Hey, readers! It's been a few months, but I finally got in the writing spirit. I've been reading a lot of angsty, sad, dark Swan Queen stories lately, and I feel like people (myself very much included) need a go-to lighthearted story to ease the ache that those wonderfully written stories can give us. Sometimes you just need something happy, y'know?
Well, I hope you forgive me for my delay and that you enjoy this chapter. Good news, I already know what to do with the next chapter, so I'll probably get that one out much quicker. I won't promise when, though. Because anyone who has read my stories knows I am really shitty at following self-imposed deadlines. I've since stopped even trying, haha.
Italics are thoughts, the bold is a text message, and the underlined bold is a time skip.
Disclaimer: I own nothing involving Once or Hunger Games. I merely own my brain.
Chapter 4
The first thing Regina sees as she walks into Granny's was Emma beaming at their son, causing a small smile to make its way onto her face. She's so beautiful. She's snapped from her thoughts by Ruby.
The taller brunette smiles as she greets her. "Hey, Madame Mayor. You come bearing gifts, I see," she said as she pointed to the basket filled with apples.
"Oh," Regina clears her throat, "yes. I thought it would be best to bring Granny these apples before she showed up at my home with her crossbow."
Ruby gave her a disbelieving look, "Regina, last time she shot that thing at you, you caught the arrow."
"True, but I've stopped enjoying making her angry since I became good. Well, better." She winks mischievously. Regina notices the waitress glance at Emma, and she watches her face change into a somewhat flirtatious smirk and reply, "In that case, I wouldn't want to be responsible for the damage to your reputation or Granny's pride by making either of you wait. How about I take these to the back for you? I can get brownie points with Granny if I help out on my off-day." Ruby makes sure to brush Regina's hand with her fingers as she takes the basket from her.
The older woman takes the opportunity to look at Emma and finds the sheriff glaring at her friend. Ruby notices the shift in attention, using that moment to continue her plan. "You think it'd be cool to borrow Henry for a bit? Teach him…responsibility?" Regina lifts an eyebrow in response. "Okay, fine, I don't feel like doing all of that peeling by myself. Plus, Granny has a weakness for the kid. There's a higher chance I can get away with stuff on my next shift."
The former queen chuckles and inclines her head toward her son, as if to say ask him yourself, and then saunters over to the booth he and his other mother have taken. Ruby follows, smiling to the pair as they approach. "Henry, Emma! How's it kickin'?" The answer she receives is a swift kick to the shin from Emma. It doesn't really hurt – because, werewolf, hello – but she flinches in surprise, rubbing her shin and narrowing her eyes at the savior. "Well played, Blondie. Well played." Emma shrugs in response, giving Ruby a look that clearly says you brought that on yourself. "Anyway. Henry, want to give me a hand with peeling these apples for Granny? I'll get more brownie points if I bring you with me."
The boy smiles, remembering what the woman's text to him. Using you in a plan. Peeling apples. Brownie points with Gran. Go with it.
"Yeah, okay. Ma, is it okay if I bail on lunch today? I can make it up to you by convincing Granny to give me some apple pie." Henry puts on his best puppy dog face for his blonde mother. She succeeds in putting on a disapproving face for about two seconds before she laughs. "Go for it, kid. But you have to get a really big slice of pie for me to make up for it." He hugs her and is nearly dragged off to the kitchen by Ruby.
"It appears we've lost our son to the local werewolf, Sheriff Swan," Regina smiles as the duo disappears. She looks over to Emma and receives a chuckle from the young woman.
"At least it's for a good reason. Granny makes great apple pie. What are you gonna do now?" Emma tilts her head slightly as she looks up at Regina.
The older woman shrugs, "I'm not quite sure, really. I suppose I could find something to do at home. Perhaps read a book. Actually, I should get some lunch while I'm here and worry about my day's plans afterwards. " Take the opportunity, Emma! She thinks.
The sheriff seems to brighten at that response, "Hey! I haven't gotten my food yet, so why don't you join me for lunch? Our son ditched me and I'm off this weekend. I have no other plans." She grins hopefully at Regina. The brunette questions, "Are you sure?" and Emma responds by rolling her eyes and pointing at the seating opposite of her. Regina laughs and sits down. Ashley comes over to quickly take her order as she sets Emma's down in front of her. The blonde nibbles at her food, trying to wait until Regina gets hers before she digs in. A glass of water is set in front of the brunette, and she sips on it while Emma starts talking about what she and Henry had been up to that day.
Twenty minutes and Regina's meal arrival later
Every customer in the diner snapped their head over to stare in shock at the sheriff and the mayor. Both women had started guffawing loudly. After a minute they all turned back to their meals and resumed their own conversations, some discussing the fact that they actually heard Regina laugh with awe and surprise.
Regina gasps a little to catch her breath. "You can't possibly be serious! Who does that?"
"I am dead serious!" Emma wipes tears from her eyes. "I can't make this stuff up, Regina. I really was chasing a jumper and ended up getting stuck when I tried to hop a fence. The fence gave me an atomic wedgie and I had to rip my underwear to get free. I got the guy, but it took a trashcan, some alleyways, and a lot of hobbling."
Regina laughs again and takes a bite of her chicken wrap, shaking her head at the blonde. She swallows her mouthful of food and wipes her mouth. "You never cease to amaze me, Emma. Even when you do something shockingly clumsy, you still manage to get whoever you're after." Speaking of people you're after, "Oh. Do you have any plans for tonight?"
"Umm, no, not really. I was thinking of getting a movie to watch with Henry. He's really been wanting to see the newest Hunger Games movie. Why?"
"Well, I was thinking of making a pizza for dinner sometime in the next week. Since you don't have any specific plans for tonight, why don't you and Henry come over tonight and I'll make it?"
Emma's look of surprise at the offer almost had Regina backpedalling, but before she could open her mouth to speak Emma asked, "Pizza? You're gonna make pizza?"
Regina responded, "It would be a healthier version of that pile of grease you usually order, but yes. You can bring the movie and we'll make a family night of it."
"Oh, we are so there!" The last part of the brunette's sentence finally caught up with Emma. A somewhat awed look claimed Emma's face. "Wait, you…you think of me as family?"
Regina honestly hadn't thought much of it when she'd said it. However, she blushed slightly as the blonde brought it to her attention. She remembered Ruby's words about acting on how she really feels and realizes it's okay, because it's true. The mayor does think of Emma as family, rather than only as the person she is in love with who happens to be the other mother of her son.
She clears her throat, forcing the nerves back as she answers, "Yes, I do. As much as we've been through and as close as we've been getting, I would be lying if I said otherwise. Seeing as you can always tell when I'm lying, it would do me no good to deny it." Regina smiles at the blonde, praying to any god who would listen that she didn't somehow just scare the blonde away from her.
Emma's mind is filled with nerves and happiness. Happiness because Regina thinks of her as family, and nerves because she doesn't want to do anything to look incredibly stupid and make the brunette regret telling her. Suddenly, she becomes overwhelmed and her eyes tear up a little. Regina frowns, worried that she has upset Emma somehow. The savior waves her off before she can speak. "You didn't do anything wrong, Regina. I'm just…really happy. You're family to me, too, and…just…someone actually telling me I'm their family – especially not being blood-related – is still a bit amazing to me. Especially since it's you. After years of not really belonging anywhere, I suddenly have family. People I know I can count on."
"I'm very happy to hear that, Emma." Hesitant at first, Regina takes a chance with this revelation and reaches across the table, settling her hand on Emma's. The blonde somehow managed to keep her shock off of her face and, after a few seconds, she turned her hand over to hold Regina's. Both of their hearts nearly beating out of their chests. They smile to each other, slowly letting go after about ten seconds. Just as their hands part, Henry and Ruby come out from the kitchen.
Emma decides to ask before she loses all of her nerve, "Regina, after the movie tonight, can we – " she takes a breath, trying to settle her heartbeat, "can we talk?"
A large, yet slightly anxious, smile makes its way onto the older woman's face as she nods, "I'd love to."
Granny's little helpers finally arrive at their table again. "Hey, moms!"
"Hey, kid!" The blonde wipes her palms on her jeans. She's both excited and nervous for tonight's talk. "Oh, your mom invited us to dinner tonight. She said we could bring the movie over and make a night of it. What do you say?"
"Awesome! What're we having?"
"Pizza." Regina answered.
Henry's jaw dropped, "Don't even joke like that, Mom. It's just cruel." He's a little surprised when the woman just laughs. "It's true, Henry. Granted, it's healthier than what Emma orders on a nightly basis," smirking when Emma lets out a mock-offended "hey!"
"Tonight is going to be awesome," the brown-haired boy exclaims. He glances at Ruby and then asks his brunette mother, "Can Ruby come over, too? She mentioned in the kitchen that she had nothing else to do today because everyone else is busy and she has no life." The waitress looks down at him, mouth gapping and a betrayed expression on her face. "Dude! That is so not okay!" Henry responds with an innocent look. Both mothers trying not to laugh at his antics and the look of utter betrayal on Ruby's face. Regina nods and tries not to giggle as she says, "If she would like to, she's welcome to join us for dinner and a movie."
"Sweet! Family night! Ma, do you think we could go park for a little while? I want to feed the ducks now, since we fed the Swan."
Emma snorts and gets up from the booth, the mayor following her lead. "Sure. I'll see you ladies tonight, then." Her eyes linger on her co-parent while Henry gives both Ruby and his mother hugs. Regina surprises them all when she leans over and hugs Emma – who was so surprised she nearly didn't hug back, nodding a goodbye to the taller brunette before leaving the diner.
Ruby breaks the silence, "Guess I'll see you at dinner." The werewolf smiles, patting mother and son on the shoulder and going to her room.
Emma rested her arm across Henry's shoulders as she guides him out the door, "C'mon, kid. Let's go see some ducks."
So how did I do?
I feel compelled to put a little bit of emotion in the story, but I also need to keep it pretty light overall. I'm not one for writing angst. Unless I get or am given a really good idea.
Review if you'd like. No pressure. (I lied. PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE DO IT DO IT DO IT)
Next chapter: JUST KISS ALREADY! CHEESUS!
