Chapter 8.

"Who was that on the phone?" Emma asked Henry watching him come toward her in the living room in a dishevelled uniform having just gotten in the door from his last day of term when the phone rang.

"Dad, he asked me if I wanted to spend the day with him and Mr Gold. I said I did, is that okay?" He said nervous that he would make her feel left out. "You can come along...Mom too."

Emma smiled softly, she didn't want to get in the way of her son knowing one of his parents now that he met him. She would have hated if someone kept David from her once she knew the truth even if technically the wraith did do that very thing. "No, you two deserve some alone time together to bond or whatever. Even with Mr Gold."

"He is my grandpa." Henry pointed out frowning at the idea of being part Dark One.

"What about me?" David asked coming into the room before ungraciously plopping down on the couch beside his daughter with a large bowl of popcorn.

"I was uh, talking about Mr Gold." The boy scratched the back of his neck feeling awkward for talking about his other grandfather in front of the other.

"Ahh I see. Well he is your other Grandpa. I'm your favorite though, right?"

"Yes." Henry rolled his eyes.

"Oh you have to give him something from Snow. The narrow box by the door. It should have a card." David explained to the kid not wanting to get yelled at for forgetting to tell him.

"I will."

'So if Mary Margaret isn't my Secret Santa that means it has to be Regina.'

David wrapped an arm around Emma's shoulder pulling her close to him. "Want to join buddy? Me and my little girl are going to watch "White Christmas...Dancing, Bing Crosby singing, snow...Well not til the end but they sure do sing about it."

'Did he call me his little girl?'

'Uhhh no...musicals are for girls or old people.'

'Snooooooooooooooooooooooooow, I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow. Snoooow oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow!'

"Uhhhh, I should get ready to hang out with dad..." Henry quickly scampered out of the room not wanting to get stuck watching an old film that was probably for girls anyway.

Emma moved her legs under her as the army scene rolled up cuddling closer to her father thinking back to all those years that she dreamed of having just this. She held back tears trying to focus on the screen ahead.

"You know Neal is a nice guy but terrible at buying gifts. Did you know he got me a sheep because of my shepherding days...I was hoping for something cooler."

The blonde scoffed. "That's Neal for you. What did Mary Margaret get Mr Gold."

David gave her a wry grin. "A better gift than a sheep that's for sure. Two fishing rods. For him and Neal to bond. He spent years looking for his son...if I hadn't have been cursed and spent twenty eight years knowingly without you; I would have been heartbroken."

Emma hugged him not wanting him to see her eyes but he felt the tears drop down onto the shoulder of his shirt. "I'm here now sweetheart."

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Regina had just gotten in the door from the last day of work for the holidays. She had watched Henry run past her as she got in the door on his way to pack to head out to Neal's and that Emma okayed it. She was on her way to find the blonde and yell at her for not running it by her but when she saw Emma on the couch cuddled into her father's arms her anger ebbed away.

She stood in the doorway not wanting to interrupt them but finding that she couldn't walk away. Regina leaned with her hip against the door frame not realising that she was being watched.

"Do you miss him." She heard a disembodied voice whisper into her ear. The sound startled the mayor making her jump and clutch her chest.

Snow's eyes went wide afraid that a fire ball was coming her way. She threw her hands up in defense. "I was just..."

"Never do that." Regina pushed past her to get to the dining room, Snow trailed after her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I was just wondering if you missed him? Your father?" She held onto the back of a chair. "Henry wasn't it...He rarely spoke to me..." She mused as she thought back to the timid old man and how he was more like one of the butlers they had who would draw baths and talk to her father. Henry however was more Regina's help than the castles.

"Yes." Regina poured herself a glass of apple cider waiting for the mention of her wretched ex husband to come up any second now along with a murder accusation again.

Snow sighed to herself. "Me too."

"Hey look that wasn't me. He locked me up and Sidney was the one who killed him to rescue me." She defended before Snow could accuse her.

The teacher furrowed her brows crossing her arms. "I...I know I read it in Henry's book last year after I...after Cora. We're even." She shrugged and her non chalant behaviour made Regina see red because that wasn't them being even.

"I wouldn't quite say that Sidney may have done my bidding but you got me to do yours so no we aren't really-" She raged trying to keep her voice low.

"You killed random villagers for not giving you information on me." Snow bit back, she wasn't going to let the queen twist her words like she had done many times before.

"Your friend Ruby killed just as many people when she was the wolf. And I seem to recall you and your husband killing more than a hundred of my soldiers over the years."

"Your minions you mean. Well you set a curse ripped my daughter from my life."

"You sent her through that stupid wardrobe with no idea where she would land when she came out. That is on you." Regina stepped forward pressing her forefinger into Mary Margaret's chest. The woman backed up and Regina leaned closer, her nostrils flared and her baring teeth as she spoke. "I never killed children, you of all people knew that. That is why I didn't go after you or a frizzy hair on your head until you were well past your childhood years and you were my biggest enemy. Did you really think I would murder your newborn girl? Of course you did. Right! Because I am the Evil Queen. I am the villian. Well look in the mirror because you are just as bad."

"I am nothing like you..." Snow tried to fight back but there was doubt in her voice.

"No I guess not because I would never leave my child alone. I would make sure that he had someone. You left her all alone." Regina fought back not letting Snow get off easily, she had wanted to get this off her chest for some time. The anger was festering up inside her and she needed to unleash some of it.

"I was trying to give her, her best chance."

"And look at how well that turned out!" Regina croaked her voice catching as she spoke. "And then you pull the same crap in Neverland. You were just going to abandon her all over her again to be with your husband. Do you ever think that your daughter needs you."

"Emma is grow-" Snow started the tears threatening to fall.

"Don't say it. You hurt her. Me and you heard the lost boys cries because we have no parents, and she could hear that too. She heard those cries because she was crying too and you don't care enough about her to stay with her." Tears rolled down Regina's eyes as she remembered the sound; the sobs of the blonde in the night and how she had made a vow to herself to never have to hear that sound ever again. A lump formed in her throat adding a dull pain to the pain she felt in her heart.

"You're right." Snow looked down feeling ashamed for her actions wiping the corners of her eyes.

"Mom, what's going on?" Henry asked as he came down the stairs with a bag packed.

Regina stepped back and turned away rubbing her eyes.

"Uh, your mom was just...telling me something I needed to hear." Snow told him giving the older woman a quick smile.

Emma watched the two in awe standing in the door way of the living room, wiping a tear from her cheek having witnessed most of the discussion between the two women.

"Did you get the sodas?" David asked over his shoulder.

"No...uh, I couldn't find them."

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"Mary Margaret! Henry just left with Neal he took your gift for Mr. Gold." Emma told her mother as she made her way into the kitchen. She sighed at the wonderful smell coming from a pot on the oven.

"That's good. Oh sweetheart I made you cookies." Snow gave her a side hug in the kitchen, tucking a stray curl of her daughters hair behind her ear.

"W-What are you doing?" Emma asked feeling weird at the sudden random act of affection.

"I haven't been the best mother to you and I want to correct that." She took a cookie herself giving the blonde a smile. Emma took one smiling back trying to get down the overly sugary treat.

"Uh thanks mom." She muttered and instantly regretted using the word when Mary Margaret put her hand over her mouth with tears welling up. She crashed her body against her daughter. She held Emma longer than a usual hug when she pulled apart she smiled nervously. "Oh you wait right there I will be right back. I got you something."

She took off upstairs. Regina sauntered into the kitchen in a short robe with her wet hair sticking to the back of her neck. "Did your mother make these?" She picked up a sugar cookie carefully examining it.

Emma however hadn't heard her and was too busy staring at her in awe. Her eyes roamed over the toned tan legs up to the way the robe cinched at her waist up to her cleavage on show and how droplets from her hair were dripping down her neck down her chest. "Huh, what?"

"Cookies, did Snow make these?" She held up a snowman one.

"Oh yeah. She did." Emma watched as she dropped it back onto the plate with distaste. Emma wanted to ask her about the passionate argument she heard on her behalf earlier but all her brain could focus on was an almost naked Regina in front of her.

"You told Henry he could spend the night with Neal." She asked as she started taking a chopping board out of a cabinet bending down to do it. Emma tilted her head to look at her ass but blushed when Regina stood back up with a hand on her hip waiting for an answer.

"Well he doesn't get to spend Christmas with him, I figured you know Christmas eve isn't until tomorrow that it wouldn't be a big deal." She winced as she saw Regina scowl. "No...I am sorry I should have run it by you...Sorry."

Regina softened at the apology and busied herself in the cupboards removing boxes and jars.

"So are we good?" The sheriff asked wanting to stay on Regina's good side.

"We're good." Regina told her before trying to get past her in the kitchen. The space between them was limited between the countertops and the island. Both women blushed when the mayor's body hit off Emma's as she tried to shimmy past her. Her body brushed against the Sheriffs.

"Sorry for touching your...backside. I was just trying to get past.

"It's alright..." Emma gave her a small goofy grin which made the corners of Regina's mouth twitch upwards. She put the jar of sauce down.

"Okay I know it's early but you can open this now." Snow announced as she walked in the room holding a large box neatly wrapped in gold gift wrap with a large gold bow on the top. She looked between the two women who quickly moved away from each other the second she walked into the room. Regina busied herself with the pot of minced beef on the stove, stirring it while Emma approached her mother taking the gift out of her hands.

She tore open the wrapping paper not entirely used to getting gifts. She took out a black fedora blinking several times at it, unsure as to why her mother bought it for her.

"What do you think?"

"It's uh, it's, well I don't have one. Thanks." Emma hated the hat, she hated any hat that wasn't wooly and this was certainly not her style. She put it back into the box while Regina sniggered by the oven.

"No, you have to try it on." She retrieved it out of the packaging and placed it on her daughter's head. "Oh, you look beautiful."

Emma frowned at having it put on her head but quickly added a smile for her mother's benefit. "What do you think Regina?" Snow asked seeing the doubt in her daughter's eyes as she forced a smile.

Regina left the pot steeping and strolled over to them tilting her head at the embarrassed Emma Swan. "She can pull it off."

Emma burst into a bashful smile.

David came in the room. "Emma, you look very cute." He cooed and went to steal an olive from a bowl on the island.

"Hey that's for dinner!" Regina reprimanded.

"Actually Sean and Ashley invited us to their Christmas party tonight."

"B-but we don't have to go, we can stay here. Or, you could come with us."

"I'd rather stay in, have a quiet night." Emma lied wanting more alone time with Regina.

#

"Are you adding pot in there?" Emma asked watching Regina stir in ingredients.

"It's oregano. Can you pass the cuman." The blonde handed her the small tub and wondered what was on under the robe as she watched the woman work. Regina added tomato sauce and lowered the heat. She took a jug adding water to make it reduce into a sauce before adding cilantro.

"What are making exactly?"

"Picadillo." Regina told her with a spanish accent as she said it.

"Pika dildo?"

"No...it's like chili without beans or spice. Henry doesn't like it that much so I figured I could make it tonight. It's good. Here try some." She put some on a wooden spoon and held the spoon close to Emma's lips. Emma let out a soft moan as the taste hit her tongue.

"Mmm, that is delicious." She wanted another bite but contained herself.

"I know right. Try telling our son that. Are you parents going to be gone long tonight?"

"Maybe til like midnight considering it's Cinderella." She gave Regina a wry smile and took out two plates and two glasses. "Can we have dinner inside, I know you like to have it at the dining room table but 'It's a Wonderful Life' starts in 10 minutes."

"I had no idea you liked old movies."

"Just at Christmas, they were my only constant each Christmas you know. They were always on. Plus how cool is Jimmy Stewarts voice. Muuuuurrrrry Christmaaaaas you ooooold buuuuilding and looooan."

Regina chuckled at Emma's impression and agreed on dinner in front of the couch with a movie.

#

They finished dinner and were sitting on either side of the couch neither wanting to overstep the mark.

"You don't know if your mom bought me a hat do you?"

"What? Why would she?" Emma asked furrowing her brows not getting why she thought she would.

"I am sure she is my Secret Santa."

"She got Mr Gold." Emma told her matter of factly.

"So that means you..."

"Yeah I was planning on giving it you tomorrow but I guess I can now." She moved off the couch to get the box out from under the tree. Regina opened it to see what looked like a brunette barbie doll in a black power suit with a blazer and vest. She looked at it curiously.

"I found a site online that makes dolls like a person, had to get a rush order for this one." Emma took it from her hands and pointed out features. "See it has your flippy hair, your actual eye color and look even a lip scar."

"You got me a barbie version of me?" Regina asked taking the doll back to inspect it.

"Well the Evil Queen doll wasn't you. I think it's because you aren't like the Disney villian. You are Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, mother to Henry Mills and if you ask me Disney would have a whole section dedicated to this you if they saw this version." She smiled bashfully not expecting Regina to crash her lips against hers in a passionate kiss.

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