A/N: All I really have to say is that you people are wonderful! Your reviews and follows and favorites keep me motivated. So today I have a little treasure hunt in this chapter. Ten points to whoever can spot a reference to another blonde/brunette awesome TV lesbo show;)
Chapter Twelve
Regina had taken to sitting at her dining table and polishing silver when the doorbell rang. She had been thorough- ensuring her little brush reached every crook and cranny of the rarely used tea pot with the precision of an obsessive mind. Kathryn had been correct. Regina loved having power. She missed it. Being at the mercy of those who were inferior to her and showed nothing but disdain for her, made her fingertips burn with the need to obliterate something or someone- anyone.
And who had brought the mighty Evil Queen to her knees? A car mechanic. An incredibly late mechanic who probably used to be a drunk or a bandit in Fairy Tale Land. Once, he would have rushed to get his chubby ass to her house five minutes after she called him. Now it had been…
The doorbell rang again. Her hand shook slightly as she put down the brush and took a calming breath. She soon realised that it was useless as she marched up to the door, swung it open and fully prepared herself for a monumental tongue lashing of the mechanic when she saw Henry and Emma at her door instead.
She paused in surprise.
"Hi," Emma greeted her with a hint of nervousness.
"Hello," Regina responded but it came out more like a question. It went without saying that she would have never anticipated the pair at her door on a Saturday morning. Things had ended cordially enough the previous night but their unexpected arrival made her panic slightly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. We umm… we umm…" Emma stammered.
"We came to fix your car," Henry explained with a strange look thrown at Emma. He stepped aside so Regina could see the toolbox in Emma's hand.
The surprises kept on coming.
"I called a mechanic," said Regina.
"Oh, oh that's fine. We were just in-"
"The neighbourhood," Regina interrupted Emma. The sheriff gave a reluctant smile. Regina knew that she was unfairly teasing Emma but she could not stop herself.
"We'll go," Emma offered and turned away.
Without thinking, Regina's hand flew out and grabbed Emma's arm stopping her from leaving. The blonde turned back and looked from Regina's hand on her arm to Regina's dark eyes just as the former mayor had once done but with a lot less contempt. Regina did not release the blonde from her grip.
"He's over an hour late," Regina revealed. "Stay."
Regina looked over at Henry and ran her fingers through his sandy hair, "Both of you."
There were moments, the blurry moments between sleep and reality, when Regina would forget. She forgot that she was an Evil Queen who created a curse and that curse was broken and with it her life destroyed. In those moments, she was just a woman living in a sleepy town with her son living a blissfully ordinary life. She expected to walk downstairs and be greeted by Henry. They would make breakfast together. She would secretly enjoy watching morning cartoons with him. They would go riding, or to the park or take a drive to a lake. Stay home and play board games or work in the garden. Ordinary things that the rest of the world took for granted, she craved. And she hated it when reality sunk in and she realised that she would never have that sense of normalcy. She had accepted it just as she accepted all of the shortcomings in her life.
So how was she standing on her porch with a tray of cider in her hands watching Emma and her son tink away at her engine and experiencing the greatest feeling of normalcy she had ever known? Winter was supposedly creeping in but the sun had come out to play and she could not remember the last time the sky was so blue. Her street was quiet. It was rarely used before the curse had broken and now it was like a no-go area for the town's residents. She wouldn't have minded it so much if it weren't so damn silent in her own house and all she had were her thoughts to keep her company. However today, as she took in the morning air, she was glad for the peace. It was as if she, Emma and Henry were in their own realm which no one else could disrupt. All of the fears and strife they had with the rest of the world could not exist here.
She watched Henry wipe his brow leaving a substantial grease smear behind. He looked up at her smiling and, seeing the cool refreshments, raced over to her without hesitation. He downed half the glass in one eager gulp.
"Not so fast, Henry," Regina chided the boy.
"Sorry," he huffed. "I missed your cider."
Regina smiled. Any suggestion that he held dear anything related to his life before he became a Charming warmed her. He sat on the porch steps and she sat beside him setting down the tray on the floor. She scrutinised him as he took a more modest sip of his drink. She ran her finger across the tail end of the grease mark on his forehead and smudged the black substance. She then instinctively licked her thumb pad and began wiping away at his forehead.
"Mom," Henry groaned as he fought Regina off. "That's gross!"
"Well, you can't very well walk around looking like a child labourer," Regina argued.
"I'll clean it off myself," Henry mumbled.
"Fine," Regina replied with a slight grin.
They silently observed Emma work. She seemed possessed by the same obsessiveness that had driven Regina to attack her silver. Regina had no idea what the blonde was doing. Emma's blue shirt was wrapped around her waist so that she moved about in her white tank top. From where she sat, Regina could just make out the sheen of sweat that clung to the skin of the sheriff's well-defined biceps. She had tied up her blonde hair into a messy bun revealing her neck which she used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat off. She frowned and smiled as she played with the various mechanics of the car and Regina was so caught up in watching Emma that she did not realise that Henry was talking to her.
"Mom," Henry called a bit too loudly.
Regina turned and faced her son who looked back at her as though he was running out of patience.
"I'm sorry. What were you saying," Regina asked.
Henry shook his head slightly, "I'm thinking of trying out for the baseball team."
"Baseball team," Regina was confused. Her son had never shown any interest in sports.
"Yeah, Emma's been teaching me and I practise a lot with Grandpa. I'm not too bad at it."
Regina worked hard to keep her composure. Her little bookworm was changing. He had new influences which kept opening up his world more and more making her hold in his life smaller with every passing day.
"I'm sure you're excellent," Regina managed to say.
"Awww Mom, you don't even know anything about baseball," Henry accused.
"I don't need to know about baseball. I know you. And I know there's nothing you can't do, Henry," Regina replied honestly.
"You know, everyone thinks I'm so brave and strong because Emma's mom. They forget who raised me," Henry said with his eyes on the floor.
"As long as you don't forget, I don't care."
"I don't," Henry looked up at her. "I haven't."
Regina decided to be selfish. She knew that she was supposed to give the boy time and space but when they sat like this and talked like this, she could not help herself. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and let it hang there without ceremony. The boy didn't nuzzle up against his adoptive mother but he didn't move away either. Regina was more than willing to take what she could get.
Emma looked up and saw the embrace. She smiled at Regina who could not help but smile in return. In the entire time that she had known Emma, she had never been more grateful for her existence or her kindness because it could have been nothing but kindness that would have inspired this impromptu Saturday morning treat. So much had changed in a year.
Emma walked over to them wiping her hands on her jeans.
"Mind if have one of those," Emma asked. Regina raised an eyebrow at her. "The cider," Emma quickly clarified.
Regina released her son and poured a glass of cider from the jug. She handed it to the sheriff.
"Are we done with the car yet," Henry asked sounding rather bored with all the hard work.
"I think so kid," Emma responded.
"Can I go inside now," there was an edging of whining to his tone.
Regina and Emma looked at each and then back at the boy. "Yes, Henry."
Henry's face lit up as he put down his glass and raced toward the house.
"Don't forget to clean your face," Regina yelled after him as she watched him run through the front door. Emma took Henry's place beside Regina on the steps.
"I don't think our son has a future in manual labour," Emma mused.
"Good thing he's a royal," Regina replied as Henry disappeared from her eye line and she turned to Emma. Emma took a gulp of the cider much like Henry did. Regina stopped herself from scolding the sheriff too.
"I could have done with the alcoholic version of this," Emma said raising her glass slightly.
"I'm sure Henry would have appreciated that," Regina said disapprovingly.
Emma took another big sip.
"Yesterday was… interesting," Emma resumed the conversation.
"Indeed."
"You must thank Kathryn again for me. I'm sure it was weird for her to have me in her house."
"I think she enjoyed it," Regina said thinking about her conversation with Kathryn in the kitchen. She still thought the idea that Emma was jealous of her relationship with Kathryn was ridiculous.
"What was that," Emma was looking straight at Regina.
"What?"
"That weird look. What were you thinking?"
"Nothing," Regina attempted nonchalance but could instantly tell it wasn't working.
"Come on, Regina. I know you," Emma prodded.
"A lot of people seem to think that lately," Regina mused aloud. "You don't want to hear it. It's silly."
"I like silly," Emma pressed even further.
There really was no point in sharing a private conversation between friends with the sheriff especially when the sheriff was the topic of such inane talk but there was a curiosity that gripped Regina in that moment. She already knew the answer to the question but she could not help but wonder how the great Saviour would react to that question. It had been a while since she had played with her little former nemesis.
With a sly grin, Regina picked up the jug on the tray and slowly poured herself a glass of cider. She could feel Emma's impatience behind her and her smirk only widened. Regina then took a long sip of her drink as Emma rolled her eyes.
"Would you just spit it out already," Emma was exasperated.
Regina pulled the glass away from her lips, "Kathryn's under the… impression that you're jealous of my relationship with her."
Emma's eyes widened slightly, "And what relationship with that be?"
"A friendly one," Regina's eyes dared Emma to react.
But there was nothing. No outrage. No scorn. Just silence as Emma seemed to process Kathryn's observation. Regina was disappointed in the anti-climax. Perhaps the good sheriff had mellowed thanks to motherhood and the change in their dynamic. She resisted the urge to express this disappointment by taking another sip of her drink.
"She's right," Emma blurted out.
The admission caught Regina so off guarded that she spewed a shower of cider. She looked back at Emma in completely shock as she coughed and cleared her throat.
"Are you okay," Emma asked.
"Why… the hell… would you be jealous," Regina asked between gasps. Emma looked horrified by her own confession.
"You were right. This is stupid. I should check your car," Emma tried to stand but Regina grabbed her wrist and brought her crashing down onto the steps again.
"Speak," Regina's voice was hoarse.
Emma bit her bottom lip with a frown on her face. Regina's relentless gaze kept her trapped where she was until she spoke.
"You're different with her," Emma explained. "You two have inside jokes and dinners and you don't go around calling her Miss Nolan."
"Why does that matter?"
"I dunno. Just does," Emma shrugged. "Mary Margaret was my friend and then she became my mother and, now, apparently Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood are best friends and… everyone's been so great to me but I'm on the outside looking in. You were the only person who understood how that feels. But now-"
"I am not on the inside," Regina interrupted. She had always existed on the fringe even at the height of her power as queen and mayor. People were around her because they had to be not because she was one of them.
"But you are. You have a person," Emma argued. Regina knew that she was referring to Kathryn.
"So, is this an audition to be my new person," Regina asked playfully.
"That's pushing it a little far, Your Highness."
"Then what, Miss Swan?"
"That!" Emma exclaimed pointing at the brunette. "You're not the mayor anymore. We've known each other longer than a day. I think you can call me Emma by now."
"Fine," Regina sighed.
"Fine who?"
Regina glared at the sheriff. The blonde was not making the journey to liking her easy, "Fine… Emma."
"Wait," Emma held out her hands and remained still as though she were waiting for something to happen. "You hear that? The world didn't end. Hallelujah!"
"Ha-ha," Regina replied sarcastically.
Regina had enjoyed calling her Storybrooke subjects by their last names. It created a definitive barrier between them. First names were too familiar. Next, Emma would be showing up at her house unannounced.
Wait. That already happened all the time.
"Miss Swan-"
"Uh-uh," Emma gave a disapproving shake of her index finger. It was Regina's turn to roll her eyes.
"Emma," Regina stressed the name. "Would you please stop stalling and get my car fixed."
"Oh!"
Emma hopped up with a smile and bounced over to the car. She opened the driver's door and with a deep bow said, "My queen."
Regina sauntered over to the car. Emma produced the car keys from her front pocket and handed them to Regina before the former mayor slid into her seat and Emma shut the door. The blonde then leaned against the door frame so that her head hovered near Regina's.
Regina started the car but the engine quickly gave out. Emma instructed the brunette to be patient with the car and, with the second attempt, the engine roared to life. Emma laughed gleefully she slapped the top of the car with her hand. Regina knew that Emma would be insufferable after this.
"How do you know anything about fixing cars anyway? Was that the special skill you learnt in prison?" Regina goaded the sheriff.
"Firstly have you seen my car? And secondly, I was in electrical appliances in prison. So if you need a lamp or a dryer fixed, I'm your girl," Emma explained.
"And you were picked to be the Saviour," Regina replied shutting off the engine.
"Saved your car didn't I," Emma was already getting cocky.
Regina was fully prepared to knock the good sheriff down a few pegs but when she turned to face the blonde she found herself looking straight into deep green eyes and the words caught in her throat. The two women did not move- barely breathed- as their eyes locked and their faces hovered inches from each other. Regina realised that she had never been this close to the sheriff. The spicy smell of the blonde's body lotion mixed with her sweat and the power of her penetrating gaze overwhelmed the queen's senses.
"I'm going to tell them," Emma said quietly.
"What," Regina was still in a daze.
"My parents. I know I said I would but… I will."
Regina nodded her head not trusting her voice.
"I'm gonna go wash up," Emma did not break eye contact.
"Okay."
Emma lingered for another moment and then stepped back from the car. She then turned and walk to the house. Regina slumped back into her seat. She told herself that the warmth she felt was from the generous winter sun.
Regina waited in her car as she did every Friday. She had grown to appreciate the waiting as it usually helped calm her before seeing Henry. If the boy knew how much of her mind was occupied with planning and preparing for his visits, he would probably run from the pressure. She always had to play it cool with him and she had become rather good at faking that.
However, when she saw him pop around the corner and walk toward the car, she could not stop herself from jumping out the car and moving around the front to greet him. There was a slight clumsiness to their Friday greetings. They both knew that she longed to hug him but she had always restricted herself to a loving pat on the shoulder as she asked him how his day had gone. She had expected nothing different today so when the boy stepped forward and awkwardly wrapped his arms around her middle, her body went rigid in shock. But he did not let go even as she slowly lifted her arms and held the boy so carefully as though he were an endangered animal she feared chasing away.
She held him close to her. She could feel him breathing against her and it was as though he were breathing life into her weary heart. She smiled into his hair. The first smile of a genuinely happy spirit and, at first, she did not recognise the figure standing across the street watching them. But then she realised. The happy haze wafted away to reveal reality. Standing there, hands clenched and teeth gritted was Charming.
A/N 2: Uh-oh!
