This chapter is for Hypnotoad76 with the prompt: "Emma tries to come up with an endearing pet name for Regina, each of which fail miserably."

To get these nicknames I went to a website and picked the ones that I could just picture Regina fireballing Emma for. Enjoy :)

Emma glanced across the diner at Ruby and Dorothy. They looked so happy together, something that only True Love could inspire within two people. Emma knew how that felt.

"Earth to Emma Swan," Regina teased, lightly kicking her under the table to get her attention. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Emma said. "Just got lost in my thoughts."

"What thoughts?" Regina asked.

"Nothing," Emma said. "You'll just think I'm being dumb and will probably hate the idea anyway."

"Try me," Regina challenged.

Emma smiled. "Fine. Ruby and Dorothy have pet names for each other. It's endearing in a way, and I thought that we could try it."

"Pet names?" Regina asked.

"You know, they call each other Kansas and Wolfie," Emma said. "That kind of thing."

Regina laughed. "So we're going off of that? What, I call you Savior and you call me Majesty?"

"Very funny," Emma said, slapping her hand lightly. "I'm serious."

"Fine," Regina said. "Try as many as you want to throughout the week and I'll either say yes or no. Deal?"

Emma smiled. "Deal."

The first time Emma went to use a nickname was at dinner. Henry and Emma were having their usual burgers from Granny's, while Regina of course had a salad. She refused to eat anything on takeout night, especially from Granny's.

Emma looked at her thoughtfully. "Bunny."

Regina looked at Emma before laughing. "What?"

"Pet name," Emma said. "Bunny. You eat vegetables like a bunny does."

Regina shook her head. "No. Not going to happen. That would be like calling you Tiger because you eat a lot of meat."

Henry coughed as he choked on his water. Emma glared at him. "Don't encourage her."

"Sorry but that was way too good," Henry said, high-fiving Regina.

"Fine," Emma said. "Bunny is out. I'll just have to keep thinking."

Throughout the next week Emma went through Cuddle Bug, Cupcake, Daisy, Darling, Kitten, and Muffin before Regina had had enough.

"This is getting ridiculous," Regina said. "None of these pet names throughout the past week have made any sense whatsoever when said about me."

"I know," Emma said. "And it's not fair because you literally came up with mine on the first try."

"All I did was shorten your name," Regina said. "You could go that route instead of trying to think of something totally out there."

Emma sighed. "Okay. I can do that. What about Re?"

Regina made a face. "That sounds too girly."

"You were a queen," Emma said. "How could you not be okay with a nickname being girly?"

Regina shrugged. Emma sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay. How about Gina?"

Regina pursed her lips as she thought about it. "I like that."

"You do?" Emma asked excitedly. "You finally like one of them?"

Regina laughed. "I guess I do."

Since I didn't mention Emma's nickname, in my mind it was Ems. Now you guys know the origin of Gina!