Chapter 7
The first dinner with Emma was planned for two weeks later, an appropriate amount of time between their first meeting. They couldn't tell who was more excited for the dinner as they rushed around the house Saturday afternoon, making sure everything was perfect for Emma's first, of hopefully many, dinners with them. Henry convinced Regina to make her famous lasagna for dinner, paired with an apple pie, which they spent all morning making from scratch. Everything had to be perfect if they wanted to see more of Emma.
Henry was watching through the window, anxiously for the first sight of the yellow Bug as Regina paced in the kitchen, checking her reflection in the window whenever she could to make sure her hair and makeup was perfect.
"MOM! SHE'S HERE!" Henry screamed, running into the kitchen when he caught the first glimpse of Emma's yellow Bug pull up in front of the house.
"Okay. Okay okay okay. Everything is going to be fine. The dinner is ready, the table is set, the pie is already warming in the oven. Everything is perfect," Regina listed off, more to herself than to Henry. They both held their breath until they heard the loud, and almost overly eager, knock on the front door. Before Regina took a step forward, Henry ran out of the room, making it to the front door before she could, opening the door to let Emma in.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," Emma said as Henry politely took her jacket and hung it up in the hall closet with the rest of their coats. "I got a little lost coming here from the Bed and Breakfast. For such a small town, things can get a little confusing." Emma laughed, shoving her hands nervously into her back pockets.
"That's quite alright, dear. Storybrooke can be a little confusing sometimes." Regina laughed. The sound of Regina's laugh soothed the blonde's nerves slightly as Eala's familiar half smile fell across her face. "Come on in, dinner is ready."
Emma followed Regina into the dinning room as Henry ran ahead, beating them both to the table.
"Everything smells great." Emma smiled, taking the offered seat at the table, directly across from Regina. Henry plopped down next to Regina, giving Emma a little space.
Regina began to dish out the food as Henry began firing questions at Emma, trying to find out as much as he could about his birth mother. Emma smiled and answered every single question Henry fired at her, never once hesitating, enjoying her time with them.
"I hope you left room. Mom made her famous apple pie," Henry said, lifting his plate and walking toward the kitchen.
"Believe me, Kid, I always have room for pie." Emma smiled, grabbing her plate, only to have it snatched out of her hand by Henry.
"May I interest you in a cup of coffee? Or perhaps some hot chocolate?" Regina asked as she gathered up the remainder of the dishes.
"Usually, I'm a coffee gal, no matter what time it is. But hot chocolate sounds delightful actually," Emma answered. "Can I help with anything?"
"Nope. You are our guest. Have a seat, we'll be back in a moment." Regina smiled, disappearing into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Henry reappeared carrying plates and silverware, followed closely by Regina, carrying a large tray filled with mugs of hot chocolate surrounding an apple pie that smelled exactly like heaven.
"Regina, that smells heavenly!" Emma said, accepting the cup of hot chocolate.
"You should taste it." Henry laughed, taking a sip, leaving a small mustache of whipped cream on his upper lip. "Mom makes everything from scratch," Henry boasted as Regina began to serve the apple pie.
"That's impressive." Emma smiled, taking the offered pie.
"I made the hot chocolate myself!" Henry said, practically jumping out of her seat. Emma smiled as she took a sip.
"Is that cinnamon I taste?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock.
"Oh yeah. Sorry. I forget that might be a weird ingredient. I should have asked," Henry said, his face looking worried.
"No, I love it! I put cinnamon in my hot chocolate too. I thought I was the only one." Emma smiled, taking another sip of the warm beverage. "I guess you inherited that from me," she said, her eyes full of love at the idea of sharing a common trait with her son.
"That's so cool!" Henry smiled before digging into his mother's pie, Regina and Emma following in a little bit more graceful manor than the ten year old.
"Regina, this pie is amazing," Emma said, not even caring that she was burning her mouth on the hot fruit.
"Told you," Henry said, shoving more pie into his mouth.
The rest of the evening went by wonderfully, with Henry monopolizing the conversation, telling Emma everything he could possibly think of about himself, including his new favorite book of fairy tales. Suddenly, it was ten o'clock and Henry's bedtime.
"Wait, before you go!" Henry said before running upstairs, leaving Regina and Emma alone for the first time.
"Dinner was delicious, thank you," Emma said nervously, her eyes drifting from Regina to the floor.
"It was my pleasure," Regina answered, picking up on Emma's nervous energy. They stood in silence for a moment more before Henry's heavy footsteps came running down the stairs again, this time his storybook was tucked under his arm.
"Here, I thought you'd like to read this. Maybe you'll like it as much as I do," Henry said, handing the chunky book to Emma.
"Oh, I can't take your book, Henry," Emma said, trying to give it back.
"No, it's okay. I want you to read it," Henry said, insisting that Emma take the book.
"Thanks," Emma said, her voice suddenly sounding nervous, Eala's half smile spreading across her face. "So, I'm staying in the Bed and Breakfast on Main Street. Would you guys be interested in meeting me for breakfast in the morning before I leave to go back to Boston?"
"Can we, Mom? Please?" Henry asked, practically jumping out of his own skin with excitement.
"Yes, I think that we would," Regina said, no longer attempting to hide the smile on her face.
"Great! I'll see you both in the morning." Emma smiled.
Everyone had smiles plastered on their faces as Emma left for the evening, Henry's book still tucked securely under her arm.
The next morning, Henry and Regina raced into the diner, hoping to find the perfect table for their breakfast with Emma, only to find they were too late. Emma was already seated at the very table Henry had meticulously picked out in his head, nervously sipping a cup of coffee.
"Hey, good morning!" Emma said, jumping out of the booth to greet them as they approached the table.
"Good morning," Regina said with a bright smile. "Have you been waiting long?"
"No, not at all. Sorry. I really needed a cup of coffee," Emma said, gesturing to the coffee on the table. "I…uhh…I ordered you a cup too. I thought you would want a cup as well."
"You got me hot chocolate too?" Henry asked, sipping the mug in front of him.
"Yeah. I loved hot chocolate when I was your age. I would drink it whenever I could. I hope that's okay. That I ordered them for you guys."
"Yes, of course. Thank you," Regina said, her smile refusing to leave her face.
They ordered quickly and chatted amongst themselves as they waited for their food, Henry once again commandeering the conversation.
"Did you get a chance to read my book?" he asked, shoveling pancakes into his mouth.
"I was only able to read one story before I fell asleep," Emma answered.
"Which one?" Henry asked hopefully.
"The one about Rumplestiltskin and how he became the Dark One to save his son, Baelfire, from having to serve in the Ogres war. But in the end, he lost his son anyway, because he was too afraid to let go of the dark magic," Emma explained, taking a small bite of her eggs. "It was really cool actually. How different the story is from the classic story of Rumplestiltskin. I didn't get any further than that story though." Emma reached beside her to hand Henry back his book.
"Keep it. Read the rest of it when you get a chance," Henry answered.
"No, I can't do that. This book belongs to you."
"It's fine. It just means you'll have to come see us again to return it." Henry smiled. Regina kicked him discreetly under the table but was secretly grateful for her son's help with the blonde.
"I'd like that, if it's alright with your mom," Emma said, making intense eye contact with Regina, the familiar sparkle in her green eyes making Regina's heart skip a beat.
"Yes, I would like that as well." She smiled, trying so hard not to blush.
"Good! It's a date!" Henry smiled, receiving another kick from Regina under the table.
Three weeks later, Regina and Henry invited Emma back for another dinner. It had been a long three weeks waiting for their next meeting, but they both knew they needed to act casually and not be too eager around Emma. They didn't want to scare the woman away.
Henry ripped the door open as soon as he heard a knock, not waiting for Regina this time.
"Emma! You made it!" he shrieked as he opened the door, alerting Regina to Emma's arrival.
Emma chuckled. "I did, and I didn't get lost this time. I brought this back. Thanks for letting me read it," Emma said, handing the oversized story book back to Henry.
"Did you read the whole book?" Henry asked, a little shocked that Emma would have read it all.
"I did. Read it cover to cover," Emma said.
"Emma, so good to see you," Regina said, walking into the room, ripping the apron off her waist, suddenly embarrassed that she forgot she was wearing it. "Come in, dinner is ready." She smiled, tossing the apron into the kitchen, hoping Emma didn't see it.
"Thanks. It smells delicious," Emma said, following Henry toward the dining room. She whispered, "By the way, I think the apron was adorable," as she walked past Regina, winking.
Was that? Is Emma flirting with me? Regina thought, a deep blush rushing over her cheeks as she followed Emma into the dining room.
"Did you like my book?" Henry asked suddenly, changing the topic of conversation once again.
Emma chuckled. "I did. I read the whole thing. I was tempted to read it twice, but I ran out of time."
"Which one was your favorite story?" Henry asked, his mouth full of food, receiving a strong look from his mother.
" The Swan and The Queen was definitely my favorite," Emma answered without even thinking. Henry and Regina both perked up when they heard her answer.
"Really? What did you like about it?" Regina asked, trying to hide her excitement.
"I liked how it explained how the Evil Queen from Snow White became the Evil Queen," Emma said, causing Regina to cringe at the sound of her former name. "But, I will admit, I cried so hard when I read the part about the Queen's Soulmate dying that I had to stop reading for the night. I cried for the rest of the night and I'm pretty sure I cried myself to sleep. It took me a few days to feel better enough to keep reading. It was really tough. I'm still not quite over it, to be honest. I totally understand why the Queen did what she did. I would have done the same thing if I were in her shoes," Emma admitted, her voice starting to break slightly.
"Yes. That story was quite difficult for me to read as well," Regina said, fighting back the tears as her heart remembered that day like it was yesterday.
"What did you think of the illustrations for that story?" Henry asked, hoping that maybe Emma would recognize herself or Regina in the illustrations.
"I liked them," Emma said, pausing for a second to sip her wine, averting her gaze nervously. "I thought the Queen was very beautiful."
"Yeah, she is." Henry glanced over at Regina, whose face was turning a bright red. "So was her Soulmate. They are both beautiful," Henry said, hoping to spark some recognition in Emma. But there was nothing.
"I do wonder what happened to Snow White's daughter at the end of the story. After Prince Charming put her in the magical tree portal thing. It would be cool if the author wrote a sequel for it. I'm sure other people want to know too."
"I've wondered that as well," Regina said, making eye contact with Emma, her heart pounding in her chest. But the moment was over too soon and the conversation soon shifted to a different topic. It was clear that the topic of the story of The Swan and the Queen was too painful for them to discuss.
After dinner was over and the kitchen was cleaned up, Regina sent Henry upstairs to bed, knowing the ten year old would most likely stay up until Emma left regardless. Henry gladly retreated to bed, giving the women some time alone to talk. With a glass of wine each, they sat in the den with the door open.
"I know this is going to be a hard question," Regina started to say, treading lightly so as not to scare the blonde. "Should I be worried about Henry's father?"
"Definitely not," Emma said, taking a sip of her wine, nervously shifting her eyes to the floor. "He…uh…he doesn't know about him."
"Oh…" Regina said, not quite sure how she felt about it.
"And you don't have to worry about me, Regina. You're Henry's mother, I know that. I'm not here to try to take him away from you," Emma said.
"Oh…no I didn't mean…I didn't think…" Regina stuttered, realizing that she may have offended the woman.
"No, I completely understand. I'm in your life all of a sudden. It's natural to worry," Emma said, futzing nervously with her necklace. Regina's heart stopped for a moment as the light caught the familiar silver pendant.
"But you have nothing to worry about, Regina. I made a decision ten years ago, and I stand by it. I'm just so grateful to be able to spend some time with him…and with you too," Emma said, downing the rest of her wine, looking at the time. "Oh man, it's pretty late, I'm sorry. I should get going." Emma stood and started moving toward the door.
"Yes, of course.. Emma, I hope I didn't upset you with our conversation," Regina said once they reached the front door, suddenly disappointed that Emma was leaving.
"No. Oh gosh no, of course not," Emma said, perking up at Regina's question. "It's just…talking about that story earlier. It made me feel…sad? I don't know why, but suddenly I feel very sad."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Regina panicked. She had upset Emma without knowing it.
"It's alright. I just need to have a good cry tonight and I'll be alright." Emma laughed, slipping on her jacket, flipping her long blonde hair out of its collar. "Would you and Henry like to meet for breakfast again in the morning?"
"Yes, we definitely would!" Regina answered.
"Great! I'll see you both in the morning," Emma said, leaving the house. Once again, Regina stood unmoving in the foyer listening to the sound of the vintage Bug driving away before she moved.
She made her way upstairs, getting ready to scold her son for still being awake.
"Hey Mom, did Emma just leave?" Henry asked as he heard Regina walk past his door.
"Yeah…we're going to have breakfast again in the morning," Regina said, distracted all of a sudden.
"Are you okay?" Henry asked, sensing something was on Regina's mind.
"Yes? No? I…I don't know…" Regina said, slowly entering Henry's room.
"Mom?" Henry asked, suddenly scared for his mom.
"Do you have your storybook?" she asked, flopping uncharacteristically on Henry's bed. Henry scrambled over to his desk, pulling the book out and handing it to Regina.
Regina flipped through the pages quickly, searching for the picture of her and Eala, right before she was executed. She gasped a little when she found the picture.
"Mom?" Henry asked again.
"The pendant. It's the same pendant," Regina said, pointing to the swan pendant in the picture.
"The one you gave Eala?" Henry asked, knowing the story by heart.
"Yes. She gave it back to me, right before she…" Regina started to say, a stray tear falling down her cheek. "I wore it every day after that. I never took it off. But when I woke up on the first morning of the curse, the first thing I checked for was my necklace, but it wasn't there. For some reason, Eala's swan necklace was lost in the curse."
"I'm sorry, Mom. What made you think about it all of a sudden?" Henry asked.
"Emma…she…" Regina said, choking on her words. "…she has the necklace. I don't know how, or why…but she has the necklace."
"True Love." Henry smiled.
Later that week, Regina received a weird text from Emma, asking if she and Henry were around and together to talk. Upon confirmation that they were both available, Regina's phone rang.
"Hello?" Regina asked, putting the phone on speaker.
"Hey, guys. I have a question for you. Do you like baseball?" Emma asked, excitement already in her voice.
"I don't hate baseball. Never played it though. Don't really know much about it," Henry admitted.
"Have you ever been to a game?" Emma asked.
"No," Henry said, a little sadly.
"Would you like to?" Emma asked cheerfully.
"Wait, really?" Henry asked, shock in his voice.
"Yup. One of the guys I work with can't make it, so he gave me his box seats in, as he puts it, the good section. And I immediately thought of your guys. Interested?" Emma asked.
"Can we go, Mom? Please?" Henry begged.
"How can I say no to that?" Regina chuckled. "When is the game?"
"It's next weekend. I know that's short notice and you'll probably want to stay over in Boston because the game might run late. I can help you find a room somewhere. And if all else fails, you guys can always crash here if you need to, if you're comfortable with that," Emma stuttered.
"That sounds great. I'll go start researching hotels now."
"Great. I'll see you guys in a little over a week," Emma said, excitement clear in her voice.
A week and a half later, Regina and Henry were checking into their hotel in Boston, sending Emma a text to let her know they had arrived. Regina rushed into the bathroom to freshen up when Emma texted back that she was just around the corner and would meet them at their room shortly. She took a deep breath as she stared at herself in the mirror, her heart pounding with anticipation of spending more time with Emma, when a knock on the door startled her.
"Emma!" Henry screamed as the door opened and closed.
"Hey, Kid. Excited for your first baseball game?" Emma asked. Regina could hear her voice move past the bathroom door.
"Heck yeah I am!" Henry exclaimed as Regina pulled herself together to exit the bathroom.
"Okay, so I want to state for the record that I am a Yankees fan, so if anyone ever found out I was at a Red Sox game, they might kick me out of the fanclub." Emma laughed.
Regina laughed. Your secret is safe with us."
"Great. Let's get going!"
They followed Emma out of the hotel and over to the closest subway station, following her underground. Emma had taken care of all the transportation, making sure to load her Charlie card with enough fare for them all to ride the subway a few times. Henry was amazed with the subway system in Boston, looking at a colorful map on the wall of the station.
"If you think this is impressive, you should see the New York City subway system. I hear it's almost impossible to figure out. Now that's impressive." Emma laughed as the train approached the station. They piled on and rode the train to their destination, Shea Stadium. Home of the Boston Red Sox.
The stadium was already bustling with people when they approached, Henry sticking close to Emma and Regina when they approached the dense crowd, not wanting to get lost. They eventually made their way to their seats, which were located along the first base line, and finally took it all in. Regina couldn't believe they were really in Boston, with Emma, waiting for the baseball game to begin. It was all surreal.
The game started not long after they settled in, Henry instantly enthralled at the game in front of him. Emma gave him a crash course in how baseball is played, and the different rules, as they watched the players run around on the field. A few innings later, Emma announced that she was starving, and made her way toward the concession stands to grab them all some food.
"Switch seats with me," Henry said, standing as the players on the field switch places.
"What? Why?" Regina asked, confused.
"Because you're not sitting next to Emma. You should be sitting next to Emma," Henry said, shoving Regina over. "We'll tell her I could see better from your seat."
Ten minutes later, Emma returned with three hot dogs, wrapped tightly in tin foil, keeping the food warm.
"Uh…Henry said he could see better sitting in my seat," Regina blurted out nervously.
"That's fine. I don't mind sitting next to you." Emma smiled, handing Regina a hot dog. Their fingers grazed for a moment as they passed the food between them, causing them both to smile.
At some point during the next few innings, Emma's arm made its way around Regina's shoulder. Memories of Eala flooded Regina's brain as she closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of Emma's arm around her shoulder.
"You okay?" Emma whispered a few minutes later when she realized Regina's eyes were closed.
"Yeah…I think I'm getting too much sun," Regina lied, hoping her skin was slightly sunburned to cover up the blush rushing over her skin.
"Hey, Kid, you want popcorn or something? I'm going to grab a snack," Emma said, moving her hand from Regina's shoulder.
"Sure! Popcorn sounds great! Thanks, Emma!" he said, turning back to the game in front of him.
"Do you want anything?" she asked, turning toward Regina again.
"I'm fine, thank you," Regina said, trying to hide her disappointment as Emma jumped out of her seat and rushed up the stairs.
"She must really be hungry." Henry laughed, turning his attention back on the game.
Twenty minutes later, Emma rushed back to her seat, her arms full with bottles of water, two bags of popcorn, and a stack of something red.
"One popcorn," Emma said, handing Henry a bag of popcorn along with a bottle of water, handing a second bottle to Regina. "I figured you would need some water too."
"Thank you." Regina smiled, taking a long sip from the bottle. She was thirstier than she thought. She watched out of the corner of her eye, watching as Emma ripped the tag off of the mystery red object.
"Henry, think fast," she called, tossing the object over Regina's head, landing right in Henry's waiting hands.
"A Red Sox hat?" Henry asked, shocked at the gift.
"Yeah. To protect your head and a reminder of your first baseball game." Emma laughed, turning toward Regina, a slight blush creeping over her face. "And one for you too. Can't let the sun burn your beautiful face." She leaned forward, placing the hat gently on Regina's head, adjusting it slightly until it fit her head perfectly. Their eyes met briefly as Emma swept a few loose strands of Regina's hair behind her ear, securing it under her new hat.
"Thanks," Regina whispered, her voice betraying her as she and Emma shared a moment. A moment that ended far too soon, as Emma tossed a new hat on her own head.
"We should take a selfie!" Henry chimed in when he realized Emma and Regina were both wearing the same hat as he was.
"Okay, but promise not to post this online. If my Yankees friends found out I was at a Red Sox game, they would disown me for sure." Emma laughed as she cozied up next to Regina, preparing for a selfie, this time subconsciously placing her hand on Regina's waist, holding her in place for a few seconds. Henry grabbed Regina's cell phone and quickly started the camera app, positioning himself in front of Emma and Regina, snapping a couple pictures, before handing the phone back to Regina to watch the rest of the game. Regina took the phone and put it back in her purse. She was already excited about looking at those pictures when they got back to their hotel room.
"Send me those later," Emma said, smiling at Regina for a moment before turning her attention back to Henry. "Hey, Kid, if we stand on the platform down there, we can get a better view. Until the security guards tell us to go back to our seats. Interested?"
"Yeah!" Henry said, jumping out of his seat so fast he almost spilled his popcorn.
"I'll stay here and watch the seats," Regina said.
"Guard my popcorn." Emma laughed as she and Henry sprinted down the stairs for a better view.
"How old is your son?" Regina heard a voice behind her, startling her slightly. She turned around to see a kind-looking older woman leaning forward in her seat to talk to her.
"He's ten," Regina answered, smiling at the woman.
"Ten. What a nice age," she said, clearly remembering her own children being that young.
Regina chuckled. "I'm not looking forward to the ugly teenage years though."
"He seems like a very nice and respectful young man. You and your wife might not have too much trouble with him when the time comes."
"Oh we're not…I mean, we aren't…I…" Regina stuttered, trying to quickly think of what to say. "Thank you." Regina smiled.
"You have a beautiful family. Enjoy the rest of your day," the woman said before leaning back into her seat. Regina wiped the tears from her eyes a moment before she saw Henry and Emma run back to their seats.
"You weren't gone very long," Regina said as Henry climbed over her back into his seat.
"The security guard told us to go back to our seats," Emma said, flopping back into her chair.
"I almost caught a fly ball while we were down there though," Henry said excitedly.
"Next time, I'll save up and we'll get seats in the EXTRA nice sections where all the fly balls land." Emma smiled, already planning on taking Henry to another ball game. "Although, it might have to be a Yankees game." Emma laughed.
The rest of the day flew by in a flash, and suddenly Regina found herself tucked into her bed in the hotel room, Henry sitting next to her in his pajamas, the forgotten television on in the background.
"Not that one, I look like I'm sneezing," Henry said, flipping through the pictures on Regina's phone. "And not that one either. You look like you just smelled a really gross fart." Henry laughed. Regina chuckled as she looked at the picture, seeing no one else other than Emma in the pictures.
"What about this one?" she asked, flipping to the very last picture.
"It's perfect! Send that one to Emma," Henry said, pointing to the phone.
"I think you're right," Regina said, staring deeply at the picture for a moment before tapping away on her phone, sending the picture to Emma. "And with that, I think it's bedtime, young man. Since we are on vacation, you can watch TV until you fall asleep, but you must be in your bed with the lights off." Regina tossed her phone on the bed next to her.
"Okay. Night, Mom," Henry said, wrapping his arms around Regina, kissing her lightly on the cheek, before jumping off her bed and climbing into his own, yawning really wide. "You look really happy, Mom."
Within a few minutes, he was quietly snoring in the next bed. Regina was just settling into bed herself when she heard her phone vibrate on the nightstand next to her. Pulling it off the charger quickly, she squinted at the screen, discovering a text message…from Emma.
"Thanks for the picture. I love it." Regina smiled as she read the words a few times, missing the tell-tale sign that Emma was typing another message. "I had a really great time today. Thanks for coming."
"I had a really great time today too. We both did. Henry was sound asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Thank you for a really great day , " Regina responded quickly, peering over at Henry to make sure he was still asleep.
"It's my pleasure. So, I was wondering. Would you and Henry like to join me for breakfast before you head back to Storybrooke? There's a pretty awesome restaurant in the lobby of your hotel. I could meet you guys there in the morning. It's kinda starting to become our tradition, after all." Regina laughed as she read the text, smiling at the idea of seeing Emma again before heading back to Storybrooke.
"That sounds wonderful, thank you. I think Henry would like that as well. Just give us a call or send a text when you leave your home, and we will be ready , " Regina responded.
"Will do! See you tomorrow! Good night, Regina."
"Good night, Emma. Sleep well , " Regina responded, before turning off the screen and plugging the phone back into its charger. Regina was asleep within minutes, a wide smile on her face once again.
"Henry, can you text Emma and let her know we will be at her apartment in about fifteen minutes, please?" Regina asked as she drove down the highway, taking the exit for Boston.
"Sure," Henry said, grabbing Regina's cell phone, quickly constructing a text to Emma. They were driving to Boston to pick Emma up before embarking on a weekend trip together.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of Emma's apartment complex, quickly finding Emma's yellow Bug and pulling into a spot next to the yellow monstrosity. Regina climbed out of the car to stretch her legs after the long drive from Storybrooke to Boston, preparing for the last leg of the journey.
"Hey!" Emma said, racing to Regina's car, clearly a little excited for their trip, tossing her duffle bag into the trunk alongside Regina and Henry's perfectly placed suitcases. As Regina prepared to climb back behind the wheel, she added, "You sure you don't want me to drive a little? That's a lot of driving for you already, Regina, and we still have another two hours left."
"Nonsense. You're paying for the entire weekend. It's the least I can do," Regina said, climbing back into the car.
"Okay, but if you change your mind, let me know." Emma smiled, climbing into the passenger seat next to Regina.
The next two hours flew by as the three of them chatted freely together, once again Henry monopolizing the conversation, telling Emma all about the comic books he was reading. They stopped along the way to grab dinner at a diner on the side of the highway, Emma insisting on paying even when Regina tried to grab the bill. By the time they reached the hotel, everyone was exhausted, especially Regina, who had driven six hours from Storybrooke to Agawam, Massachusetts. They quickly checked into their hotel rooms and after Henry finished freaking out on how cool their adjoining rooms were, retreated to bed for the evening, preparing for their early day the next day.
Just as Regina was slowly falling asleep, she heard her cell phone vibrate against the nightstand next to her.
"Good night, Regina , " Emma texted out of the blue, making Regina smile wide.
"Good night, Emma. Sleep well!" Regina responded. She was asleep shortly thereafter, her usual smile plastered on her face.
Henry got them both up and out of bed quite early the next morning, waking Emma by practically pounding on the door that connected their rooms, no doubt scaring the blonde half to death. Two hours later, they were dressed, stuffed from their breakfast (which included a massive amount of coffee for the adults), and were back inside Regina's car driving toward their destination for the day. Henry stared in awe as the "Six Flags: New England" sign appeared in front of them.
"Excited, Kid?" Emma asked, turning around to look at Henry in the backseat, his eyes wide as he looked at the huge roller coasters running in the distance.
"I think, for the first time since he learned how to speak, he might actually be speechless." Regina chuckled as she pulled up to the parking lot, pulling the ticket out of the machine that caused the parking arm to raise, allowing her to enter the parking garage, pulling into the first open spot she could find.
"I think he's more excited than he is on Christmas morning." Regina laughed as Henry took off like a bat out of hell as soon as they started walking toward the entrance, the Red Sox hat Emma had bought him firmly planted on top of his head. Emma quickly paid for their admission into the park and before they knew it, they were making their way through the amusement park on the meticulously set schedule that Henry had spent two weeks planning, picking exactly which rides he wanted to ride, and deciding the perfect order to ride them in.
Regina stood outside the exit as a very excited Henry and a slightly green-looking Emma walked out of the Batman ride for the third time, Emma's face looking even paler than usual.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked as she helped Emma to a nearby bench.
"Yeah…too many twists…and upside downs…making me a little sick…" Emma said, her head falling between her legs to prevent her from throwing up.
"Henry, go grab Emma a bottle of water," Regina said, handing Henry some cash. As soon as Henry was gone, Regina started rubbing Emma's back to help soothe the blonde.
"Thanks…" Emma said when Henry handed her the cold water, taking a long sip of it, her face already seemed less pale and green.
"I think we should give Emma a little break from the rides. We don't want her to throw up." Regina laughed, still rubbing Emma's back for comfort.
"Oh…I just wanted to go on Superman one more time before we eat," Henry said, whining about not being able to ride the ride again.
"You've already ridden it twice. You'll be fine if you don't ride it again," Regina said, her scolding eyes trained on Henry.
"It's okay. I think I can take one more ride. It doesn't go upside down so I should probably be alright," Emma said, standing on shaky legs.
"Emma, you don't have to," Regina said, her hand returning to Emma's low back.
"Hey, I promised the kid he could ride whatever rides he wanted, and I intend to keep that promise," Emma said, following Henry to the back of the line, while Regina stood off to the side, watching.
"Which one is yours?" another mother asked, nodding toward the long line of people waiting for their turn.
"Those two." Regina pointed to Henry and Emma as they climbed into the car.
"She doesn't look so good." The woman laughed, noticing that Emma looked like she was going to throw up again.
"I think all the wild rides are starting to get to her. She's doing better than I would. I would have been out of commission ten rides ago." Regina laughed.
"That's what we do for our kids." She laughed. "Make sure you get your wife some ginger ale when she's done. It'll help with the nausea. Have a good day," she said, joining her family as they exited the same ride that Emma and Henry were just starting. Regina held back the tears as she watched the roller coaster car holding the two people she loved more than anyone in the world begin to ascend to the top before freefalling along the track.
Emma wobbled off the ride, flopping into a nearby bench, accepting her nearly empty bottle of water from Regina.
"I think I'm out of commission for a little bit," Emma said, gulping her water, hoping it didn't come right back up.
"Good, because now it's time for a snack," Henry said, dragging them toward the nearest food court, already knowing what he was going to eat.
They drop Emma off at a table outside the food court and went inside, Regina insisting on paying for the food, even after Emma handed her cash. They returned after a few minutes, a plate of nachos for Henry, a bag of kettle corn for Regina, and a big basket of fries for Emma, along with several bottles of fresh water, and a cup for Emma.
"Ginger ale?" Emma asked as she took a sip of the sweet carbonated beverage.
"To help settle your stomach," Regina said, suddenly scared that maybe Emma didn't like ginger ale.
"Thanks." Emma smiled, reaching to dip a fry in the cheese from Henry's nachos.
The rest of the day was much more mild, riding the slower rides that Regina agreed to ride, and after a few hours, Emma's face looked less green than before. They were making their way toward the exit of the park, ready to go back to the hotel to rest, when Henry pointed out the ferris wheel they had walked past a few times that day, which just so happened to not have a long line.
"Mom, you and Emma should go on the ferris wheel. You love them, right?" Henry said, pushing them toward the line.
"Don't you want to come too, Kid?" Emma asked.
"Nah, ferris wheels are lame. All they do is go around and around. So boring. But you guys should go. I know they are Mom's favorite," he said, pushing them in line.
"What about you? We can't just leave you here by yourself," Emma said.
"I'll be fine. I'll stay right here so you guys can watch me the whole time," Henry said, standing off to the side, a mischievous grin on his face.
Emma followed Regina as they were loaded into the car, the bar securely fastened before the ride started to move. They sat in silence as they enjoyed the view, Regina enjoying simply being so close to Emma.
As the ride slowed and stopped their car at the very top, Regina took a deep breath and turned toward Emma, knowing the moment was right. But what she saw startled her.
"Emma? Are you alright?" she asked, fear filling her voice as she looked at the woman next to her. Emma's face was a sickly pale white, even paler than before, her eyes squeezed shut, and her hands gripping the bar in front of her so tight her knuckles were white. If Regina didn't know any better, she could swear that Emma was trembling slightly.
"Yeah…I'm just…I'm just really really scared of heights…one might say petrified…" Emma said, her voice shaking.
"Oh, Emma. Why did you agree to go on this ride then?" Regina asked.
"Because…it's your favorite…" Emma said, trying to open her eyes to look at Regina, only to squeeze them shut again.
"But you were alright on all those other roller coasters that go up high. Were you scared all day?" Regina asked.
"Not the whole time. Usually, they go so fast that by the time you realize you're scared, the ride is already over. It's just the very beginning that scares the ever loving crap out of me," Emma said, her voice still shaking. "Plus, Henry wanted to go on them, so I just kinda sucked it up."
"Oh, Emma, you don't have to scare yourself for us." Regina rubbed the back of Emma's hand gently. "May I?" Regina asked, gently prying one of Emma's hands off the bar in front of them, gently massaging her hand before firmly pressing on the webbing between Emma's thumb and pointer finger.
"No, wait…" Emma started to say, her voice panicking when her hand was removed from the safety bar. "What…what are you doing?"
"Pressure point. Helps to relieve anxiety," Regina whispered as she continued to massage Emma's right hand. "Better?"
"Yeah, actually. Thanks," Emma whispered, her voice calmer, not taking her hand away as Regina continued to massage it
"No thanks necessary." Regina smiled as the car began to move once again, eventually dropping them off at the bottom. Regina's hand remained around Emma's until the last moment when the attendant opened their door and they filed out.
They left the park shortly after, exhausted and hungry, as they made their way back to the hotel, stopping at another diner for a quick dinner before bedtime. After saying goodnight to Emma, and retreating to their own room to shower and get ready for bed, they eventually settled in for the night, Henry laying next to Regina in her bed for a while.
"So…did you kiss her?" Henry asked suddenly as Regina was beginning to doze off.
"What?" she asked, slightly confused.
"When you were on the ferris wheel? That was the whole point of you two riding alone." Henry giggled.
"I knew it. You do love ferris wheels, don't you?"
"Of course. They've been my favorite rides since I was a kid. I sent you two up there alone so you could kiss her at the top. So, did you?"
"No, there was no kissing," Regina replied, disappointed at missing her opportunity.
"What? Why not? It was perfect."
"She's afraid of heights, so she was freaking out while we were stopped at the top. She said she only went on the ride because I wanted to go. The poor woman was scared out of her mind up there. I did…ummm…hold her hand though," Regina explained, her face turning a bright red.
"That's a start!" Henry exclaimed. "Did she hold it back?"
"Kind of. I was massaging her hand to help her calm down. She didn't pull it away. And it seems to have worked. She calmed down a bit."
"I think she likes you, Mom," Henry said, smiling at his mother.
"Really? How can you tell? We've only seen each other a few times."
"Because you can always tell when it's True Love." Henry smiled.
"How do I look?" Regina asked, stepping into the dining room as Henry was setting the table. She was wearing her favorite sleeveless purple dress that hugged every curve perfectly, under a form-fitting tight blazer.
"You look amazing, Mom. But, you should take off the jacket. It's not cold in here," Henry answered, looking at his mother.
"You don't think it's too much? Do I look like I'm trying too hard?" Regina asked, nervously taking off her blazer.
"Not at all. You look beautiful, Mom," Henry said, resuming his task of setting the table, making sure everything was perfect.
"I think…I think I might tell her tonight…" Regina said shyly, smoothing out an invisible wrinkle on her dress.
"Everything?" Henry asked, shock filling his voice.
"Well, not everything . I think I'll leave out the whole 'Soulmates from a world that exists in a fairy tale book' thing. I was thinking about telling her how I feel about her…" Regina answered.
"It's about time." Henry laughed. "What are you going to say?" he asked, his eyes bright.
"I don't know yet. I think I'll just wait for the perfect moment and let my heart speak," Regina said, blushing slightly. A sound of a knock on the front door made her jump suddenly.
"You'll do great." Henry smiled at his mother's nervousness as he raced to the front door to let Emma in. Regina took a deep breath and checked her appearance in the mirror for the hundredth time before following Henry into the foyer as she heard the front door open and close. She could feel the presence of the blonde even before she saw her standing next to Henry, handing her jacket to the boy to hang in the hall closet.
"Uhh…hi," Emma said, stuttering slightly when she saw Regina enter the room. Regina gave Emma a quick once over, noticing the woman was dressed slightly nicer than she usually did, pairing her usual tight skinny jeans with a tight buttoned down shirt instead of her usual tank top. She looked amazing.
"Emma, welcome. Come in, dinner is ready," Regina said, her heart skipping a beat at Emma's sudden nervousness.
"Mom made pot roast. You're going to love it," Henry said excitedly, leading the way back into the dining room.
"You…look amazing…" Emma whispered, her voice stuttering slightly as she walked past Regina in the hallway.
"Thank you. So do you." Regina blushed, joining the parade of people, making her way to the dining room.
Once again, Henry monopolized the conversation, talking about how much fun their trip to Six Flags was a few weeks prior. He was already planning a second trip to the amusement park, expressing his desire to go around Halloween, excited about all the new things the park does to celebrate. Emma seemed interested and suggested maybe they take another trip there, announcing that her birthday is at the end of October and that would be the perfect birthday extravaganza. They both seemed excited to go back, forgetting Emma's newfound proneness to motion sickness and extreme fear of heights.
"Henry, don't you have homework to finish up?" Regina asked as they all began to clear the table after dinner.
"It's Saturday. I have all day tomorrow to finish," Henry whined.
"No, you have to work on that big project ," Regina said, trying to convince Henry to leave them alone for a little while. "I'll let you know when dessert is ready."
"Oh yeah, the big project . You're right, I should go work on that," Henry said, rushing upstairs, perching on the top step, out of sight but not earshot of the women downstairs. Regina led Emma into the den, each with a glass of wine in their hands.
"I'm sorry about Henry. He had such a good time at Six Flags that all he can talk about is going back again. We don't have to go back," Regina said, apologizing.
"No, it's totally fine. I want to go back. I had a great time too," Emma said, taking a sip of wine.
"Even though you almost threw up last time?" Regina laughed.
"I'll take some motion sickness pills before we get there." Emma laughed. "He really is a good kid. You did an amazing job raising him, Regina," Emma added, her fingers instinctually playing with her necklace, catching Regina's attention.
"Thank you, Emma," Regina said, moving a little closer to Emma. "That is a beautiful necklace. Where did you get it?" Regina's heart stopped for a second as she watched Emma play with the necklace she had given Eala a lifetime ago.
"I don't know, actually. They told me I was wearing it when I was found abandoned as a baby. The people at CPS said they assumed it had once belonged to my mother. I suspect it was the inspiration for the last name 'Swan'. To be honest, I'm surprised it hasn't broken over the years. I guess it's a sign for something." Emma laughed, offering the necklace closer for Regina to get a better look.
Regina took the pendant between her fingers, the weight reminding her of the almost twenty years following Eala's death that she wore that same necklace until she cast the curse and it disappeared from around her neck.
Regina looked up at Emma's face for a split second, finding familiar green eyes staring straight into her own. Regina took this as an opportunity to close the distance between them, leaning in to press her lips lightly against Emma's.
What happened next shocked her.
Emma reached up suddenly, gently cupping her face as she deepened their kiss, swiping her tongue over Regina's bottom lip lightly, silently asking permission. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma, pulling her closer as she deepened the kiss even more, allowing their tongues to mingle together.
For Regina, it felt like she was kissing Eala again. After over forty years, she was kissing her Soulmate again.
Her eyes fluttered open when Emma suddenly pulled away. But instead of seeing Emma's sweet smile, her eyes found a painful expression on Emma's face.
"Emma? Are you alright?" Regina mumbled. But before she could get a response, Emma was stumbling off the couch, rushing out of the room. Before her brain could process what happened, she heard the front door slamming shut, indicating that Emma had run out of the house.
Henry watched from the top of the stairs as Emma ran out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Regina ran after her a moment later, flinging the front door open with no regard for the damage it might cause.
Regina found Emma hunched over in the front yard as if she was throwing up. In a panic, Regina rushed to Emma's side, finding Emma panicking and hyperventilating, her hand clutching her own chest.
"Emma, are you alright? What can I do?" she asked, panicking herself.
"I can't…I can't…" Emma said in between gasping for breath. "My chest…it hurts…so much…"
"Does it feel like arrows in your chest?" Regina whispered, placing her hand lightly on Emma's back for comfort.
"Yes…oh god yes…it…it feels like…" Emma started to say, unable to find the words.
"It feels like you're dying?" Regina asked, her voice trying to stay as calm as possible.
"Yes…how? How do you know?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with shock.
She's reliving Eala's final moments , Regina thought to herself as she struggled to find a way to console Emma without revealing their past. Ignoring Emma's question, she wrapped her arms around the blonde, pulling her close to her, holding her tight. Emma's breathing instantly began to slow, the pain in her chest lessening as the feeling of Regina's arms around her seemed to calm her.
"Regina, what's happening?" Emma whispered, her voice full of fear.
"I can't tell you. Not yet," Regina whispered, rubbing her hand up and down Emma's back.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Emma said, suddenly pulling away from Regina's comforting arms. "You know what? I can't do this, Regina." Emma pulled away completely, rushing toward the front gate.
"Emma, no, wait. Please. We need to talk," Regina said, trying to convince Emma to stay, failing as Emma ripped open the front gate. Henry ripped open the front door just in time to watch Regina chase after Emma, who was already storming down the sidewalk. "Emma please, stop! I can explain. Please come back."
"I have to go, Regina. I don't know what's going on, but I need to go," Emma said, frantically searching her pockets for her keys, realizing they were still in her coat pocket, tucked away in the front closet inside.
"Emma, please, don't go," Regina pleaded.
"I need to be alone right now, Regina," Emma said, abandoning her car as she started walking once again, this time in the direction of Granny's Bed and Breakfast where she was staying the night.
"EALA! I LOVE YOU!" Regina screamed, a last ditch effort to stop Emma from walking away.
Emma stopped dead in her tracks.
"What did you just call me?" she asked, her voice low, her back still facing Regina.
"I will always be yours, and you will always be mine. From now until the end of time…" Regina started to say, causing Emma to turn around suddenly.
"And although right now we must be apart, you will always hold my heart." Emma slowly began walking back toward her, tears beginning to well in her eyes as well.
"I know one day we will again be together. Until then…" Regina started to say, only to be interrupted by Emma.
"I will love you until the end of forever," Emma whispered, tears streaming down her face, sudden recognition in her eyes. " Mo Chridhe?" Emma whispered.
" Mo Ghràidh," Regina whispered back, nodding in confirmation.
"Regina…" Emma said, running full force back to Regina, her lips crashing into Regina's upon impact, kissing her with everything she had.
Henry was the only one who could see the burst of rainbow energy escape from their lips the moment they met once again.
A/N: I am such a sucker for a True Loves Kiss :')
