Chapter five

Regina slowly ran a finger down her daughter's face, who was slowly falling asleep, fully satisfied from her meal.

She smiled broadly at the happy girl, despite her joy at seeing the child, each moment of the past couple months had been somewhat bittersweet.

At least during the last two months she had Tamsin herself to make her feel better about the whole situation, but the nine months before had been nothing but torture.

Despite her parents' best efforts, nothing had been able to make her feel better as she imagined having her child without Emma there to support her.

When she had imagined being pregnant with Emma's child, she thought that the blonde would be with her the entire time, but instead she was stuck with her irritating charming parents who never knew the right thing to say no matter how much they tried.

Tamsin gurgled happily, as Henry had done many times in his infancy, and Regina had to blink away tears. There was a time that she didn't care that Emma had missed Henry's childhood, but since they had been together she had seen just how much the fact bothered the blonde, now each time Tamsin did something particularly cute, Regina would feel guilt consume her for getting to see it.

The former queen felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Cora smiling sadly at her granddaughter, "are you alright dear?" she ask softly.

Regina shook her head, and pulled Tamsin closer. Not for the first time she noticed that the baby had the same nose and chin as Emma and Henry, and she just wished that one day looking at her child wouldn't make her feel utterly miserable.

"No," Regina said simply, Cora was about to say something, but her daughter promptly stopped her, "I've had enough hope speeches for the day."

Cora chuckled and came and sat next to her, "that's why I'm here; Snow mentioned that she talked to you, so I assumed you would be irritated."

Regina smirked slightly at her mother, before she sighed and placed her head on her shoulder, "everything was perfect."

"Don't dwell on what could have happened, just look to the future."

"What future? One where Emma and Henry have no idea that we exist or one where my sister tries to take my child?" Regina snapped.

Cora winced and Regina deflated.

"It's not your fault mother."

The older woman sighed and lightly stroked Regina's hair, "it certainly is my fault, which is why I won't let anything happen to you or Tamsin."

Regina nodded, surprisingly her mother's words were much more reassuring than they had ever been before, but she still knew that Emma's probable threats to punch Zelena in the face would make her feel much better.

"So do we just sit here and wait?" Cora whined.

Emma rolled her eyes, though she internally smiled as she realised that Regina would probably say the same thing, "there's not much else to do, Cora."

The form Queen of Hearts scowled at the woman that she thought might as well have been her daughter-in-law, and had to resist the urge to slap her around the back of her head.

"What makes you so sure that this will help?"

"Villains are predictable," Emma explained, ignoring the scoff she continued, "we spread the rumour that we have a nearly complete memory potion, they'll show up to get it, it's an old bailbonds trick."

Cora smirked, making Emma furrow her brow, "what?"

"I was just thinking about how Regina ended up with a bailbonds...woman, rather than the royal that I had always hoped for."

"Hey..." Emma began feigning offence, "I'm a princess."

Cora looked down at the woman's clothes, and slight slouch, which resulted in Emma shifting uncomfortably in her seat, "I assure you, dear, I didn't mean it as a bad thing. Believe me, the comment was made out of relief. I do not mean to besmirch your grandfather..."

"Besmirch away," Emma laughed, making the other woman smile.

"You have no love for Leopold?"

Emma shrugged and leaned back.

Snow had told her a lot about her grandfather, but so had Regina. She was sure that she should have conflicting feelings about the man, but everything that her mother had told her was so obviously from the point of view of a child, that she couldn't even try to imagine them.

"It's more very cold indifference."

Cora nodded in understanding, "my point was that I'm glad she has you."

Emma raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "you didn't seem too fond of me before."

"I was being protective," Cora retorted, "and you are rather uncouth."

"Why does every Mills say that?" Emma sighed, causing the other woman to laugh.

"I'm sure Regina finds it endearing, dear."

"The word she used was cute," the blonde said proudly, "she blamed me all day for making her say that word."

Cora chuckled and they fell into a comfortable silence as they each thought about the brunette mayor, though their reminiscence was soon interrupted by the sound of smashing in town hall.

With a wave of her hand, Cora brought the pair to the office.

They each caught a glimpse of a black coat, before the woman disappeared in a cloud of green smoke.

Cora let out a growl of frustration and Emma fell back against the wall, "at least we know it's a woman," she sighed.

The other woman furrowed her brow and walked over to the cabinet full of failed potions that she had spent a day making.

"What is it?" Emma asked, pushing herself off the wall she came and stood next to her.

"I sealed this," she replied, shock dripping through her voice.

"So...whoever we're dealing with is like really powerful?" Emma sighed, why can't things ever be easy?

Cora shook her head, as she ran her hand over the broken rune that she had place upon the wood, "it's a simple spell to break, but..."

"Cora, you're freaking me out," Emma almost shouted as the woman stopped talking.

" It was blood magic, only one of my close relatives would be able to break the seal."

A/N Hope you guys enjoyed :)

Reviews would be much appreciated, and I haven't mentioned her yet in this story, so I need to thank QueenApples for being an amazing beta XD