Author's Note: Normally, I save notes for the end of the chapter, but I just had to share: Mara is real! Seriously, one of my students' first and middle names are Mara Jade, and she looks almost exactly how I pictured the character.
The conversation over breakfast is both easy and awkward. Emma explains why she waited as long as she did to come to town (failing to locate Storybrooke on a map; successfully tracing Regina's cell phone; having to request additional time off from work; making sure Henry was okay looking after Mara). For her part, Regina answers questions for Emma about what has happened since she and Henry had to leave. On the one hand, Emma is slightly amazed more hasn't happened in those eight years; when she lived here, it seemed there was some new crisis every week or so. On the other hand, enough has changed that her thoughts are starting to whirl again.
Thankfully, Regina is patient and understanding. She is quiet when Emma needs her to be, and offers information when the blonde requests it. Even through her emotional turmoil, Emma can sense that Regina's worried about something, but the brunette doesn't bring it up, whatever it is.
"Let me make sure I've got this all straight." Emma leans against the kitchen counter as Regina loads the dishwasher. "The last major catastrophe was your half-sister terrorizing everyone, and that was seven years ago. Neal died as a result of her schemes. My parents and you have finally made peace with one another. I have a little brother. Magic works here. Did I miss anything?"
Regina chuckles. "Nothing important." The pajama-clad brunette straightens up and wipes her hands on a nearby dish towel. Anyone who doesn't know her would think she's relaxed, but Emma can see the slight tension in her shoulders, the way her eyes don't quite meet the other woman's.
"Hey," Emma reaches out and snags Regina's hand. "Are you okay?"
Regina's gaze drops to their joined hands. "I…"
Emma waits for a few moments, but Regina seems to be well and truly lost for words. Emma tugs gently, pulling the older woman over to stand in front of the blonde. "Talk to me, Mills."
Regina still won't look her in the eye. "I can't believe that you're really here, that this is really happening."
Not a lie, but not the whole truth, either. Thanks to memories both new and old, Emma can make a pretty good guess at what's going on. "Look Regina, I'm not going to lie: This is a lot to take in. Regaining my real memories, realizing that you all have been here this whole time, how much I've missed…" She takes a deep breath, lets it out. "But if you're worried about me running away? You don't need to be. I gave up on that strategy a long time ago. It's going to take some work, but I'm here to stay." She uses her free hand to tilt Regina's face up, forcing the brunette to meet her eyes. "With you."
Regina's eyes get all watery, but she smiles and lets Emma pull her into a hug. "With you," she echoes.
As much as Regina may want to keep Emma to herself, she knows that will never happen. Already, she can sense the detective's eagerness to get out and see the town and reconnect with its residents. Of course, the first of those residents better be the Charmings, or things could get ugly.
They head upstairs to get ready for the day. At her own insistence, Emma uses the guest bathroom for her shower, although she does join Regina in the master bathroom once both are dressed. The blonde dries and brushes her hair while the brunette applies a light layer of makeup. As they work, they discuss plans for the day. Regina has to go to the stables. Proving how well Regina can read her, Emma states her intention to wander around town and catch up with her friends and family. She picks Regina's brain for information on where people will most likely be, starting with her parents.
"You're sure David will be at city hall?" Emma asks as they descend the stairs.
Regina rolls her eyes at the back of Emma's head. "No, he'll be off slaying a dragon south of town." Despite her obvious nerves, Emma shoots a pleased grin at her as they reach the main floor. Regina returns it, albeit a little unsurely. "What?"
Emma opens her mouth, but after a moment of silence simply leans in and kisses Regina, hard. When she pulls back, her grin hasn't lessened. "I missed you."
Now Regina can't find the words she wants. So she wraps her arms around Emma's waist and pulls the blonde in for another kiss. When they come up for air, Regina rests her forehead against Emma's. "I missed you, too."
Still grinning, Emma kisses Regina light and quick, and pulls away. "Can I give you a ride to the stables?" She extracts her coat from the closet and tugs it on.
As much as she wants to spend time with Emma, Regina doesn't think her nerves are up to riding in the yellow death trap today. "No, thank you."
"Alright," Emma shrugs as she helps Regina with her coat. "Then I'll-" Hurried knocking interrupts. "Expecting anyone?"
"No." Confusion colors Regina's reply and seeps into her thoughts as she heads for the door. There's no reason for anyone to be at her door at this time of day. So who…? A sudden suspicion hits. I suppose I really shouldn't be surprised… Taking a deep breath, Regina throws the deadbolt and opens the door. "Hello, Snow."
"Regina? Is… is that Emma's car…?"
Regina feels Emma's hand on her lower back a moment before the blonde speaks. "Hi Mom."
Apparently, Snow sacrificed her prep time while her students are at PE to come check on Regina. Honestly, Emma feels slightly relieved at the news that her mother can't stay all that long. It's one thing to hear that her parents and Regina have buried the hatchet; experiencing it is something else entirely. Before leaving, Snow invites them to dinner that night, assures Emma that David would love to see her and is, in fact, at his office, and hugs both Emma and Regina.
It's the first of many, many reunions that day. Her dad, Marco and August, Archie, Ruby, Granny, Leroy, Belle… Heck, she even has a surprisingly pleasant encounter with Gold outside the library. Of course, that may be due to the presence of his and Belle's son, whom he introduces as Gideon. The little boy looks to be about Mara's age, and smiles shyly at her as he clutches his father's hand. Emma feels a slight pang at the resemblance to Neal.
As she returns to Regina's house later that afternoon, Emma almost wishes they could reschedule dinner. While she doesn't regret going out and seeing everyone, today has been one of the more intense experiences of her life. She'd like to nothing more than to curl up with Regina and just process all that's happened. Maybe I'm just tired. She really didn't get much sleep last night, after all. Regina's not due back for another hour or so, and they don't have to be at the Charmings' until an hour after that. I could lie down, just until Regina gets home… No sooner does this thought occur to her than Emma suddenly feels just how exhausted she really is. Climbing the stairs takes more effort than it should. On reaching the bedroom, she has just enough energy to pull off her boots before collapsing on to the bed. She's asleep before her head hits the pillow.
While it wasn't the easiest of days at the stables, Regina still feels better than she has in two weeks, a feeling entirely due to Emma's arrival last night and everything that has followed. Pulling in behind the Bug in her driveway, a smile steals across her face. She honestly can't think of another time when she felt this happy.
"I'm home," she calls as she lets herself into the house. She sets down her purse, removes her boots, and hangs up her coat, but the blonde doesn't appear. "Emma?" A quick check of the downstairs yields only empty rooms, so Regina heads upstairs. "Emma?" Still no response, and now a little worry creeps in. Before it can gain any traction, Regina reaches her bedroom, pulling up short at the sight in front of her: Emma, curled up in the middle of the bed, fast asleep.
Another smile pulls at Regina's lips. She briefly contemplates joining the detective, as she could certainly use a nap. But that would only lead to them being late for dinner, and then they'd never hear the end of it. Besides, she refuses to subject her linens to barn dust and muck. So she grabs a blanket off the window seat and covers Emma before retrieving clean clothes and heading for the bathroom. She'll shower and change, and if Emma hasn't woken up by then, Regina will just have to wake the Savior with a kiss.
The nap definitely helped. So did waking up with Regina's lips on hers. But Emma's emotions are still a bit tumultuous, and as they climb the stairs to her parents' place she starts to feel anxious about meeting her brother. Which, on the one hand, sounds a little ridiculous. Then again, she didn't even know she had a brother until this morning, whereas he's probably known about her his whole life. Who knows what kind of stories he's heard about her, or what kind of opinions he's formed as a result. Oh, and her parents opted to name him after Emma's one-time lover. Given the role Neal Cassidy apparently played in helping to stop the Wicked Witch of the West, she supposes she's not too surprised, but especially after running into Gold and his new kid today, it seems like a lot to handle. Is it too late to tell Regina that she wants to just go back to Mifflin Street? Sure, they're standing right in front of the door, but they could easily just sneak back out….
As if in response to Emma's thoughts, Regina's hand enfolds the other woman's and squeezes. "I'm right here."
Emma squeezes the brunette's hand in return. "Thanks." She takes a deep breath and lifts her other hand to knock on the door.
She's barely finished when the door opens to reveal her father. "Hey," he greets them, stepping aside to let them in. He grins. "Welcome back."
An invisible weight lifts from Emma's chest at his choice of words. David has always understood how much weight words carry for her, how saying or hearing the wrong thing can upend her life. He doesn't push, somehow sensing what is or isn't too much. The very fact that he didn't call the loft "home" means that, thankfully, he understands that she needs time before that label might apply again. "Thanks," she says as she and Regina enter. She can tell by his answering half-smile that he understands what she isn't saying.
Snow calls David's name for help with something, and he heads for the kitchen area. Emma closes the door and shucks her coat while studying her surroundings, comparing them to her newly-restored memories. Less has changed than she would have expected, at least down here. Sure, there's new furniture, and a few more toys scattered around than when she lived here, but the basic layout hasn't been altered. Regina moves across her line of sight, heading for the dining area and the boy there, and Emma's vision tunnels.
Her little brother looks nothing like his namesake. Not that he should, but she still hadn't been able to shake the thought. Neal Charming has their mother's dark hair, but his face is all David. Neal looks up as Regina approaches and smiles at her, and Emma feels her heart stop, because she recognizes that smile. It's one her children give her, and one she sometimes sees in the mirror or in pictures, one that she now recognizes as a Charming family trait. His lips move; clearly he and Regina are talking, but Emma can't hear them over the roaring in her ears. Fleetingly, she thinks how easy it would be to pull the door back open and just run.
Oh no you don't. You haven't run from anything in over a decade, and you're not going to start now. Breathe, Swan. In, out. In, out. There you go. You can do this. Taking one more deep breath, Emma walks over to the dining area. "Hi. I'm Emma. You must be Neal."
Neal Charming has always known he had an older sister. Mom turned a lot of her and Emma's adventures into bedtime stories. Dad and Aunt Ruby have some pretty good stories about her, too. It feels like a lot of the grown-ups in town met the Savior at some point. But Neal also knows that Emma left Storybrooke before he was born, and didn't come back. He's seen a few photos over the years, but for the most part, Emma Swan has always seemed more fiction than fact. So when Mom announces on the car ride home from school that Emma is back and will be at dinner tonight, Neal doesn't know what to think.
Part of him is excited to meet the famous Savior, breaker of the Dark Curse, slayer of dragons, and best sheriff ever (after Dad). But another part of him is scared and worried. He knows (from an argument he overheard a long time ago when he snuck out of bed) that Emma didn't remember that her family lived here, didn't remember that magic is real. Does this mean her memory is back? Is she angry at them? Does she know about Neal? What if she doesn't want a little brother?
Mom is so happy she's practically floating around the kitchen while she gets dinner ready. Dad and Neal power clean the downstairs (not that it's all that dirty, but it makes Mom happy). Neal wants to talk to Dad about his mixed up feelings, but the words won't come out. Dad tells Neal to set the table. When he hears a knock on the door, Neal ducks his head and focuses extra hard on making sure each plate is centered. Dad opens the door before Mom calls him back to the kitchen. Neal sneaks a few glances at the new arrivals as he puts out the silverware, particularly the woman who has to be his sister.
"Hello Neal."
Neal looks up and smiles. "Hi Regina." He feels a little better; he may not know Emma or how she'll react to him, but Regina is one of his favorite people. (Yes, he knows that she and Mom and Dad didn't always get along. But that was a long time ago.)
"Would you like some help?"
"Yes please. Can you take care of the glasses?" She nods and gets to work. His eyes wander to Emma again. "Is that her?"
He loves that Regina doesn't even have to ask what he's talking about. "Yes."
"She's pretty."
Regina chuckles, but it's not mean. "You should tell her that."
Can you even say that to your own sister? Even if you can, Neal still has to actually talk to her. "Is she nice?" The question slips out before he thinks about it, and he cringes a little.
"She is. You know," Neal looks up to meet Regina's eyes, "she's nervous about meeting you."
Wait, what? "Why? I'm just a kid."
At that moment, the Savior walks over. "Hi," she says as she stops next to Regina. "I'm Emma." She crouches down so she's eye-level with Neal and holds out her hand. "You must be Neal."
Scared or not, Mom and Dad have taught Neal exactly what to do in this situation. "Hi," he says, taking her hand and shaking it. "It's nice to meet you."
She smiles at him, and it looks just like Mom's smile. "You too, kid." Before she can say anything else, Mom and Dad appear, carrying food and ushering people to their seats. Neal hops in to his chair between Mom and Dad. Regina takes her usual place across the table from him, and Emma takes the chair that got added next to her.
Neal spends the first part of the meal just listening while Mom and Dad trade questions and answers with Emma. Regina speaks up occasionally, but for the most part she eats quietly, too. That changes when Emma starts talking about her kids. Neal knew about Henry (how could he not?) but he's surprised to learn that Emma also has a daughter. Emma passes her phone over so Neal, Mom, and Dad can see pictures. "She's my age!" Neal exclaims, then feels his face heat up as all the grown-ups look at him.
"Actually," Emma says, smiling, "she's a couple of years younger." She and Regina start to tell a story about the trip the three of them took to the museum when Regina visited. Neal listens closely, and somehow the story turns into him also sharing about how much he likes dinosaurs and other animals and playing outside. Just like that, he's part of the conversation. Maybe having a big sister isn't so bad.
Despite the emotionally exhausting day, Emma can't sleep.
Maybe it's because of the nap she took earlier. Maybe it's information overload. After all, she did just regain quite a few years' worth of memories; trying to re-orient herself to her actual life rather than the one she carried in her head these past eight years will be an on-going process. Maybe she can't sleep because she didn't get enough exercise today. Maybe she's overtired, like Mara sometimes gets. Maybe it's one of her infrequent bouts of insomnia.
Whatever the reason, it's past midnight, and Emma is still awake. If she were at home, she'd get up and head for her desk. Sleepless nights are great for catching up on paperwork; she'd log in to the precinct system from her laptop and take care of what she could electronically. Or she'd curl up on the couch with a book and a mug of cocoa. Tonight, however…
Emma takes a deep breath, inhaling Regina's scent. The brunette's back nestles against Emma's front, Emma's left arm tucked under their shared pillow while her right wraps around Regina's waist, their fingers laced over Regina's stomach. As loathe as she is to leave this spot, this moment in time, the urge to do something starts thrumming in Emma's muscles. So she carefully extricates herself and crawls out of bed. Maybe some water will help…
Quietly, Emma pads out of the room and down the hall. Enough light filters in through the front windows that she can see the stairs clearly, and Regina left a nightlight on in the kitchen, casting everything in soft tones befitting the middle of the night. Without much thought, Emma retrieves a glass and fills it from the tap. The cool liquid slides easily down her throat as she leans against the center island. Her thoughts continue to meander through her mind. Nothing in particular demands her attention, but enough different things tug at her focus that she doesn't know where to start. Her parents, her brother, her old friends, being back in Storybrooke, her restored memories, her life over the last eight years, her kids, the life she has, the life she wants…
A soft noise interrupts her thoughts. Blinking, Emma pulls herself out of her head to see Regina leaning against the kitchen doorway, regarding her with sleepy eyes. Emma winces; she tried so hard not to disturb the brunette's slumber. Even so, something inside her settles at the sight before her, especially when Regina offers a drowsy smile and simple extends a hand in her direction. Emma takes one more sip of water and sets the glass in the sink before crossing back to the older woman's side. Hands entwined, Emma allows Regina to pull her back upstairs.
Author's Note: School's back in session, so I'll update when I can. As ever, thanks for reading!