Part Seven: The One With The Assumptions

"Donuts?" Emma asked looking at Graham's face after he opened the box in front of her "That is such a cliché"

"Sometimes clichés are true," Graham said looking at Emma.

"Okay! What you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything?"

"Because every time you bring food to the station its because you want something," Emma said "Ah, a bear claw"

"When have I ever done that?" Graham said and looked at Emma's mocking face "To you"

"I have intel," Emma said taking a bite of her bear claw.

"Okay, I need you to do me a favor"

"What?"

"I need you to work tonight?"

"Why?" Emma said munching on her bear claw.

"I work at the animal shelter," Graham said "I volunteer there"

Emma looked at his serious face and burst out laughing. The excuse was already so lame back then, or future then, but now it was just above ridiculous. Emma may have been fool enough to fall for that when he first asked, but there was no way in hell she was falling for that now. She knew damn well what 'animal shelter meant'. Her blood boiled inside her veins and suddenly the bear claw tasted bitter in her mouth.

"Yeah, not gonna happen," Emma said seriously "And this whole volunteering at the animal shelter, is over"

"Excuse me?"

"I know animal shelter is a code for seeing Regina," Emma said feeling a bit angry now "And that's over, Graham. You are not seeing her anymore"

"How do you…" Graham said and looked around the room "How do you know about my involvement with the Mayor"

"I just know,"

"Look, I'm really volunteering in the animal shelter tonight, okay?" Graham said "I haven't seen Regina ever since she adopted Henry. She doesn't call me anymore"

"Really?" Emma happily asked.

"Yes, it's kind of a relief"

"Excuse me?"

"I just…I just don't really feel anything for her, you know?" Graham said "I don't even know how we got together"

"That is the biggest load of crap I ever heard," Emma said rolling her eyes.

"What?"

"Who the hell doesn't feel anything with her?" Emma asked "Regina is the kind of person who loves with her whole soul. She is the most intense woman I ever met! And trust me, I met a lot of women when I was younger" Emma laughed

"Are we talking about the same Regina?" Graham asked.

"Look, pal, I'm glad you and Regina are over. Seriously, stay the hell away from her" Emma said "But everything else you just said, its pure bullshit"

"Are you and the Mayor…"

"Sheriff?" A voice said behind them "We have a situation"

"What is it?" Emma asked.

"Leroy," The deputy said.

"Emma?" Graham looked at her.

"Hey, I got the night shift," Emma said "This one is on you"

"You do realize I'm the Sheriff, right?" Graham asked.

"Yep!" Emma said "Go Sheriff, Sheriff boy" Emma laughed and reached for a donut.

"I'm taking these with me," Graham said as he closed the donut box on Emma's fingers.

"That's just rude, Graham" Emma said.

"So are you"

Emma rolled her eyes in a way that would make Regina proud. Graham left the station leaving Emma behind to deal with paperwork. She grabbed a file from her desk and started to read. She read about one sentence when a smile formed on her lips. So, Regina had broken things off with Graham when she first adopted Henry. That was such a fucking relief! At least she wouldn't have to keep Graham away from Regina all the time because there was just no way in hell, she would ever leave those two alone. No way! Regina may not know that yet but she was her wife and Emma would be damn if she would ever let anyone lay a finger on her.

But if Regina had cut off Graham, maybe her plan to seduce her would backfire too. She was devoted to Henry, that much was clear, and that alone made Emma fell more in love with her wife if that was even possible. So, what to do here? Obviously, Emma didn't have to seduce Regina, but the idea of winning over her wife, or wife-to-be was so tempting. Regina could deny all she wanted, but she knew Regina had a thing for blonde women in leather jackets, Emma smirked.

The more Emma thought about it, the more she realized that the key to winning Regina's trust was Henry. He was Regina's whole world right now, God bless her heart, and truth be told, Emma couldn't wait to spend more time with her son. The son she never got to meet until the day he knocked on her apartment door and brought her home. The day her life changed forever. The day she met the love of her life.

"Thanks for helping me again, Kid," Emma said as she turned another page on the file she was reading.

The hours passed by, Graham came back with a drunk Leroy and locked him in the jail cell. At seven he left for the animal shelter but only after he swore to Emma again that he was not going to meet Regina. By ten at night Emma was bored out of her mind. She played every single game on her phone until the device discharged. She read all the files on her desk, but there was nothing remotely interesting in any of them. She even tried to strike a conversation with Leroy but he slept throughout Emma's monologue. By ten thirty, Emma decided to go make her rounds. It was nice, driving at night around Storybrooke, everything was so calm and silent. It was such a huge difference from the life her eighteen-year-old was living right now. Always running from one place to the other, looking for the impossible.

Emma took another turn that led her straight to her home or her home to be. God, Emma missed Regina so much. She missed going to sleep with her at night. She missed making love to her wife. She missed cuddling while watching an animation with the twins. She missed teaming up with Henry to tell Regina they were hungry. She missed the traditional Sunday breakfast in Granny's. She missed telling Regina Olie came after her when their little girl was plotting something. She missed Sammy clinging to her neck in the morning. She missed her life, and she just wanted to back to the place she belonged. Emma sighed and then hit the breaks when she saw a familiar figure leaving the mansion. Regina was casually dressed in jeans, a burgundy long sleeve blouse, and high heels boots. Emma took a moment to appreciate the view in front of her as Regina was dressed, well, like her.

"And you said you never owned a pair of jeans" Emma smirked to herself.

Emma opened the car door and crossed the street. Regina and Henry were a few paces ahead of her and Emma couldn't quite understand why Regina had Henry in one arm while pushing the baby carriage with the other. Wouldn't it be easier to just leave that at home? Emma speeded up the pace and bit her lower lip when Regina walked under a light pole and she could have a better view of her body. She told her once that the view of Emma's ass inside her jeans was what close the deal, but dear God, Emma could say exactly the same. I am so making you wear jeans more often when I get back home, Emma thought. Regina shifted Henry to her other arm and Emma finally pulled her head out of the gutter and hurried to get to her side.

"Regina" Emma called her.

Regina stopped walking and looked back.

"Miss Swan,"

"Hey, what are you doing in the streets this late at night?" Emma asked and looked at her watch "It's nearly eleven"

"I'm aware of the time"

"It's late, Regina," Emma said "It could be, you know, dangerous to be out at this hour"

"Then I guess it's a good thing the police department is making good on their yearly budget and putting their best men out in the streets to keep the citizens safe"

"Was that supposed to be funny?" Emma asked.

"Do you see me laughing?"

"Right," Emma said, "Why are you out with Henry and the baby carriage?"

"Henry likes to take evening walks," Regina said.

"And the baby carriage?"

"Sometimes he gets cranky with sleep and wants to be put on in the carriage and still be out in the cool night"

"Oh!" Emma said and smiled "Spoiled much?"

"I guess so," Regina smiled back.

"Let me help you"

"Don't you have to make your rounds?" Regina asked.

"The streets are safe," Emma said.

"You were just warning me about the evening dangers?" Regina asked.

"Do you have to pay attention to everything I say?" Emma asked back.

"Well, I am the Mayor," Regina said "Listening to the people is what put me in the office"

"Seriously?" Emma asked making a face.

"Why, of course," Regina said "What else could it be?"

"I don't know" Emma shook her head "Can I take Henry?"

"Why?" Regina frowned.

"Because your arms are probably tired and it would be much easier for you to just push the carriage," Emma said "And I kinda miss smelling him"

"He does have the best smell" Regina laughed.

"I know,"

"Okay,"

Emma smiled and moved closer to Regina to take Henry from her arms. She enveloped Henry in her arms and kissed the top of his head before smelling his baby smell. Their little boy, who Emma knew not to be so little anymore.

"Hi, Henry," Emma smiled at him.

Henry smiled back and wiggled his hand in the air. Emma looked at Regina and saw her smiling, so genuinely, so free, so honest that all Emma wanted to do was come closer to her and give her a kiss. She looked into Regina's eyes and Emma wished she could tell her how much she loved her, but instead she settled to look at Henry and make funny voices. Regina resumed the walk, using both hands to push the baby carriage now, while Emma had Henry in her arms.

"I couldn't find any register of you or your family," Regina said.

"What?" Emma asked absently.

"This is a small town, Miss Swan," Regina said "A woman married to another with three children wouldn't exactly go unnoticed"

"Oh!"

"I couldn't find any register of that in City Hall"

"Yeah, it…it happened before I get here in Storybrooke," Emma said and then remembered the thing she heard the most when she arrived in town "It's funny but I can't even remember when I got here in Storybrooke. It's like I've been here forever"

"Right," Regina said quickly.

"Why would you look for that?" Emma asked.

"Because you intrigue me"

"In a good way?" Emma asked.

"I'm not sure yet"

"Why?" Emma asked.

Regina stopped walking and looked thoughtful at Emma.

"Because I have a feeling you know more than you appear to know"

"I don't know what is that supposed to mean"

Emma resumed her walk, bouncing Henry in her arms. The little boy smiled and drooled, before starting to cry. Emma tried to make him stop, by laying his little head on her shoulder and patting his butt while rubbing his back like she taught Regina but Henry simply wouldn't stop. She looked desperately at Regina who just smiled at her.

"He is sleepy," Regina said "He wants to be back in the baby carriage"

"Oh!"

Emma carefully laid Henry down in his baby carriage. The second the boy was inside he stopped crying and closed his eyes. Regina came closer and fixed the many blankets around Henry's little body. The way she tucked him in was exactly the same way Regina used to wrapped Olie and Sam when they were babies and Emma just felt like crying. She was home and yet, she wasn't.

"There you go," Regina said softly at Henry "All warm"

"You are like a pro at doing that," Emma said smiling down at Henry.

"Doing what?" Regina asked.

"Wrap babies up in a blanket"

"I have never wrapped any other baby apart from Henry," Regina said.

"I know," Emma said sadly "But the way you just did it, it's definitely pro"

"Thank you, I suppose," Regina said "Thank you for the company Miss Swan, but…"

"Granny's is right over there," Emma said interrupting Regina.

"I can see that"

"Would you like to get a cup of coffee with me?" Emma asked.

"It's late," Regina said.

"Please?" Emma said "I have the night shift"

"If I drink coffee now, I'm the one who'll spend the night awake"

"Then have some tea," Emma bagged "I just don't want to say goodnight to you yet"

"Why not?"

"I like your company," Emma smiled "Please?"

Regina looked at Emma and for a moment, Emma thought she was going to say something, maybe refuse the invitation, but then Regina simply started to push the baby carriage towards the diner. Emma jogged a step or two before coming to her side. When they arrived, Emma held the door open for Regina to enter with Henry's carriage. Regina walked to the first booth closer to the door and sat down with Henry properly parked by her side. Emma sat down across from Regina and smiled when she bent down slightly to check on Henry.

"He's so cute when he's sleeping," Emma said.

"Indeed, he is," Regina smiled.

"How is the crying?" Emma asked.

"Much better" Regina looked at her "The patting you taught me helped"

"I knew it would" Emma smiled.

"Hey, Emma," Ruby said after she got close to their booth "And Madam Mayor,"

"Hey, Rubes," Emma said "I would like a cup of coffee and a slice of apple pie, please"

"Just tea for me," Regina said.

"Regina, you are not just getting tea," Emma said "Have a slice of apple pie, we both know you want it. It's your favorite"

"And how do you know it's my favorite?" Regina asked.

Shit!

Foot in the mouth, Emma.

"Your office," Emma said awkwardly.

"My office?"

"You have a bowl full of apple there," Emma said "I figured you like it"

"It's funny how you can always assume all the correct things about me," Regina said.

"I'm just really good at reading people"

"Nobody is that good" Regina said looking serious into Emma's eyes.

"So, the pie?" Ruby asked interrupting them.

"Just tea for me," Regina answered Ruby still staring at Emma.

"Bring two slices," Emma said next.

"I don't want pie," Regina said seriously.

"Then I'll have them both" Emma smiled.

Ruby wrote down their orders and left after saying she would be right back with them. Regina kept on staring intensely at Emma and her mind traveled to the past, or the future, where Regina looked at her exactly like that but for completely different reasons. Emma moistened her lips and tried to get her mind out of those thoughts. As good as they were, this was not the time or the place. Perhaps when she was alone in her room they would come in hand, quite literally.

"How is the sink?" Emma asked.

"Not leaking," Regina said.

"I knew I would do a good job" Emma laughed.

"I wouldn't go as far as saying you did a good job"

"Did the leak stop?" Emma asked.

"Yes, but…"

"Then it's a good job, Regina"

"If you say so, dear,"

Ruby came back with Regina's tea and Emma's coffee plus two huge slices of apple pie. Emma smiled and thanked the waitress before taking a sip of the coffee. Regina did the same with her tea as Emma reached for the fork and brought one of the plates with the apple pie closer to her. She cut a big chunk of it and put the whole thing in her mouth, moaning the minute the apple taste reached her tongue.

"Oh, this is so good," Emma said "I love apple pie"

"Mine is much better than this one, dear"

"Oh, I know it is," Emma said taking a second bite.

"You do?"

"I'm pretty sure everything you do is better, Regina," Emma said between a chew.

"That's very flattering, dear"

"Are you sure you don't want a bite?" Emma asked "I know yours is better, but this one is really good"

"No, thank you," Regina said "I need to watch my figure"

"That's bullshit, Regina" Emma said and pointed the fork at her "You look amazing"

"Because I watch my figure, dear"

"I'm pretty sure a slice of apple pie won't ruin it"

"That's exactly how it starts it"

"Your loss," Emma said "Because I'm going for that second slice"

"I'm positively sure you won't be able to handle"

"Well, I might get a stomach ache," Emma said "And if the lives of Storybrooke citizens be in danger because I got sick in the middle of my shift, it's on you"

"How on earth is that on me?" Regina asked.

"You didn't help me eat the pie"

"Perhaps you should have ordered just one," Regina said.

"Perhaps you could help me," Emma said back.

"You are very annoying, did you know that?" Regina said.

"Yeah, I've heard that," Emma said and murmured "From you"

"Did you say something?"

"Nope!" Emma said "Can you at least eat half? I don't think I can eat the whole thing"

"Fine" Regina said irritably "But I swear if I can't get inside my pants tomorrow morning your life is over"

"Oh, I'm shaking, Regina"

Emma laughed and so did Regina. Emma pushed the plate with the other slice of pie closer to Regina and watched as she took the first bite. After that, Emma decided to stay on common ground and asked Regina questions about Henry. It was so beautiful the way Regina talked about him, she was ridiculously proud of the smallest thing Henry did and Emma couldn't help but feel her enthusiasm. She too was very proud of their son.

Regina ate the whole pie and Emma smiled amused when Regina took the last bite, but she didn't say anything. She didn't dare! Regina yarned and Emma looked at her watch, only now realizing how late it was. She paid for the bill and helped Regina getting the baby carriage outside and walked together back to the mansion. The walk back was silently, but not uncomfortable and Emma enjoyed stealing glances at Henry and Regina when she was looking at the sleepy baby boy.

The wind started to get chili and Emma was happy when they arrived at the mansion. She wasn't sure the blouse Regina was wearing was warm enough and bringing her closer to her body wasn't an option. She also doubted Regina would accept her jacket. Emma opened the gate and held it open until Regina passed with Henry and then she followed them to the door.

"Thank you, for keeping me company tonight," Emma said.

"Surprisingly enough, you didn't make such a horrible company"

"You said the sweetest thing, Regina" Emma laughed.

"I should get inside," Regina said and reached inside her jeans pocket for the keys.

"Maybe we should do that again," Emma said putting her hands inside her jeans pocket.

"Have coffee at Granny's?" Regina asked.

"Or dinner," Emma said "Somewhere nicer"

"I'm afraid no restaurant is open at this hour around here"

"We can go earlier"

"My food is much better"

"Oh, for God sake, Regina" Emma rolled her eyes "I'm trying to ask you out on a date here"

"Oh!" Regina said and looked surprised at Emma "You are?"

"Yes!" Emma laughed "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"I…I can't," Regina said looking down.

"Oh!"

"Henry, I…I can't leave him"

"Maybe you could leave him with Sidney for one night?" Emma suggested.

"I… I don't know, Emma"

"Just think about it?" Emma asked "Please?"

"You say please a lot" Regina arched an eyebrow.

"It's a bad habit someone taught me" Emma smiled.

"Your wife?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Emma smiled sadly.

"I'll think about it"

"Awesome," Emma said "Do you need help getting Henry inside?"

"No, I'm good"

"Okay," Emma said "I need to get back to the station"

"I can imagine," Regina said "Why is Graham not working tonight?"

"He had something at the animal shelter"

"Oh! Well, I need to get inside" Regina said.

"Yes, of course," Emma said "Goodnight, Regina"

"Goodnight, Emma"

Storybrooke – Present Day

Regina smiled and cried as she ran her fingers on Emma's face. She was staring at her favorite picture of her and Emma. A picture of them on their wedding day. They were both so happy, Regina still remembered the feeling inside her chest when Emma cried as she walked down the aisle. She still remembered the moment she said yes. The moment she became Emma's wife.

"Please, come back to me" Regina whispered.

It was late at night and Regina had another one of those weird dreams. Those dreams that, didn't feel like a dream at all. She had woken up ridiculously happy and tearing up at the same time. The dream was so different from how Emma had asked her out on a date and yet, it felt so real. Why was she having those dreams? What did they mean? Regina had no idea why she was remembering everything from the past so differently, or better yet, why she couldn't remember how did some events actually happened. She knew it was impossible, that Emma wasn't there, but why was her brain changing the events like that? Did she miss Emma this badly? Well, she did, if it wasn't for her children camping up on her bed, she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep at night.

"Where the hell are you, Emma Swan-Mills?" Regina said to the picture.

Regina closed her eyes and let the rest of the tears fall. She needed to find Emma, sooner rather than later.