Happy New Year!
Enjoy.
Their bedroom was dark and quiet aside from the moonlight streaming in from the balcony doors and the crickets chirping by the lake. It was like every other night at such a late hour. Emma was on her back, toes curling up as she stretched her legs, and then turned over on her side with her back facing Regina.
The bed jostled Emma out of her sleep and she woke up, on alert. Regina was shoving the sheets away from her body and rushing to the bathroom. Emma switched on her lamp just as she heard vomiting on the other side of the bathroom door. She threw away the covers and hurried to the door. She knocked on the door not expecting her girlfriend to open it.
"Regina?"
She pushed the door open to find her hunched over the toilet, losing everything she'd eaten the day before. Emma pulled the band from her hair and tied Regina's hair back. She wrapped her arm around her waist, steadying the other woman as her legs buckled under her after the vomiting had subsided. They both ended up sitting against the wall for a few moments while Regina caught her breath.
"I'm going to go get you something," Emma said, breaking the silence. She touched her hand to Regina's bare arm finding it very warm, which was unusual considering the older woman was always somewhat cold to the touch. "You gonna be okay?"
"Fine," Regina said with a small nod.
Regina watched Emma go, hearing the door to the bedroom open, and pushed herself up from the floor to get to the sink. She ignored her reflection and grabbed for her toothbrush. The horrid taste was persistent but after two cleanings and some mouthwash it was much better.
Emma came back just as she finished washing her face and they both settled down on the edge of the bed. "Feel better?" She asked, handing her a glass of water and a small plastic bottle. "I'm not sure how many you can take at a time."
"Thank you, Emma," Regina said as she poured five aspirins into her palm. She took them and downed the water before Emma took them from her hands.
"Are you minty fresh?" Emma questioned, bumping their shoulders together.
"I believe so but I wouldn't-" Emma leaned over and kissed her. Regina closed her eyes and sighed into it. When the blonde pulled away, she shook her head. "If I'm recalling correctly I was just losing my dinner a moment ago."
"I imagine if we're going to be together for a while, we'll both have to encounter some interesting things. I'm sure at some point you'll be in the bathroom and I'm gonna have to pee and I won't wait for you to come out."
"That's a little much isn't it?"
"If you love me enough, it won't be." Emma grinned.
"I do love you."
"Well then it's settled-"
"It is not settled," Regina said, shaking her head in disagreement.
"Okay fine. I'll just settle for you love me a lot," Emma said, leaning her forehead against Regina's temple. She brushed her thumb over the back of the other woman's neck, tracing the lines of the lion tattoo there. "I love you a lot, too," she murmured, "What happened?"
"My mother…happened," Regina replied, "It's hard having dreams about her killing…"
"It's okay. Take your time, babe."
"I don't know how to deal with dreams of her killing you." Her eyes welled up with tears and she forcefully attempted to wipe them away before they dared to fall down her face. "I can't…you can't go. You have to stay here or…she will kill you and I can't let that happen…"
"Hey, no…" Emma lifted her head and pulled Regina close in a strong hug. "It's going to be fine. We're going to get through this. I'll be fine, and you will be fine."
Regina gave a single nod to her, squeezing her eyes shut to cease the tears. "I'm sorry. The dream was just-"
"Don't apologize," Emma said with a slight frown, "I know you want to be this badass vampire all the time but it doesn't mean you can't cry or be vulnerable with me. That's what I'm here for, Regina. I'm here for you to cry with and be sad or anything and after all of that you're still the badass vampire that I love."
"I don't cry," Regina scoffed.
"You don't want anyone to know you do." Emma took her hand, locking their fingers together. "And that's okay. Nothing leaves here."
"Here?"
"Here. Anything that happens never leaves this bedroom. Our bedroom, wherever that may be."
"How do I deserve you?" Regina grinned. She pecked Emma on the lips.
"Maybe you don't," Emma teased, "But I want you anyway."
"I got visual."
Regina let out a slow breath before taking a drink of the amber liquid in her tumbler. She glanced over at the bar counter where Emma was sitting. The blonde looked over at her and nodded her head. Regina averted her eyes for a moment, clearing her throat.
"Watch them carefully," she commanded.
"I'll be fine, Regina," Emma stated over the comm link, "This is about me remember?"
"If they try anything, I will shoot them both in the knee caps before I rip their throats out."
"Finish your drink, Reg," Ruby said with a sigh. "You need to relax."
Emma chuckled to herself, taking a long sip of her beer as two people took a seat next to her. She gestured to the bartender and he nodded, giving a suspicious look to the two new patrons. He popped opened two more beers and handed one to each of them before moving away to take more costumers.
"What's his deal?" David asked, taking the drink from the counter.
"His name is Archie," Emma informed, "He's a therapist in the daytime. At night he runs the most popular vampire bar in New York." David lowered the beer cautiously. Mary Margaret gave him a worried glance. "He's one of Regina's friends."
"You said Central Park," David said, accusingly.
"Regina wanted to take me somewhere nice."
"A bar full of vampires," he muttered, "How romantic…"
"All this talk of Regina…where is she anyway?" Mary Margaret asked, "She was supposed to meet us. Not leave you to do it."
Emma leveled her with a glare. "We're partners. We're equals. She has my back, why do you think we're here?" she asked, and the pair glanced around, spotting a few people looking at them. One of them being Ruby. "I wanted to talk to you first before you go anywhere near Regina."
"Emma-"
Emma raised her hand to silent her. She covertly looked around the establishment and over to Archie at the other side of the counter. She plucked the comm link from her ear and dropped it into the glass of whiskey near her hand.
"I'm only going to say this once," she said, looking at both of them, "If you try anything, vampires are the last thing you're going to have to be worried about. This is my family and don't think I won't do what needs to be done to protect them."
"This isn't you, Emma," David insisted, "If it wasn't for her you wouldn't be saying these things. Threatening your friends…"
"We're not friends. I don't even actually know you." Emma took David's untouched beer. "She's in the back."
The two hunters reluctantly obeyed their obvious dismissal. They started to get up and seek out the vampire until Emma halted them once more.
"The bounty better be gone by morning," she said.
Mary Margaret's jaw tightened but she stayed silent, allowing David to nod their agreement to her terms. Normally, no one could make such demands of them, but Emma and Henry really meant a lot to them and it was worth proving themselves even if they weren't fans of Regina.
They cautiously slipped through the patrons of the bar, ignoring the threatening looks being thrown their way. Regina and three other men were seated in a booth at the far back. None of them seemed to notice them coming until they were mere inches away from the table.
Regina and three sets up eyes fell on them with a look of distain. "Where's Emma?" she questioned. Something dangerous was in her tone and she leaned forward sitting her drink down on the table.
"I'm fine, Regina," Emma's voice responded, and the blonde was brushing past the Nolans, slipping into the booth beside Regina. "I was with Ruby at the bar. Relax."
"Quit loitering around. Have a seat," one of the men said.
"I believe you've met before," Regina said, "Killian Jones, August and Jefferson Booth."
"Yeah, we've met," Mary Margaret muttered. Killian raised his glass mockingly at the acknowledgement. "We know you. Traitors."
Emma looked at Regina in confusion and the older woman flicked her wrist at the men. Her eyes flicked to them and her eyes immediately caught on to the marks on their forearms.
"You're hunters?" Emma questioned.
"Former hunters, love," Killian stated, "I find the title offending these days."
"Traitors," David repeated.
"It's nothing personal, Nolan. Regina just pays well and…it's also a bit personal too." Mary Margaret opened her mouth to say something, but he interrupted, "Now on to the reason for this little get together…"
"What are they doing here, Regina?" David asked.
"I said we were doing this my way. With my people. Whoever you bring, their only goal is to handle any of my mother's followers."
"Followers?"
"There are vampires who are still very loyal to our former monarchy. My mother was Queen and when she supposedly died, her shining glory fell to me and I didn't want it."
"So-"
"That's all you're needed for. We'll handle the rest."
"What is your plan?" Mary Margaret questioned.
"My way," Regina repeated.
"And if your way fails?"
"Mr. Jones and the Booth Brothers are experts in making people disappear. If cannot face my mother, they will make sure Emma and Henry can never be found by her and continue to make that so until death."
"What?" Emma frowned. "Regina-"
"It's not up for discussion, Emma. If I die, you need to be safe. It's called a backup plan."
"She never has a backup plan." August smirked. "The sex must be good."
"Very good," Killian teased, winking Emma.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Regina commented, taking a sip of her drink. David didn't look too pleased about the suggestive conversation. Mary Margaret's disgusted scoff earned a smirk from Regina. Emma elbowed the other woman and tried not show her amusement.
"Back to a relevant topic…when will this battle occur?"
"Heads up." David caught the device flying towards him. He winced at the pain radiating in his waist from the sudden movement. Ruby walked forward to join them in the booth.
"You'll meet us at the library in two days before daylight," Regina instructed, "That's your GPS."
"You mean tracker," Mary Margaret said.
"Whatever you want to call it." Regina waved her off and finished her drink. "Now if you'll excuse us, I promised Emma a nice night. Archie also only agreed to have you here for thirty minutes before it became a free for all on any present hunters. I'd get going."
Henry peaked around the corner into the kitchen. His mother had started an intense game of pool with Graham and Ruby so that left him almost without anyone to ask questions. Except there was Regina. And he found her standing at the counter distractedly chopping vegetables. He moved further into the doorway and was careful not to surprise the woman. He walked over to the opposite side of the counter and sat his laptop down on the surface.
Regina looked up at him immediately, ceasing her dinner prepping. She sat the knife down next to the chopped onions and Henry raised his eyebrow, seemingly impressed that she wasn't tearing up.
"Henry," she scolded.
"Don't worry, mom's downstairs playing pool. I checked," Henry said. He opened up the laptop, still amazed at how fast it booted up. "Thanks, by the way. This thing is a beast. I could have a million tabs open and play Minecraft and it wouldn't ever slow down."
"A million tabs is quite a lot, Henry. Even that computer might crash...permanently," Regina said.
"I was kidding."
Regina shook her head and went back to cutting up another vegetable. "So...how's your girlfriend?" She questioned, enjoying the intense blushing that settled in the teen's cheeks. He ducked his head averting his eyes back to his screen and mumbled something. "I heard that. As much as it would freak out your mother, she is someone you're seeing."
"I'm not really seeing her at all."
"Well, Henry I plan to rectify that very soon but at least you've been communicating."
"That is true and she did forgive me pretty quickly I after I took your advice and somewhat anonymously sent her flowers." He shrugged and looked a little bashful about it. "But anyway that's not what I wanted to talk about."
"Oh?"
"On top you being really nice company, you have really awesome stories."
"So I've been told," Regina said with a smile as she turned to the skillet on the stove, "What genre are we discovering tonight?"
"I already have a lot of action..." Henry said more to himself.
"Romance?"
"That would be a whole bunch of stories about you and my mom. It's great that you guys are madly in love but technically I'm supposed to be giving you a hard time about dating my mom." Regina snorted at that, glancing at the oven before taking up her position at the cutting board again. "Side question: how did you learn to cook so well? You could be like an Iron Chef or something."
"Simple answer would be that I'm really old and I've had a lot of time on my hands. Lots of hobbies."
Henry finished typing another two sentences as she spoke, glancing at his Google search on the other half of his screen. "I remember that story about you guys stealing a plane. Do you actually know how to fly a plane?"
"It was a long time ago I doubt I could up and fly any modern day airplanes. Does this mean we're on action/adventure today?"
"Nah, not really. How come you have a reflection?"
"Because that's a myth," Regina chuckled.
"You know I think I know everything about you. I've asked you thousands of questions."
"Unfortunately, Henry," Regina sighed, "You really don't even know the half of it."
"Can I ask you something...important?" He asked.
"Of course...unless it gets me in trouble with your mother. Then I would be reluctant to answer."
"It won't get you in trouble. I just want to know what will happen after you figure things out with your mom."
Regina released a breath and leaned against the counter. Henry made it sound as if she was forming some kind of truce with her mother. The only thing that could remotely resemble a truce would be for one of them to perish, although she wasn't going to tell him that. "Henry, things are a difficult with my mother. She's not a very nice person and as much as I would've loved to have parents to introduce you and your mother to, I'd be sending you to your grave and I don't want to do that."
"You're not figuring things out? It's okay to mention death and stuff in front of me, I'm almost 15."
"Right. I'm still working on a birthday present for you."
"Still got time," Henry shrugged, "So no alliance?"
"My mother is the person that people think of when they hear vampire. A heartless, cold, blood sucking monster and nothing more. For her, the only thing good enough is to hurt those I love and then hurt me."
"Kill you?"
"Yes. But you don't need to worry about that. I will handle my mother then...that was your question, wasn't it?"
Henry nodded and she thought about it for a moment. She hadn't thought that far ahead. Her mother was a big obstacle and if she was being honest with herself, she wasn't confident enough to believe she could leave into the sunset with no worries.
"I don't know. I want it to be up to you and your mother once this is over."
"Well, if it helps, I know for a fact that she'll choose to do whatever's next with you."
"Thank you, Henry." She bit into a carrot and moved around the kitchen to check on everything. "So, a story about pirates?"
"You've met pirates?" Henry asked and at Regina's nod, he agreed, "Definitely."