If things had been different

snoopykid asked for a oneshot of Emma watching Regina and Henry interact with baby Robin. Emma asks Regina what their relationship would have been like if things had been different. As in, how things would have been if Regina had never turned evil and she had grown up with her parents.

Emma always felt a little surprised when she saw Regina interact with her baby niece/stepdaughter (because their family wasn't complicated enough). She of course knew Regina was already a mother and had raised their son, but up until he was ten Emma knew their relationship was…rocky. So seeing her here with Henry as they cooed over baby Robin was just plain strange to Emma. It was like seeing the bogeyman performing samba dancing.

"Are you just going to stare at us all day, Miss Swan?" Regina asked in a funny voice, without taking her eyes off of Robin. Emma blinked, how had Regina even known she'd been watching them. "Well?"

"Sorry." Emma said, embarrassed. She pretended to be watching the TV, but her eyes kept flitting back to Regina. Even Henry was noticing now.

"What's up mom?" He asked her. Emma pretended not to know what he meant. "Oh come on. You keep looking at my other mom like she's grown an extra head. What's wrong?" Henry pressed her.

"Nothing." Emma said gruffly. "Nothing's wrong…it's just weird seeing your other mom be all gooey with a baby, that's all." Emma explained. Regina looked away from Robin and raised her eyebrow at Emma.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She questioned Emma. Emma sighed, wishing she hadn't said anything now.

"Well I think it's fair to say that we've always had a difficult relationship due to you trying to kill my parents and all." Emma began. Regina rolled her eyes. Some people just couldn't let go. "When I see you with her, I can't help but wonder what things might have been like." Regina and Henry were confused.

"Been like if what, mom?" Henry pressed her.

"Well, if you hadn't gone all Evil Queen." Emma explained, her arms folding over her chest as she felt more uncomfortable. "You would have been my step-grandmother. If you hadn't fallen out with my mom all those years ago, if you hadn't cast the curse, you would probably have been in my life from near enough day one. It's weird thinking you might have held me like that." Emma's nose scrunched up. "A little too weird, if I'm honest."

"Who said I would have been? Robin's a good baby. You probably would have been a spoiled little princess." Regina quipped back. She didn't mean it, not really. Emma and Henry both knew that. She was just avoiding the emotions.

"She would have been my step-great- grandmother. Technically, she still is…"

"Please, don't even go there, Henry." Regina pleaded with her son as she rubbed her temples. "It doesn't bear thinking about." Henry laughed.

"Alright, but it's true." He said. He grinned over at Emma. "Although, since you're the one who pointed it out. Since she's kinda your step-grandma you really should listen to her more often." Emma's eyes widened in horror as Regina started grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Kid!" Emma complained. Henry just fell about laughing. Emma scowled. Regina would never let her live that down. Emma could have kicked herself. Why did she have to open her big mouth?