A/N: Let's get right to it, shall we? Lots of backstory and drama coming your way.
When Regina awakens the next morning, the guest house is eerily quiet. She rolls over to verify the time on her phone, thinking that the digital clock on the nightstand might not be accurate. But, the phone confirms it: 9:34 a.m. After rolling the crick out of her neck, she drags herself out of bed and into the kitchen, planning to have a quick breakfast before facing whatever fresh hell is thrown her way today.
She rifles through the kitchen cabinets and pulls out a can of opened coffee grounds. A quick sniff confirms that they still seem to be fresh, and she deems that good enough for her. After four years of medical school and four years of residency, she's learned to tolerate almost any coffee as long as it's caffeinated. As she waits for the coffee to brew, she notices a piece of paper in the center of the island, which she immediately picks up:
Regina —
We're all in the main house. We didn't want to wake you this early, but feel free to join us when you see this. Your mother mentioned something about Christmas Eve brunch at 11.
Emma
Regina rolls her eyes as she pours herself a cup of coffee. Of course, now she leaves a note, she thinks to herself. She takes her time savoring the mediocre coffee, enjoying the respite from her family and indulging in her solitude as she looks around the cottage. While she generally hates being back in Storybrooke, she won't deny that a small part of her enjoys the nostalgia. She spent a lot of time in this guest house during her childhood, particularly in high school. She and Zelena always argued over who would get to move in, thinking it would be like having their own apartment as teenagers. Much to their chagrin, neither girl ever got their wish. But, as they got older, Cora and Henry did allow the girls to have sleepovers in the guest house, giving them the illusion of independence and privacy. Regina spent many Saturday nights with her friends camped out on the floor of the guest house living room and burning popcorn on the stove. It was also where she had been dared by one of her friends to kiss her best friend Kathryn at a slumber party when they were fifteen. Never being one to back down from a dare, they had both shrugged and obliged. It had been Regina's first kiss with another girl, and it confirmed her suspicions about herself — she was falling in love with her best friend. Her very straight best friend. She buried her feelings, never revealing to the other girl how she felt. She had smiled when Kathryn talked about her crush on James, the captain of Storybrooke High School's lacrosse team, ignoring her own unease. She had forced a grin as she stood next to her best friend when they posed for prom pictures on her parents' grand staircase, Kathryn wrapped securely in James' arms as Regina tried to ignore the awkward feeling of Jefferson's hands around her own waist. (It turns out, Jefferson was just as uncomfortable with it. It took him a little longer to realize it, but he's also gay.) Fortunately, by the time she stood next to her as the maid of honor at Kathryn's wedding shortly after they all graduated college, Regina had moved on. The smile on Regina's face in the wedding photographs is finally genuine.
She decides to forgo breakfast so she'll be hungry enough for brunch —a brunch that she is already dreading — so she heads back into her room to get dressed for the day. Ordinarily she would wear yoga pants and a well-worn sweatshirt to lounge around all day, but she knows her mother will expect nothing less than the best, even for a casual at-home brunch. Still wanting to be comfortable, she picks up the nice pair of black knit leggings that she brought, which can almost pass for dress slacks. She throws on an oversized white and grey cable knit sweater and runs a brush through her hair before making the short trek to the main house.
"Oh, you decided to join us," Cora says as soon as Regina walks through the back door. Her mother almost sounds disappointed, standing in the kitchen as she prepares a tray of tea. "Everyone is in the sitting room, if you would like to participate."
"Thank you, Mother," she says as she toes off her boots and sets her purse on the counter before making her way to the front of the house. She had made a promise to herself on the short walk from the guest cottage that she will try to be as civil toward her mother and her sister as she can for the remainder of her trip. Since she is going to be stuck here for the next two days, she wants to make it as painless as possible.
"Good morning," she greets as she walks into the room, plastering the fake smile she's perfected over the years onto her face as she looks around the room. Leopold is sitting in one of the two tall wingback chairs in the center of the seating arrangement facing the fireplace, and she can only assume that the open chair is her mother's. David and Mary-Margaret are cuddled together on one side of the loveseat, while a small boy plays a handheld video game at the other end. Across from the loveseat is a larger sofa, where Zelena and Emma sit at opposite ends. Because the gods seem to hate her, the only open spot is the one in between them. Awesome, Regina thinks to herself as she briefly considers just sitting on the floor next to the sofa. Knowing her mother would have something to say about it if she did, she relents and sheepishly approaches the sofa, taking the center cushion. She can feel Emma's eyes watching her, so she tries her best to look disinterested. But, she can't stop herself and mutters a sarcastic and passive-aggressive "Thanks for the note," as she settles herself against the back of the couch.
Regina sees something flash in Emma's eyes quickly, but it's gone before she can truly register it. "You're welcome," is all that the blonde says, before turning her attention back to her father, who is regaling the family with tales from the freshman seminar he taught that semester. Sensing the brunette's discomfort, Emma adjusts her position on the couch, leaning into the arm of the sofa and being careful not to touch the other woman, giving Regina more space.
And Regina is thankful for that. She sends Emma a small smile of gratitude, but the blonde doesn't seem to notice. Despite Regina's anger toward the woman she's spent the last eighteen months hating, she still finds the blonde intoxicating. Even in her dressed-down state — she's wearing dark wash skinny jeans, a red long-sleeve tee and a cream-colored scarf —Regina can't help but feel attracted to the blonde. She even finds herself silently chuckling as she notices Emma's feet propped up on the coffee table, the top-hat wearing penguins on her socks clearly visible. Emma is equal parts hot and adorable, and Regina forces herself to focus on anything else…anything that isn't the woman next to her.
Her mother returns to the living room a few minutes later, the sterling silver tea tray filled with a kettle and exquisite ceramic teacups. Cora excuses herself once more to go get the rest of the cups and tea packets, as the tray is not large enough to hold it all in one trip. Zelena eagerly jumps up to assist, nearly tripping over her own feet as she does so, and Regina can't help but think that the redhead is going to a lot of trouble to be the perfect daughter. It's not like it's a hard feat to accomplish, considering the disdain Cora holds for Regina. Being straight is already more than enough for Zelena to be Cora's favorite. She doesn't need to pile it on.
*.*.*
Cora serves brunch right on schedule, the clanging of the grandfather clock in the foyer announcing the start of the eleventh hour. They all gather around the dining room table, which is adorned with the china set Regina recognizes as her mother's second fanciest set. This time, Regina manages to avoid sitting next to Emma, but instead ends up across from the blonde. She isn't sure which is worse.
Regina looks around the room, impressed at how clean and organized it is after last night's festivities. There is no sign of the ridiculous ice sculpture that was there the night before, and Regina wonders if there's a melting Christmas tree hiding by the trashcan behind the house. Dishes are passed efficiently around the table, pulling Regina from her curiosity as she scoops a helping of scrambled eggs with vegetables onto her plate. "These look and smell wonderful, Mother," she offers, because they really do. While she and Cora have many differences, the one thing they have always shared is a love of cooking. Regina knows it probably killed her mother to hire caterers for her own engagement party the night before, and she's guessing Leopold is the reason she ultimately agreed to it. Her mother would never pass up the opportunity to show of her culinary skills to guests.
"Thank you, Gina," Cora says, still refusing to use Regina's given name.
The conversation over brunch is rather mundane, but fortunately that means they stick to relatively safe topics — David talks about the cute kids he's treated at his office, while Cora discusses some of the upcoming plans for Storybrooke Square, a plot of land in the center of town that's undergoing redevelopment. Regina catches Emma looking at her from across the table, and when the blonde realizes she's been caught, instead of quickly looking away, she holds Regina's stare as she picks up her mimosa and takes a sip in a silent challenge. Regina feels herself blushing and is the one to break their eye contact. When she glances back over at the blonde a few seconds later, she notices the blonde smirking and raising an eyebrow. Regina rolls her eyes and turns back toward David, who is talking with Leopold about the importance of childhood vaccinations and ethical debates around the issue. As the only other physician at the table, they ask Regina for her opinion and she says that she thinks herd immunity is critical for those who are too compromised to be vaccinated themselves. David and Leopold nod their heads in agreement.
As the brunch continues, and after a few under the table nudges from the blonde that she no longer believes are accidental, Regina finds herself thinking back over her convoluted history with the infuriating woman across from her. It plays in her head like a montage from a romantic comedy, except there's nothing funny or cute about it:
It all started more than a decade ago. Regina was a junior in college at the time and was returning for her spring semester after winter break. She hadn't gone home to Storybrooke for Christmas that year, as she and Daniel were planning to announce that they were calling off their engagement, and she knew she wouldn't be welcomed in her mother's house once it was official. So, she didn't even bother to go visit beforehand, knowing the added anguish she would be inflicting upon herself when her mother ultimately disowned her. Instead, she had gone to visit her father, who had just moved to North Carolina. He had been shocked and confused when she came out to him, but with time he had grown to accept and love his daughter for who she was. Regina had called her mother the night before New Year's Eve that year to tell her the engagement was over and that she would never be forced into marrying a man. Regina had listened patiently while her mother berated her over the phone, telling her she was lucky that her dorm and tuition were already paid for the spring semester because she was cutting Regina off — as far as Cora was concerned, she now only had one daughter. After her mother had disconnected the call, Regina's father pulled her into his arms and held her as she cried. Even though she had expected the reaction she got from Cora, the rejection still hurt.
That next morning, Regina had flown back to Washington, D.C. to attend Jefferson's New Year's Eve party, and that's where the blonde would walk into her life in a stunning and scandalous black sequined mini-dress. It turns out Emma was the cousin of Jefferson's roommate's girlfriend, and she was in town visiting for the holidays. From the moment Emma walked in, Regina was mesmerized in a way she had never been before. After a few Jello shots to gather her courage and calm her anxieties, she had approached the blonde and introduced herself. As they continued to drink throughout the night, Regina told Emma the story of what had happened with Daniel and her mother the night before, and the blonde had been extremely empathetic. She's not sure when it happened, but at some point during the party, Emma had kissed her. It hadn't been a predatory action, but instead it was a gentle, emotional kiss of support. As the night progressed and their blood alcohol levels undoubtedly continued to rise, they had ended up ringing in the new year in Jefferson's other roommate's bed. (He had been on vacation in Hawaii with his family, and since the dorms weren't open over winter break, Regina had been crashing there for a few days). Regina wishes she could remember the specific details, but most of the night is hazy at best. She does remember telling Emma that she had never been with a woman before (leaving out the detail that she had never been with a guy, either, for fear that Emma wouldn't want to continue if she knew she was a virgin). The blonde had reassured her that she would teach her everything she needed to know, and Regina vaguely remembers commenting that she has always been a good student and a quick learner. While she may not remember the intimate details of the night, she does remember thoroughly enjoying herself. Even today, she doesn't regret it. Emma had been there for her on one of the hardest days of her life, and she still appreciates the support Emma gave her that night.
If she and Emma had only been together that one drunken night in college, that would be one thing. But, that wasn't the end of it. Regina continues her stroll down memory lane as her family continues to talk around her. This time, her memory takes her back to a random night in Boston five and a half years after their first encounter:
It had been the week before Regina was scheduled to start her residency program, and she was visiting Kathryn in Boston. Kathryn had purchased tickets to an art gallery exhibit opening, but she had ended up getting food poisoning and was unable to attend. She had told Regina to go without her and to give the other ticket away to someone at the gallery. Regina had done just that, handing her extra ticket to a random art student who had been hoping to buy a ticket to the sold-out show at the door. Upon entering the gallery, Regina saw a blonde figure in a short, black dress looking at one of the new paintings. It can't be, she had thought to herself, but when the woman turned around, she realized that it was the blonde she had fallen into bed with all those years ago. This time her dress's hemline was slightly longer, though it still revealed a generous portion of the blonde's enticing legs, (legs that had felt so good intertwined with her own), and it still accented her subtle curves beautifully. "Regina," the blonde had said when she spotted the brunette. Regina had arched an eyebrow and had asked, you remember me? The blonde had smiled that charming smile and said "of course. I could never forget about you." That was all it took for Regina to get sucked back into the blonde woman's web. They stuck close together most of the night, flirting and stealing a few chaste kisses on the cheek when no one was looking. And aside from a few complimentary glasses of champagne, this time they remained sober. This time, Regina wanted to make sure she would remember their night together.
And she does remember it. Vividly.
That night they had gone back to Emma's hotel room, where they spent most of the night pleasuring one another under the glow of the city lights pouring in from the window. They had parted ways in the morning, mutually agreeing that this was nothing more than one additional night of passion — nothing more than a happenstance meeting. If circumstances would make them cross paths again, well, maybe then they would exchange last names and phone numbers. Maybe it would be fate's way of pushing them together. But until that happened, they would just be Emma and Regina, two strangers who had the fortune of coming together in more ways than one.
And even if they had left it there, after that second chance encounter, Regina would be fine. She wouldn't currently be sitting at the brunch table doing her best to calm her increasing anxiety as she refuses to look at the woman across from her, the woman with whom she had been so vulnerable over the years. While those first two memories are pleasant ones, the most recent memory still burns her, forcing her to bite back the bitter taste in her mouth and grip the seat of her chair a little tighter until her knuckles turn white. The final time, the time that destroyed her, was only a year and a half ago:
Regina had been in Palm Springs for a friend's bachelorette party, wildly dancing and completely carefree under the disco lights of the club. As luck (or misfortune, as the case might be) would have it, Emma had also been there that night, celebrating her friend's 30th birthday. They didn't bump into each other on the dance floor or even at the bar, as that would have been less prophetic. No, they literally ran into each other in the restroom — Emma had been entering just as Regina was exiting. It was only when Regina reached out a hand to steady herself, grabbing the woman's forearms to apologize and make sure she was okay, that she realized who was standing in front of her. Neither woman had time to find her words before they crashed together once again, their lips colliding and tongues dueling for dominance, not caring that they were giving the women in line for the restroom a show. They had quickly exited the club together, pausing only long enough so Regina could tell one of her friends that she was leaving while the blonde did the same. Regina's hotel was closer than Emma's, just across the street, and they quickly made their way up to her room. It was still relatively early in the night, so they put the time they had together to good use. This time, though, it felt different to Regina. It was no longer only about sex. This time, it held a promise. Emma had even brought it up, saying, "Third time's a charm. Fate must be trying to tell us something," in between their heated kisses as she wedged her thigh between Regina's in the hotel elevator on the way to the room. She had also finally given Regina her last name, confirming that it was no longer a casual hookup. Regina had nodded her head and agreed, telling Emma her full name and saying she was more than willing to find out what fate had planned.
That night in Regina's hotel room had been magical, in Regina's opinion, until she woke up the next morning to an empty bed. When she had forced herself to sit up that morning, there was no sign of the blonde, making her wonder for a brief second if it had all been a dream. However, the teeth marks on her shoulder and the strand of long blonde hair that had caught in one of her rings (a result of tugging on the woman's head when it had been buried between her thighs, no doubt) confirmed that it had indeed been real. She looked around the room for a note explaining why Emma had left, or anything of the blonde's that indicated that she would be coming back, that maybe she had just gone out to grab breakfast. Regina tried not to let herself cling to hope as she waited in her room for the blonde to return with a bag of pastries from the bakery down the street, but after two hours she resigned herself to the truth: Emma had just been interested in another night of meaningless sex and was too much of a coward to own up to her intentions. Feeling exceptionally pathetic, Regina had hastily thrown her things back into her suitcase, opting for an early checkout so she could get to the airport well in advance of her evening flight. She couldn't stand to be in the room for one more minute, not even long enough to shower off the scent of the blonde woman that still lingered on her skin. As she walked out of the hotel room that morning, she vowed to never let herself get caught up with Emma Swan ever again. She despises the woman, and she hates the universe for giving her false hope.
As Regina replays that final moment over in her head, she can't take it. "Excuse me," she says suddenly, standing up from the table and disrupting the brunch conversation.
"Is everything all right, dear?" Cora asks, perplexed by her daughter's peculiar behavior.
Regina takes a breath, hoping her voice is steady. "Yes, Mother. I just remembered I have a patient who I need to check in on."
"It's a holiday, dear, surely someone else can do it? You're not even in the same state," Cora argues.
"True, but she's a nervous first-time mother who just had a test done the other day. Her results should have come in this morning, and I really should check," Regina lies, grateful that she was able to think of a cover story quickly. "I will be back in a few minutes. Carry on, please."
She makes a beeline for the kitchen, grabbing her phone out of her purse and stepping outside and onto the deck. She pretends to make a call just in case anyone is watching her, holding her silent phone to her ear as she turns around to look out over the backyard, keeping her back to the house. It's freezing, but the cold air helps settle her, allows her to focus on the present instead of getting lost in the memories that haunt her. She counts her breaths in her mind, inhaling for a count of three and exhaling for a count of six, repeating until she hits ten cycles and then starts again. When she hears the sliding door open behind her, she quickly recovers, saying, "Excellent, thank you. I appreciate your help. I'll see you on Thursday, and Merry Christmas," to the non-existent person on the other end of her phone. She's not sure who has decided to join her outside, but she can venture a guess.
"Is everything okay with your patient?" the voice asks, and Regina sighs. Of course it's Emma.
"Yes, she'll be fine," Regina replies.
"Good, I'm glad," she says, taking a few steps closer. "And how about you?"
Regina turns around, thankful that she's managing to keep her tears at bay. "What about me?"
"Are you okay? You looked pretty spooked in there, all of a sudden."
Regina pretends to smile. "Of course I'm okay. I just felt bad that I had forgotten Mrs. G's lab results were due back this morning, and I wanted to make sure everything looked good."
"Are you sure that's it?" Emma asks, clearly doubting Regina's story as she searches her eyes for evidence of a lie. Regina isn't sure how she does it, they barely know each other outside of the bedroom, but Emma has this annoying way of always being able to see right through her.
"Yes, Emma, I'm sure," she says definitively. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go finish my breakfast." Regina pushes past the blonde and heads back inside, tossing her phone in her purse before hesitating in the kitchen. She doesn't head back to the dining room, and instead detours toward the back hall near the powder room, needing a few more minutes to compose herself before she faces everyone again. She takes a seat on the same back staircase where she had spoken with Daniel the night before, leaning her back against the wall and extending her legs out along the width of the step. It isn't long before the blonde joins her, sitting a few steps below her on the stairs. "Emma, I don't want to talk to you right now," she warns.
"I know," Emma replies, staring down at her own hands that are resting on her knees. "We don't have to talk. I just figured I could use a few minutes of a break from them, too, so I thought I might keep you company."
Regina closes her eyes as she leans her head against the wall behind her, defeated. "Whatever," she says, unable to come up with a better response.
After several minutes of sitting in silence, during which Regina spends most of her time gawking at the back of the blonde's head and remembering what it felt like to tangle her fingers in her hair, Emma sighs and turns to look at Regina. She looks as though she wants to say something, but at the last minute she stops herself, remaining silent but not turning away from the intriguing brunette.
Regina meets the blonde's eyes and finds herself getting lost in the depths of the green staring back at her. The intensity of their shared gaze is felt by both women, as they each try to figure out what the other is thinking. Regina breaks first, standing up and starting the descent down the stairs. Emma quickly rises and starts to follow her with the intention of returning to the table, but she is stopped when Regina unexpectedly turns around at the bottom of the stairs, causing the blonde to nearly crash into her.
Before she can think better of it, Regina is grabbing Emma's wrist and pulling her around the corner of the staircase into the back hallway where they are hidden from view, just in case someone wanders into the kitchen. She is pressed against her, pinning Emma between her body and the wall that is covered in the hideous floral wallpaper her mother refuses to change. Barely a second goes by before Regina's mouth is on Emma's, biting at her lower lip the way she knows the blonde likes, nearly to the point of drawing blood, and she's rewarded when she hears the woman softly moan. She continues her assault on Emma's lips, gliding her tongue along the crease, and the blonde is eagerly receptive. Regina knows this is a bad idea, that this will ultimately cause her more pain. But as she runs her short nails under Emma's top, letting her thumb graze the underside of her bra-covered breast as Emma's hands find the swell of Regina's ass, she finds that she doesn't care. She lets herself enjoy it while it lasts. She justifies it knowing that this time, she will be the one to walk away. This time, she's the one in control. This time, she can be the one to leave Emma questioning everything and wanting more. Emma can spend the next few years hating her instead. Maybe then, it will be easier for Regina to move past it.
As quickly as she started it Regina ends it, stepping back from the blonde and looking at her with a hardened stare as she swipes her thumb across her bottom lip. She says nothing as she turns and walks away, returning to the table and apologizing for the disruption as she returns to her meal.
*.*.*
The rest of the day carries on as normally as one could expect, given the circumstances. Emma returns to the brunch table moments after Regina, looking slightly flustered and causing the brunette to feel a strange sense of twisted pride. In the afternoon, Leopold insists on watching A Christmas Story, an annual Christmas Eve tradition in the Blanchard household, which everyone agrees to with varying levels of enthusiasm. Regina is the first to sit down on the couch, and she feels victorious when Emma chooses to sit on the opposite side of the room. During the movie, Regina finds herself getting distracted by Neal, who is not the best at sitting through a non-animated film at his young age, so she takes the opportunity to spend some time with the boy playing checkers. She lets him win every time, and the six-year-old boy charms his way into her heart. Maybe not everyone in this soon-to-be blended family is terrible.
When the movie ends, David suggests making it a double feature, and Leopold excitedly jumps up to find something on the DVD rack. They turn on Christmas Vacation, which is a bit too low-brow for Cora's tastes, so she heads to the kitchen to occupy herself with preparing Christmas Eve dinner — a honey glazed ham, risotto with greens, and roasted sweet potatoes. Regina loves this movie, but she can't relax enough to enjoy it. She catches Emma stealing glances toward her, and she suddenly feels ashamed for how she behaved earlier. Rather than sit and stew in her own guilt, she excuses herself, saying that she's going to go for a jog while the sun is out and the temperature is slightly above freezing. She's not actually a jogger, but no one here needs to know that. The fresh air will do her some good, and she could use a walk to clear her head. As she heads back to the guest house to change clothes, she prays that Emma doesn't follow her. Much to her relief, she doesn't.
After spending nearly an hour wandering around the streets of Storybrooke and walking by her old favorite spots —Granny's Diner, which is closed for the holiday, along with the dress shop where she briefly worked in high school — she makes her way back to the guest house. She's relieved to find that neither Emma nor Zelena are inside, realizing that they must still be in the main house. She showers, allowing herself some extra time to stand and enjoy the hot water that soothes her muscles and warms her up after being outside in the cold. She redresses herself in the clothes she wore to brunch and decides to head back to the main house, as there's only a half hour before dinner is scheduled to be served and she knows better than to be late.
"Oh good, you're back," Cora deadpans as Regina walks in.
"How was your jog?" Zelena asks sarcastically as she pours a glass of chardonnay and inspects the food her mother has started to pull out from the oven.
"It was lovely, thanks," Regina answers with her own bite of sarcasm, grabbing a glass herself and taking the bottle from her sister.
"Regina, dear, I do hope you brought something a little more appropriate for church," her mother says, eyeing her sweater and knit leggings with Cora's trademark judgmental stare.
"Church?" Regina asks, nearly dropping the bottle of wine. "Since when do you go to church?"
"It's Christmas Eve, dear, of course we're going to Mass," Cora says as though Regina just asked the most ridiculous question in the world.
"We've never gone to church on Christmas Eve…or really ever, for that matter," Regina says, still baffled. "Is this a Leopold thing?"
"Is what a Leopold thing?" Emma asks as she comes into the kitchen. There's a hint of irritation in her tone.
"Christmas Eve Mass," Regina replies.
Emma laughs, the anger dissipating from her voice as she realizes Regina isn't insulting her beloved father. "No. Not that I'm aware of."
Emma's answer has Regina turning back to her mother. "So, what's with the sudden religious spirit?"
"It's a tradition Leopold and I started a few years ago. You would both know that if you had been here for Christmas the last few years."
"Yeah, I think I'll pass," Regina says, taking a sip of her wine.
"Ditto," Emma replies.
"It's not optional," Cora says, sending a pointed look at Regina and then Emma. "If you're staying in this house, you will go. Besides, Regina, it will be good for you to be reminded of our moral values."
Regina can feel her rage building while Zelena snickers from her spot on the other side of the counter. She happens to glance over at Emma, who is standing there uncomfortably and looking back and forth between the three other women. Regina can detect the sympathy in Emma's eyes and she can't take it. Regina says nothing as she picks up her glass of wine and leaves the room.
Emma follows her out, catching up to her as Regina places her glass down on the dining room table and takes a seat. "Was that a thinly-veiled reference to…"
"Yes," Regina says, not needing Emma to finish her question. She knows Emma remembers everything she had told her about her mother's rejection when they first met. "While most of society may have changed their views for the better over the last decade, it's clear she hasn't."
"I'm sorry, Regina," Emma says. "If you need to talk…"
"Thanks, but I don't. I knew what to expect from her when I came home. Aside from you being here, there have been no surprises."
Dinner is a quiet affair, all things considered. There are no further mentions of Christmas Eve Mass, but instead it's more mindless chatter about events of the world and suggestions for things to do in Storybrooke over the upcoming days. David's parents are planning to drive into town early tomorrow morning in time for Christmas, after spending Christmas Eve with his sister in Vermont. It will be their first visit to the quaint Maine town. They'll be staying in the spare room in the main house for the duration of their stay, which answers Regina's question as to why Zelena is staying in the guest house when there's a perfectly good and empty guest bedroom upstairs.
"One of the babies is dancing on my bladder…yet again. Excuse me," Mary-Margaret says as she rises from the table to go to the restroom, only to return moments later looking frantic as she lays a splayed hand across her belly: "My water just broke."
A/N: So, our ladies have had quite the few run-ins in the past, haven't they? And Regina is struggling quite a bit with everything that's been brought to the surface over the last 24 hours and is maybe not handling it in the most constructive manner, but she'll work through it. The next chapter is already written (it's actually the first chapter I completed/wrote in tandem with chapter 1, so I'll post it early tomorrow :) It looks like I should be able to stay on track to have this finished by Sunday, and it turns out there will be six chapters, not five, and there will be a satisfying ending for SQ fans. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!