More Than She Wanted

-Conversation over laundry:

Regina left the office two hours ago, and now she's currently doing some chores. The chores Henry should have done. But apparently, he has better things to do than doing chores, and Mal is incapable of doing anything. She doesn't have a clue how you fold laundry. Or she does, but not the way Regina wants it.

So, Regina has taken the task upon herself, and she's currently folding the laundry the right way.

The mansion is very quiet. Henry is with Emma and Killian, and Maleficent... well, god knows where Maleficent is. She said something about going out for a little while, and that could mean anything really.

She could turn the radio on, but the silence is actually nice, and Regina enjoys a moment of solitude. Just her and the laundry. Maybe not the most interesting to do, and it is something that could have been done with magic, but Regina finds it quite enjoyable. It's an excellent opportunity to relax her overactive brain.

Not that she's stressed or anything, oh no. She's only carrying two children inside her. Two children that continues to grow and make her stomach expand. Maleficent could not have picked a better time to buy her maternity clothes. Regina has abandoned any thought of fitting into a pencil skirt anytime soon, and she has a hunch that she will be forced to give her high heels up very soon.

Regina continues to fold the laundry and hums absentmindedly. She shakes her head.

It's not necessary to wash your ties every other day, Maleficent.

She should make Mal wash her own clothes. This is ridiculous. Regina can't believe that she's washing the ties willingly.

Regina winces slightly. Her back aches just a little from standing bend over the laundry. In a few months, she won't be able to do this anymore. Maybe she ought to teach Maleficent to do laundry before that happens. The brunette rubs her back and picks up the next article of clothes from the laundry basket. It happens to be one of Henry's socks. In fact, it's two of Henry's socks. They are twisted together, and once Regina picks up what she thinks is one sock, the other one lands on the floor.

Great. Just great. She might not be that pregnant yet, but she's definitely not a fan of bending down. She could use magic, but it just seems so lazy. And lazy is the last thing Regina wants to be.

Thus, she curses a little under her breath and bends down to pick up the damned sock.

,,Should you even be doing that while you're pregnant?"

Regina looks up with the sock in her hand. Lily is standing nonchalantly leaned against the doorframe.

,,What is it with you dragons sneaking up on me all the time?" Regina scowls with a twinkle in her eyes and raises to her full height.

No, her back definitely didn't like that.

,,I'm sorry," Lily grins. ,,I didn't mean to scare you."

,,You didn't scare me, dear. I just thought I was alone."

,,My dear mother isn't home?"

,,Not at the moment no," Regina confirms. ,,You'll have to settle for me."

,,That's alright," Lily chuckles. And then she frowns. ,,Seriously though, should you be bending down like that when you're pregnant?"

,,I'm not that pregnant," Regina dismisses.

Lily grins again and gives Regina's "just a little" bulging belly a look. ,,Aren't you?"

,,Okay, maybe I am," Regina surrenders. ,,But the laundry isn't folding itself, and your mother isn't exactly helping with the chores."

Lily chuckles. ,,Not a hausfrau is she?"

,,Not exactly."

,,Well to make up for my mother's lack of participation, I better help you out then." And with that the young brunette grabs half of the laundry pile and starts folding the clothes neatly. And exactly how Regina likes it.

,,Quite impressive," Regina compliments.

,,Thank you. My adoptive mother taught me."

,,Ah."

They fold the laundry in silence for a while. But it's not an awkward silence, it's surprisingly comfortable. Lily is very good company, and Regina enjoys spending time with her. Maybe because Lily reminds her so much of Emma. The same behavior, the same body language, and sometimes even the same words. Lily and Emma are much alike, and Regina is grateful that Lily decided to stay in Storybrooke after all. That was Emma can spend time with other than her parents. And Lily can gets the chance to have a somewhat normal life. Is occasionally turning into a dragon can be called normal.

Well, it's fairly normal for Regina. She has witnessed Mal do it so many times now that it seems like a completely normal thing to do.

Regina rubs her back again. Her feet are a bit unhappy as well. Her body isn't overly satisfied with standing up for so long.

,,How are my sisters?" Lily inquires and glances towards Regina's stomach.

,,Not you too," Regina sighs. ,,Maybe it's boys."

,,My mother is positive that its girls."

,,I know."

Suddenly Lily chuckles quietly.

,,What?" Regina asks with a raised eyebrow.

,,When I first arrived here, I actually thought you were my mother's ex or something like that."

That throws Regina off a bit. ,,Why?"

,,Because of the way she kept looking at you."

,,I never noticed that."

,,I think she did it when you looked away."

,,That is very possible."

,,Anyway," Lily continues and hands Regina a perfectly folded shirt. ,,I asked her about it, and do you know what she said?"

,,What?"

,,"Sadly not"," Lily chuckles. ,,You should have seen the look of regret on her face."

,,I'm sure it was very amusing." Regina says and shakes her head.

The pile of laundry slowly starts to shrink. It's definitely faster when you're two.

,,Can I ask you something?" Lily asks suddenly.

,,Sure. Shoot." Regina says, and silently scolds herself for stealing one of Henry's expressions.

,,When did you fall in love with my mother?"

Regina chuckles and folds another pair of Henry's jeans. ,,Whatever brought that on?"

,,Just curious," Lily shrugs.

,,Well, I guess you could say it happened gradually." Regina says casually.

,,Oh."

,,Why do you ask?"

,,No reason," Lily brushes it off. ,,Just curious."

,,Right. So it doesn't have anything to do with you and Mulan?" Regina inquires with a little smile.

Lily stiffens a little. ,,Why do you have to be so damn clever?"

,,I was born that way, dear," Regina teases. ,,Come on, tell me. What is it with you and Mulan?"

Lily hesitates for a second. Then she sighs. ,,I'm thinking about asking her to move in with me but.."

,,You're afraid she'll turn you down."

,,Exactly."

,,Well. I'm not the best person to ask for dating advises, but you care for her, right?"

,,Yes."

,,And she cares for you?"

,,Yeah, I think she does."

,,Then go for it," Regina says plainly and folds a pair of Maleficent's pants. ,,And if she says no, then it's probably because she's been hurt in the past and is afraid to move forward."

,,It sounds like you're talking from experience."

,,Maybe I do. Ask her," Regina says.

,,And if she says no?"

,,Be there for her. Make her understand that you will never do anything to hurt her."

Lily stares at her. ,,Is that one of the perks of having lived such a long life?"

,,What?"

,,Being so wise," Lily teases. ,,I thought you didn't have any good dating advises."

,,I don't," Regina shrugs. ,,I don't know much about dating to be honest. But I do know something about feeling insecure."

,,I can't imagine you being insecure about anything," Lily says and starts to pile the clean clothes.

,,That's because you haven't met me on my bad days."

Lily chuckles. ,,I thought my mother was the only one who had bad days."

,,Of course not."

,,Well, she did have a lot of bad days before you and her got together."

,,Really?"

,,Yeah. She basically had a depression when you were in Camelot and the Underworld."

,,Is that so?" Regina says rather curiously. Maleficent did mention something about moping when Regina was in Camelot and the Underworld, but never about having a depression.

,,Oh yeah," Lily shrugs. ,,She was a right mess. It was "Regina this and Regina that" nonstop. I was going insane!"

Regina sniggers. ,,I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Lily chuckles softly and then shakes her head. ,,Jokes aside, she really felt terrible. She talked about going back to The Enchanted Forest. Hell, she even had nightmares a few times. She was convinced you wouldn't come back."

Regina gets a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. ,,She never mentioned any of this to me."

,,No she wouldn't, wouldn't she? She's always busy playing the role of mighty dragon," Lily laughs.

Regina shakes her head. ,,Between you and me, she's not that scary."

,,Are you saying you're not afraid of her?" Lily says in mock surprise.

Regina gestures towards her growing belly. ,,I don't think I would be here if I was. Let alone carry her children."

,,Good point. I think we're out of laundry, stepmother."

,,I think you're right," Regina nods and looks at the folded laundry. ,,Thank you for your help."

,,You're welcome. I think you should make my mother do some of it. Especially now," Lily says and gives Regina's stomach a fond smile.

,,I can assure you, she'll get plenty of chores when I'm whale sized and unable to move," Regina quips. But deep down she fears that if this continues, she actually will end up becoming whale sized.

Lily laughs.

And then there's a swirl of green magic behind them. It quickly tells Regina that Maleficent is back from where ever she went.

Mal blinks. She seems a little surprised at seeing Lily helping Regina with the laundry.

,,Well, you didn't bother to do it, somebody had to help her out, right?" Lily says mock sternly.

,,Your daughter has been of excellent use to me," Regina says and goes along on the joke.

,,What have you two been up to?" Mal asks and narrows her eyes suspiciously at them.

,,Oh, just talking," Lily says secretive.

,,About what?"

,,Maybe your wife will tell you if you're really lucky," Lily teases. Then she turns to Regina, and the former queen is surprised to receive a hug from the younger brunette.

,,Thanks, Regina. You're the best."

,,Glad I could help," Regina chuckles and returns the hug.

Maleficent seems surprised to say the least, but the dragon doesn't get the chance to voice her surprise before her daughter gives her a quick hug and a quick:

,,Bye, mom. See you later."

And with that the younger brunette is gone, and Regina and Maleficent is left alone in the mansion.

,,What was that about?" Mal asks and stares at Regina.

Regina shrugs. ,,We were just talking."

,,About what?"

,,Wouldn't you like to know," Regina chuckles.

Maleficent narrows her blue eyes again. ,,Yes, actually I would. And if you don't tell me right now, then I'll.."

,,You'll what?" Regina challenges. ,,I'm ever so curious."

,,I'll…" Maleficent pauses and grins cheekily at her wife. ,,Cuff you to the bed for the rest of the day."

Regina remains unimpressed. ,,Right. I don't think my back will thank you for that."

,,Maybe not your back, but…"

,,Right. I think I'm capable of putting two and two together," Regina says and shakes her head.

,,Excellent. Tell me what you talked about."

,,You."

,,Me?"

,,Yes. And then I gave your daughter a few dating advises," Regina says nonchalantly, and Mal's jaw drops.

,,You gave Lily dating advises?"

,,Yes."

,,About Mulan?"

,,The very same."

Mal's jaw slacked expression turns into a cheeky smile. ,,And what would you know about women?"

,,Absolutely nothing," Regina says with a shrug. ,,But I do know something about having your heart broken. And I suspect something like that has happened to Mulan."

Maleficent's expression changes once again, from cheeky to soft, and she traces her finger along Regina's cheekbones.

Regina leans into the touch and forgets the world for a second. But then she remembers something she wondered about earlier:

,,Where have you been while I did the laundry?" she questions with a frown.

Maleficent gives her nose a little tap, and then the dragon rummages through her pockets and places something in Regina's hand.

Regina looks at it. At first she thinks it's some sort of jewelry, because it's small and silvery, but it isn't. it's two mobiles. Two mobiles to hang above two cribs. Two mobiles with little dragons.

,,Dragon mobiles," Regina says appreciatively. ,,Did you find those in Gold's shop?"

,,I did. Do you like them?"

,,Yes I do. They will look very nice in the nursery. If we ever get to actually make one."

,,Do you think Emerald and Anya will like them?" Maleficent questions nonchalantly, and Regina goes dangerously soft at hearing her wife say the names.

,,Well, what's not to like?" she shrugs tight lipped and tries to hide the fact that she's emotional. Again.

To Be Continued..