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David pulled up in front of the town hall that next Thursday, pushing his gearshift into neutral and shutting off his truck. He hopped out and made his way up the cement path, hoping Regina would be in a decent mood today. She had every right to be angry with him for what his wife did, but he truly hadn't known. Mary Margaret had said she picked up Henry's gift and he hadn't questioned it. Why would he? He never expected her to pull a stunt like that.
He shook his head and made his way into the building, seeing Regina's secretary outside. The girl gave him a shy smile and he saw her face flush a little, giving it away that she'd most likely heard a few of he and Regina's office visits. "Is she available?"
"She should be," The blonde nodded quickly and bit her lip.
"Thanks," David turned and knocked briefly on Regina's door, slipping in before she could respond. He saw her brows furrow and lips purse immediately at the sight of him and he suddenly missed the bright smiles she used to give him when he'd walk in the room.
"What do you want?" She grumbled before looking back down to the paperwork on her desk, diverting her gaze.
"I came to talk to you about this weekend - what we promised Henry as your gift to him," David let out a breath as he slowly crossed the room to her desk, sitting down in one of the chairs opposite it and watching her.
Regina squinted suspiciously when she lifted her head to counter his gaze. "What do you mean? I thought you were just covering and giving me time to stall," Her jaw clenched a little at the memory, "By the way, what in the hell is that bitch's problem?!"
"She's jealous," Davis sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back in the guest chair, looking off to the side. There wasn't any excuse for what Mary Margaret did and even if he tried to sell one, Regina would see right through it. He might as well be honest.
"Jealous of what?" Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes. The flash of curiousity in her expression was quick but he didn't miss it.
"That you and I have a kid together," He replied plainly, watching her closely.
"She knew that going into it," Regina replied incredulously, "Is she daft? Did she forget Henry existed until now? Has she been under a magical curse that altered her reality?" She emphasized the absurdity of the situation, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
"No, not quite," David looked back at his ex-wife, seeing her waiting rather impatiently for an explanation. "Mary-Margaret wants a child of our own."
"Oh..." He saw her face drop before she quickly mastered an aloof expression again to hide her feelings, though he knew her well enough to see through the front. "Well you are married...why not?" She shrugged before biting down on her bottom lip, eyes shifting as she struggled to maintain his gaze.
"Because I only ever pictured you having my child," He replied honestly, locking his stare with hers. He watched her swallow hard and her eyes gloss slightly and he had to keep himself from trying to comfort her. That was just instinct to him; something he'd never not have the urge to do when she was vulnerable. "And I wouldn't feel right sharing that experience with anyone else."
"David," Regina's voice faltered despite the hard look she gave him and the practical demeanor she tried to project, "You're married to her now, it's only natural you have a family. I'm fine, you shouldn't let what we went through hold you back from having what you always wanted."
"It's not the same," He shrugged his shoulders and they both looked away from each other, sitting in silence for a few moments before he spoke again..."Anyways, we had a weekend in my hometown planned and were going to take Henry to the zoo as his present. Instead of Mary Margaret going I think you should come."
"Wait," Regina raised an eyebrow, her expression growing skeptical and sarcastic once again, "You want me to replace your wife on a trip to your hometown where we eloped? With our son? And what are we going to do? Sleep in your childhood bed together again?"
"It's not like that, Regina," He frowned leaning towards this desk with his elbows on his knees, "This is about Henry. He hasn't had us both together in a while. You need a present for him after the stunt Mary Margaret pulled. And after that, I don't really feel like spending a weekend with her. The zoo tickets are already purchased and my parents are already expecting us."
"And What will your wife think?" She smiled fakely, shaking her head in disbelief of his plan.
"I already told her. She isn't thrilled, but she knows she can't really say much," David raised an eyebrow, "You love my parents. Henry will be elated. Why not?"
Regina took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair, "There will be absolutely nothing happening between us this weekend. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Let me get this straight," Emma raised an eyebrow as she collapsed on Regina's bed, watching the tense brunette storm around her bedroom packing. "You're going for a weekend trip with your ex-husband and son at your ex-husband's parents home. And you don't think this will look suspicious?"
Emma's words made Regina sigh loudly and her head momentarily fall back as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "It doesn't matter because nothing is happening. I already told him that much."
"Are you two still screwing?" Emma watched her skeptically.
"Emma," Regina looked back over her shoulder from where she stood in front of her closet, giving her friend the best glare she could muster.
"Well to be fair you told me the last time we discussed it that it was over between the two of you and the bar was just a slip up," The blonde rattled, mocking Regina's tone as she repeated the words.
"It was," She let out a breath and turned to her with a frown, "It's a slip up in the beginning, then somewhere I find my senses during the sneaking around. I realize that I'm the other woman and I tell him it's not happening anymore. Then it's tense and we're angry...and we argue about something and we slip again."
Regina gave a weak frown and motioned her hands in front of her in a gesture to convey how she really couldn't explain the cycle she and David went through. Not logically, at least. Her complicated relationship with David wasn't something she could justify. What they were doing was still wrong despite the connection that neither one of them could let go of. Luckily, Emma's expression grew more sympathetic and she was reassured that her friend wasn't judging her.
"Look, I get it. You and David were meant to be together. That's not something that's easy to let go," The sheriff nodded, leaning on her elbow as she laid sideways on the bed, "I see you struggle with that. Which makes me wonder if this weekend is such a good idea...I mean, I know your kid would love it, but is it good for you?"
"It'll be fine," Regina nodded, tugging her bottom lip in between her teeth. She was telling herself more than Emma, she knew, but if she admitted it out loud to someone else that she was worried what this weekend would do to her emotionally then it became real. "We just have to remember this is for Henry. He's been through a lot with our divorce. He deserves to have his family back together, even for a weekend. And nothing more than that is going to happen between David and I. Not back there...that town means too much to us."
"My point exactly," Emma sighed and nodded, "But you're a big girl, you make your own decisions."
"Mhm," Regina wagged her brows before turning back to her closet to file through her clothing.
"You can't take pants suits and designer dresses to a weekend in a small town," Swan rolled her eyes with a laugh.
"I'm not!" Her mouth dropped at Emma's barbs before pressing her lips together and jerking a long sweater dress from the hanger, "See?"
"Ooooh how casual," She grinned and rolled her eyes at the stubborn brunette, "I see you've already got underwear covered though."
"Get out of that," Regina huffed and came across the room quickly, snatching the lingerie hanging off of Emma's finger. "You're an actual teenager."
"Old enough to know what we wear pretty lingerie for though," The blonde taunted her again. It was a trait she loved and hated in Emma Swan. There were very few people in her life that challenged her the way Emma did. Her sense of humor was dry and sarcastic, just like Regina's own. They had a way of teasing each other that was just enough to get under one another's skin while still getting the truth out. It was honest and upfront and Regina liked that about their friendship.
"Shutup," Regina sighed and pulled the suitcase lid shut, throwing a warning glance at the blonde, "Not everyone is a boxer wearing tomboy."
"Hey, even I break out the lacy boy shorts when I'm in the mood," Emma smirked at her friend's expression and let out a laugh, "You're so easy to wind up, Mills."
"Make yourself useful and fold," Regina sighed and suppressed a grin, throwing the sweaters and leggings she'd managed to dig out at her friend's head. "Or go home, Miss Swan."
Henry stared at his parents incredulously as they stood in front of Regina's Mercedes, watching them put suitcases in the trunk. He was still reeling from the announcement that they were going to his grandparent's for the weekend. "So, we're all going to Grandma and Grandpa's? Both of you?" He asked curiously and Regina couldn't help but warm at the hope in his eyes.
"And to the zoo," David added with a smile and a glance at Regina, "It's your mom's birthday present to you."
"No way," Henry's eyes widened and Regina let out a little laugh, "We haven't been since I was so little I can barely remember!"
"Well what are you waiting for kid? Get in," David smirked at the excitement on his son's face, pulling open the car door for him and watching the kid dive into the backseat with his backpack.
"Can we get a milkshake on the way?" Henry chirped after immediately rolling the window down.
"You remember that?" Regina laughed and raised an eyebrow at her son, reaching towards him and rubbing her hand through the top of his hair.
"We always get milkshakes on the way to Grandma and Grandpa's! It's family tradition," Henry grinned widely up at them before rolling the window up quickly so that they could not respond.
Regina found herself smiling warmly as she looked up and made eye contact with David who was gazing at her in the same way. Both of them had caught the phrase Henry had used and it seemed to have a similar effect. Their son was right, it was a family tradition for them to pile in the car for a weekend trip to David's parents where they'd get milkshakes on the way. When they arrived they spent the weekend cooped up in the cozy brick house, David and Regina sneaking off to his childhood bedroom while Henry built ships in a bottle with Robert and Ruth fussed over them with the mountain of baked good she'd prepared. It was family tradition, one that all three of them had apparently missed.
"We should get started," Regina spoke up after a second when she caught herself, "You know what traffic on the freeway will be like later," She mumbled before turning, effectively breaking the spell as she put distance between her and her ex-husband and rounded the car to the passenger side.
"You uh, want me to drive your car?" David glanced over the top of it at Regina questioningly and he could tell by her instant expression that it flustered her. "I mean I know I usually always drove I just didn't know, if now-"
"If you want to, it's fine, if not I can-" Regina replied quickly, "I'm sorry I just-" She shook her head, inwardly cursing herself for being so caught up in the moment a second ago that she darted around the passenger side of her own car like they were still married. He always drove when they went somewhere as a family. He knew she hated driving so it was one of the things he always did when they were together. It was one of those easy habits that comes along with marriage.
"No, it's fine I just wanted to make sure," David cut her off with a nod and a friendly smile, hoping to get her to calm down. He could tell she was hesitant about this all but he was glad she was giving it a chance. No part of him wanted to spend that much time with his wife this weekend and even though he wouldn't admit it, he wanted this trip with Regina. He wanted them to spend time as a family, to see what it may be like if they had a second chance at things. It was insane and a feeling he should logically be stifling down in an attempt to live with the choices that he made, but he couldn't. Despite his lame attempts at moving on, he'd come to realize that he'd always crave this. His little family together and being with the woman he loved like no other.
"Come on you guys, let's go!"
"I'm so glad you came, honey," Ruth practically beamed, those blue eyes that she'd passed onto her son sparkling with happiness as she pulled Regina into the kitchen, nudging her to sit down at the counter. She laughed and obliged her former mother-in-law, basking in the warm energy of the cozy, quaint little town home she'd considered her own family home over the years.
"Henry is so happy," She smiled and took the wine glass Ruth poured from with a gracious nod, "He couldn't believe that we were coming here together. He's missed that."
"We all have," The older woman smiled kindly as she poured herself her own glass of red wine, "And Mary-Margaret, how did she feel about this?" She asked, a coy glimmer in her eyes.
"Oh, I'm not sure," Regina let out a breath, deciding not to bring up what David's wife had pulled at their son's birthday party. It would do no good and only serve to irritate her all over again, so she pushed it to the back of her mind. "I'm sure she was okay with it. I mean, it's for Henry, after all. Just because David and I are over doesn't mean he should suffer."
"Mhm," Ruth eyed her as if she wanted to ask her something but decided against it, "Well, I'm happy your here. And so is Robert by the looks of how fast he and Henry disappeared to his office. Thank goodness, I've had to listen to him rattle on about his latest ship venture," She rolled her eyes with a grin.
"Well Henry is enthralled by it, I'm sure they'll stay busy all weekend," Regina smiled, happy that her son and his grandfather had a hobbie that they could enjoy together. David had told her how his father had had issues with alcohol when he and his brother James were young. Ruth had put her foot down and Robert sobered, went to meetings and in the midst, formed his little ship building hobby. Regina admired the strength of their relationship and the forgiveness the family had for each other. They were so drastically different than the environment she'd grown up in.
"When are you three heading out tomorrow?" Ruth inquired.
"Probably about noon," David smiled as he walked in after carrying their suitcases up to the rooms, getting everything situated. He gave his mom a kiss on the cheek as he walked by towards the fridge, grabbing himself a beer out of it, "What do you think babe?" He asked, glancing up at Regina before realizing what came out of his mouth. He didn't miss the raised brow his mother gave him or the hint of a smirk that graced her features.
Regina stiffened a little at the term of endearment, narrowing her eyes at him. She hated things like that, even if they were small and meaningless. It was harder to keep her front up around him, harder to be distant when he would remind her of the way things used to be. It made her yearn for the intimacy they used to share. But he was married to someone else now and that intimacy was not rightfully hers. When things happened now, she was the other woman. She was the one left emotionally wrecked and alone.
"That sounds fine," She let out a breath before hearing the front door go, downing the rest of her wine in preparation of whoever it was.
"I'm hoooooome!" The sound of David's twin brother's voice boomed from the foyer before he appeared in the kitchen archway, his eyes widening when he saw Regina on the barstool, "No fucking way! What are you doing here, Reg?!" He gave her a goofy grin before charging towards her.
"Jamie, no!" Her eyes widened before she let out a yelp and a laugh when he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug, picking her up and swinging her around, "Jesus, it's been like five years!"
She'd always loved David's brother and thought of him as her own. He was the clown of the family, always guaranteeing a good time whenever he was around. Unlike his brother, he took nothing seriously, was a womanizer and treated life like an endless party. James had gone to live overseas for a couple of years before she and David had even split, and she hadn't seen him since.
"Put her down!" Ruth sighed and shook her head with a laugh as her son finally set Regina back down on the barstool.
"You two back together?" James smiled brightly, looking at David who choked on his swallow of beer and glanced at the rest of them wideyed.
"Uh, no, we're here for the weekend with Henry to take him to the zoo for his birthday," Regina piped up when David hesitated, "We thought it would be nice for him."
"Oh," James raised a brow, glancing between the two of them for a moment, "Well I'm glad. Say, I'm supposed to meet up with Graham and Kathryn and a few others down at the pub later, you two should come. They'll shit when they find out Reg is back in town!"
"Oh, no, we'll be getting up early to go to the zoo, I don't think that's-" Regina began, not sure if she was ready to see all of the familiar faces from their youth.
"Well, not that early," David interjected with a raised brow and a grin.
"Yeah, Reg," James smirked and wrapped his arm around David's shoulders. She imagined their mischevious grins weren't much different than to when they were just toddlers getting in trouble and cooking up plans. Poor Ruth. "C'mon you know Dad and Mom will keep Henry occupied. Besides, how often do you two really get a night out with friends?"
"Henry will be fine honey," Ruth smiled encouragingly, though Regina caught a hint of mischeif in her gaze as well. This family was something else.