Hey guys! It's me again! So sorry for the delay of this chapter, it's been a busy weekend and I really wanted to outline where I was going. As of now, this will be the last chapter in ACT 2 and starting tomorrow I will be working on ACT 3. It should be completed and up by Saturday (New York Time Zone) Thank you all for reading and enjoying this story as much as I have! Btw, don't hate me for this surprise! Haha!
"So what you're saying is we need a plan," Mal said.
"Yes exactly," Ruby replied.
"Well, Regina still loves Emma, I can tell," Henry said.
"I can't believe she doesn't know who you are yet," Ruby pointed out.
"Well, I doubt Emma is just going to come out and tell her that she has a kid, I doubt she even knows he exists," Mal admitted.
"Yeah, Regina doesn't know about me so it makes talking to her a lot easier."
"Well that and you get paid for it,"
"I mean, getting paid for helping my mom and her true love get back together, not a bad benefit."
"Okay, so back to them, what do we do?" Ruby asked.
"We have to make them talk somehow. We have to put them in a situation that they can't run away from each other or be interrupted. They've got to talk this out and maybe then they'll realize how they truly feel about each other." Mal informed her.
"That's an incredible idea, but how and what situation will give them privacy but no room to escape?"
Mal and Henry went on and on about how they could form of a plan to get the two of them together, but had no solid idea of where to start. They brainstormed for what could've possibly been ten minutes before they realized they hadn't heard from Ruby.
Ruby was busy browsing the web and found a listing for a teacher conference in New Jersey, two weeks from today.
"Uh, guys…what about a teacher's conference?"
"That's perfect! Oh my gosh how did you think of that?" Mal asked
"It's on the internet, it looks perfect. It's overnight, and out of town so they'll have to talk to each other!" Ruby answered
"I can't believe it, this may actually work," Henry said.
"Yeah it definitely could! Just one small problem."
"What?"
"We have to get Gold to okay it."
"Gold?"
"The Dean, basically the principal, he has to okay any type of trip or conference for the teachers before they can just leave work and go."
"Okay, fair point."
"Can't you talk to him Rubes?"
"I can try Mal, but no promises."
"What if he says no?"
"If he says no, we find another way or another situation, we can't give up. They've both done so much for all of us, we can't let them down now."
"Okay, I'll talk to Gold and then Emma, Mal bug Regina some more, and Henry, see what you can dig out of Regina okay?"
"Deal."
"Roger."
They all hung up the phone. Ruby making her way to Mr. Gold's office, Mal fixing to call Regina, and Henry headed back to the office.
"Mr. Gold?"
"Yes Miss Lucas?"
"I have a proposal for you that I think you should consider."
Ruby had planned this whole speech that she was going to give the headmaster, but for the life of her couldn't remember anything she was going to say. She was at a complete lost for words and didn't know what she was going to pull out of her ass, but she had to think of something.
"Okay, what would that be?"
"I think you should send Emma and Regina to a teacher's conference in New Jersey."
"Excuse me?"
"Our competing schools are going to all of these conferences and learning new ways to teach our kids or teach them more effectively, I think this would help out our teachers tremendously sir."
"Okay, but why the combination of Ms. Swan and Ms. Mills?"
"Well, Emma is the newest one, perhaps she could use some aid with teaching. As for Ms. Mills, I figured after a divorce, a semi-vacation is something that woman needs right now."
Mr. Gold was silent for a few minutes, leaving Ruby to pray to whoever that he was say yes and they could move on to phase two of this operation. Finally after what seemed like forever, as Gold weighed his options she was sure, he turned to her with an excited expression, "You'll arrange rooms, flights, and itinerary?"
"Of course sir."
"Then it's fine by me, would you like to tell them or should I?"
"Uh, you sir, it's your school, you run it, you should tell them."
"Indeed. I will."
"Thank you sir!"
As Ruby walked out of Mr. Gold's office, she got her phone out to talk to Henry.
"Hello?"
"Henry, it worked!"
"What?"
"We're taking Emma and Regina to Atlantic City!"
"OH MY GOD YES!"
"I know! Yeah! Okay, I have to call Mal, get with you later to discuss details?"
"Yes!"
"Okay! Bye Henry!"
"Bye Red!"
While hanging up, Dr. Hopper called to him, "Dr. Cassidy, could you possibly come in here for a moment? I wanted you to debrief me on your notes for Regina Mills."
"Coming sir!" Henry said as he slid his phone in his pocket, and began to talk to Archie about the woman who made his mother happy.
Regina glanced at her phone, already knowing who it was that was calling her, and answered once she realized her first guess was correct.
"Hello love."
"Hey Gina, are you busy tonight?"
"It sounds like I'm about to be…"
"I want to take you somewhere. Not in a creepy way, but I want to share something with you."
"Okay, just tell me when."
"Are you busy now?"
It was a half past five and Regina was fairly sure she didn't have anything to do that couldn't be pushed off to a later time.
"Nope, I'm all yours."
"Great, because I'm outside."
Regina smiled and they both hung up. Regina grabbed her coat, and exited her house.
"So Miss Spontaneous, where are we going?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Emma said as she opened her passenger door for Regina.
"It's not like in public or anything, don't worry."
"I wasn't Emma. I'm not ashamed to be seen with you."
"I know. I just, want you to be able to relax is all."
They got into the car and Emma started it up and they drove. Emma smiled to herself as she saw Regina looking out the window, obviously questioning where the blonde was taking her. Emma reached over and put her hand on Regina's thigh, pulling Gina from her thoughts. Regina smiled at her and gently put her hand on top of Emma's, rubbing her thumb across it and turning back to the window.
They finally had arrived and Emma parked the car. Opening her trunk, she pulled out a picnic basket and a blanket, and then walked over to Regina's door to open it.
"Here we are my lady"
"Emma, what are we doing here?"
"You'll see come on."
Regina followed Emma as she walked to an old trail. She looked around and began to see a park of some sort. She wasn't sure where or what kind, but there were trees and grass, a lake with a pier, and a small playground for kids. She wasn't sure why they were here or what Emma could possibly need to show her here, but she was excited to find out. Emma reached out and grabbed Regina's hand, leading her as they walked the trail. When they finally reached a place Emma seemed satisfied with, she let go of Regina's hand, and she began to place the stuff down. Emma unfolded the blanket, and knelt down on it, taking things out of the basket as she did.
"Don't just stand there, sit."
Regina sat and down, very lady-like of course, and just looked up at Emma, almost expecting to be told something. Emma just smiled at her and handed her a sandwich. After instructing her to eat it, they both took a bite and looked around.
They were at a small little campground, it looked like, right beside the lake. Regina could see people fishing and building campfires nearby. It was like something she had never experienced. She was from a place of business and etiquette. This was nature, something she hadn't really experienced besides the mosquitoes in the summer. She was out of her element, but she loved it.
After they were done eating and talking, Emma packed up all the food and placed it back into the basket before laying her head down on the blanket, extending her arm for Regina to lay back on as well. Obeying almost instantly, Regina laid back, placing her head between Emma's shoulder and chest and throwing her arm across Emma's torso.
"I used to come here with one of my foster dads," Emma finally said. "Every day for a whole summer, we would drive out here, sometimes just camp out here and stare at the stars."
"That sounds like this is something very special to you."
"It is, I've never brought anyone here before. I didn't feel the need to share this part of my life with anyone, until I met you."
Regina smiled, hoping the blonde knew that she felt the same way. But then she began to wonder about this foster dad and what became of him. If he spent this much time with Emma, surely he wouldn't have given her up.
"Can I ask what happened? With your foster dad I mean."
"Lung cancer. Stage four. There wasn't anything we could've done."
"Oh Emma, I'm so sorry."
"He wasn't married, didn't have any other children, just a best friend named Arthur. So, when he died, they asked Arthur if he wanted me." Emma stopped talking just for a few seconds before wiping her tear away. "He couldn't take me. He and his wife were barely making it on what they were making and they put off even having their own child before they could put food on their table. But before the state lady took me back to the orphanage, he took me back here one last time."
Emma pointed to a bench about 5 feet away from them and said, "He held my hand as we walked this trail and we stopped right there. He knelt down, looked into my eyes, and handed me a rock."
"Uh, a rock?"
"Yep."
"Can I ask why?"
"I was just as confused. He then told me the story of how my foster dad and he first met. Arthur was here one day, he had just gotten laid off. He couldn't handle having to go home and tell his wife that he wasn't getting a promotion or a raise and things were not finally looking up. He was going to have to disappoint her again. He was going to have to tell her things had gotten harder, and more obstacles had just come into view. He couldn't handle it. So he brought a gun up here with him, he was just about to pull the trigger when a sharp pain went through his hand."
"Cramp?"
"Nope, that would be my foster dad, throwing this rock at his hand." Emma stated, while sitting up, pulling the rock out from her jacket pocket.
"My dad thought it was the only way he could grab his attention. Arthur told me that my dad gave him advice that night that he had never forgotten. He said that life isn't always rainbows and butterflies that more than often, life is shit. He said that everyone has their own shit to carry and if you find someone to help carry your shit through this life, you don't leave them. Life comes with baggage and you have to find a way to make your baggage match someone else's. That is who you call home. It's not a place or a location or a house. It's the people you love and love you back. They were best friends after that."
Regina sat up and just stared at Emma and the object she was holding. "That is such a sweet story. Thank you so much for sharing it with me."
"He told me to keep this rock, it was now mine. And just like my dad found Arthur, he said that my home would find me. I never believed in that stuff, not as an orphan. I thought he was crazy. Then I met you, and we started this and fell in love and it all makes sense now. You're my home Gina. I can't thank you enough for being something no one could ever give to me. You gave me hope, love, companionship. You have given me everything I never knew I wanted/needed. You're an amazing woman and I don't want to spend the rest of my life without you. I couldn't do that. So I want to give this to you." Emma said as she handed the rock over to Regina. "So you will know that no matter what happens, no matter where life takes us, you always have a home with me."
Regina was squalling now. She couldn't take it anymore. Emma never shared intimate details about her life with anyone before and the fact that she thought she was worthy of it, sent this woman over the edge. She took the rock from Emma's hand and put her other hand on Emma's face, pulling her in as she kissed her, slowly, deeply, and full of meaning.
"I love you so much Emma Swan. I wasn't expecting to ever feel like this. I wasn't expecting to feel anything at all after Raelynn died. I was drowning in bitterness and loneliness and you never gave up on me. You saved me. You will never know what you have done for me and I know I can never repay you, but just know, this gift you have given me I will always cherish it. I will always cherish and love you. I promise."
"I love you too Regina." Emma breathed as they both laid back down and looked up at the stars. Emma bending over and placing a kiss to Gina's forehead.
They jumped away from each other as soon as they heard the knock. Both with flushed cheeks, they looked at each other and then the door. It opened and Mr. Gold stood there.
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"No we were just-"
"I was helping her with the copy machine sir."
"Yeah, she was…helping."
"Ah I see, well I'm glad you're in a helping mood Regina, because I have something I need both of you to do."
They both looked at each other and then Gold, before in unison asked, "What?"
Well, as you know, as the Dean of Administrators here, I have to overlook and see that all my teachers have the right qualifications and training to work in a public school facility. It's not always an easy task, but a necessary task."
"We understand sir, "said Regina.
"I'm so glad, because this means that you two will be attending the teacher convention in New Jersey together."
"Fantastic…wait what?" Emma said.
"Well Miss Swan, I love what you have done in your little time here, but you do have to meet the standards of the state and I have to enforce that."
"Okay, but if she has to go, why do I have to go? I have all my training and I'm more than qualified."
"Ah yes, I'm aware of all your qualification Mrs. Mills."
"It's Miss now."
"Oh right, my apologizes dear, however, you have been to one of these conventions before. You know where to go, the right connections, and you know the layout. Emma would be alone by herself if you refused to go. There isn't a logical reason why you would deny going with Miss Swan now is there?"
Regina sighed, knowing Mr. Gold for the troll that he is. He had known about her past and the divorce from Robin, and she was pretty sure he knew about Emma and her, but he had never said anything. So, on the off chance that ignorance was bliss, "No, no reason why I can't escort Miss Swan."
"Very well! I'll get you both the itinerary and flight information."
"Uh, I'm sorry when is this again?"
"Next week, so sorry about the last minute decisions, but in a man in my position we often get carried away by things! Better get packing!"
"How long are we going to be gone exactly?"
"Three days."
"This place better have a stocked mini bar." Emma finally said before following Mr. Gold, exiting the supply room with Regina following her.
