A/N - Happy Saturday. Here's a new chapter for you. Also I am currently 45,000 words ahead of posting right now and am beginning to wind down my writing for this work. Lots of sweet moments, angst, and answers coming.

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Previously...

"I make you happy?"

The Queen made sure she had green eyes before speaking. "Both of you bring me a joy I never thought I'd feel again." She kissed a little cheek, still processing the chosen word.

More and more there was a defined distinction between the two halves in the child body, which meant that the spell was progressing as it should, despite the throwback they'd had yesterday. She wondered then if it really was a throwback or perhaps a much needed push in the right direction. Whatever it was, the waves starting to crash were announcing the storm to come. For now, with their arms entwined and that sweet word filling her heart, Regina felt at peace.

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"Time to get up, up, up!"

Regina groaned as someone way to enthusiastic bounced on her bed. She stretched and turned over to see Emma beaming at her. "Good morning, looks like someone is happy."

"School today, right?"

Regina raised a brow in surprise. "Yes, it is."

A glance at the clock showed the alarm was about to go off. She turned the buzzer down and sat up, pulling the child into a hug. "Go wash your face and get dressed. I'll meet you in the kitchen in fifteen minutes." Chuckling as Emma skipped out of the room. She was quick to dress, brush her hair, and put on her makeup. Grabbing a pair of Jimmy Choo heels, she headed to the kitchen to make breakfast, beating little feet by a minute.

"I want cereal please."

"You need to have some fruit as well. Do you want a banana or strawberries?"

"Banana."

Regina fixed the request, adding sliced fruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of a bed of granola with milk. She set it in front of the child with a spoon and went about making her own food.

"Can we go to the park today after school? I wanna swing!" Emma took a huge bite of cereal as she watched her keeper mix a Greek yogurt with a bit of granola.

"We'll have to see Emma." Taking a sip of coffee, she thought about her schedule.

"Promise?"

"I cannot promise you that we will go today, sweet one. I have a tentative meeting at 3:45. As it is, I'll pick you up and just make it back to Town Hall on time."

Emma chewed and dropped the spoon in disappointment. "But you have to!"

"You seem to be forgetting that you are not in charge here." Regina gently corrected and it seemed to have the desired effect.

"Promise please." Begging was not beyond the six year old.

"Why is it so important to you?"

Little Emma shrugged and returned to eating. "Just cause."

"Because why?"

"When you promise, then stuff happens and it makes us feel better." Wide eyes found the Queen's.

"I understand how that would be reassuring to you both. With this request and today, we will have to try. I will not make you a promise I do not intend to keep."

That answer was sufficient, as Emma nodded and finished breakfast without issue.

Regina kept waiting for big Emma to make an appearance, but it seemed the savior was still feeling passive since yesterday.

On their way out the door a half hour later, the Queen thought that big Emma was making an appearance when she gently reminded about listening to the adults at school and that she expected a good report from Mrs. Gold when she called to check in at lunch time. But, it was all little Emma who stomped a foot in protest.

"You don't havta call."

"Oh?" Regina pointed to little feet.

Emma looked down as if scolding her feet to be still.

"I expect you to behave." Regina held out the new pea coat, a rich forest green one she'd ordered online to replace the ruined red coat.

Arms slid into the silk lined sleeves. "I know, but—"

"No buts Emma. If you feel overwhelmed or angry, use your words and ask for help or to call me. You have a lot of choices besides a tantrum or acting out and we discussed many ideas I know you are capable of using on your own. Do you have questions about any of that?" She leaned down to button the coat.

"Nooooooo." The whine was shrill.

"Mind your tone, Emma."

"NO!" Lips tightened and arms crossed defiance in fine form.

The brunette caught the child's chin, checking the green eyes for the Savior and found the little one challenging instead as if asking for where the line was. "We have talked about telling me no, stomping that foot, and raising your voice. Make a better choice please." She paused, letting the girl process before asking her question again. "Do you have questions about what I expect from you at school today?"

Stubborn to a fault, just like her adult half, Emma stomped her foot again.

"Emma, this is your last warning."

"I said NO!" The pitched shout rang in the foyer.

Regina calmly turned the girl by the shoulder and landed a swat to the small behind.

Emma stilled, it didn't hurt through the thick fabric of the coat, but the warning was enough make her hesitate. Snapping out of the defiant state she'd copied from her big side.

The Queen lifted the child's chin again, grateful to see remorse there. "You do not shout at Mama or anyone else. Understood?" Choosing to use the endearment the child gifted her with yesterday to affirm they were on the same side and to get her point across. With the spell nearing its peak in blending the two halves of Emma, the little side would become more dominant. Unsure of how long they would be here, months or years, she refused accept less than what the child was capable of.

"Sorry Mama." Emma leaned in, needing a hug, one that was immediately returned and accompanied with a kiss.

"Good girl. Now, do you understand what I expect from you today?" She felt like a broken record, as adults often did when talking with small children, but wanted the affirmation.

"I'll be good."

"You are always good and that is not what I asked. Try again."

Emma nodded. "I understand what to do and not to do."

"Alright then, please get your backpack. We are nearly late."

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'1… 2… 3… 4…' The little swan silently counted as she watched Mary-Margret talking to a colleague in the hallway. She rolled her eyes as a hand rubbed a stomach with obvious affection as she waited for her class to finish lining up to leave the art room.

So far the day had gone smoothly and Ms. Gold had given the Mayor a good report at lunch. With the end of the day nearing, little Emma was trying to make it to the bell in hopes that the park would be waiting for her. Sighing as the counting helped, she turned her attention back to Ms. Gold, until she noticed Ms. Blanchard walk away leaving the door to the 4th grade classroom wide open.

A little thought wondered mischievously, 'No calling names, but what if…' She raised her hand asking to go to the bathroom and waited until the hallway was clear to sneak into the room. A few minutes later she exited to return to class with a most satisfied smile.

The last bell came shortly after and Emma ran right into Regina's arms, happily sharing about her day as they drove opposite of Town Hall. "To the park? No meeting?" She bounced at the idea.

"No meeting. It was rescheduled for tomorrow." Smiling that she was able shift her schedule to spend time with Emma. "We will go to the park for a little while, sweet one."

"Swings! Swings!"

Once they parked and walked to the edge of the playground, Emma bolted for the swings and pumped her legs until she was flying through the air. Regina watched content in the child's happiness. She looked down briefly when her cell buzzed with a text picture. She squinted at the crude writing on white fabric in the image. The phone rang and she returned her gaze to the swings as she accepted the call.

Emma slowed down and hopped the last foot off the swing as the monkey bars called her name. This was the longest time her big half let her be present without interrupting and she was giddy from the day and a half free from adult thoughts. Twenty minutes later she heard her name and obediently ran over to her keeper.

"Time to go home baby. Did you have fun?"

"Yes! Thank you!" A smile bloomed.

"You are welcome." Regina led Emma to the car, hating that the joy would soon to be wiped from that face, but she was left with little choice after that phone call.

When they pulled into the drive way, Regina turned around in the seat to look at the child. "When we go inside, I want you to put away your things and start your homework at the dining room table. I will join you in a bit for your flash cards."

"Okay!" Emma darted from the car with her backpack and shed her things by the door, homework folder tucked under arm as she headed into the dining room. The Queen joined her fifteen minutes later and helped Emma read through the flashcards. The girl was finally getting the hang of blending and the cards now contained short phrases.

"Well done. You did that last set perfectly."

Smiling at the praise Emma closed her folder and pushed back from the table. "TV now?"

"Later you may, first we need to talk." Regina reached to pull Emma's chair over so that the child faced her. "When you were playing at the park, I received a phone call from your school, more specifically from Ms. Rose."

Emma paled and squirmed under those russet eyes.

"She informed me that you were seen coming out of Ms. Blanchard's classroom when you had no business being in there. Ms. Blanchard reported that a piece of her property had been vandalized." She paused at Emma's scrunched face. "Do you know what that means?"

"No."

Regina patiently explained. "It means that something belonging to someone was damaged on purpose. In this case, her sweater had a word written on it in marker."

Shoulders reached small ears. "I wanna go upstairs now."

"I bet you do, but we are not done talking yet. I want you to tell me what happened today and I will remind you now that we do not lie to each other. I expect the truth from you, sweet one." She leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee, hand under chin in wait.

Emma's pinched face dropped. "I was counting in the hall. She was talking to someone about… you know and they left. I was mad."

"What made you mad exactly?"

"She was rubbing her tummy and that's where babies come from. She's not sorry for hurting big me and I wanted to make her sorry."

The logic was so straightforward and child like that Regina knew the adult half was innocent. Sighing the Queen leaned back, but kept eye contact. "We discussed name calling yesterday and how it hurts people's feelings. You had a time out to think about that. What made you think it was okay to write on someone's property?"

"You said no calling names so I wrote one instead." Emma explained without tone, but with a glint of mischief.

"Yes, you did write a name on her sweater, one I specifically told you not to say. I think you know that you shouldn't have written it either, especially on something she wears and other people will see. Is that right?"

Emma shrugged briefly, guilt taking over as she looked away. She moved her chin out of reach from the adult hand and crossed her arms.

"Do you need some think time in the corner before we keep talking?"

Green eyes snapped up. "No thank you."

A brow rose in wait.

"I know better." Teeth sucked on a lower lip.

"That's what I thought. We talked this morning about my expectations for you today about making good choices, using your strategies, and asking for help when you get upset. I'm glad you remembered to try counting. I'm disappointed that you chose to hurt someone's feelings when you know better than to do that." She explained in a neutral tone, watching little eyes for signs of understanding.

"I'm in trouble, huh?"

"A little bit, yes." She opened her arms when tears started falling and helped the girl to sit sideways on her lap.

"I'm sorrrryyy." Emma sniffled, her hand finding the birthstone necklace she loved to thumb, the motion soothing. Teeth chewed the inside of a cheek as she thought more about what she did. "Are you gonna spank me?" Her big half had earned a few of those and she'd always hidden away during it.

"Normally yes, but not this time." The brunette shook her head, knowing she needed to explain further so the child understood clearly what the boundaries were just as she'd explained to the adult version early on. "Things like lying, being unsafe, cursing and mistreating yourself or others, will usually result in a correction on some level. For example, when you kept shouting at me this morning after I gave you several warnings and you chose not to listen. Had you continued to make that choice then you would have gotten more than a love tap from me."

"I don't like love taps."

"I know you don't, but sometimes you need them to remember how to behave. I also know you are sensitive right now especially when it comes to Ms. Blanchard and while I do not approve of your actions today, I do understand them. That being said further actions like this I will not be so lenient with. Do you understand that?"

"Yes Mama." Nodding and leaning into the Queen, she took one of Regina's hands and placed theirs palm to palm. There was a quiet strength there that comforted the child and a certainty in follow through that she wasn't keen to experience, as her adult half had learned. "What's my cons-ee-qince from you?"

"Consequence. In addition to mine, Ms. Rose thinks taking your recess away tomorrow is enough from the school and I agree. You will spend that time sitting in the front office."

Emma wrinkled her nose, but wisely did not argue.

"My consequence involves you using your allowance to replace her sweater. It cost $24.00 and by now I would say you have about that in your swan bank—"

"It's my money though and she ruined everything!" Eyes stormed and legs kicked out. When she felt a hand rubbing her back, feet dropped.

"Let me finish please." Regina gently tapped Emma's pursed lips. "I realize how upset you have been since New Year's Eve and I understand your feelings. You have a right to them." With that validation she felt the child relax in her arms. "We have been working on different ways to help you sort through them. Because of your hard work with that, I will meet you half way on the sweater. You will pay twelve and I will pay twelve. How does that sound?"

Emma mulled over that offer and settled, knowing it wouldn't get any better. She stuck out her hand.

"Deal Mama." She agreed as they shook hands.

"What else do you think we can do to make this better?"

"Maybe say sorry, but I don't want to talk to her and you said I don't have to."

Regina nodded, and absentmindedly rubbed the child's back again. "What about a letter instead to say you are sorry? I will help you write it, if you like."

"I can do that." Emma hated writing, but if her Mama would help it would be ok.

"That's my girl. Would you like to work on the letter now or after dinner?"

"Now please."

Together they wrote the apology note. Regina recorded Emma's words verbatim, correcting grammar as they went. It was simple, but sincere. She had Emma copy the short note, helping to correct flipped letters and punctuation. Something nagged in the back of the Queen's mind as she watched Emma struggle to finish writing the last word, but she couldn't place what feeling was as she folded the note and put it in an envelope with the money to pay for the sweater.

Emma was sorry to see the money she worked for come out of the beautiful bank, but felt better knowing it was done with and that her feelings were respected and understood. She watched as the envelope was sealed up and placed in Regina's purse by the front door.

A foot toed the tile. "Do I have to give it to her myself?"

"I will give it to her, but you will be with me. A simple 'I'm sorry' would be a nice thing for you to say, if you want to. Do you think you might want to try that?" She fully intended to honor her promise to Emma as she offered the choice to engage.

The girl frowned thoughtfully. "I wanna think about it… maybe, if you're with me?"

"Always, sweet one. We are a team." She leaned to place a kiss on top of blonde curls.

"The bestest team Mama!" Emma threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around with abandon.

Regina's hands stilled briefly and continued to comb through blonde curls as she felt big Emma return, not with tension, but with something else. Little arms squeezed harder.

"I'm here Gina."

"I know."

The woman child briefly smiled at those words. "You always do, don't you?"

"Hhmmm?" Fingers lifted a pointed chin.

"Know what I need or need to hear. How do you do that?"

"With much practice." The Queen smiled softly, enjoying the adult eyes. "I've missed you."

A green puzzle wondered at brown warmth. "I've been here the whole time."

"You have and you have not. A lot has happened in the last day and a half. I kept thinking you would present yourself." Her tone concerned.

"I could have, but I didn't want to. I needed to let her be for a while." Emma smirked knowingly as she reflected on the day. "I'm a handful, huh?"

"In the best way, dear heart."

Arms reached up to be held and Emma was lifted into her rightful place.

"She likes to call you that." Unable to form the word her little used so freely for their keeper, but she didn't resent it, not in the least. Her fingers touched each stone on the necklace at the Queen's throat, liking how it moved and caught the light with each breath. "Do you like it when she does?"

"The more important thing is that she seems to need to and I am honored she chose me."

'I'm glad she chose you, too.' Emma thought, not yet ready to voice that, but she gave hope in the form of a peck to the brunette's cheek. She followed it up by blowing an obnoxiously loud raspberry, which earned her tickled ribs and a whole lot of giggling.

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The next morning little Emma nervously drug her feet up the walkway of the school. She pulled back on the hand that held hers as they neared the front steps.

"Mama, wait."

"It will be alright Emma. Remember we are a team and I'm right here." Regina smiled reassuringly and offered a slight squeeze before continuing to move them forward. She navigated through the hall maze to the 4th grade wing and knocked crispy on the open door.

"Madame Mayor, good morning." Mary-Margret smiled tightly and turned eyes to the fidgeting child who apparently had a vendetta against her. That confused her and she couldn't place the reason why, still she tried to ease the girl's obvious tension. "Hi, Emma."

Regina didn't allow the child to hide behind her and moved Emma to stand back at her side. She dropped the little hand briefly to reach into her purse for the envelope. "Ms. Blanchard—"

"Mama?" She hesitated when the adults both looked down at her, keeping her eyes only on the Queen's. "I wanna do it."

Something warm passed between them and Regina gently rubbed her thumb along a pale cheek silently confirming if Emma was sure. With the briefest of nods from the child, she handed over the white envelope.

Emma fingered the smooth paper and took a breath. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings Ms. Blanchard and for your sweater. I won't do it again. Here's some of my allowance to fix it." She extended the envelope, careful not to touch the woman's hand who took it.

Mary-Margret looked from the child to the Mayor with doubt over the girl's sincerity. "Is there a reason why she did this?"

Regina took a moment to take up Emma's hand and pull the child close before giving her attention to the teacher. "That is something I discussed with Emma yesterday and not something that needs airing again. She's been reprimanded and an acknowledgement to her apology would be appreciated." She specifically eyed the envelope and the fidgeting child at her side, recognizing the skeptical thoughts crossing the pixie featured face.

MM ignored that comment with a lift of her chin. "I think it is if she obviously hates me enough to destroy my things with bratty behavior." A challenge posed.

Dark eyes blazed and Regina had to school her immediate response before leaning down to the child pushing into her leg. "Baby go and wait on the bench down the hall for me. Stay right there and I'll join you in just a minute, alright?"

"But Mama…" The girl was getting upset at the tension in the room. She had said sorry, actually said the words and meant them. That was a big deal to her.

"You did everything right and so much more. I'll be right there." A kiss and a hand squeeze was enough to get the child to relax enough to listen.

When Emma left she shut the door gently and flipped a complete switch on the school teacher who paled sickly at the eyes that tore through her.

"How dare you imply she is a brat and in front of her no less? I admit her actions were wrong and she has been disciplined for them, of which is strictly between her and I." Regina took a step forward, towering over the un-charming woman. "Yes, I know about the conversation you had with her on the playground the first day of school. Don't you ever question her personally again or insult her. I will not tolerate you mistreating her." She took a breath, knowing this version of MM would miss that double meaning.

"I never mistreated her."

"You did just a moment ago when she laid bare her heart giving you that envelope and you all but called her a brat without even acknowledging her apology. So yes, Ms. Blanchard you did mistreat Emma." Regina turned away hand on the door knob before tossing a very Mayor Mills barb over her shoulder on the way out. "Oh, and she did you a favor with the marker. That sweater was hideous." She closed the door much more softly than she wanted to and quickly made her way down the hall to where the girl obediently sat.

Emma looked up from playing with her hands. "Are you mad at her? Your face is scrunchy."

"I'm am upset with her words and actions. I also told her exactly what I think." Regina sat down and pulled Emma onto her lap. "I am proud of you. That was a very brave thing you did back there."

"I did good, huh?" Emma smiled, puffing up at the praise.

"Yes, sweet one. So well that I think ice-cream for dessert after dinner is in order." The queen relaxed some realizing that little Emma had missed the implied meaning behind Mary-Margret's words in the classroom and the dismissive nature of the woman. She wondered how big Emma was coping with it, but knew now was not time to ask.

"Promise?" Emma snuggled into her keeper as the first bell sounded.

"I promise. Also, how would you like to start your swimming lessons at the Rec Center today after school?"

A beaming smile answered.

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A/N - I have always loved a Mama Bear Regina! :-) She was fun to write in this chapter. More of that to come.

Next time - Emma stands up to a bully and learns an important difference about something. In a flashback insight on Regina's decisions on behalf of Emma are revealed. Emma also learns the words to the lullaby she loves to hear the Queen hum.