So while on vacation we went to this open bird thing and this bird loved my dad so much that it literally flew onto his shoulder and would not leave. I wanted to just tuck it in my bag and go, but my parents said no. Party poopers.

"It's still following me," Emma said, glancing up at the sky. "Do you think it wants something?"

Regina shrugged. "Maybe if you stop looking at it and giving it attention, it'll go away."

Emma looked straight ahead, focusing more on the path then on the persistent bird flying above them. After several seconds, she glanced up again. Still there.

"Regina," Emma whined.

"Emma I can't make it go away," Regina said, chuckling. "We're in the forest. That's his territory."

"Yeah but he doesn't have to follow us everywhere," Emma grumbled. "Maybe if I give him some food he'll leave us alone."

"Doubt it," Regina said. "Besides, he's kind of cute."

"Not when it looks like he's going to poop on my head," Emma said, glancing up again. It looked as if the bird was getting lower. "What happens if he follows us the whole way home?"

Regina shrugged. "Henry's always wanted a pet."

Emma's jaw dropped. "But you don't."

"Well," Regina said, looking up at the bird. "It doesn't look like I'm going to have a choice. Perhaps he'd like to join us on our picnic?"

"That's not even remotely funny," Emma said. Regina just laughed.

They reached the clearing that they had chosen for their Saturday afternoon picnics. Emma spread out the blanket while Regina began to prepare the food. Glancing up, Emma groaned as she saw the bird on a close branch.

Regina laughed and sat down before patting the seat next to her. "Come on. This food isn't going to eat itself."

Emma sighed before sitting next to her. "If it poops on me, I 100% blame you for making me sit down."

Regina rolled her eyes. "And you say that I'm the dramatic one."

Emma smiled before picking up a grape and popping it into her mouth. "That's because you are. You must be rubbing off on me."

"So people keep saying," Regina said, eating a grape of her own.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked.

"People talk a lot in town," Regina said. "Sometimes they care if I hear. Other times they don't."

Emma's jaw dropped. "That's-" She was cut off as the little bird that had been following them around took that moment to fly down and land on Emma's shoulder. Emma jumped, quickly standing up to try and scare it off. It didn't move.

"Don't!" Regina exclaimed as Emma went to push it off. "It just likes you."

"It landed on me," Emma said.

"Because it likes you," Regina said, reaching over and delicately stroking the bird. "There are worse things in this world than having a cute bird land on you."

Emma looked at Regina in surprise. "I didn't know you had a soft spot for birds."

"I don't," Regina said. "I have a soft spot for innocent things that don't deserve the cruelty of this world."

Emma smiled at Regina. "And that is why I love you. You never cease to amaze me with how un-evil you are."

Regina laughed before walking over and sitting back down on the blanket. "Come on. We have a meal to enjoy, and I'm sure your new friend will be on his best behavior as we finish our meal."

Emma shook her head and chuckled before taking a seat and continuing her lunch with Regina. And, true to what Regina had said, the bird was on his best behavior throughout the rest of their meal. After they had finished, they headed home.

Henry named the bird Skye.