Feather of a Swan

Chapter 48:

Oh, I am so not complaining about this.

Nope, Emma had absolutely no problem about the current situation. In fact, of all the "situations" she could have been in, this was by far the most comfortable and delightful.

Light in the fireplace. Abandoned wine glasses on the table. Kicked off shoes on the floor.

And a delightfully breathless Regina on top of her, hands combing through blonde locks, and lips delicately pressing against her own.

Definitely not complaining. Emma's hands wandered from Regina's back to her thighs instead. God bless her for wearing a dress today.

Regina made a breathy little sound in the back of her throat followed by a very raspy: ,,Emma…"

Music. Lovely, breathtaking music. That was what that sound was. Pure music. Emma nibbled at the brunette's bottom lip, and Regina made another heavenly noise into her mouth.

To hell with this being the couch and not the bedroom. Emma clasped her hands around the back of Regina's neck, pulling her down for yet another kiss.

That was when Regina muttered something incoherent.

,,What did you say?" Emma questioned as she reluctantly broke the kiss.

,,Need…Air," Regina gasped.

Oh. Regina did look rather breathless, and her chest was rising and falling quite fast.

,,Sorry," Emma said sheepishly and chuckled a little.

,,It's… fine," Regina assured, still gasping for air.

Emma chuckled again. Seeing Regina this flustered and so delightfully breathless was a rare treat, and she looked absolutely beautiful like this. So beautiful, and Emma didn't waste any time in telling her that.

Regina's cheeks heated up at that.

,,You sort of look like a horny teenager," Emma commented casually.

,,Excuse me?!" Regina huffed.

,,You totally do," Emma chuckled and nudged Regina's shoulder as both women came up in a sitting position.

,,I feel terrible for saying it, but I sort of feel like one," Regina muttered and tucked her hair behind her ear.

She looked so vulnerable. Almost a bit coy, despite their heated makeout session only seconds ago. God, she's so adorable. Who would have thought? Emma leaned in and kissed Regina's cheek.

,,We should celebrate moving in together more often," Emma quipped.

,,Agreed. I like this living together arrangement," Regina nodded and smiled.

,,How are we ever gonna be responsible parents for the kid?" Emma joked. ,,I seem to be thinking of one thing alone."

,,I'm sure you'll get over that, dear."

And Madam Mayor is back. ,,Nu-uh," Emma assured. ,,Never. I'm not getting over you anytime soon. Maybe under you, but definitely not over you."

,,And you claim my jokes are terrible."

,,They are," Emma deadpanned.

Regina smiled and shook her head. Clearly prepared to let Emma win that argument.

,,How's your air supply now?" Emma asked.

,,It seems fine."

,,Great. Can we please get back to celebrating then?" Emma suggested and grinned.

,,Well… since you ask so nicely," Regina smirked as she playfully pushed Emma back against the cushions.

And two seconds later she was back on top of a very satisfied blonde who thoroughly enjoyed the view.

It was Emma's turn to gasp as Regina's lips found her neck and kissed a pattern starting at her ear.

,,God, Regina."

,,Why the hell we waste so many years on arguing?" Regina murmured into her neck.

,,That is one hell of a good question," Emma replied and bit back a moan as Regina's lips travelled down.

Yeah, we should definitely have taken advantage of this insane chemistry years ago.

Emma skimmed her fingers up and down Regina's back and gave the zipper on her dress a little, testing tug. No arguments from Regina. Was she giving Emma green light to proceed, or was she just too riled up to notice?

Emma gave the zipper another tug and revealed a tiny bit of Regina's skin, and now the brunette mock scowled as she said: ,,I'm a queen and a bit more refined, miss Swan. I'm not doing this on a couch."

,,Or against a wall."

,,Pardon?" Regina said, clearly not following.

,,You said that. Or, Roni said that. When we were in Seattle."

,,Oh right. And I meant it," Regina chuckled.

,,Upstairs then."

,,Giving orders now, miss Swan?"

,,Damn right I am," Emma said. ,,Upstairs. Now."

But before either of them made it upstairs, let alone moved from their current position, there was a knock on the front door. That threw Emma off completely, and she could feel how Regina also deflated and buried her head in the crook of her neck, muttering a frustrated: ,,Why?"

And that was a damn good question. Why choose this moment to come and visit them? Why right now, when they were otherwise engaged? Why indeed.

Emma was just about to suggest that they didn't answer, when there was another knock on the door.

Regina huffed as she scrambled off the couch, much to Emma's dismay and went into the hall.

Five seconds later, voices from the hall sent Emma off the couch as well, smoothening her hair and brushing lightly over her crumpled clothes. She congratulated herself with her quick reaction as she removed their kicked off shoes. God forbid her mother took this for exactly what it was.

,,Hi mom," she said as Snow ten seconds later was escorted into the living room by Regina, who miraculously looked as impeccable as always.

,,Hi, honey. I'm not intruding, am I?"

,,Of course you're not," Regina said before Emma opened her mouth. ,,Can I get you something to drink? Eat?"

,,No, I'm only staying for a second," Snow smiled. ,,I just wanted to deliver this little housewarming/ baby shower gift."

Emma tilted her head at the wrapped-up gift in her mother's hands. That was a very sweet gesture. She hadn't expected Snow to give them anything, given the surprise element in the adoption.

,,That was nice of you, mom," the blonde grinned. ,,What is it?"

,,Open it and find out," Snow encouraged and held the gift out toward both Emma and Regina.

,,Go ahead," Regina said and nodded towards the package.

,,Don't you want to…?" Emma questioned.

,,No, I want you to open it," Regina said calmly. ,,Go on."

,,Alright." Emma took the package from her mother and quickly tore the wrapping paper off. A surprised "oh" escaped her when she found out what was hiding inside.

It was a beautiful, pale pink baby blanket with tiny little rosebuds incorporated into the knitting.

,,Mom. It's beautiful," Emma gushed. ,,That must have taken ages to make."

,,It did, Granny was growing impatient with me at the end," Snow laughed. ,,But only the best for baby Mills."

,,Swan-Mills," Regina quietly corrected as she poured Snow a glass of wine.

,,What?" Emma said and gaped.

,,The baby should carry both our names," Regina shrugged. ,,It's not just my child, Emma. She's yours too. And Swan-Mills does have a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

,,It does," Emma agreed and struggled with the sudden tightness in her chest and the gigantic lump in her throat. If I start blubbering now, then so help me god…

,,Thank you, Snow. That was very thoughtful of you," Regina said, coming to Emma's rescue.

,,As I said, anything for the new little bundle of joy. And for you two," Snow gushed.

,,Well look who's getting sentimental," Regina observed, and Emma wasn't sure whether she was referring to Snow or herself.

,,Can you blame me?" Snow replied. ,,There's a whole lot of good things happening right now."

,,So there is," Regina agreed, and her eyes were suspiciously soft as she looked at Emma.

Oh hell no, she shouldn't look at me like that. Like I'm some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She's the pot of gold.

Snow took a sip of her wine and smiled.

,,Do you want some too, sweetheart?"

Emma blinked. ,,Are you talking to me?"

Regina rolled her eyes. ,,Of course I'm talking to you. Do you want some more wine?"

,,Uh.. sure." Emma did her best to pretend, but that pet name was warm liquid straight to her head. Regina hadn't called her "sweetheart" since Seattle.

,,I think your mother is about to burst from happiness," Regina commented as she poured herself and Emma another glass of wine.

Emma sniggered. Snow was looking rather doe-eyed at them, clearly gushing with happiness.

,,Of course I am." Snow said plainly. ,,You are happy. I never would have foreseen this, but I couldn't be happier about it."

,,Happy that your confused daughter blundered into my bar one dark and stormy night?" Regina teased slyly. The sentimental moment was clearly over.

,,Yes, something like that," Snow nodded, completely unfazed by Regina's teasing.

Emma laughed.

Snow emptied her wine glass. ,,Thanks for the wine, Regina. I better get back before David gets worried."

,,Mmm, no reason to worry the prince," Regina agreed, completely flatly, causing Emma to chuckle again.

The blonde drank the rest of her wine and thanked her mother for the baby blanket again, and then she followed Snow out into the hall and gave her a big hug before the pixie haired woman left.

When she returned to the living room, she found Regina with her own glass of wine. The brunette smiled and shook her head a little. ,,Remind me to never give your mother her own key."

,,I couldn't agree more. That was a close one." Emma said. She would rather spend her life in a prison cell than having her mother walk in on her and Regina in a situation.

,,But that was very sweet of her," Regina continued and nodded towards the baby blanket. ,,She didn't have to do that, though."

,,I think she was just looking for an excuse to show how cool she is with this thing."

,,Thing?"

,,You and me."

,,Oh. That thing." Regina laughed.

,,Do you really want the baby to be named Swan-Mills?" Emma grinned.

,,Absolutely," Regina said firmly. ,,She's your daughter too."

,,My daughter. That is just... wow." Emma said, not being able to describe it in any other way.

,,Indeed. Very wow." Regina chuckled and abandoned her wine glass in favor of wrapping her arms around Emma's waist.

,,We really ought to find a name for her," Emma reminded her partner.

,,Mmm." Regina said.

But clearly baby names weren't at the top of Regina's list right now. She skimmed her fingers up and down Emma's back in a way that more than suggested that she still was in a certain mood.

I suppose baby names can wait. Emma quickly pulled the brunette closer and kissed her fiercely.

Regina instantly returned the kiss and then kissed Emma's cheek, inhaling the smell from her hair.

,,I'm crazy about you," she murmured into Emma's hair.

And clearly very horny. But Emma didn't mind that one bit. She loved when the words spontaneously left Regina's lips like this. So uncontrolled and free.

,,And I'm pretty damn crazy about you," Emma assured and found Regina's neck with her lips.

,,Upstairs," Regina hissed.

And Emma didn't need to be told twice. She simply grabbed Regina's hand and more or less dragged her upstairs with her.

It turned out, that Emma found herself to be over Regina, despite claiming the opposite. Regina had let her "run the show" so to speak, and Emma definitely wasn't complaining with being stretched out on top of Regina.

And even more surprising, the blonde hadn't had enough come next morning. Therefore, she didn't waste any time in waking Regina up with a kiss.

,,Now what?" Regina mumbled sleepily and returned the kiss.

,,I'm still crazy about you," Emma said plainly.

,,That's nice, but we have more important stuff to do today," Regina muttered.

,,Like what?" Emma teasingly challenged and kissed Regina's neck.

,,We're going to Boston tomorrow. We might need to plan that journey a little."

Emma deflated. ,,Right. You have a point there." she smirked. ,,And I don't think your lips can handle anymore."

,,What?" Regina frowned. ,,What do you mean?"

Emma quickly found a little mirror in one of their drawers and sniggered quite proudly as she handed the mirror to Regina.

The brunette scowled a little at the sight of her own, swollen lips. ,,I don't think it would be appropriate to leave the house like this."

,,Why not? I like it," Emma said innocently.

,,Of course you do," Regina rolled her eyes and waved her hand, reducing her lips to their normal size.

Emma pouted a little at that, and Regina laughed. ,,Come on, miss Swan. Let's get out of bed."

,,That's about the worst suggestion I've ever heard," Emma grumbled, but nevertheless got out of bed.

There really were a lot of things to think about. The nursery was done, but that was about it. There were so many things to pack, paper works to be filled out, the car needed to be filled with petrol etc...

,,I didn't realize that it was so difficult to adopt a kid," Emma said as she filled out yet another sheet of paper.

,,Neither did I," Regina admitted. ,,When I adopted Henry, Gold pulled some strings, this time it's being done the official way. The right way."

,,You chose an open adoption this time," Emma observed.

,,Yes. I'm not making the same mistake twice. The little girl will know where she comes from. No secrets."

Emma squeezed Regina's hand. ,,That sounds very sensible."

Regina smiled and squeezed back.

Emma continued to go through the papers. ,,Jesus Christ. The baby's mother died in childbirth."

,,I know," Regina frowned. ,,I'm guessing that's why the adoption agency contacted me so quickly after I applied."

,,Poor kid. I'm glad we're bringing her home."

,,So am I."

,,About those babynames…" Emma said once they finally were done filling out the paperworks.

,,I have about a million suggestions, and none of them works," Regina sighed and shook her head.

,,Why not?"

,,Too old fashioned. This is the modern world. Not the Enchanted Forest."

,,Oh. Can I hear one of them?"

,,I was thinking about Rose, but…"

,,What's the matter with that? That's a pretty name," Emma said.

Regina wrinkled her nose. ,,I'm not sure. Do you have any suggestions?"

,,Not really. Maybe we'll know once we meet her."

,,That's a good strategy," Regina nodded and closed the one suitcase they were going to bring with them.

,,Don't forget the baby blanket," Emma reminded her.

,,Oh right," Regina smiled and quickly stuffed the blanket into the suitcase.

The rest of that day passed by rather busily with lots of last minutes things to check up on, and by the time they finally went to bed, Emma's head was spinning with new information.

Neither Emma nor Regina ate very much the following morning. None of them had any appetite. Regina looked considerably paler than she normally did, and she was also very quiet.

Emma's stomach was full of butterflies. And very active butterflies, that was. She feared she were gonna barf before they even started the journey to Boston.

,,Boston is a four hour drive. We should get going," Regina muttered after emptying her fourth cup of coffee.

,,Can you even drive?"

,,Excuse me?"

,,Aren't your hands gonna shake ridiculously?"

,,Are you criticizing my intake of coffee?"

,,A little," Emma admitted. ,,That much coffee isn't good for you."

,,It was either that or a cigarette," Regina retorted. ,,And those are definitely not good for me."

,,Is it hard quitting?" Emma asked. She had never been addicted to nicotine.

,,You have no idea," Regina sighed. ,,But it wouldn't be the first time I've quit a nasty habit. I'll survive."

,,That would be preferable." Emma half-chuckled. ,,Are you ready to go?"

,,As ready as I'll ever be."

They stuffed the suitcase into the Mercedes, and both women climbed into the car.

,,Oh, right. We would like to keep our memories," Regina stated and waved a hand over the pearl necklace she was wearing.

,,What about me?" Emma questioned.

Regina smirked and made a come "hither motion" towards her.

Emma willingly leant closer. Any excuse to be close to Regina.

Regina quickly waved a hand over Emma's new swan necklace and smiled a little as the jewelry started glowing.

,,Don't take it off," the brunette instructed as she started the car.

,,Never." Emma assured and caught a glimpse of the smile on the brunette's lips, before her phone beeped. It was a text from Henry wishing them good luck and telling them how excited he was to meet his "baby sister".

Well this brings back memories.

It really did. This wasn't the first road trip she had been on with Regina, but this one was considerably nicer than the previous one. Regina was all smiles and they chatted on about everything and nothing. Such a contrast from the previous road trip. At one point, Regina reached out to switch the radio on, but Emma caught her hand and stopped her.

,,Don't switch that on."

,,Don't you want to listen to the radio?" Regina asked.

,,No, I want to keep talking to you. The last time…" Emma trailed off. ,,Well, you were pretty quiet."

,,Understatement," Regina said calmly.

,,You gave "silent treatment" a whole new meaning."

,,And I never formally apologized for that, have I?" Regina frowned.

,,I don't need an apology. You had every reason to be angry."

,,I wasn't angry," Regina said and adjusted the mirror. ,,I was confused. That's a very different thing."

,,Okay, but you were definitely angry on the way back from Seattle," Emma countered.

,,No. Just even more confused than I was when we left," Regina said with a little laugh.

,,Right…"

,,Well, okay, I was angry. But mostly at myself."

,,Why?"

,,Because I kissed you," Regina said plainly.

,,I think I kissed you first," Emma pointed out.

,,And I kissed back. Which seemed like a very bad idea at the time." Regina said rather dryly.

,,But it's not a bad idea now." Emma said and smiled a little.

,,No, it is not."

To Be Continued..

((My dearest readers! Only two chapters left until the end! Again, thank you to everyone who reviews and favorites. It has been an honor to write this, and I'm overwhelmed by the response.))