A/N Set after Neverland but does not follow canon.
CHAPTER ONE
It had been two months since the whole neverland debacle, and everything was finally getting back to some kind of normal.
Emma however, found that she was missing the nights of Neverland. Where she and Regina would stay up and talk.
They talked about their son and the most random of things, but those things, ended up working their way into Emma's heart.
She had found out, that Regina was a secret fan of cheesy pop songs. That she loved watching a good movie with popcorn.
They also played a game of truth or dare one night, which were mainly truths and she found out, that Regina liked to sing in the shower.
That revelation alone, gave Emma the image of Regina naked in the shower, whilst singing and she had to shake her head, to get rid of such a sexy thought.
They had come so far, during those nights in Neverland. That, when they finally returned to Storybrooke, everything went back to how it was before, and she found herself at a loss.
"What's going on with you kiddo?" her father asks, while she is sits at the table in her parents' apartment and is staring into space.
Emma sighs.
"I don't know. ever since we returned from Neverland, I just feel like somethings missing"
"Hook?"
Emma groans.
"Please don't mention him"
"I thought you two, were like a couple now"
Emma gaped at him.
"How the hell did you come to that conclusion" she huffs.
"Well, you kissed him in Neverland, didn't you?"
Emma mentally kicks herself.
"That was a mistake. I was so confused with everything that was going on, I couldn't think straight" she then answers with a frown.
"Well, his already been round this morning looking for you"
"Oh"
"You should tell him how you feel"
"I have, but he doesn't take no for an answer" she huffs.
"You want me to speak to him?"
"That wouldn't make any difference"
"Okay. Oh, by the way, Regina's birthday party at Granny's is tonight, are you coming?"
"It's her birthday?" Emma stands up and all but screams. How had she forgot?
"We told you a couple of days ago" David frowns.
"Oh god. she doesn't remember that. She's been zoning out a lot lately. That must have been why. Shit."
"I've got to go" she says quickly and grabs her jacket and runs out of the apartment to her car.
Where she jumps in and speeds down, to the gift shop in town.
Five minutes later, she bursts into the little shop on the corner and rushes to the card stand.
"Well hello sheriff. Someone's in a rush today" the petite shop owner says, as she watches Emma looking over the variety of cards she has on the stand.
"Um, hi" Emma mutters back and she pulls out a cute little card, but it's got bunnies over it.
She puts it back.
Damn, what card would she like. She thinks to herself, as she's looking through the small selection of cards.
Finally, she comes across the perfect card and takes it with her over to the gift section, but it is all teddies and glassware.
Regina deserves better than this, Emma thinks to herself and turns to the shop owner.
"Have you got any other gifts out back?" she asks, and the woman tilts her head and then says, "Wait a moment" and she turns and heads out back, leaving Emma to look back at the card in her hand.
The woman then returns with a box, and she pulls out some of the items, that are yet to be shelved.
Emma looks them over with interest.
She pulled out a small leather brown memoir book, that had a leaf outline design on the front and had string around it to keep it together and Emma wonders what it is.
"That is a leather memory book. Like a journal or notepad. It is also refillable" the shop owner tells her, and Emma suddenly remembers, Regina telling her in Neverland, that she always wanted to write a journal but has never got round to it.
"Cool. I'll take it" she then replies with a smile.
The woman then smiles and says, "Do you need wrapping paper? a gift bag?"
"Yeah, that would be great thanks" Emma answers simply and watches, as the woman picks up a roll of gift wrap and a happy birthday gift bag.
"Will these do?" she asks and Emma nods.
"Yeah, thanks"
The woman then taps the prices into the cash register and takes Emma's money. Before, handing over the items.
Emma then rushes out of the shop and back to her parents' apartment. Where she goes into her room and starts wrapping her present for Regina.
Before, spending far too long, thinking about what to put in the birthday card.
Later that evening, at Granny's.
Regina arrives with Henry, thinking it's just going to be a small family birthday dinner but to her surprise, the whole diner is full of birthday banners and balloons and a large gathering of town folk.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY" They all shout, when she walks inside of the diner, and she looks surprised.
Everyone then starts to greet her and wish her well. While Emma hangs back and watches from a distance.
Regina looks pleased, but she tries to hide it.
She then shares a joke with Emma's parents and Henry beams, whilst saying that the party was all his idea and Regina smiles at him kindly.
Emma then takes a deep breath and steps forward.
Making her way through a handful of people, before coming to stand next to her parents.
"Hi" she says shyly, and Regina eye's lite up, as she looks to her with a wide smile.
"Hello Emma" she replies and Emma beams at her.
"Happy birthday" the blonde then says softly and Regina melts.
"Thank you dear"
They then smile at one another for a long moment, until Henry pulls on his mother's arm and says "Come, look at your presents"
"Let her get a drink first kid" Emma laughs and Henry, continues to show her other to a table, with a dozen gifts upon it.
Regina is surprised, to say the least. She didn't know she was that well liked.
Ruby then appears and hands Regina a glass of wine.
"Thank you, Ruby,"
"No problem"
"So, how old are you exactly?" Ruby then cheekily asks, and Regina takes a sip of her wine, before saying with her head held high.
"A Queen, does not reveal her age"
There is then a few chuckles at Regina's answer and she begins to take her coat off.
"Let me take that for you" Emma then says, holding her hands out to take Regina's black pea coat and once she takes it, she gapes at Regina's dress.
She is wearing a lovely red dress, that goes to the knees and is short sleeved and she looks absolutely stunning.
"Are you okay?" Regina then asks in concern and Emma blinks and holds the coat tightly within her hands.
"Yeah, thanks, um, you look nice"
Regina smiles.
"Thank you, so do you" she gestures to Emma's plaid shirt.
"Oh, this thing" she looks down to herself. "I got it a few weeks ago"
"It suits you"
"Thanks" Emma begins to blush and then turns to put Regina's coat down.
She then hears Henry saying "You got to open this"
"What's this?" Regina asks in curiosity.
"It's your present from mom"
Emma's eyes go wide, and she turns back around.
"Oh, she doesn't have to open it now hen" she says quickly.
Regina then looks to Emma.
"You got me a present?" she says in awe.
"Yeah, we're friends, right? that's what friends do" she says, with slight panic in her voice.
Regina then smiles and then places the bag upon the table and pulls out the card within it.
Emma then glares at Henry, who shrugs his shoulders at her, and she thinks, little shit.
Regina then opens the card and begins to chuckle.
It has a pale-yellow card with two green peas in a pod on the front and they are holding balloons. The words above read 'Wishing you a very HAP-PEA Birthday!"
Regina then opens the card and her chuckle fades, as she begins to read what's inside, and a look of surprise then appears upon her face.
It reads, Happy Birthday to my favourite Queen.
I hope your birthday is the happiest.
I'm so grateful for everything you have done for our kid, and you really do make this town a better place.
And I was just thinking, if our life was like a sitcom, you'd be the witty, glamorous friend and I'd be the dorky sidekick. And You know what?
I wouldn't mind that at all.
Happy Birthday Regina.
From your dorky sidekick Emma xx
Emma swallows thickly, as she watches Regina read her words, that she had written.
Regina then brings a hand unconsciously to her chest, as she looks up and to Emma.
Her expression is soft, and she looks touched by Emma's words.
"Thank you, Emma," she whispers "This means the world to me" she adds, and Emma beams in happiness.
Regina then goes to pull out Emma's gift and begins unwrapping it.
"Um, I hope you like it" Emma says and bites her lip in anticipation.
Once unwrapped, Regina runs her hand over the soft brown leather book and Emma says "It's like a journal. You once told me, that you'd always wanted to write one and I saw this and thought, maybe it could help you start."
Regina then pulls the string away and opens it, revealing blank papers in what looks like a small ring binder.
"Oh Emma" she says in awe. "This is so thoughtful" she adds and thinks, this is the best gift she could have received.
"Did I do good?" Emma then says in hope and Regina nods.
"You did more than good" Regina beams.
Emma then does a little fist pump in celebration and Regina chuckles, whilst saying "You really are the dorky sidekick"
And this makes Emma smile.
A/N Hope you all liked the first chapter of my new story. Thanks for reading.
