It was two weeks after Regina's birthday and the brunette was in her office going over the resume for the paramedic interview she had in 10 minutes at 10:30. The woman seemed perfect and qualified enough. She was 31, no spouse, no children, she'd attended a pre-med college right out of highschool and had gone straight into paramedic work. First, with the Boston Fire Department Station 23 and then she had transferred to the York County paramedic union at large. The other important thing was that she was willing to relocate to Storybrooke and didn't have a problem with the paltry moving stipend Regina was offering. As long as she didn't completely offend the brunette, she had the job. They were getting desperate, just a few days ago there had been two calls at the same time and they had almost lost an elderly constituent to a heart attack. Thankfully, Emma had been able to keep his heart pumping until the ambulance could leave the three car accident that totaled two cars and put one person in intensive care. It had been a close call and no one wanted to repeat it. However none of them were quite sure how they were going to handle an outsider in a town that had no knowledge or connection to the town's real history. Her intercom buzzed then and Linda informed her that the prospective interview was here. She acknowledged the announcement and her office door opened.
A woman stepped through who was around Regina's height. She had curly red hair that fell in waves around her shoulders in a way that reminded her of pre-cut Emma. She was slim, but her athleticism was inherent in how she carried herself. She wore an off the rack grey women's business pant suit, white button down, and functional, if a bit chunky, black dress shoes. Regina rose and greeted her. They shook hands, "Hello, Mayor Swan-Mills, Magdalen McLaughlin, Maggie if you will," the woman introduced herself.
"Good to meet you Miss McLaughlin," Regina kept it professional and gestured to the seat before her desk and retreated to her own side, picking up the woman's resume, "So Miss McLaughlin, tell me a little bit about yourself," she leaned back in her chair and consulted the paper in front of her as the woman talked about her career thus far. So far so good, everything she was saying matched the resume. Which meant she was most likely not lying about her experience, "What inspired you to go into paramedic work? Do you see yourself staying in the field or do you intend to pursue further education and a PhD?" Regina asked once she'd finished reciting her education and work background.
Maggie nodded and smiled a charming smile that left the brunette feeling a little uncomfortable with it's familiarity, "Well my father and both of my brothers were firefighters, I was a late in life accident baby. My youngest brother was 17 when I was born. So growing up the firefighting life was all around me. I visited the stations they worked at all the time. I realized around 15 that I had an interest more with the paramedics I met on those visits. I focused on courses to pursue it in high school and went into pre-med in college," Maggie fixed another winning smile on her face. Regina nodded and smiled politely back. She seemed a little overzealous, but really was there anything wrong with that? She continued the interview, asking innocuous questions she was supposed to care about the answer too according to the business night class she'd taken at the community college two towns over when they were integrating into the "real world". The answers meshed within the margin of error and Regina was ready to offer the woman the job, "One last question, Miss McLaughlin? Why Storybrooke?" She really was genuinely curious what drew the woman to Storybrooke of all places.
That damnable smile again, "Well I've been looking for a change and actually, and now I'm making assumptions here, from your last name, but it was your wife actually. I met her a few weeks back on a call and then ran into her when we ran in a car accident victim from the town line. If I might be frank…" at Regina's wary nod she continued, "I figured if that handsome stud was the town Sheriff, it seemed a pretty fine town; even if she was sadly a married woman," Regina stared at the woman, a thousand different thoughts flashing through her head. All the way from her wife being called a stud, not that she was arguing the fact, to the audacity of this woman. Ultimately, her wife was a stud and while she did have a few jealous bones in her body, she wasn't opposed to people looking at what was hers, as long it stopped there. Finally finding her words Regina cleared her throat and spoke, "Well...then, I'd like to call your references, but tentatively and pending a background check, I would like to offer you the job," the woman let out a happy sound, at least Regina thought it was a happy sound and jumped up from her chair. "Thank you so much Madam Mayor. When can I start?"
Regina was a little taken aback, they were in desperate need but the woman's enthusiasm was a little unsettling, "I'll have the Sheriff uh...my wife, run the background check today and I'll call the references myself later on. How long would it take you to relocate?" Maggie was already moving towards the door, "I don't have a lot of personal possessions, I saw a sign for a bed and breakfast? I wouldn't mind staying there for a little while until I can find an apartment. So, basically I could be here ready to work in two weeks, long enough to turn in a notice at my current job." Regina stood from her chair, "Very well, assuming your references check out and the background check goes through, plan on two weeks. Welcome to Storybrooke Miss McLaughlin."
20 Minutes had passed and Regina was hanging up on the second of Maggie's four references when a knock on her door alerted her to the time and that lunch, along with her wife had arrived, "Come in, darling," she called out, setting paperwork aside and standing to greet her wife. "Hey, babe," Emma entered, carrying their food and two bottles of rootbeer, "Good day so far?" The blonde was finally off any restrictions, having passed the recertification at the police academy just a few days before and she was in fine form, "Yes, quite. I have a background for you to run, on our new paramedic, whenever you have the time, but sooner would better than later," they met at the sofa in the corner and shared a sweet kiss before Emma handed over her wife's lunch, caesar salad, dressing on the side, and took her own, a grilled ham and cheese with onion rings.
"Sounds good, I'm mostly through with my "needs to be done" pile at the station for the day, so I should be able to get it done today. You want it deep?" Emma bit into her sandwich and savored the first bite. Regina arched an eyebrow, "We are still talking about the background check I presume?" She purred, with a twinkle in her eyes. Emma choked on the rootbeer she'd been sipping, "Damn it, 'Gina," her wife just laughed and handed her a napkin, "Yes the background check…" she waited a beat, until the brunette was taking a sip, "Besides, I already know you like it deep." She fixed her lover with a heavy look, full of promise and it was Regina's turn to choke on her drink, "I deserved that, I suppose," the brunette laughed as she used a napkin herself.
Lunch continued uneventfully. They were finished eating and Regina had just disposed of the remnants of their meal, "Oh, so it turns out you apparently know our new paramedic, by the way," she used one of the baby wipes in her desk to clean her hands and joined her wife back on the couch. She shifted to face her wife, she'd almost forgotten the woman's familiarity with her "studly" wife. At Emma's questioning eyebrow she filled in, "Maggie McLaughlin?" The blonde searched her memory, "I've got nothing…" she trailed off as a memory surged forward, "Wait...early 30's, redhead, 5"6', 130? Potentially, overly friendly attitude?" Regina just nodded, "Yeah, I uh ran into her with Ruby a few weeks back," they settled back in on the sofa, there was still a little under 30 minutes left of their lunch break. "Hmm, apparently you made such an impression on her, with your studly countenance, that she felt inspired to join our ranks of first responders," Regina lifted her wife's arm and slid under it, draping it over her shoulder as she kicked off her heels and snuggled into her wife's side. Then again, a couple weeks ago. She was bringing in a patient when I was leaving from my doctor's release appointment," Emma settled back onto the couch and tried to ignore her wife's pointed look, she cleared her throat, "She uhh, may have hit on me...both times."
Regina made a noise somewhere between a grumble and a growl, "She hit on you after she knew you were married?" She tried to pull away from Emma's embrace, to better glare about the woman she'd just hired, but the hold tightened and she huffed back into place, "I think so, she talked about being sad I was still married," Emma kissed the crown of her head. "No respect, she's lucky we needed the position filled," Regina huffed, the woman had better watch herself, closely. Emma pulled her into a kiss then, one that left her wife breathless, "You're mine and I'm yours. You know that right? Nothing is going to change that."
Regina sighed, laying her head back down, "I know, I just don't like it when people try and...well whatever she was trying," she absently unbuttoned the middle of her wife's shirt and pulled the t-shirt from her jeans so she could idly stroke the muscled abdomen underneath the layers. Emma snickered, "Yes I think we all remember what you did to Hook and we weren't even dating yet," the filthy pirate had made his intentions more than obvious to anyone who would listen and after a particularly unsubtle attempt he had found his precious enchanted flask full of sand. Regina huffed, "Least Captain Guyliner spends his time drunk and at sea," Hook was one of the few people who had decided to leave Storybrooke and as far they knew he was sailing around the eastern seaboard as a "historical reenactor". He'd read up on Pirate History and turned his ship into a traveling museum of sorts, he'd hired a small crew as he traveled and these days he made pretty good money. "Yes, well. Good riddance," they lapsed into a comfortable silence then, Regina softly stroking and occasionally, lightly scratching across her wife's solid stomach. Emma absently tracing soothing pattern along her back.
"Oh, dad wants to borrow our grill again for the annual "Charming Bashtacular" next Thursday. I told him it was ok," Emma could practically feel her wife's eyeroll. Her parents had thrown the annual bash for the last two years. It had grown exponentially and become more of a town event. It was held in the park and was an all day event of games, food and general merriment. The previous year David had realized that if he borrowed their four burner grill and used it at the same time as his own, he could actually manage to feed the masses. "Of course, I suppose your mother has also requested the crab dip again?" While known for her lasagna, the brunette's crab dip had become a crowd favorite recently during the warmer months. She kept the "secret" of her recipe under lock and key. In truth her secret was using real crab, not the fake stuff. Emma grinned, "Yeah she may have mentioned it. Maybe you could make a double batch?" Regina laughed at the hopeful tone, "Means you're cracking more crab," the brunette hated that part, not enjoying the messy laborious task of cracking into pounds of snow crab. She'd been beyond amused when it turned out that the blonde loved cracking into the hard shells. Regina smothered a grin, wondering if it had anything to with the name of the crab.
Emma's alarm when off on her phone then, signaling the 10 minutes remaining mark left of their lunch. Regina sighed and slipped her hand from her wife's shirt, the blonde grabbed it and sweetly kissed tanned knuckles. They stood then and Emma re-tucked her t-shirt and buttoned the open buttons, "Oh, so I know we just had a trip away recently…" Emma peaked into the mirror by Regina's office door to finished straightening her uniform, "But I was wondering if you had any interest in going to Augusta with me this year? For the Law Enforcement Conference?" Regina stepped up to her, sliding one arm around her waist and straightening her tie with the other, "I'm intrigued, tell me more, my handsome Sheriff," she softly kissed pink lips. "Well, it's September 23rd-25th, Wednesday through Friday. I would only be unavailable from 9-3, so we could spend the rest of time hidden away in a hotel suite...coincidentally it should be right around the cycle after next…" They kissed softly again and Regina hummed her approval of the plans so far, "I've mapped it out already. It's mom and dad's Friday to have Henry. We could probably talk them into keeping him until Sunday…" another soft kiss that left Regina weak in the knees, "So what do you say? Go away with me? Make a baby with me?"
Emma's phone signaled the end of lunch and Regina sighed. If she'd been prone to such things, she would've said that her wife's words made her swoon, but she wasn't and she definitely didn't, that was her story at least, "That, Emma Swan-Mills, sounds wonderful, however…" her wife frowned, she'd thought it the perfect plan, "Since you planned the wonderful surprise for my birthday, I would like to take care of our reservations?" Emma grinned as they pulled apart, preparing to return to their respective days, "Sure, babe! The conference is at the Civic Center, so close by there would be good?" Regina nodded and after another chaste kiss, Emma was out the door and headed back to work.
It was the following Thursday, the day of the "Charming Bashtacular", the entire town was basically shut down. Even Granny's was closed after breakfast hours ended. It was 10am and Emma was coming down the stairs in the mansion to retrieve her boots. She was dressed in the uniform she required of herself and her deputies at all town events. Jeans (she'd remembered to pick her men's jeans, any day now the cycle would start) and the black polo with "Storybrooke Sheriff's Department" stitched in silver thread on one side of the chest and "Sheriff E. Swan-Mills" stitched on the opposite, she had two of the three buttons on it done up. Her service weapon was attached on her right side to the thick brown belt looped through her belt loops, a shiny gold badge attached to the front of her jeans on the left side. Her handcuffs were in their trusty leather pouch at the small of her back on the right side, she just needed her black Timberland boots that were part of her normal uniform. She was lacing them up in the foyer when heavy footfalls pounded down the stairs as Henry came thundering down. As a skinny, slightly scrawny but starting to fill out 15 year old, it always surprised both his mother's how loud he could be, "Gramps texted 911, gotta go! See you there!" He snagged his tennis shoes and bolted out the front door. Emma wasn't worried, if it had been a serious emergency her father would've contacted her, not her 15 year old son. "Everything ok with our stampede of angry elephants?" Her wife's naturally husky voice sounded behind her. Emma turned, taking in the sight of her wife who had stopped three steps from the bottom and every part of her tightened, dampened and hardened into instant arousal.
Regina had outdone herself, Emma found her at her most attractive when her look was simple and understated and she'd really risen to the occasion today. She was barefoot in an apple red summer sundress with thin black edging, dark hair was loose and fell in waves around her shoulders, she wore lipstick, eyeliner and Emma knew a layer of concealer on the right side of her neck, hiding a hickey from the night before. "You're beautiful, babe," Emma whispered, never ceasing to be in awe of her sexy wife. Regina flushed at the compliment, she felt her underwear dampen at the look of utter desire on her wife's face. She uttered a soft, "Thank you," it had taken a good deal of coaxing for her to start dressing down for town events, but these days she was comfortable showing her softer side in front of her constituents. They still respected her at the end of the day and that was the important part and also the part that still floored her after her past. Emma was striding across the foyer then, as Regina came down the last three steps and met her wife at the base. Emma wrapped arms around her waist and they were kissing, tongues sliding together as the blonde pinned her wife against the wall and Regina felt her arousal climb higher, wetness seeping through her panties and clinging to her thighs.
Emma pulled away to lave attention on the left side of her neck, careful to avoid the makeup covered rightside, she was also conscious of not leaving another mark, her wife would kill this soon before an event. Hands fisted in Emma's shirt, "Oh, God, my love!" Regina gasped at when strong hands raised the hem of her knee length dress, pulling it up past her hips and pushing red lace panties that matched the dress down her thighs and pulling a leg around her trim waist after her wife kicked them away, "Do we have time?" The brunette panted, hooking her leg over Emma's holstered service weapon, from experience she knew it was a convenient resting place, "Don't care," the blonde whispered before pushing aside a shoulder strap and sucking at the skin it would cover as she brought a hand between them. She ghosted fingers over a swollen clit and thrust two then three fingers inside her. They were on a time limit and she needed to be inside her wife's dripping cunt.
Regina moaned, her head dropping back against the wall as her body undulated against her wife, "Oh, fuck! Baby, fuck!" Her voice dropped to it's deepest, huskiest register and Emma groaned as she pounded into her harder and faster. Adding a fourth finger and curling them roughly striking her g-spot on each stroke inside. "Oh, fuck. Emma!" The brunette cried out at the stretch. She gripped strong shoulders, rolling her hips, barely a minute had passed and Regina was almost embarrassed by how fast she was climbing. Mere seconds from falling into an orgasm. Her body rolled and moved against her wife, her whole being tensing and then, she was coming, ejaculating hard and shuddering. Emma pulled out and cupped her cunt, rubbing at her and stimulating her further. Regina cried out as her pussy suddenly clenched at nothing and her clit was strummed expertly, cascading her into a second orgasm before the first was down. Emma stilled her hand but left it cupping her lover's throbbing centre, she rested her forehead against her panting, moaning wife's, "Fuck," the blonde whispered. Regina smiled, her sparkling eyes opened and she smiled at the blonde as she cupped her cheek, "I believe you just did, darling," she twitched and moaned as an aftershock rolled through her.
Emma groaned, then laughed, "I love you." Regina dropped her leg to the floor and grinned brightly, "I love you too my beautiful, handsome wife," she smoothed her dress down, "Do you need me too?..." She trailed the question off as she traced the edges of the shiny gold badge, she did love her wife in the casual uniform. Emma shook head, "God, I wish there was time." Regina smiled softly and cupped her cheek, kissing her softly and languidly, "Just let me step into the bathroom and clean up a little, then we can go? Will you grab the dip from the fridge?" The blonde nodded and watched her wife walk away. She bent then to retrieve the red lace panties her wife had kicked away and with a grin tucked them into her left hip pocket. She straightened and used her magic to remove the evidence of their quickie from the foyer floor and her jeans and made her way towards the kitchen.
Emma pulled into a parking place at the park just 5 minuets later than they were supposed to arrive, she grinned at her wife, "See, almost on time." Regina rolled her eyes, "I suppose it's close enough," she caressed a jean clad thigh, "If anyone asks, it was your fault, because it was," Emma just grinned and agreed. It had been her overwhelming desire for her wife after all that made them late. Both women jumped when something impacted the driver's window. Emma jerked and went for her gun as she looked out the window, the blonde sighed and relaxed.
"What the fuck, Ruby?" Emma questioned as she stepped out of the truck and faced the identically clad deputy, save for the silver stitching over her left breast that read Deputy R. Lucas and that her polo had all three buttons undone, she had her hair done and an elastic hairtie around one wrist, just incase, "I've been waiting for you to get here! You're late and I need to talk to you!" Regina arched an eyebrow, "I'm going to go mingle, darling. Do try to breath, Ruby dear," a chaste kiss between wives and the brunette was heading off across the park, thankful for the strappy red flats she'd chosen to wear, grass could be terrible in heels.
"Alright, what's up?" Emma turned to her deputy and friend, they started towards the celebrators. Ruby intentionally leading them wide around the outside of the milling people. "I need some advice," the tall brunette started as they walked and surveyed the crowd for anything suspicious, "You're the most romantic person I know." Emma stopped suddenly, "What!? I am not, not even close," the blonde exclaimed. She snagged a running toddler by his collar and held him until his flustered mother could catch up. "Thanks, Sheriff," the out of breath woman flushed, taking her son and heading back towards the main part of the party.
The two officers continued walking, "Come on, who just took their wife on a surprise birthday getaway?" Emma made a noise of pride, she had done that, "Who proposed to said wife with a bouquet of 11 red roses with a single purple one in the center, telling her that "she was the one that had made a difference in your life. The one that made you feel complete" then there you were on one knee holding that ring you spent 6 months salary on." Emma grinned she had done that too, "Ohhh, it wasn't that romantic!" She protested, "Emma, you rented a horse and carriage, took her out to the overlook, where you took her on your first date… and proposed just as the first snow started to fall," Ruby was getting exasperated, she needed her advice. She needed the woman to understand that she knew what to do.
Emma sighed as they circled the far side of the park, "I guess I might be a little romantic…but the snow was a coincidence," they smiled and nodded to random citizens as they passed them. "Ems, you had the entire hall in tears when you gave your vows, even Regina cried! In public!" They stopped to help a family of five wrangle two toddlers, a 6 month old and a trunk full of supplies for the kids and contributions for the party. They returned to their slow circuit of the park, "Fine, Ruby. What do you want?" Emma finally caved.
Ruby made a noise of excitement, "I want...I need to do something special for Belle. I want to take her on our first real date, not just dinner at my place or hers followed by a movie...I have no idea how to plan something like this," they stopped to admonish a group of teenagers that had managed to swipe a couple of beers from the community cooler in the central hub of the party. They confiscated the alcohol, emptied the bottles and continued around. "Have you asked her out yet?"
In the meantime, Regina had made her way into the central hub of the large party. The turnout seemed larger than last year. She smiled and greeted people along the way, stopping to chat and shake a few hands. She finally came into view of the main shelter house, she arched an eyebrow at the sight that greeted her. David and her son were elbow deep in one of the two grills. Theirs if she wasn't mistaken. She didn't mess with the large outdoor cooking gadget much, it was Emma's baby and she left her to it, "What on earth are you doing?" She strode into the shelter house and set down the large pyrex bowl full of crab dip. The open air room was mostly empty, just the boys and Snow. David looked up guiltily, she suppressed a smirk at the grease streaked across one of the blonde's cheeks, "Oh, Regina! Hi!" He sounded way too happy to see her, "Well, I got the adapter on and started to hook up the propane tank," they used natural gas for the grill at the house, Emma had had an outside hookup installed the summer before and it was more convenient, "But I was in a hurry and crossthreaded the new tank, now we can't get it to unscrew and I can't use the grill because the connection isn't solid and I'd probably blow up the whole party," he wiped at his forehead, leaving another black streak across it, "I called Henry earlier, he's been helping, probably not a great idea. If I blow it up, I'll blow him up too and what kind of grandfather blows up his own grandson?!" Regina held up a finger to end his rambling, lord he was his daughter's father.
She strode towards the pair, shooing them both away, she smothered a smile at the image of David in his event uniform and "kiss the cook" apron. "Wipe your face, David," she reached into the enclosed opening beneath the stainless steel grill. Purple light flared and she pulled the detached tank out. David sagged in relief, "Never thought I would be thankful for your magic, thanks Regina!" He hugged her, kissing her cheek, "It's no problem, dear," Granny came bustling up then arms full of supplies for the grills. Regina started to help her mother-in-law and the diner owner sort the meat, buns and condiments.
Emma and Ruby had finished their talk and were weaving their way through the crowd towards the center. They paused when a citizen stopped them to complain to Emma about a noisy neighbor. Belle joined them and looped her arm through her girlfriend's. She whispered something to the taller woman and teased her fingers over the skin visible through through the open vee of her polo, Ruby flushed and cleared her throat. Emma rejoined them, smiling at the happy couple. Together, they continued towards the center. They finally broke through the crowd and Emma groaned at the sight of her wife bent over a drinks cooler by the picnic table that was set up as the serving line. Ruby and Belle wandered over towards where Granny was lining up plates of condiments and side dishes with a critical eye before rearranging them for the third time. Emma stepped up to her wife, wrapped her arms around her and kissed her soundly but chastely on the lips, Henry groaned from behind them, "They're starting up a game of soccer in the field. I think I'm going to go join them," he announced before heading out of the shelter. Now that his grandfather was done with him, he was free to hang out with his friends.
Emma released her wife and retrieved a can of coke for herself from the cooler next to the one her wife had dug a bottle of unsweet tea from, "Do you guys need any help, at the moment?" Emma asked her parents. David was waving his hand over the grill, relieved that it was hooked up properly and heating up, "Nah, I think we're ok. We might need some help around noon when I start cooking." Emma glanced at her Casio tactile watch, it was a quarter until 11, "Alright, well we're going to wander then," her parent's acknowledged the statement and Regina tucked a hand through her arm and they strode away, Emma leading them towards the line of gaming and shopping booths. The party had really taken off since the first year her parents had thrown it. They were the organizers but it had really become some kind of town festival. This was the first year they had opened it to vendors to help ease the cost of the event. It seemed to be a popular addition. There were easily a couple dozen booths, people selling handmade crafts, a few food booths selling mostly snack items. No one wanting to tread on Charming toes. Another handful of the booths were gaming booths, people were tossing rings and chucking ping pong balls, throwing darts and plucking rubber ducks from kiddie pools.
Regina smiled at all the merriment around them. Her town was truly flourishing, since the integration, things seemed to be settling into a sense of relaxed existence. Most people were happier here than in the enchanted forest, their lives were better really. They stopped at a ball toss and Emma grinned as she handed over $3 and accepted 3 balls. She winked at her wife and eyed the stacked bottles, weighed the ball in her hand and chucked the ball with enforce to rattle the back wall when it exploded through the bottles and knocked them off the pedestal. The guy running the booth frowned but reset the bottles as Regina placed a sweet kiss to her wife's lips.
Emma repeated the performance, knocking all six bottles down again and the operator sighed as he began resetting them for the blonde's final throw. He had a feeling he was losing one of the big ones this time. "Quite impressive, Sheriff," Regina purred into her wife's ear. She stroked a muscled forearm and delighted in the shiver that ran through her wife. The man cleared his throat and the two women pulled apart. Emma took up the last ball and eyed the six bottles again. She let the ball fly and unsurprisingly it slammed into two of the bottom bottles and sent them all scattering, "Pick any prize," the guy sighed, gesturing to the lurid array of multi colored stuffed prizes hanging around the top of his tent. Emma just grinned and pointed to the large stuffed horse in the corner with Palomino colors. The man handed it over and the blonde flourished it to her wife with a bright smile, "For my, Queen," she dropped into an exaggerated bow. "Thank you, my love," Regina took the offered prize from her wife, pulling her up to stand as they both ignored the stares. Mostly they were amused and indulgent. They left the booth and continued on their way, the horse tucked under one arm and the brunette tucked the other through her wife's again as they made their way in and out of a few shopping booths.
They were just exiting a booth selling homemade soaps. Regina adding the paper bag with her purchases into the bigger paper bag she'd acquired at the booth selling spices that had been native to the enchanted forest, when they heard a child's squeal, "R'ina 'nd Em! Go!" They turned and found Ashley carrying a squirming Neal. The blonde headed for them, following the instructions of the two year old in her arms. When they close enough, the toddler launched himself at his sister. Emma caught him easily and swung the giggling boy up onto her shoulders. He kicked his feet against her chest and wrapped tiny chubby hands in her short hair.
Ashley smiled at the excited little boy, "I was just on my way to drop him with his parents," Regina smiled and situated her bags so she could tickle a sock clad foot, "He refused to put them on this morning," the younger blonde provided. Regina smiled up at the laughing boy, grimacing for her wife when tiny hands pulled at her hair, "We can take him if you like," the brunette offered. Ashley grinned, happy to be getting back to her husband and daughter sooner, "Sure, here's his bag, his shoes are in there, he's not had his nap yet, so he'll probably go down soon," she handed over the bright blue bag of toddler supplies that Snow packed him away with when he went anywhere that wasn't their place or home. Emma took the proffered bag, keeping one hand on Neal's legs. She slid it over her shoulder and used both hands again to hang on to her brother, "Thanks, have a good day Ashley," they parted ways and headed back towards the shelter house. Neal happily babbling away about his day so far as he looked around at all the sights and smells.
They stopped so "he" could watch a glassblowing demonstration with wonderment on his face. Regina set down the horse and her purchases down so she could snap a picture of the two siblings staring raptly at the woman behind a safety shield manipulating molten glass. Neal was leaning over Emma's head, hands fisted in her hair and the blonde was staring just as intently as the glass took shape. Regina sent the picture to Snow, letting the pixie haired woman know they had Neal now and that he was safe. Almost immediately she got a heart emoji back from the woman she used to hate and she shook her head at how far they'd come, "It's getting close to noon, darling, we should head back," she prompted the two as she set the picture to her lockscreen and slipped the phone back into her purse.
They made their way back to the shelter house a little before noon. Emma set her brother down and he ran towards their father to inspect the grills that were ready to go. Regina set her armful down and they were headed over to Snow when a familiar red headed figure in jean shorts and a red tank top entered the shelter, "Sheriff, you're looking good today," Maggie McLaughlin made a slow perusal of Emma's body. Regina eyed the other woman, while her wife struggled for a response to the blatant appraisal of her body, "Miss McLaughlin, how are you settling into town?" She was determined to remain professional, she could feel the eyes of Snow, David, Ruby and Granny on them. Only Neal and Belle were preoccupied playing a game of pattycake. Maggie reached into a marked cooler and pulled out a dripping bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade. She'd been in town for a week, had started work on Monday, by all account she was good at her job. Regina wasn't sorry she'd hired the woman, just wished she'd stop blatantly hitting on her wife, damn it.
"Your town is very fascinating, I've been in small towns before, but never seen this level of...togetherness," Maggie opened her drink and took a deep swallow. Regina wrapped a possessive arm around her wife's waist, a arm automatically came around her shoulders and she smiled at the gesture, "We do strive to keep a family atmosphere," she gave her best mayoral glare. David stepped forward then, Maggie eyed his casual uniform, "We've not meet yet, I'm David, I'm Emma's…" he hesitated, realizing he couldn't very well say he was her father, he was very clearly her age, younger technically according to his birth certificate. "Brother, he's my brother," Emma supplied, finally finding her voice as she kissed the crown of her wife's head. David nodded, it worked, "This is my wife Mary Margaret, that's our son, Neal, playing with Belle over there," he pointed to where Belle sat with Neal in her lap. Maggie lazily appraised David with a slow perusal of his body, "I see all the Law Enforcement in this town are spectacular examples of humanity. I see you over there, Deputy Lucas," Snow gawped at the woman. Regina smirked at least it wasn't only her spouse, Ruby slowly turned from where she'd gone back to helping Granny. Her own eyes trailed over of the lithe body of the red head. They stopped at her breasts and finally made it to her face, eye contact was made and Maggie grinned winking, but then Ruby shrugged with an "Ehh" face and turned back to her task. Maggie's face fell, "Uhh, well, I guess I'll leave you guys to it then…" that never happened to her and she didn't know how to respond to the blatant brush off, one last look at Emma and she was gone from the shelter house.
"Ruby Lucas that was genius," Emma informed her friend as the taller brunette made her way to her girlfriend and Neal, Granny having shooed her away. She settled onto the bench beside the pair and draped an arm around Belle's shoulders, "Thanks, I know her type, seemed a good way to send a signal." Neal yawned then. He clambered down and he beelined for his favorite nap buddy, tugging her hand until she settled onto the bench she'd been standing in front of. He climbed into Regina's lap, so he could face Emma and smiled sleepily at the blonde as he rested his head on her wife's shoulder. It was more or less his nap time and the excitement of the day was getting to him. "Sometimes I swear you put a sleeping spell on him," Snow shook her head at the pair of them. Regina just grinned. She hadn't of course, but it had been something no one could explain since Neal was just a baby, the brunette had a calming effect on him. Regina stroked his back as he relaxed. He fidgeted a little, fighting the pull of sleep when so much was going on. They were sitting close enough that he found his sister's pocket fascinating to fidget with as the adults talked, he slipped his thumb into his mouth and frowned when it was pulled right back out.
Emma's eyes widened when a flash of red passed her peripheral vision and she looked down to find her brother tugging on the emerging scrap of fabric from her pocket. Her wife's panties from their activities at the mansion. She shoved them back into her pocket and raised her eyes to find all the adults staring, "Uhh, my handkerchief?" Regina smothered a laugh into Neal's hair, the others just nodded, unconvinced. The brunette shifted the toddler to her other side and away from his sister. He pouted but buried his face in her neck and sighed as he relaxed and promptly fell asleep.
Henry appeared then, sweaty and out of breath from his soccer game. He flopped onto the seat beside his mother's and Emma wrinkled her nose. About a year he ago he'd started producing what she teasingly called "stinky man sweat" or SMS. Regina swiped a stray smear of dirt from his cheek, "You should go wash up dear, you're not getting anywhere near the grill like that," he'd volunteered to help his grandfather work the grills this year, a job that Emma had done before. "Yeah, yeah, SMS," he grumbled good naturedly. He stood and grabbed a bottle of water from a cooler, "So I know it's a weekday…" he said after he'd drained the water bottle, "But it's summer..." Regina cut him off, "Nick got something new and you want to stay over don't you?" He grinned, "Yeah, Michael already got permission to stay too," he scratched at his cheek, annoyed by the peach fuzz that was becoming more and more apparent by the day. Regina sighed as she contemplated his request. He'd not been home very long since his summer camp and she was loathe to let him go so soon, "I suppose, but only because school is out, don't think this will become a habit." He fist pumped and bolted for the bathrooms to wash up.
Regina sighed, "He's growing up so fast," she shifted so she could lean against her wife and keep Neal securely in her lap. Emma wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "I think it's time, Regina, to talk to Dad," she held her wife close and rested her head against her wife's. "But he's my little boy, Emma," the brunette pouted. She'd known this day would come, had seen it coming for the last little while now. "I know, but he's your little boy who has enough fuzz on his face that it's noticeable. I think it's time to ask Dad to teach him to shave," Emma smothered a grin, she could practically feel her wife's frown. Regina sighed, she'd noticed today too, between their son's dark hair, pale complexion and the sweat and dirt that covered him, it had been particularly obvious that he hadn't been shaving, "Alright, fine. He is starting to look a little unkempt, he needs a haircut also," she sighed again, watching as he returned from washing up and accepted an apron and spatula from his grandfather. She shifted Neal more comfortably against her and relaxed against the back of the bench.
They watched as their son accepted a plate heaping with raw hamburgers and started to gently lay them on the grill he was manning. Emma smiled as he attentively laid the meat carefully and sprinkled just the right amount of seasoning over each patty, just like she'd taught him. Regina eyed his motions, something seemed different about their son...suddenly her eyes widened, "Emma Swan-Mills, he has definition!" The brunette's voice was more of hushed whisper, so as to not disturb the toddler sleeping on her. Emma took sudden interest in the soda bottle she'd retrieved from one of the coolers, "Hmm? Say what now?" The innocent act wasn't fooling anyone, much less her wife, "Henry has biceps! Starting to anyway! You've been letting him in the gym haven't you!?" The last was said with an accusatory tone. Emma scratched at the back of her neck as her face flushed at being caught, "He asked, he want's to try out for the soccer team when he starts High School in the fall...I just thought, what could it hurt?" Regina frowned as she watched their son testing the cooking meat, to see if it was ready for flipping, "I'm just not ready, Emma. He's 15! We just signed the Driver's Ed permission slip, now he wants to play sports and work out! He's already shaving!" Regina was starting to hyperventilate and Neal stirred against her. Emma laid a comforting hand on her wife's arm as her other hand drew soothing circles over her back, "Hey, it's ok. It's going to be ok. He's growing up, he's supposed too. They all do it, Neal's doing it, our future kid will do it too." Regina's entire body relaxed and she sighed, soothing over Neal's back and he settled back down.
"I know, I just…" she stubbornly commanded her eyes to not water, they more or less listened, "I think that's part of the recent...panic, at his growing up...we're having a new baby, trying to at least and I know he said he's fine with it…" She stroked over Neal's tiny back and placed a kiss to the top of his head, "I can remember, quite vividly, doing this with him. Holding him as he napped, because he fell asleep and I just didn't have the heart to set him down." Emma smiled and placed a loving hand over her wife's on her brother's back, "I know, but you'll make new memories and one day in the future, there will even be grandkids to spoil and cuddle," Regina frowned heavily at that thought, "Besides, if we're being honest, I think Neal here is going to have a bigger problem with a new baby then Henry," Regina looked startled, she hadn't even considered the effect a new baby would have on the tiny boy who had stolen her heart.
"We'll just have to make sure, that he knows that all our hearts are big enough for more than one baby," Snow whispered as she leaned down from behind them. Regina startled, she covered Neal's ears, "Goddamnit, Snow," she growled the curse. Snow smiled, "So you're pregnant?" The gleeful tone wasn't lost by either woman, "No, at least not that we know of yet." The pixie haired woman touched her shoulder kindly, "Soon, it will happen soon, just have hope." Regina grimaced, "You get a quarter from The Hope Commission every time you say that, don't you?" she asked with an arched eyebrow and quirk to her lips. Snow just grinned and winked at her daughter-in-law.