A/N: Apologies for the lack of a chapter on Wednesday. I had a crazy busy work week and I didn't have time to write. But as a reward, here's 6000+ words of SwanQueen fluff plus just a little bit of drama.
They fell into a routine of sorts. Mary Margaret and David kept Emma company over breakfast before Regina arrived at about 10, after having dropped Henry off at school and completed a few errands. Emma's foster parents drive out into the nearby countryside and enjoy a short hike together, complete with a picnic. Meanwhile, Regina and Emma would have lunch together in the hospital and then Regina would head into the office. Despite saying she would take the time off work, with Emma's foster parents in town, it didn't seem necessary and her inbox was beginning to bulge.
Emma spent the afternoons with Mary Margaret and David before Regina and Henry arrived for dinner. The small boy would sit on the end of her bed, filling the blonde in on his day as they ate. Then Regina would take Henry home to bed and the others would follow a couple of hours later. Regina, Mary Margaret and David generally shared a bottle of wine each evening, slowly getting to know one another as Emma recovered.
Other people visited Emma over the week. August appeared twice; once even bringing one of his new dishes for the restaurant's specials. While Emma was the head chef, August himself was talented at creating delectable dishes and his new take on the classic prawn cocktail got Emma's seal of approval. Ruby and Belle had visited most days as well, either together or separately, depending on their schedules. Belle had gotten a job in a local independent book store, allowing her to spend the evenings writing her own novel which, one day, she hoped to publish.
A few other friends popped by, including Sabi and Will, whom Regina was yet to meet until that point. He was a man of few words but incredible talent, as Regina was reminded when the man unpacked the wide range of Italian dishes he had brought for them all to eat. Even Henry tried some of his classic tomato pasta although he did loudly declare that Emma's was nicer.
It was the weekend by the time Emma was well enough to be discharged from the hospital. Regina arrived early on Sunday morning, leaving Henry with Kat so she didn't have to keep an eye on him as well as Emma whom she knew would want to do more than her body was ready for. The blonde's foster parents had flown back to San Francisco the day before, confident that their daughter was in safe hands.
As Regina tidied up Emma's belongings which had been scattered around the room over the previous six days, the doctor took off the bandage which had been covering the small wound on her head, the only sign that she had undergone brain surgery.
"We can leave this uncovered now," Doctor Whale said after surveying the healing incision. "Just keep an eye on it and keep the area clean."
"How can I keep an eye on it?" Emma asked. "It's at the back of my head."
Doctor Whale turned to Regina who was smirking. "Ms Mills? I presume I can rely on your sensibility here?"
"I've got it covered," Regina nodded.
"Unlike me," Emma grumbled. "Half my head has been shaved."
"It's not half," Regina pointed out, making her way closer and peering around Doctor Whale's shoulder to take a look at her girlfriend's scalp. "Oh, well, I suppose they did shave off more than they needed. You've still got about three quarters of your hair though."
Emma growled. "Stop teasing me and pass me that silk head scarf you brought."
Chuckling, Regina did as requested, while Doctor Whale left to complete Emma's discharge papers. Her thumb ran over the smooth material for a moment, remembering the last time the scarf has been worn. Emma watched curiously as a look of sadness crossed her girlfriend's features for a moment before she saw the brunette compose herself and hand the scarf over.
"Thank you," Emma said. "It's beautiful."
"It was my mother's," Regina said quietly. "She wore it during her chemo."
Regina didn't often speak of her mother. The woman had only died a few years prior and the brunette still missed her every day.
"Are you sure you're ok with me wearing it?" Emma asked softly, not wanting to overstep even though it had been Regina who had brought the fabric for the blonde to use.
"Yes, it's fine," Regina assured her. "Would you like me to put it on for you?"
Emma nodded. Her broken ribs and bandaged hands were going to make reaching up and tying the scarf next to impossible. Regina knelt on the bed behind her girlfriend and draped the scarf over her head. Sweeping the blonde locks, of which there was still masses, into her hands, she swiftly tied the ends of the scarf together before letting Emma's hair cascade down her back once more, the shaved area shielded from view.
"Thank you," Emma murmured as Regina dropped a kiss to her shoulder. "Are we ready to go?"
"Yep, I just have to get one more thing. Wait here," Regina said, disappearing before Emma could even say anything.
She had returned in less than a minute, pushing the missing item ahead of her. Emma's brow furrowed at the sight. Had she been able to do so without causing herself pain, she would have folded her arms in defiance. Regina recognised the look immediately but was in no mood to argue when it came to her girlfriend's health.
"Sit," Regina insisted, hands firmly on the handles of the wheelchair.
"I can walk," Emma pouted, standing up from her hospital bed, gesturing to her fully dressed body with freshly bandaged hands. "My knee is fine now. It barely hurts at all."
"Sit," Regina repeated.
Emma huffed but obeyed. There was no point arguing with Regina, nor the nurse who had appeared, insisted it was hospital policy for her to leave in the wheelchair. She hung her head as she was pushed through the corridors, signed the discharge papers and emerged out into the parking lot. The storm which had deluged the city was long gone and the hot summer days had returned. Regina had parked close to the hospital entrance and opened the passenger door before turning around to help Emma.
"What are you doing?" she asked, hands on hips.
"Standing," Emma replied, sticking her tongue out for good measure. "I'm perfectly fine, Gina. Please, I don't need your help getting into the car."
"You just had surgery," Regina pointed out.
"Six days ago," Emma said. "I'm fine. The doctors have cleared me to go home and that's what we're doing. I don't need help getting in and out of the car."
Regina looked sceptical but nodded her agreement and stepped out of the way. Emma moved forwards, more slowly than usual but she seemed steady on her feet. As she bent down to get into the low Mercedes, she let out a little hiss of pain.
"Are you ok?" Regina asked, moving to her girlfriend's side at once.
"Stitches hurt a bit," Emma grunted as she eased herself down slowly. "I'm good."
Regina waited without saying anything more until Emma was safely inside the car. Then she hurried the wheelchair back to the hospital and returned to the car. Emma was leaning back against the seat, eyes closed.
"Emma?"
"I'm ok," the blonde whispered. "It's just my ribs. They're tender."
"Are you sure you're ready?"
"To move in with you? Yes," Emma grinned, green eyes fluttering open. "I've always been ready for that."
Regina felt her heart melt a little. The previous day, a removal team had arrived with all of Emma's possessions and there were now cardboard boxes stacked in various rooms of her house. She usually hated clutter but the sight of them made her smile. Because it meant Emma was coming home.
"You realise you're forbidden to start unpacking until you're completely better," Regina said sternly as she started the car.
"Not like I can do anything with these anyway," Emma said, holding up her bandaged hands. "Speaking of which, can you buckle me in please?"
Regina obliged at once, leaning across to reach for the belt to strap Emma safely into the car. Before she could do so however, soft lips pressed against hers, distracting her from the task. She didn't complain. She missed having private moments with Emma. Much as she had enjoyed getting to know Mary Margaret and David, their presence had limited the amount of time she and Emma spent when it was just the two of them.
It was several minutes later when the couple finally broke apart. Regina hummed in satisfaction and then smiled before securing the belt across Emma.
"Let's go home," she said quietly.
"Emma!"
Henry launched himself across the room and barrelled into the blonde's legs the moment she appeared in the living room. The young woman had braced herself from the impact but was still grateful for Regina's hand on her back as the small boy wrapped his arms around her thighs.
"Hi kid," she said.
"You live here with us now, right?" Henry asked, chin stuck firmly in Emma's belly button and big olive eyes gazing up into her face.
"Yup," Emma nodded. "Hi Kat," she added, seeing the other blonde getting to her feet from where she had been sat, playing with Henry and his train set.
"Good to see you up and about," Kathryn smiled. "Regina told me what happened. I hope you feel better soon."
"Thanks," Emma replied. "I'm sure being here with these two will help me recover in no time. Speaking of which, Henry, are you going to help me unpack?"
Henry, who was still hugging Emma tightly, frowned at that question. His mom hadn't mentioned an increase in his chores. Was that part of the deal with Emma moving in with them?
"Can't Mom do it?" he offered.
"Well, how about we all do it together," Regina suggested. "Emma can't help because of her hands, remember?"
"Are they still broken?" Henry asked, untangling himself from the woman and reaching for one of Emma's bandaged limbs.
She pulled it gently away before he could clutch one of them. Even through the padding, pressure hurt the tender skin. "Yes, they're going to be wrapped up for a while longer."
In fact, her hands were the injury which had kept her in hospital the longest. A nurse had been diligently cleaning them each morning and this was a routine which Regina was now to take over. The skin was still raw and red; Emma was taking heavy pain medication to keep the agony she would be in at bay. Regina had the prescriptions in her handbag, along with instructions on how to correctly clean and apply the antibiotic cream.
"Let's get you settled," Regina said quietly. "Kat, are you ok to watch Henry a little longer?"
Kathryn assured the couple that she could stay as long as they needed her to. Regina thanked her friend and wrapped an arm gently around Emma's tender waist to steer her towards their bedroom. Their bedroom. She couldn't suppress the grin which formed at the realisation.
They moved slowly down the corridor and into the large bedroom. A few of Emma's boxes were in there already, identified as containing only clothes. With Emma's direction, Regina was able to locate some summer pyjamas and set about getting the blonde changed. The process was slow and labourious, with Emma unable to move her arms high above her head, thanks to her broken ribs.
Once the blonde was dressed and had been eased back against the clean sheets, Regina set about fussing to make sure the younger woman had everything she could possibly need.
"What about a hot cup of tea? Would you like some tea?"
"How about some coffee?" Emma asked, a note of hope in her voice.
"Nope," Regina said. "You heard what the doctor said. No coffee. It slows down the healing process. So, tea? Or maybe some honey and lemon."
"Mmmm, sounds good," Emma nodded, placated for now. The lack of coffee had been a touchy subject since the doctor had announced the woman should abstain for the next few weeks while her body recovered. "But there's one more thing I need before you go to make that."
"Name it," Regina said, rearranging the bouquet of flowers on Emma's bedside table.
"Come here," Emma said, pulling back the duvet on the other side of the bed and patting the mattress.
Although Regina knew her girlfriend was in no condition to do anything more than gently cuddle, she couldn't deny the heat which coiled low in her belly. Emma grinned, the signs of arousal evident in the beautiful face. Yet Regina didn't move; almost as if she wasn't sure she would be able to control herself if she got into bed alongside the blonde.
"Come on," she encouraged. "I just want to hold you. Please. I've missed you."
"I've seen you every day," Regina pointed out, but even as she spoke she was making her way around to the other side of the bed and toeing off her shoes.
"Yes, but seeing isn't the same as snuggling," Emma said, moving one arm slowly to the side as Regina slid between the sheets.
It took them a little while to adjust and for Emma to find a position she was comfortable in but they made it in the end. Emma curled her arm around Regina's shoulders, the bandaged stump resting on the pillow beyond. Regina herself lay on her side, pressing as lightly as she could against Emma. It wasn't the side where the surgery wound was but she was still mindful that the blonde's ribs were causing her pain. She lay her hand gently on Emma's chest, fingers brushing against the exposed skin in the v of Emma's pyjama top.
"Yeah, I've really missed this," Emma mused, kissing Regina's forehead lightly.
"Me too," Regina admitted.
"Well, from now on, we can go to sleep like this every night."
"I know," Regina said, turning her face up to smile at the blonde. "I'm so happy."
"Me too," Emma said, placing a soft kiss to Regina's lips.
The kiss continued, unhurried and unassuming. Just comfort and reassurance and each woman telling the other that they were still here.
The next thing Regina knew, a light tapping on the door was waking her up and Kathryn's curious head was peering into the room.
"Sorry," she whispered as she saw Regina's eyes peering at her over Emma's sleeping body. "I didn't mean to wake the patient."
"She's asleep," Regina said, glancing at the peaceful face below her. "Hang on, I'll be right out."
Kathryn nodded and retreated as Regina began to disentangle herself from Emma's embrace. The blonde barely moved, just mumbled something incoherent as the brunette slid from the bed. She straightened her blouse which was wrinkled from the short nap, and headed out into the hallway.
Following the sounds of her son playing, Regina found herself in the living room where Kathryn was once again sat beside the small boy.
"Where's Emma?" Henry asked as soon as his mother had appeared.
"She's sleeping," Regina said. "She's tired from the journey. How long was I asleep?" she added, turning to her friend for the answer.
"It's been about an hour since you guys left us," the blonde replied. "Henry and I had a snack of apples, didn't we?"
"Yeah. But I'm still hungry. Can we make Emma lunch?" he asked.
Regina smiled. "Of course we can."
And so Emma's recuperation began. The trio fell into a new routine once the blonde was situated at their house. Regina would prepare breakfast for the three of them before taking Henry to school. She would then return home and tend to Emma's hands. The blonde was silent throughout the process and Regina didn't try to engage her in conversation as she carefully cleaned and dressed the raw skin.
The couple would spend the mornings slowly unpacking Emma's belongings, with the blonde forbidden to do anything except direct Regina as they made their way through one box after another. Slowly, the house which had belonged to Regina and Henry became a home for Regina, Emma and Henry.
Once they had eaten lunch, Regina headed to work, returning soon after five with Henry who was cared for after school by his child minder until Emma was well enough to keep up with an energetic little boy. Regina's new favourite part of the day was walking back into their home, seeing Henry hugging Emma hello before she herself was given a soft, chaste kiss.
Loathe as Emma was to admit, she did need Regina to help her with most of her day to day tasks. Even getting dressed and undressed was difficult when it came to buttoning and unbuttoning items. Cooking wasn't an option, since Emma couldn't hold anything with her hands, so she had taken to sitting at the small dining table in the kitchen and talking to Regina and Henry as they made their meals. When it was just her in the house, Emma usually lay on the couch, her kindle propped on her stomach and read.
It took less than a week for Emma to get bored. August had been in touch with her a few times since the accident to request her assistance with creating daily specials. Those interactions made Emma ache to get back into the kitchen. The next time she saw her hands, however, she remembered she wouldn't be back at work any time soon.
Ten days after Emma had left the hospital, a knock on the door in the middle of the afternoon roused her from the depths of her latest novel. Laying the kindle down on the coffee table, she got to her feet. Her ribs were healing well and she could move around without any considerable pain. The stitches from her surgery had been taken out and the scar was healing well. Making her way to the front door, Emma wondered who it may be. She was not expecting to see the person who stood in the porch.
"Killian."
"Hello love, how are you doing?" her boss asked, holding out a grotesque bouquet of mismatched flowers. "These are for you."
Emma reached out to take them, struggling with her still bandaged hands to get purchase on the gaudy cellophane. "Um, sorry, can you carry them?" she asked eventually, holding up her hands as if to explain why.
"Sure," Killian nodded, stepping inside as Emma moved out of the way. "Where to?"
"Follow me," Emma said, unable to think of a reason not to invite the man further into the house. "How did you know where to find me?"
"Ruby gave me the address," he replied, closing the door behind him. Emma made a mental note to scold her best friend the next time she visited. What was the woman thinking handing over that information? If Killian wanted to contact her, he had her cell number.
They made their way to the kitchen where Emma located a vase for the flowers. She went through the motions of putting them in water even though she knew Regina would not allow the unsightly display in the house as soon as she got home. Once the flowers were in place, Emma fumbled to fill up the kettle and began making tea. This was something she had managed to adapt to, carefully using the bandaged hands to grip the mug and kettle. Regina left teabags balanced on the edge of the windowsill above the counter so all Emma needed to do was knock one into each cup.
Killian, rather than helping the woman who was laboriously serving him, took a seat and helped himself to one of the muffins Regina and Henry had made, with Emma's guidance, the night before.
"So," Killian said. "When are you coming back to work?"
Emma didn't answer immediately. She was too busy concentrating on pouring boiling water into the mugs. The man made no attempt to assist. Once she had carried her boss' drink and then her own over to the table and sat down, she answered.
"Once I can use my hands again."
"Yeah, August told me about that. Bad, are they?"
"Yes," Emma said, not wanting to elaborate.
"Got a time scale on your recovery?"
"A few more weeks, maybe a month," Emma said.
The skin was slowly healing. Every morning, as Regina bathed her palms, Emma looked for signs that her hands were getting better. They were definitely less painful and she had reduced her medication, but the skin was still tender and new. Applying pressure without the bandages hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes.
"Reckon you'll be back by September?"
"I hope so," Emma nodded. "Why?"
"Well, I've decided to sell the restaurant."
The cup of tea which Emma had been carefully gripping, slipped and fell to the table. She jumped to her feet as the boiling liquid rushed to the edge and dripped to the floor. Killian, for once, was proactive and grabbed a tea towel to stop the hot water.
"Are you ok?" he asked, looking up at Emma who was standing a little way away.
"Yeah," she said slowly. "Just haven't moved that fast since the accident."
Her ribs, which hadn't been hurting much recently, now twinged as if to remind her not to push her luck. She eased herself back down in the chair and pushed the empty mug away. She didn't have the energy to make another cup.
"So, you're selling HLS?" she said, remembering what had shocked her in the first place.
"Yeah," Killian nodded. "Got a great investment opportunity coming up in New York and need to liquidate some capital so I can get in on the action. I've got a buyer interested and they're coming to view the place next week. A couple who own a few places down in the city. They've been interested in the place for a while so when I knew I wanted to sell, I offered it to them. They were asking about you, however."
"Asking about me?"
"Yeah, they want the restaurant but only if you're part of the deal. They want you to stay on, sign a contract with them. So, what can I tell them?"
Emma was stunned. Not only at the massive decision she was being asked to make on the spot but also at the news that Killian was selling. She didn't like the man but he was never on site and gave her complete autonomy. As far as bosses went, if you ignored the sexual harassment, he was ideal. What if her new bosses wanted to be more involved, to dictate how Emma ran her kitchen? If they owned restaurants in New York, it was likely that they were going to be far more knowledgeable about the industry than Killian. What would that mean for Emma?
"Do you need an answer today?" Emma asked eventually. She didn't think she could make any decision immediately and she also realised she wanted to talk to Regina before committing to anything. She hadn't felt like she needed to discuss her career decisions with anyone before; not even Elsa. The feeling was strange but not unpleasant.
"By Monday," Killian replied. "They want to come up next week to see the place. They want to meet you too."
"Did you tell them about the accident?"
"Yes," Killian nodded. "They asked to speak with you and I didn't have much of a choice. Don't worry, I didn't make it sound like it was your fault."
"It wasn't my fault," Emma shot back. "Some child stole his parents' car and almost hit me. I crashed when I swerved to avoid being run over by a car that was out of control. The kid pled guilty to aggravated driving to endanger. He's being sentenced next week."
"Yeah, well, good," Killian said, clearly unaware of how his employee had been injured. "So, you'll meet them? Your hands won't have to be bandaged by then, will they? That's not a good look."
Emma narrowed her eyes. "I will have my hands in bandages like this for another couple of weeks. If you want me to meet them, fine, but they'll have to take me as I am and accept that I can't work yet. When are you wanting to sell?"
"Within the next couple of weeks," Killian said. "I need the cash fast and they're in a position to buy as soon as they've seen the restaurant, its facilities and spoken to you."
A couple of weeks? Emma couldn't believe how fast everything was changing. Of course, the move in with Regina and Henry had been a good change but it was change none the less. After her transient childhood in the foster system, she made a point of trying minimise change in her life. She wasn't sure she could handle two new hands-on bosses.
"So, I'll set up the meeting for next Friday. Can you get yourself to HLS? I saw your bike outside, didn't I?"
"You did but I'm not riding any more," Emma said.
The bike had been delivered by the police after the investigation into the crash had closed. It was parked outside, one side covered in scratches and the handlebar bent from where it had smashed into the road. Regina hated it, Emma knew. She had already contacted Sean and asked him to come and collect it, fix it and then requested he sell it for her in exchange for a generous commission. Emma didn't want to have anything to do with it personally. While she had willingly agreed to stop riding, and while she was in no position to ride with her hands and her still-healing ribs, she couldn't deny that she would be sad to see the machine go. She had loved riding; it had been part of her identity.
"Emma Swan with no bike, huh," Killian mused, echoing Emma's thoughts. "That's a shame. You looked sexy in leather."
"Yes, my girlfriend, Regina, thinks so too," Emma said pointedly.
"You're still with her?" Killian asked.
"This is her house so, yes, I'd say we were still together."
Killian shrugged and drained his tea before standing up. "Right well, I guess I'll see you next week. Hope you feel better. And if you can come without those bandages on to the meeting, do. First impressions and all that."
Emma forced a smile as she too rose to her feet, escorting the man to the front door and bidding him goodbye. She then walked to the living room and lay back down on the couch. She picked up her kindle, trying to focus on the book once more. The storyline was good but she was unable to stop thinking about the bombshell her boss, soon to be ex-boss, had dropped on her.
"Kat, I really have to leave," Regina sighed, glancing at the clock and noting that she was due to pick Henry up in less than five minutes. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?"
"Sure," Kathryn nodded, packing away the portfolio the two of them had been reviewing for a client's new brand launch. "How's Emma?"
"Better," Regina smiled. "She's getting better every day."
"And how is it living together?"
Regina was already gathering her things and switching off her computer by the time she answered, eager to see her son and the blonde waiting at home. "It's hard to judge, I suppose. This wasn't exactly how we imagined we'd start off our lives together."
"Does that mean she can't have sex yet?" Kathryn asked.
"Kat!" Regina exclaimed. "That's not what I was talking about at all."
"Her hands are still bandaged though, right? I guess she could use her tongue."
"Kathryn!" Regina scolded. "I'm not talking about this with you."
The blonde pouted but said no more. Once all of their possessions were gathered, the two of them left Regina's office. Most of the team was still there and Kathryn returned to her own office while Regina headed to her car parked in the underground lot. As she drove to pick up Henry, Regina couldn't help but think about what her best friend had said. It was true, she and Emma hadn't been intimate since the accident. It wasn't because of Emma's hands, however. That could easily be overcome, as Kathryn pointed out. But with her broken ribs and the tender surgery scar, Regina hadn't wanted to initiate anything, for fear of hurting the stoic blonde. She was waiting for Emma to make the first move. So far, however, Emma hadn't seemed to want to do anything more than cuddle and kiss.
By the time she picked up Henry and returned to the house, it was already close to five thirty. Henry charged ahead of her, seeking out the blonde by calling her name. He disappeared into the living room at the sound of Emma's voice and Regina followed shortly afterwards.
"And then we did painting and I painted a picture for you and Mom but Mrs Yates said I couldn't take it home today because it was wet because paint is wet before it goes dry so I had to wait until tomorrow. Also, paint tastes yucky, did you know that?"
"You ate paint?" Emma asked, grinning at the boy who was now sat astride her hips. Henry had learned that he was able to sit there without hurting Emma and it was one of his favourite places to perch.
"Yeah. Well, Roland ate it first. But he didn't tell me it was yucky so I ate it too. Have you eaten paint?"
"No, I haven't," Emma replied. "Paint isn't very good for you. Can you remember what foods are good for you?"
"Vegetables and fruit and pasta and pancakes," Henry said.
"The first two, for sure. Pasta is ok if you don't eat too much. And I think pancakes are a special treat," Emma reasoned.
"Can we have pancakes?"
"For dinner?" Regina asked, leaning over the side of the couch and pressing a kiss upside down to Emma's lips. "How about we have pancakes for breakfast on Saturday?"
"What day is it today?" Henry asked.
"Thursday," Regina replied. "So how many days will you have to wait?"
There was a pause and then; "two more sleeps."
"Exactly," Regina nodded. "So, pancakes for breakfast on Saturday and tonight we'll have some pasta with chicken and tomato sauce. How does that sound?"
"Emma, can you cook us pancakes on Saturday?" Henry asked.
The blonde shook her head and held up her bandaged hands. "Not yet. But I know you're very good at preparing the pancake batter and I'm sure I can talk you and your mom through everything. Is that ok?"
The boy nodded his agreement. "Ok."
"Henry, can you go and get changed out of your school clothes please," Regina said, taking a seat on the couch and placing Emma's feet in her lap.
Obeying his mother, the boy trotted out of the room and left the two women alone. Emma smiled at Regina whose hands were now gently massaging her ankles.
"Hey, how was your day?" the blonde asked.
"Long," Regina admitted. "I can't wait for it to be Friday. How about you? Did you learn any new skills with your stubs?"
The two women had taken to calling Emma's hands 'stubs' due to their bandaged nature. Neither woman wanted to make light of the injuries but it was an inconvenience that they found it easier to live with if they laughed at it.
"I made two cups of tea," Emma said. "One was for Killian."
The fingers which had been rubbing gentle circles into the ball of Emma's foot paused. "Killian? Your boss?"
"Yeah, apparently Ruby gave him your address."
"Finally come to check in on his head chef, has he?" Regina quipped. She didn't like the man and she didn't want Emma to spend any more time with him that she had to but it had still irked her that he hadn't taken the time to visit Emma in hospital."
"He's selling the restaurant. He wants me to meet the prospective buyers and sign a contract with them."
"Oh."
"Yeah, oh," Emma nodded, scratching at her nose with one of her stubs.
"Um, how do you feel about that?"
"I don't know," Emma admitted. "I don't think it's really sunk in yet. I mean, I know Killian is a dick but he's a good boss in the sense that he doesn't ever tell me what to do. I like my autonomy. Apparently the couple who are interested own other restaurants in New York. What if they try to change the way I run my kitchen? I don't want to be micromanaged. I like the set up we've got right now."
"Maybe things won't change," Regina offered.
"They will," Emma sighed. "I can tell. These people are going to swoop in and dictate a new menu and change everything."
"Maybe there's another way."
"What other way?" Emma frowned. Regina paused, not wanting to say the thought that had jumped into her head the moment Emma had told her the reason behind her boss' visit. "Regina, if you have a solution to this shit show, I'm all ears."
"What if that couple didn't buy the restaurant?"
"Killian said he needs money fast. Some new investment has landed in his lap. So he's screwing all of us over to go and make even more money for himself."
"I didn't say what if it didn't sell. I said what if the couple didn't buy it?"
"Killian isn't going to wait around for a new buyer to get interested. And even then, what are the chances of a buyer coming along and being as disengaged as Killian is? It's a big investment; most people want to be hands on when they've sunk millions into a business."
"What if you bought it?"
Emma chuckled. Her ribs ached slightly but it was worth it. "Yeah, because I have a few million sat around in my bank account that I can use to buy a restaurant."
"I do."
There was a pause. Emma stared, wide-eyed at the woman beside her. Regina gazed calmly back, waiting for the information to sink in. She and Emma hadn't talked about money. Regina came from a wealthy family, that much was evident, but both women were financially independent in accordance with their own lifestyles so the conversation had never come up. Regina was now thinking it was something they should have talked about earlier, however.
"You … you have millions of dollars sat in a bank account?"
Regina nodded. "My inheritance. I never needed it for anything. Mal and I had already bought this house and then when she left, it became mine by default once we couldn't track her down. I paid off the mortgage when my mother died but the rest of the money has just been sat in a high interest account. Some of it is put aside for Henry's college tuition but the rest is just … waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"For the right time, the right opportunity. Emma, this could be your opportunity to own a restaurant."
"No, you'd own the restaurant," Emma corrected. "It's your money."
"It's our money, Emma. I know we've not walked down an aisle and said 'for richer, for poorer' yet, but as far as I'm concerned, what's mine is yours. You live with us now, right? We're becoming a family."
"Yeah, but Regina, moving in together is a hell of a lot different to you spending millions of dollars to buy my place of work. I mean, that's crazy."
"Is it? Think about it, Emma. You'd be your own boss. You'd be able to set your own hours. You could expand the team and give yourself more days off, grow the business the way you want, without answering to anyone else. And before you say I don't know what I'm talking about, I do the marketing for that place; I know how many bookings you get and I know the value of the average party's bill. That place is profitable. Very profitable. And it's because of you. With you as the owner as well as the head chef, you'd be unstoppable."
"The owner," Emma repeated slowly. "I'd really be the owner?"
"If you want it, we can make this happen. I know how much you love your work and I think you would be an incredible business owner. I can help you with the marketing if you needed anything. And you wouldn't have to answer to anyone; just yourself."
"And you," Emma remarked.
But Regina shook her head. "No. It may have been my money but I wouldn't have anything more to do with the restaurant than you want. I'd be in this as your girlfriend, your partner, not your investor."
"You're … you're serious?"
"I am. If … I mean, if this is what you want?"
Regina faltered, suddenly wondering whether Emma was hesitant just because she had found out her girlfriend was a multimillionaire or because of the prospect of being a business owner. She knew it wasn't for everyone. It had taken her years to train and learn her position and even after her mother had died, she didn't think she was ready to take over Mills Marketing. Emma was being thrown in at the deep end and Regina hadn't even thought to ask if she wanted to take the plunge.
"We could really do this?" Emma whispered.
"We could," Regina nodded. "If you want to, you can call Killian right now and make him an offer. Say we'll pay two percent more than this New York couple. We can sign the paperwork tomorrow."
"Can … can I think about it?" Emma asked at last. "I mean, it's all so fast. And it's not that I don't appreciate the offer. I do. I really do, Regina. I just need some time to process."
"Take as long as you need, my love," Regina reassured. "And in the meantime, I'm going to go and get started on dinner. I think I just heard Henry opening the fridge and while you've been teaching him very well, I don't think he's quite up to cooking us all dinner yet."
Emma laughed and sat up. "I'll come join."
"No, it's ok. You've got a lot to think about," Regina said, placing a hand gently on Emma's shoulder as she bent down to kiss the blonde's cheek. "Stay here. We'll bring dinner through to you and perhaps we can all watch in front of the television."
"Ok," Emma agreed. "But on one condition."
"And what's that?" Regina asked, still bending over.
Emma hooked her stub into the top of Regina's blouse which was hanging open and pulled the woman back towards her, pressing a firm, loving kiss to her lips.
"Thank you," she murmured when they broke apart.
"For what?"
"For offering. For believing in me. For taking care of me these last few weeks."
"There's no need to thank you, my love. You'd do the same for me."
"I would. If I could."
"Well, I can, and I want to," Regina replied.
Emma laughed. "I love you."
"I love you too," Regina said, just as a clattering sounded from the kitchen. "And that's my cue."
Emma unhooked her stub which was still holding Regina close but the brunette ducked her head for one final kiss before disappearing out into the corridor and leaving Emma to mull over one of the biggest decisions of her life.
A/N: Regina to the rescue! What would you do in Emma's position?