Double Trouble 26
A/N: I'm back, I survived! I sorta ran out of my meager 9GB quota of dodgy wireless internet by downloading too much Rizzoli & Isles. I blame Jane. And Maura. Anyways, I've been sitting here dithering about whether this is ready to post or not for over an hour so I'm just gonna do it. Thanks for reading! Oh and kudos to the people who spotted the Into the Woods reference in the previous chapter ;).
"The greatest challenge is to find someone who knows all your flaws, differences, and mistakes, and yet still sees the best in you."
Chapter 26 'Yours and mine'
108 Mifflin St
Emma frowned and ended the call on her phone after a long conversation with her deputy. This was not a good start to the day.
"That was David. He's meeting me at the school to go interview the kids in an hour."
Regina laid her elbows on the kitchen bench and leaned over opposite her. "The children who accidentally crossed the border and lost their memories?"
"Yeah," Emma sighed. "And their parents. Gonna be a nightmare. Apparently one of the kids used to be Georgie Porgie so that's a small mercy I spose."
Emma recounted the other piece of unfortunate news. "He also said that Em ran away last night during dinner. Mary Margaret caught her but she let her go."
"How could your mother do that?" Regina said worriedly. "She's been missing since last night? We have to find her."
Emma held up her hand pacifyingly. "No, it's ok. She'll be fine, trust me."
"We can't just let her sleep on the streets alone, she's a child-"
"Em likes having space to herself. She's not used to all this family stuff. Don't worry, she'll be back."
"I hope you know yourself that well. What if she tries to leave Storybrooke? She headed for the border the first day they appeared."
Emma shook her head confidently. "She won't. There's no way she'll leave Ri."
"The girls are still fighting though," murmured Regina.
Emma looked down at her hands resting on the bench and splayed her fingers, tapping them one at a time. "Hope they don't take as long to make up as we did. Unless... hey, do you think we monopolised the universe's supply of Emma-and-Regina happiness? Maybe we stole it from them."
"You said something like that before," Regina narrowed her gaze curiously. "What do you mean by it?"
"It's almost like the more it improves for us, the worse it's going for them. They hit it off originally and we didn't. Now we're together and they're acting like we did last year. It's like we're getting more like them and they're getting more like us." Emma shrugged, unable to articulate her thoughts properly. "I dunno. Nevermind."
"What did your parents say when you told them about the border shrinking faster?"
"Basically the gist of it was 'oh crap'." Emma chuckled half-heartedly. "I'm starting to think you fairytale characters don't know what the hell you're doing half the time. That part is curiously absent from the stories."
"I knew perfectly well what I was doing," said Regina, offended by the slight.
"How long do you think we have," asked Emma, as if asking a doctor for the prognosis of a terminal illness. "Before the border reaches the town?"
"Given that it may not be moving constantly, it could be weeks or perhaps mere days."
"Until the magic disappears along with the memories," mused Emma.
"I suppose so. Unless we find some way to stop this happening."
"I've got an idea," said Emma. "We let the border shrink."
Regina assumed she wasn't serious. "What? You're joking surely."
"No. I'm not." Emma got up and went around to stand close to Regina so she could look her right in the eyes. "This is your second chance. You'll get to start over. Without magic, without anyone knowing you were the Evil Queen, without your past hanging over your head like a guillotine. When people stop treating you badly you won't feel the need to retaliate. I think we should let this happen."
"Emma, are you out of your mind!" Regina stared at her incredulously. "Your parents will forget who they are. They won't remember that they're each other's true love. That was the whole point of breaking my curse wasn't it?"
"They got together last year even though they didn't know. Your curse didn't stop them before, you stopped them with your crazy frame-my-mother-for-a-murder-that-didn't-happen scheme. Not remembering their other identities didn't stop them from falling in love all over again. They'll be fine. As for the rest of Storybrooke, who cares if Bob the Beanfarmer forgets his fairytale identity."
"This is a test isn't it?" Regina demanded angrily. She brushed the hand off her arm and stepped back. "I despise you right now, Emma, for offering this to me. Are you making this proposal to test whether I've really changed? If I accept it, then I'm still evil and out to destroy the precious love story of Snow White and Prince Charming. If I reject it, then I'm redeemed. Is that what you want to know?"
Emma lowered her head shamefully and whispered. "No. I just want you to be happy."
"Don't tempt me," pleaded Regina. "This is what Evil knows that Good doesn't - the appeal of what appears to be the easy fix. Stepping foot on the slippery slope doesn't lead anywhere but down. Henry told us that as indiscernible as it appears to be right now, there will be a solution. We must trust him. He believes in us. He would hate me for agreeing to this and seizing my happy ending at the expense of destroying everyone else's. You would both come to resent me for it."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I know you've changed, please believe me."
Regina sighed. "I know you want us to be happy, Emma, but for once in my life let me achieve it the right way. If we get our happy ending I want to actually deserve it."
It may not have been intended as a test but Regina certainly passed with flying colours. Emma launched herself against her in a hug, causing Regina to gasp when she nearly fell off balance.
"You do deserve it. I love you," Emma blurted out.
"I love you too."
Emma's face started to crumple with emotion. She hadn't had time to regret what she'd accidentally confessed because the reply had been immediately given, something that'd rarely happened to her before without leading to heartbreak. Was this really happening? They'd agreed to share Henry and that had been enough to give her hope... now they were starting a relationship in the best way possible. With Regina's arms wrapped tightly around her, she suddenly felt like they'd be able to face whatever was going on and win.
"Thought you said five seconds ago that you despised me?" teased Emma, happily pressing a kiss into silky dark hair.
Regina replied in kind, a beautiful smile transforming her face. "I love you much more than I ever hated you, dear. And that's saying something."
It took every minute of the hour for Emma to drag herself away from Regina after their exchange and the makeout session that followed. Eventually Regina resorted to pushing her out the door, promising that it was only for a few hours and they'd see each other again after the Sheriff finished her shift. Just when Emma had finally agreed, Regina whispered something suggestive in her ear, deliberately undoing all her good work.
Emma glared petulantly and promised to make good on it.
"I'm counting on it," drawled Regina. "Enjoy your day."
Despite winning the upper hand that morning, Regina was the one who broke first and turned up at the Sheriff's station that afternoon under the guise of "supervising the Sheriff" since nobody was performing that role anymore.
Later that day, Emma scrunched up another ruined bit of paperwork into a ball and tossed it behind her. "Regina. Would you quit distracting me so that I can finish this? I'm trying to be good here."
Regina was sitting on the Sheriff's desk with her legs crossed elegantly, causing her tight pencil skirt to hike to mid-thigh in Emma's full view. No wonder that the Sheriff could hardly get anything done, judging by the number of sneaking glances she'd been stealing and the grin she couldn't keep off her face.
"And stop giving me that look," said Emma.
"What look, dear?" said Regina innocently.
"You know exactly what you're doing."
"I'm just sitting here, waiting for you. What am I doing?"
Emma's voice was deep in her chest. "Being aggravating and sexy as hell at the same time. In other words, existing."
Brown met green in what became a heated staring contest of the kind they'd often had last year when clashing over a difference of opinion, each fiercely maintaining her ground. Neither was willing to back down as ever, but the stares were laced with the opposite of malice now.
Last year Emma had blown into town and straight away got into Regina's face, challenging her every move like the smartass she was. Regina realised now that she'd actually enjoyed their arguments and especially delighted in the effect she seemed to have on Emma. The Sheriff certainly kept her on her toes, pushed her patience to the limit, and thrilled her with an intensity she hadn't felt before.
Not that any of that made Regina reconsider her moves. She played to win. Flustering the Sheriff was a favourite tactic.
"I'm sorry, dear. I really have no idea what you're talking about," said Regina in a voice viscous as honey.
Regina placed the heel of her hand under her chin and let her fingers curl in front of her mouth, drawing the tip of her pinky finger between her teeth with the soft bite of her smile. She noticed a pair of eyes drop, breaking the eye contact, and enjoyed her victory immensely.
Emma retaliated by hooking her index finger on the hem of Regina's skirt and slowly raising it higher, making sure to graze the skin on the way.
"My desk at the Sheriff's station..." suggested Emma. "That was on the list right?"
Regina forced her eyes not to roll. "Not the top of the list."
Emma stood up, smirking obviously, and placed her palms flat on the desk on either side of the brunette's hips. In this position, Emma had the advantage of height and as she leaned in closer so that her lower body pressed against trim nylon legs, it made Regina have to tilt her head back to meet the green eyes above her.
"Ah, so you want our first time to take place in bed then?" Emma's lips hovered tantalisingly close.
"I... thought so," Regina murmured distractedly.
Emma grazed her with a barely-there kiss. "Mm you've thought about it a lot have you?"
"Not particularly."
"Liar," breathed Emma. She dipped lower to capture Regina's warm mouth in a fuller kiss.
Unbeknownst to the two lovers, Mary Margaret appeared in the doorway and it was the second time the schoolteacher had come to Emma's office. The first time, upon seeing the pair engrossed in each other she'd had to double back and re-enter, deciding to make a lot more noise the second time around.
The knock on the doorframe startled Emma and she jumped back like she'd been caught with her fingers in the till. "Mo-Mary Margaret!"
"Hi Emma. Sorry to interrupt."
"Miss Blanchard. How lovely to see you," trilled Regina in a tone that indicated the exact opposite sentiment. She slid off Emma's desk and faced her former enemy defiantly as though waiting for a fight.
"Regina." Mary Margaret replied with exaggerated brightness. "You're just the person I wanted to see."
"Forgive me for not reciprocating," Regina deadpanned.
Emma leaned her face onto her hand and sighed. Sassy Regina had returned with a vengeance, fortified by her recent happiness injection. The Mayor always had been insufferably smug when she was winning whatever game she happened to be playing. But it was only a cover - Emma could tell from her stiff posture and tight jaw that Regina was uneasy at being discovered in this position.
"What are you doing here, Mary Margaret. Is Henry ok?" said Emma.
"Yes, he's fine, don't worry. Actually I'm here about another problem. The Acting Mayor quit so we have to find someone else to take over."
Emma rubbed her forehead wearily. "Ugh. He quits now in the middle of all this stuff going on? Remind me how many Acting Mayors we've gone through so far?"
"Well, only two," admitted Mary Margaret. "But it seems like more since they've been somewhat lacking in skills and experience."
"Sooo why are you asking me what to do about it?"
"I'm not." Mary Margaret chanced a look at Regina. "I'm here to ask Regina to step in."
"Seriously?" said Emma, not out of unpleasant surprise.
Regina's expression remained expertly composed. "You want me to be Mayor again. Need I remind you that it was you who asked me to step down after the curse broke?"
Mary Margaret agreed with a firm nod. "I'm aware of how inconsistent this seems. Under the circumstances it was inappropriate then for you to continue to be in a position of power. Things are different now."
"Yes, I'm sure they've all forgotten the small matter of my cursing them into another realm."
Mary Margaret went on earnestly, like she'd practiced. "The curse gave people the knowledge and skills they'd need to do their jobs in Storybrooke didn't it? Otherwise Michael wouldn't know how to fix cars and Archie wouldn't know how to fix minds. Nobody here was given the knowledge necessary to be Mayor because that position was already taken. There's no-one else but you."
"You're saying that I'm the only choice? I feel so loved," Regina mocked.
"But you weren't given a cursed identity were you? How did you know how to do your job?" asked Emma, as the thought only just occurred to her.
"You're bound to become good at anything if you spend 28 years doing it," said Regina dismissively. "The obvious exception being you and dressing yourself properly."
Aaaand we're back with the insults again. Emma grinned inwardly. Regina must be feeling self-conscious about displaying their changed relationship status with her former enemy as an audience if she was resorting to taking potshots. There was no use hiding it anymore and she wasn't fooling anyone by trying to cover up the obvious. But it was still new to them both. It must be reminding her of raw memories of having her first new shoot of happiness plucked from it's stem before it had a chance to meet sunlight. Especially since the principle cause of that loss was standing right in front of her.
"Regina, this really is the best thing for the town," Mary Margaret was saying, trying to convince the reluctant woman with her reasoning.
"Er, don't we have more important things to worry about right now? Like the fact that the town is disappearing? Soon there might not be anything left for her to be the Mayor of," Emma pointed out.
"You are unbelievable," Regina sneered at Mary Margaret. "To expect me to take over when everything is going to hell. You expect me to be grateful for the offer of captaining this sinking ship?"
"Technically it's shrinking, not sinking," muttered Emma, ever the smartass.
"Yes. It is." Regina's eyes flashed. "If I agree to this, I will go down in the books as the villain who let Storybrooke disappear and Snow White's hands will remain clean. Apart from the blood of my mother that is, which nobody cares to recall. Why exactly should I do this?"
"Regina," said Mary Margaret softly. "You were a good queen."
Emma's eyebrows shot up. "I'm assuming you mean 'apart from the mass murdering and evil sorcery' right?"
"Yes-apart-from-that." Mary Margaret hissed, she shot her daughter a chastising look for a quick second and then returned her gaze to meet Regina's hard stare. "I meant that the kingdom was prosperous under your rule. Trade increased, health and living conditions of the people improved -"
"They certainly were healthy enough to burn effigies and scream obscenities at me from the gates every morning," said Regina in a droll voice.
Mary Margaret went on explaining with growing confidence that she was getting through. "Cora gave you master tuition in managing affairs of state. I know you favour the Leviathan political model, the necessity of absolute sovereignty. The people don't always recognise what is best for them. Sometimes a Queen must make hard decisions for the good of all, even if they are unpopular. In return for power, the Queen is charged with the protection and defense of the realm."
Regina regarded her blankly. "What would you know about social contract theory? You barely attended your tutors' sessions."
"I heard you talking about it once. You may not have paid much attention to me, but I paid attention to you, Stepmother."
Regina's posture, already ramrod straight, tensed further at the hated title.
"This is so typical of you, Snow, you want me to take the reins of your runaway horse again. There's nothing I regret more than saving you that day," said Regina in the cruellest voice she could muster.
Mary Margaret tilted her head with a kind smile. "No, you don't. If I had died that day, you wouldn't have Henry now..." Or Emma. The rest of the sentence lay unsaid but they all heard it.
Regina, to the credit of her self-composure, barely reacted.
"And you'd do it again," said Mary Margaret confidently. "Whether you knew the eventual outcome or not, you'd do it again because that is what good people do. That's why you will take the job."
"Overstate my goodness to your peril," Regina said stubbornly. "I refuse to go along with anything that will benefit you."
"What if it benefits you as well? I've never seen anyone enjoy paperwork as much as you." Mary Margaret's tone was innocent.
Regina lowered a menacing glare and twitched like she was going to move towards the pixie-haired brunette who was stubbornly maintaining her ground.
Detecting the danger, Emma stepped between them holding her hands at arms length like they were boxing opponents in a ring. "Woah hey! Take it easy. For god's sake stop baiting her, Mary Margaret. You guys are fairytale characters and I'm a real person so my opinion is the only valid one here."
They both gave her filthy looks.
"Um yeah," said Emma, nervously glancing between her Mom and her girlfriend and wondering which of them she'd get in more shit with over this.
"What I mean is, this is the real world and the town Mayor is an elected position. You can't just put whoever you want in power like you're usurping a throne. It's undemocratic or something."
Mary Margaret raised her chin. "Then we'll hold an election. Regina's running."
"Who will I be running against - you?" said Regina flatly. "I am not going to submit myself to such pointless humiliation. The masses may be fickle but they are not going to elect the Evil Queen over Snow White."
"I won't be running," said Mary Margaret simply. "I have no idea how to be Mayor. You'll take on the position of Acting Mayor for a while and then run as the only candidate. Storybrooke can either elect you... or not. Perhaps we'll learn something about the goodwill of the people."
Regina crossed her arms in irritation. "This is going to be one of your ideas isn't it? Like the time you said we should ride over to Tinburgh unannounced for a surprise tea party. Agatha hated children, especially precocious little girls. That was not a good idea."
"Why does everyone keep saying that!" blurted Mary Margaret.
After an awkward pause Mary Margaret left in a flustered huff, muttering something about seeing them at home later. She was satisfied that she'd made her offer and her point without it ending in bloodshed but it was always wearying going to battle with Regina. Words and magic - the former sovereign wielded both arguments and spells with exceptional precision and without backing down. Exactly the reason why she was suitable for the job.
"So. You're gonna be my boss again," said Emma, peering at Regina with half-closed eyes when they were alone again. "Kinky."
"Technically I haven't agreed to it yet," said Regina stubbornly.
Emma snaked an arm around her waist, trying to get her prickly girlfriend to warm up. "Come on, Regina. Forget for five seconds where the offer came from and think about it, ok? You are the right choice. Getting your job back will be good for you. And if you're thinking about dabbling in any sort of corruption … well, I'm sure the Sheriff can find a way to make you behave."
Regina ignored the last part and admitted her last reason for hesitating. "What if I lose? Henry is going to be disappointed."
"Regina," said Emma with a loaded smirk. "What if you win?"
The former Evil Queen had received two offers that day: an unscrupulous one which had tempted her sorely and an honest one that she was tempted to spurn since it came from an unwanted source. Begrudgingly, Regina realised she knew which one was right. How irritating.
The next morning, everyone was surprised to see that Em had returned to the apartment sometime during the night. She didn't explain where she'd gone or why despite their questioning and her parents were just glad to see her safe so they decided to let it slide. Ri and Henry had missed her the most and had least understood her absence, but the troubled teen barely responded when they said how much they'd missed her and were glad to have her back.
Em must've woke up in a cranky mood and it only got worse when she saw Emma and Regina come out of the same bedroom again. Over breakfast, she glared at anyone who spoke to her and even ignored Ri when she slid her hand under the table out of concern. The adults got up and went about their morning getting ready for work or school, intending to leave the teens alone during the day again.
Henry was chattering happily to Regina and Emma about random things as they tried to pack his schoolbag and lunchbox in time for him to get the bus. The long-held tension between his mothers had dissipated and the three of them had fallen into a comfortable arrangement of talking and laughing, with plenty of smiles shared between the two moms. Though the true nature of the change between them had gone over his head, Henry seemed happy that they were getting along together.
But when Em noticed Ri watching them with a hopeful smile the blonde teen's bad mood turned even blacker.
"Will you shut up kid? You're giving me a headache," snapped Em. She shoved her chair back with a harsh scrape and stood up.
All four adults were ready to reprimand her for being so mean to the little boy, but they were shocked by who got in first in a tone they'd never heard from her before and it was like a match had been struck in a box full of tinder.
"Don't talk to him like that!" said Ri, jumping to her feet.
Em stepped up into Ri's face so they were toe-to-toe. "Like what. Who cares, he's a brat."
"No he isn't. You are the brat, Em Swan. He's just a child, he doesn't need you being nasty to him."
"So what. When I was his age-"
"Just because you were treated badly is no reason to take it out on him!"
Seeing that the teens were staring each other down heatedly and gearing up for an explosive fight, Mary Margaret tried to intervene. "Girls, maybe you should calm down and try to-"
Em continued like she hadn't heard. "What would you know about anything, Ri. You're such a pampered little princess, you don't know shit about how the world really is. The world sucks and people are idiots. No-one learns anything from being sheltered from the truth."
"That might be true but I know the only reason you're mean to Henry is that you're jealous."
"What? No I'm not," Em scoffed defensively.
"Oh yes you are. You're both so alike and you see his life, this family he's got, and you're jealous because you never had any of it. He has the childhood you wish you had yourself."
"What I wish, Ri, is that I hadn't told you any of that stuff. I shouldn't have trusted you!"
Ri softened her expression and voice, afraid that she'd gone too far and wanting to be able to comfort her without being rebuffed. She lowered her clenching hands to put them away. "Em, I'm sorry. Snapping at you, I shouldn't have done that. I'm not trying to hurt you-"
"Yeah well, you're doing a good job of it, Your Highness," Em spat. "I'll talk to him however I want to."
Ri propped her hands on her hips. "You will not, Em Swan. Not while I'm around. It's easier to build up a child than it is to repair an adult. You're not getting anywhere near him if you continue to treat him like you have been."
"Stop coddling the kid. He'll be fine. But he'll never get anywhere in life if he's tied to your apron strings and has his mother controlling his every move. You really got the whole overprotective Mom thing happening already don't you, Ri?"
"What does that mean?"
Em rolled her eyes and half turned away with her arms folded tensely across her front. "Fine, I don't care. He's your kid. Do what you want with him."
"What are you talking about? No." Ri shook her head quickly. "He's Emma's son and it must hurt his feelings terribly when you're so hostile to him. You have to try to get to know him. He's yours."
"No, he's not. Where'd you get that idea? He's Regina's son. He's yours."
The teens were both confused and turned to their older selves to resolve the apparent contradiction.
Emma and Regina hadn't tried to break up the fight between their younger selves so far because it was well, bizarre. It seemed like they'd already had this exact fight several times over the last year, arguing over their son and their different claims to being his mother. It was that sense of deja vu that stunned them into watching it unfold as third parties, since they'd only experienced it previously from their own perspectives. Now, things were new and tentative between them, they were finally making progress, they were starting to trust each other and share Henry... but how could they explain all of that? It felt incredibly strange watching themselves fight.
The day the girls arrived in Storybrooke they'd separated and gone with each other's older counterpart. Ri must've assumed that Henry was Emma's son because he lived with her, and Em had heard from Regina that he was her son but was being kept away from her by Emma. Now the girls were about to find out the truth... that he was both of theirs, even though they weren't together?
"Is it true?" asked Ri hopefully. "Please tell me, I need to know. Is he really mine?"
"You are my mom, Ri," Henry piped up.
"Really? Oh, I have a son one day." Ri's eyes shone and she went straight to him to cup gentle hands around his face, as though seeing him for the first time.
Henry nodded. "Yup!"
Ri looked up at Regina and frowned. "But when I asked you if I ever get to have children you said 'yes and no'."
"I didn't give birth to him while I was married. I adopted him after I came to this world," said Regina.
"I don't understand what that is," said Ri. "I thought he belonged to Emma. He's so much like her."
Em narrowed her eyes, looking from Henry to her older self. Ri may have been confused by both the physical and social implications of adoption but she certainly wasn't. She knew things weren't right here. The kid had been adopted by Regina so why had Emma been trying to keep him away from her before all this started? What would give her the right to take the kid away if he wasn't hers to take? How could he belong to Emma as well? Unless-
"Kid, how old are you," asked Em evenly.
"Em, listen, it's not what you think-" Emma started to reply.
"I'm eleven," said Henry. "Emma's 28, nearly 29."
Em glared at her older self hatefully after she'd done the simple math and realised what it had added up to. She was not long from getting pregnant and not only that-
"You gave him up?!" yelled Em angrily. "How could you! I can't believe this. I HATE who I become."
Em stormed out of the apartment before anyone could stop her, slamming the door behind her. The sound rang in the silence that remained as the rest of the family stood stunned by the teens' fight and the connection they'd finally made to each other.
Ri was still mesmerised by Henry and the new knowledge that he would one day belong to her. She was crying hard as she pulled him into a hug and murmured in his ear in case he was upset by what he'd heard. But in trying to comfort him she was also looking for some herself after her explosive fight with Em.
"You're so beautiful, Henry. I can't wait. Everything will be worth it if I can just have you. You are such a wonderful little person. Don't you worry, sweetheart, Em will come around. She just doesn't know you yet."
Henry's voice was muffled into Ri's shoulder. "I know. Emma acted weird when she first met me too. It'll be okay, Ri. You'll see. I'll make everything okay, I promise."
Mary Margaret opened and closed her mouth several times, searching for words to describe what she'd just seen. "Were they fighting over Henry? Em thought he was Regina's son and Ri thought he was Emma's?"
Emma had the grace to look a little chagrined. "Apparently."
"That felt kinda familiar," said David.
"Yes, it did." Mary Margaret looked pointedly at the older Emma and Regina like they were naughty students. "They looked exactly like their older selves just now. Fighting over their son."
Regina glanced worriedly at the front door. "I'll go after her. She shouldn't be alone right now."
"No." Emma shook her head firmly. "Not this time. You take yours and I'll take mine."
Regina grabbed her hand to stop her for a moment. "Be kind to yourself, Emma. She's very hurt. What are you going to say to her?"
Emma set her mouth in in a grim line. "What she needs to hear."