AN: Sorry it's taking me so long to update guys! It's been hella busy! Thanks for your continued interest! I love you all!
It was 2 weeks before Christmas and Henry was just starting to get excited. His mother had always waited until closer to the holiday to allow for the decorations to go up, and they always came down right after New Years. He practically jumped out of the bed when he awoke at 8:15 that morning.
Regina was sitting at the island in kitchen sipping on her coffee when she heard her son come running down the stairs.
"Morning Mom!"
She smiled at him over her coffee cup, "Good morning dear."
He grinned back at her, and started making himself a bowl of cereal. As he pulled the milk out the refrigerator he asked, "So when do we start?"
Regina hid her smile from him as she feigned ignorance, "Start what darling?"
"Moooom," Henry sighed. "You know it's Decoration Day!"
"No, it can't be. I distinctly remember that Decoration Day was last year."
"Well it's kind of an annual thing," he replied through a mouthful of cereal.
She laughed, "The decorations are already in the family room Henry."
"I knew that," he stated. "Can we invite Emma to help? Granny and Ruby don't do much for Christmas other than gifts. Emma said she's never strung popcorn before."
"Really?" Regina wondered aloud. She was going to call Robin and ask if he wanted to join them, but now she thought about it. He was more than likely preparing for Christmas with his own son. She thought of Emma. Emma had told her some horror stories about growing up in the foster system. The thought that her friend had never really experienced a good Christmas caused a pang in her chest. "Go call her while I wash the dishes and see if she's available."
"Okay!" he shouted and ran to get the phone.
She picked up on the second ring with a groggy, "Hello?"
"Hey Emma! Did I wake you?" he asked apologetically.
"Hey kid. Yeah, but it's okay. What's up?" she questioned and rolled over to look at the clock.
"Are you doing anything today?"
"I've got a show tonight, but I'm off from the diner."
"You wanna come help Mom and me put up our Christmas decorations?"
"It's so close to Christmas, I wasn't sure if you guys did that or not."
"It's a family tradition. I'll explain when you get here."
"I never said I was coming," she joked.
"Oh. Well, okay. Sorry I bothered-"
Emma suddenly realized what she'd said and mentally kicked herself for acting like the kid's dad. "No, Henry! I didn't mean that. I was kidding. I'm sorry. Let me get a shower and food. I'll be there in an hour."
Henry smiled, "Okay. See you soon, Emma!"
Emma walked to the door of 108 Mifflin with sweaty palms. Why did Regina Mills have to have this effect on her? The door flew open before she could ring the bell and Henry collided into her, wrapping his arms around her midsection. She grinned into his hair, "Hey kid! Miss me?"
"Of course!" he exclaimed grabbing her hand and practically dragging her into the house. "Mom! Emma's here!" he shouted as he pulled her into the family room.
Regina was standing at the top of a ladder, adjusting the branches at the top of their tree. She looked down and saw her son dragging their friend into the room with a giant grin on her face and felt her own grin immediately turn into a beaming smile. "Good morning Emma."
"Hey you," Emma greeted. She looked at her feet trying not to notice the way that Regina smiled at her or the way that her eyes lit up when she looked at Henry, and definitely not the way that even in lounge pants and a Christmas sweater the brunette looked absolutely amazing. Yeah, especially not that.
"You've never done any of this before, right Emma?" Henry asked.
"Nope. Not even once," she shrugged.
"I'll teach you. We're going to string popcorn first."
"Okay." She followed him over to a metal canister of popcorn that had a spool of string sitting beside it. They sat crossed legged on the floor and Regina came over to join them. She pulled a needle out of an apple shaped pin cushion that Emma hadn't noticed before.
"Can you thread a needle, Emma?"
The blonde laughed. "What am I, five? Yeah I can."
"You act like it at times," the brunette smirked. She handed over the needle and pulled out another to thread it for Henry.
He showed Emma how to string the popcorn and they set to work on that while Regina went through the remainder of the decorations trying to decide which ones to use this year. Brown eyes stole glances at them every now and then. She watched them joke around and Henry intently explaining different things to Emma. She just smiled and nodded, even at the things Regina was sure she already knew, like why anyone celebrated Christmas to begin with. Emma could brighten Henry's mood faster than anyone they knew and they'd only known her a little over two months. It was amazing.
"We're done!" Henry yelled.
"It looks wonderful dear."
"Thanks honey," Emma piped up with a laugh.
"Are you ready to put the lights on the tree?" Regina chuckled.
"Sure. Seems easy enough."
Less than ten minutes later Henry and Regina were both in a fit of giggles. Emma had managed to get herself tangled into a mess of Christmas lights. "A little help please guys?"
"This is too funny," Henry laughed, grabbing his mother's phone to snap a photo of Emma wrapped up in the lights. Regina went over to help Emma out.
"Stand still Emma."
"I don't think I have much of a choice."
Regina began untangling the lights from around Emma's legs and worked her way up. When she got about midway up her hand slightly brushed over the back pocket of the blonde's tight jeans causing both women to blush. "Sorry," Regina mumbled.
"Don't be," Emma whispered. There was a flash from Regina's phone and the women realized that Henry was still standing there with the phone and had snapped another picture. "Gee thanks kid. We could use some help you know."
"I'm coming." He sent the pic to Emma and then came to help his mother untangle her.
The three tackled the lights together after that without any more mishaps, and had just started to put up the popcorn string when the doorbell rang. "Henry, did you invite anyone else over?" Regina asked in a sharp tone.
"No. Just Emma," the boy replied.
Regina excused herself to answer the door wondering who in the world would dare to show up at her house uninvited and unannounced. Her jaw dropped as she opened the door. "Daniel," she greeted her ex-husband.
"Am I late?" he asked trying to charm her with his easy smile.
"What are you doing here?" she asked with a hint of venom in her voice.
"It's Decoration Day," he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Which you haven't been a part of in nearly five years," she retorted. "Not to mention you haven't seen our son in four months and you think it's okay to just show up with no warning on a weekend that wouldn't have been yours anyway?" She didn't notice that she had consistently been raising her voice until she heard Emma and Henry walking into the foyer behind her.
"Dad!" Henry yelled as he ran over to the man and wrapped him in a hug.
"Hey buddy! Am I late for Decoration Day?" he asked.
"Nah," Henry replied. "We just started putting up the popcorn string. Mom, can Dad help?"
"Henry, I think you've forgotten about our guest."
"No, I haven't. You don't mind, do you Emma?" the boy asked looking over to her with big eyes.
"Ummm, that's really up to your mom kid." Who was she to tell him no? Sure she may want to punch this guy right in his smug face, but he was the kid's dad after all and God knows Henry needed his father. Even if he did only come around once in a blue moon.
"Who's your friend Henry?" Daniel asked.
"This is Emma. She's mom's friend."
"Oh, I see how it is," Emma teased. "Not good enough to be your friend now that your dad is here."
"I didn't mean it like that!" Henry defended. "Of course you're my friend too." He turned back to Daniel. "She's in a band and they're all really awesome."
"Is that so? Is she single?" he asked while looking Emma up and down, making her want to hit him even more.
"Nope," Henry said before either of the women could speak. "She's seeing someone." He winked at Emma, silently pleading for her to play along.
"Yep," she stated in a tone that clearly suggested this conversation was over.
"Well then," Daniel coughed. "I can see when I'm not wanted. Can I come pick Henry up when you're finished?"
"Please Mom?!" Henry asked excitedly.
"That will be fine," she told them and then dropped her voice to a deadly whisper, "If you don't show up this time I will destroy you." She then closed the door in his face and led Emma and Henry back to the family room.
In the hallway, Emma reached out her arm to stop Henry and quietly asked him why he'd told Daniel she was seeing someone. "My dad is the last person I would ever want anyone I care about to date," he told her. "Besides, I see the way you look at my mom. I know you like girls. That's why I sent you that picture." He smirked and then left her standing stunned in the hallway wondering how the hell that kid was so smart. Regina is his mother she thought, of course he's smart.
The two weeks to Christmas flew by. Emma woke up to her phone ringing once again. This time she smiled as she saw the picture of her and Regina from Decoration Day. "Hello!" she answered cheerfully.
"Merry Christmas Emma!" Henry shouted in her ear, followed by a much softer, "Merry Christmas," from Regina.
"Merry Christmas you guys!" she beamed even though they couldn't see her.
"Can we still expect you over today?" Regina asked.
"Yeah. I'm supposed to be there at noon because your parents should be there any minute, and Robin will be there for dinner. I know, I know," she sighed.
"Good then we will see you soon."
That Christmas was the best one Emma Swan had ever had in her life. She and Ruby exchanged gifts that morning. She had gotten Rubes an outfit that she'd been eyeing for a while and in return she'd gotten a new keyboard. Granny and Ruby had combined funds for that one.
When she went over to exchange gifts with Regina and Henry she was moved to tears. They had gotten her a personalized notebook with music sheets in it to write her songs in and they had both written special messages to her in the front of it.
Henry's note read:
Hey Emma!
I really hope you like this gift. It took Mom and I forever to figure out what to get you. I hope you get to write a lot of really awesome songs in it. Thank you for being there for me these last few months. You're the best friend a kid could ask for. Love you lots!
Henry
Regina's made her cry some more and smile from ear to ear.
Emma,
I hope you enjoy this gift as much as we enjoyed picking it out for you. I am so grateful for the friendship that we have and are continuing to build. I love that I can talk to you about anything and that you feel comfortable enough to do the same with me. I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you've done for Henry and I, and we've only known you a few months. You have quickly wormed your way into our lives and our hearts. You're truly one of the best friends I have ever had. (Don't tell Tink and Mel.) Thank you for being the best babysitter, my 2am phone call, and most of all, for being you.
Regina
Emma knew that Henry would love his gift. Ruby had agreed to sell her one of her guitars at a really cheap price for the kid. He jumped and screamed and hugged Emma, and then his mother when Emma told him that she had allowed it. She was very nervous as she handed Regina the long slender box that she'd gotten her. "I really hope you like it."
Regina quickly unwrapped the box, but opened it slowly. Her brown eyes became a sea of tears and with a watery smiled she breathed, "Oh, Emma. You didn't have to." She'd told the blonde once, during one of their late night calls when she couldn't sleep, that she and her father had taken care of an apple tree together as she grew up. It had started her love for the fruit. In the box was thin silver bracelet with a single charm on it in the form of an apple. "Will you help me put it on?"
"Of course," Emma smiled at the thought that Regina would be wearing her gift when Robin came over later.
She got a text from Regina later that evening. Henry had gone to Daniel's and gotten some nerf guns. Awesome. They'd have something new to do when she babysat again.
What about you? What did lover boy get you?
Jealous much? Just kidding. The text was accompanied by a photo of a gold necklace with a diamond studded heart on it.
Whoa. That's really nice.
I suppose. I like the bracelet more. Goodnight Emma.
Goodnight.
Emma fell asleep shortly after with the biggest smile on her face.