Carefully stepping out of the truck, the slight evening breeze blowing her red locks back. Zelena helped Robyn down and out of the truck, before she took the little ones hand and closed the door with her other one. Looking up and around at all the people sitting near the benches and walking around the courtyard, Zelena laughed in disbelief. It was as if these people had been living comfortably this whole time, unaffected, but she knew from Regina that that wasn't the case.
In the almost three years since the outbreak started, she had seen more than enough death to last her an entire life time. Witnessed first hand how people, could behave so immorally and unethically instead of simply coming together to make sure that everyone survived and thrived during a time of panic and constant fear. But not everyone was like that, her sister was like that, all of these people around looked to Regina and her team to keep them safe.
Dorothy and all of the children started to climb off of the bus, looking around with their bags and blankets in their arms. Zelena looked over the truck to watch Regina as she spoke to some man that was covered in what looked like motor oil. Regina was speaking and nodding her head as the man asked her questions looking towards the bus, before she looked back over to Zelena and smiled.
Toto zoomed down the steps of the bus and barked as he quickly took in all of the new smells around him. He was weaving back and forth, looking all around, seeing the horses not too far away, the little fur ball took off barking.
"Toto!" Dorothy groaned and put her bag down on the ground to go after the pup. The kids in her group all laughed too before a few of them started putting their bags down to run and help Dorothy try and catch the pup before he peeped on something or started digging things up.
"Ruby, will you go help them?" Regina chuckled and asked.
Ruby sighed but laughed as she went off to help the kids catch the dog trying to dodge them all. Regina walked over to Zelena taking her hand into her own and pulling her close. Robyn whipped around from watching the show of the dog chase and hugged Regina's legs. Smiling brightly Regina bent down to pick her up with one arm, letting the six year old wrap her arms and legs around her.
Slowly more people started to walk out of the prison to see what all the commotion was, as Kristoff and the other men started loading supplies off of the bus and from the back of the trucks. Regina looked around but she didn't see her father, nor Emma or Henry in the little sea of people.
August walked out too and furrowed his eyebrows at seeing Ruby turn to run away from ToTo as he started to bark at her and nip at her ankles. Laughing, he noticed Regina by her truck and walked over, seeing the red headed woman and little girl in her arms.
"Regina! You're all back!" August smiled.
Regina turned and grinned back at him as he stepped on over.
"We are!" Regina chuckled. "August I would like you to meet my sister, Zelena and this is Robyn! My beautiful niece." Regina introduced them and tickled Robyn's side, making her giggle.
Robyn twisted and tried to turn in Regina's hold to get her Aunt to stop, while August went to shake Zelena's hand but she moved it away to pull him into a hug. August didn't pull back and opened his arms a little shocked but smiling expression spread over his face as welcomed the embrace.
"We're practically family apparently." Zelena chuckled and clarified.
"Well...yes, I suppose you are right about that." August chuckled as Zelena stepped back . "It's great to finally meet you both. I'm really glad Regina was able to find you both alive and well. She was determined to get you all here one way or another."
"I know and I am grateful! We both have amazing little sisters apparently." Zelena grinned and looked at Regina.
"Oh without question we do." August smiled.
Regina looked around again but still see Emma, they must still be sleeping.
"Speaking of little sisters, August, are Emma and Henry still asleep or-" Regina started.
"Oh! No they woke up a little over an hour ago actually. They're over in the greenhouse, with your father."
Little Henry had his little glove covered hands wrapped around the stems and leaves of a carrot, scrunching up his little nose and grunting as he tried to pull it up from the ground. Big Henry was kneeling on the ground next to him, watching as he insisted on helping them but by himself.
"You want some help, Hen?" Emma asked amused for the second time.
"No, Mama." Henry grunted. "I do it. I got it."
Henry insisted as he took the gardening tool that Big Henry handed him, and took off one of his gloves to dig the carrot out some more. Emma was behind them with an amused grin on her lips, watching his little body turn and twist next to Big Henry as he tried to pull the carrot up from the ground himself. She was standing near the sack of carrots, some potatoes, tomatoes and squash they already had picked.
After waking up from their nap, Henry was eager to get up and go look for Regina. But Emma knew they weren't back yet, Regina would have already been there waiting with them or August would have come in to let her know of their return.
But neither happened before they were both stretching and standing up from the mattresses to put on some warmer clothes after Big Henry came up to ask if they wanted to help him pick some vegetables. Little Henry jumped up and eagerly pulled Emma up too to start getting him dressed.
Finally the carrot started to give way and Henry almost fell on his butt, but not before Big Henry's hand shot out to keep him upright. Henry huffed and let out a deep breath, reaching up to wipe his cheek, putting dirt on his face in the process. Little Henry turned to Big Henry with a satisfied grin on his lips and nodded his little head.
"Got it! Here go, Mama." Henry turned, smiling at her, at his once again small victory.
"Thank you, baby." Emma chuckled.
"Welcome!" He smiled.
Taking the carrot from his now dirt covered fingers, pulling the sack open to toss the carrot into it. All of these vegetables were going towards whatever big dinner Granny Lucas planned on making tonight to "celebrate" as Regina put it.
Stepping back and closing the vegetable sack up, Emma reached forward for Big Henry's hand to help him out of the corner and then for little Henry to pull him from the dirt. Henry was dressed in his grey knitted beanie, his little puffy navy blue winter jacket and his grey drawstring joggers, with his cute little navy high top sneakers that had a star wars patch on them. He could finally fit them and August was too smug about it because he was the one who found them and for some reason the toddler absolutely loved them. Having never even seen Star Wars she doesn't know why he loves it so much.
"We done, Mama?" Henry titled his head up to look up at her.
"Yes! And pretty quickly too. You're such a big a boy! You helped us with everything today!" she smiled down at him and he cheesed at the praise. "You've got dirt on your face babe."
Emma chuckled at the dirt smeared on his face and reached back to grab a clean rag sitting on the table near them and the bottle of water next to it. She poured a bit of water onto the rag to wet it, and Henry stepped forward titling his face up.
"Get off me!" Henry urged and Emma laughed, for a little boy he wasn't always a big fan of dirt.
"Ok. Ok. Come here." Emma chuckled and squatted down to rub the dirt away from his cheek.
Emma reached up and brought bottle down to pour water onto his dirty fingers and wipe at them with the rag.
"Bleh!" Henry scrunched up his face and stuck his tongue out in disgust apparently at the dark murky water, and Emma laughed harder. "Bleh! Bleh! Bleh!"
"It's fun to do but it is dirty work, mijo." Big Henry smiled looking over at him.
"Dirty work." Henry repeated after him. "I clean. Have Baths!"
"Yes you are very clean, babe." she agreed her attention on his face as she applied just a drop of more water onto the rag and wiped away the last bits of dirt.
"Do you hear a dog barking?" Big Henry looked around. "Is there a dog at the prison?"
Just then the door to the greenhouse opened as Emma was checking him for anymore dirt, and Henry looked back over her shoulder and over the table on his little tip toes, before he gasped and quickly moved around her, giggling as he saw Regina enter the greenhouse.
"Gina!"
Regina looked around as saw her father standing between some tables. She heard son before she saw him and looked down, hearing Henry's little giggles and shoes hit the boards, seeing his little beanie covered head run between and around the tables. She chuckled and smiled, as she stepped further into the door and let him jump into her arms.
Emma looked back over her shoulder as she stood up straight seeing Regina bending down to lift Henry up, snuggling him close and attacking his face with kisses. Henry giggled and wrapped his legs around her torso, hugging his body to hers tight. Emma smiled and put the rag down, as she started dragging the big vegetable sack around to other side.
"You back! You here!"
"Yes! I'm back! I told you I was coming back!" Regina laughed.
Big Henry grinned at their cuteness and he felt his heart stop quickly and beat again, seeing a head of red hair behind Regina near the door. Walking around the table as Regina turned to allow Zelena to walk into the greenhouse while she held onto Robyn's hand. Zelena looked around and she laughed in relief as she spotted the older man.
"Zelena!" Big Henry had a smile so bright his eyes lit up as he walked around the table.
"Daddy!" Zelena's smile was just as bright.
"Papa Henry!"
Robyn gasped as she saw him and let go of her mother's hand to run off and wrap her arms around Big Henry to give him a great big hug. Henry knelt down and opened his arms for Robyn to run into them.
"Come here. Robyn!" Henry grunted as she jumped into his arms. "Oh! Come here."
Zelena walked the few steps over to him as he stood up holding Robyn and kissing her head, beckoning Zelena over to him. He pulled her in and she wrapped her arms around them, laying her head down on his shoulder, openly sobbing.
"Zelena! Oh gracias! Gracias Dios te bendiga!" Henry was crying as well, rubbing his hand over Zelena's red locks.
Big Henry wasn't her biological father, but he was the only father she had ever known. Since she was two years old, Henry took on the responsibility to raise her when he married Cora. He didn't have to but he did and Zelena was so grateful that he did, because he birth father Jonathan was the complete opposite to who Henry was. And not seeing him for almost two years, not knowing if he was dead or alive, started to play into many of her past breakdowns.
Emma watched them from behind the table and felt like she was intruding on a very private moment between the family. She looked over and noticed Regina already looking over at her and she blushed. Regina bounced Henry in her hold, kissing his cheek, as she walked over to the table Emma was standing behind.
"Hi." Emma smiled and greeted her. "Welcome back!"
"Hey, you." Regina was looking at her with that same look again. As if she had just given her the world, so sincerely and she could see her gaze was just one full of love.
Reaching her hand out to take Emma's, she pulled the younger blonde in and leaned down to kiss her sweetly on the lips. Emma sighed against her lips and stepped in, she wrapped her arm around Regina's side and pecked her lips again. Smiling she blushed more as Regina kissed the side of her mouth and softly rubbed the tip of her nose along Emma's, softly kissing her cheek and the side of her nose, kissing up until she reached Emma's forehead.
Emma hummed as Regina squeezed her shoulder and rubbed her palm along the side of her arm, she smiled brightly as she just felt her heart swell and her body overflow with so much love for this woman and having her back in her arms, she almost couldn't contain it and blushed harder, turning to hide her face in Regina's shoulder.
"You okay?" Regina kissing the side of her head.
"Mhmm...Yeah I'm good. I just missed you." Emma smiled and nodded her head against her shoulder. "I'm happy you're back."
"I missed you too." Regina sighed in relief and closed her eyes laying her cheek down on top of Emma's head. "I love you...I'm not leaving again for a while okay?"
Emma felt her heart swell up again and her body flowed with jitters, hearing Regina tell her that. She titled her head up and nodded as she smiled at the beautiful woman in her arms, looking over every inch her face.
"I love you too." Emma told her honestly.
Regina grinned and kissed her on the lips sweetly, and kissed her nose again. Looking over at Henry who was looking over her shoulder, no doubt studying the new crying faces hugging on Big Henry. She looked back over her shoulder, seeing that her father had put Robyn down and was touching Zelena's face as they spoke lowly and smiled at each other.
"Are you ready to officially meet Zelena and Robyn?" Regina looked back at Emma.
Emma nodded her head yes, but on the inside she was more than a little nervous to finally meet them. She saw her sister walk in, she saw the red hair and the piercing green eyes. No doubt Zelena gets her looks from their mother for sure like Regina told her; she and Regina looked like complete opposites, but Emma could see they had similar smiles. But this was Regina's older and only sister for crying out loud.
Regina took her hand and together they walked back over to the others around the table, seeing as Henry wiped away Zelena's tears and looked down to Robyn who was smiling up at him. Emma let out a slow breath to calm the few anxious jitters she had as Zelena looked over to see them walking towards them.
Zelena's eyes were wet and red from crying but she offered her a warm smile nonetheless, Emma shot her a one right back her gaze shifting from Robyn to Zelena as they stepped and stopped only a few spaces in front of them.
"After asking me a hundred and one questions about her, you finally get to meet her in person." Regina teased. "Zelena, this is my girlfriend Emma Swan."
"Hi, oh it is so good to meet you." Zelena smiled and stepped to stand beside Henry. "Sorry, I'm sure I look like a mess now from crying."
"You look fine, really. It is really nice to finally meet you, Zelena." Emma put her hand out. "Hi!"
Zelena did the same thing she did with August, and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the young blonde. Emma laughed nervously at the sudden move and but quickly recovered, returning the hug to the taller woman.
"Thank you, Emma." Zelena spoke with her chin on Emma's shoulder and pulled back. "Regina told us what happened to you and the part you played in getting us here."
"Yeah no, it was no problem. I'm glad we were able to get you here so quickly." Emma nodded. "I wanted to help out any way that I could."
"...And this. This is our son. Henry." Regina beamed with bride at being able to say that.
Zelena looked over from Emma to the little boy in her sister's arms. Henry's was scanning over her quickly and he looked down back over his shoulder to look at Robyn.
"Hi Henry." Zelena greeted him softly because she knew how toddlers could be.
Henry just looked at her again before he suddenly turned shy and wrapped his arms around Regina's neck to hide his face.
Emma stepped back next to Regina to get Henry to say hi, because he was not shy in the least, but he wouldn't budge, he only laid his head down on Regina's shoulder, giggling as Regina tickled his belly under his jacket and tried to get him to do the same. Emma sighed and gave Zelena an apologetic grin before she went to look down at Robyn, who was staring up at her looking at the scar on the pretty blonde woman's face.
"Hi. I'm Emma." Emma smiled and stuck her hand out. "You must be Robyn."
Robyn just smiled, nodding her head as rushed forward to wrap her arms around Emma's legs. Emma let out a tiny "oof" but chuckled and bent down to wrap her arms around the little girl.
"You're a hugger too huh." Emma chuckled and rubbed Robyn's back.
"Did you really ride on the back of a motorcycle with fireworks?!" Robyn backed up and looked at Emma in awe.
Behind them, Regina rolled her eyes and sighed, because of course that would be Robyn's first question for Emma. Emma chuckled and looked back at Regina because she knew the woman hated talking about or looking at the motorcycle outside.
"I did yeah, I have the motorcycle here actually." Emma straightened back up.
"Really?! It's here?!" Robyn gasped and looked back to Zelena. "If Emma says yes can I ride her motorcycle?"
Zelena opened her mouth to answer but before she could get it out, there was a hard:
"No!" Both Big Henry and Regina shook their heads in the negative.
Robyn turned and looked at Regina ready to argue but didn't at the pointed look her Aunt gave her.
"Maybe when you're a bit older, sweet pea." Zelena answered instead, looking at her sister and father amused.
"I'm sorry we weren't outside to greet you when you first got here, mi amor." Henry looked at Zelena apologetically.
"It's alright." Zelena shook her head.
"We wanted to be out there when you got here. We were just picking ingredients for the dinner Granny Lucas plans to make tonight." Emma explained.
"Really it's alright! This place..." Zelena stepped to the side to look at all the plants and fruits. "Is amazing! You managed to do all of this in the few months you've been here?" she asked Emma. "Are those strawberries?!"!
"Those are indeed, we've already taken some inside to Eugenia she plans to put them in a dessert for later on tonight. Strawberries! Can you believe that?...If it weren't for Emma, I'm sure we would have all still been eating tasteless noddles and stale crackers." Big Henry chuckled.
"Did you really grow up on a farm?" Robyn looked up at Emma. "With like animals and everything?"
"I did, yeah. It was my family's farm. My grandmother raised her two sons there before my dad raised my two brothers and I there. So we had it for a very long time." Emma nodded.
"Emma's got a green thumb, Green-bean." Regina chuckled.
"A green thumb?! Huh? Where? Do you need to see a doctor?" Robyn furrowed her eyebrows and her gaze fell down to Emma's hands, but she didn't see any green thumbs.
Zelena, Regina, and Big Henry all laughed while Emma just smiled down at the childlike innocence that was just Robyn.
"Not any actual green thumbs, Robyn. Your aunt just means that I have...a natural skill at growing plants and doing stuff like this. I only know so much because well my dad taught me everything he knew. But you don't need a green thumb to be able to grow all of this."
"Take it from me, bebita." Henry held Robyn close. "If it were just still me and the other elders, this place would not look as great as it does. Emma has helped us a ton."
Henry looked over at Emma, causing the young blonde to blush. Zelena was still walking around to look at everything when she stopped at the trees growing from the pots. The branches were skinny and tied to little sticks to get them to stand up right.
"What's growing over here? Are these trees?" Zelena asked.
"Gina's tree!" Little Henry perked up from in Regina's arms and turned around. "That's Gina's tree!"
Regina smiled and fixed Henry's beanie on his head, kissing his cheek. Taking Emma's hand and pulling her back over to them.
"Those are some apple trees Emma planted for Regina back when she first got here." Big Henry smiled and walked over running his fingers over the leaves.
"You planted apple trees for my sister?" Zelena looked back at Emma.
"I um yeah as a gift...I wanted to do something special." Emma slightly shrugged and Regina kissed the side of her head.
"That is so...disgustingly romantic. My gods." Zelena scuffed and laughed. "Like I almost want to throw up from how cute that is."
Regina chuckled and Emma cheek's shifted to a dark red as Zelena teasingly gagged.
"Let's go get you both settled into your room huh? I believe Ruby's already taken every one inside to start assigning them." Regina squeezed Emma's hip as she started to step back over to the sack of vegetables. "I can have one of the boys come in and get those, don't worry about it."
Emma nodded and took Regina's hand again, Big Henry picked Robyn up to smother her face with kisses while Zelena walked over to open the door to the greenhouse and allowed everyone to walk out.
Over in D Block, after sitting the kids down at some benches they had down on the main floor. Ruby was standing near Dorothy after she showed them around, Dorothy started thinking of how to assign the kids to cells. The 26 kids minus Robyn consisted of 15 boys and 10 girls, the seven 16 year olds were only one girl and six other boys. The six 12-13 year olds were all girls. And of the remaining twelve 9 year olds were nine boys and three girls.
Dorothy was trying to figure out the best sleeping arrangements for the 25 kids, Zelena had already told her back at the church Robyn would be staying with her so she didn't need to include the little archer.
"So Regina says that it is totally up to you." Ruby walked along the line of cells with Dorothy as they looked inside. "All of the cells over in C block are taken, that's really where all the older members are. People who have young kids are just sharing the cells with them."
They were on the second row which had been left pretty much empty because no one really wanted to climb to stairs to get to them.
"Yes I understand wanting to be close to your family. A few of the kids are siblings so I think I'll put them together but really it up to the kids." Dorothy nodded. "I know I have to take in them being young men and woman into count but that hasn't been an issue with my kids. The whole dating and relationships thing."
"Yeah no I get you! Regina sat down with the younger ones and had a talk with them about that stuff, and you know getting involved with each other. There are only a few relationships between some of the kids here. If you want I can talk to Regina, let her have that conversation with your kids you know about boundaries."
Dorothy nodded her head agreeing, she didn't want to be presumptuous of the kids but they were kids and kids will be kids. Especially the teenagers now that they would be behind almost closed doors.
"And where's your cell?" Dorothy asked next.
"Oh uh- here in D Block, down the stairs. I've just been sharing a cell with my Granny Eugenia, you'll meet her later. I had the option of having my own cell but it was just nice being close to her you know."
Dorothy nodded her head in understanding, turning around and putting her hands on the railing.
"It must get really quiet around here at night." Dorothy looked over the railing and down at the people below.
"Mhmm...Are you hinting at people having sex or the constant snoring of elderlies?" Ruby chuckled.
Dorothy looked back at her and laughed out, her head dropping down as she snickered.
"Both yeah." Dorothy laughed.
"A whole lotta snoring that's for sure but you get used to it. As for people banging, well some of them try to be quiet. But others not so much at least not all the time. But we've had to sit all the middle aged and young adults down to tell them not to have sex in the showers, because 1. Ew and 2. A child has been scarred once or twice walking in there to get clean and walking in on people pushed up against the wall."
Ruby pursed her lips in disgust and Dorothy laughed even more.
"I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh that's horrible." Dorothy attempt to stop laughing.
"No you're right it's funny. I mean sex is natural you know but just because it's the end of the world doesn't mean people can just go around doing absolutely everything they want." Ruby sighed.
"Yeah no I completely agree with you."
"Well if you can handle things from here, I'm gonna go speak to my grandmother and change out of these clothes." Ruby stepped back but waited for her response.
"Oh! Yeah. No, I got this. I'll figure it out. Thank you for showing me around Ruby."
Dorothy smiled and Ruby nodded her head, grinning back before she turned to go do everything needed to do. Dorothy watched her walk until she couldn't see the brunette any longer.
After coming back inside and giving Zelena and Robyn a little tour, Regina lead them over to C Block, where Regina's and Big Henry's cells were, Regina's was just up on the second level. Walking side by side, still holding Henry, Regina introduced Zelena to a few people as they went down the line.
"My cell is just up those stairs there, daddy's is right down this line but I managed to move a few people around to have you closer to us." Regina smiled and looked over to Zelena.
"You didn't have to Regina, I-" Zelena tsked.
"Yes I did, I want you and bean close to me and the person didn't mind, they're still here in this block they've just moved to a different cell. She was perfectly ok moving, so don't give me that." Regina shook her head.
Walking up to the door of the cell right next to Big Henry's cell, Zelena and Robyn's bags were already inside thanks to Mulan. Zelena sighed in relief at seeing the bunk and the mattresses and the fresh supplies they'd put on the bed. Robyn walked in too and smiled brightly looking around the room.
"Gina m'hot." Henry frowned as he reached for his little grey beanie.
"You can take your jacket off, Hen." Emma was standing behind them.
Henry nodded and wiggled for Regina to put him down and she did, making sure his feet touched the floor, before she squatted down to unzip his jacket for him and take the beanie off if his head.
Big Henry walked into the room after them and looked at Zelena taking in the room. The walls, the bunks, the desk and chair.
"The beds aren't that great, honey but you'll get used to it." Henry laughed a bit watching Robyn take a sit on the bunk.
"We've been sleeping on floors and dirt, this feels like a cloud." Robyn exaggerated and as she laid back.
"The floors and benches at the church were by far the most uncomfortable." Zelena sighed.
Zelena chuckled at her daughter as she ran her hand along the mattress on the top bunk. She looked around the whole cell and then out at the entrance as the grandfather and granddaughter spoke, seeing Regina down in a squat listening as Little Henry had his hands on her face and gripping the black mask around her neck. Henry must've been telling her sister very important by the way he was nodding his head and Regina was agreeing to whatever he was telling her without question.
"Kay?" Henry looked her in the eyes with such a serious gaze, Regina was trying to keep her composure.
Smiling at their interaction she looked up and saw Emma, holding Henry's jacket and with her hand over her face laughing and smiling as she listened to her son. Regina nodded her head again and looked back over her shoulder up at Emma smirking. Regina turned and looked over at Zelena in the room, smiling and shaking her head.
Standing up straight, Regina grabbed Henry's hand and walked into the room. Robyn was already laid back on the mattress her head in her Grandpa Henry's lap as she sighed from him running his fingers through her hair.
"Dinner will be in a few hours." Regina started. "But until then you two can go ahead and get settled in. Sleep a bit if you want? I'm going to go around and make sure everyone has gotten settled in alright. My cell is right above yours so I'm not far."
"This is still...all a bit hard to believe...I'm afraid I will wake up and this'll all have been some terrible trick on my mind." Zelena started to tear up.
"No tricks, Z." Regina shook her head. "You're here and I'm here and I'm never going to let what happened in the city happen to us again. Ok? I'm never going to lose you again." Regina told her determinedly and smiled a sad smile.
Zelena stepped over to wrap her arms around Regina and laid her head on her little sisters shoulder. Regina sighed at the embrace and wrapped her right arm around her sister and hugged her tight. Seeing that the new red haired lady was crying as she hugged Regina, Little Henry frowned and stepped closer letting go of Regina's hand to wrap his arms around both of their legs.
Zelena chuckled through her tears and pulled back from Regina to looked down at Henry as he must've read the mood in the room and wanted to offer some comfort to them. Regina smoothed Henry's hair down at the back of his head and smiled.
"Thank you Henry." Zelena looked down at him before looking over to Emma. "And you! Thank you, Emma. Truly."
"You don't have to thank me for anything." Emma shook her head and told her almost immediately, holding Henry's jacket in front of her.
"I do. Really. Because I'm glad you both found each other too." Zelena told her honestly looking from Emma to Regina. "Well you three." She smiled and looked down to Henry. "I can see you really care for each other. In this messy world, you have to really appreciate the blessings that are sent your way. Now we're all stuck in it together again." she smiled and looked at Regina.
Emma felt that swell of emotion wash over her again and couldn't help the way her eyes started to water.
"I'm definitely blessed to be stuck here with all of you." Emma grinned. "It certainly makes being in this world a whole lot better. I know it'll only get better over time."
She looked to Regina, and saw that she was giving her that same loving devoted gaze from before and Emma couldn't stop fluttering she felt down deep in her belly.