Mary-Margaret slowly lowered herself into the nice hot bubble bath and rested against the back of the bath. She closed her eyes and let out a big contented sigh as she felt all of her muscles begin to relax. David was at work and Regina was playing in her room so Mary-Margaret decided to take this rare bit of time to herself and try to relax. She really did enjoy having a toddler around, Regina was fun and sweet but still it was a lot of hard work looking after a toddler and extremely tiring. Regina was just a ball of energy that never seemed to stop and Mary-Margaret found that sometimes she was finding it hard to keep up with Regina.
"MOMMY!" Regina shouted making Mary-Margaret jump and then sigh as she knew that her peace and quiet was now over as she heard Regina's feet padding through the hall towards the bathroom. The door was pushed open and Regina popped her head round giving Mary-Margaret a smile. "Oh you in the bath mommy." Regina said as she walked further into the bathroom and over to the side of the bath.
"Yes I am sweetie." Mary-Margaret replied, sitting up a little more in the bath now. "Is there something you wanted Regina?"
Regina shook her head and then walked over to the toilet. She pulled the lid down and then climbed up sitting on top of it and swinging her legs as they dangled down. "No mommy. Just wonder where you were."
"Oh I see." Mary-Margaret grabbed the sponge from the side of the bath and began to wash herself. She decided that she may as well hurry the bath along now.
"Mommy why is the sky blue?" Regina asked as she continued to swing her legs, a serious look now on her face.
"Erm…well…" Mary-Margaret stuttered a little while she tried to think of an answer. Regina's questions seemed to be getting harder and harder to answer. Gone were the simple, easy to answer questions. "I'm not really sure Regina. It just is. Something to do with light I think."
Regina screwed her face up a little in confusion. "Light?"
Mary-Margaret nodded. "Yes. It's a science thing sweetie. I am sure one day you will learn and then you can tell mommy."
"Okay." Regina said accepting that answer. "Mommy why I get ill?"
"Well…Sometimes we get ill Regina, there are lots of bugs and viruses out there and we can't miss them all. Sometimes one catches us and makes us quite poorly." Mary-Margaret answered not quite sure if she was really making any sense but once again she didn't know how to explain this to a three year old. "But you got better didn't you?"
"Yes I feel much better now mommy." Regina said happily nodding her head.
"You just need to remember that when you feel poorly it will get better." Mary-Margaret said. She then stood up, pulling out the plug and then reaching over for her towel. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the bath. She then went to walk out the room but Regina called her to stop.
"Wait, Stop mommy." Regina called. "I need help please. Can't get down."
Mary-Margaret giggled a little and then went back to help Regina down. Regina then followed Mary-Margaret out of the bathroom and through to her bedroom. Regina ran over to the bed and climbed up on it, beginning to jump up and down. Mary-Margaret looked over and rolled her eyes a little. And to think grown up Regina would go mad if a child was jumping on her bed. "Regina please don't jump on the bed. We don't want you to fall off and hurt yourself do we?"
"Like the monkey's?" Regina asked.
Mary-Margaret frowned a little in confusion. "Monkey's?"
"Yes. The monkey's that jump on the bed. You know mommy." Regina said. "Five little monkey's jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Mommy phoned the doctor and the doctor said. NO MORE MONKEY'S JUMPING ON THE BED!" Regina sang, shouting the last bit and jumping a little higher on the bed.
"Oh, those monkey's." Mary-Margaret said finally realising what Regina had been talking about. "Yes exactly like them. I don't think you want to fall off the bed and hurt your head do you?"
Regina thought about what her mother said for a moment and then stopped jumping and shook her head. "No I don't want to hurt my head mommy."
"Okay then. Well sit on the bed nicely if you want to stay in here." Mary-Margaret ordered in a nice tone.
Regina nodded her head and she sat down on the bed. She watched as Mary-Margaret walked around the room getting herself ready once more. "I can't wait to go see Rose mommy." Regina said excitedly.
"Yes I am sure you and Rose will have lots of fun on your play date won't you?" Mary-Margaret smiled as she saw how excited Regina really was.
"Yea! I think we going to play dolls and draw and colour and everything!"
"Wow that sounds like a lot." Mary-Margaret said acting excited for Regina. "I bet you will be very tired afterwards.
Regina frowned and shook her head. "I don't think so mommy." Mary-Margaret giggled a little at that. "Mommy what you do when me and Rose play?"
"I am going to have some coffee with Rose's mommy and we are going to chat."
"About what?" Regina asked.
"Oh I don't know sweetie. We will chat about lots of things." Mary-Margaret replied.
"Me and Rose will chat." Regina said.
"I'm sure you will sweetie." Mary-Margaret said leaning over and placing a soft kiss on top of Regina's head. "Now I think we should change out of your princess costume and perhaps put some other clothes on to go and see Rose, what do you think?"
"Okay mommy." Regina said. She then stood up on the bed and walked over to the edge and held up her hands, indicating to Mary-Margaret that she wanted lifted up. Mary-Margaret lifted her up and carried her out of her bedroom and through to Regina's bedroom. She placed Regina down and Regina ran over to her wardrobe and pulled the doors open. "I help choose mommy?"
"Of course you can Regina." Mary-Margaret said as she walked over to the wardrobe. "What would you like to wear? A dress or a skirt? Or would you like trousers?"
Regina put on her cute thinking face and then said "Trousers mommy."
Mary-Margaret nodded and she looked through all of Regina's trousers trying to decide which pair would be good. She picked up a pair of blue denim jeggings and held them out to Regina. "What about these?" Regina nodded her head and Mary-Margaret passed them to her. "Okay now a top." She said moving over to Regina's tops. "What colour top shall we wear today Regina?"
"Erm…" Regina said putting on her cute thinking face once again. "I think…red!"
Mary-Margaret nodded and she looked through Regina's tops for a red one. She pulled a top out and unfolded it. She smiled as she read what was written on the top and then held it out to Regina. "What about this one?"
"Okay mommy." Regina said. "What it say?" Regina asked pointed to the black sparkly writing on the top.
"It says 'Apple of daddy's eye'." Mary-Margaret said. "And look there is a little apple." She said pointing to the apple that was drawn on with the black sparkle that the writing was written in.
"Oh yes." Regina said. Mary-Margaret then sat on Regina's bed and got her underwear and socks. She then held her arms out to Regina and Regina ran over to her. She pulled Regina up onto the bed and she helped her to get dressed. Regina stood back once she was dressed and held her arms open to Mary-Margaret showing off now that she was dressed.
"Lovely." Mary-Margaret smiled. "Now what shoes are we going to wear?"
"I want my black sparkly boots mommy." Regina said.
"Okay sweetie. Right now your hair Regina. Will we plait it?" Mary-Margaret asked.
Regina nodded her head. "Two please." She said sitting down on the bed, now with her hair brush and two hair ties and sitting in between Mary-Margaret's legs.
"Okay." Mary-Margaret said brushing Regina's hair. She then done two French plaits in Regina's hair. She smiled once she had finished, liking how they hair style had turned out in the young girls hair. "There we are. You look lovely."
"Thanks you mommy." Regina said smiling at Mary-Margaret.
"You are most welcome Regina." Mary-Margaret replied hugging Regina from behind. She then pulled Regina back and kissed her cheek, tickling her a little and making her giggle. "Okay sweetie let's go get your boots and your coat on and we shall go and see Rose and her mommy."
"Yey!" Regina said excitedly jumping off the bed and running out the room, Mary-Margaret laughing as she followed her. As soon as Regina got down the stairs she picked up her boots and sat down on the last step. She went to put one of her boots on and then she stopped and looked up at Mary-Margaret. "This right foot mommy?" She asked. Mary-Margaret nodded and she then continued to put her boots on. Mary-Margaret handed Regina her blue rain jacket that had daisy's all over it once she had put her boots on and Regina put it on and buttoned it up. "Ready mommy."
"Alright then, let's get going." Mary-Margaret said picking up her bag and keys. She took Regina's hand and they made their way out of the house to head to Regina's play date with Rose.
When they had finally got to Rose's house Regina decided that she wanted to ring the doorbell. Mary-Margaret lifted her up and let her press the bell. She then placed her back down and they waited for the door to open. it soon did and both Rose and Regina squealed as they saw one another.
"GINA!" Rose squealed.
"ROSIE!" Regina squealed back and they both ran towards one another and hugged each other. Both Mary-Margaret and Rose's mother, Judith laughed at this.
"Why don't you come in?" Judith asked with a smile on her face. She stepped to the side to let the two girls and Mary-Margaret into the house. Rose took Regina's hand and they both ran off upstairs to Rose's bedroom leaving the two women downstairs. "They really are quite cute aren't they?" Judith chuckled as she made her way into the living room with Mary-Margaret following.
"They really are. I hadn't seen them play together before now but Emma, my eldest daughter told me about Rose and Regina playing together in the park with Robin." Mary-Margaret smiled. She sat down on the sofa, Judith sitting opposite her in a chair. There was a pot of tea, two tea cups and some biscuits already set out.
"Yes, they were all playing a game where the prince rescues the princesses I think." Judith chuckled. She then stopped and put on a rather serious face. She decided to get the awkward conversation out of the way now rather than later. "I do have to admit I was a little apprehensive at first about Rose playing with Regina. You know since she was…well…you know…" Judith said stuttering a little.
Mary-Margaret nodded a little with a sigh. "I understand that you felt that way but really Regina is not like her older self. I know people are going to find it hard to forget who she once was but I am hoping with time that people will put that behind us and see who she is now. What happened to Regina is giving her a second chance at living her life, doing it all over again. She really is a nice kind girl and you will see that in her now, I promise you. David and I we are really trying to make sure she turns out right."
Judith smiled a little. "I can see that you are. You seem really good with her, well from what I have seen when you are both out with her. You and Emma also. She really handled Regina well when she had her at the park."
"She's not a bad child. She's actually very good, she has her moments but then doesn't every child."
"Oh they certainly do. Rose has plenty of them herself." Judith laughed a little. "I just want you to know now that…well I guess I have done what you hope everyone will do and put Regina's older self and past behind me, choosing to forget it I guess. Rose really seems to like her and they get along so well I wouldn't want to keep them apart just because I wasn't sure of her. I can see she's not the same person that we all once knew."
"Well I am glad you have because Regina really likes Rose too. She hasn't stopped talking about Rose and Robin since that day in the park and has asked non-stop about a play date."
"Oh Rose has been the same." Judith laughed.
Upstairs Regina found herself being dragged into Rose's bedroom. She looked around to see that Rose's bedroom was painted a light green, the curtains were a shade of green and Rose even had a princess canopy hanging over her bed, just like Regina did, but Rose's one was green.
"You like green." Regina said it was more a statement rather than a question.
Rose let go of Regina's hand and nodded her head. She walked further into her room and sat down on her floor where her dolls were laid out from the game she had been playing before Regina had arrived. Regina took off her coat, placing it on the bed and went over to Rose and sat down beside her looking at all the dolls. "Do you not like green?" Rose asked.
Regina shrugged her shoulders. "Green not my favourite colour."
"What is your favourite colour?" Rose asked.
Regina put on her cute thinking face. "I think…purple." Regina said. Rose nodded and then looked back at her dolls. "I like this doll." Regina said picking up the doll to take a closer look.
"Her name Eliza." Rose said. "I like her but my favourite is this one." Rose said picking up a doll. "I call her Isabelle."
"They have nice names. My favourite doll at home I call Penny." Regina replied.
"That a nice name. You bring Penny?" Rose asked.
Regina shook her head. "I left her home." She replied with a little sad face, but then she brightened up as an idea came to her. "But you can see her when you come to my house for play date."
"Yea!" Rose said excitedly. "That be fun."
Regina nodded her head happily. She then looked back at the other dolls on the floor. "We play a game? We could play mommy's."
"Ohh yea. I have prams we could use for our babies." Rose said standing up and walking over to a closet. She opened the door to reveal lots more toys and pulled out two small toy prams. "You can have that one and I will have this one."
"Okay." Regina said standing up and taking the pram from Rose. She placed her doll in the pram and waited for Rose to do the same with hers. "Where we going to go?" Regina asked.
"I think we should go for a tea party with our babies." Rose suggested. "We could go for tea party with my teddies."
"Oh that sound fun!" Regina replied happily.
They both set up a blanket on the floor in the hall way and sat some of Rose's teddies on the blanket. They then got the cups and tea pot and some plates, along with some pretend food. "We need something to be the tea." Regina said.
Rose put on a thinking face as she realised Regina was right they did need something for the tea. "Why don't we get some water and pretend that tea."
"Good idea." Regina said.
Rose got the tea pot and ran into the bathroom. She ran the cold tap and stuck the tea pot underneath, filling it up. She then carefully carried it back to the tea party and put it down. "There we go. Now we need to go back for out babies and walk to the tea party like mommies."
"We chat too. My mommy does that." Regina said. Rose nodded her head and they both walked back into Rose's room and they got their prams. They pushed the prams around Rose's room chatting away to one another, pretending to be their mommy's. They then walked out of the room and over to the blanket. They got their babies out of the prams and sat down on the blanket.
"Would you like some tea Gina?" Rose asked as she picked up the tea pot.
"Oh yea please Rosie." Regina replied holding out her little cup.
Rose poured some water into the cup, spilling a little bit but both girls didn't particularly bother about it. She then poured some into her own cup and placed the tea pot down. "Be careful Gina in case it hot." Rose said just as Regina was about to take a drink.
Regina rolled her eyes at herself giggling a little. "Course silly me." She then blew on it and then began to drink the cold water.
Rose shared out the pretend food and they spent the next hour or so talking to one another, drinking their 'tea' and 'eating' their pretend food. Rose then looked down at their babies that were lying on the floor and gasped a little. "Oh we forgot the babies bottles. What if they gets hungry?"
"Oops." Regina said placing a hand over her mouth.
"I will go get them." Rose said standing up and running back into her bedroom. She soon returned with two toy baby bottles. She gave one to Regina and then sat back down. They picked up their babies and then pretended to feed them the bottles and started to chat again. Once they had finished they both put the babies back down and had some more 'tea'.
After a while they began to get a little bored of that game and decided they wanted to play another game. They decided that they now wanted to be princesses. So they raided Rose's dressing up chest and found two princess dresses that they wanted to wear. Putting them on they went downstairs and into the living room where the two women were sat.
"Mommy Gina and I want to go outside." Rose said walking over to Judith.
"You do? Can you not play your game inside honey?" Judith asked.
Rose shook her head. "No mommy. We playing princesses and we need to go outside."
Judith looked over at Mary-Margaret. "Would you mind sitting outside for a little bit while they play? I don't like Rose to be out there on her own, you just never know."
"Oh I understand completely. I am the same with Regina at home. I don't mind at all." Mary-Margaret said. The two women stood up and they all made their way outside. "Are you having fun Regina?" Mary-Margaret asked before Regina ran off.
Regina nodded her head and hugged Mary-Margaret's legs. "Lots of fun mommy." She then ran off with Rose and they began their princess game.
This game consisted of lots of pretend dragons, mean people that wanted to lock the princesses up in a big tower and of course a couple of handsome princes to save them. They ran around mad, and eventually began to tire themselves out, rubbing their eyes and beginning to yawn. A combination of the game and the fresh air beginning to hit them. Regina found that she was too tired to play anymore and she walked over to Mary-Margaret and held her arms up to her indicating that she wanted up on her lap.
Mary-Margaret lifted Regina up and looked down at the little girl. "What's wrong Regina? Are you okay?" She asked.
Regina nodded her head, giving a little yawn and rubbing her eyes. "My eyes hurt mommy."
"I think you are getting tired my little one." Mary-Margaret said. She then looked up at Judith who noted that Rose was feeling the same. "Regina didn't have the best night's sleep last night I think it is beginning to catch up with her."
"Yes fresh air and running around does wonders doesn't it? I think it is nearing Rose's nap time too." Judith replied.
Mary-Margaret nodded. "Regina why don't you go take this princess dress off and find your coat and we will go home."
"But I want to stay with Rose." Regina said quickly sitting up in Mary-Margaret's lap.
"Don't worry Regina we will have another play date with Rose. Maybe Rose could even come over to our house next time." Mary-Margaret replied.
"Really?" Regina asked looking from Mary-Margaret and then to Judith.
"Yes we would both like that. Wouldn't we Rose?" Judith said. Rose nodded her head and let out a little yawn. "Rose why don't you go with Regina and take off your princess dress and then we will get you ready for a little sleep."
Rose just nodded and both the children went inside and back up to Rose's room. They took off the princess dresses and put them back up in the dressing up chest. Regina grabbed her coat and then they went back downstairs where Judith and Mary-Margaret were now stood.
"Say good bye Regina." Mary-Margaret said as she put on her coat.
"Bye Rosie." Regina said giving Rose a hug. "Bye Judith." Regina said.
"Good bye Regina. Rose…" Judith said.
"Bye Gina."
"Good bye Judith, today was lovely. We really will have to do it again soon." Mary-Margaret said as she helped Regina put her coat on.
"We will. Bye Mary-Margaret." Judith said.
Mary-Margaret and Regina walked out of the house, Regina holding onto her mother's hand as they walked down the street. Mary-Margaret was now regretting not having the car. She didn't think about the fact that when they left Rose's house that Regina would probably be tired. She looked at her watch and saw that it was half past one and they had yet to have something for lunch. Looking down at Regina she wondered if perhaps Regina would manage to last a little longer to have something to eat.
"Regina would you like to go have lunch at Grannies?" Mary-Margaret asked.
"Yes please mommy." Regina said brightening up a little more. "Daddy too?"
"Maybe…why don't we stop by daddy's work to see if he can come get lunch with us?" Mary-Margaret suggested.
"Yea!" Regina said excitedly.
They walked through Storybrooke, heading towards the Sheriff's office, on the way saying hello to many people as they passed. As soon as they entered the Sheriff's office Regina ran through.
"DADDY!" Regina shouted happily. David turned round, giving a big smile as soon as he saw Regina and Mary-Margaret and he opened his arms to catch Regina as she ran and jumped into his arms.
"Hello there my little princess." He said kissing the side of her head. "How was your play date with Rose?"
"It was lots and lots and lots and lots of fun daddy." Regina answered. She then looked behind David and saw that Emma was there. She wriggled in David's arms and he put her down. She ran around him and over to Emma. "EMMMMAAAA!" she shouted and jumping into Emma's arms. Emma just catching Regina, not expecting the little girl to jump into her.
"Hey kid. Happy to see me?" Emma laughed a little as she lifted Regina up a bit more and balanced her on her hip.
"Yea Emma." Regina said hugging Emma tightly.
Mary-Margaret and David couldn't help but smile as they watched Regina hugging Emma tightly. They both knew Emma was finding it hard to adjust to them raising Regina, and they both understood why but it was nice to see them both getting along and beginning to really bond as…well they supposed as sisters in a sort of way.
"We thought we'd drop in and see if you could come for lunch." Mary-Margaret said looking at David. "We were going to head to Grannies."
David nodded. "I could come along for some lunch. Didn't realise the time actually. Emma and I haven't really stopped all morning."
"Emma you come too." Regina said, more of a demand than a question.
"Regina…" Mary-Margret said in a tone that told Regina one thing, be polite.
Regina sighed a little and then put on a sickly sweet smile and said "Pleaseeeeee Emma."
Emma look over at Mary-Margaret and David, as if asking if they wouldn't mind her joining, which she realised was probably a bit silly as of course they wouldn't mind her joining them. She was their daughter after all. They both nodded at her and then she looked back at Regina and nodded her head. "Sure I'll come along Regina."
"Yey! I going to sit next to you Emma." Regina said happily cuddling into Emma.
They had made their way to Grannies, Mary-Margaret and David holding hands and Emma carrying Regina. Regina had walked a little of the way, well out of the Sheriff's office but then claimed she was too tired and wouldn't be able to make it to Grannies if she had to walk so Emma gave in and carried her. They sat down in a booth and just like Regina had said she sat beside Emma.
They ordered their food, mostly their usual order and sat and chatted for a bit. Emma turned to Regina. "So Regina you had a play date with Rose…was that fun?"
"Yes. Lots of fun. We played tea parties and mommies. We had lots of tea and food and we fed our babies." Regina said just as David took a drink of his water, making him choke a little when she said the last part.
Mary-Margaret patted him on the back a little and Emma couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she knew why he had choked. "David are you okay?" Mary-Margaret asked a little worried.
"Yes…" David gasped a little. "Fine…did she say fed babies?" He asked taking another drink of his water to hopefully help him recover from before.
Mary-Margaret nodded. "Yes she and Rose pretended to feed the dolls…" She said furrowing her eyebrows a little. "What did you think she meant?"
"I have no idea but I think I just saw her in her twenties for a moment there."
Mary-Margaret and Emma rolled their eyes. Then Regina began to talk again. "We played princesses too Emma."
"Oh really? That sounds fun." Emma said acting excited.
Regina nodded. "We were running away from the big dragon and the mean people that locked us in a tower and our handsome princes come save us." Regina explained.
"Handsome princes? She is far too young to be thinking of handsome princes." David said making Mary-Margaret and Emma laugh a little.
"Oh David she probably doesn't even understand it. I am sure we have plenty of time before you have to worry about boys." Mary-Margaret said.
"We better have. I already have enough with Emma." David mumbled.
"Me? And how do you have to worry about me?" Emma asked. "I am more than capable of handling myself."
"I know that but I am still your father and I will always worry no matter how old you get. Especially since that Hook has eyes for you." David said.
Emma rolled her eyes. Oh here we go again! "How many times do I have to tell you? Hook and I are nothing. We are not together."
"Yea daddy." Regina added in although she had no idea to what she was saying it to. She had no idea what they were talking about now. All she knew was that she was agreeing with Emma.
"If you say so Emma." David muttered.
Emma just left the conversation there not wanting to turn it awkward or anything. She turned back to Regina. "So it sounds like you had lots of fun at Rose's house then Regina." She said quickly trying to change the subject.
"Yes I did. Mommy says Rose can come to my house next time." Regina replied.
"Oh that will be good then." Emma smiled.
When their orders had arrived at the table they all dug in, chatting in-between eating. Regina picked at her food and Mary-Margaret and David tried to persuade her to eat a little more than just half of her little lunch but she was adamant she was not hungry enough for that. Once they had finished David paid the bill and then he came back over to the table. He looked out the window and sighed a little as he saw it was raining outside. He picked up Regina's coat.
"Okay Regina let's put your coat on." David said holding it out to her.
"No thanks daddy. Don't want coat on." Regina said jumping down off of the chair.
"Regina we need to put your coat on. Come on." David insisted but Regina just shook her head and frowned at David.
"Don't want coat on."
David sighed. He really didn't want a scene to be made in Grannies. That was the last thing he wanted. So he placed the coat on the table and he crouched down to Regina. "Regina I would really like you to put your coat on, do you know why?" He said hoping he could persuade her that putting her coat on was a good idea.
Regina shook her head. "Why daddy?" Regina asked.
David lifted her up and walked over to one of the windows in Grannies. "You see it's raining outside now and if we don't wear our coat outside when it is raining we get poorly."
"Poorly? Like I was before?" Regina asked turning away from the window and now looking at David.
David nodded his head. "Yes just like you were before. Now daddy really doesn't like it if you are poorly, did you like it?"
"No daddy." Regina said shaking her head.
"Okay then. So how about we put our coat on?" David asked.
"Okay daddy." Regina said. David put her down and they walked back over to the table. David picked up Regina's coat and he was about to help her put it on when she stopped him. "Wait daddy! Need toilet."
"Alright then, quickly go." He said and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched her run off. He thought he handled that situation quite well and gave himself a mental pat on the back.