"Emma, baby wake up. It's time for daycare."
"Not today. Maybe next week."
"We don't have a choice, baby. Mama is tired. Please get up."
"Ten minute. Me sleep."
Regina sighed. She was in no mood to fight with her daughter today. "Emma, it's buddy day. You get to meet Lily, remember?"
One eye popped open to squint at her. "Dragon day?"
"Yes, dragon day. You, Meri, and Jazz get to spend all day with Lily."
"You too?"
"Oh, Mama has to meet your new big buddy. It's important I know her."
"Acause she give me dragon rides and you gots to make sure she nice?"
Regina pried the covers out of Emma's hands before pulling her into her lap. She chuckled at Emma's wild bed head and tried to smooth it back into place. "Mama has to say you can go on a ride if Lily wants to give you one."
"Oh, she will! Me so essited! Dragon time!"
Chuckling, Regina placed a kiss on Emma's forehead before setting her on the ground. "You can't have dragon time until you get ready for daycare. To the bathroom with you."
Emma scampered off to get ready. She went to the bathroom and washed her hands and brushed her teeth. She returned to her room and started pulling out all her clothes from the dressers. Regina returned to Emma's room and found her daughter in her underwear, glaring hard at her dresser.
"Emma, what on earth are you doing?"
"Me has nofing to wear!"
"The clothes on the ground say otherwise. You're going to have to clean this all up."
"Mama, me cwisis here! What do dragons like best? She like Toothless or Stitch or Hawwy Pottah? Is she purple like us?"
Regina knelt down to be eye level with Emma. "Baby mine, Lily will love whatever you wear because you are a loveable girl. Clothes do not matter. Wear what you like best."
"You make me dwess up nice for da stuffs."
"Sometimes you have to dress up for things because you're the mayor's daughter and it's expected. Today you can wear whatever you want. What do you want to wear?"
Emma scrunched up her nose as she stared back at her clothes strewn all over. Tears quickly welled before Emma shook her head. "Me wan look me best. She gots to like me."
"What do you think you look best in?"
"If me knew, me'd be dwessed. Duh." Emma tilted her head and put her hands on her hips. She was the epitome of sass in that moment.
Regina was stunned into silence for a moment as she stared at Emma. "Who taught you that?"
"Meri, duhhhhh." Emma rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "Help me look pwetty for dragon."
"Do not 'duh' me again. That's rude. Whatever you choose to wear, she will like, but her name is Lily. When we meet her, don't call her dragon okay?"
"If you not help, den you get pitcher me colour her pwease."
"If this is what I'm like, I need to give Ariel a raise." Regina muttered to herself as she rifled through Emma's clothes.
Emma raised her arms up in the air when Regina went to hand her a purple shirt with Stitch on it. Sighing at Emma's divatude, Regina helped the princess into white denim shorts too.
"You're putting on your own shoes, your highness. You know how to dress yourself."
"Meri say Alma dwess her all days."
"Well you aren't Meri. You are more than capable of dressing yourself."
"But Meri say I'm pwincess and pwincess don't dwess dey self."
Regina knelt down to look Emma in the eye. "Baby, you are a princess and whatever else you want to be. We don't go by monarchies here. Everyone is a person here, where they don't have to be a servant if they don't want to be. Do you not like picking out your own clothes and dressing yourself?"
"Meri say -"
"No, I don't want to hear what Merida says. I want to hear what Emma has to say."
"Clothes here are good. Me like dem. Dey not Occhi's. Just mine."
"All yours, but unless you really need help getting dressed, you be your lovely independent self and put on your own clothes, okay?"
Emma nodded before staring at her shoes, fingers nervously fiddling. "She gon like me?"
"Oh, Emma. Lily is going to love you. You're a wonderful baby." Regina tucked an errant curl behind Emma's ear before pulling her close and kissing her forehead.
"Mama, me not baby. Me so big. Meri say only big guhls go to school."
""You're not allowed to be a big girl yet. Mama hasn't had enough time of you being little yet."
Emma flung her arms around Regina's neck and kissed her. "Me your guhl. You be mine?"
"Absolutely!"
The whisper made Regina chuckle. "You apposed to say you got it dude."
"I'm terribly sorry, your majesty. Next time I will say," Regina scrunched up her nose in distaste at the phrase. "You got it dude."
Emma nodded and smiled brightly. "Meri see Full House on da pitcher box."
"It's a TV, silly Emma. You ready to eat breakfast?"
Emma shook her head no causing Regina to feel the girl's forehead. "You okay, baby? Why don't you want to eat?"
"Tummy flies."
"Oh, well how about Mama brings a cereal cup and some milk so that when your butterflies go away you can eat?"
"Maybe we stay home. Nodder day we do."
"We're going to daycare, Emma. You're going to be just fine. You'll see."
Emma clung to Regina as soon as they were out of the car. She refused to let go to play with Meri and Jazz so Regina decided to interact with them instead.
"Jazz, you've got quite the Disney theme going on. Is there a particular reason?"
"My mother is Princess Jasmine. She pulled the whole Lorelai Gilmore thing on me with my name. I can't even be my own person. She loathes Disney so I do it to annoy her."
"Right, and the tiger?" Regina made a mental note to limit the unsupervised interaction this preteen had with her daughter.
"Rajah? He's a harmless kitten unless you're my father."
"Does youse got Abu too?"
Jazz scoffed. "You think a tiger would let a monkey live in the same house without becoming dinner?"
Green eyes widened before narrowing. "Dat very bad! Monkey a fwiend. Not food."
"Chill out, squirt. Abu is fine. He just doesn't live with us."
Merida rolled her eyes. "Em not squirt. She a wee wamb."
Lily walked in late. She couldn't decide what to wear. She'd never cared about impressing anyone before, but suddenly impressing this four year old was extremely important. She'd changed outfits six times before deciding on a lavender fringe tank top and white denim shorts. She opted for silver gladiator sandals and brushed her hair one last time before dashing to the daycare.
Maureen smiled at Lily as she finally got past the director at sign-in. "Hello, Lilith. There's some things we need to talk about before I take you to your buddy."
Dark brown brows furrowed. "What is it? Did I do something already?"
"No, it's just that Emma, well she isn't four."
"Is she five? Older? Did she get held back?"
"Emma is the mayor's daughter. She's three and a half. She's had a difficult time adjusting to this realm."
"This realm? I thought no one was left in the forest. Where did she come from?"
"It turns out that Emma and Pinocchio were left there. It's a long story I'm sure your mother can fill in when she reads her emails. Anyways, Emma hasn't had the easiest time here, and because of that the mayor got Emma into this year's four year old class because her friend Merida is in there. I know you don't get on the best with Jasmine, but for Emma's sake I really need you to try. She's incredibly excited to meet you. Just be a little more cautious with her than normal."
Lily nodded as her teacher finally led her to the preschool room. The kids were all running around and playing. Being around small children wasn't something Lily was exactly comfortable with, but it was required of the 7th and 8th graders. It was graded, and she needed to keep her 4.0.
"Mayor Mills, Emma, this is Lilith Rose. Lilith, this is Mayor Mills and Emma." Maureen stepped back to watch the interaction. She needed this to go well. Her job could very well be on the line if the mayor was displeased.
Regina appraised the girl from head to toe. Her near black hair and dark eyes couldn't be farther from Maleficent's looks. She was dressed well though and looked as nervous as she knew Emma was. "I'm Regina. This is Emma. She's a little -"
Emma jumped up before Regina could finish her sentence. "Me Emma. We wear same shorts. I drawed you dis. Do you like Toothless?"
The entire group was silent, waiting to hear Lily's answer. The preteen surmised this was the make or break it response. A few seconds of silence had Emma drawing back into her shell and flopping down into Regina's lap, hiding her face in the mayor's chest.
"I love Toothless. I also love Stitch. Do you like them?"
Lily waited for Emma to look at her before smiling and reaching for the picture still in Emma's hand. She unrolled it and looked at the skilled drawing of a little blonde girl riding Toothless with Stitch. "Is this you?"
"Mama said not to call you dragon, but Miss Aimee said you were a dragon too, but me don't know what youse look like so I drew Toothless."
"Awe, so this is us?"
Emma nodded and pulled her fingers from her mouth. "You give me dragon ride? Me so essited!"
"If your mom says it's fine we can go one day."
"Me onwy has a mama, no mom. Mama say kay."
"Emma! It's not nice to lie. We did not discuss you going on a dragon ride."
Emma turned and sat up on her knees before squishing Regina's cheeks between her palms. "Mama, me has to go!"
"Let me talk to Lily about it, and we'll see."
"It's totally safe. I've never had anyone as little as Emma ride, but it's really easy. Have you ever been on a dragon?"
"I, well…"
Lily tilted her head in equal parts confusion and amusement. "Alright, I'm going to take that as a yes. If you need, I can take you up before I take Emma."
"What if she falls off? She doesn't exactly have a long attention span and I don't want her to take a thirty foot tumble."
"I fly, Mayor. It's not like I'd stay airbourne if Emma was falling. I've wings, arms, and feet. I wouldn't let her get hurt."
"You don't even know her."
"I'm not a monster, Madame Mayor. I have a heart. I'm sure you've a list of questions for me to ensure I'm good enough. Mom always said…"
Regina quirked an eyebrow. "Don't stop there, dear. What did Maleficent say about me?"
"Nothing."
"Mama no scawy face. Lee a friend."
Regina gave Lily another once over. She supposed this girl was as innocent in everything as Emma was. The sins of the mother are definitely not the sins of the daughter, at least not unless you're Regina. "Alright, baby. Lily is a friend."
Emma's cheeks pinkened. "Mama, me not baby." The scolding meant to be a whisper, but the group had all heard.
"Don't worry, Emma. My mama still calls me her baby too. I don't think they ever stop calling you baby until you're at least three hundred."
Green eyes studied Lily before nodding seriously. "Tomowwow me be tirty so me a get a blue tummy like Jazz."
"Oh, but if you're thirty, we can't be buddies."
"Yeah huh! Mama say so." Tears threatened to spill as Emma's bottom lip jutted out.
Regina smoothed Emma's curls down before rubbing her back. "Lily's right, Emma. You've got to stay your age so that Lily can be your buddy at school. No one else in the whole school but you gets Lily. You can't go to school with Merida if you're thirty."
"That's right, kid. I'm the only dragon. You're gonna be the coolest in the whole class."
"Me wants you and a blue tummy!"
"We'll see, duckling. You tell Auntie Abbie that she's old and I'm sure I can find a very tiny purple gem to temporarily be on your tummy."
Jazz glared at Lily as Emma fawned all over her. She'd wanted to be the one to make the connection to the normally shy preschooler. She'd been doing well, and her main competition just waltzed in and whisked her away. Lily beat her for top spot in the class, the one always chosen for the best debates. She got point guard on the basketball team. She got voted Most Popular in the yearbook. It wasn't fair that she lost out to Lily yet again.
Regina noticed the glaring and raised an eyebrow at the girls. "This is for the little ones. I do hope whatever animosity you have towards one another that you let it go to provide the best example for them."
"Of course, Madame Mayor. Jasmine and I wouldn't dream of setting a negative example for the girls. We want them to be strong leaders, like us. Right, Jasmine?"
Fighting off a growl, Jazz nodded. "Of course, strong, independent females. Girl power."
Regina scoffed lightly at how fake the preteen sounded before letting Emma and Merida take over the conversation. At the end of the day, Emma hadn't wanted to let Lily go. She practically dragged Regina home after the teen had left to tell Granny all about her new buddy.
ESESES
Emma spent the entire week with Lily. She was so happy and distracted with the teen that Regina got to actually go to the office while Emma went to daycare. When Lily asked to see Emma outside of school, Regina had allowed her to come over and play for a few hours.
"Ariel, I need you to collect Emma from daycare. I've a meeting starting in a few minutes and I can already tell it's going to run late."
"Yes, Madame Mayor."
Emma was playing with Lily when Miss Aimee announced it was time for her to go home. Green eyes scanned the room for her mama only to narrow when it was Ariel standing outside the classroom instead. She grabbed Lily's hand and marched them both to City Hall.
Ariel slowed down as they finally made it inside the building. "Emma, the mayor is in a meeting. I don't -"
"She my mama. Me go in!"
Emma ran through City Hall and tore into her mama's conference room. The entire room ceased talking as the doors flung open and Emma ran to Regina, pulling herself up into her lap and giving her mama a kiss.
"Hello Ducky. How was your day?"
"Youse wasn't der to get me. Lily taked me to pway?"
"You want Lily to take you to play until I'm done? Aunt Abbie is going to come pick you up in an hour and a half for dinner."
Frowning, Emma pouted up at her mama. "Youse not coming?"
Regina tucked a curl behind Emma's ear. "Baby mine, I have to have this meeting. I'll be late, but I'll be home before you go to bed."
Emma turned to glare at the members gathered at the table to find them all staring at her. "Youse be bery shamed keep Mama from me. Shame youse all! Don't look me!"
The mayor was amused at the fact that her daughter just pulled a mini mayor on her staff meeting. All their eyes quickly darted away. It was highly amusing to watch a three year old control a table full of adults so easily with just a scolding tone and a wagging finger.
"Sorry, Madame Mayor. I told her you were busy."
"I am never too busy for my daughter, Ariel."
Ariel blushed as the table turned to eye her. "Of course, ma'am."
Lily stepped into the room and Regina's focus drifted to her. "Dear, you know the rules, center of town only. No sweets, and Abigail will be here at 5:30 to pick Emma up. Don't keep her waiting."
"Got it. Emma had a really good day. We worked on reading. There's reading homework in her bag that Ms. Todd gave her for her progress today." Lily held up Emma's Toothless backpack.
"Ms. Quinn say me do weal good, and gived me all da books to wead to you at sleeptime. She say me gon be da smahtest guhl da whole cwass."
"The smartest girl in the whole class? That's my girl! You and Abbie can pick out what to read to me tonight."
"Dey not aportant. Youse sure you can't come wif me pway?"
"I'm sure, Emma. Mama has to finish this meeting. Go play with Lily and have lots of fun so you can tell me all about it later."
Emma sighed and leaned up to give her mama a kiss. "Kay, but if youse not home after dinner, me coming for you."
"Yes ma'am." Regina chuckled.
"Love you. Kiss kiss."
Regina leaned down and kissed Emma. "Love you too, duckling. Behave for Lily."
Emma slid off her mama's lap and glared at the other adults around the table once more before bouncing out the door with Lily.
Lily fell into step just behind the three year old who was literally bouncing down the street. "What would you like to do, Emma?"
"Occhi daddy make toys. We go."
The little blonde practically dragged Lily to Geppetto's store. Lily looked around the store in awe. All the pieces were clearly hand carved. Most looked delicate, and Emma was anything but delicate. "Don't touch anything!"
"Me can. Occhi me brodder. Me do whatever me want." Emma rolled her eyes at Lily before pursing her lips and fixing Lily with a stare that dared the teen to argue.
"Emma! You're here. Come see what I'm making."
Emma ran through the store dodging through aisles and tables full of elaborate pieces that had Lily cringing. "Occhi, me found you! Youse gots toys for me?"
Pinocchio smiled down at Emma before handing her a carved panda. "Papa is teaching me how to make a dragon. It's hard though."
"Occhi, dis Lily. She a weal dragon. She my new fwiend, buddy for school. Ms. Quinn say me gon be smahtest guhl der."
"That's awesome. Summer school isn't that bad. I don't get hurt for not knowing stuff."
Pinocchio launched into tales about school and what he'd been up to. Lily tuned them out and became distracted in the woodwork. The little kids talked for forty-five minutes before Geppetto told Pinocchio it was time to get to his homework.
"Alright, Em. What do you want to do? We still have a while yet to play."
"Da park. Mama taked me der one day with Occhi."
"Where is it?"
Emma smirked impishly before grabbing Lily's hand. White smoke enveloped them both and Lily found herself disoriented. She blinked a few times before looking around. The woods wasn't far away. Upon further inspection, Lily realized she was at the park on the edge of town. The little blonde grinned up at the teen.
"The mayor specifically said to stay in the center of town, Emma. This isn't the center of town."
"We pway here."
Lily forgot her anxiety about facing the wrath of the mayor later as she and Emma played. They lost track of time as Emma covered every piece of equipment several times over. Lily loved Emma's imagination. She'd turned the playground into an elaborate castle in this latest pretend game. Lily almost wished it were a movie or book she could revisit repeatedly.
"Awfully late for two unsupervised children to be out."
Emma's shield flared to life before the little one even spun to face the faery. "Blue, what youse want?"
Lily stared at the blue forcefield around Emma as lightning seemed to sizzle across it. Emma backed up until Lily was absorbed into the shield. Lily winced, expecting pain, but was surprised when Emma's hand squeezed hers.
"Well, if it isn't the little demon child no one wants."
"Mama wants me!"
"The Evil Queen is the most broken, most deluded member of this town after you. She's going to get sick of you and send you away too. No one wants such a lowly excuse for a child."
"The mayor does. I read the email, and she's told me. She loves Emma."
"The hybrid dragon girl, figure the lowest of the low would flock together." Blue scoffed.
"Stupid faery! Lily is da best, and my mama love me. Youse just a ugwy douche canoe."
Lily gasped, not because this faery didn't deserve it. She so did. She gasped because she hadn't realized Emma had overheard her fight with Jasmine. "Emma."
"Why you insolent little brat! Seems someone has forgotten their manners. Let me remind you."
Lily felt the shield ripple as Blue's magic ricocheted off it. Blue growled in frustration and kept trying without perceived success. Lily looked down at Emma and found her face scrunched in pain. "Emma, get us out of here!"
Emma could feel muted zaps from Blue, but her shield was mostly doing its job. Lily was safe. She focused, ignoring Lily's plea for them to leave. Through the shield, Emma blasted her own magic at Blue. The woman dropped to her knees and Emma managed a smirk and a raised eyebrow at her before poofing them to the front of City Hall.
Lily scooped up a sobbing Emma and rubbed her back. "Shh, we're safe. It's okay."
"Me wan Mama!"
"No, we can't go see her now. Abigail will be here soon. Emma, I need you to be brave. If your mama sees you crying she won't let me be your friend anymore."
"Mama no do."
"She'll be very mad at me for putting you in a situation to make you cry. She'll think you got hurt on my watch, and it'll be a long time before we can play again. You can't tell her."
Emma leaned back to find dark brown eyes pleading with her. "Fine. Me no tell."
"Thank you, Emma. I really like hanging out with you, and my grade depends on the mayor not hating me."
Despite being only three, Emma knew what Lily meant and her heart broke a little. She wriggled free of Lily's hold. Lily only liked her so she wouldn't be in trouble at school. She wasn't her real friend. Emma poofed herself inside to grab her backpack before poofing to Abigail.
Abigail was in the middle of wrapping up her last client meeting to go pick up Emma when white smoke swirled around her and an extra twenty seven pounds clinging to her. She looked down to find Emma's face buried in her neck.
Kyle jumped back, knocking over his chair as white smoke surrounded his lawyer. When it cleared, a child was in her lap. "What the hell?"
"Language, Mr. McGill. The mayor would not appreciate learning you taught her three year old how to swear."
"You know, I'm just going to go. We can finish this later."
Kyle ran out of the room, and Abigail pulled Emma out of her hiding spot. "Em gem, what's wrong? You sad?"
Emma shook her head no and buried her face in Abigail's neck again. When Emma moped around and barely ate dinner, Abigail grew concerned.
"Baby cakes, you sure you don't want dinner? It's your favourite."
"Me no want."
"How about you just take a bite for me?"
"No."
"Emma, please!"
Emma stopped dragging her spoon through her macaroni and cheese and stared Abigail dead in the eye as she pushed her bowl off the table to the ground. "All gone."
Abigail sighed and bent to clean up the mess as Emma poofed herself into her bedroom. She had no idea what had gotten into Emma, and it didn't look like Emma was going to tell her anytime soon.
Emma didn't even put up a fight about bathtime. Normally it was World War III trying to get Emma into the bath. It usually resulted in a flooded bathroom floor, and an angry preschooler. The sound of the garage door had never been such a relief before.
Regina was surprised when Kat cornered her inside the garage. "Where's Emma?"
"Emma is acting odd. She poofed to me this afternoon and has been mopey all night. She barely ate two bites of dinner, and I even got her a bath without incident. What happened today?"
"I have no idea. Emma was fine this afternoon. She was her usual self. Something must have happened with Lily." Regina brushed past Abigail and went in search of Emma. She found Emma in her bed, nearly lost under the covers.
"Mama!"
Regina sat on the edge of the bed. "You want to sleep in Mama's bed tonight?"
"No. Me just waiting youse to come home."
Regina changed out of her work clothes and into silk pajamas before returning to Emma. "Aunt Abigail tells me you didn't eat dinner tonight. You sure you're not hungry?"
Emma shook her head no and started sucking on her fingers. Regina just knew something was wrong. "Well, Mama needs cuddles so will you stay with me tonight?"
"Wead to me."
"Ask nicely and I will. Manners are important."
Brown eyes widened in shock when Emma burst into tears. Regina quickly scooped Emma up into her lap. "Mama's got you, Emma. Everything's okay." She had no idea what was wrong, so Regina just held Emma and rubbed her back.
Twenty minutes of crying, and Emma was finally starting to calm down. Regina pulled out Love You Forever and began to read. The words calmed Emma down after two read throughs. Regina looked down to find Emma passed out against her, fingers in her mouth. Talking would have to wait.
'Regina, Regina goddammit! WAKE UP!'
Bolting upright, Regina's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, seeing Daniel's shimmery form next to her bed. The glaring red numbers of her alarm close shone through. "It's 2:45 in the morning. This had better be good."
'Turn and look at Emma, Regina. I get that you're tired, but you need to step up your skills.'
Flipping over, Regina saw Emma on the other side of the mattress, too close to falling off the edge. There was some sort of shield around Emma. It was similar, and yet completely different than her protection shield. Emma was inside thrashing around. It looked like she was screaming, but Regina couldn't hear her.
'I told you she gets nightmares. The faeries used to make her put the silencing shield up so they wouldn't have to deal with it.'
"She's never had one here before. What happened?"
'Take care of Emma. She will tell you when she's ready.'
Regina pulled herself upright before going to reach for Emma. She wasn't expecting the shield to shock her. She shook out her hand before trying again and getting the same result. She finally resorted to calling on her magic to counter the shield.
Piercing screams that made Regina want to cover her ears and cringe away from the noise instantly filled the room. When Emma nearly toppled off the bed, Regina quickly grabbed Emma and pulled her into her arms, trying to control Emma's flailing limbs.
It took nearly an hour for Emma to calm. Not a nightmare then, but a night terror. Regina read about them, but she didn't think she'd ever experience one. Tear filled green eyes slowly blinked open to find Regina staring down at her.
"Emma, sweetling, you're safe. Mama's got you."
"Mama?"
"I'm here, baby. You're safe."
Emma took a few moments to just reorient herself and cuddle in her mama's arms. "You woked me."
"I did wake you up. You were having a bad nightmare."
"No one woked me afore."
"Emma, look at me." Regina waited for green eyes to meet hers. "Emma, you never ever have to be afraid of letting me know you're having bad dreams. Mama will always come hold you and protect you."
"Always?"
"Always, always! Can you tell me what you were having bad dreams about?"
Emma shook her head no, hiding her face in Regina's shirt.
"No? Why not?"
"Pwomised."
"You promised not to? Who did you promise?"
When Emma didn't answer, Regina turned to Daniel. "How about Danny tells me and you add in anything he missed?"
"No! I pwomised acause if me telled youse den me no see her no moe even doh it not her fault."
"Is this about Lily?"
"She no do it!"
'Blue attacked Emma.'
"Danny! Youse no tell! Bad boy."
Regina pulled Emma back to look down at her. "Blue attacked you? Why didn't you tell me, Emma? Are you hurt? Where were you that she did this? Why didn't Lily protect you?"
"Lily no magic. Me pwotect Lily. Me taked us to park like Occhi. Danny not nice to telled. Me pwomise Lily acause she no want do bad school."
"Lily has magic, Emma. You're a little girl. It's not your job to save everyone. Why did Blue attack you?"
"Me bad manner. Me yelled at her."
'Tell her the whole truth, Emma.'
"Shh, Danny. No tell."
Regina shook her head, baffled. "You will tell me, Emma. It's my job to protect you. I love you! What did Blue say to you?"
"Demon child no one want wif bad manners. Bad guhls get hurt. Zaps."
"Duckling, you're not a demon. I love you completely. I want you more than anything. I traveled realms for you, and I'd do it all again too. No one will ever hurt you again. Do you know now why I said to stay in the center of town? Next time you want to go to the park, just come get me. I want to keep you safe."
"Faery stupid!"
"Baby mine, why do you think I will keep you from Lily?"
"She say you bwame her for me cry and Blue. Me taked her to park, not her. She say me no tell acause she no fail school. She no like me."
Regina hugged Emma tightly. "Lily likes you, my dear. I promise. She tries very hard in school too, but she adores you. Do not lie to me ever. Not for any reason. Understood?"
Emma nodded. "Lily like me? Youse sure?"
"Yes baby. Anyone would be silly not to like you."
'Emma picked up colourful language from Jazz and Lily arguing. Take care of Blue and then talk to Lily.'
"You're overstepping again, Daniel. Emma is my daughter. I'm raising her now. I don't follow orders anymore. Lily and I will be having a talk, because no one makes my baby feel used. I'll figure out what to do with Blue, but right now Emma needs me."
"Hugs. Kiss kiss."
Regina gave Emma what she asked for, and held her close, stroking fingers through blonde curls.
"Mama love?"
"Mama loves you more than all the stars in the sky."
"Blue say bad stuff bout youse. Me got so mad."
"Well, Blue doesn't matter. She just wants to hurt us. Don't listen to anything she says. You're safe with me, Emma, so loved and wanted. You never have to be afraid of telling me anything. I'll always love and protect you."
"Love Mama."
"Love you too, Ducky."
Emma snuggled down into Regina and finally felt safe enough to not need her silencing shield. Her mama wasn't going to scream or hurt her for bad dreams. She wanted to help her. Regina continued to stroke Emma's hair, humming softly. She was going to make sure her baby never had reason to doubt she was loved and wanted ever again.
ESESES
Regina had to corner Lily in order to talk to her.
"Uh, Madame Mayor, what can I do for you?"
"You told Emma to lie to me."
Lily frantically looked around for a way out of this. "I -"
"You told my daughter to lie to me, Lilith. You can understand why I don't appreciate that."
"Well yeah."
A dark eyebrow quirked. "Well yeah? I do not tolerate lying. Do you know you made my baby feel like you're only using her for school."
Brown eyes widened in shock. "No! That wasn't my intention at all. I think Emma is the coolest tiny ever."
"You're going to have to make it right with her then, dear."
"Of- of course. What do you want me to do?"
"First, I want you to promise you'll never ask my daughter to lie to me again.'
"I promise. I so promise!"
"You have magic, dear. I never want Emma to be the one saving you. She's three. Her magic may be incredibly powerful, but you are older. If your magic is anything like your mother's, I know you can protect her."
"The Blue Faery came out of nowhere and started harassing us and then attacking us. I wasn't prepared. It was my fault."
"I will deal with her. You are going to offer Emma a dragon ride. I'll be on the ground watching. It's what she's wanted more than anything for a long time."
Together they found Emma with Abigail and took her to an open field.
"What me do here?"
"Well, your mama has decided that finally time."
Blonde brows furrowed. "Time fo what?"
"Time for your dragon ride, silly."
Emma squealed and started jumping up and down, hugging first Lily and then Regina. "Weally?"
"Really, now stand back while Lily transforms. I'll help you up."
Seeing a dragon in the flesh was an absolute thrill for Emma. Lily was about half the size of Maleficent. Regina assumed it was because she was a child still. Lily was almost completely purple, whereas Regina remembered Mal was mostly black. Lily lowered herself flat to the ground so Regina could place Emma on Lily.
"Stay wif me, Mama."
"Are you certain? This is supposed to be for you."
"Mama too."
Regina wrapped an arm tightly around Emma and gripped one hand tightly to a scale, her thighs clenching to secure her hold as Lily's wings spread to prepare for takeoff.
Lily took off as slowly as she could, not wanting to scare Emma or the mayor. The death grip Regina had on her though kind of hurt, so it was wonderful when Regina finally relaxed and loosened her grip slightly. Emma was cheering and laughing. She thought it was the most awesome thing she'd ever done. All that mattered was Emma's happiness.
When Lily finally landed and all were human again, Lily pulled Emma in for a hug.
"Dat so cool! Me do again!"
"Another time, Emma. My wings need a break."
"Oh, tank youse fo me wide. Meri be so jealous."
Regina chuckled. "Maybe you could ask Meri if she wants to come sometime if Lily says it's okay."
"Sure, but Emma, I want you to know that I think you're the coolest kid. You're my friend. I'd happily fail the assignment so long as we stayed friends."
"Weally? Youse like me?"
"I do like you. You're my buddy. I'd be very sad if you were upset at me. Friends?"
Emma launched herself at Lily, wrapping her arms around her neck in a hug. "Fwiend."