Chapter Sixteen- Caterpillar

Regina exhaled deeply as she looked at all three children who sported different expressions. While Henry looked confused, Emma looked devastated and Carsyn looked like she wanted to run and hide.

"Mama why was Grandpa so mad at Emma?" Henry frowned, looking at his little sister briefly.

"Cause I a bad girl." Emma replied, digging her foot into the ground.

"Bug, you aren't bad. He is just a grumpy mean old man, and I promise he won't bother you again." Ruby walked over to the toddler and scooped her up.

"He told my Momma I was bad. It made her sad. Before she went to sleep." Emma replied causing Regina to sigh before walking over to them.

"I think we should take her to see Dr. Hopper. She knows a lot more about what happened to Mary Margret than she's letting on. He can help us all deal with that." Regina murmured.

"If you think that's whats best than lets go for it. I'm going to take her inside to get something to drink. You okay with these two?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, just make sure you bring them out something when you're done." Regina replied, watching Ruby's ass naturally sway on her way inside

"Is Grandpa really mean? He made Emma sad..." Henry trailed off looking at where Ruby had taken the tot.

"Emma has just been a little down since she woke up, maybe if you play with her when she comes back out she'll be happy again." Regina tried to convince him before turning to Carsyn.

"Dear, are you alright?" Regina frowned looking at Carsyn's terrified expression.

"I thought he was gonna hit her. She's too little, only a baby." Carsyn muttered.

"We wouldn't have let anybody hit Emma. I promise. Now why don't we all go see what's taking them so long." Regina held out her hands to the kids who took them. Ruby was in the kitchen rocking a sullen Emma who sniffled every few seconds.

"Is everything okay?" Regina asked, letting go of the kids hands to grab them some fruit juice.

"Yeah she's just a little sad right now. She just wants me to hold her." Ruby murmured lowly as Regina passed her. The soft hand that briefly touch her back caused her to shiver slightly.

"Is Mama's baby tired?" Regina cooed after she had given the older kids their juice. Emma didn't verbally answer, instead she blinked at Regina before holding out her arms.

"I took out her aids, she will probably go down for a nap in a couple of minutes." Ruby handed the tot over.

"Are you guys married?" Carsyn pipped up, her face blushing when everyone turned to look at her.

"Not yet." Henry remarked in between sips of juice as his mother and Ruby stammered for an answer.

"Emma is like Nita. She can't hear either." Carsyn pointed out.

"Who is Nita?" Henry frowned.

"My mom, but she doesn't like me to call her that. Just Nita." Carsyn answered as they finished up the juice boxes.

"Mama can we go play in my room?" Henry asked.

"As long as you clean up your mess." Regina agreed before leaning back to see if Emma had fallen asleep. Green eyes slowly blinked at her, not asleep yet.

"So what now?" Ruby stuffed her hands into her pocket

"We can watch a movie while the kids entertain themselves." Regina offered, already walking over towards the living room couch.

"Sounds cool." Ruby agreed, sitting beside her but with enough space for Emma's legs to separate them as Regina laid her sideways . Emma reached up her hand to tangle her fingers in Regina's shoulder length locks, and she popped her thumb into her mouth.

"Baby girl, no." Regina shook her head pulling Emma's hand away. The girl let out an indignant whine and tugged slightly on Regina's hair before putting the finger back into her mouth. Her eyes began to flutter when Ruby started to massage her feet.

"She's probably just trying to comfort herself." Ruby murmured as she turned on a kids movie and put the volume on low.

"Still, I don't want her regressing. We've gotten rid of the pacifiers, no need to encourage this type of behavior." Regina spoke firmly.

"You're the mom." Ruby held up her hands to pacify Regina.

"You're her mother too, you stepped into that role dear. I'm just saying that I don't think we should allow her to resort to those type of methods to comfort herself." Regina pointed out.

"Well...I think that just for today. A little bit of self soothing, however she chooses won't make much of a difference. Her biological grandfather just stormed in and blamed her for her biological mother's death. On top of that she is still dealing with whatever she saw during that time Mary Margret when on her binge. Until we can find someone to talk to her, I think we should leave her be." Ruby shrugged as the older woman simply stared at her for a long moment. Hard chocolate eyes regarded stormy greens before Regina relented

"If you insist." Regina huffed but she still removed Emma's finger once the blonde had fell asleep against her.

"I don't feel comfortable with him coming around her again" Ruby stated, and she turned to look at Regina again when the woman snorted.

"That man is never allowed to step foot in my house let alone fifty feet of my children. I've never seen him act that way, I don't want Henry or Emma around that type of aggressive behavior." Regina sucked her teeth before exhaling deeply.

"Well now that, that has been agreed upon I say we relax until the kids need something." Ruby replied

"What do you plan on doing with Carsyn?" Regina wondered aloud

" I mean what can I do? It's not like our human incubator is going to come back any time for her, and I wouldn't let her take the kid anyways. Granny is too old to raise her properly, and she's my kid sister. I guess I'm going to have to buck up and do what I got to do for the kid." Ruby shrugged like it was no big deal.

"That's major jump Ruby." Regina furrowed her eyebrows.

"What do you mean? I meant it when I said I was here for you and the kids. Emma and Henry. Carsyn was unexpected but she's family too. I never really had anybody but Granny growing up. Yeah it's going to take some getting use to, and I'm going to make a shit load of mistakes but I wouldn't change it for the word." Ruby responded, taking a sleep Emma from Regina's arms.

"I'm gonna go put her in her bed." Ruby murmured, needing a moment to herself. Regina huffed into the open air before turning off the T.V and heading to grab some wine for both of them. When she got back Ruby was waiting for her wringing her hands. Passing the younger woman her glass, she tucked her feet under her as she sat back down on the couch.

"Me taking care of Carsyn doesn't change anything, does it?" Ruby asked as Regina was about to bring her glass to her lips

"Why would it change anything? If anything, it makes me admire you more. You have these three children that look up to you and adore you even if you aren't biologically their mother. That takes a lot of strength." Regina licked her lips before taking a deep sip of her wine

"I just don't want this to be too much for you. I brought you Emma and in a way I brought Carsyn. You were content with just Henry a couple of months ago." Ruby pointed out.

"Yes I was content, but with Emma and you here I'm happy now. That's no something that I could say for a very long time. Carsyn is a sweet little girl, and I see a lot of you in her already. How can I not adore an extension of that? If we do this together, I can't see how this could ever be too much." Regina responded with a soft smile.

"Good this we're in this together, huh?" Ruby shot her a toothy grin.

Three Days Later:

"Mama she's stealing my mommy!" Emma whined, which had been her 'thing' for the past couple of days since Carsyn had been coming around with Ruby. They had decided that while Regina had more space to put the child, it was best for Carsyn to live at Ruby's apartment until everything was said and done. Regina had planned on asking Ruby to move in, but she was waiting for the right time.

"She isn't stealing your mommy, darling girl. You know that she lives with mommy at her house." Regina corrected, while throwing clothes into the laundry.

"How come she live there and I stay here?" Emma pouted causing Regina to turn around.

"You don't like living here with Mama and Henry?" Regina raised an eyebrow, before turning on the normal setting and letting the washing machine run.

"I do but I miss RooRoo. Henny no like to play with me." Emma scuffed her little bootie covered feet on the ground and Regina scooped her up.

"Henry is just doing his own thin right now. Do you want me to see if Lily can come over?" Regina asked, walking into the living room and plopping on the couch with the toddler.

"No, she pulls my hair." Emma scrunched up her nose.

"Well I can call Ruby but that means that Carsyn is coming to. So you better be on your best behavior, Missy." Regina poked her daughter's tummy but the blonde just glared at her.

"Be grown up Mama. No poking, it's not nice." Emma grumbled, crossing her arms. Regina rolled her eyes as she called her girlfriend.

"Hello Darling..." Regina greeted, smiling at whatever Ruby had replied with.

" I have a very grump-" Regina was cut off by Emma screaming

"MOMMY COME HOME NOW!" Emma leaned in to shout into the phone, causing Regina to cringe.

"Well I suppose that's a better way to explain what I have been going through, and today is laundry day." Regina deadpanned.

"Alright, I'll see you both soon." Regina chuckled

"Mommy's on her way." Regina responded once she hung up. Emma simply snuggled into her chest, most likely waiting for the 'fun' parent to arrive soon.

AN: Good damn ol, mighty. Its been almost two months since I updated this. 0.0 , my sincere apologies.