After departing the Granny's Diner, Henry was picked up by his aunt Julie and hung out with his uncle, Everett. Emma sent her young brother to be prepared for Henry's pranks but her son beat her to voice his opinion. Regina just raised her eyebrows and waited for Emma's answer.
"Hey, I'm not like you, Ma!"
"Well, you pranked me few times back in Los Angeles before we arrived here, you goof." Emma mocked with a smirk. Henry rolled his eyes and pulled his bewildered uncle out of diner. Granny chuckled with a shake of her head. Emma sighed and walked out in the door. It left Julie and Regina confused on the scene and looked at each other then walked together to find them outside arguing about Henry's personal information based on the medicines and allergies.
The brown-haired boy crossed his arms over his chest with a shake of his head. Regina tried to interfere them with her mayoral voice but sent some people her business smile. Julie ran her hand on her face and tried to pull her husband from not arguing with his oldest sister. Henry finally followed her with a wave to Regina and his Ma.
Emma stomped her feet before turning away to another way. Regina floored her jaw while she watched Emma doing that way like they were back in high school. It happened when Graham and Emma spat in front of each other while she was there watching them. Well, Graham was her boyfriend and Emma was her best friends for years. She loved them both but didn't know how to interfere them away before they got in trouble with the principal.
The brown-haired mayor sighed and followed Emma on the way. The blonde actress finally slowed her pace to let Regina catch up with her and turned in a halfway to see Regina following her. The brunette woman smiled at her and continued before Emma voiced hers.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry about the scene back there."
"Don't worry. It reminded me back in high school."
"Ughh… Don't talk about that day with Graham. He is an asshole."
"Was." Regina informed her sadly while she indicated a point to the trail where the hike was to the park. Emma nodded at her way and followed Regina on the trail and asked.
"Was? What do you mean?"
"He passed away few years ago. Heart Attack."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss."
"That's okay. Graham and I separated our ways since we graduated from high school. We've been not talking for a while until I moved in here. He was the one who welcomed me back home. We started to talk about our life and you. Then, Graham left the town and never came back here again until his mother told me a news about his condition. He was too young to die. He was 25 years old at that time when he got a heart attack. Well, it was in his family's genes." Regina shrugged with an explanation.
"Oh. Was he married or have children on his own?"
"Yes, he was married to a beautiful woman, Elizabeth Mitchell from Texas. They had two children. Seventeen and Twenty-two. Girls. Their names are Haley and Joanna. They keep in touch with me once a while."
"Wow. The girls are supposed to be in college right?"
"Yes, they are attending in Boston University studying cardiology because of their father."
Emma nodded while stopping for a rest. Regina instructed them to walk few more miles before getting their rest. The golden-haired actress immediately concurred with her and continued on their walk. Regina was relieved that Emma won't take her answer and continued to do so.
"Anyway, back to the point. So, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing ok. Just visited Lily's place." Emma retorted with a nod.
"Oh, right. Have you seen her parents? They were supposed to stop by before taking their vacation in Europe tomorrow."
"Yes, we've been spoken with few words. Ms. Page was looking more fit than before."
"Oh yes, Maleficent Page. She was living on your street but moved out to Portland with him. Too painful to see Lily's existence around in here, Storybrooke."
"I mean; why did Lily die that way?"
"Well, Leukemia is not a fun part but it was her battle to fight. I understood how she suffered through chemotherapy and many tests to run into."
"I know; it was not a fun part but Lily didn't deserve that because she was a full of life-altering to bring us some surprises with her tricks. You know?"
"I know Em, it's hard to believe that she is gone. Anyway, I visited them few weeks ago and found out that Lily kept your letters in the shoebox. Maleficent requested me to bring it to you when you get here or I come visit you in Los Angeles. I don't know."
"Did you find me in Los Angeles?"
"Yes, I have your address from your mom."
"Later, I am going to kill my mom for that." Emma grumbled under her breath. It caused Regina to laugh loudly. The blonde diva looked at her with a small smile. The brunette mayor shook her head with a sigh and continued.
"Let's not talk about the tragedies in our life. Focus on the bright ones."
"Oh god. You just mentioned to my… our… son about my fear of horses!"
"That's a hilarious story to tell. I must tell him." Regina bellowed. Emma glared at her with a pout face. The brown-haired woman shook her head and pulled Emma to rest against the tree. They finally arrived in their destination where Regina wanted them to have a peaceful day and listen to the nature. Of course, it was included the view of Storybrooke over them. They were on the top of the hill. Emma was daydreaming about that day with Regina.
Flashback – Spring 1997
Of course, the school was over and the summer break was beginning. The girls were excited to hang out together nevertheless, they never got sick of each other. Sometimes, they separated themselves for the camp activities that their mothers forced them to live on their own and find new friends.
Unfortunately, the girls hated the camps since they found out that they were separating from each other to go on different camps. Their fathers pledged them to do it for their mothers. It caused them to roll their eyes and have a deal with their mothers. If they didn't like the camps, then they have to be together no matter what. Their mothers grumbled under their breath while smiling at their daughters in the dining room.
It caused the fathers to snicker behind their hands while looking at their girls. Regina and Emma sent their best glares at the men in front of them. Cora and Mary Margaret gave them a look to zip their mouths before explaining the reason why they wanted their girls to find new friends before the school started. Mary Margaret gave a point that Regina and Emma will see each other because they would attend in the same school.
Regina won't let herself down because she wanted to be with Emma all times since they planned their new adventure together. They discussed that when they got older in their young and mature age of sixteen or seventeen. Emma promised that they would go to London on their Spring Break together. It caused Regina to be excited.
After that happened, Regina decided to take Emma out to the stables with her father. Their mothers started to complain on the horse activities. Henry Sr. shot them down with a glare and wanted his time to spend a day at the stables with the girls. David shrugged and left for his duty as a sheriff. Cora rolled her eyes and continued to find her oldest daughter in the living room then took them to the shopping. Mary Margaret joined them before waving a goodbye to Regina and Emma.
Henry Sr. drove the girls to the stables in a half hour later. Regina blabbered about the horse that she owned since her twelfth birthday. She begged her father to buy her a horse. Cora was horrified at the birthday present that her husband had no desire to purchase it. Zelena was just laughing at them. Regina was super excited about riding on her favorite horse.
On other side, Emma didn't like horses since she has ridden on a horse long time ago. It was her father's fault. The Nolan family just went to the countryside few summers ago. At that time, she was seven years old. Mary Margaret encouraged her to ride on a horse with dad. David took a pride to have his oldest daughter to ride on the horse so they did.
At the first, David mounted him up on the horse and grabbed Emma from the riding instructor. Emma was cute when she had her blonde pigtails and her cheeks were still baby. She smiled hard when she finally mounted on a horse. The horse was a beautiful stallion and David hurried him up in a slow pace to walk around on the small trail.
When it happened at that scene, the horse got scared by seeing a snake in the grass and it caused him to rile it up in the air. David held her in his arms tightly while gripping on the reins. The horse neighed loudly to warn the riding instructors in ahead of the trail. David screamed when they fell off on the horse and hit on the pile of wood.
The horse just bolted away but barely almost hit on Emma. Luckily for David, he was closer to her and grabbed her quickly before it happened. Emma was wailing and hurling under herself. The riding instructors chased after the horse and others stayed behind to help David and Emma. The poor blonde girl was crying all the way when they got back to the cabin. Mary Margaret heard them coming in the cabin and held Emma in her arms to reduce her crying. David explained everything to his wife.
That's how Emma scarred that experience for her whole life and promised herself that she won't get near any horses. Now this time, Regina took her to the stables and see the horses. Emma didn't show her fears in front of Regina. Only David and Mary Margaret knew her scars. She promised that she would overcame her fears by getting closer to the horses one day.
Regina didn't know that Emma has her fears of the horses and tugged her all the way to her horse's pen. It was his name, Rocinante. The horse was fully brown stallion with the white mare on his head. He was a beautiful horse that Regina had ridden for few months. He grew bigger than last time she went to visit him.
"Meet my horse, Rocinante."
Emma stared at a big horse in front of her wide eyes and gulped. Regina tried to pull her inside but the blonde teenager held her feet on the ground and didn't move at all. Henry Sr. raised his eyebrows at the blonde girl. Regina tilted her head to look at her best friend and voiced.
"What's wrong, Em?"
"Ehh… Big…"
"Yes, Em. He is bigger than last time I saw him. Come on."
"Nah. I think I stay here. You can go do whatever it does to take on your horse." Emma tried to cover her anxious state with a smile. The brown-haired girl didn't believe her at a moment and crossed her arms over her chest before asking.
"Are you afraid of the horses?"
"No! I mean, no." Emma shouted before turning away from Regina. She rolled her eyes and walked up to the blonde girl with a voice. Henry Sr. smiled at the scene of the girls and kept watching on them. Regina put her hands on her shoulders and turned her body around to look at her.
"It's okay if you are scared of the horses. I can understand if you admit it. I am not mad at you."
"But…"
"No buts. I understand. I had experienced it before. It's ok. You can stay here and watch me do with my horse. If you are ready, come closer to him. He won't bite you."
"Okay, Gina." Emma nodded with a small smile. Henry Sr. rolled his eyes and dialed away on his cellphone to call his wife about the news. Regina beamed at her best friend and gathered her things to do on her horse before riding on him outside near the barn. Emma was relieved that she was not riding on the horses today and stood behind the fence to watch Regina taking a rein on her horse.
It was a beautiful sight to see Regina riding on her horse. But inside Emma, she was very disappointed to herself because she wanted to overcame her fear of riding on the horse. She didn't see Henry Sr. approaching on her and heard his voice.
"Why haven't you ride on a horse?"
"I'm scared to ride on a horse. Regina understood."
"She is so sweet to let you have a raincheck but your mother explained everything to me if you wanted to re-tell it. I'm fine with it. I understand how you feel. Regina has that experience before but she kept doing on it. I'm impressive with her stubbornness."
"She is Regina, of course. But for me, I just wanted to overcome my fears and ride on a horse today."
"Don't worry, you'll hang on when you are ready."
Regina sneaked a way to scare Emma in front of the fence and hushed her horse to come closer. Henry Sr. has some glances on his daughter and smirked at the scene. Emma didn't turn away to see Regina there but her attention was on the white stallion in other pen which the instructors were training on the beautiful horse. Emma was appealed by a beauty of a white stallion until she heard a neigh in a close range.
Finally, Emma looked back to Regina and screamed when Rocinante was using his head over the fence to face her face with a sound of neigh. Regina snickered at her horse but watched the reaction of her best friend. Emma screamed and stepped backward until she fell on her tailbone. Henry Sr. bawled in laughter.
"Ow! That's not funny! Gina!" Emma whined but showed her fears in front of them. She finally hurled herself in a ball and shut her eyes for few minutes. Regina stopped laughing and widened her eyes before unmounting herself on the horse then ran over the fence to comfort Emma. Henry Sr. halted to see Emma hurling on the ground and frowned.
"Emma! I'm sorry."
"You prom-ised m-e." Emma whimpered. Rocinante neighed with a shake of his head. Regina glared at her horse to shut him down but continued to embrace Emma in her arms. Henry Sr. waved his hand to the riding instructors to send someone to see Emma for physical attention. Emma kept rocking herself in Regina's arms and started to sob while shutting her eyes. Rocinante was taken away with a riding instructor to his pen. Regina whispered into her best friend's ear to calm her down.
-Flashback-
"Emma, are you ok?" Regina asked in a concern. Emma blinked several times then looked back at the brunette mayor with a nod.
"Thinking about that day."
"Oh my god. It must be a good one, I insist."
"Hell to the no. You better not tell our son that story. I'm still fearing that day."
"Our son?" Regina slowly beamed with a question. Emma softened her look at her and smiled back then voiced.
"Our son." They finally realized that they had a son together. Emma felt that it would be a good one for her Christmas. Regina was thinking about having Emma in her life again but more than just best friends. In her mind, she planned to woo her best friend on their second date if Emma would like. Emma was smiling because she had a best first date with Regina and felt like she wanted to reunite her feelings toward Regina once again.
A/N: New job... Rolling my eyes. Review? Don't forget to read Roommates: Chapter 16!