Chapter 5.
"What is that?" Emma asked as her father came closer with a cardboard box with air holes poked into sides of it.
"It's Ruby's gift." He reached into the box and held up a squirmy fluffy grey retriever puppy. "She just came to the animal shelter."
Regina looked up from her book noticing what David was holding up. "No you can't have that here. Take it back. Do you know how messy new dogs are."
David pouted. "She will be gone tomorrow. It is just for one night." Henry petted the puppy giggling when she licked his hand. Emma took it out of her father's hands and held her in his. Snow came into the room and rushed over no questions asked about where it came from, wanting to pet the adorable dog.
"Is it even house trained?" Regina asked crossing her arms trying to ignore the blonde adoring the little creature.
"She is. I asked Bill, he swore she is and I got her some kibble and this, isn't it cute." He took out the mini dog bed from the box. Regina exasperated. Emma moved towards her holding the puppy in her arms moving her paws with her hands.
"Pwease Mwiss Mills can I stay?" Emma asked in a baby voice causing the brunette's lips to quirk into a smile before she could stop herself.
"No." She remained in the same position not wanting to let the cuteness get to her again.
"I don't wanna go back to the shelter." Emma said actually showing her puppy eyes and seeing something flash in Emma's eyes as she uttered those words caused Regina to freeze. Emma looked away not wanting others to see the hurt that her own words had caused her. Regina noticed though and wanted to run over and comfort her.
Henry pouted. "Please mom, it's just one night."
She nodded wordlessly and sauntered away but not before calling back to them. "She sleeps in the kitchen. That way if she does have an accident it doesn't cause me to get new carpets."
"Yes!" Henry took the puppy off his mom and put her on the ground. Emma cleared her throat trying to keep her emotions in check.
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Emma went to bed that night going over what she said and hating herself for letting herself get upset over something so small. The self loathing made her mind go over every small problem she had lately making them all glob together, eventually making herself cry for over an hour and keeping her up. An hour after she stopped the tears she had given up on sleep and made her way downstairs to get a drink. She stopped at the bottom step when she heard voices in the kitchen.
"You are very cute." She heard a small laugh and gently pushed the door open. She peeked her head in to see Regina on her knees in front of who she was talking to.
"Who is the cutest puppy, you are. Yes you are." She watched amused at the interaction as Regina scratched behind the dog's ears with a goofy smile on her face as it wagged it's tail. She put a piece of tinsel on the ground and put the dog on the ground smiling as it played with the red shiny tinsel. She watched for over five minutes before she felt odd for spying on the two.
"I knew you were a big softie." Emma proposed as she walked into the kitchen. Regina froze while holding the puppy in her hands and slowly put her down.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough." Emma knelt down beside her to pet the excitable puppy who was licking Regina's hands wanting to be petted again. "I thought you didn't want this one here."
"I didn't..." Regina picked the puppy up and hugged her close. "But she is so adorable." Regina cooed down at the happy dog.
"Henry named her Scarlet."
"It's not his dog." Regina grumbled not wanting her son to get attached to something they couldn't keep.
"He thinks it fits. Ruby and Scarlet." She laughed at it and scratched behind her ears getting closer to the woman holding her.
"I guess it does. Why are you down here?" She asked curiously.
"I...uh, couldn't sleep. Even with these comfy pyjama bottoms." She added with a smile to distract the mayor from what was keeping her up. It did the trick. Regina smiled to herself.
"Gold suits you."
Emma gagged. "Ugh when you said that you made me think of Mr. Gold."
"You did sleep with his son, what's his name."
"Neal." Emma sighed. "That was a decade ago. People need to realise that I have grown up. I don't want him."
"You did in Neverland." Regina shot back.
"I wanted him alive, I didn't want him." She gave a thin smile.
"I get it." She tapped Emma's thigh lightly causing the blonde to burst into a grin. "So his advances won't get him anywhere?" She asked hopefully.
"Nowhere. I don't want him."
"Because of the pirate?" She asked wanting to rule him out too.
"I am sure he wants my father more than he wants me." She laughed. "I don't think I could date someone who has been wearing the same outfit since I met him."
Regina gagged this time. "He was wearing that when I met him! In the old land." Emma groaned with a smile and laughed as she continued to pet Scarlet. Regina licked her lips as she peered down at the blonde. The dog in her arms stopped it's playful squirming and relaxed at Emma's touch.
"She seems to like you." Regina pointed out as she leaned a little closer. Emma picked up the tinsel and waved it over Scarlet's face and watching in amusement as the dog played with it.
'I do too'
"I like her too, how long have you been down here with her?" Emma asked looking up at the brunette.
"I came down for a snack and she just came waddling towards me and I got distracted."
"So you didn't get your snack?" She groaned as she got to her feet and trudged towards the fridge. "What are you in the mood for?"
'You.'
"Huh, um, I was just going to have the strawberries, why what were you going to have?" Emma took out a bowl and tipped the small basket of strawberries into it and sauntered back to her.
"I was gonna have a grilled cheese but some fruit would probably be better." She lied and knelt back down beside the brunette. Regina stopped petting Scarlet to take a strawberry. Scarlet whined loudly.
"No, no, shush." She dropped the berry and went back to petting her. "Can you give me a hand?"
Emma stared at her before picking up a large strawberry and bringing it to Regina's lip. The brunette wrapped her lips around it before taking a bite causing red juice to drip from her full lips. Emma bit her own lip as her breathing became sharper, she swiped her thumb over Regina's lips catching the last of the juice. They both looked up at each other with pink cheeks. Emma let out a nervous laugh while the mayor licked her lips.
'She is so incredibly gorgeous. I want to be that strawberry.'
'Hmm, I...I should not be this turned on. Did I make the wrong move?'
"I uh, I meant pet Scarlet so my hands would be free." Regina informed her looking down at the dog. Emma blushed darker, feeling her ears burn. She couldn't believe how bad she misread the situation or how turned on the simple action made her feel.
"Sorry, I thought...I didn't mean to make you...I'm sorry." Emma flustered looking down avoiding eye contact as she fiddled with a stem of a strawberry.
Regina smiled happily at her. "Don't be." She held the dog up and teased the blonde. "Don't be silly Mwiss Swan." Emma threw a strawberry at her making her burst into laughter. "You wouldn't want to get little Scarlet messy." She warned holding her up again as a shield.
Emma took a strawberry and booped it off Regina's nose.
"Quick Scarlet get her." She let the dog down and watched as she waddled over to the sheriff licking her hands. "She is not the best attack dog."
"No she isn't." Emma agreed as the dog ran around the kitchen island still excited.
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Henry ran into the kitchen, awake earlier than usual wanting to play with Scarlet before school. He found Emma leaning against the kitchen island fast asleep and snoring with Regina resting her head on her shoulder and Scarlet in between them curled into a little ball of grey fluff. He tiptoed out of the room and once in the hall he sprinted up the stairs in search of his mom's camera. He thrashed around the closet in the hall knowing she had a big professional one in there that usually made an appearance at big events of his. He found it and grumbled to himself as he tried to figure out if he had it on.
"Caught you." David rested his hands on his shoulders. "What are you doing?"
Henry grabbed his hand and led him downstairs.
"What's going on? Why are you not talking?"
"Shush!"
Henry opened the door of the kitchen and tip toed in. "Look."
David walked in taking in the adorable sight. "Your mom will kill you if you get proof of this." He whispered at his grandson who ignored them by creeping closer to get a better shot.
The flash woke them up.
"What the hell!" Emma jumped waking up the brunette who quickly wiped the edge of her mouth.
"Ugh what time is it?"
"Almost seven." Henry told them as he put the camera to the side before kneeling down to pet a sleeping Scarlet. Emma stretched her arms above her head. "I got a good picture. Why are you two down here?"
"We were talking and it got late." Regina told him as she rubbed her eyes, before yawning. "I am gonna get dressed, Henry don't stay down here too long, you have to leave for school in about an hour." She gave him a warning look before getting up to leave the room.
"I won't."
The Sheriff jumped up chasing after her. "Hey Regina?"
Regina turned around, her short hair flipping as she did. "Yes?"
"Uh, I was wondering if you wanted a lift to work again today." Emma scratched the back of her neck nervously. "I mean, I'm heading that way anyway...Saves on gas..." She tapered off.
"Sounds good." She beamed and pointed behind her. "I should get ready."
"Oh yeah go ahead."
'Just one morning, can I look presentable in front of her for one morning?!'
'She looks so hot with her hair like that.'
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"Merry Christmas!" David handed Ruby the tiny puppy with a bow around it's collar.
"Oh my god! It's adorable. Is it really mine?" Ruby asked as she held her.
"Yes I even cleared it with Granny. Now you have someone to hang out with when you wolf out. And I got you some food, a dog bed and a little leash for her." He left the box behind the sign in counter. "Henry named her Scarlet but you can rename her."
Ruby played with her giggling. "No, Scarlet suits her."
"Oh is this yours!" They heard a call from the hall of the Bed and Breakfast. Tink came closer cooing over the adorable creature. "I love dogs."
David smirked raising an eyebrow at his friend. "Really? What about big ones?"
"The bigger the better. Will this little one get big?"
Ruby grinned down at the blonde. "I bet she will. Wanna take her out for a walk with me?"
"I'd love to." Tinkerbell waited until Ruby attached the leash before linking arms with her and walking out of the building.
"David do you wanna come along, no, I'm good." David mimicked to himself before heading to the store.
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