So sorry for the long delay. I fell down a deep dark hole of writers block.
Chapter 16 The Art Fair
Days turned to weeks and soon enough the day of the school art fair had arrived. Booths were set up outside displaying all sorts of different artwork. Streamers and balloons were put up as well. There was a generous table filled with punch, pizza, sandwiches, snacks and candies. It was early in the afternoon. School had let out early for the fair, so that meant Regina had to cancel her afternoon class. She only ever canceled her classes if the reason was for Henry. Emma was on her way soon. She was just wrapping up some stuff at the station. She walked through all the displays, marvelling at some of them. Some were creative and extremely well done, while other projects looked as if they could have definitely used more time to be worked on. Nevertheless, they were all amazing.
That was when she heard it.
That irritating high pitch voice that made her blood boil. Her heart rate sped up and she clenched her fists. Of course Mary Margaret was by Henry's display. She stood rooted to her spot, hesitating to go over. She wanted to be there with Henry but that damn girl was hovering around the display like a vermin. And to make it worse David was there with her and she felt a tight uneasiness in her chest. She was still nervous around him.
"Mom! Over here!" Henry spotted her and was waving at her. She jumped a little and took a breath to compose herself. She tried to control the anger flowing through her veins.
She walked over, not making eye contact with the younger woman.
"Hi, Regina. I'm so glad you could make it," she smiled.
"Of course I would," she sneered. "Why would you think I wouldn't." She hugged her son and marveled at his work. He had stuck to his drawings after all. He displayed his fairytale characters however he left out the drawings of the Good Queen and her Knight.
"They're so beautiful Henry," she praised him, hugging him once more. She was so proud of him. She nearly forgot about the unwanted company until the younger woman spoke.
"He's very talented."
She closed her eyes in frustration before turning to look at the other woman. David seemed to have sensed the tension between the two because he was steering Henry away to another booth.
"Yes, he is. Is there a particular reason you're trying to make small talk with me?"
"I just want to know how you're doing. I haven't seen or spoke to you since the morning in the diner. I'm sorry that I upset you."
Regina let out a sigh of frustration. She didn't want to do this here. She didn't want to cause a scene and ruin the fair for Henry. So she swallowed her anger and tried to be the bigger person.
"I'm fine," she said, her tone clipped and closed off. Her eyes suddenly averted and Mary Margaret looked at her in concern as she emotionally closed herself off to her.
"Regina, I know I overstepped. I shouldn't have asked you to be in my wedding. I know we're not there yet and should have been more considerate."
"Thank you for the apology, but see that's just it. You and I will never be there. Nothing you do or say will change anything." She spoke with so much venom in her words that Mary Margaret took a step back. Her eyes misted over as she looked at the woman she had loved so dearly so long ago and still does.
"I understand," she whispered, her voice shaking. Regina could see her eyes welling up with tears and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I just… I have something I need to attend to in my classroom."
She briskly walked away passing by a concerned David. Henry was too occupied in marveling over the Venn diagrams to notice the sudden tension. He walked over to Regina and she took a step back.
"What did you say to her?" He asked, his eyes flickering in the direction his fiancée disappeared to.
"Why do you assume it's something I said?" She sneered with the same venom in her voice as when she spoke to Mary Margaret. David gave her a look and she huffed in annoyance. She could see the deputy losing patience. She took another step back, something close to fear stirring in her belly. She shoved her suddenly shaking hands in her coat pocket.
"I know you two won't get over your differences, but it's not an excuse to be so rude to her," he told her, his eyes flashing and then he rushed after the upset school teacher. Regina scoffed at his audacity and then looked over to where Henry was watching her with wide eyes. To her dismay, Emma was beside him. No doubt she saw the whole exchange.
"Give us a sec kid," Emma said to Henry and then walked over to a stunned Regina.
"I'm not apologizing to her," the fiery brunette growled out when Emma approached her.
"I wasn't asking you to," Emma said calmly. She didn't see the whole exchange. She had just walked up to Henry when she noticed him watching David tell Regina off. In fact she was a little shocked. David was always so patient and understanding with Regina no matter how nasty she got with his fiance or how nervous she was in his presence. "What happened?"
"Mary Margaret and I had some words."
Well that explains it, Emma thought. "Look, let's not ruin Henry's day. He's been talking about this non stop. Do you need a moment?"
"No," Regina took a breath, letting go of the anger that had rooted inside her. "I'm sorry if I caused a scene." She brushed a piece of dark hair behind her ear with a shaking hand and Emma immediately caught it. She took her hands and looked into anxious dark eyes.
"Breathe," she said softly, not liking how anxious she was becoming. David's frustration wasn't lost on Emma or the fact that it had triggered Regina. She didn't blame either of them. She just wanted to calm the suddenly shaking woman before her.
At that moment Henry suddenly rushed over and hugged his mother, causing her to let go of Emma's hands. "Mom, are you ok?" he asked worriedly. She gave him a small smile.
"Yes, sweetheart, I'm sorry," she said, genuinely sounding ashamed that she had let things escalate when she hadn't meant to.
"Hey, kid why don't you show us your work?" Emma asked, wanting to steer Regina onto a safer topic. Henry happily bounded over to the table where his drawings were displayed. It seemed to work because mother and son became immersed with not only Henry's booth but all the others.
Emma actually took a moment to slip away, kissing Regina's cheek and whispering she was going to find a bathroom. She wanted to check in on her friend. She headed to the classroom, hoping the school teacher was still there. She didn't see what happened but from the look on David's face, she guessed Regina had said something to hurt his fiance. He's never lost his patience with Regina before. The hostility between the two women seemed to be getting worse. Regina flared up just at the mention of Mary Margaret.
She walked in to see Mary Margaret pacing by her desk, clearly upset. David was trying to talk her down.
"I don't know what else to do!" the brunette practically sob, sounding on the verge of frustrated tears. "We're getting worse. Her anger towards me is escalating and I don't even know how to fix this."
"Hey, look at me," he said, stepping in front of her and stopping her pacing. He took her hands. "She's angry. She's hurt and I know right now seems impossible that you two could ever reconcile, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on her."
"How are you so patient with her? She's terrified of you."
"I wasn't today," he admitted with a sigh.
Emma took that opportunity to knock on the threshold of the door, causing the couple to look at her.
"Emma?" Mary Margaret looked at her in surprise.
"Hey, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I didn't exactly see what happened."
"Just Regina being Regina," Mary Margaret's voice shook with a threatening sob. David placed a comforting hand on her back. "It's getting worse Emma. I don't expect to ever be friends or anything more. But I at least want to be civil with each other."
"I know she's getting worse with you. And David, I don't blame you for losing your patience when you've been nothing but patient. Her anger towards you is escalating and I don't know what to do."
"A session with Archie maybe?" Even as the words tumbled from her mouth, Mary Maragret was still unsure of the idea. "With the both of us together."
"That sounds like a recipe for disaster," David said.
"At this point what other choice do we have? Either we try or we could consider just moving out of town."
Both the Sheriff and the deputy looked at the school teacher in shock.
"This is your home. Henry is your family. You're just going to move out of his life? He loves you guys," Emma stated, reeling from the idea of her first genuine friend moving from Storybrooke
"We'd be moving our whole lives," David realized, just as shocked as Emma.
"Regina thinks I ruined her life. If I wasn't there at that party that night, she would have never been on that road. We would have never got into that accident and Daniel would have been alive. Her life would have been different. She would have been happy. She never would have been forced to marry my father."
"But Cora was the one that sold her to him," Emma reminded her.
"Because my father blackmailed them all because I was hurt and he thought he was going to lose me like he lost my mother. Emma, maybe it's best if we just leave."
"That's running away," Emma stated.
"No," the brunette disagreed. "I can't force her to let go of the past. I can't force her to forgive me or even so much as have a civil conversation. Maybe this is it."
"But you were like sisters."
"Those girls don't exist anymore," she sadly realized and then looked at David. "I know moving is a big change, but let's at least consider it after the wedding."
"Let's schedule a session with Archie and then we'll consider other options," he said, taking her hands and squeezing them. He looked so defeated. Moving was the last thing any of them wanted. He then looked at Emma. "Will she even agree to it?"
"Honestly no, but we still have to try."
Emma made it back to Henry and Regina without casting suspicion as to why she was gone so long. They had been so occupied by the different displays to notice she was gone longer than she should have been. Emma tried to share along in their enthusiasm but it was difficult. Her mind wasn't here. She was worrying about having to talk to Regina about what she had just discussed with David and Mary Margaret. It wasn't going to end well. Regina's anger towards the younger brunette flared up even at just the mention of her name. She also knew this anger had to be addressed.
Regina seemed to have picked up on her concern because she kept glancing over at her worriedly. It wasn't her until her hands started shaking did Emma discreetly pull her aside when Henry was distracted.
"Are you upset with me?" Regina asked right away.
"No," she assured her. "Let's talk when we get home. Let's not ruin Henry's day."
"Emma…" She looked so scared and Emma realized what was going on here. Regina was terrified of getting in trouble. She knew this was a result of Leopold "putting her in her place". She needed to reassure her even if she really was feeling frustrated over the whole Mary Margaret scenario.
"Ok, I'm going to be honest with you. I didn't go to the bathroom. I went to go check in on Mary Margaret and David."
"What?" Regina hissed.
"She was upset," Emma explained. "And she has a right to feel upset just like you have a right to be angry at her, but Regina it's starting to get worse. Don't you see that?"
Regina shook her head, her eyes full of hurt as if Emma had betrayed her.
"I'm not telling you this to hurt you. I'm just worried. We could try having a session with Archie so you two could have professional guidance."
"What if I don't want to," Regina asked, her voice shaking.
"Well then we won't go through with it. You have a choice here Regina and I won't ever take that from you, but the anger needs to be addressed."
Regina took a deep breathe as if she were trying to ground herself. Emma could see her letting go of the frustration as she looked into worried green eyes.
"Can I think about this first when I'm in a better headspace?" she asked quietly.
Emma nodded, noticing how she addressed her state of mind. That had to account as more progress. She then realized Regina had shoved her hands in her pocket, a sign they had been shaking. She was anxious and Emma reached out to soothe her. She gently took her gloved hands from her coat and squeezed them.
"I'm not upset with you," she whispered, wanting to assure her that no one was here to punish her for letting her anger over Mary Margaret consume her. Leopold wasn't here to "put her in her place" whenever he felt she stepped out of line. Regina looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "Regina?"
"I was out of line. I'm sorry." It sounded so robotic as if she was accustomed to apologizing.
"Look at me Gina," Emma whispered, wanting her to snap out of whatever dark mindset she suddenly fell into. Dark eyes slowly looked up. "Whatever Leopold ingrained in you whenever you act like the tough Professor Mills I first met, is wrong. I think he was intimidated by you and that's why he always knocked you down. You're a strong powerful woman who can get what she wants with a single look. Hell, you terrified me the moment I first met you. Don't let him take that from you."
Regina nodded but didn't say a word as Henry bounded over to them.
"Can I spend the weekend with the Zimmerman twins?" he asked, brown eyes pleading up at them.
"I'm ok with it if you are," Emma looked at Regina.
"Do you have any homework and tests due for monday?" she asked.
"Nope, can I? I'll be back Sunday afternoon. Plenty of time to rest before school."
"Alright darling, you may," she smiled at his excitement.
"Yes!" He hugged them each and ran off to rejoin his two best friends.
"Sooo… date night?" Emma asked hopefully.
After dropping Henry off later that evening, Emma eagerly drove back home. She and Regina decided to take advantage of the evening alone. Despite what had happened at the fair, Regina's spirit seemed to be lifted at the anticipation of their date. Emma had gotten ready in nice dark jeans and a blouse. Regina had still been getting ready and at the same time calling different places for a reservation, so she had offered to take Henry real quick and then pick her up. When she got home, she parked the bug and went inside. However she was surprised at what she found. The lights were off in the living room but the fire was going. Candles were spread out and a blanket had been set on the floor in front of the hearth. A tray of cheese and fruit was set out along with a bottle of red wine and two glasses. Regina was sitting and waiting for her. She looked so beautiful. She wore a black dress. Her hair was curled at the ends and her make up and red lipstick were flawless.
A whispered "Wow" was all she could muster. Regina smirked and stood. She came over to Emma, the small height difference noticeable as Regina wasn't wearing her usual heels. She kissed her lips and looked into her green eyes.
"I hope this is ok," she said. "I couldn't get a last minute reservation anywhere."
"This is perfect," she smiled, finally figuring out how to speak again. She let Regina lead her to the blanket and they both sat side by side. Regina leaned in, capturing her lips and bringing her hands up to cup her face. Emma moaned into the kiss, loving the warm feeling of Regina's body against hers. When they pulled away they were breathless. Regina's eyes were dark and Emma shivered at the intensity at which she looked at her.
They poured themselves some wine and took turns feeding each other pieces of fruit. Emma thought this was way better than sitting in a restaurant full of people. She preferred being alone with her girlfriend in the privacy of their own home. Regina looked at her, her eyes warm and contemplating as if something was on her mind.
"What is it?" Emma asked, her hand squeezing Regina's thigh.
"How are you so patient with me? Especially after today?"
Emma wasn't expecting the turn in conversation. She was caught a little bit off guard, but was quick to answer.
"I love you," she took her hand and kissed it. "I love our kid." She kissed her cheek. "And I love our home, our family and I want you to be happy and loved." She kissed her lips and when she pulled away she saw Regina's eyes had become teary. "We have a connection," she explained more seriously. "We understand each other. We were both lost and unwanted for a long time and then we found each other. You're the only one who's ever understood my past and I trust you. Just like I know you trust me with your heart after everything you've been through."
"I think that was why I was so afraid to let you in at the beginning. I was afraid of having hope."
"I know you don't see it now but you're making progress. You're opening up more. Isn't that something to be proud of?"
Regina shrugged.
Now that her earlier anger over her former stepdaughter diminished, she was starting to regret the way she had lashed out at her. Mary Margaret was only trying to make conversation with her.
"I seemed to have taken a step back today," she looked away in shame. Her eyes fixated on the flames in the hearth. She felt Emma take her hand and she slowly met her eyes again.
"Give her a chance to redeem herself," she encouraged. "I know it's hard and I can't possibly understand the damage that she's caused. No one is expecting you to be friends with her again. We just want to help you let go of the anger towards her."
Letting go of the anger.
How could she possibly even let it go and resume her life like nothing happened. For a while, it was all she had. Now, she has a family who loves her and for the first time, a future. They were what kept her going and dared her to hope that she can get past all the darkness and pain from her past.
"Ok," she nodded.
