Emma turned her head and looked at her.

Regina met her gaze and saw her own shock and surprise reflected in Emma's eyes. For the first time since regaining her voice, Regina had absolutely no idea what to say. She felt dazed. Had she really heard correctly?

"Adopt...Neal?" Emma croaked. Her voice sounded so hoarse. Like it could crack at any given moment.

Regina reacted immediately and poured a glass of orange juice and handed it to her.. Emma flashed her a grateful smile in return and took a sip of the juice.

"Yes," David confirmed in the other end. "I've been thinking a lot about it. Actually, it's pretty much the only thing I've been thinking about while I've been here, and I..." he paused and there was a slight shuffling sound. "I'm not fit to take care of a baby. I can't give him what he needs. And I don't just mean right now."

"David-"

"Hear me out, Emma. Please," David softly interrupted Emma's halfhearted croak. "I don't feel like Neal's father. I never did. I don't feel a connection with him. I don't know how to comfort him when he's crying. I don't know how make him go back to sleep at night. I don't even know the correct way to feed him. I don't know him. I've had this feeling ever since Mary Margaret died and I found myself alone with him. I had hoped that it would change once I got to spend some time with him, but it didn't." A sigh. "This is gonna sound absolutely terrible..." There was another slight pause. "I love him. But not the way I'm supposed to. Not like a father loves his son. Because I don't feel like I am his father."

Regina could only admire the raw honesty David Blanchard-Nolan was displaying. Imagine being able to be that open and vulnerable. That took guts. Bravery. Regina wouldn't have been brave enough. But David was. And there was nothing terrible about it. Absolutely not. With a dominating, controlling wife as Mary Margaret who hadn't allowed him to be a father to Emma when she was younger, why should it have been different with another baby? David hadn't been allowed to be Neal's father either. And this was the result. He felt like a stranger to the baby. And the baby felt like a stranger to him.

Regina's heart broke for poor David. How terrible it had to have been. All of it. Mary Margaret's terror reign. Her death and finally being free. Realizing that he now was in charge of a baby he didn't know how to take care of. The suicide attempt. And now recovering. Good god, this man was made of something special. Regina could only admire him.

Adopting Neal…. Regina shared another look with Emma who looked just as stunned as she felt. This was a lot to take in. Yes, Regina had dreamt and wished that Neal could stay with them, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined this.

"Emma? Emma, are you still there?"

David's voice in the other end seemed to wake them both. Regina blinked and Emma quickly answered. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm still here. But David... are you sure about this?"

"Do you remember when you and Regina came to see Mary Margaret at the hospital?"

"Yeah."

Regina remembered that too. The anger came naturally to her when she remembered the horrible things Mary Margaret had said to Emma.

Had Mary Margaret not been dead, Regina would have hunted her down and given her a piece of her mind!

"And do you remember what you said?"

"Y-yeah. I remember. I begged you to send Neal back to the foster home because-" she stopped talking and blinked rapidly.

"Because you wanted him to have a second chance at having a family," David finished the sentence. He still sounded remarkably calm and decided. "But sometimes second chances aren't what we expect them to be. This is Neal's second chance. You and Regina are his second chance at having a family."

"David-"

"You love him, don't you?"

"We...do," Regina said. She had to answer that question in words. It wasn't enough to nod. Because oh, how she loved Neal! The little boy had cooed his way straight into her heart. Regina suspected that she had loved him since the first time she held him in her arms.

"We do," Emma confirmed with a little nod and flashed her a slight smile.

"That's all I want for him. To be with people who loves him. Who can give him a loving home. A happy childhood. I cannot do that. Because I don't know how to love him."

Emma took a deep breath. Regina reached out and put a hand on her arm. Not to convince her to make a decision right then and there. But to show her that she was here.

"If... if we adopted him," Emma said slowly. "What would that make you?"

"His grandfather. That is really what I want to be. I'm too old to raise a baby. I'm too inexperienced. And I am definitely too fragile as well."

Regina silently agreed with him. He was indeed too fragile to take care of a baby right now. He needed to focus on himself alone. Learn how to be his own person. Learn how to be free. Exactly like she had had to learn once.

Emma looked at her, and Regina immediately knew that Emma wanted her to say something.

Regina was quick to accommodate that. "If you... moved to Vancouver...or maybe even to...Steveston at some...point, you would...be close to him," she said to David. That would make the shift easier.

"I would. I would be close to all of you. And I would like that very much."

"Well, my head is creaking," Emma said. She still looked very, very surprised at the turn the conversation had taken.

David chuckled slightly in the other end. "I am sorry about that, Emma. I am sorry for springing this on both of you so suddenly. I've been talking to Kathryn about this. We've gone over it again and again. And this is still the best solution I can come up with. But it has to be something both of you want, and I can more than understand if it's too much. I really can."

"Neal would be placed in a foster home then, wouldn't he?"

"No!" She didn't mean to be so loud. Didn't mean to practically yell. Regina was first surprised at her own exclamation. Then she became embarrassed and looked at the table. This was of course a huge decision, and she couldn't just yell into the phone like that.

Emma put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. Regina looked up and found her girlfriend smiling a bit at her. Soothingly. Reassuringly. Regina immediately felt less embarrassed about her exclamation.

"Honestly, I don't think any of us can imagine to say goodbye to him, but..." Emma let the rest of the sentence hang in the air.

"It's a lot to think about. Of course. I completely understand that. Why don't you take some time and think about it and then call me once you've reached a decision? There's no rush. Just take your time. I know this is a huge decision."

"Yeah. It is," Emma said, and Regina silently agreed by nodding. "I think we could use a bit of time to mull over it."

"Of course," David said. "Can I call you again tomorrow? Not to talk about that, but...just to talk."

"Of course you can," Emma said. She was smiling now.

"Thank you, Emma. Thank you for talking to me."

"Anytime, David. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Emma. Goodbye, Regina. Give Henry and Neal my love."

"We will," Emma said. "Talk to you tomorrow."

"Yes. I'm looking forward to that."

Emma concluded the phone call and laid the phone on the table. Then she turned her head and looked at Regina. "Holy Moses in a basket!"

The unconventional choice of words had Regina chuckling. And agreeing. "Yes, that is...one way to...put it, my...love."

"He wants us to adopt Neal."

"Yes, so I...heard."

Emma sat down on the chair. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "I would... I would be his... his mother. Or Ma, or whatever the hell we chose to call it!"

Another correct statement Regina could only agree with. "Yes, if David...wants to be his...grandfather, that would...make you...Neal's mother...You are... quite right, my...love."

"YOU would be his mother!" Emma said loudly.

The exclamation startled Neal. He whimpered in his bouncer, and Regina swiftly stood from her chair and headed over to where the bouncer was standing. She picked him up and kissed his forehead in an attempt to soothe his fears. "

Yes," she agreed, cradling the baby into her chest. "If you...are comfortable with...me being that...that is." She was aware that it hadn't been that long since she and Emma had moved in together. She didn't want to overwhelm Emma.

Which perhaps was silly considering they were talking about the possibility of adopting a child together. That was definitely not taking it slow.

Emma huffed at her. "The hell are you talking about, Mills? You are his mother already! Anyone with eyes can see that."

She chuckled. Liked being referred to as Neal's mother, but she didn't want to get ahead of herself either. So she chided: "not...legally, my... love."

Emma didn't answer her. She was looking at the wall. Or so it seemed if you did not know her. Regina knew better. She could tell that Emma was thinking deeply about something. The future? Regina was sure she could see the hint of a dreamy smile lingering on Emma's lips.

"You would be his mother..." Emma repeated, gaze still focused on the wall and smile growing on her lips. "You would actually be his mother."

"And I would get another nephew."

Zelena's sudden reminder of her presence, had them laughing. Regina had completely forgotten that she was there.

"That's true...you would," Emma nodded. "And Henry would get a...a."

"A brother," Regina finished the sentence and felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Henry had so wanted to get a little brother when he was younger…

"Holy crap." Emma's eyes widened again. "Oh my god. We have to talk to him about this."

"Yes, I...believe that would...be a good idea," Regina agreed and held the baby a bit closer.

"What are you... what are you thinking?" Emma asked her. "I literally have no idea what's going on in that beautiful head of yours right now."

How can she not? She chuckled warmly. Would have thought that the answer was written all over her face. "I am...thinking that Neal...is a very sweet...little boy...and I would...be...sad...to see...him go." Very, very sad. She had feared his departure from day one. And she had cherished every moment with the little boy because she knew their time together was limited.

"Me, too," Emma said slowly and looked at her. "Shit, are we going to do this thing?"

"We...have time...to consider it," Regina reminded her. She didn't want Emma to rush into anything.

"Yeah, I know, but we both want this, don't we?"

Regina smiled and nodded as she kissed the top of Neal's head. Yes, yes, yes. Yes, a million times. Oh god, there was nothing she wanted more than to adopt Neal and give him a home. Become his mother along with Emma. She could finally make Henry an older brother.

"Jesus Christ," Emma said, shaking her head a bit.

"I thought...we were...supposed to adopt...a cat...first," Regina joked, doing her best to make Emma feel less shocked.

It worked. Emma stared at her. "Did you just make a lesbian cliché joke?"

"Maybe," she said casually. She was not about making 'lesbian cliché jokes' now and then.

Emma laughed at her.

"So?" Zelena said, once again reminding them of her presence. "Am I getting another nephew or not?"

"You might." Emma was still looking at her. Smiling. "You actually might."

Zelena smiled too.

Emma looked as excited as a kid on christmas eve, and Regina felt all warm and fuzzy again. When she woke up this morning, the most important thing on her mind had been to get a few precious hours alone with the woman she loved. Now the world had shifted and there was larger things at stake. A little boy who needed a home. A plead from David to adopt Neal, and oh, how she wanted this! So, so much! Rationally, she knew that this was not something to just jump headfirst into. She knew that it was a huge step for them as a couple who hadn't lived together for that long.

But deep down, she didn't give a damn.

No.

Neal felt right.

As right as Emma did.

He was already a part of their family.

As on cue, Neal cooed in her arms, and Regina kissed the top of his head again. She got a prickling sensation in the back of her neck, and when she turned her head, she discovered that Zelena was looking at her. And smiling as though she knew exactly what Regina was thinking about.

"What would we call him?" Emma asked out of the blue

Neal wiggled, so Regina placed him over her shoulder. She rubbed his back in gentle circles to calm him down and raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"His surname," Emma clarified. "What would it be?"

"Swan?" Zelena suggested and shrugged lightly. "That's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but..." Emma stuck out her bottom lip and didn't seem completely satisfied. "I don't think it sounds completely right."

Regina was pretty sure she knew why. "You want...him to...have my...name too...don't you?" she asked softly.

"Kinda." Emma sheepishly tugged a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I understand if you-"

"Neal... Mills-Swan." That sounded pretty good.

"Nah, other way. Neal Swan-Mills. That sounds so much better."

It did. It absolutely did. Neal Swan-Mills. It was literally perfect, and Regina was about to tell Emma this. But she was distracted when she heard the door to Henry's bedroom open. Then slow, sleepy footsteps coming down the stairs. Had it been the middle of the night, the footsteps would have been eerie, but now Regina only found them to be amusing.

Henry came wandering into the kitchen. His hair was sticking up and his pajamas was a bit rumbled. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes. "I'm hungry."

And good morning to you too. Regina didn't scold him, though. Instead she chose to respect the boy's hunger. "Your aunt...made eggs and...bacon."

"Really?" Henry visibly perked up at that.

"Yup. Really," Emma lightly teased him, Regina was silently amused when Henry scrunched up his nose and grimaced at Emma. If he was trying to be snarky, he wasn't doing a good job. His grimace caused them both to chuckle, and even Neal seemed to think that Henry was funny. The baby gurgled, and Regina rubbed his back. He gurgled again, would undoubtedly drool on her bathrobe. She did not care. She could always wash it.

"Did you...sleep well?" Regina asked Henry who was now in the middle of grabbing some breakfast.

"Yeah," Henry said, now reaching for the can of orange juice. "Was that the phone I heard earlier?"

"It...was," Regina confirmed.

"Was it nurse Kathryn? How is David doing?"

"Actually, it was David himself this time," Emma answered and smiled at him.

"Really? You talked to him, Ma? How is he doing? Is he feeling any better?"

"He is," Emma nodded. "He's still gonna be in the hospital for a little while, but when he's released, he'd like to live a little closer to me. To us."

"And that would make you happy?"

"It would," Emma confirmed, smiling once more. "It would make me very happy."

"Then it makes me happy, too." Henry reached for the bacon again.

His simple, supporting way of seeing things made Regina smile. She loved how supportive Henry was. How he understood that David wasn't a bad person, but someone bad things had happened to. He was such a smart boy.

She felt another prickling sensation. She was being watched. Again. But this time, it was by Emma. She didn't have to say anything in order for Regina to know what that look was about. Regina already knew. Knew that Emma wanted to tell Henry what David had wanted. And Regina couldn't see why Henry shouldn't be informed.

She smiled at Emma. Encouraged her to tell Henry what was going on.

"And he said something else too," Emma told their son after having nodded at her.

"What?" Henry tore his gaze away from the lavish breakfast on his plate.

"When he gets out of the hospital, he is going to spend a lot of time looking after himself," Emma started. "He's going to need lot of time to get better."

"Okay?"

"He asked us if Neal could stay with us."

"Oh," Henry said around a mouthful of bacon. His cheeks were puffed out as if he had been a hamster hiding food in his cheeks. It was impressive that he could keep talking. "So Neal's going to stay for longer. That's cool."

"Please...chew before you...speak, sweetie," Regina chided and lifted an eyebrow. She did not condone talking with his mouth full.

Henry grimaced at her. Regina ignored his antics and seeing that Emma was busy chuckling at him, she took it upon herself to continue where Emma had left off: "Actually...he asked if Neal...could stay with us...permanently."

"Permanently?" Henry echoed and his forehead scrunched in confusion. "I don't understand."

"David asked if your mom and Ma want to adopt Neal." Zelena had decided to join in the conversation, and even though this was where they had been heading towards, Regina got a little annoyed at her sister. She had actually been trying to break the news gently to Henry. But apparently, my dear sister had other plans.

"Adopt?" Henry echoed, looking even more confused. "Like... Neal would stay here? Forever?"

"Yeah, forever," Emma softly confirmed.

"So Neal would be... your son?"

"Yeah, exactly," Emma confirmed and smiled at him.

"You guys would be his moms..." Henry said thoughtfully. "And I would be... his brother?"

"If you want to," Regina said gently. She wanted him to know that he was not obliged to be Neal's brother if he wasn't ready for it. Adopting Neal would be a big change for all of them.

"I always wanted a little sister or brother when I was younger... do you remember that, mom?" Henry asked and smiled at her.

"I...sure...can. That was...pretty much the...only thing...seven year old Henry...wanted for Christmas," Regina fondly remembered and smiled at the memory. He had always put at the top of his wish list for every christmas in slobby handwriting and with little 'pleases' and lots and lots of exclamation points. Regina had almost felt bad when she once again had to tell her son that she couldn't give him a little sibling.

"So...are you guys gonna do it?" Henry asked and interrupted her trip down memory lane.

"We haven't decided yet," Emma told him. "We asked David to give us some time to think about it."

"Why? Where else would he go?"

"He would go back to the foster home in Toronto," Emma said.

"No!" Henry exclaimed and stared wide eyed and pleadingly at them. "He can't do that!"

"So you'd be cool if he was to stay here permanently?" Emma asked.

"Yeah!" Henry said, nodding rapidly. "He's lived here for so long, it feels like he's family already. And I would really, really miss him!"

"So...would we," Regina said softly. Goodness, she couldn't even begin to explain how much she would miss Neal if he was to leave their family.

"It sounds like you've made a decision," Zelena said lightly.

Regina turned her head and met Emma's gaze. They smiled at each other, and Regina had a feeling that she knew exactly what Emma was thinking right now. That they perhaps wanted to rush into this after all.

Regina was getting worse and worse at reminding herself what a huge decision this was.

"What do you think, little guy?" Emma cooed at Neal.

"Ooooh-hooooh," Neal gurgled against Regina's bathrobe. Yes, she definitely would have to throw that in the hamper basket after breakfast.

"That was a yes!" Henry exclaimed and grinned from ear to ear.

"You think so?" Emma teased him and tossed a discreet wink at Regina.

"I KNOW so!" Henry said firmly and sounded very sure of himself.

"It is good... we have a little...bit of time...to...think about...everything," Regina snickered and nearly rolled her eyes at how utterly hollow the words sounded.

"What's there to think about, mom?" Henry groaned. He clearly found her frustrating. "We can't just send him away! He's family."

Yes. Yes, he is. She exchanged another look with Emma. They were all thinking about Neal as family. Henry was basically already his older brother, while she and Emma acted like Neal's mothers in every possible way.

"Regina, the kid seems to be onboard with everything we do," Emma observed with a little chuckle.

"So I've...noticed," Regina hummed.

"But this isn't the worst idea you've ever had," Zelena drawled, leaning to the side so she could tap her fingers lightly against Neal's back. "I am so in the mood to get another nephew. I don't know what has come over me."

"That's a very particular craving," Emma laughed.

A very particular craving indeed. Regina gave a hum in agreement and ran her fingers through Neal's blonde hair. He fitted so well in her arms. So very well. Almost like her arms were designed for this very purpose…

"Anyway..." In a brisk voice, Zelena changed the subject. "Henry, if you still want to come with me and Chad, you better get your little behind in gear!"

"Eating as fast as I can!"

Seriously? Regina cleared her throat loudly when Henry started to stuff his face so vigorously he managed to spill a little on the table.

"Wha?" Henry said, mouth once again packed with food.

"Be…. Careful," Regina scolded. "Don't….stuff your….mouth like….that. And…chew….your food."

With a mighty gulp, Henry managed to swallow his food. "Sorry, mom."

Regina accepted the apology and turned her head to look poignantly at her sister who had encouraged Henry to eat like this in the first place.

"You don't have to hurry that much," Zelena said hastily. "McDonald's isn't going anywhere."

Regina glared slightly at her. Stood from her chair. Sat Neal down in his bouncer and walked over to the sink to pour herself a glass of water.

It didn't take long before she felt Emma's arm around her waist and a soft whisper in her ear: "I like it when you get all strict, Professor Mills."

Regina smirked a bit at her girlfriend…

When Zelena had left with Henry, Regina was banished from the kitchen as soon as she came downstairs after her shower. Literally. Emma insisted on cleaning up after breakfast, and encouraged her to head into the living room and 'hang out' with Neal instead.

Naturally, Regina couldn't resist that.

So while Emma cleaned up, Regina was laying on the thick carpet on the living room floor. Neal was on his baby blanket. On his belly, arms flailing and constantly trying to grab her hair so he could either yank it or stuff it inside his eager little mouth. It didn't help telling him that her hair wasn't a chew toy. Hair grabbing/eating was still his favorite activity.

Regina did what she could to distract him, though. "'Looking from a…window above, it's like a… story of love, can you…. Hear me? Came back only… yesterday, I'm moving…farther away, want you… near me…. All I needed was the…. Love you…gave, all I needed for another…. Day, and all I ever… knew…. Only….You.'" Singing was something she had started doing recently. At last her voice was strong enough for that. The pauses didn't bother her, and Neal always seemed to appreciate it. No matter how horrible it sounded. Regina was by no means a singer.

But she supposed that one didn't have to be when it came to singing for a baby.

"'Sometimes when I think….of her name, when it's….only a game,'" she sang and elegantly evaded Neal's many attempts at pulling her hair. He didn't get angry. Only squealed when she kept singing to him.

"'And I…. need you, listen to the…. Words that you….say, it's getting….harder to….stay…When I….see you. All I needed….was the love you…. Gave, all I needed….for another day….and all I ever knew….only yo-'"

Creak.

Regina immediately stopped singing and looked up. Emma was looking at her. That explained why there suddenly was so quiet in the kitchen.

"Don't stop on my account," Emma said. "Keep going."

Regina's cheeks heated up. "I am...not a...very good...singer."

"Says who? Santa Clause?" Emma quipped. "I love the way you sing."

Regina didn't doubt that. Emma tended to love everything about her. But now Regina had become self-conscious. She couldn't sing when Emma was listening to it. She grimaced and shook her head.

"You're not gonna keep singing now that I'm here, are you?" Emma guessed, chuckling softly and came over and settled down next to them on the floor.

"Probably...not," Regina answered. "I am...embarrassed now." Her singing was only meant for Neal.

"Which is ridiculous, but you're not gonna listen to that anyway, so..." Emma chuckled softly and brushed a hand over her back. Which could have been very distracting if it hadn't been for Neal gurgling and interrupting her thoughts before they could stray in any kind of direction.

"He reminds me of a tiny whale," Emma chuckled.

"How...rude," Regina quipped and stroked Neal's back gently. "I'm sure...he doesn't appreciate...that."

"You on the other hand..." Emma carried on, ignoring her remark. "You look pretty fucking stunning today, Mills."

"Swear jar."

"Aww, come on, Henry isn't here!" Emma huffed. "We're home alone!"

"Almost." She couldn't resist to tease. That swear jar had become a standing joke in their family. It wouldn't be long before the contents of the swear jar would be able to pay for a trip to the local bowling hall. Or maybe even a visit to a cheap restaurant.

"We were supposed to have some alone time today!" Emma suddenly exclaimed.

Regina quickly recovered from the shock and chuckled softly. Oh yes, that's right. "We have...plenty of time...to do that...another day, my love." As much as she wanted alone time with her beautiful girlfriend, she doubted that she would be able to concentrate on anything except the huge thing David had sprung on them.

"But it was supposed to be today!" Emma huffed and looked utterly scandalized. "And I completely forgot!"

You've had...other things to...think about," Regina rationalized and chuckled. She was not about to blame Emma for having forgotten. She had forgotten too.

"What could be more important than remembering alone time?!"

"Adopting a...baby?" she innocently suggested as Neal gurgled.

"Right. That is pretty important. But just for the record, I'd really like some alone time with you soon."

"I'd like...that too. Just...for the record." Regina smirked a bit at her. She was already looking forward to that alone time.

"We'll have to work on that, Mills." Emma brushed her hand up and down her back again.

The warm touch gave Regina the shivers. For approximately ten seconds. Then Neal hooted from his baby blanket and reminded her that this was not the time nor place to get the shivers.

Emma seemed to be thinking the same. She stopped brushing her hand up and down Regina's back and turned her attention to the hooting baby. "What do you think, kid?" she asked him. "Do you wanna stay with us for good?"

"Gaaah," said Neal and rewarded Emma with a drippily smile.

"Yeaaah?" Emma chirped. "Was that a yes?"

"I think...it was," Regina said softly. If Neal had been old enough to have a say in all this, she suspected that he would be agreeing with them.

Emma looked at her. "How do you feel about all of this, babe? I know how much you love Neal, but this is a lot. We haven't lived together for that long, and I...I don't want you to feel overwhelmed."

Sweet Emma. Regina touched her cheek. "I am...ready for it, my love. Although I may...give my therapist a...heart attack when...I see her...on Monday." Oh yes, Doctor Kristine would most likely have a thing or two to say about this. But it would be positive things, Regina knew that. Of course her therapist knew all about Neal and how he had come to stay with them in the first place.

"Let's hope not," Emma laughed. "So you're really cool with this?"

"Emma." Regina was one sentence away from rolling her eyes. Of course she was 'cool' with this. She was more than cool, thank you very much!

"I'm just checking!" Emma gave a little huff. "I'm being a good girlfriend who checks in and makes sure you're okay."

"And I...love you so...much for it," Regina said softly and smiled at her partner who always, always was so good to her. "But I really...am okay with this. I love Neal...so much, and I cannot...bear the...idea of him...going back to...the foster place."

"I feel the same," Emma murmured. "Wow, we don't even need time to think about this, do we?"

"No," Regina chuckled. They really didn't. Her mind had been made up the moment David asked them to adopt Neal.

"We'll get another son," Emma said, shaking her head slightly. "Henry will get a brother. How wild is that?"

"Very." Her next sentence got away from her when Neal managed to grab a fistful of her hair and yank harshly at it. She grimaced in pain and brought a hand up to the now tender spot on her head.

"Neal! That is not a nice thing to do, buddy."

"Hoooh," Neal gurgled and tried his best to stuff her hair into his little mouth.

Regina would not allow that, though. Tugging was one thing, but she had just washed her hair this morning, and she didn't feel like doing it again. So she pried her hair out of Neal's eager little hands with the comment: "that is...not a chew toy."

Neal's little mouth twisted. His chin wobbled and his cheeks rapidly reddened in that particular way they always did when he was on the verge of crying.

Emma deflated the situation by giving him his real chew toy, though. "Here you go, buddy."

"Perhaps I...should have my...hair cut," Regina mused out loud. If it was shorter, it would be less tempting.

"You had shorter hair when I first met you," Emma said fondly. "It suited you. But this suits you too. I'm pretty sure you could rock any hairstyle, babe."

Well, maybe I'll have my hair cut, then. She chuckled lightly as she pictured herself with very short hair. Someday, it could be fun to try that.

Neal made another attempt at grabbing her hair, and Regina cooed at him. Told him that he was a very sweet little boy, but couldn't pull at her hair.

"What do you say we find someone who wants to babysit an adorable baby and a ridiculously smart ten year old tomorrow night?" Emma asked

Intriguing. She turned her head and quirked an eyebrow at Emma. "Oh?"

"I wanna take you out, Mills," Emma said and skimmed her hand up and down her back again. "We could head over to Tony's. We could even take a taxi so both of us could have some wine to drink."

Oooh. Yes, absolutely. And not just to the wine. The wine would only be the cherry on top. "I'd...like that," she hummed.

"Yeah? You want to go on a date with me?" Emma drawled.

"Always...my love. Always," Regina said firmly and already felt excited about the upcoming date. It had been a while since they last had been on a date just the two of them.

"Awesome! I can't wait to take you out." Emma grinned. "I haven't done that in a while."

Nor have I, she realized and frowned. "I haven't...asked you...out on a date...either."

"Yes you have. We had breakfast at Granny's yesterday."

She lifted an eyebrow as she disagreed. "That...was not a...date."

"Yes it was," Emma said firmly. "A family date. And a damn good one."

"One that...Zelena...crashed." Yes, she was still a little bit bitter about that. But she was sure that Zelena from now on would text rather than dropping in unannounced. She had certainly hinted at that before leaving. Teasingly, of course.

Regina had refused to be laughed at, and she had tipped up her chin and haughtily told Zelena to sleep during the night rather than listening through the wall.

"Like I said, family date," Emma chuckled.

"I'd like fever...dates with...Zelena...present in the...future." Regina said flatly. Yes, definitely bitter. Emma was taking the whole Zelena-crashing thing better than Regina did, and now she was even grinning a bit. "Then let's make tomorrow the first Zelena-free date, eh? Does that sound good, babe?"

"Mmm," Regina hummed. It sounded very good. She couldn't wait for the Zelena-free date.

"Now..." Emma pushed her hair out of the way before tickling Neal's cheek. "Who should we ask to babysit our adorable kids?"

There were many eligible suggestions, but right now, Regina only could think of one person. "What about...Malena?"

"Malena?" Emma chuckled. "Interesting suggestion. Go on."

"She...keeps...going on...about how she...wants to...spend more...time with Henry. And she's...already head over...heels for Neal." Regina smiled as she explained her reasons for choosing her oldest friend for the job. "We...should give her...the chance, don't you...think?"

"Absolutely," Emma nodded and returned the smile. "Henry will go nuts!"

"And...especially if she...says yes," Regina joked and stood from the floor. "I'll... ask her right...now." why waste time?

She headed into the kitchen where she had left her phone, and she quickly wrote a text to Malena: 'good morning. Emma and I were talking about going out on a date tomorrow night, but we do not have a babysitter, and we were wondering if you would like to give it a shot? If you're not busy, of course. I know that Henry would absolutely love to spend time with you, and Neal is a very easy baby.'

It didn't even take a minute before Malena answered the text. Regina carefully read what she had written:

'But of course, dearest. Anything to ensure that your love life is blossoming. Just let me know what time I shall be there, and I will happily take care of the little dragons.'

Regina erupted in laughter. Malena way of texting would never cease to amuse her.

"What?" Emma called from the living room. "You've got a joke for me?"

"No, but Malena...is being funny," Regina called back

"Yeah? What's she saying?"

Rather than throwing herself into quoting the text, Regina headed back to the living room and handed Emma her phone so Emma could read the message.

It didn't take Emma long to do just that. And when she was done, she was laughing too. "I've literally never met anyone like her before."

"Oh yes... absolutely," Regina heartedly agreed with her. Malena was quite literally one of a kind.

"But hey, she said yes to watching the kids for us." Emma sat up so they were face to face. She lifted a hand and began to trace the outline of Regina's bottom lip "Then let's see if we can make our love life...blossom."

How very cheesy, Regina thought to herself and was torn between an eyeroll and a smirk. Surely, she couldn't let that cheesy remark slide, could she?

No. When Emma's finger traced her bottom lip a second time, Regina parted her lips slightly and bit Emma's finger very, very gently. She couldn't resist temptation when it quite literally was right in front of her.

Emma gasped. "You're the one who keeps going on about never to flirt in front of the baby, and now you've just bitten my finger! That is so not fair!"

"Ooops." She was not about to apologize for that. Certainly not. She merely smirked at her girlfriend.

"You're not playing fair, beautiful," Emma accused and shuffled closer to her.

"And I've...never claimed to," Regina teased. She was elated at the thought of their date tomorrow night.

Emma kissed her and caused Regina to hum in delight. She rubbed her thumbs against Emma's cheeks and was richly rewarded when Emma wrapped her arms around her neck.

This caused Regina to make a sound in the back of her throat. A very slight moan. She couldn't help that either. She felt rather satisfied. Might even have giggled a little bit. She weaved her fingers into Emma's soft tresses and tightened her grip just a little. A daring gesture. One that she knew Emma loved.

And indeed, she was richly rewarded yet again when Emma made a little sound against her lips. Their kiss was growing more hungry. More eager.

But once again, their timing was terribly flat. Once again, they were interrupted. In the rudest way possible. By a sound that definitely did not invite for romance. Or left anything for imagination. No, it was quite clear what Neal just had done.

They broke apart, and Emma looked down at the baby squirming on the blanket. "Really, kid? Really?"

"I think...someone needs a...change," Regina commented as she too looked down at Neal. He was red faced. Which could only mean one thing.

And if his scrunched up expression wasn't an indicator, the strong odor radiating from him, most certainly was.

"I think someone needs a bath," Emma corrected and groaned "That sounded pretty... serious."

"I...agree," Regina said as she stood and lifted Neal up. His diaper was heavy. She grimaced. "Yes...definitely a bath."

"Okay then." Emma was quick to stand too. "Let's do it then."

Upstairs they went, and Neal was the picture of innocence and happiness as he gurgled in the bathroom sink. He squealed in delight when Emma ran a loofah over his pudgy little arms. He loved being washed, and Regina chuckled and easily evaded when Neal tried to grab her hair.

Yes, he most certainly had just interrupted their kiss, but that was alright. There would be plenty of opportunity for them to kiss tomorrow night on their date, and besides, it was only fair that Neal was the center of attention today.

Their boy.

Regina gently bopped his little button nose. Welcome home, son, she thought to herself as she smiled down at him. We love to have you with us...

To Be Continued…