Double Trouble 52

A/N: I've been slack again! I had to rewrite a certain scene and wait for inspiration to do so, but it is millions better than it was. Trust me.

Thanks for reading. Reviews are oxygen. Enjoy :).


Chapter 52 'Proposal'

KidSpace

After Emma magically disappeared from the bathroom in Mary Margaret's apartment, Regina wracked her brain trying to think of a place where she would go. The problem was that Emma didn't feel entirely safe anywhere. She also had the power to conceal herself if she wished and it was unlikely that she could be found if she didn't want to be. Regina remembered something Emma had said about her younger self:

"When Em uses magic she could be standing right in front of you and you won't even see her."

Regina assumed that she had made herself invisible in order to run away more effectively. The closest places to Emma's heart where her mother's apartment and the home that she now shared with her girlfriend and their son, but Regina had a feeling that she was way too good at hide-n-seek to hide somewhere as obvious as those two locations though. Most likely Emma wouldn't go to the Sheriff's Station either since David would think to go there if her parents went looking for their daughter.

It was a long shot but Regina remembered something that Emma had told her the night that they kissed for only the second time. At the KidSpace opening party Emma had said that as a teenager she used to sneak into movie theatres to hide from her foster families and that she spent time at a youth shelter. Regina doubted that Emma would go to the movie theatre because it would be busy and there would be a chance that she'd run into Henry so that left only one possibility remaining.

Storybrooke had a youth shelter now and it seemed like the most likely hiding place since it would be closed at this time of night. Emma organised and maintained the charity for the benefit of the disadvantaged youth, teens, and kids living in Storybrooke in tough situations. A place where they could be themselves, be with each other, and get help.

Regina wondered now if Emma realised that it was her own inner child that she was trying to help. Perhaps each child she managed to help made her feel a little less damaged herself.

Regina's guess paid off when she turned up at KidSpace. It was dark but the light was on inside the dilapidated old building. She went in, careful not to make too much noise as she approached, and saw a familiar blonde slouched on the roughened-up old lounge. Emma had red cheeks and wet eyelashes like she'd been crying for a while.

Regina sat down next to her without a word, making a concerted effort not to grimace the second her clothes came into contact with the grubby faux-leather. The springs creaked as the lounge accepted her weight and the surface snapped like it was about to crack open and disintegrate.

"Hey," said Emma, sounding nasal from a stuffy nose.

Regina returned with her own. "Hey."

"So. You found me."

"If you're waiting for me to say the line don't hold your breath."

Emma chuckled, knowing exactly what she was talking about. The smile was short-lived and she looked back down to her lap where she was playing with the hem of her sweater. She sniffled again.

"I'm here to see if you're alright," said Regina. "If you didn't want me to find you so easily you should have picked a better hideout. But I will go if you want me to."

"No. Don't go." Emma scrubbed her hands over her splotchy face and groaned. "Argh, this is so embarrassing! My parents yell at me for the first time and I'm crying like a baby. I'm pathetic. I know they love me. Or at least, I should by now. But I just can't really believe it sometimes. I don't deserve them. What's wrong with me?"

Emma sighed. "I procrastinated about this whole border crisis thing when I should've been trying to do something about it. The town's going to hell and it is my job to figure it out. They're right. It is my fault…"

"Um, Regina? Feel free to jump in anytime with something reassuring."

Regina smiled and finally spoke after listening to Emma's thinking aloud. "I'm waiting for you to get to the part I disagree with. If you want I can formulate an itemised list of your many flaws and deficiencies to add to your self-deprecation?"

"You are such a bad girlfriend."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are. A good girlfriend would give me a kiss and tell me sweet things to make me feel better."

"So you want me to lie?"

"I want you to lie naked in my bed," quipped Emma. "That'll cheer me up."

Trust her to try to derail the conversation with a dirty joke. Regina knew exactly what she was up to. Things had gotten a little too emotional and Emma was still holding part of herself back. It might take a long time for Emma to feel truly secure with her family, and as frustrating as it was to deal with her every time she baulked and ran away, Regina still wanted it to be her that Emma could always come back to. Not that it was easy for her to restrain herself from giving her a piece of her mind as she was wont to do.

"Perhaps I will, sometime in your near future," Regina whispered it. She reached over to brush Emma's long blonde hair with the back of her fingers and tucked it behind her ear. It was enough of a touch to be a comfort but not an onslaught like a hug would be. Just enough to remind her of their physical connection.

"So what happened after I left?" said Emma. "Did my parents say anything to you?"

"They're afraid of what's going to happen. Your mother is sorry for what she said to you." Regina decided to leave out the part where she had lectured her former stepdaughter (future mother-in-law?) about parenting.

"Already?" said Emma, surprised. "It's true isn't it. She really is Snow White. She can't even be cross with her irresponsible daughter for long. It's hard to believe we fought in the first place. I must've really deserved it if she felt she had to step in and ream me out."

Regina sighed with a smile. "Dear, it is the prerogative of mothers to interfere in their children's lives. Mothers and daughters fight sometimes. It's an inevitable part of being close. Two people with nothing between them have nothing to fight about. You and I fight all the time."

"This feels different. They're my parents. I wanted all my life to find them so that I could ask them why they gave me up. Half the time I was convinced that they made a mistake and they really wanted me, but the rest of the time I figured that they knew something was wrong with me. I was desperate to find them but I also dreaded it. The rest of the world had rejected me, I knew it would hurt too much if my own family did."

"Giving you a lecture on your misbehaviour doesn't constitute a rejection," Regina pointed out.

"But I've never fought with Mary Margaret before! Even when we were roommates and I was slack with doing any housework, back then she had the patience of a saint. I don't want to fight with her. Ever."

Regina shrugged and offered what she thought was a condolence. "I fought with my mother all the time."

"That comparison is so not helpful. Did you ever actually win a fight with Cora?"

"It depends on your definition of victory. Sometimes I would deliberately disobey my mother in order to distract her from my plans to do something else that she would have disapproved I was angling for a new dress or to attend one of her gatherings I would mention wanting to cut my hair. Or I would feign interest in some masculine pursuit like hunting so that my running off for horseriding lessons suddenly seemed like the lesser of two evils."

Emma nodded thoughtfully as though picturing it in her mind. "I can see Ri doing that."

"I only realised later that my mother knew what I was up to the whole time."

"How? Did you get in trouble when she figured it out?"

"No. Mother had other ways of getting me back in line - with magic. If she didn't like what I was wearing, she'd change it. If she didn't like what I was saying, she'd take away my voice. I hated it when she used magic on me and she knew it. I may have won one or two battles along the way but she won the war."

"Uh, Regina, you know that's really fucked up right?"

"The point is she knew I was hiding something even when I thought I was getting away with it."

"Mothers just know that kind of thing huh?" Emma smiled.

"Oh yes," Regina put on a conspiratorial smile of her own. "We know everything but we don't tell that to the children. We wait and let them think they are getting away with whatever-it-is and only step in when, say, the kitchen is completely covered in flour and eggs, or if Mommy's cell phone is being planted in the garden so it can grow. The most suspicious thing in the world is a child who is suddenly quiet, believe me."

Emma pinned her with a look and Regina knew what was coming as she had been avoiding the question for some time. Now that time was the one thing they were running out of she couldn't get out of it indefinitely. Regina had opened the door herself by hinting at Henry's childhood mischief and her ability to detect it before disaster struck.

Emma took a deep breath to begin. "So Henry's been quiet for a while, what do you think he's up to? Not at the movies with Jenna, I mean with magic and all of this stuff that has been happening lately. Is Mommy Radar telling you he's involved?"

"Definitely."

"We're going to have to talk to him about his magic, whatever power or ability he has. I know you don't like it but-"

"Let's go."

Regina rose from the couch and re-shouldered her handbag in one swift movement. Emma was obviously confused by her sudden acquiescence after dragging her designer heels for weeks over having that very conversation with Henry. They had both been putting off dealing with aspects of this impending disaster. But now she was ready for action.

Emma paused and closed her gaping mouth. "Um ok. When you decide you really decide huh."

"It's not that. It's getting late and Mrs Meadows ought to be dropping Henry off soon. Coming?"

"Yes, I certainly will be," Emma said with a smirk. She got up to follow, making sure to turn off the lights and lockup on her way out.


"Which way do you want to go?" Ri asked, looking left and right at the edge of the kerb.

Em shrugged and said she didn't really mind, so they headed towards the park without actually deciding out loud to go there. They held hands as they walked and every time the back of her hand brushed against Ri's dress she could feel The Box in her pocket as if it were reminding her of its presence.

She could sense that Ri was nervous and wished that she could put them both out of their misery. Em dreaded whatever was coming but she felt guilty too every time Ri glanced at her like she was trying to get up her courage to re-introduce the topic. They were barely at the end of Mifflin Street by now and apparently Ri couldn't wait any longer.

"Em, I wanted to ask you something during dessert … and I can't help thinking that you don't want me to. You know what it is don't you."

"Yeah, sorry," said Em with a sigh. "I am freaking out but I'll hear what you have to say."

"Do you remember when we met in the woods?"

"Of course. It was the best day of my life."

"Mine too." Ri's voice shook a little but she grew more confident as she spoke. Em had the feeling that her girlfriend had planned it out and thought long and hard about what she was going to say tonight.

"...As soon as I saw you, I knew in my heart that you were the one. I've never loved anyone like I love you and I never will again. From the first moment, I wanted you. You make me smile and laugh, you take care of me and listen whenever I need to talk, you make me feel amazing when you touch me and you kiss me like I never want it to end.

"I can't believe that anyone has ever loved this way before, it's not possible, it's too much. Just think how unlikely it was for us to have met at all! It's astounding that we found each other, we've crossed worlds and time itself to be together. We're so lucky, Em. We've found our happy ending here.

"You amaze me. I think you went through a lot as a child, alone, and I'm so proud of you for overcoming all of that to become the wonderful, mature young woman I always knew you could be. It didn't happen straight away but you've grown close to your family, to your parents, and I especially love seeing how you are with Henry these days.

"And now our little baby boy is on his way and I'm so overwhelmingly happy. You're going to be a mother soon. I know that all you've ever wanted was to have a family and now you have that in us. So, that's why I want to make it official. I have not yet sought your parents' blessing but I'm certain they'll agree given your situation."

Em cocked an amused eyebrow. "My situation?"

"Yes, yours and mine. We really ought to be married at our ages. We're living like it, sharing a bed and such, and with a baby soon to be born it isn't proper for you to be unspoken for. I want to do the right thing by you."

"Oh my god, Ri!" shrieked Em. "Are you really suggesting that we have to get a shotgun wedding as if you need to defend my honour or something? That's so Jane Austen."

Ri's response was defensive. "What's wrong with that? Those books are lovely. There's one that was named after you, it's called 'Emma'. Did you know? You are nothing like the main character though, she's-"

"Focus, Regina. The point is times have changed. I don't need to get married at all, even if I am knocked up. People are not gonna talk because of that and I don't care if they do, but they're sure as hell gonna have something to say about two girls being together. Like ninety per cent of your proposal was awesome but you really need to work on your closing argument. I don't want to get married because we have to or because our parents think we should. I only want to get married if I want to."

Ri's face fell. "Oh. So you don't want to marry me?"

"That's not what I said. Don't be upset, please. You know I love you."

"But you don't want to marry me."

Em exhaled out of frustration. "I don't know! I haven't really thought about it much. We're too young anyway. There's no rush."

"Yes, there is. We're running out of time. I think-"

"I already know what you're thinking. You want us to get married because you think somehow it'll mean that you won't get forced into marrying some rich old noble when you go back, or you think you're already a spinster or something at the advanced age of eighteen. That's an arbitrary bullshit deadline that your mother has put in your head and it doesn't matter what we do here anyway because we both have to go back to our old lives eventually. That's why you're pushing this."

"That's not the only reason."

Ri dropped her hand and stopped walking. Her posture want all stiff and clenched and Em knew that she was trying to hide how she felt but was too stubborn to let the subject go. Em cupped her girlfriend's face gently, even though she didn't look up in return. She didn't want to hurt Ri any more than she already was by the rejection, even if she did have noble intentions.

"Hey, our pasts might be full of crap stuff but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to overwrite it with more mistakes. We're too young for what's going to happen to us. You're too young to be someone's trophy wife and I'm too young to be a single mother. I know it's common where you come from but we aren't ready to be in those roles. We deserve to live a bit and see the world before settling down. I don't want to be pressured into it. I don't want to do this before we're ready and then regret it later."

"You're assuming it will be a mistake, that it isn't going to end well."

"What will a piece of paper change? It won't change how we feel about each other and it won't change our being each other's family."

"Ok fine!" Ri said with some exasperation and her eyes were pleading to be understood. "I know all that. Yes, we don't have to. But to me, marriage has meaning and I just want to. I understand if you're not ready yet and I won't push you. But I still want to get married some day."

"Then yes, we will. Some day, when it's the right time. We'll get married and you can look gorgeous wearing your white floofy marshmallow of a dress and I'll stand up in front of everyone and promise to love, honour, and obey you... Wait, scratch that last one." Em grinned.

"Yes, I have no hope of getting you to do that." Ri gave her a wry glance.

"Sure you do. Just ask me to do something I already want to do."

Ri was ready with a challenge and she gave her order. "Kiss me. Long and hard."

They were both grinning when Em tilted Ri's chin and obliged her with exactly what she had asked for. The kiss was open-mouthed from the start, firm and demanding. She tried to lace her fingers with Ri's hand but instead the other girl grabbed fistfuls of her jumper to pull her close. She wasn't going to let her get away either. Their sweet little tug-o-war could have gone on forever.

Em ran out of breath so she had to break first. She buried her face in Ri's neck to leave smacking kiss noises there and then Ri got the giggles.

"Em, we're in public," she whispered.

"It's dark."

"Yes, but-"

"We just got engaged. It's expected."

Ri smiled like she wanted to cry happy tears. "We are? We're really engaged?"

"We're about to be engaged in something," Em quipped.

"Later, at home. Let's finish our night-time stroll first."

"See? You don't have to put a ring on my finger to give me orders, you're getting me to do what you want right now..."

They started walking again, quietly talking about anything and everything. Or sometimes lapsing into comfortable silences and enjoying the stillness of the darkened streets of suburban Storybrooke. With the pressure of the topic of marriage relieved they were more at ease with each other and Ri seemed far less devastated than Em expected she would have been about putting off the question of marriage until they were older. Maybe, being a sheltered girl from another world, Ri liked being able to do the asking for once, instead of sitting around at home being waited upon or drinking tea until someone eligible was arranged to take her off her parents' hands. Regina certainly enjoyed being the one in control and having a hand in her own destiny.

Once they arrived at the park Ri led her over to a bench so they could sit and cuddle for a while. There was a little scuffle over who was going to be the hugger and who was going to be the huggee. It was a to-and-fro that they'd had a few times before and Em liked the fact that they could swap roles every now and again. She usually ended up in the stronger positions but secretly she loved it when Ri got fiercely protective of her and, most especially, of the baby. Tonight, Em lost the scuffle but her consolation prize was leaning back into Ri's arms and being held. She was really starting to get used to having that melty loved-up feeling available whenever she wanted it.

Knowing that at least she was giving her baby over to someone like Ri made her feel a little less heartbroken over the decision. The promise of "some day" was something they both would both have to hold onto, until the three of them were reunited in the future. Some day we'll be together again. Some day I'll have my son back. Some day we'll get married...

Ri slipped her hand under Em's shirt to rest on her bare tummy and draw circles. She then spent the next fifteen minutes asking her all about how she was feeling and reassuring her about how beautiful and desirable she was. Someone has been on the google again, Em thought to herself. She had seen the pages that Ri had been looking at in her phone's internet browser history - guides for dads-to-be and advice on being emotionally supportive to one's pregnant spouse.

Poor Ri. She was trying so hard to be supportive. She neither fit the bill for an expectant mother nor a father-to-be. All of the attention was falling on Em with regards to the pregnancy and Em knew that Ri must have feelings of her own about it that she was bottling up inside. Not the least of which was the question of what her connection to the child actually turned out to be. Luckily it didn't take much prodding to get her to open up. All it ever took for the deluge to start was for someone to ask...

"I feel left out," Ri confessed. "You and the baby have a special bond already that I'm not a part of. I thought maybe I could give him my name and protect your reputation, since that's all I can do for you both right now."

"You're not left out and you are doing so much for us already."

"But I feel so useless!"

"Do you know how you've saved me? Before I told you about the baby I was miserable when I thought I was doing this alone. You're always going out of your way to put me first and to make me feel special. I've literally never had anyone do that for me before. If I know what it is to be truly loved it's only because of you. The baby knows you love him too, just ask him."

Ri tried not to pout and failed. "He can't talk yet. You said he's only the size of a jellybutton."

"Jellybean."

"That's what I meant! I did! I know what those are. They're sugary confections in the garb of coloured legumes. I also know how the internet works, I can safely manage all of the home appliances, and thanks to Henry I know more about The Fantastic Four than is strictly necessary. I've been here in this world long enough now, you can't accuse me of being a martian with any degree of accuracy any more."

"You are sweeter than all the things, Ri."

"I am not! I'm - wait, what? ... Oh. You're laughing at me."

Em snickered. "I might be."

She fidgeted in her spot and something dug into her back. It was that box again reminding her of its presence. Em reached into the pocket of Ri's dress and got a playful slap on the wrist for her trouble. She turned over her shoulder to face her. "Hey, what'sat for? I want to see what's in that box you've been hiding all night."

Ri raised her chin loftily. "You didn't want it remember? You'll have to wait now. How frustrating for you to have to wait several decades for it."

"As if I've got the patience for that. Come on, show me what's in the box."

"Mn-mn." Ri shook her head once.

"Show me!" Em started tickling Ri by squeezing her thigh until the other teen caved. She retrieved the small black velvet box and held it out on her palm. The spring of the lid opened with a soft creak. A bridal set rested in the pillow: a gold engagement ring with a green stone and a plain flat gold wedding ring that matched. The too nestled together and fit perfectly with one another by design.

"It's ok if you don't like it..." mumbled Ri.

Em smiled. "I do, it's pretty. But you know what I'm like with jewelry - not good. Here, I got an idea."

She took the set and separated the two parts: she slid the ring onto Ri's finger and then pulled her necklace out from under her shirt and put the gold ring on the chain to wear around her own neck. As soon as they both had their half, each girl realised without voicing it that they had seen their older selves wearing the same jewelry. But they hadn't noticed before, not until just this moment after they'd acquired the gold pieces for themselves. It was a little secret to keep for themselves.

Emma and Regina didn't have memories of coming to Storybrooke and so they didn't remember getting engaged as teenagers or anything else that had happened between them. They each still wore their engagement jewelry without knowing its significance. Even so, Em wondered if their lookalikes had gotten around to the question of marriage yet. After all, they were old and boring. What else was there left for them to do in life?

"You're not still upset, are you?" Em asked her, a little concerned after Ri was quiet and thoughtful for a while.

Ri's answer was a soft, "No."

"Yes, you are. I always know when you're lying."

"I've been thinking of something else I want to do. I can trust you with anything can't I?"

"Yes."

Ri bit her lip and voiced her request. "I'd like you come with me to my parents' graves."


108 Mifflin Street

The car ride home was only a short trip but Regina and Emma had spent the time discussing the border crisis further. They were still no closer to having even half a strategy for dealing with it than they had been at the very first Council meeting many weeks ago. But something had to be done soon.

"Otherwise my parents will lose their memories," Emma was saying as they entered the house. "They'll forget me permanently this time. I only just found them. I can't lose them again."

"That won't happen," said Regina. She dropped her keys alongside Emma's on the side table in the foyer. "Despite what the War Council says about you being the leader you don't have to do this alone. We both have magic so perhaps there's a way to use our magic."

"But how? I didn't want to be the Saviour or anything. I didn't even realise I had magic powers until last year. I have no idea about any of it."

"I think it's time we asked for help. We need to ask Mr Gold. He has been far too hidden away lately to not be plotting something."

Emma noticed the house was completely silent and she couldn't magically detect anyone. "Hey, Regina. Where are the girls?"

"Hm, I don't know. They were supposed to be at home tonight."

Regina went upstairs to check the girls' bedrooms in case they were sequestered away for some alone time.

Emma looked around, scanning for clues with the trained eye of someone used to tracking down sneaky people who did not want to be found. The downstairs lights had been switched on upon entering but the house was empty apparently. The dining table was still set and the dishes were resting on the sink waiting to be washed. It looked like the girls had a nice dinner date at home by themselves and then went out.

In the kitchen, Emma picked up one of the used bowls from the sink and stared at it as though it held the key to all of life's questions. That was how Regina found her when she returned.

"Ri left a note on our bed," said Regina, holding up a small piece of notepaper with neat handwriting visible on it. "The girls went for a late-night stroll."

"Do you see this?" said Emma. She swiped her index finger on the inside of the bowl and tasted it on her tongue. "Chocolate icecream. With cinnamon."

"Fascinating. Would you like to lick the rest of them clean or shall I load the dishwasher instead."

"This is Em's dessert bowl and that one is Ri's because it's vanilla. They didn't eat it all. Em would never turn down icecream or leave any untouched. Maybe they decided to go out before dessert was finished for some reason. And this bowl of chocolate icecream has a half-eaten celery stick in it."

Regina crossed her arms with some impatience, waiting for her to get to the point. "What does that mean besides a pair of teenagers making a mess of their food?"

"Greens, nothing but greens..." Emma murmured to herself and then looked up at Regina with a troubling revelation in her eyes.

"It means that Em is pregnant."