A/N: As promised, here is chapter four. A little shorter than the previous one, but I don't want to give everything away so quickly, do I? ;) Happy reading to all my followers, and thank you for enjoying my adaption to this story. Much love!
And please, to anyone who asks, I will get to my other fanfics when I get to them, but they will be finished; as well as- please don't ask to translate this or any other of my stories into different languages or to use in other fandoms. This is strictly SQ. Thanks.
Henry sighed, placing his gameboy securely inside of his jacket pocket as he walked over to Jefferson. "Hey, Jeff."
"Hey, Henry." Jefferson smiled, looking away from his computer. "What's up?"
"Where's mom now?"
"Well, let's see… Last I heard she was in the Park Suite." Jefferson smiled.
"I'm gonna go walk around. My mom said I could. Is that okay?"
"Mmm," Jefferson's eyes squint. "Okay, sure, but stay close."
"I will." Henry smiles, happily leaving the room. He walks toward the nearest elevator, pressing the button along the pad to the upper floors. Once the doors to the elevator doors slide open, Henry steps inside, pressing the button to the twenty-first floor and waits.
"This picture is perfect. Let's use this one." Killian points to a recent photo of Regina that rests along the coffee table.
Regina steps out of her bedroom and into the living room dressed in a pair of new jeans, and a clean button-up shirt with the first two buttons undone and a black leather jacket to complete her look. "Pongo, come here." She holds up the leash to which Pongo hurries before her. "Sit." Pongo sits at her command and Regina straps the hook of the leash onto Pongo's bright red collar. "Good boy."
Killian whips his head to the sight of Regina. "Regina," he rushes to her. "Where are you going?"
"I'm taking Pongo on a walk." Said Regina, reaching for Pongo's yellow ball.
"Hey, uh," Killian steps before her. "You can't leave. We have a charity lunch downstairs you have to be prepared for. It'll do you good to stop by. We'll just go in and out."
"Oh, in and out, huh?" Regina feels a tug along Pongo's leash as he is anxious to go out and run free. Her grip tightens along the strap. "Let me ask you something, Killian."
"Sure." Killian smiles.
"Do I look as stupid as you think I am?" Regina asks, her voice filled with sarcasm.
"No." Killian's eyes grow wide at the sight of a smirk along Regina's lips. "I mean you're not stupid, Regina. Come on. We'll just peek in there and come back up to the room."
"I am not going to a lunch to give a speech where Victoria Belfrey will surely be, giving the exact same speech. No." Regina shakes her head. "Come on, Pongo." She takes quick steps out the front door of her suite, allowing her dog to lead.
"Uh, Regina. Regina, hang on a second." Killian hurries behind the brunette. "Regina!"
Regina continues to walk along the hallway, coming to a halt before the closed elevator doors. Her thumb punches the down button along the pad.
"Look, Regina," Killian catches up to her, standing behind her. "I know lunches such as these insult your intelligence, alright? But, I'll be honest here. I would like to win this election."
"You don't give up, do you?" Asks Regina.
"No, of course I don't give up. That's why you hired me." Killian steps before the brunette, blocking her path. "Okay, look, just come on down to the luncheon, you smile, shake a few hands, give your thanks and you are home free."
"Define free." As the elevator doors slowly part, Regina steps inside with Pongo and Killian on her heels.
Henry's eyes light up at the sight of Regina, his lips split into an enormous grin. How lucky was he that his mom happened to work at the hotel where Candidate Regina Mills was currently staying? It was so cool!
"Regina, answer me one question. Why are you paying- what's his name-?" Killian snaps his fingers.
"Samuel." Regina interjects.
"Samuel- to be with your dog if you are walking him yourself? He could walk your dog for you, you know. That's what you pay him for." Said Killian.
Pongo's tail wags from side to side as he moves near Henry, his head slightly bowing as he feels Henry's hands and forearms wrap along his head. His fingers scratched along his neck and behind his large ears.
"I know," Regina nods.
"Once you step out those doors, the press will surround you like a bunch of girl bands on a summer day, okay?" Said Killian.
Regina can't help but roll her eyes a little, "Killian, I want to walk my own dog, okay?"
"Okay- fine." Killian holds his hands up in defeat.
"Will you relax a little? It's bad for your heart. You're young. Too much stress will make you lose your hair." Regina replies.
"Well, if that happens that'll be on you." Killian murmurs, combing his hands through his hair.
Regina's eyes look down at Pongo as she feels a slight tug along the leash until her lips split into a smile at the sight of Henry. "He likes you. Don't worry, he's very friendly." She said to Henry.
Henry smiles, "He's big!"
Regina's smile widens. "Yeah, he's a real gentle giant. His name is Pongo."
"Hi, Pongo!" Henry scratches Pongo along the ears, laughing as he earns himself a giant lick along his cheek.
Regina's eyes catch sight of the gameboy poking out of the kid's pocket. "What are you playing?" She nods to his pocket.
Henry's eyes look to his gameboy before they look back up at Regina's. "Tetris."
"Tetris?" Regina chuckles, "How would you know about that?"
"My mom. She plays, too, sometimes. She helped me reach level twenty. I couldn't have done it without her." Henry says proudly.
Regina's grin grows. "You're lucky. I could never reach level twenty either and I had no one to help me at your age."
Henry smiles as he stands upright.
"What's your name?" Regina asks, wanting to know more about this kid. Truth was, she liked kids. She wanted one of her own one day.
"Henry."
"Hi, Henry. I'm Regina."
Killian finally looks up from his phone, "And I could apparently lose all of my hair, and I'm a nobody but it's nice to meet you anyway." He said.
"I know who you are." Replies Henry.
"Yeah? What do you know?" Regina asks, curious as ever.
"I know that you are running for Mayor of this city. I know that you are following in your own father's footsteps, trying to make him proud. I know that you are afraid of not mounting up to his expectations, but you shouldn't be because I think you are the greatest candidate we've had in forever. And I know your voting record and that your consistent stand on environmental causes."
Regina's eyes light up, "Is that so?"
"Are you currently involved with anybody?" Henry asks.
Regina chuckles, "No. Why?"
"Good! My mom isn't either." Henry grins.
Regina can't help but let out a gentle laugh, "I love this kid." She turns to Killian.
Killian shrugs one shoulder, "Yeah, sure- what's not to love?" His eyes fall on Henry. "Answer me something, kid, does your mom make it a habit of using her son to find her dates?"
"No." Henry's face scrunches up.
"Then who told you to ask these questions?" Killian asks.
"Nobody." Henry replies.
"Oh, yeah? What press do you work for?"
"Hey, Killian, back off a little, okay? He's a kid." Said Regina, smiling back down at Henry. "Don't mind him. He's always so grouchy."
Henry grins, "So, where are you going?" He asks.
"Kid, what are you doing, writing a book?" Killian's brow furrows.
"I'm going to walk Pongo." As the elevator doors open, Regina steps out along with Pongo and Killian.
"Now, Regina," Killian holds up an index finger. "You have ten minutes, okay? He gets one pee- that's it."
Henry remains in the elevator, but stands between the parted doors to prevent it from closing. "If my mom says it's okay, can I come?" He asks Regina.
Regina smiles, "Sure, why not? Where is your mom?"
"On the twenty-first floor, Park Suite." Henry nods his head.
"Great, um, Killian," Regina hands over Pongo's leash to him. "Here, why don't you take Pongo-"
"Take Pongo?" Killian's brows skyrocket. "No-"
"I'll be right down. I'm gonna go with my new friend here, Henry."
"Regina, we're in a hurry!" He taps on the face of his watch.
"Actually, he's in a hurry, I'm fine." Regina smiles, waving goodbye to Killian who is being dragged by Pongo.
"Hey- whoa! Pongo! Stop- heal!" Killian shouts, gaining a few turn heads as Pongo happily barked and sped his way through the lobby and double doors.
Once the door closed to the elevator, Regina couldn't be more thankful for Henry and Pongo for taking Killian away. She had no idea why she liked this kid so much, but she figured if she liked him this much- the mother wouldn't be any different.
"She's in here." Henry smiles at Regina, bringing his tiny fist up to the door.
"Okay, I tried it on, Ruby, now let me take it off so I can get back to work." Emma hissed, halting along with Ruby as they heard a knock at the door.
"Oh, my God- okay- be cool. It's okay. I'll open the door. You stay here." Said Ruby, making sure to close the double doors that separated the entrance to the living room before rushing over to the door.
Knock, knock. There's another knock at the door.
"Coming." Ruby sing-song's while turning the knob and pulling open the door. "Oh! Henry! It's just Henry!" She announces, stepping away.
"Is mom here?" Henry steps in all smiles.
"Yeah, she's- uh…" Ruby's eyes grow wide at the sight of Regina stepping inside the room. Her feet lead her toward the double doors until her back falls against them. "Uh… It's for you ma'am."
"Henry," Emma steps out of the double doors wearing the white pressed pants, along with a sleeveless blouse that falls well toward her breasts. Her hair had been let loose and curled up. Make up on point to a light gloss along the lips and just a touch of mascara along the eyes. "Did you get bored so quickly-?" She halts at the sight of Regina, or rather- her pearly white smile.
"Hello." Regina grins from ear to ear, feeling her heart stop at the sight of those familiar yet new green eyes that she had never seen before.
"Hi." Emma breathes, feeling her heart melt below her feet. This was a different sight of Regina Mills from what Emma remembers. The woman was charming and beautiful regardless of what she wore, but seeing her up close and personal was a whole other level.
"Mom- this is Regina and she has this gigantic dog named Pongo and if you say it's okay I'm going to go walk with them, okay?" Henry rants his way through his words in excitement, desperately wanting to gain his mother's permission.
"Uh…" Emma couldn't find her words as they became caught in her throat. Her eyes couldn't even move from Regina's beautiful sight.
"I'm Regina Mills," Regina took a step forward, extending her hand in greeting.
Emma wrapped her hand along Regina's to the best of her abilities, but was unable to speak. "Hi." Except that was the only word she knew.
"Um, Emilia," Ruby says out loud, quickly wrapping the suit jacket that goes well with the entire white outfit along Emma's shoulders. "Weren't you just saying what a gorgeous day it was outside today and how you desperately needed a walk?"
"Oh, you're going out?" Regina's eyes lit up as she asked this.
"No." Emma blurts out, blinking a couple of times.
"No?" Regina frowns.
"Uh-" Ruby steps in. "You know how this crazy weather is. One minute it's good, the next it makes you think you are developing amnesia, am I right?" She strains out a laugh.
Regina chuckles as her eyebrows skyrocket. She liked Ruby.
"But, you know what? A walk sounds glorious for you, ma'am," Ruby nudges Emma along her back. "You go, have a good time."
Emma glares directly at Ruby. She mumbled something under her breath that Regina couldn't quite understand.
"Well, if you're husband or wife wouldn't mind, I- I would love it if you joined us." Regina smiled.
"She doesn't have a wife." Henry grinned, his eyes trained on Regina.
Ruby smirks silently in the background.
Emma's eyes grow impossibly larger, "Idon'thaveawife." She mumbles, her words speeding through.
"Single as they come and she would looooove the pleasure of your company-" Ruby nudged Emma forward. "Wouldn't you, Mrs. Clarke?"
Emma's head whipped toward Ruby, who continued to nudge her. She was pushed all the way through the door, where Henry and Regina waited for her. "Ruby, get real, I am not doing this-" She hissed under her breath.
"You will and you are." Ruby hisses.
"Ruby- no! These shoes are too big!" Emma hisses back in pure panic.
"You'll grow into them. Go! You two kids have fun!" Ruby waves with a grin reaching both of her ears.