Emma's view
When I wake up in the morning, I open my eyes and can't believe my eyes. In my arms is the woman I love so much. I couldn't find Henry anywhere, although he wanted to sleep between us. Maybe he had already gotten up?
But why is Regina in my arms? Did I pull her to me in her sleep?
I mean, I dreamt about it. In my dream Henry sneaked out of the room, put my hand on Regina's arm and then I pulled her to me. Then Regina snuggled up to me and fell asleep calmly and relaxed.
It was a very nice dream, but to wake up and find Regina really in my arms was even nicer. I decide not to rack my brain with questions anymore, but to enjoy the moment. I briefly make sure that Regina is really still asleep, pull her a little closer to me, give her a kiss on her temples and close my eyes so that she thinks I'm still asleep when she wakes up. I inhale her smell deeply, she somehow always smells a little like apple, no idea why, but I like it.
I also like that every part of my body tingles and I feel incredibly warm. I wish I never had to let go of Regina again, could have her so close to me forever. What is Regina doing to me? I'm going to turn into a sentimental person if this keeps up. Since Regina is still asleep, I put my head even closer to her so that she could feel my breath on her skin if she were awake. In Regina I have finally found a person who accepts me as I am, who doesn't just send me away again. Sure, I still have Ruby, but you can't compare the feeling they both give me. Maybe that's because I love Regina and see Ruby more like a sister?
The hole that my biological parents left in me has definitely started to heal since Regina came into my life. But I'd rather not think about that now, so I focus on Regina's breathing again and go back to sleep.
'Full of dread, I stood in front of my biological parents' door. Two weeks ago I had found out that I was 6 weeks pregnant, so I am now 8 weeks along and have finally found my "PARENTS". When I found out I was pregnant, I set out to find you because I wanted some answers. Why did they put me in a home? Why didn't they even leave a letter? Never tried to get back to me? And many more questions. If I had known beforehand how the confrontation with them was going to be, I would never have sought the conversation.'
Regina's view
A pressure against my ribs wakes me from my sleep. I open my eyes and begin to smile as I lie snuggled close to Emma, in her arms. We seem to have barely moved all night, because all I do is lie a little closer to her, which gives me goosebumps.
I will save the memory of this night, because I will probably never get this close to Emma again, or will I? When Henry has another nightmare and wants to sleep between us? A small part of me hopes that will be exactly the case, which is why a guilty conscience overcomes me. I can't wish for our son to be miserable just so I can be close to Emma.
I am jolted out of my thoughts as Emma suddenly tenses up. Panic rises in me. Is she awake now? What if she's so tense because she sees me in her arms? What if she pushes me away now? But then another thought occurred to me, making me even more anxious. What if she is not well? I break away from the warming closeness to her and turn in her direction.
I hear myself exhale in relief. Emma is still asleep. But her facial features lead me to conclude that she must be dreaming something terrible. I gently stroke her beautiful golden-blonde curls after getting up and standing in front of her.
"Emma? Emma wake up?" I say to bring her out of her fitful sleep.
"Emma are you awake?" i try again, this time it seems to work because she startles up.
"I'm sorry Emma, I didn't mean to scare you, but you were so restless in your sleep." soothingly I stroke her back, whereupon I notice that she gets goosebumps. I pull my hand back, thinking that she reacted that way because it makes her uncomfortable.
"Thanks for waking me up Regina, I was dreaming about earlier. I'm better now." she replies, squeezing my hand, which she holds for a moment longer than necessary, and looks into my eyes. Her eyes are covered with a glistening blanket of water, but since I don't think she wants to talk about it in more detail, I just nod at her in understanding.
"I'm going to get a coffee now, would you like a hot chocolate with cream and cinnamon?" I ask her, thinking it would do her good right now and not knowing how else to help her.
"I think. I'd rather have a coffee today too..." she mumbles.
Wow, if Emma would rather have coffee than her beloved cocoa, she must be really upset.
"Okay, I'll bring you some. With milk and sugar, right?"
Because that's how she drinks her coffee, when she ever does. I, on the other hand, always drink my coffee black.
"Today I prefer black. And... Thank you Regina."
I nod in amazement, turn and walk out the door. When I come back, I give her a hug. Maybe that will help her a little, because she must be really miserable.
"Henry?!" I hear Ruby's voice.
What was Henry doing? I stop to eavesdrop on the two of them, even though I know I shouldn't really be doing that.
"What? Somebody had to do something," Henry says, and I can hear pride in his voice.
"Well, did it work? How did you do it?" Ruby wants to know.
"Well what happens when they wake up, I don't know, but when I looked this morning, Mom was in Emma's arms. They were so close together that no leaf could have fit between you. So at least that part of my plan worked. I was really afraid yesterday that Emma would see through my lie, but luckily Mom asked Emma if we could sleep over, otherwise Mom, with her ability to spot lies, would have noticed that I wasn't really in a bad way at all. When they were both asleep, I got up, put Emma's hand on Regina's arm and snuck out. Emma must have pulled Mom into her arms while I was gone."
Wait, what did Henry just say?
He wasn't actually feeling bad yesterday? He's following a plan?
He wants to bring me and Emma closer together?
On the one hand, I'm really angry at our son right now, it cost me so much to go along with his request and now it comes out that it was all just an act?
But on the other hand I am also infinitely grateful to him.
It did me good to sleep in Emma's arms, I feel better for the first time in weeks.
"Henry, you're brilliant. Now they just need to get their act together and finally talk to each other, I really hope that works out."
My mouth drops open, undecided what to do now, I walk to Henry's room door and open it. Of course, I know I won't find him there, since he's in the kitchen with Ruby. But because I don't want them to know that I've been listening in, I close Henry's door extra loudly to announce myself. So I slowly walk into the kitchen and mumble a good morning to myself, give Henry a quick hug, and then make Emma and me some coffee.
"Good morning mom, did you sleep well?" Henry wants to know, where I can strongly hear his curiosity.
"It goes like this, was a restless night." I say calmly, not wanting to tell him what he wants to hear.
Even if, of course, it was as he hoped.
I turn away from Henry when I see his disappointed look so my smirk doesn't give me away. I decide to tease him a little.
"Henry, are you feeling better now that you were able to spend the night with the two of us?" I ask, trying to fool him into thinking I hadn't even noticed his absence.
"Uhh. Yeah. I'm feeling better now, mom... Thank you... uh... for letting me... sleep... with you..." he stammers to himself. I have to stifle my laughter and Ruby also seems to have noticed that I want to annoy him, because she also has to stifle her laughter.
"That's nice, sweetheart, now would you like to talk about your dream with me or Emma?" I tease him further, because he hadn't had a nightmare to talk to us about at all.
"Uh ... no ... Dear...don't, I've already told Ruby about my...um... Nightmare... and I'd rather forget about it now..." he stutters, lowering his gaze. I use the time to give Ruby a knowing grin, which she returns.
"Henry... Maybe you should talk to your moms about it too..." Ruby jumps in.
Whereupon she gets a nasty look from Henry. Again, I have to stifle my laughter.
"I... I really don't like to talk about it... Maybe some other time." Henry mumbles before turning and quickly leaving the kitchen. Ruby and I hear him close his door behind him and start laughing out loud.
"So you heard us talking about it." She states, still laughing.
I just nod and get more serious again.
"What is Henry thinking?" I rather ask myself.
"Well... Well... It's not that far-fetched a thought, if you ask me." answers Ruby my question. I look at her and see her biting her lips. Does she know something that I don't?
"Um, I mean... He's thirteen and I'm sure she just wants you to be a real family," she explains to herself, even though I don't think that's what she's saying, but she doesn't elaborate.
Now that the coffee is finally ready, I leave Ruby in the kitchen and go back to Emma.