Getaway, Chapter 2
A Once Upon a Time fan fiction
A/N: Oh my gosh, I am in awe of the response I've already received to this story! Thank you so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews. They're definitely a great motivator to keep writing I hope I don't disappoint!
The blonde stared down at her slice of apple pie smothered in whipped cream and wondered how many of these she'd eaten since her arrival in Storybrooke. She had no idea, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. But whatever. It was the best pie the relatively young woman had ever tasted, and so she'd eat a slice a day if she damn well wanted to.
Ding! went the bell that hung on the door of the currently-empty diner, quickly followed by a shout. "Emma!" Henry exclaimed as he ran towards the bar where his birth mother sat.
"Hey kiddo!" Emma Swan beamed, leaning over to ruffle the little boy's hair once he hoisted himself into the barstool next to hers. He must get the color from his…grandmother, Emma realized silently, picturing Mary Margaret's pixie cut and seeing that Henry's hair was a similar shade.
"Henry Mills, I will not have you running and shouting in my diner like some kind of hooligan," Granny scolded as she walked up to the counter. "If you're going to do that, you can take it outside."
Henry stared at the older woman who felt as much like a grandmother to him as she did to Ruby. Until recently, with his revelations about Mary Margaret and David, he hadn't had any idea who his grandparents even were. Granny served as a surrogate grandmother for him, and he always felt bad if she chastised him at all. "I'm sorry Granny," the ten-year-old intoned, folding his hands on the countertop and looking down at them.
He heard the click of heels on the linoleum floor, and then Ruby's voice saying, "Aw Granny, cut him some slack. He's just a kid, after all." Henry looked up to see the tall brunette standing in front of him behind the counter.
Granny sighed and looked at the strong girl she'd raised, the intelligent mayor's son, and the blonde newcomer who had everyone's interest piqued and then replied. "I suppose you're right. Henry, I'm sorry I snapped at you. However, I don't want you shouting in my restaurant again."
Henry gave a small smile and nodded his head. With that, Granny started walking back to the kitchen, but she could be heard muttering, "Children, the lot of them."
The smile on Henry's face widened and he said earnestly, "Thank you, Ruby."
"Not a problem, bud," Ruby answered, leaning across the counter. "Can I get you anything?"
Henry made an unsure face and then turned to look at the woman sitting next to him who'd been uncharacteristically quiet. Only when Ruby's hazel eyes settled on the blonde did she fully return to reality. "I'm guessing you don't have any money," Emma remarked. When her son's expression didn't change, she knew she was right. Storybrooke's newest sheriff smiled and then said, "Alright, you can get something, but don't go too crazy. And no caffeine. The last thing I need is your mom getting on to me because she has to deal with your hyped-up self later."
"Let me guess, a slice of pie to match Ms. Swan's?" Ruby asked. Henry nodded eagerly, and then the brunette's trademark red heels clicked away as she went to dish up the boy's order.
"Where is your mom?" Emma inquired, fiddling with the empty sugar packet she'd dumped into her coffee shortly before Henry came in.
"She thought it'd be better if I talked to you alone." The blonde's eyebrows shot up at this uncharacteristic act of Regina's, but then went down as Henry explained, "She knows what I'm telling you about, and she knows it's important that you hear it."
Emma swiveled her chair so she was facing then ten-year-old a little more, and then she responded, "Okay then, what's up?"
"One slice of hot apple pie for the young man, and a coffee refill for the woman," Ruby declared as she appeared and set the piece of pie in front of Henry and then filled Emma's coffee mug to the brim.
"Thanks Ruby," Emma smiled, and then with a quick wink, Ruby headed back to the kitchen.
After taking a couple bites of his pie, Henry got down to business. "Well, Mom's been planning this beach vacation for a really long time."
"I remember her mentioning it a couple weeks ago at a meeting," Emma inserted, confused as to why the Mills' vacation had anything to do with her.
"Yeah," Henry nodded, taking a small bite of his pie. "I decided I didn't want to go."
The blonde woman's confusion grew. Why was this information pertinent to her? It certainly couldn't be because Regina wanted Emma to take care of their son in Storybrooke while she lounged on some tropical beach. In fact, Emma couldn't imagine the Mayor taking this trip without Henry along for the ride. "Any particular reason you changed your mind?" she asked.
"Yup, and that's why I'm here now," the small boy answered. After an expectant pause, he said, "I'm only going if you come with us."
In a reaction equaling Regina's in surprise but very different in manner, Emma eyed her son and stuttered, "Me? Come with you? I'm not sure that's the best idea, kiddo. This is a family vacation and I don't want to barge in. Plus, you know, your mom and I don't really get along too well…"
Henry held eye contact with her and said, with emotion filling his voice, "You are my family. I've known that since I looked at you when you opened your door in Boston. So I want you to come on a family vacation with me and my mom. Other mom. I know you don't like her or something, but she is also my family and she's not going anywhere. Come with us. Please?"
Uncertainty filled Emma's face as she mumbled, "I really don't know, Henry."
"Well, my mom says you're coming, so you should probably accept the fact that you're coming," the young boy insisted. As the blonde's delicate features returned to an expression of confusion, Henry enlightened her once again. "I told her that either you came with us or I didn't go. She chose you so now all three of us are going."
Letting out an exasperated sigh and rolling her eyes, Emma stared down at this boy who had become her son in the blink of an eye. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" she uttered.
Henry bit his lip and quickly shook his head, showing a little embarrassment.
"It's been a long time since I've been to the beach. Do I even own a swimsuit anymore?" the pretty blonde mused.
The brightest smile Emma thought she'd ever seen broke out across Henry's face, and he slid off his barstool so he could give her a hug. His arms went easily around her slim waist, and she marveled at how natural it felt to have him there, to slide her arm over his shoulders and squeeze him in tight.
"My mom said that she'll call you or come visit your office so you guys can talk about stuff," Henry chimed as he pushed himself back up into his chair.
"Okay then," Emma nodded, and just like that, it was all settled. She was going to the beach with Henry and Regina Mills.
The bright-eyed little boy scooped a big piece of pie onto his fork and lifted it above his plate. Seeing this, his mother mirrored his actions.
"To family," he said, and he clicked his fork against his birth mom's.
"To family," she repeated, and then they both stuck the piece of pie into their mouths and smiled at its delicious taste.