Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update, I really wanted to update by sunday for this one, but school calls. Maybe one day I'll be consistent, hope you enjoy.
Chapter Two
Twenty Firsts
"Oh, I just realized we don't have crap for the baby, hell I just drove you back with her in your arms!" Emma cried as she happily got the door for Regina, Henry, and Ruby who offered to stay around to keep Henry company while they rested.
"I'll make a list for you; some stuff I still have from Henry and we can drag it up no worries." Emma nodded and got Regina settled on the couch first. Henry was happily making faces at his sister who was awake and watching him intently.
"Granny is on her way with food already, she said not to worry about knitting club, that she already spoke to the others. Instead of knitting they are organizing a shopping trip for baby essentials, so you can rest Emma. Granny says you've done enough and deserve a break." Emma chuckled.
"Granny is a life saver plus she knows my heart, I am starving." Regina looked guilty.
"Sorry I kept you from eating." Emma waved her off.
"No more apologizing, I am the Godmother of Demi and that is all that matters."
"So, what does Darien mean?" Ruby asked. "I can't say I've heard that on a girl before." Regina smiled at her daughter.
"It's a girl's name, and it means gift. I had a cousin from an Uncle who married a foreign duchess, she was so kind to me and she was one of my best friends as a child."
"What happened to her?" Henry asked.
"She fell into the ice on a lake. They got her out, but she was too sick in the end," Regina told him sadly. "I never forgot her because she was one of the first people besides my father to show me that love was not weakness."
"I love it even more now," Ruby told her seriously.
"Demi you are one well named baby, but then again I expect nothing less from a Mills." They all chuckled. Eventually Emma went to clean Regina's bed up and put the laundry on with Ruby's help. Granny arrived with food.
"Now that the food is on the table let me see the little Princess," Granny declared. Regina happily showed her off from her arms. Before Granny presented her with a knitted footie pajamas she had been working on for their charity.
"Oh, it has wolf ears!" Emma declared, but it sounded more like a squeal. Everyone including Henry were snapping pictures especially when she yawned.
"Why is she so adorable?" Ruby asked. "I'm like so in love right now."
"You and me both," Regina agreed. They were just sitting down to eat before Regina at least would go rest with the baby, when the doorbell rang. Henry went to answer the door.
"Hi Grandma, Grandpa what are you doing here?" Henry asked.
"Moving in with you and Emma," Mary Margaret told him. Regina who was about to sit, stopped and turned back to enter the foyer with Emma, Granny, and Ruby.
"I'm sorry what did you just say?" Regina asked.
"Mary Margaret, David what the hell is going on?" Emma asked as they spotted the dwarves unloading the truck with boxes and hideous furniture that hadn't been in the loft.
"Well now that Mary Margaret is the mayor, she has the right to live here in the mayoral mansion and you Regina are no longer the mayor and no longer have the right to live here," David told her smugly. "As the Sheriff I am enforcing the move."
"Wow are you fucking serious?" Emma asked them. Regina was glaring at both looking ready to burn them to a crisp. "I texted you to tell you that she just had a baby and you still just came over here to rip her home out from under her? Not to mention that you are one hundred percent not the Sheriff dad. I was the one elected fair and square. So, Mary Margaret can't just appoint you and you certainly cannot appoint yourself."
"Where do you want these?" Grumpy asked. "And where do we move Regina's things too to facilitate this move faster?"
"My things aren't going anywhere dwarf, and I suggest you take their filthy belongings back to that scrap heap of a truck."
"The master bedroom Leroy," David told him ignoring her.
"This is wonderful Emma, now you and Henry don't have to live with Regina and we can finally be a family…." Mary Margaret was cut off by Leroy flying out of the house with the box and straight into his brothers. The door slammed behind them leaving only Mary Margaret and David. They looked upset as Darien started to cry. Regina handed her to Granny.
"Could you take her away from these idiots, I don't want her to catch anything." Granny gently took the baby and headed for the kitchen with a last glare at David and Mary Margaret shaking her head. She intended to give them an ear full later.
"Regina, we are not here to fight with you, just follow the law," Mary Margaret told her. Regina's hands balled into fists.
"Listen carefully as I am only going to say this once and not repeat myself," Regina told them in a low threatening voice. "This is and has always been my home, I own it not the city. Now if you want the actual mayoral mansion, I suggest you go speak with Gold because it is his home and he bought it completely from the city almost to the day of the start of the curse. So, I don't know what you think you're doing here. Check the town records for a copy of my deed to the house. And you look at the first issue of the Daily Glass and see the article on Gold buying the mayoral mansion." The door opened by itself as David and Mary Margaret felt themselves being yanked backwards but pausing just in the doorway. Regina ripped out the letter from David's pocket stating he and Mary Margaret were breaking the lease.
"Oh, and by the way I expect three months of rent for breaking your lease early and giving me no notice, and I'll be keeping the security deposit." Regina also took the house keys before the door shut in their face. Her shoulders slumped at the use of magic, she was so exhausted.
"Come on let's get some food into you and the baby and then bed," Ruby told her. "I can't believe them." Regina only nodded as Henry protested the use of magic at all, but Emma told him that his grandparents were fine, and if Regina didn't harm anyone, he should just let it go. In the dining room Emma eagerly took Darien back from Granny and ate one handed as Regina quietly ate not knowing what to say about the Charmings, but she didn't eat much before she took Darien upstairs for a feeding and getting comfortable in bed.
"Emma you need to talk to your parents, even if this wasn't Regina's house that was just cruel, imagine she didn't actually own a bunch of properties and she was homeless with a newborn," Ruby told her.
"I wouldn't have allowed it," Emma told her. "Even if my parents moved in here, I would still move out to live with Henry, Regina, and Demi. It's so much nicer here. It's been one day, and it already feels like home."
"Regina's actually pretty chill in private, she like me has a low tolerance for stupid," Granny grunted. "But you for now get some rest, I'll be the first to have words with your parents." Emma nodded.
"I don't understand why they would do that," Henry mumbled. "They're supposed to be the good guys, and mom is trying so hard to be good."
"I told you kid not everything is so black and white. Heroes aren't always this beacon of good. Your grandparents are very self-centered, and they think that in some ways they're still in the Enchanted Forest. They think they have a right to everything, but it's not true, we're still people and we still treat everyone with respect especially allies. And Regina right now before this she was their ally if no longer their enemy." Henry nodded. "There are gray areas in everyone's personality, and good people can do bad things."
"I'm still confused."
"Okay look kid, do you love me?" Henry looked at her and nodded. "And you love your mom and Demi, right?"
"Of course, Emma," Henry told her.
"Well we're all a family, and we would never treat each other like that. For example, I was homeless the other day, because your grandparents told me I was unfit to raise you and only they could make sure you grew up properly after ten years with Regina. So, I packed all my stuff. I didn't want to live with people who thought because I grew up different that I wasn't prepared right now to help raise you. And, because you and I both know that Regina's been a damn good mother to you. I didn't have anywhere to go. You know there's not a lot of housing here in storybrooke, now. But your mom she didn't really hesitate to let me stay here. She pretended to be reluctant, but she told me I shouldn't have to be homeless here when I have family."
"But she let you go homeless before the curse," Henry pointed out.
"That was different back then we were enemies, but now we're family, she made me Demi's god mother and named her after me. That's a high honor, you don't do that for just anyone. Besides kid you will learn that in war nothing is ever really fair, and occasionally you do treat your enemy with kindness. It's obviously how I was able to wear down Regina." They all chuckled knowing Emma was not that nice in return.
"Come on Hen, why don't we go pick up Emma's bug from the station and get ice cream on the way. Maybe we can linger a bit and then Regina will be awake enough to spend time with you and Emma for that matter. She ought to get into bed."
"But you'll spend time with her in her room. New mothers need rest, I don't want her cooking or cleaning around here. I want her focused on breast feeding and sleeping," Granny ordered. "Traditionally new mothers stay in for two weeks, and on the third week they and the baby can go into the garden. It's also when visitors will start dropping by if they care in this town."
"Won't they stop by earlier with the girls shopping like crazy for them?" Ruby asked.
"No, because the girls are kindly informing them that they are getting some essentials, but anymore gifts or so should be done at the proper time. They won't even be staying to see the baby. They understand that the baby shouldn't have extra people around until two weeks in." They nodded. Granny's cell phone rang, and she answered.
"The girls are here." They went to the door and helped them bring in everything."
"Thomas was off and brought the truck," Ashley explained as she held her daughter who was eagerly looking around as Thomas now unloaded a new crib from the back.
"Oh shit," Emma said frowning.
"What?" They all asked.
"Okay, we need to move all the stuff out of the guest room first," Emma told them. Henry was about to speak but she waved him off. They nodded. They quietly emptied the guestroom. Emma moved her things into Henry's room for the moment. Under Emma's direction, they painted the walls royal blue, and trimmed it in gold as well as made gold stars on the wall. Emma was secretly hoping that with a little bit of magic it would glow at night, but she would need Regina's help for that. By the time Regina woke up to change Darien's diaper the house had been cleared of everyone except Emma and Henry.
"Where's Granny?" Regina asked yawning. She was downstairs in a large t-shirt, Darien comfortably resting against her shoulder as she made tea.
"Regina sit down, Granny said you are only to rest and feed the baby. She made mutton soup and I'm supposed to give you black beans as well as this specific tea." Regina smiled at her but sat on the stool by the island. Henry came in.
"Mom you're up!" He exclaimed.
"Henry lower your voice, Darien is sleeping." He pouted but nodded.
"Can I hold her?" He asked.
"Wash your hands first kid and grab a receiving blanket for your clothes." He did as he was told, and Regina gently showed him how to hold his sister and support her head. She snapped photos of them quickly with Emma's phone.
"She's so tiny," Henry muttered. "Don't worry I won't let anyone hurt you ever." Regina was practically in tears. It was too much seeing her little girl held by her big brother and seeing Henry love her so much already.
"You are the best big brother." Henry beamed at her. After Regina had eaten and drank her tea, Emma was eager to show her the guestroom.
"So, I know you told me to make the room my own, but I just had a different idea," Emma told her.
"The royal glass maker sent over this mobile to go on the crib Marco is making. We had a store bought one, but Marco called and said he was working on the cradle as you would still have Henry's crib, but I didn't know where you stored it yet. And I thought with a bit of magic you could make the stars glow at night." Regina waved her hand over the room and Emma grinned as she saw the stars twinkle into existence and Henry's crib appear all set up in the spot they had left open.
"It's beautiful," Regina told her. "I can't believe you got this done in four hours." Emma shrugged.
"I work fast."
"Whoa cool, Emma, you were right with the stars," Henry grinned as he leaned against Regina.
"She is going to love it," Regina told Emma who beamed at them. "But Emma this was your room where will you sleep?"
"With the kid for now and then I can move…." Emma started sadly when there was a rush of magic throughout the house.
"There we can share my bathroom now, you aren't moving out, I won't hear of it," Regina told her firmly.
"Oh cool!" Henry exclaimed seeing that the house was now one room bigger. Emma was all tears and hugged Regina but ended up making Darien cry. She immediately took her into her arms telling her how sorry she was and now she had to come check out her new bedroom. Darien was an all-around chill baby for the rest of the evening, but her first night she was not very chill at all. She cried and cried in between nursing which lasted only ten minutes at any given time despite her feeding well earlier. It wasn't until Emma came in to give her a break that she stopped.
"Great she hates me all of a sudden," Regina cried.
"No, maybe she just wanted me. We have a connection her and I, I am sure," Emma told her as she patted Darien's butt as she rocked her. Regina just lay back exhausted.
"Still it's not fair that you just come in and she stops." Emma agreed though secretly she was pleased that Darien loved her so much she could make her stop crying. After a moment she saw Darien looking to nurse.
"Oh, she's trying to nurse, I think she's good now." Regina yawned and nodded. She took back her daughter only to have start crying once more, but she just popped a boob into her mouth. She nursed and quieted down for the moment.
"Goodnight." Emma headed back out through their bathroom towards her room, but no sooner had she crossed the threshold when Darien was absolutely screaming. She paused to see what was wrong now. Regina was trying to get her to nurse but she refused.
"What is wrong Darien?" Regina cried. "Is there something wrong with me?" Emma turned back around hoping to help her settle again, but as soon as she was back in the room. Darien returned to nursing as if nothing was wrong. Regina just looked relieved and ready to cry. Emma turned to leave again, and then Darien screamed again as soon as she was leaving. Regina was full on crying now.
"I think it's me, I'm the problem," Emma said when again as soon as she was back Darien went back to nursing. "I'll stay in for now, I guess she just knows and wants me." Regina just nodded as Darien finally got a full nursing session in before she cried a little until Emma took her back.
"You rest, I'll keep an eye on her," Emma told her with a yawn. Regina nodded as she watched her daughter finally go to sleep in Emma's arms. She dropped off herself not long after that. An hour later she was woken up by Emma trying to leave but Darien screaming in her arms as soon as she did. So, Emma just lay down next to them, and Darien nuzzled into her and went back to sleep. It was like that most nights until Emma just gave up on ever sleeping in her room at night.
"What…what's wrong?" Emma asked jolting awake. Her hair was all tangled and there was drool on the side of her mouth as she squinted around trying to figure out where the hell she was. After a moment she realized she was that she was not sleeping in her new room again, but in Regina's.
'Oh, right I stayed to help calm Demi, but now why is Regina crying?' Emma thought as her eyes came to rest on the woman next to her who was now sporting her natural curls, she was clearly exhausted, and despite the tears on her face she was smiling at the nursing baby in her arms.
"Reg, what's wrong?" Emma asked. Regina sniffed and wiped her tears away.
"I'm sorry we woke you, we didn't mean too, I was just thinking and then I just started crying. I mean do you realize that almost two weeks ago was Demi's first night at home, her first day, and her first car ride. I mean thank God we got pictures, I need to already start the baby book. This is unbelievable that she's ten days old. TEN DAYS EMMA. There were so many firsts and they're already over." Emma was silent for a minute before she burst into tears.
"What no, why is she growing up so fast!" Emma cried. Regina cried all over again. They were all teary eyed and watching Darien when Henry wandered in all sleepy.
"Sorry for not knocking I thought you'd still be asleep and I wanted to check on Demi," Henry blushed sleepily. "Oh, wait Emma what are you doing here, and why are you two crying?"
"I came in to help with the baby last night, but we just realized kid that Demi already had like twenty firsts."
"Twenty firsts?" Henry asked.
"Yeah," Regina sniffed. "Ten days ago was her first car ride, her first night at home, our first morning together as a family. She's ten days old today!" At that Henry was all tears too.
"It means she's growing up kid," Emma sobbed.
"What…no, but…" Henry cried. "No, she has to stay this little forever." He hurried over onto the bed to join his moms in watching Darien afraid if they looked away she'd already be an adult. "Mom why does she have to grow up?"
"I don't know Henry, I've been asking that same question since I brought you home, and now look at you." That really seemed to do Regina in as she burped Darien before switching her to the other breast. Amid tears Emma helped her switch the rubber breastfeeding bracelet to her right wrist so she'd remember which side she ended on with nursing Darien. And everything was otherwise fine until an ungodly sound in Emma's opinion came from Darien's butt.
"Oh no, no, no sweetie, it's too early," Regina cried knowing this was going to be her worst poopy diaper yet.
"Oh my God, it stopped being cute, cute is over!" Henry ran out of the room.
"Coward!" Regina yelled after him.
"Oh boy who knew something so small could make something that smells so foul," Emma grimaced. Darien was done nursing from Regina's right side quite quickly.
"I actually think we haven't topped Henry yet thankfully," Regina replied as she stood up and headed towards the nursery. Emma hurried after her unable to part from their new morning routine, Regina didn't expect her too, but she always went with her to change the first diaper of the morning if Darien decided to go. That also included a warm sponge bath, because leave it to the kid to spit up on herself after each burping session so matter how much Regina tried to keep her clean with a bib or receiving blanket.
"You mean it could get worse than this?" Emma asked as she easily retrieved the bath items.
"Yes," Regina answered as she made faces at Darien who watched her. She delivered kisses and played with her hands. Darien cooed making noises that suggested she was quite happy with the attention. Once Emma came back with the water Regina began undressing her. She lifted her briefly in only her diaper for Emma to put a towel down before she changed her diaper unpinning it. Emma was surprised that Regina didn't use disposables and hadn't with Henry either. Emma took over playing with Darien although she made a face at the smell while Regina disposed of the poop before adding it specifically to the diaper laundry basket.
"Why are you crying now?" Regina asked looking at Emma. Who was staring at Darien who was gripping a finger in each hand.
"She gripped my hand like she didn't want me to switch with you," Emma told her teary eyed. Regina chuckled.
"Or maybe and I'm just I don't know putting this out here. You touched her palm and her palmar reflex made her grab you." Emma glared at Regina.
"Why you gotta be so rude, don't you know I'm human too?" Emma sniffed. It was her go to response whenever Regina pointed out that something like this was not intentional. She still thought back to last night when Emma had been so ecstatic that she had apparently been the first one that Darien had smiled at and then Regina told her, she couldn't physically deliberately smile yet and it was gas and then Darien had pooped. Meanwhile Regina just chuckled and switched places. Regina was preparing to wash her when she noted her umbilical stump was gone.
"Regina now why are you crying now?" Emma asked.
"Her umbilical stump is gone, she can have her first real bath now." Emma gasped and quickly cleaned her bum up with a wipe before she lifted Darien and headed to the door.
"KID get the camera, we can finally give Demi her first bath in the tub we bought!"
"I'M GETTING IT NOW!" Henry called up. Emma turned back to Regina.
"Regina don't just stand there get the tub we got pictures to take!" Regina sniffed but snapped into action although no one was fast enough that Emma didn't end up getting peed on to her chagrin. She quickly changed shirts before they set the baby tub up in the kitchen sink. Henry was holding his own first bath picture making sure that Emma position Darien correctly in the water and that she was eased in. Regina was already snapping pictures though determined to capture Darien and Emma together in as many pictures as possible.
"Mom wait we gotta get the money shot," Henry told her. Regina huffed but nodded. Once she was perfectly situated Emma stepped back and the photo was taken. Soon Henry was fighting at rock paper scissors for the right to deliver the first bath. He won out, though Regina let him win in favor of gently instructing him while she took five million pictures. Then they took her back upstairs and got her dried and dressed in a blue onesie that Emma recognized as being the one she sent with Henry.
"You kept it," Emma gasped as Regina as slipped the hat onto her head.
"Kept what?" Regina asked as she secured the blue hat.
"That's Henry's onesie the one I sent with him," Emma cried. "I didn't even think he still had it by the time you got him."
"Oh, sorry yes, I am so tired, I didn't notice. He was so cute, I could never part with it," Regina told her with a smile. Emma smiled too as she took Darien from her.
"Henry find a picture from your first days here, we need to make a Demi replica."
"Okay, and Mom if we're doing pictures can you do breakfast?" Henry asked.
"Sure Henry," Regina agreed. She stopped in her room and pulled her hair back with a tie. She was just cleaning up the bath items with Granny arrived.
"DAMN IT REGINA, what did I say you were to do for the next few weeks?" Granny scolded.
"Eat, sleep, and feed the baby, but my other baby was getting hungry," Regina pouted.
"Your other baby is more than capable of taking care of himself and you knew I'd be over here with a hearty breakfast as I am every morning," Granny scolded. "Look at you, you're so exhausted you've given up on your morning routine before I got here." Regina blushed realized Granny was right. Not that she wanted to admit that to the old wolf. She was exhausted nursing around the clock and at least once a day Granny scolded her for doing anything be that the laundry, cleaning up her living room, or even trying to make a meal. Yesterday she even thought she'd go grocery shopping and she even took a secret call from her former secretary worried that the Charmings would screw the town budget. Granny had really lay into her for that.
"Now you go sit on that couch and tell Emma Swan to get her butt in this kitchen right now, I'll have words with her."
"Yes Granny," Regina grumbled. Regina went into the living room and sat down on the couch just as Darien was rooting around again. Emma reluctantly handed her over as well as the nursing pillow.
"Granny wants to see you, and I don't think it will be pleasant chat," Regina told Emma. Emma frowned and looked back at the kitchen.
"Oh, look at that I should be getting ready for work and to work," Emma commented.
"Emma Swan you get your butt in here now," Granny called. Emma groaned as Henry chuckled at her, but suddenly he was going silent as Granny appeared to glare at him.
"Don't you glare, you're in trouble too." Emma sent a secret grin at her kid, happy he wasn't off the hook for whatever had occurred. "I specifically told you that she is not to be on her feet taking care of you two, she is to worry about her and the baby in this critical time! So, tell me why I found her cleaning the kitchen from the baby bath and about to make breakfast?" Emma blushed, and Henry dug his toe into the carpet.
"Sorry," they both said.
"I'm not the one you owe an apology too!" Granny snapped. "She just had a baby the least you can do is pick up after yourselves and make her foot. Now you Sheriff get to work and you Henry get ready for school, I'll have breakfast on the table in no time at all." They both nodded to her before apologizing to Regina. Granny gave Regina a bottle of water and looked at her pointedly before she went back to the kitchen to get breakfast ready. Regina was done nursing Darien for the moment when both Emma and Henry came back down ready for the day. She was almost jealous they were leaving the house. Darien slept in a basket next to the dining room table. Granny served them and made sure Regina had a nice big helping before she allowed her to hug and kiss Henry goodbye and let her watch Emma check his backpack for his homework, books, and lunch before they both left for the day.
"Where are you going missy?" Granny asked when she turned away from the door.
"Cof….to get the baby and go back upstairs to bed," Regina grumbled seeing Granny's stern look. No way that old woman was letting her near her coffee pot. She missed her morning coffee like crazy. Sighing she gently lifted up Darien and went back upstairs to bed. Although she couldn't be mad at Granny as she was quickly falling asleep again with one hand resting on a swaddled Darien.
"Very nice Queenie, I don't think I've ever seen your hair not ramrod straight," Red grinned as she entered the Mills home with lunch.
"Whatever, Granny said you would be by with lunch like two minutes ago, I'm starving," Regina grumbled. She thought she was hungry those few days she was pregnant with Darien, they were nothing, with Darien nursing around the clock she was burning through the calories and her reserves. She'd already dropped like a few pounds.
"Gees Emma was not kidding when she said I'd better run over here with lunch." Regina just took her food and sat down at the table.
"Finally, that damn old woman chained my fridge shut with magic chains, so I wouldn't cook and I already ate through all the snacks," Regina groused. Red laughed.
"Leave it to Granny to follow through on a threat." Regina didn't hear as she dung into her chicken Greek salad making sure to pick off all the olives. Now that Darien was outside of her body, she no longer had any interest in them whatsoever, and couldn't understand why she thought they were so delicious in the first place. "At least she only chained your fridge, she used to change me with it and not in a fun way." Ruby gave Regina wink.
"Well Ms. Lucas if it wasn't fun you were the problem there," Regina smirked. Ruby gaped at her.
"I knew I liked your sense of humor, anyway what can I help you with?" Ruby asked. "I see Granny cleaned so more sleep, didn't you start pumping?" Regina nodded. Last night had been her first night pumping a little, but Darien was not too pleased to take the bottle. She had taken the bottle once from Henry, but not from Emma and most definitely not from Regina.
"You can try to give it a go, but so far she's fed once from the bottle from Henry only, Emma tried and I tried and she basically had a complete meltdown."
"Well can't hurt to try once in the interest of you sleeping now can it?" Ruby asked as she now made faces at Darien who was yawning next to Regina in her baby basket. The laundry beeped. "Oh I'll get that into the dryer first. Ruby bounced off and Regina continued eating. By the time Ruby was back Regina had finished lunch and Darien was looking for food, so she warmed up some breastmilk in a bottle. Regina remained off to the side watching Ruby gently care for her baby girl. She realized in that moment that aside from Emma and Henry, Ruby would protect Darien just as fiercely as she would and she wouldn't be afraid to go wolf to do it.
"Maybe she's getting used to the idea now," Ruby shrugged when she looked at Regina and indicated the bottle. "So you mama bear go get some sleep, trust me I won't let anything happen to her."
"All right Pup, I leave her in your capable paws." Ruby chuckled. Regina went upstairs and managed to pump a few ounces and placed it in the upstairs minifridge currently occupying her room, before she lay down ready to rest her eyes. Even though it was Ruby she trusted, and they were just downstairs, she mostly watched Ruby making faces at her daughter on the baby monitor and reading from a book to her before she was sleeping peacefully. Then she watched that damn wolf continue to hold her after the fact. Regina picked up her phone and scrolled down until she came to the name Pup in her contacts.
Regina: Hey Pup you put her down in her baby bed, she barely sleeps as it is because we can't put her down.
Regina could just see the pout forming on Ruby's face as she read the text.
Ruby: Oh come on Queenie she's so adorable how am I supposed to put her down?
Regina: Try really damn hard like the rest of us. And I swear Pup you better not have me labeled as Queenie in your phone.
Ruby: No way that's just between us, for my phone I didn't want to waste an opportunity, so it says Head Bitch In Charge. :D
Regina: *Rolling eyes emoji* Just put her in her bed Pup.
Regina shook her head as Ruby made no move too, but she just lay down and tried to rest in someway and was a little grateful that Darien went longer between feedings and took another bottle from Ruby before she had to return to the diner.
"What can I eat?" Regina asked Darien as she rummaged around the kitchen. She was supposed to be in bed with a sleeping Darien, but her stomach had alerted her to the fact that it was feeling empty again.
"Ugh nothing," Regina grumbled even her pantry was technically full. She went back upstairs and settled Darien down on the bed in her arms while she texted the only person who could help her. She scrolled down to White Knight. She'd labeled Emma that three days after Darien's birth, because she had been just that her White Knight in the dark pain of the breaking of her curse. Before she had simply been Sheriff Swan, and eventually just Emma. But now she got a special nickname in her phone.
Regina: Em, I'm totally starving.
Emma: How can you be starving hasn't Ruby been there yet, why haven't you cooked anything by now.
Regina: *sad emoji* She was here, but Granny chained the fridge shut with magic chains and now I'm all out of snacks.
Emma: Take Demi and walk to the store then, Granny will have no one to blame but herself.
Regina: Emmmmma you know I can't I look an absolute mess, besides I'm weak with hunger.
Regina sent a dramatic photo to Emma's phone as if she were just wasting away. If she could see Emma's face in that moment she would know that she was quietly smirking at the screen on her phone and making sure that David had not at all noticed.
Regina: Not later Emma, now, I'm starving now, I'll be dead by the time your off work.
Emma: Regina don't be a Drama Queen *laughing Emoji*
Regina: *Rolling eyes emoji* I am THE Queen dear and the Queen is starving and bored.
Emma: Ooh so what you're really saying is you miss me *smirking emoji*
Regina: *huffs* Forget I even asked Ms. Swan obviously you can't take anything seriously.
Emma: Oh, Reggie come on it was just a joke, chill, you know I'll go get your red vines. Anything else your majesty?
Regina; Yes, I am sending you a picture of the list now.
"You're the best," Regina grinned when the Sheriff had come upstairs baring snacks. Regina was reading deciding that if she slept any more than she wouldn't sleep at night regardless of if Darien kept her up at night.
"Yeah, yeah and how was her majesty's day with the little princess." Emma gave Regina her snacks but immediately scooped up Darien.
"She's been super chill all day deceptively so as usual, sleeping and eating, we even only had one more poop incident." Emma chuckled. "I suspect she'll be a nightmare tonight, oh and she took a bottle from Ruby."
"Oh progress, maybe I can try taking a feeding tonight." Emma said. She looked at Demi who was now watching her. "Yeah would you like that Demi, for me to feed you tonight yeah?" Demi just looked at her and cooed.
"So, what's going on in the town, I was too tired to gossip with the Pup when she was around, but I know you've been to Granny's. And I got a text from Carol at town hall apologizing for involving me in a job I no longer do when I have a newborn baby. I suspect Granny got to her, as when I called she only wanted to see how I and Darien were and refused all talk of work." Emma laughed.
"That woman is relentless, I saw the chains on the refrigerator." Regina nodded.
"Crazy right, doesn't she know I'm burning through food?"
"Well I saw Granny on the way because I wanted a hot chocolate for my efforts, and apparently she already put a lasagna in the refrigerator for dinner for me to heat up, and she said she knew you'd get through half the thing before Henry and I were home." Regina gave an unladylike snort.
"Highly unlikely that woman never gives it a little kick with some red pepper flakes."
"Your love of all things spicy astounds me, but then again that's why I special ordered this, Vero Mango." Emma pulled out a lollipop from her jacket.
"What's this?" Regina asked taking it. She read the Spanish words nodding. She popped it into her mouth and sighed in pure delight as she closed her eyes. "Dear sweet God it's all I ever wanted in Candy as a child."
"I'm surprised your mother let you have it," Emma smirked knowing her Queen was quite pleased with the treat.
"Hmm…yes she didn't but my father would sneak me candies, but I never had the heart to tell him it didn't quite do it for me like red vines or now Vero Mango is my top candy. My mother was in favor of a bland diet designed to keep my weight down and my father was in favor of making my taste buds dance when my mother was away. You can imagine my preference." Emma nodded.
"Well I certainly prefer his methods, thankfully you took after him in the food department."
"Hmm…you know it's not as if my mother didn't grow up with the same foods. I think she always had intentions of marrying me specifically to Leopold, so she wanted me used to the crap they served at his court. One of the worst things about those years was the food, imagine always being hungry and being unable to eat more than a few bites of food on any given day at any meal." Emma chuckled.
"That's called Prison food, it was torture while I was pregnant with Henry." Regina blushed slightly.
"Oh, I didn't think…." Regina trailed off. Emma waved her off.
"So, are you ready for next week?" Emma asked. Regina nodded.
"So ready, my garden and apple tree have been calling me to come laze about outside. And I'm so bored, once the initial first visits are over Granny says I can finally return to embroidery and knitting club, but I'm still not allowed to do anything other than sleeping and feeding the baby. Well she said I could start taking her out for sun, and in week four, finally start going on walks, I can't wait."
"I'll get the camera ready for her first time outside and first time under the apple tree. It will be great." Regina and Emma smiled at one another at the thought.
"Will you also be accompanying us on our first walk Sheriff, I'm a little worried that an opportunist will show themselves if I am honest and my magic is still low. I have no doubt I could neutralize the threat, but I may faint and leave Darien unprotected in the meantime."
"I was also a bit worried too especially after the way Mary Margaret and David acted as if she didn't exist or something. But you didn't have to ask threat or no threat I was not missing the chance to finally push Demi around in her stroller. Besides you know how we've been obsessed with Call the Midwife?" Regina hummed in answer as she sucked on her lollipop and God it was the sexiest thing Emma ever saw. "I may have switched out her stroller for an exact pram on there. So you need to get all dolled up for this walk including Henry and myself so we can take an old looking photo." Regina chuckled.
"Leave it to you to have yet another photo staged."
"Leave me alone I didn't get to do this with Henry, I swear she looks like him sometimes. It's perfect for staging photos that I can pretend are him. Besides who was the one who was snapping so many photos this morning."
"Ms. Swan I believe I have no clue what you mean," Regina replied trying to look innocent as she rolled her tongue over the lollipop.
'Of course, that damn thing has a tip like a…Emma no stop it!' Emma thought.
"Sorry to break it to you, your majesty, but you do not pull off the innocent look well." Regina pretended to be wounded in the chest as she dramatically fell over.
"You wound me Ms. Swan," Regina fake cried. They laughed. "Is David already at the station?" Emma nodded.
"Why don't you ditch him, and we can catch up on Game of thrones while Henry isn't home, and Darien is too young to know what's going on, on the television screen."
"Oh gee I don't know I couldn't or could I?" Emma asked wide eyed as she pulled out her phone and called David. When he tried to question her, she started going on about periods. He hung up so fast she was grinning.
"Best I better get comfy." She handed over Darien and bounced out of the room returning in sweats and a hoodie. She got into bed and took Darien back before Regina turned on her television. Apparently, she had a lot of shows on there Henry was too young to watch and why she pretty much gave him free rein of the television downstairs. Darien cried until Emma adjusted her to laying up right against her chest and she was rubbing her back and delivering little kisses on top of her head. Regina smiled at them before she got settled by curling up next to Emma and laying a head on her shoulder while she pushed play.
'Can life get any better?' Regina thought.
Please leave a review.