turned my back for one second," Emma shouted as she rushed onto the stage, Henry close behind her.
Before she could respond, Professor McGonagall's voice rang out over the chaos. "Prefects. To the Common Rooms. Now." The students in the audience were in an uproar, but once they heard Minerva's voice they knew their fun was over.
Kathryn climbed onto the stage and laid a hand on Regina's shoulder. "I'll handle these two," she said gesturing to the frozen students. Regina nodded. As much as Regina wished she could be the one to dole out their punishments, it was their Head of House's responsibility. She caught a disappointed look from Professor Flitwick on his way by with his students and it stung.
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Once Ruby had returned Jones to a less worm-like existence they carted him off to the Infirmary Wing for some draughts. His limps weren't quite functioning yet and the Evil Regals watched on in horror. Emma hovered over Mary Margaret who seemed to be in shock.
Regina gathered the stage crew and quickly got as much of the story as she could before sending them after their housemates. She stood in front of the stage assessing the damage not even noticing the room emptying out. There was no way they'd be able to put on the show tomorrow even if McGonagall allowed it.
Every thing had turned out just as she predicted. A disaster. She really thought they would pull it off for a moment there, but in the end the combination of her and Emma Swan was just toxic. This was the result. McGonagall should have known better.
She felt oddly resigned to it all and wondered if she was in shock as well. As she stood in front of the wreckage, she had to wonder how much of this mess was her fault and how much was inevitable. If they hadn't been distracted by their own problems would they have spotted the impending doom in time to stop it?
Heavy angry footfalls startled her from her self-reflection. She turned her head slightly, knowing what was coming. "This is all your fault!" Emma shouted at her. "Your little cult planned that apple. They threw the whole thing off. I knew this was going to happen."
"What did you know exactly, Miss Swan? That your entire cast would self destruct when a simple error was made?" Regina said. She could feel her anger building and she welcomed it.
"I knew you would find some way to sabotage my efforts."
"Efforts," Regina scoffed. "You should have seen what was going on. There was no sabotage unless it was from your side. Don't forget that David's been in the Infirmary Wing all day. I was informed that Mr. Jones also shoved Claude right before he went out for his scene disrupting all of the backstage preparations."
"Claude has been needling him for weeks."
"So you're advocating violence as the answer now?"
"No, that's your answer, remember?"
"Professor Mills. Professor Swan. My office now," McGonagall said, before marching from the room. The two startled women shot each other horrified looks and immediately deflated.
"Looks like we're in trouble now," Emma said. "Think she'll take any house points from us?" Regina just shook her head.
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They walked to the Headmistress' office in silence. It felt like the end and it surprised them both that they didn't want it. They snuck looks at each other feeling like school children as they climbed the stairs past the gargoyle.
Emma hesitated at the door. "Are you ready? I'm not sure I'm ready."
"Let's just get on with it, Emma." Emma groaned as Regina pushed the door open.
Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk writing. Regina wondered if they were letters to her students' parents informing them of the disastrous outcome. McGonagall didn't even bother to look up at their arrival. Regina could feel the disapproving looks sent their way from the portraits of old headmasters. She could hear Headmaster Dippet mumbling about how his ban should never have been lifted.
After a few torturous moments, Minerva finally steepled her fingers in front of her and looked at them over her glasses. "I feel as though I should have Professors Longbottom and Flitwick here tonight with the way you two have acted." They hung their heads in shame. "Bickering like children. It's shameful and set a terrible example for your students."
"I thought about canceling this failed experiment entirely, but," she paused and looked at Regina, "your students made a compelling case in favor of continuing. All have shown a marked improvement in their grades and Mr. Mills made a very concise argument for a first year."
Regina felt her heart warm at her students' initiative. Emma still thought they were little shits. McGonagall turned her attention to Emma. "From what I understand you were in charge of the cast, Professor Swan."
"Yes, Headmistress."
"You lost control." Emma attempted to stutter out a response, but McGonagall interrupted her. "I wanted this to be a joint effort between two capable teachers. I wanted you to combine your talents and even each other out. Fill the gaps. Instead you separated and this was your result."
"I suggested a more collaborative endeavor at the beginning," Regina defended.
"Oh, please you seized the stage crew as soon as you could," Emma said, quickly turning on the other woman.
"Enough." McGonagall barked, stopping Regina short. "Do you even want me to allow you to try again? Or am I wasting my time here?" They shot each other quick looks.
To Regina the answer was clear. The play had been a blessing in its own way. She felt more comfortable with herself and her students than she had in years. It had awoken a part of her heart she wasn't ready to close off again. Whatever was going on between her and Emma didn't change that.
"I do. We can do so much better than what happened tonight," she said. She could feel Emma staring at her, but she stayed focused resolutely on the Headmaster.
Emma nodded to herself. "I agree. Please Minerva."
"Are you two even capable of putting aside your differences?"
"Our fighting clearly impacted the children. I'm willing to fight my inclinations and resolve anything that comes up civilly," Regina said.
"We can do it and if we can't we will leave the room."
"At the very least, Professor Swan," McGonagall said with a sigh. She stared them down. "You have one more chance," she said. "I will require frequent progress reports and I will be checking up on you. Often. You've acted like children so I will treat you as such."
"Understandable."
"Of course."
"I expect a true collaboration this time. I will cancel this entirely. Don't disappoint me."
"Yes ma'am," they chorused.
"Now, get out of my sight before I change my mind."
They nodded and quickly fled. They both let out a sigh of relief as the gargoyle slide back into place behind them.
"What is it about that woman that turns me into a fourteen year old all over again?" Emma asked.
"It probably didn't hurt that you… we'd been acting like ones." Emma appreciated the small correction.
"True," Emma said softly.
"I'll cancel my plans for the holiday so we can plan for our next attempt. You will be here?"
Emma nodded and looked up at Regina. "So another Christmas together?"
"So it seems." Regina said quietly. "Perhaps it's time we should talk."