"I'm sorry, Henry, I just don't have the time," Regina said regrettably to their little six year old. "I really need to get this paperwork finished." She was in the study and working from her home office instead of the town hall. Henry's face fell and he lowered the box of Legos in his hands. "Go ask your mother, dear," she said.
Henry pouted, "But she told me to ask you."
Regina glanced up from her desk to peer at him. "Did you say 'please'?"
"…no."
"Go ask her again, Sweetie," Regina encouraged distractedly, going back to her work.
He shuffled out of the study in his Batman slippers and matching jammies. "Ma, will you play with me?" Henry held up the Lego set to Emma. "….please?"
"What, I thought your Mom wanted to play," a half asleep blonde said from her spot, sprawled out on the couch, watching reruns of Friends.
"She's working?"
"Working?" Emma repeated, a little surprised. "On a Sunday?" She rearranged herself to a sitting position. "That's no fun. Should we make her play with us?" Emma asked her son conspiratorially, and he nodded eagerly. "Okay, follow me."
The door to the study was wide open and Emma and Henry snuck in quietly. Regina didn't look up and continued on with her paperwork. Emma laid down across the little loveseat couch in the room and Henry took the floor. They stayed there for a few moments before Emma repositioned herself so that her legs were hanging over the back of the couch, her head was resting off the edge of the seat, and her arms were hanging down to the floor. Henry's had scooted up against Regina's desk with his legs sticking straight up and resting on the side of it, his arms sprawled out like Emma's. They took turns sighing loudly.
*sigh*
…
*SIGH*
Regina glanced up from her work to her two sprawled out starfish, one upside down on the loveseat and another up against her desk on the floor. Her eyes flicked back to her budget review.
*sigh*
…
*SIGH*
"Do you need something?" Regina gave in and directed at the blonde in her flannel pajamas. Regina was dressed to the nines even though she was only working from home.
"No," Emma said nonchalantly. Regina flipped a page in her report. Emma caught Henry's eye and they both slinked out of the room.
Ten minutes later, Henry carried in his bucket of army men with a few Hot Wheels mixed in. They both sat crouched up against the front side of her desk and out of direct sight. Regina stopped writing to see nothing but two tiny hands slowly place little army men on the edge of her desk, joined by a single larger hand.
A hint of a smile played at the corner of Regina's lips when a muffled giggle and a loud 'SHHHH!' pervaded the air. The brunette poked the end of her pen at the few soldiers and pushed them off the edge, which warranted a surprised little gasp from the front of her desk.
A few more minutes passed until Regina suddenly felt an odd sensation all along her feet and calves. She'd long ago kicked off her heels under her desk and she wriggled her toes. Henry and Emma had each slithered around to both sides of her desk and were using Regina's legs as the road for his Hot Wheels. The small toy cars tickled over her skin. Regina pushed out her rolling chair to look down.
"Hi."
"Out."
The two nuisances made a dramatic and slow motioned exit. The Mayor shook her head and smirked at their theatrics.
Ten minutes later a rustling by the door sounded, but Regina was determined to ignore it.
Sccccrrraaaappe ssccrrrrrrrrrr
Silence.
Regina's eyes surreptitiously left her report to see freshly cut apple slices accompanied by a glob of caramel being pushed out on a plate by a hand against the wooden floor. The small hand quickly disappeared back to behind the wall, and the treat stood alone in the doorframe.
Silence.
Rrrrrrrrchhh rrrrrrrrrrchhhhh
Regina chuckled when a larger hand scooted out a cardboard box and propped it up over the caramel apple slices, complete with a little string to pull as the hand darted back out of sight. The brunette stared at the tasty fruit.
Sssscccccccrrrrraaaaaaaaaaape
While Regina was still contemplating the apple slices, a ceramic mug of coffee joined the caramel apples. It was pushed out by a large hand and a little bit sloshed out and onto the wooden floor.
Silence.
"Did she see it?" a loud whisper asked.
The smell of a fresh brew of her favorite roast wafted into the room and Regina inhaled deeply. Now that she thought about it, maybe she was little hungry… The brunette sighed loudly and pushed out her chair, not bothering to put her heels on. She padded her way over to the doorway. Regina crouched down quietly and reached out with her hand to take the mug of coffee, clearly surprising them.
"PULL THE THING! PULL THE THING!" Emma cried out suddenly.
Henry pulled the string that was attached to a ruler that was propping the box up. The box was no bigger than a large shoe box, and it lightly landed on Regina's wrist when it was released.
"WE CAUGHT HER! WE CAUGHT HER!" Henry squealed. "Just like Bugs Bunny!"
Emma chuckled and Regina smiled at their son's excitement.
"About time," Emma laughed and then suddenly serious, "I was running out of ideas."
Regina sipped at the fresh brewed coffee and snagged an apple slice to dip into the caramel. "Well, I suppose I could just go in early tomorrow…."she allowed.
"YAY!" Henry jumped up and down. "I'll go get my Legos!" he said, and he ran to get them.
"So you changed your mind, huh?" Emma prodded Regina with a grin.
Henry reappeared and ran back to them. "You two can be the builders, and I'll be Godzilla!" he shouted happily, dumping his entire bin of Legos onto the floor.
"And miss this?" Regina said with a soft smile. "Never."
A/N: Reviews are always treasured!
