"Are you sure that you want to do this? You don't have to leave your position because you were bitten." Regina was struggling with how to react to Emma. She had asked for a leave of absence from her position at the Sherriff's office for the next two months.
"People are going to be freaking out about me having a magical accident that caused so much damage; and with everything that is going to happen with becoming a wolf, I think it would be for the best. I have already had it out with my mother today, not to mention Robin last night. And there was also the guy with Belle yesterday, and that was before we had even started the mating bond." Emma was disappointed in herself for the difficulties she was having with controlling her emotions and she heaved out a long sigh and added, "After I fix the damage, I think it would be best for me to take a break and get things under control. New instincts and all."
"As loathe as I am to admit it, you do raise a few strong points. If this is truly what you want and believe to be the best decision in this situation, I will back you on this and we will leave Mulan in charge, as you requested. I worry about what might happen should we leave David in charge in your absence, so I agree she would be the better choice." Regina did not attempt to hide the curl of her lip at the thought of David running the Sherriff's station. It would be sure to result in many confrontations between them should it happen.
Rising from the bench wordlessly, Emma held out a hand to Regina, who thought nothing of taking it. As they began to stroll back up the pier, she moved her hand up to grasp the crook of Emma's arm. "We can announce it tonight at the meeting, along with your other suggestions. Do you really believe people will be placated with the classes you are suggesting?"
With a small shrug and a crooked smile, Emma answered with a laugh, "People don't feel safe because they don't have confidence in their ability to defend themselves. Kara is a great teacher, and she is good at knowing how to push people to reach their potential. I think the classes will help people feel more secure and give them something to focus on, other than the magical stuff around here that they can't change."
"Very true. But how is it that you know so much about Kara's talents? If I am not mistaken, she was one of the instructors of my Black Knights?" Regina could not help but notice the blush that had begun to creep up the blonde's cheeks.
"Well, um, you see, uh, we were training together for a bit, and, uh, sheskindofmyex…" Emma mumbled the last part of her explanation, and Regina was unable to understand the mishmash of words.
"Pardon, dear? I didn't quite catch that last bit. It sounded like you said she was your ex." As Emma heaved a sigh, Regina was unsure if she was going to like the answer to her question. Her grip unconsciously tightened on Emma's arm, which did not go unnoticed by the Sheriff.
"Since everyone wants the whole story today and we do have a few minutes to kill before the meeting, I'll share." Leading them over to the bench out front of City Hall, they both sat as Emma began to speak. "Shortly after the curse broke, I realized that pretty much everyone here fought completely differently than anything I had ever dealt with before. I was not bad with a sword, given the whole Maleficent thing, but I was out of my depth. After everyone came back the second time, I ran into a couple of fights that I came closer to losing than I was comfortable with. So, I asked some of the former soldiers that are here, and they told me that Kara was the best instructor they had encountered. The curse had her working at the gym over on Maple, so I went to check her out. After we talked for a bit, we ended up sparing a little and in the end she agreed to train me in the fighting styles of the Enchanted Forest. After a couple of months, I was up to snuff and we started spending more time talking than training. We went out for drinks a couple times, and things just kind of went from there. We were together for about six months before things went south. From the get go I had told her I just wanted to keep things light, and to have some fun. She said she had no problem with that, so I didn't want to make a big deal about things with anyone. She started getting upset about how much time I was spending with Belle, Ruby, you, and Henry; and that I hadn't introduced her to my parents yet. She felt that I was ashamed of her and we started fighting all the time. The last time we fought, she ended up saying she loved me and I couldn't say it back. We ended it, but she was pretty hurt. We kept in touch though, and although it took a few more months, we ended up being friends again."
The litany of emotions that Regina felt through the brief explanation were playing out both in her eyes and across her face. Jealousy and anger were the two most prominent, although hurt was a very close second place. "I didn't know that you were together. When did all this happen?"
"We ended things about five months ago, and have been working on the friends thing for the last couple months." With a half shrug, Emma smiled. "I'm not upset about the end of the relationship. I know you are probably thinking you had some part in that, but you didn't do anything. I never saw it as something serious but she did, and that was our problem. I'm sorry if you are upset I didn't tell you, but I didn't think it was a big deal."
"Thank you for telling me about it now. I am a little hurt that you didn't tell me before, but I can understand why you didn't feel like you could trust me with this." As Regina moved to stand, Emma caught her elbow in a gentle grip.
"Regina, stop. I trust you more than almost anyone. Honestly, the only people I trust as much as you are Belle and Ruby. I honestly just never thought it was a big enough deal to talk about, to anyone. To me, it wasn't serious. It was just friends with benefits; but because she and I never talked about how we would handle things if feelings developed, she ended up hurt and I lost a friend for a while. I don't want that to happen again, especially not with you, and especially over something like this. Please, stay and talk with me for a bit?" Emma's pleading green eyes were honest, so Regina sat back down.
"I'm sorry. I'm not mad, truly. I'm just a little hurt that I never knew. I believed we were close enough to share something important like that. You were with someone for six months, not to mention training with one of my former guards; and I never knew. I never even knew about you buying a house! And now you have two mates whom I am sure you will share everything with." Still refusing to look at Emma, Regina wrapped her arms around her waist. ' I'm such a fool. We were close, but not like that. Why would she tell me about something personal like that? At least she has Belle and Ruby now that she can confide in.'
"Hey, look at me." Slowly and gently, Emma turned Regina's face to look her in the eyes. "You didn't know about the house because no one did. You are the third person to know, after only Belle and Ruby, and that's because I asked them to make a home with me. Yes, they are my mates and I love them, but don't sell yourself short on that list. You are just as important to me. Belle and Ruby don't even know much about Kara, although I should probably tell them as well. They will probably be just as upset with me as you are." Frowning at the realization that she had unintentionally kept something from her mates, Emma forced her thoughts back to the conversation at hand. "They only knew I was seeing someone but it wasn't serious, and that it ended after a fight. For me, that is all there is to the story. You are really the first person that I trusted here, when everyone got their memories back. When the first curse ended, you were the only person who didn't change. You were still the same woman trying to do the best for Henry. Even when we were fighting, I could trust you to always be you and to love our son. You mean more to me than just a friend. You are family. And I'm sorry I hurt you with this."
Unable to form words at the heartfelt admission, Regina simply stared into Emma's eyes, looking for any deceit. Seeing her searching look, Emma chuckled and added, "I'm serious. I mean every word. Ok? You really do mean that much to me." Squeezing her hand gently, Emma pulled Regina into a gentle hug.
Softly smiling, Regina knew that Emma was telling the truth, and that she really did consider her part of her family. The thought made her both smile as well as caused tears to leak from her eyes. 'Family. We are family,' she thought, relaxing into the embrace that Emma held her in, breathing deeply of the scent she found there and calming even further.
Feeling Regina relax, Emma hugged her just a bit tighter before pulling back to wipe the tears from the former queen's face. "Now, how about we talk about something a little more fun; like say how I am going to have to buy the grocery store out of everything to stock this amazing kitchen I know you are designing for us?"
Closing the door to their room at the inn, Ruby pulled Belle into a tight hug. If Robin was interfering with Belle again, she would not hesitate to get involved. As much as she knew that Belle could take care of herself, she still felt the need to defend her mate. But she also knew that Emma would likely have some difficult controlling her instincts, so she would have to be tactful in how she approached the situation. Not to mention Regina was still unaware of Robin's antics.
Sighing and relaxing into the embrace, Belle nudged Ruby towards the bed that was quickly becoming more home than their apartment. 'Maybe Granny would let us take the bed when we move into the new house this weekend?' she wondered absently.
Pacing the room, Ruby was torn on which topic to address first. Knowing that the most important thing in her life was her mates, Ruby knew she would have to let Belle know why she had done what she did, and what she had realized since she had bitten Emma. Robin could wait.
Taking a seat, Belle watched for a few moments as Ruby paced the room in front of her. As Ruby sank down to her knees in front of Belle and wrapped her arms around Belle's legs, Ruby locked watery eyes with her.
"Before we get into anything to do with the outside world, there is something I need to say. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't think about how becoming a wolf and being with me completely, was your choice. I'm sorry I let my own fears and feelings on being a wolf cloud everything. It always has been and always will be your choice what happens in your life, and I had no right to take that choice away from you for so long. Baby, I'm so sorry." Half sobbing into Belle's lap, Ruby continued to repeat how sorry she was.
"Honey, shhh. It's ok. Shhh." Wrapping her arms around Ruby's shoulders, she gently rubbed circles on her back. "I know you were just trying to protect me. I know you never meant to hurt me or take away my choices. I'm sorry too. You are nothing like him, and I never should have said that to you."
As Ruby calmed, Belle couldn't help but smile. "And besides, I am on my way to becoming a wolf now, aren't I? It may have taken longer than I would have liked, but we are both where we should be now, and that's the important thing."
"Yeah. It just took Emma putting me in my place you, for me to get over my own issues, and see what I was doing to you, and to us." Giving a short laugh, Ruby sniffled again, before drying her tears. "Speaking of Emma, how are you feeling about all of this? I know it's a lot to take in. There are so many things that are going to change for us now."
"Honestly, I am a little nervous; but overall, it feels just so right. I'm excited to spend some time with Regina and see if she is our other mate, and finally being with Emma is amazing." Looking down, Belle failed to hide the blush staining her cheeks. "I may have had a bit of a crush on her for a while, so things have kind of worked out rather well there."
Laughing deep in her chest, Ruby couldn't help but grin at the soft admission from her mate. "You aren't the only one in that boat, babe. I may or may not have had a crush on her myself, since before the curse broke."
"So, you aren't upset? That I was attracted to someone else?" The hint of fear in Belle's blue eyes brought Ruby's laughter up short.
"So long as you aren't upset at me for the same thing. Babe, I would never be upset with you because of how you feel. I love you. And that means I want you to be happy. Loving Emma was something that we both found very easy to do. It's just that now we know why that is. She is our mate. It was literally meant to be that we all feel the same way for each other." Wiping the tears from Belle's eyes, Ruby pulled her into another embrace before trying to diffuse the tension in the room. "Besides, she's our mate, and if we weren't attracted to her, I think there would be a problem."
Laughing at the grin on her love's face, Belle felt all of the fears she had about Ruby's reaction melt away. "So, you are happy about everything then? Even Regina?"
"I was so unbelievably happy when I found out you and I are True Loves; and now, it's just grown that much more. If Regina is really our mate as well, then I'm sure my happiness will only grow even more. I have cared about her since I met her. I don't think even in the heat of battle I could have truly harmed her. And since the first curse broke, and I have gotten a chance to see the real Regina, I have come to appreciate her more than I thought I ever would. Not to mention, I now have mates, a pack, and True Loves. We have a family, and even if she isn't our mate, I would still consider her part of it. This is everything I have ever wanted, and so much more." Smiling softly, Ruby hoped Belle understood what she was trying to say.
"I couldn't have said it better, honey." Placing a gentle kiss to Ruby's lips, Belle knew they needed to discuss Robin, but she wanted to wait for Emma to come home before doing so. "Since we should probably wait for our mate to return to us to discuss our newest annoyance, what do you think we should do with our time until then?"
Noting the hungry look in her mate's eyes, Ruby's eyes flashed yellow in response. "Well, since we just finally had a chance to talk about our fight from the other night, and I do believe we have just made up; maybe we should celebrate that?"
"Oh, I think we most definitely should."