Thanks so much for still reading and commenting on the update! It makes me SO happy because I love the blank canvas that the end of season 6/happy endings gives for this story. It's a unique time as far as canon because Regina is redeemed but still sad and did not get the happy ending she deserved (I'm ignoring season 7 and even that didn't give her what she deserved, IMO). It's an awesome starting point for me as a writer.
She's struggled immensely (maybe more so than in her past, IMO) after Robin's death because her hope was destroyed after working so hard to redeem herself and be happy. When good things had been taken from her before she thought she deserved it because of her past but this time around she had worked so hard to do the right thing and had hope for the first time since before Daniels death. But even after playing by the rules and choosing good, life slapped her in the face again.
She thought it was because the EQ was still inside of her and went through the enormous transformation of finally separating herself from the alter ego she created for protection. Being separated from the EQ had her experiencing the world without that protection for the first time in decades and you saw her grasping at straws trying to figure out who she was again while also trying to keep everyone else safe and be the hero.
She was entirely raw and unsure, and then the cruel twist of fate happened that brought Wish Robin back while she was once again just trying to save her family from the mess with the EQ that she felt responsible for. For years she had turned away opportunities to reach for happiness out of fear and she *finally* takes a chance by bringing this version of Robin back because she is so desperate to have back what she lost.
That was obviously a vain attempt and she was tortured again with the reality he was not the same person and her soulmate was indeed gone. She was, essentially back to square one. Aside from having her family she was alone again when all she wanted was a partner to share her life with. But she at least was able to confront her darkness (the EQ) and came to accept that she would always be a part of her.
Long story short Regina Mills went through a fucking whirlwind in season 6 yet she always remained strong and caring and forced herself to be brave (without the EQ, which again is a fucking monumental step) and protected her family and chose to do good. When she had all of the reasons in the world to revert. I think that transformation deserves a bit more acknowledgement from the people around her than what we saw on the show and her happy ending should've been more than a fucking sign on her office door and smiling at a bowl of apples. So I'm gonna fix it.
To give you an idea, this is the timeline I applied to the season 6 big events (with tweaks to fit this plot):
-Regina conceives and Robin dies in January.
-Separates from The Evil Queen, Wish Robin's visit happens and EQ sent for a fresh start from Feb to March.
-The Black Fairy's curse and final battle happening around April.
-Happy endings by the start of May.
-This story starts almost two months later in mid June when Regina is around 5 months.
In conclusion, I know it's been a ridiculous amount of time since I posted the first chapter and I so appreciate you sticking with me. This story will be heavy on Regina's emotional evolution but it will also be slow burn EC (so don't worry there will be some heat. ;) It just won't come as quickly (at least I don't plan for it to) as in my other stories. I sometimes wonder if the EC interest is fading since the show has been done for a while. People tend to find new ships when that happens, but I will continue to post the EC I write if you still want to see it. Please leave reviews as they let me know you are still out there and interested in seeing these stories play out!
"It's about time you opened the bloody door-" Zelena huffed, arms struggling to keep hold of the overflowing tote she carried, "Are you going to let me in before I collapse?"
"What in the hell?" Regina grumbled and opened the door wider, stepping aside to let the redhead stumble in and set the rubber tote down with a thud, "How can clothes made for humans less than twenty pounds still weigh so much?" She huffed and straightened up with a hand to her back in a pained expression.
"Speaking of small humans, where exactly is your daughter?" Regina raised a skeptical eyebrow at her sister and crossed her arms.
"Safely in her carseat-" Zelena rolled her eyes at the way Regina's eyes widened, "Oh please I left the bloody AC on and it was only for a second while I lugged this box in," She flicked her wrist, transporting Robyn's carseat into the home and at her feet when the green cloud dispersed.
"Remind me never to let you babysit," Regina shook her head at her sister's relaxed parenting style, bending down to push the visor of the carseat down and coo at her niece. Robyn had been in no real danger but Zelena was still much more nonchalant than Regina had ever cared to be with Henry.
"Need I remind you that not too long ago you asked me to take your son to New York and raise him should anything happen to you?" Zelena asked smugly.
"Yes it was the same day you nearly did away with me and my unborn child when you crashed into half of Storybrooke's garbage cans," Regina retorted and unbuckled Robyn before scooping her up with a bright smile. The baby was filling out, showing more hints of her father's features with each passing month and it made Regina's heart ache in both a melancholy and hopeful way.
"Well I'm sorry but I wasn't aware you had a bun in the oven the day you tried to teach me to drive a stick shift," Zelena's eyes widened. "I mean really, aren't you supposed to be the responsible one? Yet there you were, letting me sling you around the passenger seat of that death trap and then getting yourself into a street brawl with the Dark Fairy."
"It's not exactly like I planned to fight Fiona that day," Regina rolled her eyes. "And her magic didn't harm me."
"Yes, well, we only know that for certain thanks to Snow White making you go to the hospital and get checked afterward."
Regina let out a breath at the memory of that chaotic day. Not even a minute after Zelena sent the Dark Fairy flying over the hood of the station wagon and she vanished did Snow come running onto the street, squawking that Regina needed to go to the hospital and make sure the baby had not been harmed. Within minutes Zelena's eyes had nearly bugged out of her head at the news and she joined in with Snow's harping that she did need to get checked. David ran to get his truck and pull it around for them to take her and Hook had called Emma despite Regina's argument that Fiona's magic barely touched her.
Within the hour Regina was grumpily sitting in a hospital bed with wires attached to her, waiting for Dr. Whale to arrive while the rest of them fussed over her until she banished them to the waiting room. Only when Emma arrived with Henry did Regina unlock the door with magic and allow her son in. He had been so concerned and confused as to what was happening, seeing that she seemed outwardly harm free and not knowing why they rushed there. Emma had told him he needed to speak with Regina directly and she had invited him to sit in the bed with her, apologizing to him for not telling him sooner as she broke the news he would be a big brother.
To her relief he had been nothing but supportive and happy which calmed her and made her more cooperative when Whale finally arrived. Henry asked to stay with her for the ultrasound and she agreed despite the fact she was terrified of what they would find, or more so what they wouldn't. After some resistance she barely granted Whale permission to touch her and snarled at the cold gel he applied to her stomach, but her aggravation was soon forgotten. She didn't make it a habit of crying in front of anyone but tears of relief had immediately spilled down her cheeks when they heard her baby's heartbeat for the first time. She hadn't realized until that moment how much she already loved the child she had only weeks ago found out existed.
Regina nuzzled her nose against Robyn's at the warmth of the memory and delighted in the way the baby smiled in response, "There you are. Aunt Regina has missed you."
"I see I am now chopped liver compared to my daughter," Zelena joked dryly, turning to start shoving the large tote towards Regina's living room, "And here I am the one who lugged this collection of miniature human clothing all of the way from the outskirts of Storybrooke."
"What on earth is your mother rattling on about?" Regina raised an eyebrow at the baby as she held her against her side. The little girl mostly took after Zelena, inheriting her piercing blue eyes and face shape, but she could still see her Robin in the child's high cheekbones and sandy hair. "We should go see what she's up to before she breaks something, hm?"
"You know I can hear you, right?" Zelena looked up at her pointedly before plopping down on the couch.
"Sure Zelena, you can rearrange my living room," Regina muttered and squinted at the coffee table already pushed to the side and the tote in front of the couch. "What's this?"
"Robyn's clothing that she's outgrown. I thought considering you did purchase half of her wardrobe you may want some of it back. A lot of it hasn't even been worn," Zelena shrugged, "You know, just me being a thoughtful sister as always."
"Hmph," Regina gave a good humored roll of her eyes and sat down beside her, letting Robyn down onto the floor when she wiggled to get free. She smiled when the baby gripped the tote and pulled herself up, tiny legs going into motion as she began to toddle unsteadily towards the box of toys Regina kept for her there.
"I can't believe she's walking already," Regina smiled and thought briefly how proud Robin would be to see his daughter motoring around her living room. He had been so concerned over how they would make the difficult family dynamic work and he knew Regina struggled with finding her role in his new baby's life. She carried guilt that she did not try harder to show him that she could accept his child and bond with her while he was alive to witness it. There just hadn't been time. There was never enough time.
"She will be turning a year old before we know it," Zelena smiled proudly, "With our genes I expect she'll be driving a car soon."
"Any sign of magic yet?" Regina glanced at Zelena curiously.
"No," Her sister exhaled through her nose, "I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved at the fact. On one hand I quite like the idea of teaching a daughter of my own how to use magic but then again with my history I'm not sure I want to be responsible for shaping the magic of another Mills sorceress."
"I know what you mean," Regina sighed, "Our mother didn't give us the best example of raising a child with magic. Or raising a child at all. Thankfully Henry was always good-natured and easy, for the most part."
"Yes, but the one you're cooking has our genes."
"I don't need to be reminded of that, Zelena."
"I'm not provoking you, Regina. I'm only saying that I understand that it feels like an enormous responsibility to raise a child with magic and to set them on the right path. Especially when you don't feel qualified to do so," Her sister sighed and leaned back into the sofa.
"It is an enormous responsibility but we have seen where we went wrong. I think we're better than anyone to prevent that same thing from happening to our own children," Regina shook her head, telling herself more than her sister. She knew if Robin were here he'd be reassuring her of this and putting his trust in her. She had to hold onto the belief in herself that he helped instill. "We can teach them what Cora didn't teach us and give them the love we always wanted from her but did not receive. We made a choice when we gave into darkness but we also were at a disadvantage considering the darkness is what raised us. We did not have any healthy role models or guidance or people looking out for us like our children will."
"God you sound like a mushy Charming," Zelena muttered and Regina scoffed in response though she knew her sister was only deflecting from the serious turn to the conversation.
"We will figure it out, Zelena," Regina nodded and watched with a smile as Robyn began to pull every toy out of the box and sling it down to the floor, "Hopefully, but she seems to be taking after you already."
"Very funny," Zelena snorted and began unpacking the baby clothing, "Are you ever going to find out if you're having a boy or a girl?"
"Henry is going with me this week and I'm going to have Whale tell me," Regina nodded and turned her attention to the baby clothing in front of her, excitement niggling her abdomen at the thought.
"Well most of this is gender neutral but sort through it once you know," Zelena nodded, "Keep what you want and donate what you don't."
"You don't want any of it back?" Regina asked with a curious look at Zelena.
"Do I what-" Zelena let out an amused laugh, "You mean - are you asking if I, Zelena Mills, plan to go through stretch marks and get fat and sleepless nights and breastfeeding again? Did I give you a head injury when we hit those rubbish bins?"
Regina laughed at what polar opposites they were and simply shook her head in amusement. She would've had a whole house full of children had life gone her way. There was nothing more special to her than being a mother and the sacrifice came naturally and without thought. With each passing day it was beginning to sink in how lucky she was to get to experience it all over again.
Regina smiled contentedly as she sat at her mayoral desk, flipping through paperwork in preparation of the Town Hall meeting when she felt the gentle movement in her abdomen. She reached down and put her free hand on the growing midsection that she would soon be forced to accommodate by purchasing dreaded maternity clothes. A glance at the clock told her it was well past noon and she smirked at the reminder her child seemed to be giving her.
"I know, I know-" She gently patted her bump, "We are hungry and I need to take a break. I felt your message loud and clear, you impatient little Locksley."
"You on the phone?" Emma's question startled her and she looked up with a squint of annoyance at the blonde who stood at her open office door. "Shit, sorry-" The blonde's eyes darted to the phone on Regina's desk when she didn't respond, "Are you on another conference call?" She whispered with exaggerated movements of her mouth.
"No, Swan," Regina raised a brow at how ridiculous Emma looked and put down the paperwork she held, "I'm not on a call, you may come in."
"Thank god," Emma walked forward and practically fell down in the chair across from her desk and dropped their lunch on top of Regina's paperwork, "I still have PTSD from that one time I interrupted a call and you almost killed me."
"It was an important call that had me very aggravated. Besides, if I had really wanted that fireball to hit you, it would have," She justified before quickly picking up the brown paper bag, "Really, Emma? Must you sit down this sack of grease directly onto my files?" She fussed, clearing a spot on her desk for their makeshift picnic.
"Oh, forgive me Madam Mayor," Emma humored her with a smirk, "I'm soooo sorry I was being thoughtful and decided to get you lunch from Granny's when I got my own. I guess I can find someone else to eat these cheese fries you always steal off of Henry's plate on Wednesday's."
"Not if you value your life," Regina joked dryly, beginning to unpack their lunches. She would've been annoyed and likely mistaken it for pity had anyone else surprised her with lunch, but she and Emma had already made it somewhat of a habit during the work week before her life fell apart. Once they had agreed to share custody of Henry it had been a way for them to fill each other in on his school work and after school activities or even bring something he'd forgotten at the other's house. Neither wanted or needed to admit that they also enjoyed each other's company and simply wanted to share lunch with a friend.
"So what's this about you agreeing to let our kid hang out at some weird old guy's barn?" Emma raised an eyebrow as she unwrapped the burger and smirked when a laugh escaped the brunette. They were two of the few people in Storybrooke who truly grasped how ridiculous Emma's parents could be and they never tired of sharing jokes at their expense.
"For some reason our son seems to like the weird old guy," Regina played along as she gave her hand a subtle twist and provided them with two glasses of ice water.
"Really? You couldn't just give us bottled water? You're so extra," Emma smirked and shook her head.
"Single use plastics are bad for the environment, Emma. Have you learned nothing from your son's school curriculum?"
"You can just magic the plastic out of existence when you're done-"
"That's not the point," Regina raised a scolding eyebrow to which Emma rolled her eyes in fashion suspiciously similar to their son, "But yes, I did tell Henry I was alright with him spending some days helping David this summer. The library only needs him once a week now and it wouldn't hurt him to spend time with a positive male role model instead of playing video games or spending every day with that girl."
"You mean Violet?" Emma asked, clearly amused. "His girlfriend?"
"Let's not go putting labels on it and encouraging him, Miss Swan," Regina squinted in disdain which only made the blonde tilt her head back and laugh.
"Miss Swan? I bring up Henry's girlfriend and you're going all Madam Mayor on me?" Emma teased and delighted in the disapproving stare she received before Regina looked back down to stab at her cheese fries with a fork. "I don't know what's funnier. Your reaction to Henry's crush or the fact that you, Regina Mills, just called my dad a positive male role model."
"Well I certainly did not mean to compliment Charming," Regina scoffed, "I just mean that it won't hurt him to get outside and spend some time with someone like David who may just be able to teach him a few things that we haven't. He could use guidance from a father figure at this age."
"You do know he spends like half of his time at my house...where my husband lives...his step-dad-"
"I'm aware of that. Which brings me back to my point that Henry needs a good male role model," Regina deadpanned with a quirk of her dark brow before taking a bite of her cheese fries that she had carefully cut with her fork and knife before staring back at Emma.
"You're something else, you know that?" Emma laughed at Regina's attitude and then rolled her eyes at the prissy way the woman approached French fries, glad to see some of her spunk was beginning to return. Although she knew it was understandable, the brunette had seemed too quiet and defeated for her liking since Robin's death. She had worried that the loss had permanently dulled Regina's spirit, but since announcing and seemingly coming to terms with her pregnancy, she appeared to be returning to herself.
"So I've been told, Swan," Regina flashed a playful smile then, "I assume you don't have any real issue with Henry spending his days with your father this summer and that you're only using the subject to goad me?"
"You would be correct in that assumption," Emma nodded curtly and leaned up, plucking a cheese fry from Regina's container.
"Do you really feel stealing food from a pregnant witch is a good idea?" Regina sighed in exaggerated disgust even though she really didn't mind. It still felt so satisfying to have real friendships like this one that there wasn't much they could do to make her really angry anymore. Or at least stay angry for long. "Did you not get yourself fries?"
"Nope," Emma shook her head as if she had deprived herself before reaching into the second bag and smiling like a kid in the candy jar, "Tater-tots," She pulled out the container triumphantly. Regina could only shake her head and think of the similar way David and Henry reveled in their gluttonous appetites.
"Dear god, it really is genetic."
David watched his grandson raking out the empty stalls in the barn with a sense of contentment that their lives had calmed enough to do something so simple together. There was a period of time before the final battle that David had doubted his ability as a hero and father and protector. He had worried his family would never know peace or normalcy and he still found himself processing the fact that they had finally achieved it.
School had let out for the summer but Snow continued to teach summer classes a few days of the week and Belle watched Neal so David could work on the farm when he wasn't at the station. He hoped that both of them having jobs and goals to focus on would ease the tension between them and allow them to find the new independence and balance they'd been looking for.
Their love had been young in the Enchanted Forest and the kingdom they ran kept them united and occupied once they were finally able to be together. Everything had been fresh and exciting and the sheer fact that they had defeated the Evil Queen for that brief period of time gave them confidence in their relationship's ability to conquer all. They were encouraged by the fact they'd managed to always come back together up to the point Emma's birth and Regina's curse consuming them.
After the curse was broken and they remembered who they were it had been no time at all before they were back on the run. Except this time it wasn't running from the Evil Queen but with the Evil Queen, against the constant threats to their family and Storybrooke. The last five years had been a constant whirlwind that brought a multitude of challenges, personally and within their relationship. Different situations had shed light on problems between them but the next tragedy or disaster always provided a distraction. Snow White and Prince Charming were, for the most part, amazing in a crisis. They were a team, her bringing the heart and him bringing the backbone and they always overcame whatever they were up against.
They knew exactly who they were and their part to play when bad things happened. It had been all they knew for the majority of their time together. Someone or something had always tried pulling them apart or harming their family and the fight had been coming back together. It wasn't until there was no longer a fight that David began to realize that they had forgotten who they were without one. Or had they ever really known?
He shook his head at the nonsense, silently condemning his thoughts as he set down the hammer he'd been repairing the barn with and made his way over to the stall where Henry worked, "Looking good, kid. You're a natural at this stable-hand thing."
"I can't wait to get some actual horses in here," Henry straightened up and set the rake against the nearby stable wall, "Every good fairytale has a horse and I'm tired of just reading about them. I want to know what it feels like to really know how to ride. But after Daniel came back mom always got a nervous look on her face when I mentioned the stables so I didn't want to ask her to take me back for lessons."
"Yeah that was pretty scary kid, but it'll be different this time around," David thought back on Regina's stable-boy's return a few years ago and shook his head. That woman had really been put through it. "This place just needs some work first. It's getting late though and we should probably call it a day. Emma said you're at Regina's tonight - is she picking you up or do you need a ride?"
"I told her you'd give me a ride," Henry said with an apologetic expression, "By the time she gets home from work now she's tired even though she won't admit to it and still insists on cooking dinner when I'm there," He shakes his head, "I didn't want her to have to come back out."
"It's no problem, kid," David nodded and appreciated Henry's thoughtfulness as they made their way out of the barn, "How is she doing? I mean she seemed to be in good spirits at the diner the other week but what's she like at home?"
"I can tell she's still sad and she gets upset at times, but it's less often. I think she's doing better," Henry nodded and exhaled quietly, "She seems to be letting herself get a little more excited about the baby. I'm going with her to her appointment tomorrow and she agreed to find out if it's a boy or a girl. I think she's coming around to everything in her own way...she was just scared at first."
"Understandable," He frowned as they parted ways and climbed into his truck, "I know she's stubborn about accepting help but let me know if there's things that need to be done around the house."
"I will," Henry nodded as he buckled his seat-belt, "She hasn't bought anything for the baby's room yet. When I asked her she said she would magic it all, but by the time she gets home from work I think she's too tired to use much magic."
"We'll all be there Wednesday for family dinner and I'm sure Snow will bring it up then. Maybe we can get a plan in place on who can do what to help," David nodded and put the truck in gear, pulling out onto the small gravel driveway that led to the main road as he silently considered everything Regina was juggling.
In the last five months she'd buried her soulmate, defeated enemies, fought curses, helped keep them safe, reconciled with her sister, maintained her job as mayor, and parented Henry, all while dealing with a pregnancy on her own. With the fierce facade she put up it was sometimes hard to remember that she was no longer the impenetrable Evil Queen but simply human. A human who had been through an extraordinary amount and was terrible at taking care of herself or admitting when she needed help. A human who did not have a partner to keep an eye on her or force her to slow down when she stubbornly overlooked herself.
Throughout everything she appeared untouchable to those who did not know her well enough to see behind the mask. He had been around both the Evil Queen and Regina enough now to know when she faltered. Her posture could be rigid, chin tilted up proudly and mouth spewing bold threats but there would still be a tiny flicker of fear in her dark eyes that one would never catch unless they'd been in as many life or death situations with the queen as he had. Despite how many times he'd seen that flicker of fear this year she had remained brave and found her footing and moved forward. It gave him a whole new appreciation for the person she was and he found himself wanting to step up for her. "What do you say we grab a pizza on the way, kid?"
Regina squinted at her laptop screen as she sat cross-legged on her living room sofa with a browser tab open for each of her favorite designer's websites. The fashion of this age was exponentially better than the stuffy ball gowns of the Enchanted Forest and she quite enjoyed browsing it. During her Evil Queen years she had at least incorporated fitted pants, bold necklines and long-tailed blazers that made the era's dress tolerable, but she still preferred the classic aesthetic of this world's clothing overall.
Her bedroom closet homed three decades worth of designer clothing, shoes and accessories. She excelled at aesthetics and often mused that if she weren't mayor she would enjoy being a stylist and god knows the people of this town could use one. Her love of beauty combined with the materialism of this world had quickly sucked her in during the curse when she searched for something to fill the void. Shopping for the finer things soon became a habit and the evolution of the internet only made it easier to feed her growing collection. It also happened to be the tool she was prepared to use currently to save her pride.
Carrying a child was a glorious feeling aside from the occasional nausea and rapidly depleting energy. It was an experience she'd spent years grieving over having given up and she still couldn't believe that someone like her now housed something so precious. She was truly grateful for the experience and that both of them were in good health. However, there was one physical aspect that her deep-seeded vanity struggled to accept: her ever-increasing size.
It neared two months since everyone's happy ending and her emotional turmoil had somewhat calmed as she began to accept her new reality. There was no longer the daily stress of an imminent threat to protect her family from. Anxiety no longer gripped her like it had following Robin's death and the three months of hell after. It had been an emotional roller coaster defeating Dr. Hyde, fighting the Evil Queen, bringing back Wish Robin, breaking the Charmings sleeping curse and trying to help Emma win the final battle against the Dark Fairy. Her once paralyzing and piercing pain over the loss of Robin had dulled to a steady undercurrent of sadness and an ache in her chest at reminders of him. Her hopelessness has eased and she was determined to make the most of her new start so she had taken better care of herself in recent weeks.
The weight she had neglected to gain due to her stress in the beginning seemed to be slowly catching up with her and she could no longer zip her dresses or button her silk pajama tops comfortably. Logically she knew it was only the size of her breasts and stomach that had truly increased but she suspected her bottom and thighs had rounded some. She was fully aware that it was a ridiculously vain and entirely irrelevant thing to be concerned over during a time like this. Regardless, no amount of reasoning ever did extinguish the insecurity that crept up for the first time in years.
Cora had fussed over her figure since she was a pre-teen with warnings not to over-indulge and ruin the one thing she had to offer. Her mother treated her like livestock to be sold to the highest bidder but instead of fattening her up she forced strict diet and exercise to ensure she was at peak appeal to a wealthy male suitor's appetite. Though it remained that no matter how hard she tried to perfect her physical image, her mother was never satisfied. There was always an inch at her midsection or on her hips or bottom that she could 'stand to lose' and because of it Regina had formed an unhealthy relationship with her self-image.
However, it had not manifested as it normally would in most. She did not grow up to be self-conscious or unsure of the way she looked. Walking into a room and seeing heads turn to look at her did not make her nervous that people were making fun. She didn't need to be told that they stared at her because she was attractive. Regina knew she was stunning. She knew because she worked endlessly to maintain her figure and polish her style and meticulously groom herself so that when the time came for her to be seen by others there was nothing left to fear.
Cora had been right. Seeing the way people reacted to her beauty taught her the power it wielded. It turned out to be one of her most used forms of manipulation as the Evil Queen. Her face and body were her greatest weapons and her dark makeup and extravagant clothing were her armor and shield. It was in those years that she fine-tuned the art of using her appearance for both intimidating others and hiding her true self from them.
When she came to Storybrooke her style changed to fit the land but it was still a mask to hide her vulnerability from the world. She wore professional business attire to give the impression of importance and hide from others how worthless she secretly felt. She chose absurdly expensive high heels to prove that she was not as cheap as she felt after a life of being objectified. She applied bold colored lipsticks so that people would focus on her lips instead of seeing the emptiness in her eyes.
Her style had softened within recent years as her need for the extra protection lessened. Through her redemption came learning to accept all parts of herself, past and present. Having family and friends who knew and loved her for who she really was had allowed her to slowly become more comfortable with exposing the woman behind the mask. She would always strive to look her best but it was now more for pride in her appearance rather than a necessary form of self defense. Still despite the evolution, her image had always been something she could control no matter what turmoil or curses or threats she went up against. At least it had been up until now.
Regina let out a warm chuckle at the wonderful reason her vanity was being put to the test and looked down at her rounded stomach, "Mommy is being silly, isn't she?" She hummed and rested her free hand on the bump as her other clicked through the websites she browsed.
"What are we thinking, little thief?" She sighed and looked at the new season's lines. "You'd really think they would have more options for maternity wear that didn't look so...mom-ish. If I wanted to dress like Snow White, I'd simply raid her closet," She smirked at her own joke, absentmindedly stroking fingers over her tummy as she talked to her child.
"Ooh, what about this one?" She squinted at the screen and ignored the fact she likely needed to go for an eye check-up soon. "Now this I can deal with. Classic lines, dark colors, and even enough room in the middle for you," She smirked at the collection she found that looked the least like actual maternity wear.
"I would just use my magic to tailor my current wardrobe but I can't bring myself to do it. You know I'm going to fit back into those after you make your arrival-" She smirked, rambling absentmindedly as she zoomed in on a dress, "Plus I can't have the town seeing me in something they recognize and realize I had to alter it. Snow may use my Häagen-Dazs joke against me and we can't give her any ammunition."
Regina smiled in satisfaction as she brought her hand over her screen, giving a simple turn of her wrist to materialize the items she had picked out. A sigh of contentment left her lips when expertly wrapped boxes appeared stacked on the coffee table in front of her and she closed the laptop and set it to the side in preparation of going through her new pieces.
"Mom, are you magic-ing clothes again?" Henry's question startled her from her mission of rifling through the boxes and she looked up to see him and David standing at the entryway to the living room watching with amused expressions. "I thought you said you couldn't do that anymore when I asked for a new game console-"
David bit back a laugh at the wide eyes and parted lips that greeted them when the Mayor looked up from her spot on the couch looking entirely caught. She appeared entirely un-Regina-like in a silky button up pajama set that fit closer around the middle than it normally would due to her bump. White boxes covered her coffee table and her hands still gripped the wrapping paper she was tearing when they caught her red-handed.
"Henry if I magically acquired everything you asked me for I would have nothing to buy you at Christmas," Regina raised an eyebrow before her eyes flickered to David and she seemed to realize what she was wearing and how she must look, tucking her hair behind her ear with a frown, "You do know that dinner at my house is not until Wednesday, David."
"I know," He merely smiled and held up the pizza boxes, "We picked up something on the way. I'll go set it in the kitchen and get going."
"No, no - I didn't mean to be..." She trailed off and bit her lip, glancing between them, "Please stay and eat first. Henry, why don't you take David into the kitchen and show him where the plates are? I'll be in in just a moment."
"C'mon Gramps," Henry gave him a smirk that told him they shouldn't argue and motioned for him to follow into the kitchen.
"You sure I should stay?" David asked quietly with a soft chuckle, "She does not look happy."
"She just wasn't expecting you to come in," His grandson shrugged as he made his way over to the cabinet and pulled out three plates, "She's not big on surprises. Especially when she's already in her pajamas."
David laughed and nodded, sitting the boxes of pizzas on the counter before glancing around. The mansion was quiet but dimly lit with candles burning in various places, giving it a peaceful ambiance. It felt different to the chilly energy it had when he'd stormed through the doors years ago demanding custody of the boy that was now getting forks from the drawer near the sink. There were small touches like family pictures and children's artwork on the fridge that made the house feel lived in and he was reminded again just how much life had changed for everyone in the last year, especially Regina's.
