Chapter 12
Leading Emma through into the kitchen, Regina looks between Henry and Cora as the small boy sits up on a stool at the island, telling the older brunette about his present that he was allowed to open before leaving to get the plane to Regina's house. Listening with interest, Cora leans forward with her hands clasped in front of her after placing a small slice of cake in front of the boy. Sharing a smile with the blonde, the brunette walks around the island and pats her mothers shoulder in thanks as she retrieves a mug of coffee for the adults and a hot chocolate for Henry.
Finishing his cake, Henry grins then looks up at his mother. "Presents..now?"
Chuckling, Emma runs a hand through his hair. "I need to unpack them first bud"
Pouting, the boy sighs. "Okay.."
Cora smiles at the blonde then looks at Henry. "If its okay with your mother Henry, Regina and I may have some presents for you too.."
Dropping his mouth in shock, the boy glances at Emma. "Mommy!"
Walking over to the seated blonde once the drinks are handed out, Regina wraps an arm around her shoulders. "Only a couple..I hope you don't mind"
Tilting her head, Emma smiles at her. "Mind? That people want to buy my son presents? No way"
Smiling back, the brunette drops her arm and grabs Henry from behind, lifting him off his seat. "Come on then pumpkin!"
"Yaaay!" The boy grins then squeals as Regina moves him to over her shoulder, causing a fit of laughter.
Watching the pair leave the kitchen, Emma stands taking her mug. "God help me when its time to go home..."
Cora smiles in sympathy before walking around the counter. "I think that, will be a problem you are going to have every time dear"
Realizing what the older woman means, the blonde frowns and rubs her head. "I guess..you're right..its not fair on Henry..on..any of us.."
Eyes widening, the older brunette looks panicked. "I hope that what you are saying is not what it sounds like.."
Raising an eyebrow, Emma looks to Cora. "What do you mean?"
"Emma, my daughter would be distraught if you left..permanently..after everything that she..-" stopping herself, the older woman bites her lip.
"After what?" The blonde looks concerned then sighs, heading out the kitchen at Henry's call.
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"Wow!" Grinning, Henry attempts to put his new light up, flip watch on that Cora had brought him. Emma leans over the couch arm and helps him as Regina passes the next present. The boy wriggles excitedly and rips at the paper, finding a cardboard box. Lifting the lid, he peers inside. "Oooooooo! Mommy look!" Grabbing at the ball, he pulls it out. "Its big!"
Pleased with his reaction, Regina reaches over and turns it around to show him that it has his name on it. "So you never lose it"
Handing the ball over to his mother, Henry claps then climbs onto the brunette's lap to hug her tight around her neck. "Thank you Gina!"
Looking down at the ball, Emma smiles slightly then stands. "I am going to get a top up.."
Both Mills women watch her go with Regina looking worried at the blonde's odd behaviour. Cora holds her hand out as her daughter is still hugging the Birthday boy. "I'll just..check.." Standing up, the older woman follows Emma out to the kitchen.
Leaning against the counter, the blonde rubs her head as she watches Cora enter and walk over to her.
"Everything okay?"
Nodding slowly, Emma looks ahead and out the window. "I've just..been thinking..about what you said.."
Cringing a little, Cora feels guilty. "I shouldn't interfere but I just..I know how my daughter feels about you and your son..I feel like I need to bang your heads together..if you think that you're both going to be fine saying goodbye next week and only ever getting the odd weekend or holiday..to see each other. Like you said, there is a child involved and its not fair on him or you"
"I know..and I don't want to have to say goodbye.." Sighing, Emma looks down.
"...what?.."
Turning around, the blonde, as well as the older brunette look towards the doorway seeing a crushed looking Regina standing there, getting teary. "So..that..thats it?..."
Stepping up to her, Emma looks panicked. "No, that's not.."
Avoiding looking at her the brunette frowns, trying to get her head around what she heard. Cora looks between them then slips out to find Henry who is playing with his presents.
"Regina, listen to me..I just meant that, I need to think about what I am going to do because it is getting harder seeing you and then leaving you, I just need to decide if-"
"..everyone always leaves.." Confessing quietly, the brunette bites her lip. "I never..told anyone because..in my line of business, it would be taken out of context..I mean you saw what happened with Hank." Glancing over at Emma, Regina gulps. "Just like you, my last boyfriend..he meant everything..only he didn't leave me of his own free will like Henry's father, he died.."
Moving to hug her, Emma then stops as the woman steps back and away from her. Keeping eye contact however, the brunette continues her story. "And then, I realized our whole relationship was a complete lie..because he actually had a secret family..children..knowing that, a family is what I always wanted and he ruined that..Emma, I don't think I could take another heartbreak like that but I am hoping you get that because of what happened to you..just..don't..." Hearing her voice waver, Regina goes up to the blonde again. "..please..don't leave me.."
"No...Regina" Wrapping her arms around the tearful woman, Emma shakes her head. "I'm not going to, I can promise you that..Its just what your mother said, it made me realize that leaving next week will be even more hard than last time and its only going to get like that all the time..I have to make a choice.."
Sniffling, Regina buries her head into the woman's shoulder. "What choice?.."
"To leave my job and move here before Henry is old enough to start school..I know its sudden but I want to give us a chance and I can do my job anywhere, you can't move an entire film set around the place.."
Surprised, the brunette lifts her head to look up at her. "Move here?..really?"
"Yes, I can get a place down town until we figure out what we want and..go from there. Regina..I want to be with you..Henry..loves you and honestly? If I did leave now, I think my son would move in with you and leave me!"
Laughing a little, Regina wipes her tears then leans up to kiss her. Slipping her hands down to the brunette's waist, Emma kisses back then strokes away a final tear. Hearing a throat clear, both women look over slightly embarrassed at Cora standing there while holding onto Henry's hand.
"I have an..appointment to get to.." The older brunette smirks a little at the pair then shakes Henry's hand gently. "This one wanted to see the garden"
Shaking his head because shes got it wrong, the boy looks up at his mother and Regina. "The pool.."
Taking a breath to collect herself, Regina removes herself from Emma's embrace. "Of course pumpkin, go get your shorts and pick a room upstairs for yourself"
Nodding, Henry goes to run out then comes back, giving Cora a quick hug at the waist. "See soon!"
Shocked, Cora then smiles watching him run off.
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Holding onto her sons hand tightly, Emma sits down at the edge of the pool then places the inflatable crocodile she had under her arm onto the water. "Ready?"
Henry bounces on his feet then pushes his arm bands up. "Ready mommy"
Lifting him up, the blonde sits him on. Leaning back and shaking her locks behind her, Emma then raises an eyebrow seeing Regina appear. Strolling out in a red two piece with a halter neck, the brunette throws a towel down onto one of the loungers then lifts her sunglasses on top of her head as she reaches the pair. Glancing down at the blonde in her white two piece, Regina smirks at the view. Noticing her gaze, Emma flicks some water up at her. "Hey!"
Chuckling, the brunette sits down beside the blonde, slipping her legs into the water and bumping the woman's shoulder. "Hey yourself.."
Grinning, the blonde then pushes herself up and into the pool to join her son who is splashing by himself. "Hey bud.." Watching him roll off the crocodile, Emma frowns. "Where are you going?"
Splashing his way over to the edge, Henry looks up at Regina and pulls on her legs. "All in!"
Smiling, the brunette moves off the edge then swims alongside the boy towards his mother. "You like the pool Henry?"
Nodding, the boy kicks his legs out and splashes his mother. Emma gasps then grabs him, lifting him in the air. "I'm gonna drop you! I will!"
Giggling, Henry wriggles. "Go mommy!"
Giving her son an understanding look, the blonde swings him over to Regina, splashing her as the boy lands in the water in hysterics. Running her hand through her hair, trying to get the wet strands out of her face, the brunette glares at Emma then charges at her, knocking the woman under the water. Following the blonde under, Regina grabs onto her shoulders and kisses her before lifting them both back up.
"Wow.." Looking in a daze, Emma then grins. "Never did that under water before..."
Giggling at the blondes reaction, the brunette whispers into her ear. "Its not the only thing we could do under water.." Winking with a smile at the blonde's shocked face, Regina then swims back to Henry and hugs the happy boy while also kissing his head.
A/N: should Emma move there? Next up a visit to the set!