Authors note: Some mother daughter bonding time, coming right up! ;)
...
Cora woke up to the sound of voices coming from downstairs. She looked up at the clock and noticed that it was quarter to eight. They were probably up because Henry had school. Grabbing the robe that Regina had left her, Cora made her way out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
"Well, we had agreed on today Daniel." Regina said with a sigh as she turned the pancake using the spatula. Henry was sitting at the table, reading a comic book. Daniel was leaning against the counter with an apologetic look on his face. No one had noticed Cora was standing in the doorway.
"I know, Regina." Daniel said as he moved to stand behind his fiancée. He he wrapped his arms around her ever growing waist and kissed her cheek. "I'm really sorry but there was an emergency. They need me there."
Regina briskly stepped out of the embrace as she put the pancake on a plate and placed it in front of Henry, who immediatly started eating.
"And I need you here. You promised that we could go shopping for the nursery today." Regina said, almost sounding whiny as she placed the pan back on the stove and turned to Daniel again.
"I'm really sorry and I will ask the day off tomorrow, alright?" He asked with a hopeful look.
"Fine." Regina sighed and she looked up at him. Daniel smiled and bent down to kiss her but then noticed Cora standing in the doorway with a small smile on her lips.
"Regina." He said softly and he nodded at Cora. Regina looked at him confused before she finally understood what he meant.
With a little reluctance she carefully asked. "Would you like to go with me, mother?"
Cora's dark eyes widened in surprise and she was shocked that Regina had actually asked her. She may have been allowed to stay in Regina's house for a while, but that didn't ultimately mean that Regina would allow Cora back into her life fully. "Of - of course, I'd love to." She finally stammered out."
Regina nodded. "Alright, you need to get dressed then. We'll drive Henry to school and go after that immediately."
Cora nodded as she made her way upstairs again. When Cora was out of the room, Daniel smiled down at her. "You made the right decision, Regina."
The brunette shrugged as she moved to sit down next to Henry at the table. "I'll hold you to that."
...
"I find that cars are still very strange for me." Cora said as she gripped the dashboard so hard that her knuckles turned a ghostly white. "Henry please put on your seatbelt!" She shrieked as Henry stuck his head out between the two front seats.
He huffed and grinned as he looked at his terrified grandmother. "Alright, I just wanted to ask if one of you could move your seat a little, I can barely fit my legs back here."
Regina smiled as she wondered where the time had gone. Henry used to be so little. "Well, I can't, your sister is in the way. Maybe grandma?" She looked at her mother with a smile.
"Of course darling." Cora said as she started looking for some sort of handle or something. "How does that work?"
"Oh, let me." Henry quickly interrupted as he pushed the button, causing Cora's seat to quickly move forwards. It was unexpected and Cora let out a small scream.
"Henry!" Regina scolded, though she was grinning. "Warn her next time, my mother is not used to this world."
"Oops, sorry grandma." Henry apologized as he moved the seat again, this time adjusting it properly.
Cora felt her heart beating rapidly against her chest as she panted. "It's - it's fine Henry."
Regina quickly parked the car in front of the school and Henry grabbed his back. But before he got the chance to get out of the car, his mother's voice dropped him.
"Aren't you forgetting something, dear?" She said expectantly while turning her head a little to the side.
Henry smiled and rolled his eyes. "Of course, mom." He leaned in and kissed his. Other on her cheek. After a small hesetation he kissed Cora's cheek too. The latter was shocked into silence. "Thank you, Henry. Have a good day at school." Regina half yelled, seeing that Henry was already halfway out of the black Mercedes.
...
"I must say, Regina - this world is quite amazing." Cora said as she let her fingers stroke the dark wood of one of the cribs.
Regina smiled at her words and looked around. "Yes, I picked the right place to curse everyone to, didn't I." The light tone in which it was said, caused Cora to let out an uncharacteristical chuckle.
"You have indeed my dear."
Regina's eyes wandered around the store with left and right all sorts of baby stuff. She could easily get distracted here, but the most important thing right now was a crib. She still hadn't decided on the color.
"What do you think about this one?" Cora said as she touched the cream colored wood. It was a simple yet elegant crib and in Cora's opinion perfect for Regina. But maybe she wanted it because it reminded her so much of the crib she had chosen for Regina.
Regina turned around, curious about what her mother wanted to suggest. When she saw the crib something just clicked in her mind. "It's beautiful, mother." She said as she slowly stroked her finger over the smooth wood. It was perfect.
"I bet Daniel would like it too." Cora shrugged as she moved to stand next to her daughter.
"He'll just have to like it. I want it, so we get it." Regina grinned as she snapped a quick picture with her phone. That way Daniel could see it too.
Cora chuckled. "That's true, darling. Absolutely true."
...
"My my, what a cute reunion this is. Everything okay between you and mommy, Regina?"
Both woman spun around when they heard the voice from behind them. Rumplestiltskin was grinning at them, that familiar impish smile the man always used. He leaned on his cane as he continued. "I must say this is quite a surprise. I didn't know Regina would forgive the woman who beat her raw that easily."
"What do you want, Rumple?" Regina growled as she took a step forwards. "I am in no mood."
The imp put his hands up in mock surrender. "Whoa, hold your horses, dearie. Keep those pregnancy hormones in check, will you? I just wanted to see for myself if the rumors were true."
"What rumors?" Cora snapped as she took a protective step forwards also, shielding her daughter a little bit.
"Well, you know, you coming back, Regina forgiving you. The usual." He said as he shifted on his left foot and looked at the younger brunette again. "And my my, pregnancy has made you weak, hasn't it dearie. The monster I created would never forgive her abusive mother. I can't believe this is all the doing of a stable boy and a fetus."
"Don't talk about my family like that." Regina spat with as much venom as she could muster. "And forgiving and forgetting are two entirely different things."
He let out a dramatic sigh. "But of course, because how could you ever forgive those lovely nights you spend with your husband? You know, the lovely old King at who your mother sold you to."
Regina considerably paled and the hand that was resting on her stomach tightened in a fist. Cora saw it and rage flared up in her chest. She put a protective arm in front of Regina and stepped forwards so she stood face to face with the terrible man she had once loved. "You will not talk to my daughter like that. As a matter of fact, if you ever talk to my daughter again, I will crush you." She said, deadly silent.
"Oeh, now I'm scared." The imp grinned as he disappeared in a cloud of dark red smoke. Cora turned around when the smoke had cleared and she looked at her daughter sadly.
Regina buried her shaking hands deep in the pockets of her coat as she took a step closer to her mother. "Thank you mother, for standing up for me."
Cora gave her a sad smile as she carefully wrapped her arms around the younger brunette. "Of course Regina. I will always protect you."
...
Regina was smiling as she placed the bags on the dining table. Cora stepped into the dining room a minute later, carrying the remaining items. "Do you think we have enough diapers for now?" Regina asked as she leaned against the table.
Cora smiled. "We're almost drowning in diapers, honey. You have enough."
Regina nodded, but mostly to reassure herself. "Alright. It's now-" she looked down at her watch. "Almost six. That means Daniel is going to be home soon, Henry is staying with Emma tonight so I'd better start on dinner."
"Regina, let me do that darling. You look absolutely exhausted." Cora suggested with a gentle smile but it did nothing to stop the hesetation that was clearly showing on Regina's face. "You can sit at the breakfast bar and observe." That seemed to convince the younger brunette.
"Fine." Regina huffed even though she knew it was probably a good idea. She was so tired she was sure she was going to burn the house down.
That's how Daniel found them fifteen minutes later. Regina leaning over the counter while observing what Cora was doing. Chatter was filling the air in the kitchen and it felt nice, at least that was what Daniel thought.
"How are my futere wife and futere mother in law doing?" He grinned as he moved to stand next to Regina, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Cora found that she didn't even minded Daniel calling her that. "Great, I'm learning how to cook lasagne."
"Well, it smells good." He said as he wrapped his arms around his fiancée.
"We bought a crib and a dresser and lots of other stuff." Regina said softly as she nuzzled into the embrace.
"Great. I'm completely trusting you on this one."
"Good, because they're staying even when you don't like them." Regina teased lightly, causing Daniel to let out chuckle.
"Of course they are."
...
It was in the middle of dinner when Regina's cell phone rang. The room was filled with some weird ringtone that Henry had installed.
"I'm sorry." Regina apologized as she stood up and grabbed her purse from one of the chairs. She quickly made her way to the foyer. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she recognized the number as Emma's. Maybe something happened to Henry. She thought worriedly as she quickly answered the call.
"Emma? What happened? Did something happened to Henry?" She asked carefully.
"Oh no, Regina. Nothing like that." Emma reassured "I was just wondering if you could pick him up."
"What? Why?" Regina asked confused. Henry loved spending time with Emma, seeing that the blonde sheriff was actually a big child herself.
"Ehm, no need to worry or something. But Gold stopped by."
Regina could hear the sadness through the phone.
"He cashed in his favor."
...
Yes, this is your cue. Neal's coming but don't expect him to be mister perfect, I actually can't stand him. Leave a review ;)