Emma has been avoiding her, she's no fool and considering the woman was fine before she left for work, Regina can only assume that conversation with her boss didn't go so well. Especially, since Emma texted her well after the game was over to lie and say she was still working and then she didn't come home until after two in the morning. It was obvious that Emma was waiting for her to fall asleep, so they didn't have to talk.
What really killed Regina though, was that Emma stumbled in the house in the middle of the night and went straight into her room to hide out. Emma has slept in Regina's bed, every night, for the past two weeks and not having Emma next to her, hurt more than she thought imaginable.
So, whatever her boss had said had really shaken Emma up and the only logical explanation that Regina can come up with, is that Emma was fired. She's sure that Emma is panicking and doesn't want to tell her because she has just invested in the bakery and that will probably mean that Regina has to end the expansion. But that's okay with Regina. Losing her job is not something Emma has any control over and she wants to be supportive. She knows Emma is resilient and she will bounce back, but until then, Regina has no problem financially supporting her and making adjustments.
She just wishes Emma would be honest with her.
However, she decided that she was not going to push the issue, she was going to allow Emma to come to her on her own terms. She had to leave early this morning for work, out the door by five, so she's hoping that Emma has had a chance to think about her problem all day and will speak with her when she comes home before they attend some fall festival that all the neighbors have been bugging them about.
And of course, because fate is still paying top dollar to watch her suffer, she ran into Ivy this morning. Of all days. She had been going into the bakery later and avoiding the beautiful doctor, but this morning their worlds collided once again.
The gorgeous woman somehow appeared more stunning than usual and she was just as sweet and understanding, like their date never occurred at all and Regina didn't break things off with her. Ivy had kindly asked how Lennox was doing, how Regina was doing, purchased something new and then smiled like she was just waiting for Regina to realize she made a huge mistake and ask for a second chance.
Fuck the universe.
"Emma? Lennox? I'm home," she calls through the house as she kicks off her heels, placing her purse down on the end table.
"Okay, wait there! We have a surprise for you," Emma hollers back, which instantly brings a smile to Regina's face and all her worries vanish.
"Alright," she slowly says, mostly to herself. She takes a moment to roll her ankles, loosening the tension in her calves from a very long day at work. That's when she spots the cutest little duck waddling her way. "Oh my goodness, baby girl," she coos, squatting down with her arms wide open for Lennox to run in to.
Emma's cheerful laughter echoes through the home, filling Regina's heart with a warmth of love and happiness. This is home.
"Kid's cute, huh?" Emma chuckles as she follows in Lennox's footsteps.
Regina scoops up their goddaughter and really assesses her costume. "This is adorable," she compliments, taking in the fluffy yellow torso which resembles a pillow, to the little orange feet and yellow hat.
"I saw it in the store and couldn't resist. Plus, she kinda begged me for it."
"She begged you," Regina deadpans, eyeing Emma over Lennox's shoulder. "The one who cannot say more than hi?"
"She begged me with those big puppy eyes," Emma laughs, lightly caressing a chubby baby cheek. "Here, I'll take her, I'm sure you want to get changed before we go," she kindly offers, stealing Lennox back and again, carelessly holding her with one arm between the baby's legs, and her hand sprawled across her tiny tummy. Regina rolls her eyes.
"Yes, I need something more comfortable," she murmurs, quickly leaning forward to kiss Lennox's forehead before she steps around them and moves toward the stairs. Then she pauses. "Are you going to change Lennox?"
"Meh," Emma shrugs, "I think she can wear this. It's super cute and it will keep her warm. It is a Halloween festival."
"Halloween or fall?"
"I don't understand the difference," Emma deadpans.
Regina hums, smiling to herself as she heads upstairs, completely forgetting that Emma has yet to share some personal news with her.
XXX
Killian and Milah are actively hiding from their children. David is trying to keep up with their two rowdy boys while Mary Margret makes small talk with the neighbors. Belle is frantically bouncing their youngest while Ruby shares a corn on the cob with their oldest. Yet, all the adults have been eyeing Emma and Regina like they are a damn romantic-comedy movie, ever since they showed up at the festival.
"They are doing the deed," Killian announces first, sipping his apple flavored beer and then grimacing at the taste.
"I think you might be onto something," his wife says, tilting her head and watching as Regina reaches up to wipe away the donut powder clinging to the corner of Emma's mouth.
"You think?" Mary Margret curiously questions, leaning forward to see if maybe she can get a better view of the two women.
"Look at all those playful touches and longing looks," Belle adds on, swaying from side to side to calm her baby. "They are totally doing it."
"I think this is my week for the pool, right?" David asks as he tosses one child over his shoulder to keep him from running away, yet again.
"I think we need to figure out when this all happened? Because I said they would sleep together and not admit it," his wife firmly answers, very serious about winning this bet.
"We still need solid proof," Milah insists.
"Hold on." Belle places her hand over her daughter's ear and shouts for her wife. "Babe, come here."
Ruby holds out her hand for their other daughter and meets the small group conversing. "What's up?"
"What do you think?" Belle inquires, nodding toward the face painting section where Emma is holding Lennox in one arm and wrapping Regina up to convince her to get a face painting. Both women are grinning wildly, even though Regina is pretending to fight Emma away. "Are they finally sleeping together?"
"Oh hell yeah," Ruby chuckles. "The positions that Emma pins Regina-"
"Ruby!" Belle scolds, instantly slamming her wife's mouth shut.
"Wait, wait," Milah interrupts, sliding up next to Ruby for more gossip. "Who told you this? And what kind of positions are we talking about here?"
"Umm...maybe I shouldn't be talking about this," Ruby nervously replies, her eyes drifting back to where Emma is sitting in a chair with Lennox on her lap and some woman is painting her face while Regina smirks. "Emma was pretty hammered last night, she probably doesn't even remember telling me half the shit she did."
"But they are sleeping together?" Mary Margret reiterates, just to confirm.
"More than Christian Grey and his little submissive wife."
"Ruby!" Belle shouts, backhanding her wife.
XXXX
"Stop pouting," Emma demands, narrowing her eyes at the brunette scowling in a chair. "The kid is watching you."
Regina's frown instantly morphs into a broad smile for Lennox's sake. "Are you almost done?" She asks the painter through her clenched teeth, her plastic smile never faltering.
"All set," the woman happily announces, holding up a mirror to show off the black cat she transformed Regina's face into. "I hope you guys have a nice evening, thanks again," she politely says as Emma, the new and improved painted lion, slips some cash into the tip jar.
"Thank you," Emma says, leading the way toward a food cart. She leans into Regina's side and grins from ear to ear. "You look so adorable."
"I don't do adorable."
"You so pull off adorable. How about me? Am I fierce and ferocious as a lion?"
"As ferocious as baby Simba."
"You're evil."
"Don't I know it," Regina seductively flirts, her fingers moving to brush Emma's hair away from her shoulder and maybe skim across the nape of her neck, producing a wave of goosebumps in the process. "I do, however, love the little duck face she painted to match Lennox's outfit."
"I told you other kids would be dressed up."
Regina hums softly, refusing to admit that Emma is right. "I think we should eventually make our way to the neighbors. They have been gawking at us since we arrived like we are planning to steal from every vendor."
"Eh, let them gawk," Emma flippantly answers, shrugging her shoulder while readjusting Lennox upon her hip. "They're just jealous," she states with conviction, her finger and thumb latching onto Regina's chin and halting their moves.
"Emma," she drawls slowly in what she hopes comes off as a warning, but clearly she wasn't thorough enough because Emma's lips are delicately brushing against her own.
"Sorry, I thought we should make the show worth their wild," Emma teases against her lips before she slowly pulls away.
"Emma?"
Regina blinks, hearing an unfamiliar voice in a very close proximity to them. Her eyes crawl to her right, her attention already elsewhere and forgetting how Emma just kissed her in front of a crowd of people. She finds a brunette grinning at her blonde and she immediately feels a surge of jealousy blooming in her chest.
"Lily-hey-Lily...Regina this is Lily," Emma quickly introduces them. "Lily this is Regina."
"Ah, the famous Regina," Lily sweetly says, extending her hand politely and Regina doesn't hesitate to shake her hand, the former sensation lifting from her chest from the familiar name.
"Oh, right you work together, correct?" Regina kindly questions, remembering how many times Emma talked about her co-worker.
"Yeah-"
"Well, not for long now," Lily chuckles, lightly bumping her shoulder into Emma's. "Am I, right? Man, I can't believe you landed Phoenix. I am so proud of you. Honestly, if anyone deserves that promotion it's you."
Emma produces an audible gulp and Regina feels her soul drifting away from her body in that moment. She doesn't have to ask, she knows right then and there that Emma was offered a promotion, across the country, in Arizona...and she accepted.
"Uh-thanks, Lily. I...well, there are some things that I need to work out first," Emma stammers, her eyes darting to Regina to gauge her reaction, but the brunette refuses to allow one flicker of emotion register upon her face.
"What's there to work out? You hit the jackpot! You're the boss. You run the show, literally," Lily laughs even harder, but nobody is joining her and she immediately senses the tension. "Um, if you excuse me, I need to go catch up with my family. It was nice meeting you, Regina. See you around, Emma," she awkwardly says and books it out of there.
Regina doesn't say a word, she's too mortified that she might explode and cause a scene in front of the whole damn town, or even worse, she might just burst into tears. So, she clamps her mouth shut, reaches over and steals Lennox from Emma's arms, needing the baby to keep her grounded. Besides, she needs to get the hell out of there and she needs Lennox to keep her sanity.
"Regina, wait-"
"No, Miss Swan-"
"Miss Swan? Please don't do that," and she hears the pleading and quivering in Emma's voice, but she's too furious to feel guilty at the moment. "Regina, come on, wait. Let's talk about this," Emma calls after her, chasing her down the street. "Don't leave, don't take Lennox away, she was having fun."
Regina whirls around at this, her face hard, cold, more so than Emma has ever witnessed and she shrinks back.
"What's there to talk about? It seems you have already made your decision. Without Lennox...without me." She holds Lennox even closer to her chest and prays that her warmth will wash away the rage violently rushing through her veins. "So much for that future we were supposed to be working on," she scoffs under her breath to portray unaffected because she can feel the lump of tears swelling in the back of her throat.
She hates the way Emma is staring at her with those big puppy eyes, pleading for her to understand while simultaneously holding back the wetness clinging to those green eyes.
"Regina, it's not like that...I-I didn't even technically make my decision yet," Emma stammers, shoving her hands into the tiny front pockets of her jeans, expressing how nervous she truly is.
"Technically? So, what's your plan?"
"I don't know!" Emma bellows, speaking right over Regina. "I don't know, if this was a year ago, I would have jumped at this opportunity. I have been working so hard for this position. This is huge for me."
"Sounds to me like you already made your decision," Regina huffs again, turning around to stomp away, but Emma grips her elbow and spins her back around.
"Stop, will you please? I'm trying to talk about this."
"Oh, so now you want to talk," Regina sarcastically quips, yanking her elbow away and readjusting Lennox upon her hip. "Were you ever planning on telling me? Or were you just going to keep avoiding the subject until you packed up and left?"
"I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would blow up like this."
"But if you didn't say yes, yet and you didn't technically take the job, why would I be mad?" Regina innocently retorts, provoking Emma to scrub her hands down her face.
"Well you are, aren't you?" Emma exasperates.
"Yes, because you are going to move across the country and you avoided me last night and this morning, so you didn't have to tell me!" Regina shouts, causing Lennox to jump in her arms and whimper in fear. She lightly sways side to side to calm Lennox back down or maybe she's trying to calm herself down.
"That's because I didn't want to worry you, I know I can't take the promotion."
"But you want to." Emma doesn't say anything, but her face morphs into a grimace, her frown more prominent than ever. "Right, so how would this work?" She questions, motioning between them. "Were you going to ask us to go with you? Or just leave us behind?"
"I don't know," Emma whispers, her voice defeated as her shoulders sag. "I've never had to think for three people before, I barely made conscious decisions for myself before."
"This is exactly why I never gave you a chance," Regina growls, causing Emma to flinch. "You're the same selfish asshole that you have always been. It's always about you and your needs. Never considering anyone else."
"It's just a job offer, Regina."
"No, no it's not," she frantically rebuttals, right over Emma's declaration. "This is exactly what you have been waiting for, an out."
"That is not true!" Emma explodes which immediately sets Lennox off, her whimpering turning into full-blown tears.
Regina holds her closer to her chest, but her eyes are dark and cold, narrowing at Emma and still ready to proceed with their fight in the middle of the street. And neither one notices how their neighbors are still watching them.
"Yes, it is," Regina hisses, not wanting to upset Lennox any further. "You never wanted this, you never wanted to be here, you never wanted a child, you said so yourself. You still think of us as temporary, just like every other home in your life," Regina accuses, causing Emma's nostrils to flare and her face to harden as well.
"You think I'm not fully committed here? I gave up my place, my motorcycle, I even invested in your bakery!" Emma defends, taking an assertive step closer.
"I never asked you for that money!"
"I did it for you!" Emma shouts, provoking Lennox to cry even harder. "I did it to make you happy. I went out of my way, out of my comfort zone for you and Lennox just to play this freaking part!" And as the words leave her mouth, she winces, realizing that she just stepped over the point of no return.
"Play this part," Regina repeats, her voice cracking under the pressure. "That's what you think this is?" She whispers, rocking Lennox to stop those heart-wrenching cries.
"Welp, we are living in their house, raising their kid, sleeping together. We act like we are a freaking married couple, pretending to be a family, but we aren't!" Emma confesses, but then she strains to swallow, knowing before Regina even fires back, that she ran her mouth in the heat of the moment and said something she never truly meant.
"Were you pretending this whole time with Lennox?"
"What? No! I love Lennox."
"Ah, so just me," Regina breathlessly whispers as the pain of hurt and disappointment attacks her heart and steals her breath away.
"Regina-"
"You should take the job, Emma. It's exactly what you need in life, another opportunity to run away," Regina softly says, her voice lacking the bite she desperately needs in the moment because of the cold, hard truth.
And with that, she storms away, holding Lennox close and leaving behind the blonde who is struggling to wrap her head around their argument in front of the whole neighborhood.
Regina rushes back toward their house, so thankful that the festival was in the middle of their street and she can easily get home. She slams the door behind her and hastily rocks Lennox to calm her back down.
"I am so so sorry Lennox," she coos, holding her especially tight this evening. "I'm so sorry, baby girl," she vows and then, without her permission, her own tears trickle down her cheeks.
And she's unaware of time as she weeps with Lennox in her arms, so unsure if she's crying because she royally screwed things up for Lennox or because she just lost someone she truly is in love with. She half expects Emma to find her crying in the living room with Lennox in her arms, when she finally returns.
Emma said she will always return, she sometimes just needs some time and space to clear her head.
Except, this time, Emma doesn't return. Regina waits up all night for Emma to come home, so they can talk this out, but she never comes back. And when the sun finally comes up the next morning, Regina is well aware that Emma made her decision regarding the future and she is not a part of it.