Chapter Fourteen- Caterpillar

Regina slowly walked the small colt into her backyard, having not gathered Emma's attention yet. However that was soon foiled when Janie started screeching at the top of her lungs, jumping up an down. She had been born completely deaf, and relied heavily on sign. She laughed and giggled, and when she was upset she cried or huffed loudly but she never spoke. Still her wild movements caught the eyes of several other children who went to school with her and Emma, and it was Lily who screeched out "IT'S A PONY!". All of the children came running at Regina like a flock of chicken being fed corn.

"Okay little ones, lets not startle him." Regina sighed to the children while speaking for the ones who didn't have hearing impairments.

"Mama he looks funny. Ponies are brown or black." Henry scrunched up his nose thinking about Rocinante and Hermes.

"Henry you know they come in all different colors and sizes." Regina smiled at her son before her eyes searching for Emma. She saw the blonde cowering behind Ruby's chair while the brunette woman tried to talk her out.

"Emma baby can you come here?" Regina called out, handing the reins to her father.

"No I don't wanna." Emma shook her head, causing her blonde curls to go bouncing around.

"Why not baby? I'm sure Pegasus wants to meet you." Regina said softly, squatting down next to her daughter.

"No Mama, Momma said horsie bad." Emma's bottom lip poked out.

"Mary Margret?" Ruby asked, raising an eyebrow. A light bulb went off in Regina's head as she remember a time when they were in their later teens and Mary Margret almost fell of her horse had it not been for Regina pulling her back up.

"Pegasus isn't bad I promise. Mama's gonna be right there with you." Regina held open her arms for Emma to crawl into but the girl looked at her skeptically.

"Pwomise Mama?" The toddler asked.

"I promise." Regina affirmed.

"Emmie I tect you." Lily sank to her knees beside the blonde and grabbed her hand.

"Nu uh, my Mama is!" Emma shook her head again but gave Lily a full fledged grin.

"If she doesn't want it, can I have it TT?" Roland yelled

"NO HORSIE MINE!" Emma scrambled into her mothers arms, as Regina rose to walk the girl over.

"Okay sweetheart, Poppy is gonna put you on the seat, you gotta hold onto the reins while Mama holds you okay?" Regina explained to the four year old who now nodded eagerly

"Gots it Mama!" Emma was passed over to her grandfather, while they made sure she was properly in her seat. They went around the backyard, carefully avoiding the pool area because the kids were going to be playing over there in a bit and they didn't want them stepping in pool in case that happened. After the second time, some of the other kids were asking to ride Pegasus.

"How about cake?" Regina asked, knowing it was important for Pegasus to bond with Emma and to not be treated like a carnival horse.

"CAKE!" All of the kids seemed to forget about the horse while Henry. Sr loaded him back on the trailer and called for one of his stable hand to come pick him up.

The green cake was placed on the table, while Regina placed a smaller cupcake with a green star candle in front of Emma.

" Okay baby girl, make a wish and blow it out." Regina smiled, before gesturing for Ruby to come up on the other side of Emma. The blonde looked at both of the brunette woman as the flash of a camera went off. Emma leaned forward and harshly blew out the candle, spit flying everywhere and Regina was glad that she chose to do a small cupcake instead of the whole entire half sheet that she ordered from the Italian baker.

"Good job!" Ruby grinned, pulling Emma's hair back into a ponytail so she wouldn't get green frosting in it. Cake and Ice cream was passed around to the guest and before long it was present time. Emma was confused.

"No Mama, I gots Peggy as a preswent." Emma shook her head as Regina put her in front of a mountain of gifts.

"Yeah baby I know, but everybody here wanted to get you something extra special. You don't want them to be sad do you?" Regina asked, knowing that all of these gifts were far too was silently praying she wasn't creating a Dudley Dursey.

"No." Emma frowned

"Okay so why don't we see what you got and thank everybody?" Regina passed Emma a small box as the girl frowned at the wrapping.

"RooRoo what I do?" Emma turned to Ruby, shaking the gift harshly. Regina could see Maleficent flinch at the motion and she knew they had bought the gift.

"Open it." Ruby smiled encouragingly

"Hows?" Emma cocked an eyebrow, studying the silver colored wrapping.

"Just grab a handful of the paper and rip." Ruby explained, starting a tear for her. Emma shrugged and began going to town. Ripping the paper she carelessly tossed it over her shoulder, and began kicking her legs. The box ended up falling onto the ground, and a swan tiara ended up tumbling down and Emma ended up jumping after it.

"Mama its so prwetty!" Emma exclaimed, holding it up in her pudgy hands.

"For my princess." Lily blushed, putting the crown on Emma's head.

"RooRoo I a princess!" Emma jumped up and down.

"I know baby. Tell Lily and her Mama's thank you." Ruby smiled, picking up the now empty box and handing it to Regina to put on the table. This went on and on until the presents diminished and Emma ended up with two tea sets, several dresses and other articles of clothes, a Frozen themed night light, another Ninja turtle from Roland, several board games, a season pass to the Museum, a matching swim suit from her best friend Janie, some soccer equipment from Ruby which clashed with the tea ball equipment she got from Regina until they were informed they were both during different seasons. Cora got the girl a piano tutor and Henry. Sr got Emma enrolled in dance classes along with a bunch of tutus and tights.

"Papa I wanna go to dance with Emmie too!" Janie signed to her father Jafar.

"I wanna go with MY princess too, Mama!" Lily glared at Janie.

"We all go!" Emma signed before clapping.

"I'm sure we can make that happen." Jack told her daughter and Jafar and Aladdin agreed.

"Okay kids, you are all in your swim suits so why don't we head over to the pool?" Regina ushered the eight remaining kids over to the pool.

"Remind me to never do something like this again. Far too many kids hyped on sugar with snotty noses." Regina shuddered as she closed the door to Emma's room now that the girl was asleep and fully bathed.

"Yeah but you have to admit they all had fun." Ruby flashed her a tired grin.

"Yeah, I never seen her that...unimpeded." Regina sighed deeply.

"She's finally coming out of her shell, the little caterpillar." Regina snorted at the nickname.

"Is that why you call her bug?" The older woman laughed when Ruby shrugged.

"Sooo about our date..." Ruby trailed off until Regina turned to look at her.

"What about it?" Regina smiled at the younger girls nervous nature.

"My grandmother agreed to watch the kids, while I woo the Queen." Ruby responded cheekily

"The Queen?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

"Well if our daughter is the princess it only makes sense that your the Queen." Ruby's exhaustion made her tongue loose but Regina caught onto what she said.

"Our daughter?" Regina watched Ruby blanched.

"I -Uh what I mean was-" Ruby stuttered.

"Only say that if you're ready for everything that comes with it. Being a parent is a lot of work, and what about Henry?" Regina questioned.

"I know that! And I love Henry just as much as I love Emma, I'd die for that little boy in an instant!" Ruby defended.

"Do you consider him a son? He has already lost one parent Rubina." Regina could feel her emotions getting the best of her.

"If I didn't feel like I was overstepping then yes. And my god! I should have never told you my full name." Ruby groaned

"Everything is moving very quickly, but it feels right. I love Henry and Emma as if they were my own and I love spending time with all of you. This feels like family to me, and its something I've never had. So yes when I started feeling things that I didn't know how to deal with, I ran! Nothing I can say or do can change that but I promise you that I'm all in this. I want this to be my forever." Ruby replied honestly, missing it when Regina stalked but to her until the older woman leaned up and smashed their lips together.

"I want that too." Regina whispered, wiping the lipstick off of Ruby's lips.

AN: Up Next is the date, and some Grandparents are going to make their presence known ;)