Emma had off but to her annoyance still had to wake up early for a meeting. It was Regina's meeting with the – so far, elusive – adoption social worker, Alison Bostwick.
According to the obsessive, late night research Regina had been doing, they would be seeing a lot of each other. And Regina didn't like the thought of that without even formally meeting the woman.
Which left Emma to deal with a lot of nerves.
She reached out, placing a hand on Regina's knee to stop the fidgeting.
"Regina, its fine. Everything is going to be fine," Emma said, in a second attempt to get her to relax.
Maddox was already squirming in Regina's lap, growing tired of the tight hold Regina had around her waist. Emma pulled Maddox from her grasp placed her in the chair on her left side.
The action earned her more points with Maddox and got her a look of outrage from Regina.
"Hey, relax. You don't have anything to worry about. Meetings are mandatory."
Regina looked around her to see Maddox lounging comfortably in the chair beside Emma with Mr. Waffles squished between them.
"I got lucky with Jaime. She's kind and agreeable…but-"
"But what, Gina? We haven't even met the lady yet."
"I have a feeling," Regina insisted. Emma tried not to roll her eyes and leaned over to kiss Regina's temple.
The door across from them opened and Emma felt Regina tense again at the woman who stepped out of the small office. It was a big contrast from Maddox's reaction – completely unimpressed by being able to skip school but still having to wake up early to go somewhere boring.
"Miss Mills?"
Regina stood up from her chair, Emma following, and offered her hand to the other woman.
"Alison Bostwick," she said as she shook Regina's hand. Her eyes shifted to Emma and offered her hand. "You must be Emma Swan."
"It's nice to meet you," Emma said with a slight smile. She tucked her hands into her pockets shortly after.
"Likewise," Bostwick said. Her eyes cut to Maddox in the chair behind Emma. "And it's good seeing you again, Maddox."
Maddox offered up a small, "Hi."
"How are you doing this morning?"
"Bored."
"Of course, you are." Emma chuckled. Regina reached into her purse, coming out with a newly sealed Rubik's Cube and handed it to Emma. "We have the cure to your boredom, Chipmunk."
Bostwick noticed the immediate excitement Maddox had for the puzzle. Her brow furrowed as she watched Emma pop it out of the packaging and handed it to Maddox.
"Don't solve this one too fast, baby girl," Emma said. She kissed the top of her head and Maddox in grinned as if she didn't plan on listening to her. But, as usual, she needed to look innocent and adorable as a trap.
"We'll be just in my office. The door will be open," Bostwick said. She motioned for Regina and Emma to follow her inside.
Maddox nodded but quickly busied busied herself with the Rubik's cube the moment they stepped into the office.
"Unfortunately, you have arrived at the hard paperwork stage of adoption. My job is to ensure that this is the best and safest permanent placement for Maddox," Bostwick said. Over the frames of her glasses she noticed Regina's left-hand tense and Emma slipped her hand into hers. "Is everything all right, Miss Mills?"
"She's worried," Emma answered.
"About?" The woman looked between them with expressionless features that only made Regina certain this woman hated her.
"Jaime was very nice and…understanding," Emma said. "Regina is maybe worried that things would possibly go downhill now that she's off the case."
"My concern is not that you're in a relationship with each other. Like Mrs. Marvel, my job is to ensure that we are leaving Maddox in a safe, loving home. So, I would find it concerning if you were worried about that."
"No. Not that. We're fully committed to Maddox," Emma said.
"I'm just afraid of being so deep into this adoption and having Maddox so ingrained into our family but then being rejected."
"If you've done everything right then there's nothing to worry too much about. Typically, the adoption process becomes a much more complicated mess when there are birth parents to deal with. In your case, that isn't a problem."
"I've never heard anything about her birth parents," Emma said. It had not really crossed her mind before but now she recalled Regina never brought it up. "Are they-"
"Her birth parents are deceased."
Emma glanced to the woman beside her who stayed silent, lips pursed. She suddenly looked very troubled. "What happened to them?"
She looked up at Bostwick across from them. She was seemingly disinterested in the topic. Emma and Regina alike found it hard to tell her overall demeanor. She either looked neutral or unimpressed by everything but they could never figure out which was which. And that was reasonably unsettling.
"Murder-suicide," Regina murmured. "If I recall correctly, her birth mother had schizophrenia and her father was a lawyer with a growing drinking problem. It happened in the street of their neighborhood."
"Where was Maddox when this happened?" Emma questioned, ignoring the prickling of anxiety on her neck.
"Sleeping in the house."
The woman cleared her throat, a slight sympathetic look crossing her face and quickly vanishing. "Maddox was 8 months old at the time. As far as we know there shouldn't be anything she'd remember from that night. She had no exposure."
Regina sighed, shaking her head.
There was a reason she'd never mentioned it. Jaime had been very gentle in telling her and even that was still too much for her to handle. They never spoke about it other than the one time. And here, she tried not to be so blunt.
Emma still looked distraught. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Her eyes fell on Maddox messing around with the Rubik's Cube without a care in the world. She frowned deeply as what if's and hypotheticals started floating around in her head.
"She's here, Emma." Regina squeezed her hand. "She's here with us right now. And that's what's important."
"I realize how heavy this can weigh on the mind. So, it's all the more important to make sure everything is in order to ensure Maddox has the right home," Bostwick said. "With the both of you."
Emma nodded. "Can I ask why she was put in the system?"
"Her parents were Italian immigrants. They moved here with no other family," Bostwick explained, removing her glasses. "Child custody is very tricky, domestically, but when it involves two different countries it becomes immeasurably difficult. There was a lot of back and forth at first but by the time she'd turned 2 years old, discussions had failed and the families were no longer interested in taking custody of her."
"No one would ever know how rough she's had it," Emma said.
"That means you've done something right," she replied, "Now, I wanted to use this first meeting to make sure all the paperwork is up to date so we'll be able to officially push it aside."
For the first time ever Emma liked the idea of paperwork.
"I can't stop thinking about it," Emma said as they walked back into the station. Having barely a donut for breakfast left them hungry long before their official lunch break. "That's a crappy way to lose your birth parents."
"That might be why Regina never mentioned it to you, Emma," David said. He glanced at Maddox asleep on his shoulder, double checking that she was still sleeping after having passed out for a nap after a filling lunch. "It's a heavy situation. And though it brought you together, one day she'll ask and…well, you'll have to be gentle. But still honest."
"Is it too much to hope she'll never ask about it?"
David gave her a look, signaling that it would be an impossible hope. Emma sighed and looked over at Maddox's sleeping face. Her father reached out and touched her cheek. "You have a lot more years to go before you get there, Em. Enjoy these little years."
"I know." Emma took Maddox from his arms with the intention of heading for her office. "I'm going to let her sleep off her French fry coma while I get some paperwork done for Belle."
"Reports won't file themselves," David said.
"Yeah, Belle will fry us if that paperwork isn't done."
They both stopped in their tracks, stumbling upon the supposed to be empty roll call room. No hungover Leroy in sight. But Mulan was still at her desk – with a visitor.
Mulan and Mal pulled away from each other at the sound of someone entering the room. Mulan dropped her eyes to the documents on her desk. At Emma's surprised expression, Mal smirked. She swiped at her skirt as she sat on the edge of Mulan's desk.
"How are you doing, Sheriff?" Mal asked as if her well-kept secret had not just been revealed.
David looked between the three women before shaking his head. He continued walking to his desk and said, "This doesn't concern me. I'll be busy working."
Emma rolled her eyes at him and said to Mal, "I'm fine. Finally figured it out."
"Seems so. But it wasn't really a secret," Mal said. Mulan looked between her boss and the woman perched on her desk. "I'm assuming you hadn't considered the possibility before now."
"Not even a little," Emma said, "I never thought about it because I didn't think you guys really knew each other…or you were possibly enemies."
"I'm sure it seems odd," Mulan murmured. "Considering everything with Aurora and her family…"
"Hey, look..." Emma shrugged. "I'm sharing two kids with Regina and there was a lot of crap between her and my parents. I'm not in position to judge. But you're happy?"
Mulan glanced up at Mal and received a small smile, slightly unsure but comforting. "I am," she replied.
"That's all that matters then." Emma adjusted Maddox in her arms, pressing her hand to her back instinctively and walked toward her office. She paused at the door and turned back to the pair. "And…as a friend I have to warn you, Mal, that there will be problems if you break her heart. But, you know, I'm still scared of you so…I'll send Regina to fight you in my place."
"That's absolutely fair," Mal said, sounding a touch amused by the threat.
"Good. Take your lunch break, Mulan," Emma said as she disappeared behind the blinds of her office windows. She laid Maddox down on the newly added, two-seater couch inside. The girl stirred but settled down by the time Emma stretched out a blanket over her small form.
She sat down at her desk and immediately pulled out her phone instead of getting to work. Ruby probably figured out the Mulan and Mal thing days ago. But Regina couldn't have known yet. Unless she'd suspected something before Storybrooke happened.
Emma: Hey
Regina: Hey yourself. Anything wrong?
Emma: i have news i think
Regina: Bad news? Is something wrong?
Are you okay?
Maddox?
Emma snorted at the series of messages. She didn't think it was possible for anyone to be more panicky than Snow White, but it seemed Regina could take the cake.
E: we're fine
R: Okay. So, what is the news?
E: Mal is seeing someone
R: I'm aware.
E: U know who
R: No. Why?
E: its mu lan!
they were holding hands n' stuf when we came bck from lunch
R: That is interesting.
E: ikr! mal said it wasnt even a secret but tbh who would even guess that?
R: I'll pretend I know what 'IKR' means. And you forgot your apostrophe. But, yes that wouldn't have been my first guess. As long as they're happy together.
E: They said they were happy together
Don't correct my texting Regina
R: That's much better.
E: You're a pain
R: Then call me next time so I don't have to correct you – as much.
E: Always this with you
Goodbye woman Paint me a sunset or something and stop judging my text abbreviations
R: Well you spelled abbreviation correctly.
E: Regina…
R: I can paint you a sunset.
E: XO
She put her phone down, ready to tackle paperwork for Belle before she got her ass handed to her.
But her phone buzzed again.
R: Your punctuation, however, still needs work, honey.
"I'm so glad you could join us for a session, Emma," Jaime said as other parents filed out of the room or mingled over coffee.
"Yeah." Emma shrugged. "I'm normally resistant but…I'm finding I'll do literally anything if Regina tells Maddox to give me puppy eyes."
"I think most people would cave, so don't feel too bad." Jaime patted her shoulder. "I still appreciate that you gave it a try. Hopefully, you'll come back again without coercion."
"I don't know... I don't do well with public speaking. As you saw earlier."
"You did great. And everyone could really benefit from the uncommon perspective you have."
"Uncommon?" Emma frowned.
"Really?" Jaime snorted. "How many people do you think I run into that had their child adopted, the child finds them again years later, they fall in love with the adoptive parent, and now they're adopting another child together? It's not common. I almost want to say it's never happened before…ever."
Emma tried not to look terrified about that but her chuckle was more strained than she wanted.
"I wouldn't say ever. There's a lot of people in the world."
"You have a point. Most uncommon I've ever seen," Jaime said. She waved at a set of parents making their exit. "Actually, you and Regina are the most interesting couple I've ever met.
"I wouldn't doubt it," Emma murmured, glancing to Regina across the room. She was having a conversation with a man she didn't catch the name of and Regina didn't seemed to want an excuse to leave. "I suppose will give some thought to coming back."
"I will take that," Jaime said. "You know...you two are ready cute together."
Emma offered a slight grin and took a drink at her forgotten coffee. It was still a little hot, but its peak had long passed. Before she could even make a face at it, Jaime grabbed Emma's forceful enough to nearly knock her coffee out of her hand.
"I almost forgot. I've been meaning to invite you and Regina over for dinner. You guys haven't met Marco. And you haven't officially met Samson."
"Who's Samson?" Emma questioned.
"Our dog. Maddox loves him."
"I don't know if Regina will like that. She already tries to avoid being around Maddox and animals at the same time. I think it's just a matter of time before Maddox use the puppy eyes on her and asks for pet."
"Regina will cave," Jaime said.
"Yep." Emma confirmed. "She will cave so hard, we'll have two dogs and a cat…and a bunny."
Jaime laughed.
She'd been vaguely familiar with Regina's stoic, prickly side and she could believe that under normal circumstances, Regina had no problem telling anyone 'no'. However, she was all too familiar with the softer, friendlier side of the woman. Could absolutely imagine Regina giving into Maddox's request with just the bat of her eyelashes.
"I wouldn't complain. I'm already prepared to be doing all the work," Emma said, "Dinner sounds great, by the way."
"Wonderful. Um, you have a day in mind?"
"I read somewhere that double dates on Valentine's Day keep your relationship fresh."
"Hm. I haven't but I'll take your word for it."
"Take your word for what?" Regina questioned, finally reappearing to them.
Emma leaned into her and slipped a hand around her back. "Dinner with Jaime and Marco. Just the four of us."
"I will make sure Samson is on his best behavior," Jaime offered. "His fascination with garbage has passed…mostly."
Emma groaned in frustration, dropping her forehead to the cold marble of the island. "I don't like bringing paperwork home," she said, muffled.
"Technically, I brought it home," Regina said from her spot on the couch.
She found herself there more often than she expected. She decided against arranging one of the rooms as an office for herself so she found herself relaxing a lot. If she wasn't painting, the couch was a comfortable go-to. Especially when she wanted to just sit and read, it was the perfect spot.
Emma lifted her head and collected the papers in front of her. She plopped herself down next to Regina and slouched into the cushions. "I don't like paperwork no matter who brought it home."
"You have no problem signing Maddox's school documents," Regina said. She peered over at the page Emma was on, eyes darting away when Emma looked over at her.
"They have glitter stars on them."
Emma watched Regina tap her pen against the page laying on the coffee table. It was same page she had been on 15 minutes ago, while Emma had surpassed her. "Are you still on the first page? Regina-"
"What did you write?"
"What do you mean?" Emma frowned. She sat forward pushing her stuff away and grabbed the paper. "Why are you still on this question?"
"What did you write down?" Regina questioned, eyes darting to Emma's forms.
"That I'm your girlfriend. What else am I supposed to write?"
"Just like that? That's what you wrote?"
"Yes. I mean I can write fiancée or wife, if you want, but I'm sure at that point we'll need legal documents to prove it." Regina remained quiet for a moment and Emma shook her head with a fond smile. "Hey, you don't have to overthink anything. We're together and Bostwick said it's not an issue."
"It just feels like she doesn't like me very much."
"I think that's just her face, babe. I'm sure she likes you."
Regina sighed, seemingly unconvinced. "You have to say that. We're together."
"Yes, we're dating and I'm just so crazy in love with you…but I'm not being biased. I'm certain that's her resting expression, so just relax." Emma leaned over and kissed her cheek, lingering a moment before pulling away. "Just write that I'm your girlfriend on the paper and move on."
"I'm usually more level-headed than this," Regina murmured as she finally filled in that blank spot the moment Emma put the paper back.
"You're on break from being the mayor and you're learning to relax a little. The pressure of being expected to have all the answers is gone."
"You're not supposed to be the level-headed one in my place, Emma."
"You know I'm not level-headed. I thought Maddox got kidnapped when I woke up yesterday. She just went to the bathroom."
"Well, you're just an idiot," Regina said with a small smile. Emma bumped her shoulder, feigning offense.
"Your idiot," Emma whispered.
A disgruntled sound had them leaning away from each other, disrupting the kiss they both were thinking about. Maddox trudged in from upstairs and laid herself out over Regina's lap.
Regina, decidedly, pushed her forms aside and pulled Maddox upright in her lap. The girl just leaned forward, dropping her head against Regina's chest.
"What's wrong, Sprinkles?" Emma asked.
"Bored," Maddox murmured, "And hungry."
"Bored and hungry, huh?"
Maddox nodded against Regina's shoulder. She turned her head to look at Emma, looking fully comfortable in Regina's embrace. Especially, when Regina started to rub soft circles on her back. Maddox was likely not going to let go anytime soon if she didn't fall asleep first.
"Well, it's almost dinner time. I can cook," Emma suggested. She huffed when Regina raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah. I'll cook. And you two can finish the Lego castle in the playroom…or paint or something."
Regina's skeptical gaze followed her as she stood up, "What exactly are you preparing for dinner?"
"Uh, I don't know. What were you going to make?"
"I was going to check what we had and decide from there."
"Oh." Emma looked between the pair on the couch and the kitchen. "I guess I'll go do that and look up a recipe. Don't worry I won't get adventurous."
"I suppose that's fine." Regina glanced at Maddox, who was either daydreaming or dozing off. But her eyes met Regina's instantly, sparkling honey brown curious to know the cure to her boredom. "I know the three of you have your way of tossing away the instructions but if I'm to be any help in building this castle, I'll need you to find the manual."
"Legos?" Maddox questioned. Obviously, she hadn't paid any attention to their previous conversation. A sign that she was getting sleepy.
"We can build your Legos, darling."
"Okay." Maddox beamed. She slipped out of the warm embrace and took Regina's hand to tug her towards the playroom. "It's this way."
"I'm right behind you, baby."
Emma chuckled watching Regina be led away by a determined looking five year old. She wouldn't mention that it's entirely possible Henry threw the manual in the trash.
Because he was just like Emma and his grandfather and could figure it out without instructions.
However, for Emma, it was crucial she follow some instructions when it came to dinner.
"Don't burn down my kitchen, Emma Swan," Regina called out.
Emma hoped her innocent smile didn't look like a grimace because it certainly felt like it. She probably needed to double check the fire extinguisher before she got started.