I am just writing this story for the fun of it. There will probably be things that seem OOC and I'm not double checking that everything matches with canon. It's just a fun story that I hope is entertaining, because that's all I'm going for with this one.
Oh, and teen Swan Queen, leading into Adult Swan Queen!
Chapter Five
Once Tink had left and David went back to work, Emma pulled Henry off into a corner as Mary Margaret went about teaching Regina about the wonder that was indoor plumbing. Emma really had to feel bad for the girl, as the culture shock for her seemed to be much more extreme.
"So, you believe it all now, right?" Henry asked, excitedly.
"Whoa, ok, I believe in magic, I guess. But the rest? These people being my long lost parents? You being my kid… yeah, um, I can't think about that right now."
"So… why are we having this secret conversation then?" Henry asked.
Emma sighed. "That guy, Daniel, that Regina was talking about. You know who he is, don't you?"
Henry nodded. "He was her fiancé, but he…."
"Died?" Emma asked, hazarding a guess. That seemed to be the fate of everyone in that poor girl's life.
"Yeah," Henry nodded.
"Dude, like, does she have anyone left?"
"Just us," Henry said.
Just us. Emma shook her head in disbelief. She had known this girl all of two hours, if that, and now she was supposed to just accept that she was one of the only people she had in this life? It was too much.
"Emma, I know this is hard to believe. I've seen you not believe stuff that was happening right in front of you before. But you know I'm telling the truth. Those are your parents and I am your son and Regina adopted me."
Emma felt a small pang of sadness wash over her, as she looked down. "I swore to myself I would never do to a kid what my parents did to me."
"It's ok. It wasn't the same and I forgave you a long time ago," Henry insisted.
Before Emma could say anything else, Mary Margaret and Regina were back in the room. Regina looked like her poor head was spinning with new information, and Emma offered her a small smile.
"It's getting late, you three all need to be getting to bed. Henry, you have school tomorrow. Emma, there's PJs in the drawers upstairs," Mary Margaret said.
"Yeah, I found those," Emma replied, remembering tearing through a drawer with plaid flannel pajama pants in them.
"Where am I going to sleep?" Regina asked, glancing around the tiny loft.
"You can take the bed," Emma shrugged. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor."
"We have a couch," Mary Margaret pointed out. "There's enough places for everyone to sleep."
Emma looked at Regina again. "Yeah, but… it's fine."
Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she wanted to sleep in the same room as this Regina for her sake, or because she, herself, didn't want to be alone. She was used to unfamiliar people and places, but this place felt very, very different.
Once Emma and Regina were both changed into some of Emma's pajamas, Regina climbed into the bed and watched Emma setting up pillows on the floor.
"You don't have to sleep on the floor," Regina said. "This is your bedroom."
Emma shrugged again. "It's fine. I wouldn't expect a princess to sleep on the floor," she said, with a grin.
Regina slid over a bit. "There's enough room for both of us," she said, timidly.
Emma laughed. "You're not worried that maybe this is how we end up having a kid together?"
Regina's eyes widened. "No, I … that's not what I meant. I just…"
"It's ok, I was kidding," Emma said, throwing her pillow back on the bed and climbing under the covers.
"So you think it's true then? That boy, Henry, is really your son, and I adopted him?" Regina asked, looking into Emma's eyes as they both laid on their sides, facing each other.
"I don't know what to believe," Emma admitted. "Part of me is expecting to wake up tomorrow in my own bed, and this was all a dream."
"What is it, exactly, that you're afraid of? Because I just lost two parents in one day, and you just gained two."
"That's exactly why I'm afraid," Emma admitted. "And hey, my offer still stands, if you want to talk about how you really feel about your parents."
"Not tonight," Regina said, closing her eyes. Emma took that as an indication that the conversation was over, but it took her well over an hour to finally fall into a restless, dreamless sleep.
In the morning, Emma blinked against the sun streaming through the window, and it took her a moment to orient herself to the new surroundings. Waking up in unfamiliar places was not that odd to her, but as she rolled over and saw the brunette in blue and green plaid flannel pajama pants and a white jersey knit shirt, the events of the evening before started flooding back to her.
It wasn't a dream.
"Good morning," Regina said, forcing a smile as she saw Emma stirring.
"Hey," Emma sighed, sitting up beside her.
"You talk in your sleep," Regina commented.
"Yeah? What did I say?" Emma asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
Regina didn't respond, but merely looked out over the stairs. Emma could hear voices downstairs and realized everyone else must be up already.
"Did you go down there yet?" Emma asked.
Regina shook her head. "No, I don't have any clothes here. I couldn't go down in this," she said, motioning to her outfit.
"This isn't a palace," Emma noted, "I doubt they expect you to look like a princess here."
"I still have some self-respect," Regina retorted.
"Well, there's clothes here which I guess belong to me, so I'm sure there's something you can borrow," Emma insisted, getting up to look at the wardrobe. She had forgot about all the leather jackets. Somehow, she couldn't imagine Regina accepting any of them to wear.
Emma rummaged through clothes until she found herself jeans and a plain tank top – essentially the same thing she had discovered herself wearing the day before – and found a plain knee-length skirt and an off-white thin sweater to hand to Regina. "Acceptable?" she asked, with a grin.
Regina took the clothes from her with a bit of a pout. "I suppose they'll have to do."
"Not my style either but… apparently they are," Emma said, shaking her head.
Once the girls were dressed, they headed downstairs to rejoin the family. Mary Margaret was busy feeding a baby, whom Emma assumed must belong to the crib she had seen the night before, and David and Henry were eating Fruit Loops at the table.
"Fruit Loops! Sweet! My foster mother won't buy these," Emma said, practically skipping into the room out of excitement, which garnered a huge grin from Mary Margaret.
"Good morning, girls! There's bowls in the cupboard and milk in the fridge," Mary Margaret told her, "help yourself."
Emma grabbed two bowls, a carton of milk and the box of cereal and headed over to the table. Regina followed her and sat down, staring at the cereal as Emma poured her a bowl. She was used to helping out the younger kids at the foster home, and though Regina wasn't younger, she still looked lost and in need of help. "You want milk?" she asked.
"I… I don't even know what this is," Regina said, staring at the bowl.
Emma laughed and handed it to her, without milk. "What it is, is delicious."
Henry watched with anticipation as Regina picked up a spoon and took a dainty bite of the cereal.
"What it is, is atrocious!" Regina exclaimed, which caused Henry and Emma to burst out in laughter.
"Regina, I'll make you something else," Mary Margaret cut in, handing off the baby to David.
"Who's this kid? Another wayward child of mine?" Emma asked, looking at the baby.
"This is Neal. He's your brother," David said.
For once, Emma found herself at a loss for words as she looked at the baby. Mother, father, son and now brother – she was acquiring family at lightning speed, and she didn't really like it.
She didn't really hate it, either.
After Mary Margaret had made Regina some oatmeal, which she graciously accepted in lieu of the Fruit Loops, and after Emma had taken it upon herself to eat said Fruit Loops after she had finished her own, because she 'didn't want to see them go to waste', the Charmings ushered the girls and Henry out the door just as Granny was showing up to watch Neal for the day.
The group was far too big all ride together, so David took Henry in his cruiser to school, and the girls got back in the truck with Mary Margaret.
"Do you want me to sit in the middle?" Regina asked, half expecting Emma to push her in the truck.
Emma glanced at Mary Margaret momentarily, and then smiled. "Nah, you can have the window this time," she said, climbing in the middle seat. Normally, she made any effort possible to be near an escape route, but the itch to run was already waning, and she kind of wanted to sit near this woman who claimed to be her mother, even if it was only to indulge in fantasy for a moment.
Because it couldn't be true.
"So… David's a cop. What do you do?" Emma asked, on the drive.
"I'm a teacher. At Henry's school."
Emma laughed. "You're a teacher at Henry's school and yet David is dropping Henry off? That hardly makes sense."
"I'll go there right after I drop girls off," Mary Margaret shrugged. "I just wanted to spend an extra few minutes with you."
Emma shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She wasn't used to people wanting to spend time with her. Mary Margaret smiled at her the way she had always imagined a mother would smile at her, but somehow, it was still weird. Parents – actual parents – were such a foreign concept to her, she wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to it. Even still, part of her really wanted to.
As they pulled up to the diner, they saw Tink waiting out front, as promised, with a big grin on her face.
After Mary Margaret said her goodbyes and promised to call to check in, she left the girls with the fairy to start the day.
"So, what's the plan, Tinker Bell?" Emma asked. She still couldn't say the name without laughing, and she fought the urge to ask the woman if she would die if they didn't clap for her.
"Well, I was thinking we could get you two some clothes that actually fit," Tink said. Regina shifted uncomfortably, visibly bothered by the comment on her appearance, even though there was nothing she really could have done about it. Emma just laughed again.
"All this chick owns is tight jeans and leather," Emma said, rolling her eyes.
"This 'chick' being you," Tink reminded her.
"Yeah, okay, whatever. I don't have any money though, how are we supposed to get clothes? I mean we don't expect you to buy them for us," Emma said.
"No, I'm not buying them. Regina will be. We're going to get her credit card," Tink grinned.
"You have a credit card?" Emma asked, raising her eyebrow.
"I don't even know what a credit card is," Regina said.
"Good," Tink smiled. "Then you won't mind us borrowing it, then."
"Where's your car?" Emma asked, looking around at the empty street in front of the diner.
"I don't have one. We're going to get yours from Regina's house."
"Shut up! I do not have a car," Emma said, grinning with excitement, hoping that she did, in fact, have a car.
"You do. I would say we would take Regina's Mercedes, but it's a two seater," Tink shrugged.
"You have a Mercedes? Yeah, I'm sure you won't mind us using your credit card," Emma grinned.
Regina just shook her head in confusion. "Yeah, sure, use it," she shrugged, having no idea what she was agreeing to.
"It's alright, it's not like money really exists here anyway," Tink shrugged, and looked for a moment like she was going to explain further, but changed her mind. "Come on girls, we have to walk to Regina's," she said, heading off down the street. Emma was quick to follow, but Regina lagged behind.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked.
"I'm so… I'm just confused. My home isn't here. It's in the Enchanted Forest."
"Look… you wanted me to believe yesterday, and now I believe. Now, you need to believe, okay?"
Regina nodded and caught up to Emma. Before long, the were standing in front of Regina's large, white house.
"Holy shit, Regina, you live in a mansion?" Emma said, taking in the sight. Her eyes darted around until they landed on the yellow Bug parked in the drive way. "Oh, please tell me that's my car!"
Tink just nodded as she made her way up to Regina's door.
"Can I drive? Please?" Emma asked, hurrying to catch up to her.
"Can you drive?" Tink asked.
"Yeah, I have my beginners," Emma insisted.
"I'll think about it. We need to get Regina's credit card, first," Tink said, pulling out a wand, seemingly from nowhere, and using her magic to unlock the door. She sighed and smiled when it worked.
"What was that about?" Emma asked, noting the look on her face.
"I lost my magic for a while. It's good to have it back," Tink shrugged, as she stepped inside.
Emma took off into the house, exploring, while Tink set off to find Regina's credit cards. For her part, Regina walked around, slowly, taking it all in. There were several framed pictures of Henry, with a woman who looked just like her, but older. She imagined this is how Emma must have felt when she found that driver's license the day before. Even knowing about magic, this was unsettling to her.
Moments later, Emma was back. "This is totally where we should be staying. There's like a hundred rooms here."
Regina nodded, absently.
"You ok?" Emma asked, stepping up to her.
"Yes. I just…" her voice trailed off as she traced her fingers over a picture of her adult self with Henry.
"You just believe now?" Emma asked, full of understanding.
"I might need to take you up on your offer, to talk about my parents. Later," Regina said, nodding as if she were confirming a plan with herself.
"Ok, yeah, any time," Emma nodded.
"Got it, girls!" Tink said, coming back into the room holding a platinum card.
Emma grinned. Nothing at all about any of this made sense to her, but she was beyond the point of even trying to rationalize anything anymore.
She was going shopping with Tinker Bell.