So here is a chapter for you all. To let you all know I have added up all the votes and the Outlaw Queen story has won so that shall be the next story on my list so keep your eyes out if you are interested in that. If you voted for the other stories I will hopefully be writing them at some point. Also just for those who don't know I did write what was maybe going to be a one shot (I wasn't sure) but is now not as man asked for it to be continued. The story is called Darkness Within and is about Regina becoming the dark one instead of Emma so if you are interested in that check it out :-) I hope you enjoy this chapter!
A month had passed and it was a Thursday so it was Rumple's day with Regina. Belle had to work at the library which left Rumple some alone time with Regina, although he was not sure what they were going to do. He had sat Regina in the living room, watching her new favourite film Despicable Me (thanks to Henry) and was preparing a small snack for her. While he prepared her snack he tried to think what to do with his daughter.
He could take her to the park, but then he always took her to the park. He wanted to do something else. Lunch at Grannies was a normal thing for them too so that was out. He sighed and looked down at the fruit he had cut up. He had decided to go with a healthy snack, Cora's voice ringing in his ears telling him not to fill their daughter up on chocolate and sweets. He smiled a little at that. Cora was so protective of their daughter in every way.
He picked up the plate of fruit and walked out of the kitchen and back into the living room to see Regina now not sat on the sofa but kneel right in front of the TV and Rumple was sure if she moved any closer she would be inside the TV. "Regina you shouldn't sit that close to the TV." He said.
Regina looked round, sitting back on her feet. "Why daddy?" Regina asked.
"Because it will hurt your eyes and you will need to get glasses." Rumple explained and he sat on the sofa and placed the plate of fruit on the table. It was then that he wondered if his daughter as a grown up wore glasses. He really didn't know enough about her and he hoped once this spell was over Regina would give him the chance to find out more, even the silly things like whether she wears glasses or not.
"How will it hurt my eyes?" Regina asked, curious as ever.
"Well…it…" Rumple stuttered a little trying to think what he could tell Regina. He had no idea. "It just will Regina…Why don't you come sit up here beside me?" Rumple said patting the sofa beside him.
"Okay daddy." Regina said giving up on the conversation. She pushed herself up and ran over to the sofa and climbed up and sat beside Rumple cuddling into him. "Oh daddy this my favourite part." Regina said excitedly.
"Oh is it?" Rumple asked.
Regina nodded her head and then put on her best 'Agnes ' voice. "It's so fluffy!" Rumple couldn't help but laugh at this. He had watched this movie so many times over the past month that he knew it word for word. Regina could also quote it word for word and usually did when she watched it. "Daddy can you buy me a minion?" Regina asked with all seriousness.
"You want me to buy you a minion?" Rumple said trying to keep his face straight but he was struggling.
Regina nodded her head. "A minion would be very helpful. They help Gru out all the time." Regina replied.
It was clear to Rumple that Regina thought this whole film was real and would not understand why her daddy who could get her anything would not be able to get her a minion. He thought about how to break the news to Regina. "Well Regina I'm not sure if we could buy a minion…" Rumple started.
"Why not daddy?" Regina quickly interrupted.
"Well because…" Rumple said trying to think quickly on what to tell Regina. "Because…the minions help Gru don't they? If we bought one then what would Gru do?" He couldn't quite believe he was having this conversation. It wasn't a conversation he had ever thought he would have.
"Gru has lots of minions daddy. I'm sure he not mind if we buy one." Regina replied.
Rumple nodded his head at that. Of course Gru wouldn't mind. Where did he go from this? "I'm not so sure Regina…"
"You could phone him daddy. Henry said you know Mr Gru." Regina said now sitting up on her knees on the sofa.
"Oh Henry said that did he?" Rumple said. "Wait until I get my hands on that boy." Rumple muttered.
"Please daddy?" Regina said sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes.
Rumple sighed. "Okay we will phone Gru. But I can't promise he will let us have a minion Regina." Regina nodded happily and Rumple reached over and picked up his phone. He pretended to type in a number and press call and he put the phone to his ear. He waited for a couple of seconds and then he spoke. "Hello there Gru. I have a question for you from my little Regina." Rumple said and Regina looked up at him in amazement.
"Mr Gru on the phone?" She said her young mind being gullible and naive believing her father could talk to a cartoon man.
Rumple nodded his head. "Regina was wondering if you would be able to spare one of your minions to us?" Rumple asked to no one on the phone. He felt ridiculous but he had quickly found out that he would do anything for his daughter. Regina waiting, bouncing on her knees in excitement wanting to know the answer now. She so hoped that she would be able to have a minion. She really really really wanted one. "Okay, that's alright Gru. I will pass that onto Regina. Thank you anyway." Rumple said and then pretended to hang the phone up. He put his phone down and looked over to Regina who was looking up at him expectantly.
"What Gru say daddy? Can I have a minion?" Regina asked.
Rumple sighed a little. "I'm sorry Regina but Gru can't give us a minion. He has a big…project coming up and he needs all his minions to help him." Rumple said but his heart broke a little as he saw Regina's happy face turn so sad. It killed him to see her so sad. "But he did say that he could send us a toy minion if that would be okay?" Rumple added hoping to make his daughter happy again.
"He gonna send me a toy minion?" Regina asked her eyes brightening up a little.
"If you would like one…"
Regina nodded her head quickly. "Yes please daddy. I really want a toy minion."
A little later on in the day Rumple had received a text from Neal asking if he and Regina would like to join himself, Emma and Henry for lunch at Grannies. Rumple had texted back telling him they would love to join them but that perhaps they should get a take out from Grannies and head to the park to eat since it was a nice day. Although both had been crossed off Rumple's plans for the day he always liked to spend time with his son and grandson, and even Emma too now.
Neal had said he would do that and Rumple told him his and Regina's orders and that they would meet them at the park. He then got Regina ready and they were soon out at the park. Rumple pushed Regina on the swing until Neal, Emma and Henry arrived at the park. As soon as Regina saw them she quickly scrambled off of the swing and ran over to them and jumped into Emma's arms.
Everyone had thought it quite comical how little Regina had bonded with Emma. Emma seemed to be her favourite and Emma couldn't wait to let older Regina know this. "Hey Regina." Emma said with a laugh at the end as she caught Regina and hugged her.
"Hi Emma!" Regina squealed. Emma then put Regina down and she went over and hugged Neal's legs. "Hey big bro." Regina said and everyone laughed at that. It was another thing that Henry had taught Regina to say. He was using this time to his advantage.
"Hey Gina." Neal said ruffling Regina's hair.
Regina pulled away and patted her head to try and tidy her now messy hair. She then ran over to Henry and pulled on Henry's hand. "Henry guess what?!" Regina said excitedly.
"What Regina?" Henry asked in interested.
"My daddy talk to Mr Gru on the phone and Mr Gru gonna send me a minion." Regina said her excitement growing and growing as she told Henry.
"No way!" Henry exaggerated for Regina's benefit. "A real minion?"
Regina shook her head and frowned a little. "No daddy ask but Mr Gru doing a big…" Regina stopped not remembering what her daddy had told her. "Pro…proj…" Regina tried to say but stopped and looked up at Rumple for some help.
"A big project." Rumple added.
"Yes that and he need all his minions so he can't give me a real one. But daddy says Mr Gru gonna send me a toy minion instead." Regina said.
"Wow Regina you're so luck!" Henry said.
"She is indeed." Rumple added in. "Henry would you mind going with Regina to pick the best spot for us to have our lunch?" Rumple asked wanting to speak to Neal and Emma alone. Henry nodded and he took Regina ahead of the adults and they went to look for a place for them all to eat lunch. "I would like to ask a favour of you both…" Rumple started.
"Not sure I like the sound of that…" Emma said but she had a smile on her face.
Rumple chuckled a little. "It's nothing bad. I was just wondering if you could help me out with this Gru thing."
"In what way?" Neal asked.
"Well I want Regina to think that this Gru actually did send her this minion toy. Thanks to your son she thinks I am friends with Gru and she is more than certain everyone in that damn movie is real." Rumple said.
Both Neal and Emma laughed. "Not a fan of Despicable me?" Emma asked.
"After the hundredth time of watching it not so much. I could act in the film. However that is not the point. I would like it very much if you would perhaps send a minion toy to Regina's house. I will supply money for the toy and such like…" Rumple said.
"I'm sure we could help you. What you think Emma?" Neal said.
Emma nodded her head. "I am sure we are more than capable of sorting that out for you Gold. Is there to be a letter in there too?"
"She might like that." Rumple nodded.
"We will sort that then." Emma said with a smile.
A week had passed and Rumple had told Cora all about the Gru and minion thing and Cora had found the whole thing hilarious and kept teasing Rumple about his new friend Gru. Regina had asked whether her gift had come every day since then and had bugged Cora from the moment she got up to check the mail but nothing had come yet.
Regina was sat at the breakfast table eating her toast while Cora nipped out to check the mail. Cora smiled as she saw a parcel addressed to Regina. Finally her gift was here. Cora picked up the rest of the mail and walked back into the house. She placed the other mail on a table in the hallway and then walked through to the kitchen with Regina's parcel.
"Regina there is something for you today." Cora said as she entered the kitchen.
Regina looked down and as she saw a parcel in her mother's hand she squealed a little and stood up on the chair. "My minion from Mr Gru?"
"You will have to open it up and see." Cora said as she sat down in a seat beside Regina. "Now come on sit down on our chair nicely before you fall and we will open it up."
"Okay mommy." Regina said as she sat back down on the chair. She held her hands out and Cora handed her the parcel. She quickly opened it and squealed as she saw a soft toy minion. "It my minion my mommy. Mr Gru really did send me a minion!"
"So he did sweetheart. Cora said taking the packaging. She looked at it and saw there was a letter. She pulled it out and looked at it, a smile appearing on her face. Rumple really had got Emma and Neal to go to so much trouble over this. "Look Regina Mr Gru has written you a letter."
Regina gasped and she stopped hugging her new minion toy for a moment and looked over at the letter in her mother's hands. "What it say mommy?"
"Well…it says…" Cora started. "Dear Regina, I hope this minion toy will be okay for you. I am sorry I couldn't send you a real minion but I have lots to do and need all my minions to help me with my next plan. Perhaps one day, once we have finished our new plan I can maybe send you a real Minion. Until then I do hope you enjoy your new toy. From Gru." Cora read.
"Wow. That really from Mr Gru?" Regina asked in amazement.
"Your daddy did say he would send you a minion and you were there when daddy spoke to him on the phone." Cora said playing along.
Regina nodded her head. "This so cool mommy!" Regina said happily.
"It is Regina. Why don't you go put this letter somewhere special?" Cora said.
"Okay mommy." Regina said taking the letter from Cora and jumping off the chair, her minion tucked under her arm. She ran out of the kitchen and Cora smiled. The innocence of children. It was amazing what they would believe and Cora loved letting Regina believe in such things as this.