"Oof!" said Emma with much feeling, and Regina could understand why. Face planting into the carpet probably hadn't been Emma's intention either. Had she hurt herself? Regina peered over the edge of the bed and held out a hand towards Emma. She was there to help if Emma needed it.
"I'm good. I'm good," Emma said and shifted into a sitting position. Her green eyes were wide and full of wonders as she said: "You... you just..."
Why yes, she did. Regina had indeed just spoken. Again. With pauses, but without stuttering. That was alright. She could live with the pauses. She wiggled her hand a bit. Not to sign, but to indicate that Emma should take her hand so Regina could help her up.
Emma did just that. Took her hand and let Regina help her up from the floor and back to bed. But it looked like sleeping was just about the last thing on her mind. Her eyes were wide and sparkling with wonder. Her cheeks were stained pink with excitement. "You... you spoke!" she exclaimed and stared wide eyed at Regina.
"Yes," Regina said. And felt unbelievably proud of herself. Here she was, speaking. With her voice. She was having a conversation.
"Holy shit!" Emma exclaimed half-loudly. Then she grimaced slightly and lowered her voice. "Why... why tonight?"
"My doctor... has been... nagging me," Regina said and marveled at hearing her own voice. It sounded a bit hoarser than how she remembered it to be. A little bit breathless. But she could live with that. She could more than live with that. As long as words came out of her mouth. And they did. She could joke now. She could have chosen to tell Emma about what had happened in the bathroom, but she decided not to. She would keep that to herself for a little while longer. That was a moment that belonged to her. But she knew that Emma would understand that.
Emma chuckled. The sound was more high pitched than usually, and told the tale of how excited Emma was. Emma's voice always became more high pitched when she was excited or eager about something. Now Regina was marveling at that sound. She did so love it when Emma got all excited.
"Is that really the reason?" Emma asked her. Still with a bit of squeak left in her voice. She honestly looked like she wanted to yell in delight.
No. Not entirely. "I wanted... to say it back," Regina answered. That old vow she had made after her operation about the first word out of her mouth would be 'I love you'. It hadn't been entirely, but it had been her first words to Emma. And that was what mattered. "So I... tried if I could..." seriously and it... worked."
Emma made choked up sound and cupped a hand over her mouth. She blinked rapidly, but that did not prevent the tears from spilling from her beautiful green eyes.
Regina quickly shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around Emma. She could easily understand why Emma was affected. They had been together for such a long time. Had shared so many things. Except for a spoken conversation.
Until now.
"Ohh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Emma breathed.
Indeed. Regina chuckled and ran her fingers through Emma's hair. Adjusted them a little so Emma could rest her head more comfortably.
"Your voice is beautiful!" Emma breathed into the crook of her neck.
"Thank... you." Completely spontaneously. No strain. Look at me talking, Regina praised herself as Emma shivered in her arms. Then she hugged her. Tightly. Regina ended up falling backwards onto the mattress. She was not unhappy about it, though. Especially not when Emma ended up on top of her.
"Oh god," Emma said muffled into her neck. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tackle you like that."
"It's... okay." Regina chuckled a bit. Adjusted so they were laying a bit more normally. Emma was more than welcome to stay on top of her.
Emma lifted her head. Her hair had gotten all tangled up from the tumble they took. "Does it hurt?"
Not in the slightest. "No. Soft... landing," Regina said and felt very witty.
"No," Emma laughed, shaking her head a bit. "No, no. I meant talking. Does it hurt?"
Oh. "No," she said immediately. "It... feels strange." Very strange indeed. "But it doesn't... hurt." There was no pain in her throat, but her lips were actually buzzing a little bit. Most likely because it had been a very long time since she last used them for talking.
"Oh my god," Emma repeated.
'Oh my god' was entirely correct, Regina thought to herself. 'Oh my god' was the perfect way of covering this night.
"You're not stuttering anymore." Emma's voice was as soft as the hand now cupping Regina's cheek.
"I've... been working... hard." Very, very hard. And how terribly frustrated she had been! But tonight, all her hard work was paying off. Tonight was worth all her frustrations.
"Your voice is so beautiful!" Emma repeated
Regina chuckled at the compliment. "I... still can't shout or... sing. But my speech therapist... says that I'm ready to... talk. If I... want to." And good god, how she wanted to! She was so, so ready to talk! She didn't ever want to stop again.
"Oh my god, I can't fucking get used to this!" Emma exclaimed. "You're really talking, babe!"
"And it... feels so... good," Regina said. At long last, she could say what she felt.
"I can't even begin to imagine." Emma kissed her cheeks. "Fuck, I love you so much!"
Regina didn't even have to will the words to come out. "And I... you."
Emma laughed wetly and kissed her forehead. "This isn't a dream, is it?" she murmured and lifted her head, looking Regina in the eyes. "You are actually talking, aren't you?"
"I... am," Regina said and softly traced a finger along Emma's bottom lip. "Emma." There was no stuttering. No more broken whispers. Finally, finally, she could say Emma's name. For the first time, she was able to say the name of her love.
Emma's eyes became misty. She was not crying, but Regina still became a little worried. "Am I... overwhelming you?" She asked softly and coughed to clear her throat. It did not hurt. Nor would it get rid of the hoarseness. She would have to get used to that. It wouldn't go away just like that. Her voice hadn't been used in many, many, many months. Of course she was hoarse.
"No," Emma said quickly. "Hearing your voice is the best thing in the world! But..." she interrupted herself and chuckled whilst saying: "imagine if you had spoken to me on the drive home! I would have bloody crashed the car!"
Yes. Exactly. "Hence... why I didn't... do it."
"You could have spoken earlier," Emma pointed out and seemed to shift a bit on top of her. "Why didn't you?"
Shaking her head lightly, Regina did her best to explain: "tonight... was your... night. I didn't want...to...take the attention... from you." Seriously, she would have to get used to those pauses. And continuously remind herself that the pauses weren't annoying. She wanted to be patient with herself. Treat her voice like a precious treasure that needed to be guarded and nurtured.
"Oh my god." Emma said and shook her head. "You've waited so long for this and yet you waited because of a silly book signing!"
"It wasn't... silly," Regina protested. Emma's book signing event had been the opposite of silly!
"Uhh, compared to this, it is!" Emma said firmly. "Nothing is more important to me than you. When will you realize that?"
Regina smiled. Felt a bit sheepish.
"We'll have to work on that," Emma said and dipped her head.
Regina shivered when Emma kissed the side of her neck. She wanted to tell Emma how much she liked that, so she lifted her hands so she could sign. Only to remember that she could just open her mouth and say it. She spluttered, amused at her own mistake. There would probably be a few of those in the near future. Now she had to get used to a new reality. Again. It would take a little while before she fully had wrapped her head around this. That the operation had actually worked.
"Henry is gonna flip out!" Emma said excitedly. "And Zelena! And oh my god, imagine Malena's reaction when you talk!"
Regina laughed again. She could not wait to reveal her ability to speak to her friends and family.
"Darn it."
The quite random little outburst puzzled Regina and caused her to ask: "is... something wrong?"
"I'm getting tired," Emma muttered and looked genuinely frustrated. "Which is super annoying because I wanna keep talking to you!"
"My voice... will still... be here... tomorrow." It was absolutely amazing to be able to say that. Say it and be sure of it. Her voice was here to stay.
"Damn it," Emma cussed. "I wanna stay up!
But Regina was absolutely on the same page as her. She covered her mouth and yawned loudly. Her jaw even clicked a little bit.
"Careful," Emma immediately warned. "I need that jaw in one piece."
"I am... being careful, my... darling." Another thing worth celebrating. She had just called Emma 'my darling'. She was able to give her pet names, now! Spoken pet names! Regina lifted a hand to her throat and touched it lightly. She couldn't help it. Was pretty much obsessed with this incredible 'device' that could make sounds and words. What a wonder.
Emma smiled and kissed her jaw again.
"Do you think... that Henry is... too old... for bedtime... stories?" Regina asked. That was one of the things she had mourned the loss of when she discovered that she wasn't able to speak anymore. Bedtime stories had been an enormous part of her and Henry's life. She had read to him every single night since he was four years old, and it had been so, so hard to not be able to read to him anymore. "I would so love... to... read...him one."
"I think Henry would love if you read him a bedtime story, babe."
"You... really think... so?" Regina had to ask. Sometimes Henry was a mini-adult. Maybe he felt that he was too old for bedtime stories.
"Yes. Absolutely!"
Regina nodded, thoughtfully. "I suppose... I'll have to... train a bit first. My voice is still... a bit... fragile." To be expected. She wasn't frustrated anymore. Only determinated to train her voice even more.
"Of course," Emma said softly. "I understand that. It's been a long time since you used your voice."
Very true. It had been a long, long time since she used her voice properly. Thinking about the last time she had used her voice, made her feel a bit somber. "The last time I... used my voice... I was... screaming for... my life... and now... I'm here... with you... sometimes... I still... cannot... believe it. It feels like... I've...won."
"You are winning every day, babe," Emma said gently. "Every single day."
She was tearing up. She couldn't help it. Laying in bed and actually talking to her girlfriend felt like the definition of winning. It felt like she had just climbed the world's biggest mountain and now was standing on the top and admiring the view. And the view was fucking amazing.
"Aw man, now I've made you cry!" Emma groaned. "I am like, the worst girlfriend ever!"
Absolutely not. Regina shook her head and tried chuckling. The sound came out wet.
"And I wish I wasn't tired," Emma sighed. "But it literally feels like my head is floating."
Regina nodded again. She could relate to that. It had been a crazy evening. Full of triumphs for the both of them.
"And I think I look like a panda." The casual statement was followed by Emma gently easing herself off of her and standing from the bed. "It could be really awesome if you weren't asleep when I come back from the bathroom, but I totally get it if you are."
Regina chuckled. She would certainly do her utmost to be awake when Emma came back from the bathroom.
"Back in two ticks," Emma said, turning around and nearly powerwalking across the floor. She opened the door and disappeared. Regina heard her walk down the hallway just as quickly. Still power walking, apparently.
"You…. Do….Not look…..Like a…..Panda," Regina murmured and chuckled to herself. Emma looked beautiful no matter what. Not at all like 'a panda'.
Regina stretched comfortably and folded her hands under her head. Eyed her phone. Was almost tempted to call Zelena and give her the surprise of a lifetime. For a moment she was amused as she imagined how Zelena would react to it.
But no. The next person she spoke to, wouldn't be Zelena. It would be Henry. Of course. If anyone needed to hear her voice, it was him. Perhaps he even needed it a little more than Emma. Because he was her son.
Regina looked away from her phone. She was not about to call him. That was not how she wanted to tell him that she could speak again. She wanted them to be face to face. In the same room so she could hug him tightly and laugh with him. Oh, he was gonna be so happy! Regina couldn't wait to tell him. And Zelena. And Malena. And everyone who mattered to her.
Her daydream was interrupted in the sweetest way possible. By Emma coming back to bed and announcing: "I've brushed my teeth, so if you wanna kiss me..."
Obviously. Regina quickly turned her head and captured Emma's lips in a soft, sweet kiss.
"Mmm," said Emma and almost mewled when Regina cupped her cheeks. Her fingers disappeared into Regina's hair, and despite being tired, Regina thought about other scenarios in which she could use her voice. She would finally be able to express herself fully when she and Emma were intimate. She would be able to tell Emma how good everything felt. There had been a time where Regina had taken pride in being vocal during sex, and she couldn't wait to reclaim that. Couldn't wait to let words of delight flow freely when Emma touched her.
If they hadn't been so ridiculously tired tonight, well….
Regina broke the kiss and pulled back. Anything else would probably be unwise. They needed their sleep tonight. Couldn't get carried away.
Emma brought her forehead to hers. "I love you."
"I love... you too." It's easy, really. Saying it out loud.
Emma grinned from ear to ear as she rolled off of her. Positioned herself on her side and slung a hip over Regina's waist. "So…. I think I'll need a moment to get used to the fact that you're not using Sign Language."
Regina was tempted to be cheeky and ask Emma to start adapting, but it was too late for jokes. She was tired. And apparently, she got sensible when tired. "I am... still going to... use Sign Language... once in a while..." She said, lowering a hand and drawing small circles on Emma's hip. It was like she just had to touch some part of Emma tonight. "My voice is... still fragile. It is good tonight because I've... been saving it...but my... speech therapist says... that I have to... remember... to... rest it too."
"I'm totally cool with that," Emma said quickly. "It hasn't been that long since your surgery. Of course your throat is still a bit sore. And I'm pretty much fluent in Sign Language now."
"You... are," Regina smiled and teasingly touched Emma's hip much too softly.
"That tickles!" Emma mock complained.
Regina smiled teasingly. She was well aware that it tickled. Hence why she had done it in the first place. "Goodnight... Emma."
"Goodnight, babe," Emma replied and lowered her head just as Regina grabbed a fistful of the covers and pulled it over them both. "This better not be a dream!"
Regina chuckled warmly. No, this was definitely not a dream. Her voice would still be here tomorrow. There was more conversations to have. She couldn't wait.
She fell asleep with a smile on her lips…
When she woke up the following morning, she was a bit out of sorts. Not because of something bad, but because of the very realistic dream she'd just had. It took her a moment to realize that it was not a dream.
She heard low gurgling next to her. Cooing. Soft laughing. The sound immediately made Regina feel much more awake. How could she sleep when Emma and Neal were right next to her?
"You are definitely adorable," Emma said, clearly talking to the baby. "But I don't think I could imagine giving birth myself. That stuff hurts like a bitch!"
Regina chuckled. Simply had to join in on the conversation. Because now she actually could. She was very confident when it came to that. Didn't doubt that she was able to speak."Yes. Giving birth... hurts like a... bitch." Success again. Her voice was roughened with sleep and quite hoarse, but it was working.
"You said bitch!" Emma said, feigning shock and then laughing heartedly.
"I... did," Regina said, rolling onto her side so she could look at Emma. "Good morning, my... love." First time she said that. But definitely not the last. From now on, she would be starting all her mornings like this.
"Good morning," Emma said, smiling beamingly at her and looking ridiculously beautiful this early. "So I didn't dream last night!"
"You... did not." She lifted a hand so she could touch Neal's cheek. "Good... morning... Neal."
Neal cooed softly and turned his little head. He looked so serious. Almost as though he knew that something had changed. Something had changed. But he couldn't possibly know. He was far too young. It wasn't cheating to say good morning to him before revealing her voice to Henry.
"Have you slept well?" Emma ran her fingers through her messy morning curls. Another thing she loved. Emma messing with her hair first thing in the morning was another part of their little routine. It was very distracting, actually. It would be easy to drift back to sleep while Emma ran her fingers through her hair.
But then she remembered that Emma was waiting for an answer. "Mmm." She nodded and felt heat rush to her cheeks as she remembered the dream she had just woken up from. It had been quite the fascinating dream.
Emma of course noticed the shift and touched her cheek. "What's this about?"
"No... nothing." Regina cleared her throat. No stuttering.
"I don't think that's entirely true," Emma claimed and tilted her head. "Did you have any special dreams?"
"No," Regina claimed. But her body betrayed her. Her cheeks felt even warmer.
"I don't believe that, beautiful," Emma said, snickering and waggling an eyebrow in that particular way she always did when she was trying to coax something out of Regina. "What did we do? Should I ask Ruby to come get Neal real quickly so you can tell me about it?"
"Not... that kind... of... dream." Regina was well aware how this looked, but she honestly hadn't been dreaming about naughty stuff.
"Oh?" Emma squinted in what Regina secretly had dubbed 'the curious detective way' ."What then?"
Regina shook her head. "I... don't... want to... shock you." Maybe Emma would freak out. She certainly wouldn't blame her for freaking out. It was early in the morning. Much too early for such topics. Too early in every way.
"Nothing you tell me can ever shock me," Emma assured and brushed her thumb over Regina's cheek. "Come on. Tell me. Please?"
Regina huffed, slowly realizing that she was losing this little battle. So she did the only sensible thing. Blamed someone. "It's... that woman's... fault."
"What woman?" now Emma frowned in confusion.
Regina couldn't blame her and tried her best to explain. "The one... who thought that... I was... your... wife."
"Oh."
"It's her... fault... that I dreamed... that we...were getting married." God, saying it out loud made Regina feel cringey and awkward. It's too soon to have this conversation. I should have kept my mouth shut.
Well, that hadn't been an option, apparently. Now that she was able to speak again, her mouth seemed to move faster than her brain. Regina hoped this wasn't gonna be a regular thing.
"You and the woman?" Emma gently teased her, but Regina was not amused. She scowled at Emma and tried her utmost to ignore her warm cheeks.
"That sounds like a good dream," Emma said softly. "And definitely not something to be embarrassed about, beautiful."
"I... disagree." But why, though? It was clear that Emma did not have any problems with talking about this, so why was Regina protesting so much? Why was she being so childish right now?
Emma chuckled softly once more and stroked Neal's back. "I have always thought that marriage wasn't for me, but I'm not so sure anymore."
"Oh," said Regina. Her heart was thudding faster and faster in her chest. Emma was talking about getting married.
"What about you?" Emma asked casually, voice all light and curious. "Our subconscience makes us dream all sorts of nonsense sometimes. But what are your actual thoughts on marriage?"
"I have... always wanted to... get married," Regina replied. "It was... one of... my main goals... when I was... a child. But... after him... I sort of... gave up... on that... dream." More than that. She fucking tore up her wedding dress while gobbling down a bottle of champagne. She hadn't just given up on marriage. She had burned the tradition to the ground. And it had felt good. But things had shifted. She now knew that she hadn't burned the idea of getting married along with the scraps of wedding dress. She had burned the marriage that was supposed to be. The marriage to Killian Jones.
"I had... already bought... my... wedding...dress. Did you... know that?" Regina continued. She had no qualms with telling Emma this. They had told each other so many things, and since they were already talking about 'deep things'….
"No," Emma said quietly. "You've never told me that."
"It was... very pretty... made of... lace," Regina said. She felt no sadness. No anger. Talking about her old wedding dress didn't really made her feel anything. "I...burned...it." This confession was easy to make too. Because she knew that Emma would understand. Emma would never judge her for the choices she had made.
"Oh, baby." Emma wiggled closer to her. "Next time will be different. A hell of a lot different."
"Next... time?" Regina turned her head slightly so she could look at Emma. Hope fluttered in her chest. Bright, beautiful hope that had her stomach curling in a nice way as she thought about the possibility of going out and buying a completely different wedding dress. The wedding dress that she wanted. The possibility of actually being excited about her wedding and marriage, and not dreading it.
Perhaps one day.
"Mmm. Next time," Emma repeated. "Take that however you want it."
She fell into silence, but it wasn't the kind of silence that had Regina worried. It was the kind of silence that intrigued her. The kind of silence that caused Regina to inquire: "What are...you thinking... about?"
"You," Emma said immediately. "Always you."
Regina chuckled. She liked that answer a lot.
Emma sniffed. Wrinkled her nose. "And right now I'm thinking that mister Neal might need a diaper change."
"Quite...right." Regina sat up in bed and reached for Neal, but Emma was having none of that. She effortlessly brought the baby out of Regina's reach and scolded: "One that I'll be in charge of. I know that you fed and changed him tonight while I was asleep."
Regina had in fact done that. Not that she was planning on confirming it, though. She settled for smiling as she shrugged a bathrobe over her pajamas. "I'll...go downstairs...and...make the...coffee then."
"Good idea," Emma said as she climbed out of bed with Neal in her arms. "I'll be down as soon as this little guy has been bathed and changed."
"Are you sure... you don't...want me...to bathe...him?" Regina ran her fingers through her messy morning curls. They needed a good brushing.
"You bathed him yesterday," Emma pointed out. "I know you adore him and don't mind spending time with him, but it makes me feel a bit guilty."
"That's... silly. But I... understand." Regina did not pursue the subject further. "See you... downstairs."
"Yup. Count on that," Emma chuckled. "Do you need the bathroom before I barricade myself in there?"
Yes. Absolutely. Regina made haste and headed into the hallway. Into the bathroom where she relieved herself, washed her hands and then brushed her hair until it wasn't sticking up anymore. She also brushed her teeth. Which was quite silly since she was about to have breakfast and coffee, but she did not care. Feeling fresh in the morning had always been important to Regina.
When she could taste mint tooth paste rather than foul morning breath, she gave her face a quick wash and left the bathroom.
Emma was waiting in the bedroom with the now rather fussy and squirmy Neal. Little one was impatient in the morning.
"Right. I'll go to war," Emma joked, squaring her shoulders and pretending to look around for dangers. "See you in a bit."
Regina chuckled as she left the bedroom again. She padded down the hallway and could hear that Emma was right behind her. Sensing that Emma was lingering on the top of the stairs, Regina made a whole point of humming as she headed down the stairs. But not only for Emma's sake, though. Of course she was in an excellent mood this morning. How could she be anything but when she had started the day by having a spoken conversation with her girlfriend?
Coming into the kitchen, Regina made the coffee and opened the fridge. She considered it. What did they want for breakfast on this fine day? Not oatmeal. Oatmeal was far too plain for this beautiful morning. Regina briefly considered to make cinnamon rolls, but quickly deduced that it would take too long.
There was a pack of bacon in the fridge. And a box of eggs.
"Bacon and….. Scrambled…. Eggs," Regina decided, shamelessly talking to herself. "Excellent. Egg…..cellent." She laughed loudly at her own joke and was sort of glad that no one was around to hear how silly she was being…
When Emma came downstairs with the freshly bathed and now gurgling Neal, Regina had made bacon and scrambled eggs, and had she been more of a hothead, she definitely would have gotten insulted when Emma scowled and pointed out:
"You didn't have to do that, Mills."
Regina wasn't a hothead. So rather than getting insulted, she opted for teasing instead. "Are you not... hungry?" Ha. Who was she kidding? Emma Swan was always hungry in the morning. She had once said that she was 'a right beast when I'm hungry'. Regina wasn't too sure about the beast-part, but she definitely appreciated the healthy appetite Emma always displayed in the morning.
"Your voice makes me think of chocolate."
Huh? "Choco...late?" She felt her jaw clench and reminded herself to be patient. The pauses were okay. Far better than stuttering or whispering.
"Yeah." Emma gently plopped Neal down in his bouncer. "It's so deep and... rich."
"Is that... good?" Old insecurities bubbled. Regina was well aware that she had a deep voice. Deeper than most women. Many had praised it. A selected fews had called it attractive'.
But one man's insults had effectively overshadowed all the good things people had said about her voice.
Killian had called her voice horrible.
Gross.
Unattractive.
Not feminine enough.
Be more soft spoken, damnit!, he'd said. It's not that hard!
Sadly enough, she had actually tried. Had tried to speak differently. In a lighter tone. To please him.
Arms wrapped around her from behind. "Your voice..." Emma kissed the side of her neck. "Is the sexiest thing I've ever heard."
"You think my... voice is... sexy?" the hint of discomfort was immediately replaced with cozy warmth spreading in her body.
"Hell. Fucking. YES!" Emma tightened her grip on her waist.
Regina chuckled; discomfort quickly forgotten. "I wish I could... speak without... these... pauses." The pauses were a bit frustrating. She had never been a fast-talker, but still…
"You'll be able to," Emma soothed. "You just have to get back in the groove. Is your voice tired, by the way? You've been using it a lot this morning."
"Yes, I... have." And she was so damn proud of it"
Emma spun her around and kissed her lips.
Regina returned the kiss until she remembered that their breakfast would get cold if they did not hurry.
They sat down at the kitchen table. Emma of course dug into her food with vigor. Regina bottle fed Neal with one hand and speared bacon on her fork with the other. She liked their mornings. Liked planning out the day while giving Neal his bottle. And today she just so happened to have a specific plan.
"I was... thinking I would... head outside and... plant those roses after... we've picked up... Henry."
"That's a great idea, babe," Emma said, sipping her coffee. "You've been wanting to plant roses for a while now."
That was true. And now she finally had a place where she could grow roes. Regina was very excited. She had so missed having a proper garden. Maybe Henry finally could get that swing set he had talked about.
She tipped the bottle just a little so Neal could have as much milk as possible. He was as hungry as Emma, and he tended to get impatient if the bottle wasn't tipped immediately.
Hungry little man, Regina affectionately thought to herself and smiled at the baby.
"You know, seeing you smile like that at him really makes me feel mushy," Emma said casually.
"I…. know," Regina replied and laughed softly not to startle the baby. "I feel….. mushy when…..I'm…. Smiling at him."
"Aww," Emma cooed. "We're obsessed with him, aren't we?"
"Yes…. We….Are," Regina agreed. "And I….Think we….Might have…..To let…. Malena…Spend some…..Time with…..Him in…The future."
"Yeah, she seemed to have taken quite a shine to him. It was adorable. Neal sure knows how to charm people, doesn't he? Do you think he's building an army, or something?" Emma made adopted a high pitched baby voice as she spoke to Neal. "Neal the Conqueror, Neal the Stealer of Hearts…"
"Gah," said Neal around the bottle.
"I totally just busted him," Emma said and wiggled a finger at Neal. "I know your secret, little mister!"
Regina snorted. And knew that she most likely would call Neal 'the stealer of hearts' in her mind from now on.
Neal finished his bottle, and Regina picked him up so he could burp. Which he did. Loudly. And cheered on by Emma. He also happened to spit a little down her back, but since Regina was wearing a bathrobe, she wasn't too upset about it. It was just the kind of thing that happened when you had a baby in the house. She was used to it. When Henry was born, she had practically lived in her bathrobe for three months…
While they were still eating breakfast, Kathryn Midas called with the daily David-update. Regina listened in. Was concerned when she heard that David had had a bad night last night, but she reminded herself that it would take a little while for David to adjust to the new medicine he was taking. And she was happy when she heard Kathryn ask on David's behalf how the book signing last night had been.
"Oh, it couldn't have gone better," Emma said with genuine joy.
"He's gonna be very happy to hear that. And how are all of you doing this morning?"
"We are doing great," Emma said. "Neal's just been bathed and fed."
"David will be happy to hear that too. He and I are going for a little walk later. He felt up for that."
"That sounds nice," Emma said and smiled.
So did Regina. It was a very good sign that David was showing interest in going outside. The less he isolated himself, the better. When you went through something like this, you thought that you wanted to be alone. But that wasn't correct. You shouldn't be alone. Quite the reverse.
"And of course he's asking how you and miss Mills are doing?" She heard Kathryn Midas ask in the phone.
"Then tell him we're doing well," Emma chuckled. "And that he can call her Regina."
"I'll remind him of that. Anyway, I'll let you get back to your breakfast. David sends his love."
Regina smiled.
"Tell him we say hi," Emma said.
"I'll tell him that. Goodbye, Emma. I will talk to you tomorrow morning."
"Yeah. Goodbye." The call was ended, and Emma thoughtfully put the phone down.
"How is... he doing... today?" Regina asked, balancing the slightly heavy baby in her arms. She always asked. Just in case she had missed something that Kathryn had said.
"I think he had a bit of a rough night because of the medication he's on now, but he was feeling better this morning."
"Good."
"He didn't specifically ask about Neal this morning," Emma continued and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "He just asked how all of us were doing. I know Neal is included in that, but nevertheless..."
"He's feeling... overwhelmed...right now," Regina said. Neal made a 'gahh' sound and made her smile despite wondering why David Blanchard seemed to distance himself more and more from his little boy.
"Yeah, of course he is." Emma nodded. "But I can't help but think about what's going to happen when he gets released from the hospital. Kathryn said it could be months. That's months where he hasn't seen his son. What's gonna happen from there? Won't Neal be confused as fuck when he's going to live with David after such a long time?"
Now Regina was the one to purse her lips as she looked at the happy baby in her arms. She had been thinking about the same thing. When David's mind was less foggy and he got out of the hospital, he was going to want his son back, right? And that shift would disrupt all the routines she and Emma had created for Neal over the past weeks. Regina didn't want to be negative, but she feared that it could cause another rough patch for father and son.
"I don't know, maybe I'm just worrying unnecessarily," Emma muttered. "I mean, babies adjust fast, right?"
"Mmmm." Sure. But not that fast. And David was going to be fragile for a long time. Even when he got out of the hospital. It wouldn't be a walk in the park. Regina knew that from experience. Getting out of hospital was only the beginning.
"Anyway, we should probably finish up so we can pick up Henry," Emma said, adopting a light tone in a clear attempt to shift the mood.
They ate their breakfast. Regina went upstairs to get dressed for the day. Emma watched Neal while she did so. And when she was done, it was Emma's turn for the bathroom.
Regina brought Neal into the bedroom to get him ready for the drive to Zelena's place. He was being a little fussy, not that willing to cooperate with her.
"Now, now," she gently scolded as she dressed the unhappy baby. "No…. reason to be…..so….angry. We do….this….every….morning, remember?"
Neal squirmed and kicked a chubby little leg up. Emma peered into the bedroom. Asked if they were ready. Regina shook her head no, so Emma said that she would head downstairs and clean up after breakfast while Regina got Neal ready.
Regina appreciated that. They were very good at sharing the chores between them.
"I….Am….Sorry," she said to Neal as she elegantly dressed Neal in his cute bear suit. "But….It….Is….bear…..Suit….Day…Today."
Neal was not having any of sweater weather. His little face knotted up, and he looked like he was about to scream the whole house down.
Luckily, Regina had a cure for that. She tickled his little round belly and hummed softly to him. His little face loosened, and he gave a dribbly grimace representing a smile instead.
"That…..Is…..Better….It's….Not so bad….Is it, my…..Little….Bear?"
"Gah-gah-gah!"
"Babe? Almost ready?"
Regina opened her mouth. And then remembered that she couldn't yell yet. Damnit. How very frustrating. She rolled her eyes slightly.
"Sorry!" Just take your time!"
Emma had clearly remembered her inability to yell too. Regina chuckled softly to herself. Then she finished bundling Neal up and headed downstairs.
Just as she was coming down the stairs, Emma emerged from the porch.
"Here, let me take him while you grab your coat," she said and reached for the baby.
Regina smiled as she handed Emma Neal "I think... his carrier... is still in...the kitchen."
"Well, we'll have to go and find it then." She headed back to the kitchen while Regina went into the hallway to put her coat and shoes on. The zipper on her coat wasn't cooperating with her, but Regina wasn't too upset about it. This gave her the perfect excuse to listen to what Emma was saying in the kitchen.
"There we go, little bear.""We have to make sure you're all safe and secure. Like this."
A slightly dissatisfied coo in response.
"Don't be a grumpy bear. You look so cute. And you're going to hate me for this when you're older."
Regina wondered what it was that Neal was going to hate, but she laughed anyway. The way Emma said it had sounded very funny.
After a moment, Emma came into the hallway. With Neal secured in his carrier. "Are we ready to go?" She asked softly.
"Looks...like it," Regina confirmed. She had chosen her high heeled boots and fur trim coat for the occasion.
"Great. Come on then, my lovely. Let's go and pick up your son." Emma gallantly put her free hand on Regina's lower back.
Regina chuckled at that.
Out on the porch they went. Regina locked the door behind them.
"I'm thinking about buying a swing sofa," Emma said a bit out of blue. "Couldn't that be awesome?"
Regina hadn't wanted a swing sofa until this very moment, but she still said: "Very." Because why not buy a swing sofa? She wasn't entirely satisfied with the short answer, but her voice was actually getting a little bit tired.
"Then I think I might just do it," Emma said lightly. "Henry would love having a swing sofa where he could hang out and read. Don't you think?"
"Absolutely." Another short answer. Damnit.
"Rest your voice, beautiful. You've used it a lot this morning and last night. And it hasn't been that long since you had the operation."
"I know," Regina said as she turned around and they walked away from the house and towards the car.
"I'm more than cool with Sign Language," Emma reminded her. "You know that too."
"I would... rather talk."
"I know." Emma unlocked the Mercedes. "But I really don't want you to strain that beautiful voice of yours, okay?"
Regina's slightly sour mood immediately lifted. She did so love it when Emma complimented her voice.
Emma clearly knew that. "Sexiest voice on the planet. Undoubtedly."
Now Regina couldn't help but smirk, and she was entirely satisfied with how hoarse she sounded as she said: "I can't... wait to... use my... voice in... other...situations."
Emma appeared to be swallowing something. She seemed a bit distant as she put Neal's carrier on the backseat of the car and strapped it in, and she even managed to bump her head when entering the car.
Regina was of course immediately concerned and inquired if Emma was alright.
"I'm fine," Emma said half-heartedly and rubbed the spot where she had bumped her head. "I guess that's what I'm getting for thinking about things I shouldn't be thinking about right now.
Convoluted sentence or not, Regina had no problem with understanding what Emma was getting at, and she smirked as she drove away from Steveston…
They reached Zelena's place in fine style, and it didn't take long before Emma joked: "It's almost weird that I'm not here to pick you up anymore."
Regina chuckled softly. She was just thinking the same thing. She was already thinking of Zelena's house as that. Her sister's place. Regina's home was in Steveston now. She unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the car.
Emma did the same. Then she went around the car and opened the door to the backseat. Lifted Neal out with the words: "there we go, little dude. Are you looking forward to seeing Henry again?" The answer to that was clearly no. Because it didn't take long for Emma to huff: "okay, okay, Mr. Grumpy bear. There's no reason to give me that look."
The fairly one sided conversation had Regina chuckling again. Neal could be such a grumpy old man sometimes.
They walked up to Zelena's place. Regina knocked on the door, and it did not take long before her sister opened the door. "Good morning," she greeted. "Come in."
It didn't escape Regina's notice that Zelena looked a bit weak. Quite pale.
"Morning," Emma said and lifted an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"
So she had noticed too.
"This morning sickness will be the dead of me!" Zelena said groaned.
"Oh."
Regina flashed her sister a look of sympathy. That poor thing. Morning sickness was definitely no joke.
"This is the last time I'll ever get pregnant!" Zelena continued, still dramatic as she put a hand on her growing belly. "And the hardest part is still to come. How many hours was it that you were in labor for, sis? Was it eighteen hours?"
Regina nodded in confirmation. Yep, eighteen hours. It was quite the lengthy birth.
"Ouch," Emma said and winced.
Regina remembered the little snippet she had heard earlier this morning. That giving birth hurt like a bitch. Well, Emma was quite correct about that.
"But I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end." Zelena's gaze landed on Neal in the carrier, and she cooed at him. "Good morning, little bear. Don't you look delightfully cute today." She crouched down and tickled his cheek. "Where do you get those adorable outfits?"
"Eugenia actually gave us that one," Emma replied. "Neal didn't exactly come with lots of clothes, so it's been really great that she's loaning us so much. And pretty fun for Ruby. She was the one wearing it once upon a time."
Regina joined in on Zelena's chuckle.
"Well, he certainly looks cute," Zelena said warmly. "Perhaps Eugenia will give me some baby clothes if I really suck up to her."
Emma laughed as Regina scowled and clicked her tongue. She was not about to let Zelena exploit Eugenia Wolf's kindness. It was very tempting to open her mouth and say something, but no, not yet. Her next words belonged to Henry. So no matter how tempting it was to say something, she didn't do it. She didn't even sign. It felt frustrating to use her hands now that she knew that she was able to speak.
"Anyway, let's go inside and find Henry," Zelena said briskly ushing them both inside and straight into the living room where Henry was sitting. In front of the television. Whilst eating a bear claw.
Seriously? Regina groaned and glared at Zelena. Since when was Henry allowed to eat bear claws for breakfast?
"Oh sis, he's a growing boy," Zelena said, clearly not giving a care about her concerns. "He needs something else besides vegetables. Isn't that right, master Mills?" she said into the living room.
"Yup," Henry confirmed and switched off the television. It didn't take long before he came over to them. Smiling widely, he said: "Hey, Ma. Hey, mom."
"Hey kid," Emma smiled.
Regina smiled too. She was nervous, definitely. But also excited. This was the moment she had been waiting for. The time was right.
She opened her mouth and said: "hello, my little... prince."
The words came so effortless to her. She didn't have to strain or attempt several times. Not anymore. No stuttering. She had done it. Had spoken to her son for the first time in a very, very long time.
Zelena made a sound behind her. A very odd sound. Half shriek. Half squeak. Regina wouldn't be able to describe it later. And thankfully, she wouldn't ever hear that sound again.
Henry's jaw completely dropped. His eyes widened as he looked at her. Clearly unable to say anything.
Zelena was not quite as motionless. Soon she was standing right in front of her and wagging a finger quite rudely in her face. "What... was THAT?"
"That was... me talking. Now get that... finger away... from... my face." Regina squinted. She didn't appreciate being pointed at like this.
Two things happened. Emma started laughing. Zelena squealed as she hugged her. And lifted her off the ground. Regina's feet were dangling a few inches above the ground. Regina didn't appreciate that either.
"Put me... down!" She protested. "At... once!"
"Of course, of course!" To her credit, Zelena did put her down immediately. She clumsily straightened Regina's coat and started rambling: "I'm sorry, it's just... You're talking! Oh my god, I can barely believe it!" she hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. "This is bloody fantastic, little sis! When did this happen?!"
"Last... night." Regina smiled. Ridiculously proud of herself.
"Yeah, I fell out of bed when this one suddenly answered me," Emma added and snickered.
"And hit your... head. I am... sorry about... that," Regina said sheepishly. She felt a bit guilty. But she couldn't have foreseen that Emma would fall out of bed, right?
"I don't think there's any harm done," Zelena laughed and hugged her again. Sniffled a bit. "Damn it! You can't do this to me when my hormones are screwed up already!"
"Sorry."
"You're really talking."
Henry.
Of course.
Regina immediately turned around and crouched down so she could look him in the eyes. His eyes were misty, and his chin was wobbling.
"I still need... a bit of practicing..." She said softly. "But I am already getting... better."
Henry looked at her. His chin wobbled more and more. Then he started sniffling. Crying.
"Come... here." Regina drew him into her arms and hugged him tightly. She could comfort him. With words. She could tell him that everything was going to be alright.
"I love you, mom," Henry sniffled into her shoulder.
"I love... you too... Henry." Regina clung to him and willed herself to not cry. She could tell him that she loved him. She was finally able to say her son's name. It was incredibly hard for her to not get affected, but again, she did not want to cry and make a scene.
So she did the only thing she could. She scooped her son up. Swept him into her arms and lifted him off the floor. His feet dangled. Much like her own had done a moment ago.
Henry laughed hoarsely and didn't protest. Didn't go 'mooo-ooom' like he sometimes did.
"You are... getting heavy," Regina said and chuckled. That was random. It certainly wasn't the first time she had lifted him.
"It's all those vegetables," Henry teased.
"It must... be." Regina sat him on his feet and kissed his forehead. "Are you... ready to... head home? Do you... have your... backpack ready?"
"Yes," Henry said without moving or taking his eyes off of her.
"Do let me know if you need me to watch him again." Zelena was hoarse and had to clear her throat.
"Sure thing," Emma said, and Regina hugged Zelena goodbye. Zelena looked like she could do with a hug. And perhaps some advice too.
"Dry toast and... crackers helps with... the morning... sickness," she told her older sister.
"I'll bear that in mind," Zelena nodded. Then she shook her head and smiled. "Do you realize that I can actually call you now? Instead of texting. We can have an actual conversation! God, I can't believe it."
Neither could Regina. And it was lovely. So many new possibilities. But now Zelena really had to stop hugging her. Otherwise they would be here all day.
"Let me... go, Zelena. I have... roses to... plant," she chuckled.
"Yeah, you're totally interfering with her gardening plans," Emma drawled and laughed.
"Gardening?" Henry tickled Neal's foot and made him gurgle. "That sounds boring!"
"It's not. Especially not if you and I are hanging out in the garden with the baby and entertain your mom while she plants roses."
"I don't want any... help," Regina said proudly and lifted her chin. "I want to... plant them... on my...own."
"Of course," Emma said. "But Henry and I will keep you company. There's plenty of weeds to take care of."
Henry groaned and sounded a bit like his aunt. "Seriously?"
"Yes, kid. Seriously," Emma grinned. "If you help me with removing the weed, we're gonna watch Harry Potter tonight!"
The bait immediately had Henry perking up. "Really?"
"Yes," Regina confirmed.
"Deal!" Henry said, positively grinning now. Movie night was his favorite kind of night.
Zelena walked them out in the hallway. They thanked her for looking after Henry again.
"Bye, Aunt Z," Henry said as he hugged his aunt.
"Goodbye, young man. See you next time. And I will be calling you later, Regina. I want to hear all about the book-signing!"
"I wanna know about that too!" Henry piped up.
Regina smiled. "If Emma will... drive home... I will tell you... all about... it."
"Deal," Emma said, draping her free arm around Regina as they left Zelena's place.
Little Mr. Grumpy Bear aka Neal, was put in the backseat again. Regina and Henry followed suit. If they were going to talk, Regina did not want to be in the passenger's seat. She didn't want to have to turn her upper body all the time. That would only land her with an ache.
Emma drove them away from Zelena's place.
"So!" Henry demanded. "Tell me all about the book signing."
"And about how I fell out of bed last night," Emma added "I'm sure it looked fu- freaking funny."
Regina chuckled. "It...did."
Now Henry laughed too. "You fell out of bed, Ma? I wanna know about that!"
Regina did her best to do just that. Henry didn't mention the pauses between her words. Of course not. She knew he didn't care about that. He only cared that she was speaking. That they could have a conversation. She eagerly described how Emma had fallen out of bed, and Henry laughed and called his Ma 'a klutz'.
"Heyyyy," Emma protested. "Wasn't my fault! It was your mom's! She was the one who started talking all the sudden! I got surprised!"
"Sure," Henry said a bit thoughtfully. "I mean, you've never heard her talk."
"That's right, kid. I haven't. Not until now." Emma met her gaze in the mirror and smiled at her.
"I'll…. Never be….. Quiet again," Regina half-joked.
"Good," Henry said. Clearly not taking it as a joke.
"Good!" Emma echoed. Very firmly. She wasn't taking it as a joke either.
And perhaps, Regina thought to herself, perhaps it actually wasn't a joke. Because now that she could speak, she didn't ever want to stop again! These her first words was the beginning of a never ending conversation…..
To Be Continued….