Regina booked the very next flight for New York and hopped in the plane at 1:30AM. It was the first time traveling during night time and she had no idea if that felt scary or relaxing. Everyone in the plane were asleep so she was the only one struggling alone. She had to keep herself busy in order her deep thoughts would stay away, but she could feel them lurking in the back of her head.
She tightened her seat belt and crossed her hands under her chest. The guy sitting next to her seemed to be asleep. A loud snore escaped his lips before his head hit the edge of his seat. He didn't seem to get annoyed at all though.. he just continued his sleep safe and sound. Regina rolled her eyes at that dude's peaceful moment thinking that she hadn't slept that peacefully for ages.
She turned around looking outside of the window as the plane started and leaned her head on the side of the window. She could see her reflection staring right at her with a criticizing look. Leaving made her feel like she had given up on Henry for once again... but she didn't have a choice right? Emma forced her! And henry said absolutely nothing to keep her in his life...
That didn't mean that she wasn't gonna fight in court. She was gonna put her heart and soul to win that trail. She owed it to herself and Henry. And just like that... she finally dozed off to a dreamless sleep.
A couple of months passed with Regina feeling lonely again in New York. She kept working as an FBI agent although this time her boss had forced her to take it easy. Her pregnancy started showing slowly, as you could clearly notice a tiny swell underneath her shirts. Her body was changing and her hormones were getting crazy...
Working inside an office didn't make things any easier. She had to deal with multiple useless employees all day long and clients that needed her help on stupid matters such as fixing their computers or join in the dark web. She didn't like paper work.. she needed action. At least working on the street made her feel alive and that's exactly what she told her boss when he announced her her new role in their company.
Regina almost freaked out that day. She wasn't used to listening to other peoples orders but at the same time she couldn't get off her new role. He would insist that she needed to concentrate on becoming a mother and have some time to herself and her baby. That was even more irritating to her. He acted like he was some kind of a pro at being a good parent although his advices seemed ridiculous to the former mayor.
I also have to point out that she hadn't forgotten Henry for a second... she had big plans for today to be honest. The trail was coming very soon and she had her last chance to change everything. She missed emma... and henry... and she was determined to claim them back. She wasn't the kind of girl that likes to show her feelings or any affection at all but this time it was more than necessary. It was her only chance to get back to her dreamy family.
Her eyes wouldn't leave the clock on the wall for a second... she couldn't wait until her shift would be over. Barbara on her side was struggling to win the next stage of candy crush on her computer while she was sipping a strawberry milkshake feverishly.
The heat in the room was getting worse. Regina could feel sweat drops forming on the top of her forehead and her cheeks burning. She sighted annoyed and burried her head underneath her hands.
"Relax girl! Hormones used to drive me insane as well."
Barbara said in her smoky voice and then laughed teasingly.
"I just hate this place."
Regina whined and tucked her hair behind her ears.
"You should be thankful that we are all trying to protect you here! We wouldn't let you get out there and risk your baby's life on your way to catch a psychopath!"
She finally won the current stage of candy crush and got up doing her happy dance while shaking her hips and calves weirdly.
Regina couldn't help but grin. She liked Barbara. She was probably the coolest and funniest woman she had ever met. She was tall, dark skinned, she owned a beautiful curvy body and she had long reddish hair. Of course she always was the life of the party. She loved to experiment with makeup and crazy looks that did not perfectly match her secret agent identity. But trust me you should have seen her fighting bad guys with a gun in her hand.
They would run away crying like little kids in an instant. She had her ways to scare people off. She finished her happy dance and landed on the chair next to Regina playing with the pencil she was holding neurotically.
"Jeez you look tired gal."
Regina huffed and focused back on her computer and at retyping the stupid criminal law on the word app.
"Pregnancy is not beautiful trust me."
"Oh been there done that hon. I know! It's not all flowers and sunshine as people mostly say. That shit is hard! Don't forget you are gonna have to push an enormous head out of your vagina. I even needed a plunger to pull my little Ben out! That shit ain't easy."
She tapped Regina's shoulders with sympathy but the brunette woman didn't seem to feel any better. She just breathed out making a sound and rubbed her face and temples.
"Oh! I forgot the nicest part of it though. In the end every pain and tear worths it all when you finally get to hold your bundle of joy!"
The tall woman smiled and played with her long curls looking at Regina with a broad radiating smile on her face.
"Cut the crap I'm not in the mood. Pfff."
She looked over the wall clock again and tapped her foot on the floor neurotically. Her impatience was growing bigger and bigger and the fact that she needed to use the bathroom every five minutes made her even more annoyed.
"You decided to finally make the big step?"
Barbara interrupted her thoughts again and broke the silence in the room with her loud voice. That woman knew how to make her presence even more active. Regina cleared her throat and finally looked at her while rubbing her stomach with the tips of her fingers.
"What big step?"
She narrowed her brows and grabbed a chocolate bar (always fitness) from the left drawer.
"Oh don't tell me you're gonna eat that shit!"
Barbara protested and Regina sat upright in confusion.
"You can't feed your baby fitness stuff! You're gonna make that little thing in there hate you!"
"Oh come on you know me. I'm not gonna give up that easily and accede to eat all that shit you guys consume on a daily basis."
Regina sighted playfully and ate the chocolate bar right away.
"Oh I'm sorry I forgot that you're the big Madonna. You are not like us peasants. Regina come on don't you have a real yen for something else than fruits and green food?"
She joked and turned all serious with a dose of sneakiness in her almond eyes.
"No."
"Admit it."
"No!"
"GINA!"
Barbara laughed loudly completely testing Regina's patience.
"Stop it! You were talking about a big step. Explain yourself."
The brunette woman changed the subject and smiled innocently at Barbara. The dark skinned woman narrowed her eyes playfully and cleared her throat.
"Actually you're the one who has lots of things to explain."
"Excuse me?"
She raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs.
"Why didn't you tell me that you were planning to visit that blond chick of yours?"
She screamed loud enough for the entire floor to hear. Regina blushed slightly irritated and huffed.
"I didn't think it was important enough for you to know."
Barbara gave her a weird look and crossed her hands under her chest.
"Wait how did you know?"
"I checked your computer! Thank the god you're a control freak and you got everything written on your schedule."
Barbara giggled.
"That explains a lot..."
Regina mumbled skeptically.
"Don't do that to yourself Gina seriously."
Barbara's angelic face turned all serious staring at the brunette woman across her with pleading eyes. As much annoying as she could be she would always protect Regina. She kinda felt like she needed to be there for the former queen and support her since day one in that job.
"What's your problem anyway? I have nothing to lose anyway!"
Regina testified and gulped at the seriousness inside Barbara's eyes. She felt like the taller woman would soon slap her.
"She's gonna break your heart... AGAIN."
"Like I haven't done that multiple times at her and my son. Plus... many many people."
She grabbed her cup and drunk a sip of hot cappuccino tasting the aromatic soft liquid with her tongue.
"What did we talk about your past?"
"To finally forget it and finally move on."
Regina murmured in boredom and sadness and balanced her head on her wrist looking at the front.
"Maybe I don't want to forget it. Maybe my past is the real reason why I'm who I am right now. And I don't feel bad for the person I have become. I don't wanna spend the rest of my life thinking of what could have happened in case I ever had driven all the way to Boston to find Emma's forgiveness."
"You don't need that bitche's forgiveness. She's trying to take your son away Mills! Get your shit together cause I'm suspecting that your hormones are speaking right now."
Regina fixed her hair and breathed in and out trying to eliminate her anxiety. Going over Emma's house to surprise her and tell her the L word appeared to be harder for the queen.
"I just wanna give myself a try Okay? Maybe it's my only chance."
Regina claimed and started cleaning up her desk while putting her things back to their places and placing her books and notebooks based on color up back on the bookshelf again.
"Fine. Don't come to me crying when you get rejected. I warned you."
"You sound like my mother."
Regina rolled her eyes.
"What?"
"It's better that you don't know her trust me."
Regina mumbled and grabbed her purse.
"Never mind I'm done with work so I'm coming with you. I could use a road trip to Boston's flee market."
Barbara checked the clock and said. Regina turned around all surprised and looked at with an ironical smile forming on her face.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh don't worry I'm gonna do some thrift shopping and then wait in the car. I'll be a good girl I promise. Plus you look like you could use a friend."
The brunette woman hesitated but grinned. The truth was that she didn't have many friends in the area... none to be exact. But Barbara was the only person that actually supported her and stood up for her. She could be accounted as Regina's friend now. Listening to her say that warmed her heart. She made her feel a little less aloof and cold that she usually was.
"Fine but promise we are done with talking about Swan. I really need to get my shit together before we get there."
"Oh girl you have my word."
Barbara kissed her fingers and placed them up on the air like she was making a promise.
"Come on hurry up. You don't wanna be late on your schedule. You hate being late after all."
Barbara winked as she grabbed her purse and rushed outside of the office hurrying down to the garage. Regina followed her as gracefully as she could. Five months of pregnancy weren't that noticeable on her yet but the physical pain was there already. Her back was aching and her feet couldn't be more swollen.
She wouldn't stop wearing her favorite black high heels though. She would never give up on her madam mayor style. Both ladies hopped in Regina's black Mercedes and started their road trip. Regina seemed quite determined. The road trip was unexpectedly silent and relaxing. Barbara was half asleep on the co-driver's seat but very much awake at the same time when it came to her favorite radio songs. She would shake her body on the rhythm for a few minutes until the song would be over and then get back to her day dreaming.
Regina from the other side was trying her best to take her mind off what she was about to do. The up coming unexpected reaction of Emma's kept hunting her. She had already come up with the worst case scenarios except the upcoming one. The former mayor finally parked the car a couple of blocks away of Emma's house in order not to make a big entrance and turned off the radio.
"Here we are."
She breathed out nervously and remained still on her seat.
"Don't you dare to balk now! It's your time to shine queenie."
Barbara smiled broadly and encouragingly and grabbed her purse between her legs.
"Meet you in an hour here. I won't be late."
She continued and placed a peck on Regina's hair.
Just like that she opened the door and run towards the market place to check out the new stores. Regina locked the car and took a deep breath. She was in no mood to see Henry's reaction but at the same time her curiosity was killing her.
She had to do it. She had to be brave for one last time. She paced all over the way till Emma's house and reached the front door. The lights seemed to be turned off. Maybe she was unlucky and there was no one in the house. Her hands were shaky now again... and her palms were getting sweaty. But she had no choice. She drove all the way here and she couldn't give up now. She had to fulfill her task.
She took a deep breath and rung the doorbell holding her breath for what was coming next. She waited a couple of seconds till she heard footsteps approaching the front door and silent whispers. Her face muscles were trembling until the door opened up broadly. A short ginger head woman answered the door covered up with a white towel wrapped around her body. She looked surprised but not that much at the same time.
Regina frowned examining the woman's face.
"I'm sorry... is this the Swan residence?"
"Yeah... who are you?"
The other woman replied with a question mark forming on her face when she heard another voice coming from the background.
"BABE! Who's at the door?"
It was the same old voice she loved to hear every morning... it was emma. Then it hit her. The girl standing in front of her... emma at the background calling her... babe... she had moved on. She had already forgotten about her.
Emma rushed towards the door and froze the minute she saw that Regina was standing there. Her forest eyes widened open as she held the white sheet around her even harder.
"Miss Mills?"
Her words stabbed Regina right on the heart.. at least it felt like that.
"I..."
Regina was about to say but suddenly she had no words. Her face became cold and firm again trying to hide away the pain.
"What do you want here?"
Emma replied firmly as well and placed her left hand around the ginger head woman's waist.
"I... nothing. Never mind."
"Hey... Luna why don't you get back inside? I'll join you in five minutes."
Emma whispered and her appeared to be lover rushed back in the house with a broad smile on her face. Emma shut the door behind her and stepped on the grass outside looking at Regina with resentment.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to talk.. but apparently you're busy."
Regina replied while trying her best to retain her pride.
"About what?"
"Does it really matter swan? You moved on! It doesn't matter to me anymore!"
Regina replied obviously hurt and looked around for any signs that Barbara had come back already. She really prayed that her friend would come back earlier this time... since she was in no place to deal with the big news...
"What did you expect me to do Regina?"
Emma fought back with shame chocking her...
-Next part is coming out soon. Thank you all for your support! I'm trying to post a new chapter as soon as I can but sometimes my daily routine is taking the best of me anyway! Please read and let me know about your opinions.
