This chapter is more Emma focused and the next will be more Gina focused.

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Chapter 7

Emma laughed as she tapped Gina's nose, getting powder on it from their pancake batter. She loved baby Gina cuddles, but she was finding she adored little Gina's sass and attitude. She was a mini Regina, but still innocent and sweet and Emma was wrapped around her finger. "Mama! You put too much sugar in it!"

"I did not, little Majesty, we're adding apples which are tart, so a little extra sugar isn't going to be a bad thing."

Gina looked at Emma. "Ruby called me that yesterday. 'little Majesty'. What does it mean?"

Emma stopped mixing and looked back at her. "In another world, at another time, you were a Queen. I mean, you still very much are, but you prefer to be called mayor now."

"You mean when I was bigger?"

"well, yes and no. You were bigger, but it was before you lived here. Before you and I knew each other even."

Regina pondered over this. "In my dream, I was older and had long hair. That man…he made me do things I didn't want to do and he hurted me if I didn't do it right. I…I had magic."

Well, that explained some things from Regina's nightmare, though as far as Emma knew, Rumple never walked with a stick like he did as Gold. "That was before you were queen, honey. When he…when he taught you magic." She lifted Regina's chin. "That won't happen again, baby girl."

Gina smiled. "Cuz you're here to keep me safe."

Emma smiled softly. "That, and this isn't like going back in time, Gina. I know it's confusing, but you're not repeating your past." She kissed Regina's forehead. "And I'll always be here to protect you."

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma. "I don't 'member a lot from before at all, but the one thing I do know is that you always keep me safe and I really like you."

Emma hugged the little one back and smiled softly. "You have always kept me safe too." She said quietly. Most of that was true, even if adult Regina would argue that Emma's childhood was her fault – one of the few things they still would argue about.

After breakfast, Regina asked Emma if they could go to the park. "We can, sweetness, there's only a week of summer vacation before the kids go back to school, so maybe there will even be some kids your age."

"What's school?"

"It's a place where kids go to learn things. They sit in classrooms and have teachers teach them things. My mom is a teacher, actually."

Regina looked at Emma, almost trying to hide excitement. "Will I go to school?"

Emma honestly hadn't thought of Regina going to school since she was only to be a child temporarily. "Do you want to go to school?"

Regina nodded. "I know I'm not little long, but can I try it?"

"I don't see why not. I'll ask my mom who I would talk to. I'll miss having you around all day, but if that's what you want to do, that's what matters."

"I'll still see you, right? If that means I can't stay with you, then I won't go."

Worry had set in and Emma knelt down to cup Regina's cheek. "Baby girl, you will go to school every morning and come home every afternoon. You don't have school on Saturdays or Sundays so we will still have every night together, every morning, and every weekend. Also, if you find it's not something you like, you won't have to keep going, but I think you'll love it."

Regina smiled and hugged Emma tightly. "Can we tell them that my name is Gina Swan? I know I'm Regina Mills when I'm bigger, but since I'm little, I like Gina Swan better."

Since there wouldn't be an official record, Emma didn't see why not. "We can honey, but some kids may ask you about that. But they shouldn't be mean about it."

"They can ask, and I'll just tell them that for now, you're my mommy." Gina said with a shrug.

"Sounds like a plan. Maybe while we're at the park, I can call my mom and see how I go about getting you signed up. Then we'll need to get you some school clothes and supplies, so this afternoon, we can go shopping."

"You don't gotta spend money on me."

Emma grinned. "Don't worry about money, sweet thing. Now, let's go have some fun."

In the end, Emma didn't have to call Snow as she and Ashley were at the park with Neal, Thomas Jr. and Alexandra. Gina played with Neal for a bit, but then Alexandra talked her into playing with her on the jungle gym.

"I'm not teaching yet since I'm filling in as mayor." Snow reminded Emma. "But all you have to do is call Mrs. Ginger and I'm sure you can set something up."

"I forgot about that." Emma looked at Ashley. "And I suppose Alex would be in a higher grade than her."

"Well, do you know for sure how old Regina is?"

"She said six. Yeah, Alex is eight, isn't she? I mean, could I have her go in a higher class? Yes, but we're talking about a six-year-old who has never gone to school."

"Sure, but that doesn't mean she doesn't remember anything. Let's talk to her after they play for a bit. Really, the only important things so that she doesn't feel out of place is that she knows her letters, numbers, colors and shapes."

"True." Snow said. "And it's only for a few months."

"Besides, I happen to know that the first-grade teacher is going to be filling in for Snow and I am filling in for her. So, if she does go with the other six-year old's, she will have me for her teacher."

Emma grinned. "Well that settles that then. I think she'd love to have you as her teacher." She looked at her mother. "Do you mind watching her while I call Mrs. Ginger?"

"Of course, I don't." Snow said and Emma stepped away to make the call. She explained everything and got little Gina Swan all "registered" for school. Though she knew Regina would only be little for a couple months, she wanted her to experience life as normally as possible and since it was the girl who brought it up, she felt even more sure of letting her go.

Emma came back and sat by her mother. "Well, I guess I should probably ask dad about me coming back to work, at least during school hours. This is going to sound completely not like me, but I'm going to miss being a stay at home mom."

Ashley smiled over at her. "Well…I mean, just throwing this out there but since I usually watch Neal and will be working, both your mom and I will need someone for our little men."

Emma chewed on her lip. "Well, dad had said they were fine for me to be off work until this is fixed." Could she watch a three and two-year-old all day? Sure, she watched Regina, but that was just one.

"Emma." Snow said, putting her hand on Emma's. "I can see you internally freaking out. You don't have to do this; it was just a suggestion. However, if you do, you'd be great at it and you wouldn't have both of them full time. David and Thomas switch between day and night shifts, and I try to get done by five every day. Some days it's earlier as we're holding off any meetings we can until Regina is back."

"She…she will be back, won't she?" Ashley asked.

"Yes. Zelena thinks there's something wrong with one of the ingredients, but she's going to ask Belle if she can't figure it out. Otherwise, we literally take this sixty days at a time and she grows a few years at a time."

"How would you feel about that?" Snow asked.

Emma gave a shrug, watching the little one. "I mean, however we have to do it is what we have to do, but…I want her back. I miss her and I have so much to talk to her about. Also, she has magic and I'm not sure I want a pre or teenage Regina with magic running around." She said with a chuckle." Emma sighed and looked down. "I um…I found a journal of hers."

"Did you read it?" Ashley asked, a bit surprised by this admission.

"Some of it. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't stop myself. I want her back so I can talk to her; so, we can talk like we should have so long ago. I want to apologize to her for not telling her the truth about how Killian treated me when…when she could see I was hiding something."

"Emma sweetheart, you have nothing to be sorry for in that regard. You have nothing to be sorry for in general; neither of you do." Snow said reassuringly. "You were both stubborn idiots who couldn't or wouldn't see what the other meant to you until you both thought it was too late."

"I get that, mom. It's just…she wrote about how much she was hurting because I was lying to her, and I feel bad about that. I…it was never my intention to hurt anyone and I thought lying about the truth was the only way to not bother everyone; to not upset everyone." Emma hated the fact that she had tears to wipe away; she hadn't wanted to cry about him in any way.

Ashley casually got up and went over to the kids, leaving mother and daughter to talk. Snow wrapped her arm around Emma and used her other hand to wipe her tears. "I am so sorry that we made you feel like you had to keep the truth a secret. I hate you thinking it would have upset or bothered us, baby girl and I'm so sorry."

"Mom, it's not your fault; you have nothing to be sorry for."

"And what do you have to be sorry for, exactly? Because if you're really sitting here thinking you owe people and apology for suffering instead of spilling the beans, you have another thing coming. The fact that you felt you couldn't tell anyone is on us, not on you. Did Regina say why it hurt her? Why she didn't talk to you?"

Emma sniffed, her eyes still down on her feet. "She said it was because I deserved to be happy. I wasn't happy though, and she knew it."

"But did you? Emma, I'm not at all trying to upset you here, but can you honestly tell me that if me, your dad, or Regina had taken you aside and accused you of not being happy, that you would have told us you weren't?"

Emma sighed and shook her head. "I thought I was." She hated that she was basically crying now. "I thought…I thought he was the best I deserved; that he was the best I'd get. Sure, it sucked having so much shit thrown at me, but the times he was loving and caring and everything I'd ever wanted and never thought I'd get were enough to get me through for a while." She shook her head. "I sound like a damned abuse victim, but he never hurt me until I left him."

"Baby, physical abuse isn't the only kind of abuse. He was emotionally abusive and that is often times worse than physical." Snow sighed. "Unfortunately, it was easy for him because you were vulnerable. I'm not at all saying you were weak, because you're not, but he knew your past, knew your insecurities, and he used those all against you. I wish I'd have seen it for what it was, Emma."

Emma sniffed and wiped her nose. "I wish I'd have seen it too. That's what's crazy about this whole thing mom, it's not just realizing I've had feelings for Regina and her for me, but it's also realizing just how shitty things were with Hook. It wasn't until I was able to take the time away from him to reflect on it that I realized just how bad it was. What the hell does that say about me?!"

Snow hugged Emma tightly. "It says more about him than you, honey. You wanted to believe that someone loved you for you, and maybe he did for a while, I honestly can't say. However, he took advantage of you and started breaking you down. I honestly am glad this happened because, knowing what we know now, things could and probably would have gotten much worse."

Emma took some deep breaths, holding her mother and trying to calm down. "Thanks mom. I didn't know how much I needed to talk about this."

"That's what I'm here for."

They stayed that way for a bit until a little voice interrupted. "Mama? Are you okay?" Gina asked, her sad eyes looking at Emma. "Are you crying 'cuz of me?"

"Oh no, baby girl." Emma said, pulling Regina into her lap. "Why would you make me cry?"

"'Cuz I'm not big yet." Gina said, cuddling into Emma.

"No honey, that's not it at all. I love you, no matter if you're big or little. I'm just crying…I'm remembering a bad time in my life honey and my mom is helping me feel better about it."

Gina smiled over at Snow. "You're a good Mommy, Snow."

Snow smiled, her own tears in her eyes. "You have no idea how much that means coming from you; no matter if you're small or big saying it." Snow looked at Emma. "I wish I had that recorded. She's going to deny saying it when she's herself again."

Emma chuckled. "I'll be your witness." She then looked at Gina. "Guess who gets to go to school next week?"

"Me?" She asked, excitement in her face.

"Yes you! And Mrs. Herman over there will be your teacher."

Regina looked at Ashley and then back at Emma. "Why isn't she still Cinderella?"

Emma didn't know how to answer that. "I guess I never asked her why she likes Ashley better."

Ashley overheard and smiled. "Cinderella was never my real name. I was Ella, but I left my old life behind me and stuck with Ashley. Thomas goes by his original first name and cursed last name." She smiled at the confused little girl. "I just like Ashely better."

Gina nodded and smiled. "Okay."

"So, we get to do some school shopping after lunch and…" Emma looked between her mother and Ashley before looking at Regina. "I'm going to take care of little Neal and Thomas Jr. during the week, so some days we will have them after school."

"What about Alex?"

"I get done with work when she's done with school, but maybe on days I have to stay late, she can come over."

Emma nodded and Gina smiled. "Great! Mommy, what do I wear to school?"

"Well, the school does have a bit of a uniform. We'll get you a special shirt and coat, then you can decide if you want to wear jeans or a skirt."

"Will the other kids like me? Am I smart enough?"

"The other kids will love you." Ashley said. "Well, do you know your letters?"

"I can write my name! Well…I can write Gina."

"That's great since Em…your mommy said you want to be called Gina Swan at school anyway." Ashley smiled. "Do you know your numbers?"

"I can count to like 35."

"Great! How about your shapes?"

"Yep! Even octagons and pentagons."

"Wow, that's great, Gina. Last question. Do you know your colors?"

"Yes! This is red, and blue, and green." She said pointing things out. "And red and yellow makes orange and blue and yellow makes green!"

"Wow." Snow said smiling. "I think you're definitely smart enough to go to school."

Ashley nodded and Alex came over. "Can you sit still when the teacher is talking and be nice to other kids?"

Gina nodded. "Think so. I was nice to you."

"You were and to Thomas." She looked at her mother. "I think she's ready for school."

"I think you're right."

"There you all are!" Zelena said, pushing Robyn's stroller over. "I was wondering where you were."

"Zee!" Gina yelled, going to hug her. She looked at Alex. "She's my big sister."

Alexandra smiled. "Hi Zelena."

"Hello, little one."

"Let's go play again, Gina."

The two ran off and Emma made room for Zelena on the bench. "So, any luck with the potion?"

Zelena nodded. "Yes, that's what I came to see you about. Belle is a genius. Seriously, we don't give her enough credit." She took out the potion Regina had used. "Both she and I translated this wrong and didn't use enough of an ingredient. That being said, we should have big Regina back by Halloween. October 20th to be exact. I've decided to make a double batch though, just to be sure."

Emma, who was watching little Gina, gave a nod. "That makes sense."

The other three all looked at each other and Zelena put her hand on Emma's. "Are you okay?"

Emma sighed. "I'm fine, Zelena. Thank you so much for all your help. I'm going to go play with them for a bit." She said and got up, going over to push both girls on the swings.

They watched Emma laugh with the girls and Snow sighed. "We had a bit of an emotional conversation today. I know she misses Regina, but I think having this little one love her and look up to her so much has really affected her. She loves her and loves being loved. I mean she had Henry, yes, but he was already ten and came with complications. Of course, she loved him, there's no doubt, but this…this is a little different."

"I get it." Zelena said, watching them. "How is she doing with the whole Killian thing? I feel bad because I think in any other situation, she'd have gone to Regina about it. Now, she's just acting like it's okay, she's okay, and that's it. She's taking care of Regina and pushing her feelings down."

"She is." Ashley agreed. "But isn't that what she always does? I'm not saying it's right, but…she's used to it."

"And I hate that." Snow said, feeling her own emotions. "I hate that she does that instead of talking to someone, crying, letting it out. However, I'm glad she talked to me today. She did cry a bit and let some out and that's better than nothing."

"Maybe we need a night out." Zelena suggested. "Granny said she'd watch Robyn anytime and you two have husbands to watch yours and I'm sure one of them wouldn't mind watching Regina. We can call Ruby and just have a fun night out; let Emma let it out in her own way."

"That's not a bad idea, but let's let Regina get used to David for a bit first. Maybe next weekend?"

"What about next weekend?" Emma asked, grabbing a bottle of water.

"Girls night." Ashley said with a smile. "You've been busy with Regina, we've been busy with our little ones, it's time to let the guys watch the kids and have a night. Zelena, Thomas can watch Robyn unless Granny really wants to."

"I'll let you know. Thank you, Ashley."

Emma chewed her lip. "I don't know. I mean Gina will be starting school and she doesn't really know Thomas or Dad yet. I don't want to make her scared, even if it's one night."

Snow smiled softly. "Then bring her over this weekend and let her get to know your father. Emma, you deserve a night out after everything you've been doing and after that mess with Killian."

Emma chuckled. "Is that what this is? Take me out to what? Get drunk, cry, get angry? Guys, I appreciate your concern, I really and truly do, but I do things in my own way."

"Then we don't even bring up Killian." Ashley said with a shrug. "I just need a night out and I would love it if you came with."

"Promise we don't have to bring him up?"

"Swear it." Zelena said.

"Fine. But if the night comes and Regina isn't feeling it, I'm not pushing her. We can always do a night out once she's an adult."

"Okay, but please let her spend some time with Dad this weekend. That way, we see you too."

Emma smiled. "Will do. Now, I'm starving; can we go get lunch?"

"Let's go."

They all headed out with the kids and Emma sighed, suddenly a horrible thought coming to her. "What's wrong?" Snow asked.

"When…when Regina's big, I won't be a part of this group anymore." She said sadly. "I won't have a kid, won't be a mom. I mean, not…I'm a mom, but my kid is an adult. I've really come to like this mom group."

"I've got two kids, Emma, I'll share with you." Ashley said with a smile.

"Besides, I keep telling you that it won't be long until you and Regina are moms again." Zelena said with a wink. "Magic has many, many, advantages."

Snow groaned. "Okay, I'm completely and one hundred percent supportive, but I don't wanna hear that, no matter who you're with."

Emma chuckled and opened the door to Granny's. She followed them in and really just enjoyed being with the group.

After shopping, Emma and Gina went home and played some board games until bedtime. That night, she lay in the guest bed and smiled. Maybe life would be amazing after all. Never did she believe that with Killian, but with or with out Regina, she knew she'd be okay.