Chapter 16
The next morning, Regina woke up earlier than usual, springing out of bed like a bat out of hell, rushing into the kitchen to take inventory of what food they had stocked. Emma got up a few minutes later, joining her wife in the kitchen as she rummaged through the cabinets, tossing things onto the counter.
"Make a list of what we need, and I'll run to the store before she gets up," Emma said, already knowing Regina's motives for tearing apart their kitchen. "And when I get back, we'll tackle this mess." Emma laughed.
"I just…I just want her first day here to be perfect," Regina said, staring at the mess she made in the short time she was rummaging through the kitchen.
"Me too." Emma smiled, resting her head on Regina's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around her from behind. "I'll go get dressed and run to the store. Make me a list." She kissed Regina softly before rushing back to their bedroom to get dressed. A few minutes later, she emerged once more completely dressed, tying her long hair into a high ponytail. Regina handed her the list with a soft kiss and she rushed out, eager to get to the store and back before Alice woke up.
Thirty minutes later, she returned to their cozy apartment to the smell of fresh coffee, Regina standing in the kitchen, frantically whisking pancake batter in a large bowl.
"Did you get everything?" she asked, flexing her sore wrist before returning to her task.
"Yup. And I grabbed a package of chocolate chip cookies since Alice seemed to like them yesterday," Emma answered, gently prying the wisk out of Regina's hand.
"Good idea." Regina smiled, allowing Emma to take the bowl away from her. "I thought I would make lasagna for dinner tonight, since it's comfort food." Regina unpacked the grocery bags that Emma had carried in.
"That's a good idea," Emma said, grabbing a container of ricotta cheese and putting it in the fridge.
"And I'm going to take the day off. She shouldn't be alone on her first day here. I thought we could go out exploring. Pick up anything she might need and let her pick some stuff out to decorate her room if she wants."
"That's a great idea. I was thinking about that while I was shopping. I'm going to call August and take the day off as well. I don't want you to hog all the fun with our girl." Emma smiled.
"Our girl…" Regina repeated, tears welling in her eyes. "She's ours, isn't she?"
"Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. We've only had her for one night. But yes, I think there's a good chance she could be ours, if she wants," Emma said, using her extensive knowledge of the system to comfort her wife.
"But there's a chance, right?" Regina asked, hope and excitement in her eyes.
"Yes. There's a really good chance." Emma smiled, pulling her phone out of her pocket, dialing her boss' number. "Hey August. It's Emma. I'm sorry to call you so early. Oh yeah, everything is good. Incredible, actually. Regina and I had a young lady placed with us last night. We're going to take the day off and spend time with her so she's not alone for her first day here. That way she can get to know us and we can get to know her as well." She paused to listen to August's response, a wide smile falling across her face. "That would be really great, actually. Thanks! I really appreciate it! I'll see you in a few days. Thanks again." Emma hung up and tossed her phone on the counter.
"That went well I take it," Regina said, handing Emma a cup of coffee.
"Yeah. He told me to take the rest of the week to spend time with Alice," she said, taking a sip of the perfectly made cup of coffee.
"That's great!" Regina said, sipping her own coffee. "We should make a list!" Regina spilled a little coffee as she slammed her mug down onto the counter in search of more paper to make a list. "That way we won't forget anything that she might need. What do you think she needs? You've been here before."
"Clothes are the most important thing, I think. She only came with one bag so she's probably going to need more. And toiletries too. We need to find out what kind of shampoo and conditioner she likes, and we can stock up on it. Oh, and makeup too. Sixteen-year-old girls wear makeup sometimes, right? You'll be in charge of that." Emma laughed.
"We should take her to a homegoods store too. Let her pick out some decorations for her bedroom. Oh, and we need to get school supplies as well. And we need to enroll her in school too," Regina said, scribbling more things onto their list.
"Yeah. We're going to give her a few more days to adjust before we throw her into a brand new high school," Emma reminded her, taking another sip of coffee.
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I'll call Belle French later and let her know that we're going to hold off for a week to let Alice adjust before starting school. Just in case she asks why she didn't start school right away."
"Oh yeah, that's a good idea. We don't want to mess anything up with her placement." Emma said, taking a sip of her coffee
"Cell phone!" Regina jumped at Emma's sudden exclamation. "We need to get her a cell phone too. I don't remember seeing her with one last night. And either way, if she does have one, I'm sure her parents have already shut off the service to it."
"Oh my gosh, I never thought of that. Good idea. We'll stop by the Verizon store as well. We'll add her to our plan and let her pick out whatever phone she wants. Hopefully, she can still keep in touch with her old friends," Regina said, adding another item to their to-do list. They heard the soft padding of bare feet approaching them and a soft voice clearing their throat.
"Hey, you're up!" Emma said, excited to see Alice standing a few feet away.
"Did we wake you?" Regina asked, suddenly feeling bad for waking the teenager.
"No. I…didn't sleep much last night," Alice said quietly.
"Is everything alright?" Regina asked, concerned.
"Yeah…" Alice said, nervously.
"The first night in a new place is always the hardest," Emma said, causing the shy teen to look up. "I know how you feel. It does get easier. I promise."
"Really?" Alice asked.
"Yeah. It's a big adjustment. You woke up yesterday in the house you grew up in and went to bed in a new place with new people. Not to mention the crap that happened in between. It's scary, I know that from experience. Just know you are always safe here with us, and we will always have your back and your best interest at heart, no matter what," Emma said, helping to comfort the scared teen.
"That's right," Regina said, unable to say anything else without breaking down. She knew Emma had grown up in the foster system, and she knew it was a difficult journey for her wife, but she had never really heard her talk about her experiences until now.
"Thanks…" Alice said, smiling.
"Are you hungry? We didn't know what you might want, so we waited to start cooking until you got up," Regina said.
"Yeah…I'm a little hungry," Alice said shyly.
"Great. I made pancake batter if you want pancakes. We also have eggs and bacon. I think we have some cereal too if you prefer that," Regina said, turning to the cabinets to frantically look for the cereal.
"Umm…eggs or pancakes are fine…" Alice said.
"Great!" Regina said, turning around to plug in the electric griddle to start making the pancakes while Emma rushed to the fridge to pull out the carton of eggs and the package of bacon, rushing to start scrambling the eggs and fry the bacon.
"Do you want something to drink while we cook?" Emma asked as Regina poured some batter on the griddle, causing it to sizzle.
"Ummm…sure…" Alice said, standing awkwardly.
"Do you drink coffee? We have plenty of coffee and we can easily make more if we need."
"Really? I can have coffee too?" Alice asked, her eyes brightening up.
"Yeah, of course you can. If you want," Regina said, her head snapping toward the young girl.
"My…ummm….my parents never really let me have any even when I asked. But I really like it. My friend and I used to go to the gas station and share a cup every once in a while since we didn't have much money," Alice said, opening up for the first time since she arrived.
"Oh man, you are in for a treat." Emma poured a cup of coffee for Alice. "Regina makes the best coffee! It's way better than that gas station sludge you've been drinking." Emma smiled, handing Alice the mug. Alice smiled, looking awkward again. "Have a seat at the table. I'll bring over some milk and sugar." She smiled, nodding toward the table. Alice walked slowly over, uncertain where she should sit. "Sit wherever you like," Emma said, placing the carton of half and half on the table next to the sugar bowl before returning to the kitchen to flip the bacon.
Alice sat at the chair opposite the kitchen so she could watch the two women rush around making breakfast. She didn't miss the small touches of affection they gave each other as they moved around together, preparing breakfast.
Ten minutes later, they were setting the table, placing a large plate of pancakes and a bowl of scrambled eggs in the middle, along with a plate overflowing with bacon. Alice was overwhelmed with the amount of food presented to her, in honor of her arrival. They continued to load the table up with things, including a large bowl of fruit salad and orange juice for all three of them while Emma refilled all three of their coffee cups before sitting next to Regina.
"Go ahead, help yourself," Regina said, offering Alice the first choice in breakfast. Alice tentatively forked a pancake onto her plate, shyly looking at the plate of bacon like she wasn't sure if she should take some as well.
"Hey, you can have as much as you want. You don't have to be shy," Emma said as she forked a pancake onto her own plate, grabbing the bowl of eggs and spooning some on top of the pancake. Alice smiled as she picked up two pieces of bacon and placed them on her plate, taking the offered bowl of eggs from Emma, scooping some onto her plate as well, all while marveling at what Emma was making on her own plate.
"What…what are you making?" she asked, her eyes widening suddenly, clearly worried about her intrusive question.
"I call this 'Mega Breakfast'" Emma said proudly as she placed a second pancake on top of the eggs and bacon pile. "It's the best of all the breakfast foods." Emma cut into the pile, shoving the forkful into her mouth.
"She eats like a child." Regina laughed, scooping a spoonful of fruit onto her plate next to her eggs, adding a spoonful to Emma's plate to encourage the blonde to eat something relatively healthy. Alice took to offered fruit and added some to her plate, not wanting to seem ungrateful of the healthy side dish.
"It's more fun that way." Emma smiled, taking another large bite.
"So, Alice. Emma and I have decided to take a couple days off to spend some time with you, so we can get to know each other. And we thought we would start by taking you shopping after breakfast, how does that sound?" Regina asked when she realized that Alice was very quiet for a while.
"That's…that's cool…" Alice said, politely wiping her mouth before answering.
"Is there anywhere you'd like to go today? Any specific store you want to stop at?" Regina asked, trying to make conversation. Alice shrugged, pushing the rest of her food around on her plate. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourself?"
"I…dunno…I'm Alice…my parents threw me away because I grew a dick one night…" she said, clearly hurt.
"I know how that feels," Regina said, trying to connect with her.
"Yeah, but your parents didn't throw you away. You said yesterday that your dad still loves you," Alice said sadly.
"Yes, that's true…" Regina said, panicking.
"My parents threw me away though," Emma chimed in. "They didn't even have the decency to bring me to the hospital or call social services. They just left me on the side of the road. I was only a few hours old."
Alice's head popped up. "Really?" she asked.
"Yeah. I spent my entire life in the system."
"Oh…was it…did it suck?" Alice asked, clearly wondering her own fate.
"I'm not going to lie, it did suck. All but one of my foster families sent me back. But you know what?" Emma asked, reaching for Regina's hand under the table.
"What?" Alice asked, scared.
"That's not going to happen to you. We're not going to send you back. No matter what happens, you're always welcome here." Emma smiled, squeezing Regina's hand. Alice was quiet for a few moments, her eyes shifting between the two women in front of her.
"I…uhhh…I used to live in New Jersey. Belleville New Jersey, actually. I…ummm….I never lived anywhere else but there….until now. And I've never even been to New York, let alone New York City. It's a little scary living here now…" Alice said, starting to open up a little.
"I grew up in a very small town in Maine. I was overwhelmed when I moved here too. You'll get the hang of things before you know it. And we'll make sure to show you around." Regina smiled.
"Cool," Alice said, smiling. "I….ummm….I also…I like to read…a lot…"
"What's your favorite book?" Emma asked.
"Umm….Lord of the Rings…" Alice said, her face turning red from embarrassment.
"I love that one! I read it when I was in high school! Who is your favorite Hobbit?" Emma asked.
"Sam." Alice smiled, her eyes lighting up at the conversation about her favorite book.
"He's my favorite too!"
"I…ummm….I forgot to grab my book when I left yesterday though…" Alice said sadly.
"Then we must get you another copy!" Regina smiled, rushing back into the kitchen to add the book to the growing list of things to buy that day.
"Oh! We need to take her to The Strand then!" Emma said, calling Regina over her shoulder.
"That's a great idea!" Regina said, jotting the note down.
"What's The Strand ?" Alice asked.
"It's a HUGE bookstore. I think it's like three floors of books. It's awesome!" Emma said, excitement in her voice.
"Really? We can go there?" Alice asked, sounding excited for the first time.
"Yeah, totally!" Emma smiled back at her.
"Cool." Alice smiled, diving back into her breakfast, grabbing the last piece of bacon.
After breakfast, Regina and Emma cleaned up the kitchen quickly and they all went to get dressed, ready to start the day. Regina checked three times to make sure she had the lengthy list of places they needed to go before they left the apartment. They walked down the block to the subway station, which caused Alice to pause when they reached the stairs leading down into the station.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked, when she saw her hesitate.
"I didn't know we were going to take the subway," she said, staring down into the dark stairs.
"It's okay. You don't have to be scared. It's intimidating, but you'll get the hang of it," Emma said.
"And we'll be here the whole time, don't worry," Regina added.
"Umm…okay…I guess I have to give it a shot…" Alice said, taking a tentative step toward the stairs. They walked together down the stairs and into the underground station. Alice watched as people swiped their way through the turnstiles with ease as Regina walked off to the machines against the wall to purchase Alice her own Metrocard.
"What's this?" Alice asked when Regina handed her the thin yellow card.
"This is your Metrocard. Try not to lose it. You'll need it to get on the train," Regina explained, pulling out her own card while Emma fished through her wallet for hers. "It's unlimited so you don't have to worry about running out of money on it. You just have to wait eighteen minutes in between swipes."
"I get my own?"Alice asked, looking down at the card in her hand.
"Of course." Emma smiled. When there was a slight lull in the crowd, they showed Alice how to swipe her new Metrocard, encouraging her when it took her a few tries to do it right, reminding her it takes practice to get it right in one try. They waited a few minutes for the next train and were relieved when it wasn't crowded when they climbed onboard, easily finding a seat in the corner. Regina shared the bench with the nervous girl, while Emma stood next to them, holding onto the pole to stabilize herself as the train rocked down the tracks.
A few stops later, they got off, making their way out of the station quickly, telling Alice was still nervous about being in the subway.
"So we thought we could get the boring part over with and start with clothes shopping. If you're anything like me, you hate clothes shopping too." Emma laughed as they waited for the light to change to allow them to cross the street.
"Now we don't have to go here, if there's another store you would rather shop out. We just figured this would be a good place to start," Regina said as they approached the large H&M store.
"H&M is fine. My mother usually just bought my clothes from Walmart or Target," Alice said, looking around the front of the store. They spent the next hour walking around the store, picking out more clothes than Alice really needed, not saying no to the girl when she expressed an interest in anything. When they left, they had four large shopping bags of clothes, including a few pairs of shoes. Emma offered to take all the bags and make the trip back to the apartment to drop them off so they didn't have to carry them around for the rest of the day, while Regina and Alice waited at the Verizon store nextdoor, knowing they would be there for a while getting Alice's new cell phone set up. She rushed off to the subway, eager to make it back to her family as fast as she could.
"I can really have whatever phone I want?" Alice asked, her eyes scanning the rows and rows of different smartphones just waiting for her.
"Of course." Regina smiled.
"My…mom…she never let me have a new phone. She said I didn't need a new one so I always got her old ones when she got a new one," Alice said, tentatively stepping up to the display of iPhones.
"Well, I'm not her. So you can have whatever one you want." Regina smiled.
"What kind do you guys have?" Alice asked as she picked up one of the iPhones, tapping the screen, causing it to come to life.
"Emma and I both have iPhones, but that doesn't mean you have to choose that as well."
"I like iPhone, actually," Alice said.
"Then that's the one you'll get. Why don't you take a look at those covers and pick one you like to go with it?" Regina said, looking around for a sales associate. Emma made it back thirty minutes later, just as they were just about finished setting up Alice's new phone. The young girl had a huge smile on her face as the associate handed her the brand new phone.
"What's with the backpack?" Regina asked.
"So now we don't have to carry stuff," Emma said, shifting the empty backpack.
"Good thinking," Regina said as she signed her name on the final form, giving Verizon permission to add a third line to their family plan. They walked out of the store, Alice putting her new phone into her pocket for safe keeping. "So, I added school supplies to the list of things to get today, but I think we can save that for another day. Let's get to the fun stuff," Regina suggested.
"I'm down for the fun stuff." Emma laughed, causing Alice to smile. They rushed to the subway, Alice a little less nervous on this trip as she sat in between Emma and Regina, watching people getting on and off the train. Alice's eyes lit up when they reached the corner of Broadway and 12th street.
"This is the bookstore?" she asked as she craned her next to look up at the three-story building on the corner.
"Told ya you'd like it." Emma laughed. She opened the door for her wife and foster daughter, following them both inside as Alice scanned the huge room. "First thing we do, before we let you loose in the mecca of books, is find you a copy of Lord of the Rings." Emma searched for an employee to point them in the right direction.
Ten minutes later, Alice held a brand new copy of Lord of the Rings tightly against her chest, holding on to it for dear life. Even if things didn't work out with the Swan-Mills family, she would always cherish the book as a memory of this incredible day. Another hour later, they all carried a stack of books to the counter. Regina insisted on picking up every book that Alice showed an interest in, saying they needed to start her new book collection. Emma stuffed Alice's new books into her backpack so they didn't have to carry them as she led the way to their final stop of the day.
"We have one more surprise for you," Emma said as she led the way up the stairs to the huge stone building a few blocks away.
"What is this place?" Alice asked as she walked into the huge lobby.
"The New York City Public Library," Regina whispered.
"We're going to set you up with a library card. That way you can come and check out books whenever you want. They have an entire wing of just really old books." Emma chuckled, trying to keep her voice down as best as she could.
"Really? I can come here whenever I want?" Alice asked, tears clearly forming in her eyes.
"Well, only if it's open. No breaking-and-entering to read." Emma giggled.
"Thank you…" Alice said, shifting her gaze between Emma and Regina. "…for everything…"
"It's our pleasure," Regina said, reaching out for Alice but pulled back, not sure if she would be comfortable with her touch.
Forty-five minutes later, they all walked out with new library cards, Alice's excitement inspiring Emma and Regina to join the library as well. They made one final stop at Starbucks before returning home, encouraging Alice to order whatever she wanted.
They made it back to the apartment with just enough time for Regina to start making dinner. Alice sat on the couch and played with her new phone, downloading all the cool apps she couldn't have with her old beat-up phone, a wide smile on her face the whole time. Emma sat at the island in the kitchen with her laptop open, searching furniture stores for bookshelves and desks for Alice's room, picking out a few for Alice to choose from, giving the young blonde a few choices. By the time dinner was ready, they had placed the order for Alice's desk and bookcase, as well as another for the empty space in the corner that they planned to turn into a cozy reading nook for Alice. They ate in silence for a little while, Alice feeling a little overwhelmed from the day.
"Do you have any questions for us?" Regina asked, cutting Emma a second piece of lasagna before Emma even asked.
"Ummm…I dunno…maybe…" Alice said, a little shy.
"You can ask us anything," Emma said, encouraging the girl to ask her questions.
"Umm…why…why don't you guys have kids of your own? I mean, you're both young and you look healthy and stuff. And you seem to have plenty of money, so it's not a money thing," Alice asked, feeling a little embarrassed at the private question. "Sorry, you don't have to answer that."
"No, it's okay. We told you to ask anything. We found out a little over six months ago that we are, unfortunately, unable to have children of our own," Regina said, reaching for Emma's hand under the table.
"Oh…why?" Alice asked, suddenly regretting the question. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay, you should know. It's important to understand these things. When we were younger, Regina and I were forced to be apart for a few years. During that time, I was in a situation that required that I continue to take suppressors as a safety measure. It is very dangerous to take suppressors for more than two years, and I was taking them for over six, maybe even closer to seven years. As a result, they caused me to become sterile," Emma explained, squeezing Regina's hand under the table.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I told you, you can ask us anything," Emma said.
"Ummm…I do have one more question. It's kinda personal though…" Alice asked.
"Ask away," Regina said.
"Umm…Emma…what happened to your neck?" Emma took a deep breath, knowing exactly what Alice was referring to.
"Right after we got married, we were attacked. The attackers cut my Soulmate tattoo and mating mark off, essentially cutting Regina off me, and severing our connection," Emma explained, feeling Regina's heartbeat increase as she told the story.
"Oh…" Alice said, not knowing what else to say.
"It was a huge struggle for us to recover. The separation caused even more pain and torment for Regina, in addition to all the physical injuries we both endured, since our connection was severed quite violently. It took us a long time to recover, but we got there and Regina was able to re-mark me on the right side to reinstate our connection," Emma explained.
"That explains why your mark is on the other side," Alice said, making the connection.
"I also had Regina's name tattooed on my right arm as well. We couldn't reconnect my Soulmate tattoo so we did the next best thing," Emma explained, showing Alice her tattoo.
"I'm sorry that happened to you guys. You guys are so nice, you don't deserve that," Alice said, gazing down at her plate from embarrassment.
"Thanks," Emma said, sensing Regina is on the verge of tears.
"Do you know why you got attacked? Or was it random or something?" Alice asked.
"Emma, why don't you finish the story? I need to make a quick phone call for work," Regina said, jumping up from the table and rushing to the bedroom.
"Shoot, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. You said I could ask anything," Alice said, panicking.
"No, it's okay. Don't worry," Emma said, her eyes shifting to their closed bedroom door.
"It's a tough situation, but you deserve to know the whole truth. We were attacked because Regina is a Female Alpha." Alice's face showed nothing but horror. "But you don't have anything to worry about. I was being harassed at work by a group of Alphas. We think we were targeted by them."
"Oh…okay…"
"And remember, we are always here to protect you, even with our own lives," Emma explained.
"Thanks…" Alice said, pausing for a few seconds "Should I apologize to Regina?"
"She'll be alright. Let's give her a few more minutes and then I'll check on her. She might actually be on a work call." Emma laughed, picking at the last of the lasagna in the dish.
"What do you guys do? Like for work?" Alice asked, joining Emma in picking through the dish.
"Regina is a lawyer. She works for a firm that focuses on representing the victims of hate crimes against Omegas and Female Alphas," Emma said, taking the last bite of lasagna.
"That's really cool!" Alice said. "What about you?"
"I'm a paramedic. My Omega side makes me perfect for the job." Emma laughed.
"It must help." Alice laughed. They laughed for a few more seconds before Emma glanced back over at the bedroom.
"I'm going to go check on Regina. I'll be right back," she said, excusing herself from the table.
"Tell her I'm sorry for asking such personal questions."
"She knows. But I'll let her know." Emma smiled, making her way to the bedroom. She tiptoed into the room to find Regina laying in bed, her back facing the door, soft sobs echoing off the walls. Emma closed the door quietly behind her and moved the bed, laying beside Regina, wrapping her arms around her wife. As soon as she felt Emma's arms around her, Regina started to weep, the pain of the incident still living inside her. Emma let her cry until her body stopped shaking and her tears stopped falling.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left. I should have stayed strong," Regina said after she stopped crying.
"Who says you have to be the strong one all the time?"
"Because I'm an Alpha."
"Hush. That doesn't matter. Even Alpha's can break down," Emma said, kissing Regina's shoulder. "I was strong for the both of us."
"Alice must feel horrible," Regina said, reaching for Emma's hand.
"She told me to tell you she's sorry for asking such a personal question. I told her she didn't need to feel bad."
"I'll tell her the same thing when I go back," Regina said, rolling over in Emma's arms. "Did you tell her why it happened?"
"I did. She deserves to know the whole truth. I told her she had nothing to worry about. We would protect her with our lives if we needed to."
"Of course we will," Regina said, wiping her tears from her face.
"We should go back out there. She's going to think she did something wrong."
"You're right. Let's go back out there," Regina said, sitting up and climbing off the bed behind Emma. She stopped at the mirror to make sure she looked presentable and went back out to Alice, still sitting at the table.
"Regina, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad," Alice said as soon as Regina emerged from their bedroom.
"There's no need to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong." Regina took her seat back at the table. "You asked very important questions. And we don't want to lie to you about anything," Regina said, taking a deep breath. "It was a difficult time in our lives, and we are still working past the trauma we endured. But this doesn't change how much we want you here with us."
"Good. 'Cause I, um….I really like you guys. And not just because you bought me a whole lot of new things today," Alice said, blushing slightly.
"We like you too," Emma said.
"Why don't you let us clean up and we can have some ice cream for dessert and watch a movie together, if you want? If you would prefer some alone time, you're more than welcome," Regina suggests.
"A movie sounds like fun. As long as you have chocolate ice cream," Alice joked.
"We always have chocolate ice cream in this house." Emma laughed, stacking their plates to start clearing the table. Emma and Regina cleaned up while Alice picked a movie, settling on a romantic comedy. They let her choose where she wanted to sit, not forcing her to sit with them on the couch. She surprised them by suggesting she sit in the middle, allowing them both to share the evening next to their new foster daughter.
They all dozed off in the middle of the movie, exhausted from their exciting day, and decided to call it a night once the movie ended. Just as they were settling in for the night, they heard a light knock on their door, exactly like the night before.
"Hey, are you guys still awake?" a shy voice asked through the door.
"Of course, come in," Regina called out as they both sat up in bed, when Alice shuffled in, wearing a new pair of pajama pants. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I…ummm….I just wanted to thank you both…for today…and for everything…" Alice said, her gaze falling on her feet.
"You're welcome. It was our pleasure," Emma said, speaking for both of them.
"Can I…ummm…can I give you guys a hug?" Alice asked.
"Of course!" Regina said, jumping out of bed and rushing over to the young blonde, her arms open, inviting her in for a hug. Alice closed the gap and wrapped her arms around Regina, hugging the brunette tightly. Emma joined them and patiently waited her turn to hug Alice, who shifted into her arms after a few seconds of hugging Regina.
"Alice, I want you to know, if you ever have any questions about anything, including being a Female Alpha, please know you can come to us. About anything. Please don't hesitate to ask us," Regina said.
"Thanks. I probably will have a ton of questions, but right now I'm too tired to think," Alice said, fighting back a yawn.
"Of course. Whenever you're ready." Regina smiled. Alice hugged them both once more before saying good night for the second time that evening, retreating to her new room. "I think today was a success," Regina said once they were back in bed for the night.
"I would say so," Emma said, yawning, her eyes closing against her will.
"Hey!" Regina said as she knocked on Alice's open bedroom door.
"Hey," Alice answered, looking up from her open book on her lap.
"Emma has the overnight shift at work tonight, so it's just us. Do you want to watch a movie?" Regina asked.
"Ummm…I think I'm just going to read until bedtime," Alice said, her voice sounding very shy. The three of them had grown very close over the last two weeks, and suddenly Alice's behavior reminded Regina of her first night with them.
"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Regina asked, taking a few steps into Alice's room.
"Yeah…a little," Alice confessed.
"The first day at a new school is always a challenge."
"Yeah…especially when you're the new kid and everyone already knows each other. And it's in the middle of the school year too," Alice said, her voice sounding shaky and a little scared.
"That too. Just remember what Emma said, the first day is always the hardest. It gets easier each day after. So you just have to get through tomorrow, and the rest of them will be easier," Regina said, receiving a small smile from the young blonde.
"That's good to know." Alice smiled.
"There is one more thing that we need to talk about. This one is kind of important." Regina frowned, not wanting to ruin the happy mood she had worked to create.
"Oh…okay…" Alice said, her eyes wide with fear.
"May I sit?" she asked, pointing to the foot of Alice's bed.
"Umm…sure…" Alice said, her face visibly afraid.
"It's nothing bad, don't worry," Regina said, trying to relieve the young girl's fear. "But it is rather important, since you're starting school tomorrow." Regina pulled a white bottle of pills out of her hoodie pocket.
"Are those?" Alice asked, more fear in her voice.
"Suppressors? Yes," Regina said, handing Alice the bottle of pills.
"Oh…I guess I have to start taking those now…" Alice said, looking at the pills like they were an alien substance.
"Yes. It's for your own protection. Even though you are an Alpha, your pheromones could gather unwanted attention. Schools require unmarked students to take suppressors to not distract the other students," Regina explained.
"Okay…" Alice said, opening the bottle with shaky hands. "How many am I supposed to take?"
"Just one. It's usually best to take them at night, but you need to take one every night, except when you're on your cycle," Regina explained, handing Alice a bottle of water. "That bottle should last you about a month. When you start running low just let us know and we'll get you more." Regina watched the teenager tentatively swallow a pill, clearly nervous about something.
"Is there something else bothering you? Other than being nervous about starting school tomorrow?" Regina asked, sensing something off about her foster daughter. Alice shrugged, her gaze falling on her feet under the blanket. "You can talk to me about anything, you know that right?" Regina gently placed her hand on Alice's leg in a supportive manner.
"It's just that…I'm afraid….that if I take the suppressors…" Alice started to say, unsure how to finish the sentence.
"You're afraid the same thing that happened to Emma will happen to you if you take suppressors?" Regina asked, finishing Alice's statement. Alice nodded, her eyes darting up to meet Regina's for a split second before returning her gaze to her feet. "Oh honey, you don't have to worry about that. Emma took suppressors for almost seven years, which is far too long. They are perfectly safe to take for up to two years. I took them until I graduated from high school and I'm perfectly fine." Regina's stomach tied itself in a small knot as she said those words.
"You're sure you're really okay?" Alice asked, still nervous.
"I am. Emma and I consulted with a fertility specialist before we found out Emma was unable to have children. The doctor ran tests and found I was perfectly healthy in that department. And I promise, as long as you don't take them longer than necessary, you will be fine too," Regina said, causing Alice to release a sigh of relief.
"Hey…I'm…uhh….I'm sorry you guys can't have kids. You guys are such nice people. You don't deserve all the bad things that happened to you," Alice said, giving Regina an apologetic smile.
"Thank you." Regina tried to hold back tears. "I guess it wasn't in the stars for us. But we don't regret anything. Because all that led us to you, and we wouldn't trade you for anything in the world," Regina said, a stray tear escaping her eye.
"You really mean that?" Alice asked as Regina quickly wiped away the rogue tear.
"Absolutely. Emma and I both feel the same way," Regina said, once again fighting to hold back tears.
"Thanks…" was all Alice could manage to say as she propelled herself into Regina's arms, giving her a huge hug. Regina held the young girl for a few minutes until Alice eventually pulled away and sat back against the headboard of her bed.
"I'll let you get back to your book. I'll be in the living room if you need anything," Regina said, standing and leaving Alice's room, turning around to see Alice pick her book back up and start reading again.
Thirty minutes later, Alice left her room and joined Regina on the couch, pulling the blanket around her legs as she sat next to Regina, resting her head on her shoulder. Regina smiled as she handed Alice the remote, silently letting her know she could pick what they watched for the rest of the night, a wide smile on her face the entire time.
The next morning, Regina got up hoping to find Emma already home from work and sitting in the kitchen waiting for her as she always did when she worked an overnight shift. Regina, without fail, had trouble sleeping when Emma worked nights, and seeing her wife in the morning puts her worried mind to ease. But this morning when she emerged from the bedroom to take a shower, she found the kitchen empty, no signs of Emma to be found. She set up the coffee pot before taking a quick shower, getting ready for her long day at work.
She heard Alice's alarm go off when she returned to her bedroom to get dressed, relieved that she wouldn't have to wake the teen up for school. She remembered how torturous it was to wake up in the morning as a teenager, and she wasn't looking forward to that battle. She was relieved once again when she saw the young blonde in the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of coffee, when she was finished getting dressed. She wondered if she should call Emma to make sure everything was alright since she still wasn't home, and it wasn't like her to not let Regina know when she was going to be home late. They didn't talk much as Alice ate a bowl of cereal and Regina quickly made a sandwich, packing Alice a full lunch for her first day of school.
Emma still wasn't home by the time they were ready to leave, causing Regina to panic. She knew the moment she got to her office she was going to call Emma, her brain demanding to hear her voice before calming down. Just as they were putting on their coats the front door slammed open, revealing a very tired and frantic-looking Emma.
"Sorry I'm late." Emma closed the door with her foot, her hands full with a tray of coffee, the unbalanced nature of three coffee cups presenting more of a challenge. "I stopped at Starbucks to grab you coffee for your first day of school, but by the time I got there the line was practically out the door. I had to wait twenty minutes to even place the order," Emma said frantically, offering a cup to Alice.
"Thank you." Alice smiled, accepting the cup of coffee. "You didn't have to stop and get coffee. You must be exhausted."
"I wanted your first day of school to be special." Emma smiled, offering Regina her cup of coffee.
"Thank you," Regina said, kissing Emma sweetly then taking a sip of her coffee. "I was worried about you."
"I'm sorry. I should have called," Emma whispered, kissing Regina one more time, yawning wide.
"You need to sleep, you shouldn't be drinking coffee." Alice laughed as Emma took a sip from her cup.
"You're absolutely right. Hot chocolate." Emma smiled. "Are you ready for your first day of school?"
"Yeah…I'm still a little nervous, but Regina and I talked a little last night so I feel much better." Alice smiled, taking a sip of coffee.
"She's a smart lady." Emma smiled, holding back another yawn. "We better get going. It looks bad when you're late on your first day. Still want us to walk you there?"
"Yeah…" Alice said, looking embarrassed. "I'm still not sure how to get around in the city."
"That's cool. It took me a while to figure it all out when I moved here too," Emma said, wrapping her arm around Alice's shoulder, yawning into her arm.
"You need to go to sleep, I'll be alright," Alice said, noticing Emma's deep yawn.
"Nonsense. I can sleep after you get there. Let's go," Emma said, leading them out of the apartment. They walked the few blocks to the local high school together, stopping just across the street so as to not embarrass Alice. "I'll meet you right here around two-thirty and we can walk home together. But I'll wait here and not in front of the school so kids don't see me picking you up." Emma laughed, nudging Alice slightly.
"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly.
"You're going to be fine. Just remember, it only gets easier after today," Regina said, offering a hug, which Alice willingly took.
"You got this, kid," Emma whispered, taking her turn to hug the young lady.
"Thanks, guys. I'll see you later," she said, slowly walking to the corner to join the crowd waiting for the light to change. They watched Alice walk across the street and toward the front doors of the school, moving only when they saw her walk inside the building.
"She's going to be alright, right?" Regina asked, finally turning her attention to her wife.
"She's going to be fine. The first day is always the hardest. But luckily for her, she's only going to have to do this once." Emma smiled, reaching for Regina's hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "But I'll leave my phone on while I sleep just in case she needs anything."
"Thank you." Regina smiled. Emma could feel Regina's nervous heart slow down.
"You better get going, you're going to be late for work."
"Yes, and you need to get some sleep."
"That's for damn sure," Emma said, stifling a yawn.
"Get some sleep. I'll see you later. Thanks for the coffee," Regina said, taking another sip of her almost forgotten coffee.
"It's my pleasure," Emma said, leaning in and kissed Regina goodbye. "Have a good day." She turned around and headed back to the apartment. Regina stood on the corner for a few seconds and watched Emma walk away, her attention pulled away when she heard her phone go off in her purse. She checked the screen to find a text from Emma.
"Stop watching me walk away and go to work before you really are late." She smiled as she read the words, sending a quick text in response before turning toward the nearest subway station to start her commute to work.
Emma returned to that same spot by two-thirty, well rested and eager to find out how Alice's first day went. She paced around the corner, checking her watch every few minutes, checking her phone to see if Alice texted her, receiving a text from Regina instead.
"Will you please calm down? Your heartbeat is driving me crazy right now." Emma laughed when she read that, knowing she was probably a little more nervous than she realized.
"My sincerest apologies, my love. I'm just nervous to find out how Alice's day went, that's all."
"Me too. I'm going to try to make it home early tonight."
"Good. See you soon then," Emma texted, stuffing her phone back into her pocket just in time to see Alice cross the street in the middle of a large group of students making their way home.
"Hey, kid! How was your day?" Emma asked as Alice approached her. She looked tired but slightly less nervous than she did that morning.
"It was alright. I have a lot of homework."
"Did anyone bully you for being the new kid?" Emma asked, studying Alice's face for any signs of bullying.
"No. I mean, no one really talked to me, but that weren't mean to me either."
"Don't worry. Before you know it, you'll have more friends than you know what to do with." Emma smiled as she led the way down the sidewalk.
"I hope so." Alice half smiled.
"What do you say we order pizza for dinner? Regina is going to try and get home early. And we can all sit down and eat, and you can tell us all about your day," Emma said, wrapping her arm around Alice's shoulders.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Alice smiled.