Double Trouble 48

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing :). We're getting really close to some big secrets being revealed. Love to know what you think of this one.

Hints! Coming soon for the main five characters: someone steals, someone loses their heart, someone is a hero, someone gets in trouble, and someone gets a gift.

Chapter 48 'Trust'

Sunday evening, 108 Mifflin St

Regina took in the sight of the pair of teenagers who were sitting on the couch three feet apart (which was about three feet more than the usual distance between them). Both of them had their arms crossed and wore frowns, determinedly avoiding each other's eye contact.

The girls' behaviour towards each other had been deteriorating throughout the weekend culminating in this awkward standoff. Strangely, they hadn't sought to be completely away from each other though - they weren't talking much or hanging all over each other like usual - but they also hadn't retreated to separate rooms either. Even now they still preferred to be relatively near each other.

Regina asked, "What's wrong?"

"They're fighting," declared Emma.

Em glared at the ceiling. "We are not fighting."

"Certainly not," said Ri.

Emma nearly laughed and shot a look at Regina who was standing to her side in the archway. "Do you ever get this weird deja vu feeling? Kinda like looking into a mirror or something? They are so fighting."

"I'd say it's more of a tiff. Maybe a spat," said Regina.

"They are definitely in a snit with each other."

Regina decoded the expression on Ri's face and her body language. "It looks like I'm annoyed that you're not paying much attention to me. But actually I'm a little hurt."

Emma nodded, examining her own double. "I'm preoccupied with trying to figure something out. I'm afraid to tell you though."

Em faked a yawn. "Hey, old people, are you finished with your jedi mind tricks?"

"Sounds accurate to me, Em Swan," said Ri hoity-toitily. "You are holding back from me."

"Ugh, Ri, my life revolves around you and you're pissed that I ignored you because I wanted some time to myself for one morning?"

"That's not why I'm upset," said Ri quietly.

"Oh for god's sake, you're such a girl sometimes. You never let anything go."

Ri's face turned petulant. She grabbed one of the cushions off the couch and tossed it at Em, but all it did was bounce off the other girl's lap and fell to the floor.

"Hey!" said Emma, frowning at the pair. "What the hell is this! If you're going to fight, learn to fight fair. You-" she pointed at Em. "Don't say shitty things like that. Especially when you don't mean them."

Regina pinned a look on her own younger self. "And you - don't throw things like a spoiled child just because you aren't getting your own way."

Emma and Regina were perplexed by their younger selves' fight. The irony was of course, that the girls' dirty fighting tactics were exactly the same as theirs. These days Emma's snark cut deeper and involved more four letter words and Regina was more likely to throw glasses or fireballs than cushions. They could recognise what their own self was feeling but they didn't really know specifically what had caused the fight or what it was even about. Their old strategy of each taking either their younger self or their younger opposite aside to have a chat wasn't going to cut it here.

Emma had a better idea.

"Alright. Regina and I are taking Henry over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for dinner. As weird as that still sounds. You two are staying here so that you can talk and sort this out now."

Ri didn't like the suggestion much. "You're leaving us here alone?"

"You are such a hypocrite, Emma," Em said crossly. "You and Regina were fighting for a week before you made up. We helped you. We didn't make you talk before you were ready."

"That's because we're old. You two aren't. Do us a favour and learn to communicate properly now."

Mary Margaret's apartment

Emma was sitting at the bench in the kitchen across from where Mary Margaret was putting the finishing touches on the meal preparation. It was her mother's idea to get everyone together regularly for a Sunday night family dinner. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed out on growing up until now. This kind of everyday happiness would always be bittersweet but she couldn't bear the thought of having to go without it anymore.

Ever since she'd moved out Emma felt a little awkward to be always going over to visit her parents' so often. She was a grown adult and though there was no getting her childhood back, she wanted to make up for some lost time. But she didn't want to be too clingy about it and she wondered if it was normal.

Ruby had told her that it wasn't a big deal, she was still living with her grandmother herself and the one time when she'd "run away" all she could think of was going home. Ashley told her that even after all the trouble she'd had with both her Stepmother and her father-in-law, she and Sean still saw them a lot (mostly because of an olive branch in the form of baby Alexi). Emma intended to casually survey Kathryn's opinion too but hadn't heard back from her.

It seemed family could survive many conflicts.

Regina had summed up the issue with her usual candour. "You are irritatingly childish in many ways, Emma, but wanting to spend time with your family isn't one of them."

So here they were, all together again. One big happy family. Sort of.

In the background over her shoulder, Henry was asking David and Regina questions about Fairytale Land and what really happened in their backstory.

"That is not how it happened, Charming," said Regina, rolling her eyes.

"Oh really?" said David, gearing up to full argument. "The entire menu was apple dishes! Who else would do that?"

"I have better things to do than bother myself with trivialities like your menus. I have no idea who was sending bushels of apples to the cooks who were preparing your wedding breakfast. I can't imagine where they got the idea that apples are Snow's favourite food."

Henry burst out laughing. "Mom, that's horrible."

Regina shrugged with a blank expression, but the arguments continued because Henry was deliberately inflaming the situation for his own amusement.

I swear, sometimes that kid is Regina's clone. He's like an experiment in nature versus nurture. I see so much of myself in him, yet so many of his expressions and mannerisms belong to her. And right now he is being an epic little troll. Don't have to wonder where he picked THAT up.

"Earth to Emma!" said Mary Margaret, jolting her out of her inner thoughts.

"Ah, what?" said Emma, turning back around. "Sorry. What'd you say?"

"I said where are the girls?"

"The teenyboppers? At home, having a punchup probably. That or bawling their eyes out."

Mary Margaret looked worried suddenly. "What? Why."

"Oh, pfff. They're in a snit over something. Baby dyke drama."

"Emma!"

"Ok ok." Emma sighed. "They're just having a little fight so we left them there alone, hoping that it'll give them a chance to talk properly. Otherwise it'll escalate: Ri will fume silently and plot something to make Em miserable, and Em will go out of her way to piss Ri off until she does something to make her snap. And then they'll make us all miserable as collateral damage."

"That does sound familiar," said Mary Margaret wryly. She started unwrapping the garlic bread out of the foil and spread out the pieces on a plate. She called out to the others to come to the table and started transferring the dinner plates over.

Emma's phone beeped with a new message so she took it out of her back pocket to read and reply to the sender:

Grumpy Leroy: Not good news, kiddo. The border's on the move again.

Shit! How fast?

Grumpy Leroy: It jumped forward again. Happy was on duty at the time. Now he's not so happy, he's lost his mind. He keeps saying dumb things and posting them on twitter. That's three dwarves down!

Ok. Thanks for the info. Sorry about your friend. Maybe take away his phone for a while.

Emma stared at her phone with a vague unease churning in her stomach. If she told her parents about it her mother would ream her out again for still doing nothing about the border problem. She didn't want to say anything until she and Regina had a chance to talk to Henry and ask if he knew something about the missing page from Cora's book. They were still no closer to figuring out what to do though. Time was slipping away and she couldn't put it off forever.

"Who was that?" said Mary Margaret.

"Uh, nothing," said Emma with a false smile. She hastily tucked her phone back in her pocket. "Miss Ginger's complaining about the neighbour's kids getting into her backyard. She keeps threatening to cook them and eat them."

"Come on then. Dinner's ready. No phones at the table, young lady."

Neither of the girls had moved. Or said anything. Ri's patience ran out for waiting any longer for Em to kick things off.

"So," Ri blew out a breath. "We're alone. Do you want to talk?"

Em pleaded. "Not now, Ri."

"Ok," said Ri, with a weak shrug. "Then… I don't know what to do here. I feel like there's something you're not telling me and it's really affecting you. What can I do?"

"Nothing. It's not like I have to tell you absolutely everything."

"I know. But if it's something important bothering you maybe just talking about it will help you feel better. Or if it's something to do with us then can't you see that it's going to cause problems in our relationship?"

"Or," said Em sarcastically. "I could tell you and ruin everything."

"Am I really such an evil person that you can't confide in me? Do you think I'm going to judge you or hate you for whatever it is?"

"No."

"Then what!" Ri cried. "Is it something to do with what happened between us? When we made love for the first time? Maybe it was you that wasn't ready yet. Do you regret it now? Were you disappointed?"

"No! No, of course not. How could you think that? I loved it. I love you."

"What else am I supposed to think? You haven't tried anything since and I don't know how to initiate these things or if you even want me to. I'm not sure if I've done something wrong. I've always been a little naive and afraid but you've taught me that I can speak up whenever I feel I need to. I think I can imagine now what Regina might've went through and instead you gave me the most beautiful experience I could ever imagine and I felt safe with you the entire time. Because I trust you. I want you to feel safe with me. When you're hurting I feel it too. What is going on in your head, Em? I love you, you can be honest with me. I know it's hard for you to trust anyone but don't you trust me?"

Em sighed and covered her face. "I miss you so much."

"I'm right here!"

They weren't getting anywhere but they were both becoming more upset. Emotions were running high. They were young and at the age where everything that went wrong seemed like the end of the world. Em was biting her lip in a vain effort to stop her chin wobbling, trying desperately not to cry. Ri already had a wet face and eyes full of tears.

Ri got up to leave. "I can't do this anymore. I'm going outside to watch the sunset. I'm sure it will be romantic and it'd be really nice if - if I had my g-girlfriend to sit with," she finished with a sob.

"What do you mean 'if you had your girlfriend'?" said Em.

"I think we need a break from each other for a little while. You're hurting me. I can't be around you right now."

Em's face crumpled. "Fine! Why don't you go and leave me alone then. You're just like everyone else. I don't care what you do and I don't want to be around you either."

Em grabbed the xbox controller angrily and turned the TV on to play the video game that was paused. The volume crashed into the formerly quiet room, a riot of game music and sound effects that couldn't quite drown out the rest of the world.

Ri snatched the TV remote back off the coffee table and hit the OFF button. She threw it behind the couch so that Em would have to crawl over to find it and then stormed out of the room in a teary huff.

The sunset probably would've been beautiful at any other time, but tonight all the colours seemed dim. Ri sat out on the back porch for as long as she could tolerate. It's not like she had anything else to do. With Em not talking to her and Henry and the others gone from the house she didn't know what to do with herself.

Ri went inside to heat up leftovers in the microwave for dinner. She couldn't hear the video game music playing from the den anymore. Then Em came in, maybe to check she was getting the appliance to work or maybe it was to see what she was up to. Em had her hands stuffed in her pockets and clearly she still had her walls up.

"Um, you alright?" said Em, not able to meet her eye. "With the microwave."

"Yes," said Ri. "I'll heat yours up too if you want?"

"Yeah, uh ... maybe we can have dinner together and watch the sunset now?"

Ri's brow creased. "It's dark."

"Oh." Em coloured with embarrassment. "Right. Yeah, of course it is."

The microwave dinged and Ri grabbed a tea towel to retrieve the plate of steaming food. The smell of beef stirfry hit the air. She set the plate on the counter and went to get Em's plate out of the fridge to heat up as well. She was actually starting to get the hang of these modern conveniences now.

She looked up just in time to see Em run out of the kitchen with her hand clapped over her mouth. Ri heard the upstairs bathroom door close. She thought it was strange, but Em had been acting strange for a while and she didn't know what to make of her hot-and-cold behaviour. Three seconds ago she'd wanted them to sit and eat together and now she'd run away. Ri was confused, but she was still hurt that Em wouldn't talk to her about whatever it was.

Ri sighed and put the other plate back in the fridge.

Em didn't come back so Ri ended up eating her dinner alone, which was just as lonely as it sounded. She cleaned up after herself. Then in lieu of something to do she decided to get ready for bed early so she put on her Snoopy PJs and brushed her teeth.

When she went upstairs to her bed there was somebody already in it. Somebody who was sobbing her heart out. Ri wasn't sure if Em would want her company right now, but the thought of knowing she was upset but not going to console her was painful. She figured that if Em really didn't want her to come to her she would've gone to her own bed and not left the door wide open.

Ri slipped into the room quietly and crouched beside the bed. She took Em's hand to let her know she was there. Em gripped her hand tightly and for a long time she was still crying hard with her face buried in the pillow. Her glasses were sitting on the bedside table.

She'd never seen Em so distraught. She'd seen her cry of course, but never so desperately that her entire body was heaving with uncontrollable sobs. It made her feel powerless and heartbroken to see the one she loved in such a state.

"I- d-don't want to do this!" Em gasped. "I'm alone."

"No, you aren't," said Ri. "I'm here. Em, sweetheart, don't cry so. You'll make yourself sick."

"I was already sick."

"Are you ok?" asked Ri gently.

"Yeah." Em gulped and swiped at her wet face with her free hand. "I'm feeling a bit better now. This is such a rort - it's not even morning. And why can't I stop crying! I feel yuck at random times of the day. The smell of meat makes me want to throw up. Even you smell weird, like the sweetest, most sugary thing in all the world. I'm so tired I could sleep forever and my boobs really really hurt. Google said it's all normal but it's totally getting me down. This sucks!"

"Um ok." Ri was confused by the list of complaints, or what she was supposed to say in commiseration. "I'm sorry I was mean to you when you're feeling sickly."

"No, it's not you. I'm sorry about before. I know I'm being weird and not making much sense. I knew this was coming but it didn't help at all. I'm so afraid. I got angry at you for no reason. I feel so alone, like I have this huge responsibility that I can't deal with and I'm just a stupid kid who doesn't know anything about anything. I don't think I can do it. But I don't want to keep the truth from you anymore, Ri. I can't. Even if it messes up the future. You deserve to know…"

"You can tell me anything," said Ri softly.

"I'm pregnant."

Ri was shocked. The words knocked her back from her crouch and she landed on her butt on the floor with a thud. She squeaked, "What?!"

"You know, 'with child' or whatever they used to call it in olden times. A baby on the way."

"Now?!"

"Not right this second. But soon - ish."

"I- but-" Ri shook her head slowly, trying to process the news. "How?"

"Please don't ask. Anything but that. I can't tell you."

"Ok." Ri breathed in. "Oh my goodness. Um, how do you know? How long have you known?"

"The doctor told me at the hospital after the car accident. I'm about three weeks into it now. Ri, you're freaking me out with the staring. You're looking at me like I'm a radioactive mutant."

"I don't know what that is. Are you a radioactive mutant? Is that how this happened?"

Em couldn't help laughing through her tears. "No! Aw Ri. Stop being cute. This is serious."

"I know! This is scary, I'm freaking out too. I don't understand."

"I thought Mary Mar - um, my Mom explained to you about sex and biology and stuff?"

"Yes, she did. That's why I'm confused. But how…? Em, were ... w-were you with someone other than me?"

Em looked physically sick again. "Ri. You know I love you. Do you think I could do that to you?"

"No," Ri said shakily. "Actually, maybe it doesn't matter right now. I think I don't care how it happened. I'm only concerned about you and the baby. What do we do? What can I do to help you?"

"I have no idea! I don't want anyone to know yet. Please. You can't tell the others, they'll lose their shit. This is only between us for now, ok?"

Ri nodded and took a deep breath. She was still staring at Em in wonder, like maybe she was magical, or like a miracle that was happening before her very eyes. She couldn't tear her eyes away. She couldn't comprehend the enormity of this thing that was happening to them. But it was an amazing wonderful beautiful thing. The most exciting terrifying thing she'd ever heard. Their future child was on his way...

When she realised what it meant, Ri gasped and pointed at Em's middle. "It's Henry! Right?"

"Yes." Em nodded. "I mean, I think so. I assume so. Emma got pregnant at seventeen too. I feel like it's him. I've felt this connection to him lately, I can't explain it. Like I want to protect him with my life and give him everything I can. I love him something crazy."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Ri pleaded. "Is this what you've been torturing yourself about for the last few days? Oh Em, why didn't you tell me."

"It's stupid now," she mumbled.

"No, it isn't. If you were worried about it."

"I thought…" Em's voice was tiny and insecure. She kept her eyes downcast and fiddled with her shirt. "I started thinking that maybe you just wanted the baby. That you'd take him one day and forget all about me. I thought you wouldn't want me around anymore. Everyone wants babies because they're cute and they have potential. No-one wants older kids, especially when they're troubled. I didn't want to be replaced. You're the only person I've ever had of my own. I'm afraid of losing you."

"You won't lose me. Em, I could never forget you. I love you with all my heart and you're doing something amazing for us both. What I want more than anything in the world is the three of us to be a family."

Em looked up, hopeful for the first time in ages. "A family?"

Ri smiled happily. "Yes! Our own little family. I don't care how long it takes, we'll get there."

"But Ri, we don't really belong here. What happens when we have to go back? I won't remember. Emma didn't."

"Try not to worry about things that haven't happened yet. Let's be happy for now."

"I don't want to get too used to making a home here only to lose it one day soon. It'll be hard to go back to having nothing again."

"We're getting a chance that Emma and Regina never had. We get to share this with each other. Our little baby boy. Oh Em, we've been here for so long already. What if we never go back? What if we stay here for good? You and I can do this. We can, I promise. Let me take care of you and the baby?"

The teenagers spent a long time talking things over, trying not to worry too much about the specifics of their future and instead focusing on the gift they'd been given. Em opened up to Ri about the torrent of emotions she'd felt upon getting the news of her pregnancy and told her more about how different she felt physically and emotionally now. Ri's imagination started running away with her and she listed all her fantasies and hopes and dreams for their baby. Em was a bit more practical but whenever she could put aside the weirdness of it, deep down she loved the idea of having someone who would always be a part of her. An actual blood relation. Someone who would never leave her.

It was odd because they already knew their son and loved him for the person he was so they didn't wonder what the baby would be like as many prospective parents do. They were both still kids themselves so they had no idea what they would be truly in for and it was all a bit unreal.

Em was in the bathroom while Ri was waiting in bed still daydreaming. She'd gone to brush her teeth and change clothes into just her pyjama top and underwear. When she came back Ri was still alternating between freaking out and giddy happiness. Currently it was the latter.

"I'm so excited!" Ri squealed with her fists under her chin. "I can't wait."

Em smiled ruefully and shook her head. "I can. He's gotta cook for a while yet. Ugh, I'm going to get huge by the end of this."

"You'll still be my beautiful girl, darling."

Em turned the lights down low and got into bed with her so they could cuddle. Ri curled up to her side carefully after Em warned her not to squish her breasts since they were still sore. She put her arms around Em and settled one of her palms on her bare still-flat stomach. Em smiled at her again and moved the hand a bit lower to the right place, where the baby actually was.

"Love you lots," murmured Em.

"I love you too."

Ri sat up and leaned over to place a kiss on Em's stomach near her bellybutton. She whispered against her skin, telling the baby that they loved him too and then she looked up at Em with such an expression of pure love and joy that it was breathtaking. Em pulled her back into her arms and sighed.

"Ri, I'm sorry you were hurt because you thought I wasn't interested in you anymore after we had sex. It definitely wasn't because I was disappointed. You believe me now that it wasn't that - right?"

"Yes. You had a lot on your mind. I can't imagine how hard this has been for you."

It was Em's turn to sound uncertain. "Actually I was kinda thinking that you might've been disappointed."

"No, why would you think that?"

"Because… um, I was wondering... if I can make it better for you? You were kinda quiet and... Is that just you? Or is it usually more intense when you uh - I mean, have you ever had one before? Like um, by yourself."

Ri buried her face in the pillow to hide her blushing. "Maybe. I might have."

"Aw, I'm not trying to embarrass you. It's ok, I've had lots of practice."

"It's happened a few times especially after I've been riding."

"Ohhh, of course. Tight riding pants, bouncing up and down in a saddle... Hot. You kinky little thing! No wonder you're so fond of riding."

"That is NOT why I like it," Ri denied hotly. "It's … that's just a ... a side effect!"

"Uh huh, sure."

They bantered about who was in fact the naughtiest out of the two of them and Em continued to tease and needle Ri until the other girl finally shut her up with a kiss. They were back on the same page again and it was such a relief to each of them that they were both eager to continue this with each other. The recent shared discovery of the baby and the makeup from their fight created an irresistible rush of adrenaline and passion and now they couldn't keep their hands off each other.

Ri broke the kiss with a gasp. "Wait! I have to tell you something. I told Emma that we had sex. I had questions about it. I hope that was ok."

Em brushed Ri's hair back. "Yeah. She would've guessed anyway."

"How do you know?"

"Cos I'm her. I knew straight away when she and Regina started sleeping together. So obvious. She probably knew it the same way I did. Hey, what'd you ask her?"

"Um, well-" Ri sounded embarrassed. "Stuff."

"Like what? I tried to get some info out of Regina but she wouldn't tell me much."

"Basically she said to have fun and to discover it for ourselves because we'll probably like some different things to them anyway… and she told me a few things that Mary Margaret left out."

"Really? Tell me too."

"No, you'll just have to wait till next time and I'll show you."

"Show me now then," Em said eagerly. "I'm serious, princess, I want you to try out your new moves on me."

"But you weren't feeling well earlier. You're sure you want to?"

"Um, yeah - if you do - I mean, I'm feeling great now, sometimes I couldn't care less but other times like now I want sex so badly it drives me crazy! And we do have the place to ourselves..." Em trailed off. "It'd be nice to do it in a bed, instead of me bashing my knees and elbows in the backseat of a little car while I'm trying to impress you."

Ri giggled. "That was your idea! You led me to believe that it was the quintessential teenage sexual experience."

"It was sexy. Like you."

They kissed again, pecking each other's lips and smiling in between. Em tugged Ri's pyjama top over her head and then removed her own. Ri sat up for a second to pull off her pyjama bottoms. She laid back down and pressed her length against Em's side.

"There's something I want to do for you..." said Ri. She laid the flat of her palm between Em's swollen breasts. "May I give you a massage?"

Em was hesitant to be touched where she was so sore. "Mm, I dunno. It'll probably hurt too much."

"Gently? I'll stop if it doesn't start to feel better."

"Ok. You can try."

Ri pressed the flat of her fingers into the tender newly rounded flesh and made slow little circles. Em closed her eyes. The massaging did hurt but it also helped to ease the ache after Ri moved on to each new area. She enjoyed it especially when Ri finished the process with a kiss and then moved on to the other side.

"Em," said Ri, squinting one eye. "Are they bigger?"

Em giggled. "Yeah. How could you not notice, right? Check it out, I have boobs now!"

"Believe me, I have been checking you out."

"Yeah, I was wondering where Emma got hers from. I figured they were lost in the post for a few more years and I was still waiting. Like my Hogwarts letter! I guess these pregnancy boobs are not gonna deflate after H gets here and I'll be stuck with them. Feels a lot better after your massage treatment. But what I really want is to get more familiar with yours."

"Oh, do you now?" Ri said loftily.

"Yes, I really do. I intend to get very familiar," teased Em. She ran her hand down Ri's torso and around her hip, dipping her fingertips into the elastic of her panties and then trailed them back up so that she could cup her breast. She bent her head closer and was just about to take the tip into her mouth when she heard Ri's breath hitch.

"Wait -" said Ri. "What are you doing? Are you-"

"I was going to kiss you there," said Em.

"Is that ok. Is that a thing?"

"Oh, it's definitely a thing. Anywhere that hands can go so can mouths. And I do mean anywhere, but that's on the eventual To-Do List so don't worry about that now ok?"

Ri blushed. She threaded her hand through the blonde locks at the base of Em's neck and pulled her back down to her chest, to show that she was ok with it. As soon as Em's lips made contact it felt incredible and even more so when she drew the tight bud into her mouth and sucked. Em's long hair fell over her heated skin and it tickled deliciously. Ri's hands wanted to be doing something to Em as well and since she couldn't reciprocate in the same way, one hand tangled itself in her hair and the other wandered a path down past a pale hipbone and started pulling the cotton underwear down with her thumb.

Em's eyes snapped up at her in surprise but her expression was coy as she let herself be undressed. She followed likewise and removed the last bit of Ri's clothing as well so that they were totally naked together for the first time. She shifted higher so that she could kiss Ri fully. Before Em could change their position herself, Ri pushed at her shoulders and flipped them over so that she was on top instead.

Em's legs were butterflied and Ri settled herself between them. They were pressed together intimately and for the first time they weren't separated by clothing, secrets, or anything else. Both girls were breathing fast in between kissing each other's face or torso as they moved together rhythmically.

"Ohhh," Em sighed. "Who'd've thought sweet lil Ri liked to be on top."

Ri whimpered when Em arched underneath her. "Oh yes. I like this. A lot," she breathed.

It was only the second time that they'd had sex and though the first time had felt amazing and special for all of the it's-new-and-exciting reasons, this time it was less fumbly and both of them were less nervous. As it turned out Ri liked the top position just as Regina did (although not exclusively since Emma liked it too) and her surprise move for Em drove the girl crazy for her. It was an equal thrill of power and pleasure being inside her for the first time like Em had done for her before. Em didn't manage to coax many sounds of Ri this time either, but she figured that maybe that was just how Ri was for now and not because it wasn't very pleasurable for her.

Emma had been right - they were figuring each other out all on their own.

Later they were lazing together in a sweaty tangle of legs and arms, relaxing as their heartrates slowly returned to normal. Suddenly Ri clapped a hand over her mouth and looked worried.

"What is it?" said Em, confused.

"Henry!" Ri squeaked. "We forgot to tell him to close his eyes and block his ears. We probably traumatised him! Oh no, did I hurt him when I was lying on you?"

Em chuckled at the adorable girl. "No, he's fine. He's tiny and cushioned in there and hasn't got a clue. Thank god."

The next morning, Monday, when Emma and Regina came into the kitchen the girls were already there. The hadn't seen their younger selves last night when they'd got home from Mary Margaret's place, all they knew was that Ri's bedroom door was shut and the lights were off. Both girls must have been in there but it was unknown as to whether they'd made up from their fight.

The answer was obvious now.

Ri was sitting on one of the barstools and she had Em straddling her lap. For some unknown reason Em had her hair braided in a funky version of the way Ri usually did hers and Ri was wearing Em's new sparkly silver Converse hi-tops that Mary Margaret had been nagged into buying. The teenagers were grinning their heads off and kissing playfully, completely wrapped up in each other in a way that was almost nauseatingly sweet.

Ri noticed the adults and waved happily. "Isn't it the most beautiful day ever!" she said, before Em tickled her mercilessly and made her giggle. The girls paid no attention to their older selves after that.

Emma shot a sly look at Regina. "Behold! The magic power of makeup sex."

"Yes, it certainly does look like they've made up," said Regina. "Presumably Baby Emma grovelled and apologised for being a brat to Ri, who was in the right the entire time."

"Uh huh, sure. Maybe Little Regina realised that she doesn't have to be in control of everything to get what she wants and patiently waited til Em was ready to tell her."

Regina collected her purse and carkeys from where they were sitting on the kitchen bench. She was wearing one of her suits and had a busy day of work ahead. She could feel Emma smirking and watching her every movement so she gave her hair an unnecessary flip.

"Just so you know, dear," Regina said with as much haughty regality as she could muster. "I intend to pick a fight with you at some point in the future."

"Well, I intend to retaliate," said Emma, not intimidated in the slightest. "I've crossed worlds to keep fighting with you."

"Then I might throw something made from fire. At your head."

"I'm going to do the exact opposite of whatever you want me to do."

"I'm going to make your life extremely difficult."

Emma scoffed. "You're on."

"Do your worst, Miss Swan," said Regina loftily.

"You'd better bring your A-game, Madam Mayor. I'm looking forward to this and not just for the makeup sex. You're going down."

"As are you. Possibly at the same time." Regina pecked her on the cheek and headed for the front door. As she walked away she twinkled her hand in a wave without turning around. "Have a nice day at work, Emma dear."

"With that image in my head? Yes and no," muttered Emma. She grabbed her keys from where they'd been sitting next to Regina's. On her way out she glanced at Em and Ri who were now making out in that oblivious way that teenagers do, as seen in malls and movie theatres everywhere. Emma felt a frisson of jealousy that she couldn't blow off her responsible adult life for a day and do the same with her own girlfriend. But she was the Saviour, she didn't get to have a day off.

Another day down, she sighed to herself and climbed into her car. It was another day closer to Storybrooke shrinking for good. The number of plans Emma had so far for preventing the impending disaster?

Zero.