A/N: I want to publish this chapter before going on the holidays. Hope you all enjoy. All mistakes are mine.

A week later, Emma noticed a change in Regina's countenance. She seemed more…brooding and Emma has no idea what triggered it. Every time she asked Regina if everything was okay, she received an "I'm fine" with no further elaboration.

Emma couldn't stand it any longer as they tag teamed washing the dishes. Her forearms were elbow deep in the warm soapy water as she stopped and looked at Regina.

"Tell me what's wrong?" Regina opened her mouth but Emma held up a wet hand to stop her. "And I'm not accepting 'I'm fine' because it is horse shit. I just can't get the feeling that something is bothering you after that night at Granny's. So…please be honest with me."

Regina sighed and stopped piling dishes in the dish rack. She turned and looked at Emma, downturned and forlorn.

"I don't think I will be a good mother for our daughter."

Emma looked at like she was insane for thinking such a thing. "You are a great mother. You raised Henry by himself for ten years and he turned out just fine, minus stealing credit cards and traveling in a big city by himself. Where is this even coming from?" Regina is such a confident woman. But her insecurities were popping up like wood work and she doesn't understand where it originated.

"I…it's…we are having a girl." Emma dried her hands and placed them on her waist. She smiled at her.

"Yes, we are having a girl and she is going to love her mommy so much."

"I'm just afraid that I'll be just like her." Cora's name was unspoken.

Emma held Regina's face in her hands. "You love your children with all your heart and all your soul. Our daughter will grow up surrounded by people who love her. I have all the trust in you. Maybe you should talk to her, and begin to heal. You know I have been there myself with my parents. I know it is not easy, but you got to start somewhere."

Regina smiled and looked down as she caressed Emma's hand. "Thank you," she whispered. She contemplated conversing with her mother. Sounds painful but sorely needed. "Maybe I will."

"It should be me thanking you," Emma responded as she pressed her lips against Regina. They deepened the kiss and Emma used her body to push Regina's against the kitchen counter. The blonde rubbed her arms and bent down to hike up her skirt to palm the back of Regina's thighs without breaking their passionate kissing.

Emma lifted up Regina to sit on the counter and the brunette threaded her hands in Emma's hair.

"Hmm, we have to go work."

"Work can wait," Emma said and she reattached her lips back on lipstick ones. The sheriff trailed her hands under Regina's skirt and hurriedly took off her thong.

Regina moaned in anticipation and worked fast to unbuckled Emma's jeans. The blonde assisted Regina with moving her jeans down her ass and grabbed her dick to line it to Regina's pussy. Emma used her upper body strength to take Regina off the counter and keep her mid air and pushed her hard dick inside of her. The mayor gasped and wrapped her arms around Emma as she started to fuck her against the counter.

Emma's thrusts were shallow but quick and hard. Her grunts mixed with Regina's moans as she rocked her hips against her lover's movements.

"Ahh, oh, yes, right there baby, right there," Regina whispered as Emma kept hitting her g-spot.

"Fuck, hmm, yeah. You like that?"

Regina nodded her and smashed her lips against Emma as she fucked her even harder.

"Yes, yes!" Regina screamed as she can feel her walls tighten against the hard shaft.

"Ahhh!" Emma returned her scream as she climaxed and felt a heavy load enter her woman.

Both stopped and breathed against each other as their foreheads touched each other. Emma pulled out and Regina groaned at the lost. She can feel her seed spilling out of her.

Emma noticed the dripping and moved to get the paper towels next to them.

"You are making quite a mess."

"It's all your fault."

Emma wiped the cum between Regina's legs and thighs, laughing. "I take full responsibility for that."

Then she took another piece of paper towel and wiped her dick from Regina's juices. In the meantime, Regina retrieved her thong and started to put it on but decided against it.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Cool," Emma said as put her dick back inside her jeans and pulled them up to zipped it up.

Regina looked at the sheriff. "Aren't you going to do the same?"

Emma shook her head. "Naw, I like smelling like you." Emma grabbed Regina and slowly kissed her. "You have a great day at work, and remember, you're some kind of awesome, okay?"

Regina smiled and slowly kissed her back. "I love you."

"Ditto," Emma kissed her and left to go to work.

Neal sat at the breakfast table with Rumple and Belle. The beautiful young woman made a simple breakfast of pancakes, sausages, and orange juice. He got to know Belle a little bit more since their interactions at the party at Granny's. She was loving, caring, but strong and intelligent.

It may be a little odd with the age difference but…it is not like Rumple would find any other 300 year old women in Storybrooke. Besides, Belle was exactly the type of woman that his father needed. He looked back and forth between them as Belle wiped Rumple's mouth and smiled at him. Neal was wolfing down his pancakes as well.

"I'm happy you here son."

"I'm glad you invited me." He looked over at the younger woman. "Belle, these are delicious by the way."

She beamed at him proudly. "Thank you so much, Granny taught me."

"She can cook, that's for sure, but that Granny sure is mean."

Belle chuckled. "She is not mean, just stern, especially when grown men were running around her diner like a ten year old."

Neal gave her a fake glare. "Lasagna, that is all I got to say," and they laughed together, but Rumple was confused with the reference. Belle saw his curiosity and answered it.

"Neal stole most of Regina's lasagna and Henry and his friends chased him down to get it."

"I didn't steal it, just procure."

Belle pouted. "I wish I managed to get some."

"Sorry," Neal grinned at her.

Rumple drank some juice. "I see." He felt a tad left out.

Belle laid a hand on his. "I really wish you were there."

"I didn't think my presence was wanted."

"I wanted you," Belle looked at him.

Rumple shook his head and deflected. "How was Regina?"

Neal stared at his father. He probably didn't go because Regina may not wanted to see him. To give her some distance showed growth to him.

"She was happy, Papa."

Rumple's heart soared at the affectionate term. "And?"

"She shown no signs of distress, so the baby should be fine."

Rumple shook his head. "Good, very good." The breakfast table was silent as the shop keeper was deep in thought.

"Neal, what type of occupation do you have in town?"

He shrugged. "I don't have any just yet, I have been living on my savings. This town is dirt cheap since it is stuck in the eighties, but I may have to find something soon."

"You can work in my shop, it will be like a family business."

Neal grimaced but wiped it off quickly to not make his discomfort known. A lot of the items in his father's store was just downright creepy, and he was still skeptical with magic when it comes to his dad.

"Yeah, I'll think about it," and he shoved more food in his mouth. He thought it more polite to not downright reject him.

Belle spoke up. "Or you can come to the library…"

"Thank you, but I don't think it is my cup of tea, no offense."

"No offense at all Neal," she gave him a warm smile.

"I'm going to see Regina, she's mayor after all, and she'll know if there are jobs available in the area."

Neal got up to leave but before he could, Rumple called up to him, "tell Regina I asked about her."

Neal nodded. "I will."

Neal decided to hit up Emma before heading to the town hall. She usually doesn't do anything substantial anyway.

"Yo," he called out as Emma aimed for the trash bin on the other side of the room.

"Hey, don't mess with my concentration."

He walked over to her. "I'm sure Regina is not paying you to play trash basketball."

Her attempt was a miss so she balled up another piece of paper, aimed, and shot but Neal quickly knocked the paper midair from entering the trash can.

"Hey," Emma lifted her hands.

"In your face," Neal got in Emma's face, mocking her and laughed as she shoved him away.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Just hanging. How are you guys doing?"

"Who, me and Regina?"

Neal rolled his eyes. "Yes, blondie."

She lifted her legs on the table and got comfortable. Her eyes looked starred and dreamy. Neal laughed, his friend is so much in love.

"We're good man, we're really good."

Neal grimaced. "Dude, you got that 'I just had sex look'."

Emma looked back at him smugly.

Something clicked in his head and Neal started to choke on air in disgust.

"Yeah, I know I used to say how Regina was hot and I tried to get you to tell me how she was in bed. Never that, never again. I'm so disturbed since finding out she is my sister."

Emma laughed at Neal's pained face. "Well, if it means anything, you didn't know so…."

Neal lightly punched Emma in the arm. "By the way, that is my little sister, you better take care of her."

"Now you want to give me the 'don't hurt my sister speech'? You already know I won't," Emma laughed as she massaged her arm. She stopped and looked around to make sure Cora couldn't listen in, of course she couldn't since Emma is in her office and Cora isn't even in her line of sight. But she spoke softly anyway.

"You know the strangest thing happened?"

Neal lowered his head in interest and spoke lowly as well. "What happened?"

Emma looked around licked her lips. "Cora in her weird way gave me her blessing to marry Regina. She ridicule me that I haven't purposed to her already, saying that I was treating Regina like a whore or something."

Neal scoffed at her. "I kind of agree, you already knocked her up twice and you still haven't popped the question."

Emma shook her head and placed them in her hands and looked back at Neal. "I love her, I do, it is just…marriage never came up. And her first one was one she was forced into so I wanted to be careful about that subject."

Neal sat and placed an arm around her. "I don't know her all too well, but I think you are making things more complicated than it should be. You love her and she loves you. Yes the babies came before marriage, but it's no biggie. You got to get her a fat ring and I'm your wing man, so I'm here to help."

"Yeah?" Emma smiled softly. "It is not like I don't ever want to get married, it is just.I never thought it a possibility," she finished sadly.

Neal shook his head. "Nope, not doing this. I'm not going to let you get yourself down. You are the most loyal, awesome person I know. Any woman would kill to be with you. She loves you and don't forget that."

"Thanks Neal."

"Don't thank me yet. We need to go and find a ring."

Emma frowned. "There are no jewelry stores here in Storybrooke."

"Yeah, so we need to go out of town, do some shopping."

A pregnant pause from Emma filled the small office space. Emma looked to the side, and had a faraway expression. "No offense Neal, but I didn't have the most positive experience getting jewelry with you."

Guilt stabbed at Neal's heart. He never forgave himself for his portrayal that let Emma in jail. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down. "I see," he responded sadly.

Emma closed her eyes, chastising herself. She did it again. She said she forgave the person but yet continued to throw their past at them.

"Look, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought-"

"It's fine. I understand, truly."

"Now, I feel like an ass."

"You not an ass, I am for doing what I did to you in the past."

"I said I forgave you and I meant it. Let's plan some ring shopping, is that cool?"

Neal smiled at the compromise and forgiveness. "That's cool. I have to make sure you don't get anything crappy for her anyway."

"Hardy har har, you are hilarious," Emma sassed him.

"I try to be, I'll catch you later. I'll let you," and he waved his hands around the office, "sheriff stuff."

She chuckled, "Bye Neal."

Neal walked into Regina's office after she gave the signal to her secretary to let him in.

"Despite our relations, I would like you to properly schedule an appointment to see me."

Neal pouted. "I bet Emma doesn't have to make an appointment."

Regina scoffed at his antics. "You act like a child. And Emma is a special case, she is the sheriff, after all."

"Whatever you say," he grinned at her. She returned him a raised eyebrow. She dropped her pen and clasped her hand together.

"And how can I help you today?"

Neal scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm staying here now and I want to settle down officially, but the job prospects are pretty scarce here."

Regina understood with the curse breaking and families growing, that there would need to be an increase of employment and housing.

"I see, give me your resume and I'll see what I can do."

Neal scrunched his face. "What? Geez, I thought there was going to be perks in having the mayor as my sister," he chuckled.

"Be it as it may, you would still need to provide some type of skills that I can match up to you. And thieving is not one."

"Ouch, okay, I'll get one to you."

A few moments passed in silence as Regina returned to her paperwork. When she saw Neal still sitting across from her desk, she looked back up at him.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

Neal cleared his throat, his palms a little sweaty. "Hmm, yeah, I just wanted to let you know, that if you wanted to talk, I'm here. I know finding out about Rumple was a shock to you…well, to everybody, but I hope you view this moment as a gain, and not a loss."

Regina sighed, so this was truly Neal's intention. To build a deeper relationship with her. The concept of not being an only child is still something she was trying to grasp.

"I thank you for your concern, I'm still processing it. But I have grown to accept you as family."

Neal smiled softly at her. "Thank you. I never imagined having a sibling myself. I thought of myself as an only child for years. I'm grateful for you to allow me to be a part of your life."

Regina saw his sincerity. How many times in her life have people actually want to know her, to be friends with her, to be family? She never had a joyful childhood, of playing with friends in their big open fields, sharing secrets with them. No, Cora wanted her isolated and obedient. She had fleeting thoughts about having brothers and sisters. And whether having one growing up would have made a difference in her life. But, she needed to not dwell in the past, but focus on the present that is right in front of her.

"So you are not disgusting by being related to the Evil Queen?"

Neal looked at her. "Hell no, like Emma said, you are no Evil Queen. And I never knew you as that anyway. The only thing I know is the woman sitting right here before me, a strong woman that loves fiercely. That is what I see."

Regina schooled her emotions, she swallowed deeply to not let tears flow. It is still a new thing for her to process when people can see how much she can love, and not focus on how much she has destroyed in her life.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"It's nothing. I know you feel like maybe we don't have much in common but I don't think that is true. I think we both know how it feels to have no one behind your back, to feel alone in the world, trying to find yourself. But I think here," he waved around the office, "in this new world, we can build something beautiful for ourselves. I'm going to be the best me for you, Emma, Henry, and that little jelly bean in there," he pointed at her abdomen.

Regina was truly touched, she had no words. And she done something she found uncharacteristic for her. She held out her hand which Neal latched to, holding each other for support.

"You have been hanging around Emma too much. Our child is not going to be the size of a jelly bean forever."

Neal's laughed and his heart swelled, Regina is not an overall expressive person in her affections, so he'll take whatever he can get.

"I just want you to know that you do have people to care for you." Regina closed her eyes and smiled. He felt he was making much progress with her. That is why he tried to push more luck on his side talking to her.

"Have you talked to Rumple lately?"

Regina retracted her hand sharply, feeling betrayed. "Did he send you? Was that your true motivation?"

Neal saw he fury in her eyes and put his hands up, waving them frantically.

"No, no, no. Not at all. It's just…he is not that bad, he is trying and he asked about you."

Regina shuffled some papers around. "Ha, the Dark One not that bad."

Neal wanted all of his family to reunite, and considering that Rumple is cursed, other than Cora, he hasn't been on a murderous rampage. And he could see how much he wanted to rebuild a relationship with Regina.

"Can I tell you something about him, before he became curse?"

"Be my guest, it is not like I have don't have tasks to do."

Neal ignored her snark and started his recount of the past. "I think I'm the only one alive that knew him then. Can I continue?" He didn't want to over stay his welcome.

Regina stopped what she was doing to listen more closely. She waved her hand for him to continue. In all honesty, she doesn't have much knowledge about Rumple and his past before becoming the Dark one. All she knew was that h was labeled as a coward.

"He was the most loving father I knew. He made dinner, played with me. In those moments, I always knew that he loved me. And then the Ogre wars happened. He didn't want me to be fatherless so he broke his leg so he couldn't stay. When he returned him, my mother was disgusted with him, and decided to leave us. She didn't want to live with the shame of being married to a coward

So it was just him and I for a long time after that. He raised me as a single father. He took care of me, he was the most loving man I knew. But when I became fourteen, a knight came to our village to recruit more soldiers for the war. And I was of age. He was humiliated as he tried to stop them for taking me. One thing led to another, and he managed to become the Dark One.

I was angry with him for so long, but when he explained things to me, I think I started to understand him. Would you consider him a coward when he tried to protect his son at all cost? How far would you go to protect Henry?"

Regina's eyes became hard, and she begrudgingly started to sympathize with Rumple, but she still hasn't forgave him for how he used her for his own end. She decided to answer Neal's rhetorical question.

"As far as I can."

Neal looked at Regina and nodded. He hoped that he was pushing Regina to talking to Rumple. He continued onward. "Well, him being Dark One wasn't bad in regard to the war. He needed it, so no more children had to be drafted to die. But his power started to corrupt him. I couldn't have friends because they were scared of him. I thought he could be saved by going to a land with no magic. I managed to get a magic bean from Blue but-

Regina held her hand up to stop him. "The Blue fairy gave you a magic bean, did you make a wish?"

"I did…"

Regina laughed incredulously and smoothed back her hair.

"So the Blue Fairy decided that the son of the Dark One is worthy enough to be saved, but not the Queen of Hearts? Oh this is just precious."

Neal looked at her confused. "You made a wish?"

Regina shot him a harsh look. "Of course I did. Didn't ever child in the Enchanted Forest with our belief in magical wishes?"

Neal stammered. "That…that hypocritical bitch. I'm so sorry."

Regina waved him off, already feeling a sense a bitterness impeding to explode.

"Has Rumple ever laid a hand on you?"

He was confused at the direction of the conversation. "No."

"Has he ever forced you to learn dark magic?"

"Never!"

"Well, it seems to me that you really didn't have it as bad as me as much you want us to bond over shared troubled childhoods. You never experienced Rumple summoning branches to restrain you, to hit you physically or magically. How dare you."

Neal knew what Regina was trying to d and he can feel her slipping away from her. "Regina…please don't be bitter towards me. I never meant to trivialize your experiences. I was just saying that-"

Regina cut him off again. She is not bitter towards him specifically, but she can't help but have a little bit of resentment that she never once received help from anybody to fight against the darkness. Her own father never stood up for her.

"I'm not mad at you….Neal, is there anything else you need?" Effectively, she was ending their conversation.

Neal dejectedly sighed. He knew that their time together was over. "No, I appreciate you taking your time to talk to me. Take care," and he stood up and left the office. That didn't go as planned.

For Regina, she did try and it was not a totally failure she felt on Neal's part. It just hurt to talk about the past. She picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"I think I will take you up on that offer."

It has been a week since his breakfast with Neal and Belle. He still hasn't managed to talk with Regina. The limp man got his second-hand information from his son and Belle. Rumple is a patient man, he did wait and planned methodically to reunite with his son for centuries. But he can't help but feel a little impatient to make amends with Regina who is right here in his grasp.

He opened his flip phone and dialed a number. "We need to meet dearie."

Emma has no freaking idea why she is here in a dank, dark corner of an abandoned store. It better be worth it since she is missing snuggling with her love.

She heard tapping of real fine shoes and jerked at the sound.

"What is this about Gold? And why we couldn't discuss this over the phone?"

"No need to be jumpy Miss Swan. I came here to collect?"

Emma looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"A favor, Miss Swan. I do remember you making a deal with me to give up my rights to Ashely's baby. Does that ring a bell?"

The blonde paled. She forgot all about that. So many things happened after that, it totally slipped her mind.

She swallowed. "What do you want?"

"Don't be so frightful, dearie. I mean no harm. I just want you to convince Regina to talk me. She is my daughter after all."

Emma's frown became neutral. That didn't sound bad at all. It sounds like no harm could be done. No one believes that Rumple intends to do any harm to Regina. But she still didn't appreciate the Dark One's blatant shake down.

"So you are blackmailing your daughter's True Love? I don't think that is the best way to make amends."

Rumple scoffed and closed the distance between them. As he approached, Emma straightened her posture to appear taller and stronger against Rumple's intimidation tactic.

"Not blackmail, dearie. It is you upholding your end of our bargain. It is up honoring your promises."

Emma rubbed her temples in aggravation. She didn't want to owe this man anything. But if this allows him to be out of her hair, she considered it a worthy sacrifice. "Look, I can't make Regina talk to you."

Rumple moved right into her face, "You're resourceful, figure it out."

Then he stepped back, turned around and left. Emma rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. "Shit!"

Let me know what you think.