*Flashback*
Emma was leaving the station later than normal. She and Regina had gotten in their first fight as a couple and Emma had decided to give the mayor some space. Things had been going great but both women were stubborn and wanted things a certain way. In this case it came to their son. Emma had decided to let him stay up late eating junk food while Regina had been at a town meeting. When she got home at 10 Henry was sick and crabby. She'd told Emma time and time again that not everyone had iron stomach like she did but Emma refused to listen.
"I'm home." Emma calls entering the mansion.
"Emma!?" Regina exclaims when Emma comes into the kitchen. "Where were you? I called you three times!"
"I stayed to do some paperwork….no big deal." Emma was still a little pissed about their fight. She felt like Regina had been patronizing her and Emma hated that.
"You should have called." Regina whispers, pouring a glass of wine. "I...I didn't think you were coming back." Emma gives herself a mental facepalm. She hadn't meant to make Regina feel that way. Emma sighs and comes up behind Regina, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"I'm sorry." Emma kisses the mayor's cheek. "But, babe, you know I'll never leave you. Even if I'm pissed."
"Don't call me babe." Regina wrinkles her nose in disapproval which Emma finds adorable. "But, I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to be so pushy, I just hate it when Henry gets sick. If I can avoid I do which is why he doesn't get a lot of junk food. I'm not trying to be a dictator." Emma winces, remembering how she'd called Regina that during their spat.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. You know how I am when I'm mad." Emma apologizes. Regina nods, indicating that all is forgiven. "Let's have some wine and forget our stupid fight. I'll be more careful with how Henry and I bond as long as you try to remember I'm new at this." Regina chuckles.
"Deal." The mayor answers. She spins in Emma's arms and kisses her lips. "But you owe me a foot rub for scaring me when you were late." Emma laughs this time as Regina slips away. She had everything she could ever want. Maybe fate was on her side for once.
2:
The next morning Regina is awakened by two little hands shaking her, A now toddler sized Henry is at her bedside. He must have a had a growth spirt overnight.
"Mommy I want eggfast!" He tells her. Despite her sleepiness she chuckles.
"It's breakfast, honey." She corrects. She lifts him up and places him next to her on the bed. "Let's cuddle for a few minutes." Henry nods and curls himself into her side. She glances at the clock and sees that it's just barely 6:00 am. She sighs. Little Henry had been an early riser the first time around, some things must never change. She had learned that he would almost alway fall back to sleep if she let him sleep in her bed with her. Sure enough, when she looks down he's snoring softly. She closes her eyes but doesn't fall back to sleep. She suddenly has the feeling that someone is watching her.
"Emma." She quietly calls. "What is it?"
"I couldn't sleep." The blonde admits. "Ever since...well you know...I have a had a hard time getting to sleep."
Regina knows exactly how the blond is feeling. Regina should know better, but she motions for Emma to join her and Henry. Emma doesn't think twice before crawling into the bed. Before they know it the three of them are peacefully sleeping, getting better sleep than ever since the break up. Even if Regina was a blanket hog and even if Emma snore, they slept best next to each other.
"What is this!?" Emma and Regina bolt awake three hours later to Snow's voice. "Emma, I thought you were just here for Henry. I can't believe I fell for that again." Emma rubs her eyes, trying to wake up.
"It's not what it looks like." Regina insists, hoping Snow will calm down before she wakes the sleeping toddler.
"Do NOT speak to me. I will not allow you to take Emma from me again. You may have fooled her but I know just how evil-"
"That's enough." Emma snaps. Henry begins to shift and open his eyes. Regina pulls him to her. "Regina and I are just taking care of our son, nothing more than that." Even though Regina had known that was all they were doing, it hurt to hear those words come out of Emma's mouth.
"If you want to take care of Henry then you need to get him away from this witch. It's a good thing I came when I did. Grab your son and let's go." Snow instructs. Henry has a death grip on Regina as if he's afraid they really will try and take him from her.
"I am not taking him from the only mother he knows." Emma states firmly. She steps closer to Snow."She won;t hurt us, Mary Margaret. I know it, I know her. And I trust her."
"Emma, she doesn't know how to love anything. Believe me when I say she WILL hurt you." With that Snow turns and leaves.
Later, when Henry is playing with some building blocks, Regina makes lunch. Emma sits watching the brunette intently. She was making Emma's favorite lunch: Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup with a glass of room temperature root beer.
"Regina," Emma begins, breaking the silence. "About what my mother said…"
"It's fine, Emma. It doesn't matter." Regina replies brushing it off like usual. Emma sighs.
"Of course it matters." Emma insists. "You love deeper than anyone I know."
"Emma, do you not understand what I did? I tried to KILL your mother on numerous accounts. And when that didn't work I cursed her. I'd hardly call that love." Regina shoots back. Emma knows there's more to the story than that but she doesn't push it. Not right then anyway.
Henry is put to bed around 8:00 that night. It left Emma and Regina alone to talk. Regina knew from Emma's behavior that it was going to be a long night so she pours them both some wine. Once they are seated on the sofa, Emma decides now is a good time. It was now or never.
"I want to hear it." Emma says. "Your story I want to hear it. All of it."
"Emma." Regina whispers in shock. "I-I can't."
"Yes you can." Emma replies shortly. "You owe me that much." Regina nods tearfully.
They stay up for hours. Regina starts with her cruel childhood with Cora. She tells Emma all about Daniel and saving Snow from that horse. She makes it through his death and Snow's betrayal, only have to pause twice from tears. She sobs as she tells the horrors of being married to a man three times her age and how she'd known nothing of being a wife. She'd only been seventeen after all. She tells Emma that all she wanted was to be free and loved. Emma listens patiently as she hears the truth about what turned Regina into the Evil Queen. It makes Emma see her mother differently and it makes her full on hate Rumplestiltskin. More than anything, however, Emma realizes that things weren't what she thought they were. She was more confused now than ever.
"And then you came along." Regina finishes, now out of tears. Emma nods because she knows how the story ends, or at least how it's supposed to.
"Regina -I"
"Mommy!" A five year old Henry flies down the stairs and into Regina's. It shocks the queen that he had had two growth spurts in twenty four hours. It must mean the spell was nearing its end. "Bad dream!"
Regina looks at Emma, wondering what the blonde had been about to say before Henry had came down. But she quickly turns her attention back to her son. When Henry was around five he started having horrible nightmares that would keep him up for hours. Luckily, Regina remembered exactly what to do.
"Honey, remember they aren't real." She sooths in a motherly tone. "Why don't you stay here with Emma and mommy will make some hot chocolate?" The little boy looks at her with big alligator tears. He contemplates what to do before nodding.
"Hurry mommy." He pleads. She promises to be fast and drops a kiss onto his brown hair. When Regina is out of sight Emma decides to take the opportunity to learn more about Regina and Henry's relationship.
"Does your mommy always make you hot cocoa?" She asks the small boy.
"Only when there's monsters or when it's cold or when my nose if sniffly." He replies, then he smiles. "Mommy is best at making scary things go away." Emma chuckles.
"Henry, you love your mommy very much." Emma observes. "And you know she loves you more than anything right?"Henry nods happily.
"I'm her little prince." He announces proudly. "Mommy is my bestest friend." Emma smiles. When did that change? How could Henry go from this, to so easily believing she was evil?
Regina returns with three steaming cups of hot chocolaty liquid. She puts in Henry's favorite childhood movie, The Toy Story, and tucks his baby blanket around him. Henry falls back to sleep, tucked into his "mommy's" side before he even finishes his beverage. Emma wants to continue the conversation from earlier, but when she looks over, Regina is asleep too.
A/N I was bored and knew I'd be busy this week so I decided to type this up. -Kaila :)
