Author's note: Happy reading and thanks for the feedback! (and thanks to my editor coelibear!)

[Hello, Eliane. Thank you!]

Chapter Fourteen

Regina paused from packing their picnic basket to watch Emma, with Henry on her arms, walking back to the house. Emma was tickling Henry and he was giggling in that adorable way of babies that adults cannot help but gush over them. When mother and son reached the back door, Emma turned back to look at her and Regina smiled and waved.

It had been a very fun picnic. Henry was content to eat, sleep, and nibble on his toys while she and Emma ate and talked and played several rounds of Go Fish. It led them to constant bouts of laughter to which Henry would sometimes look at them in curiosity.

Regina had insisted that since it was her idea, it was only right that she lay out the blankets and serve Emma and Henry food. "Take this as a break from all the times you cooked for me," she told Emma, who kept Henry entertained.

"But you already cooked everything," Emma reasoned out.

Regina looked at her. "But I invited you out today."

A lovely blush marred Emma's face, and Regina realized how that sounded. Surprisingly, Regina did not feel awkward, unlike yesterday and all those times when similar comments slipped from her mouth. When Emma cleared her throat and, with a straight face replied, "Yes, you did," and then smiled, Regina felt like she can do anything.

That courage continued throughout the day. While Regina did not have an ulterior motive in having the picnic, she found herself looking for more excuses to be nearer to Emma. When they sat down on the blanket, she leaned back on the tree but left space so that Emma can lean beside her. Regina made sure that their fingers brushed when she passed Emma a plate stacked with food. And when a smudge of sauce appeared on Emma's cheek, she asked if she could be the one to wipe it off with a napkin.

Regina did not expect the moment to feel so intimate as Emma sat there staring at her while she held Emma's chin with one hand and cleaned her face with the other. When Emma's face was finally clean, Regina lightly brushed her thumb across Emma's cheek. That lovely blush appeared again, and it took Emma clearing her throat to prevent Regina from moving to close the distance between her lips and Emma's cheek.

She didn't want to stop but Regina knew she had to. Otherwise, Emma's face would probably turn permanently red. She tried to lighten the mood. "I now know where Henry gets his eating habits."

It had the desired effect. Emma laughed and shook her head before going back to her food. She smudged her face again but this time, Regina simply handed her the napkin to clean herself up.

After lunch, they continued to talk but in softer voices because Henry was sleeping. After a while, Emma stopped talking and when Regina turned to look at her, she had also fallen asleep. Regina shifted closer to Emma and pulled her head down to her shoulder. Only to make her more comfortable, she told herself. When Emma snuggled further into her, it felt so right.

She was not sleepy so she simply sat there and enjoyed the feeling of being with the two people who have made their way into her heart in such a short time. Henry was lying on his back in his cradle placed between her and Emma's legs. Regina watched as Henry frowned in his sleep and Regina reached out to smooth it with the tip of her pointer finger. She smiled when a contented sigh replaced the frown.

Emma moved, her head now slightly under Regina's chin. Although Regina didn't mind, she knew it wouldn't be a comfortable position for Emma. Slowly, she guided Emma to a new position. Emma opened her eyes groggily but followed Regina's motion until her head was lying on Regina's lap. Regina gently brushed Emma's hair until the latter returned to her slumber.

Regina found herself thinking of the next time they can go on another picnic or maybe go on other adventures. Henry was still too young to go to a carnival or a zoo. They can probably go to the beach. She will ask Emma about it when she wakes up. Maybe they can go next month–

She stopped, closing her eyes as she realized that she was making plans for the future when she knew she had to leave soon. She had forgotten that Kathryn was going to call her once their vacation home was available so that Regina can spend the rest of her break there. She had almost forgotten that she has a life back in the city. She had to go home and back to work.

She opened her eyes and saw Emma frowning, similar to Henry's, and she cannot help but chuckle despite the building ache in her chest. As she brushed the frown away too, Regina started realizing that she wanted to be there for Emma and Henry and make sure that they were always happy. She wanted to always be there to brush the frowns off their faces whether they were awake or asleep. She wanted to be with them always, period.

She didn't want to leave.

She wanted more picnics and laughter and smudged faces.

She wanted market Wednesdays and sleepy breakfasts and quiet dinners.

She wanted lazy afternoons and lying on the floor with Henry and riding in Emma's dirty yellow Jeep.

She wanted Emma Swan and Henry.

Regina closed her eyes to keep the tears at bay before eventually falling asleep.

#

Regina was woken up by soft whispers and cooing. Regina stretched out her arms and realized that there was an absent weight on her leg. She opened and her eyes and saw Emma and Henry smiling and looking at her, waiting for her to come back to the waking world.

Regina smiled back as she rubbed the sleep off her eyes. "How long have you two been awake?"

Emma shrugged. "Maybe fifteen minutes? Henry was the one who woke me up, though."

"Oh." Regina relaxed against the tree and watched Emma play with Henry. She remembered her musings before falling asleep. She pushed away the idea of leaving and focused on her ideas.

"Emma?"

Emma looked up and waited.

"I…I really enjoyed today."

Emma grinned. "I did, too." She paused, then, "Maybe we can do this again next time?"

Regina beamed and was about to ask her what she thought about going to the beach next when they heard an engine roar. They both looked towards the house and saw a motorcycle stop in front of the door.

"A guest?" Regina asked.

Emma sighed. "I don't want our picnic to end yet but a guest is a guest, right?"

"Right." Regina answered. Of course, she understood. "We can do this again next time."

Emma smiled in reply. "I'd like that." She stood up with Henry in her arms then looked around then back at Regina.

Regina realized what Emma was thinking. "Go," she said. "I'll clean up here."

"You're sure?"

Regina nodded and smiled again. She motioned with her hand to shoo them away. "Go!"

Emma chuckled. "See you inside?"

"You bet."

To be continued...