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But maybe I need you...

Chapter 19: New York City

Notes:

Apologies if there's any mistakes! I'll fix later on. Hope you like this one :) Have a great day guys!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Breakfast at Granny’s had been a bigger success than Emma had expected - for two reasons.

Reason number one - Henry’s reaction to their trip to New York was as if the energy of twenty children had rolled into one. He practically screeched at the news, people in the diner eventually turning around to see what all the commotion was about. Not only would he get to see his dad, but he was getting to visit his favourite place in the world other than Storybrooke (albeit he’d never actually travelled anywhere else…) And he got to go with both his Moms too? It was the best news he’d heard in a while. Both Regina and Emma were pleased to see how excited he was, not that they’d expected anything less. He squeezed them both, repeatedly thanking them for arranging it. Once he’d returned to his side of the booth, Regina had squeezed Emma’s leg discreetly out of thanks herself, grateful for making her son so happy, and also for asking her to come along.

And with that comes reason number two… As Ruby had made her way over to take the trio’s orders, the Mayor noticed how she winked at Emma upon seeing the two sat together. It took the blonde a moment to remind herself that the waitress now knew about their ‘relationship’... or whatever it was. Clearly uncomfortable, she rushed to order and fidgeted with her hands as she waited for Ruby to leave.

Luckily, Henry’s timing, as always, was perfect. He dashed to the bathroom a moment later, leaving the pair alone. Regina chuckled as she watched Emma pull at a loose thread on her sweater, puzzled by her sudden closed off-ness. “You okay, dear?” she smiled.

“Hm? Oh… yeah. I just-” Emma peered around the diner, as if insecure of who was watching or listening. “I should probably tell you something…” she began, heart pounding as her mind circled with different potential reactions the Mayor could have to this information.

“Oh God, what is it?” Regina groaned sarcastically, constantly used to her good moments being so quickly crushed by the next problem.

“Gina… it would really help if you could keep an open mind,” the blonde grimaced out of fear.

“Miss Swan, are you scared of me?” the Mayor smirked, lightly grazing the Sheriff’s thigh through her jeans under the table.

“Yeah, yeah that’s good, keep up the flirting that’ll make this a lot easier,” Emma nodded to herself out of nervousness.
“Emma, what is it?” Regina giggled, furrowing her brow.

The blonde took a deep inhale. “Okay…” she began. “So, y’know how I said my parents gave me this big interrogation yesterday morning when I got back from yours?”

The Mayor nodded, listening intently.

“Ok, well, Ruby was there too…” she ran her hands through her hair, unsure of where to begin. “Obviously Mary-Margaret and David figured out that I hadn’t been crashing at Ruby’s all night after all. She tried to cover for me, but they were onto me. Eventually, I managed to convince them I had just needed a night to myself and didn’t wanna offend them, so I said I got a room at Granny’s Inn. They totally bought it, so they still have no idea…” Emma reassured her.

Regina raised a brow, not quite catching the problem. “Well…? That doesn’t sound so bad to me?”

“Yeah… the problem is…” just as Emma began trying to explain, Ruby waltzed over with a tray of drinks and another thrilled grin.

“Hey you twoooo…” she teased now that Henry was gone, placing down two milkshakes and a coffee.

It was all the hinting Regina needed to suddenly catch on. “She knows?” she whispered as she turned sternly and swiftly to the blonde. Emma’s mouth opened to say something, but couldn’t seem to form any remotely sensical sentences.

“I’ll leave you guys to it…” a wide-eyed Ruby got the memo, not wanting to be stuck in the middle of this.

“I can’t believe you told her!” Regina whisper-shouted, lightly wacking the Sheriff’s arm.

“Ow! Regina, I didn’t tell her, I swear…” Emma defended hurriedly.

“Oh, so I suppose she found out from, what? Telepathy?” the Mayor scoffed, to which the blonde rolled her eyes.

“She guessed. Straight away. She must have figured since that day in the diner before we kissed…” the Sheriff trailed off, thinking back to their conversation - not so subtle on Emma’s part.

“What do you mean, ‘before we kissed’?” Regina turned to her again, softer now.

“In the bathroom,” Emma pointed to the back of Granny’s. “Before I came in there to- to kiss you…” she blushed. “I asked Ruby- in a not so discreet way I guess- how I was supposed to show someone I had feelings for them when I didn’t know if they felt the same.”

Suddenly the blonde was very aware of how forthright she was being; she lowered her head in slight embarrassment.

“You did?” Regina finally spoke, just louder than a whisper. Truth be told, she wasn’t actually mad about somebody knowing. She knew how close the waitress and the Sheriff were - Ruby wouldn’t dare tell anyone if she asked her not to. It only meant that they had one more person in their corner, championing this relationship. Suddenly, Regina felt quite guilty for lashing out.

She reached out to touch Emma’s arm. The blonde looked up, hopeful that maybe she wasn’t so angry after all.

“I’m sorry… once again I’m-” the Mayor laughed to herself, shaking her head. “Once again I’m lashing out when it’s most unnecessary. I know you wouldn’t tell her on purpose. As long as she keeps it to herself…”

“She will. She swore,” Emma quickly defended, nodding.

The Mayor smiled, rubbing small circles onto the blonde’s arm. “What’s one person being aware of our relationship? Maybe this could… be a good thing- having someone know. Someone championing us…” Regina grinned, but furrowed her brows slightly when she saw the huge smirk creeping onto Emma’s face.

“What?” the older woman chuckled.

“You said ‘our relationship’ ...” the blonde beamed, leaning down to sip from the straw of her milkshake, all smug.

The Mayor blushed and attempted to play it cool. “I-” she began to defend, but was quickly interrupted by their son sliding back into the booth - the bundle of joy that he was.

“Mom! I just remembered, you know that place right by Dad’s apartment that was being refurbished into a huge diner last time we visited? Maybe they’ve finally finished it! Maybe we can all have breakfast just like this with Dad in New York!” their son exclaimed, occasionally pausing to sip at his milkshake.

Regina reached for his glass to pull the drink away before he slurped it all down in one go. “Careful, Henry!” she chuckled. “You’ll get indigestion…”

Emma guiltily moved back from her own straw, trying to be the responsible adult. “Y-yeah kid. Listen to your mother…” she smirked, to which Henry rolled his eyes.

Regina, grasping the opportunity while their son occupied himself with the storybook, hummed into the blonde’s ear. “Keep up that sensible parenting and you might just get lucky…” she winked. Emma tried to pretend she wasn’t experiencing chills crawling up her spine with anticipation for their next adult sleepover . Although she tried not to take offence at the implication that her usual parenting methods weren’t sensible…

“Hey! Look!” Henry pulled them back down to earth, pointing enthusiastically at a new page in the book. Most of Storybrooke’s chaos had calmed down lately, but it seemed that occasionally a new page was added as a way to sort of guide everyone on their journey; validify the path they were taking, so to speak.

The ten year old turned the book to face his mothers in the opposite booth and slid it towards them.

The last page that had been added only weeks ago had nearly moved Regina to tears. It had shown her on her path to redemption, making up for the misery she’d caused in the past as the Evil Queen by being a better woman as Regina Mills. Now, what she was seeing was only adding to that happiness.

On the page was displayed an illustration of Emma, Regina and Henry all walking down Main Street, mid-conversation, all smiles. It was so accurate it was as if someone had taken a physical picture of them, and come to think of it, it looked a lot like a day they’d spent together recently.

The Mayor had never seen, nor realised, what the three of them looked like in a public setting; so comfortable with one another. In the picture, Emma seemed to be talking about something or rather with Henry, as Regina glanced at her softly.

To anyone else it might seem friendly; platonic, but the blonde knew that look. She grazed the page with a fingernail and turned to look at the Mayor with a smile.

Henry watched them both intently, searching for their reactions. He was trying to play it off like it was a surprise to him too. Really, he had visited August only yesterday and requested that he add a new page for his mothers - something to bring them closer. Of course, what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

-

“So, your flight takes off at… eight fifteen, was it?” Mary-Margaret clarified with her daughter as she helped pile her luggage by the door. She had insisted on waking up with Emma’s alarm, even though the blonde had told her to stay in bed. It was now five AM, leaving a comfortable amount of time to get to the airport and grab some food before their flight.

“Yeah, but don’t worry I’ll call you before we take off so you know we’re all good,” Emma reassured, knowing her mother all too well.

Snow sighed and pulled her daughter in for a brief goodbye hug, telling her to travel safe and take care of Henry.

“I will, don’t worry. I should head over there before Regina talks herself out of getting on that plane with us…” the Sheriff quipped, a little anxious about how the Mayor was going to handle her first plane ride.

“Okay,” Mary-Margaret chuckled. “I’ll see you in a couple days honey.”

David groaned a goodbye and waved from under the sheets over in the corner, far too tired to actually get up and see her off.

Smiling, Emma headed out the door with her stuff and made her way to the mansion to pick up her son and her… Regina.

-

The blonde pulled up outside their place at about quarter past five. She hadn’t managed to see either Henry or Regina since their breakfast the other day - both the Mayor and the Sheriff had had last-minute work to fill out before they took a break for the trip, and Henry had been on his last week at school before his short holiday for the end of term.

It was for this reason she had a spring in her step as she paced up the pathway to the mansion - but then again, she was always excited to see them…

Ringing the doorbell, the front door almost swung open immediately revealing a beaming, wide-awake Henry.

“Hey Ma! Ready for the Big Apple?” he jumped up and down in his little Yankees cap.

She stifled a laugh. “Of course you’re wearing that…” she adjusted the oversized hat on his small head and stepped inside. “Can’t wait… Where’s your mom?” she looked around.

“She’s just pouring a flask of coffee in the kitchen. She is really not a morning person…” he groaned.
“Oh c’mon, yes she is,” Emma argued instinctively, pausing for a moment when she caught herself. Henry tilted his head.

“I- I mean, from what I’ve deduced…” she defended, making her way to the kitchen.

“Oh shoot! My new Hulk comic! Dad will so wanna see…” her distracted son paced up the stairs to his room. The blonde smiled sweetly at his excitement, and made her way to the kitchen whilst she had a good window of time…

“Hey you,” she smirked when the Mayor was within sight.

Regina turned, some of her stress clearly dissipating at the mere sight of the Sheriff. “Ah, you’re here…” she reached for Emma’s hand and pulled her forward. Expecting a kiss or some sort of embrace, the blonde smirked and moved closer, only to be met with a hot flask and the Mayor’s purse.

“Put these in the car?” she requested through a slightly high-strung tone, busying herself with who knows what.

“Sure,” Emma raised a brow. “You ok there?” she smirked.

Regina pouted, as if it wasn’t obvious enough. It was the most adorable thing the Sheriff had ever seen - but that was besides the point…

“I don’t do planes, Emma,” she gesticulated. “Rumple told me what it was like last time you went to the airport!” she whined. The blonde merely chuckled in sympathy and wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist in reassurance. “He said there were these big machines you have to walk through and if you have something on you that it detects they can pat you down like a criminal!” she rambled. The blonde attempted to stifle her smile, but failed. Of course Gold would try to make Regina lose her shit at a simple plane journey for the hell of it…

“Don’t laugh!” the Mayor smiled to herself, hearing her own ridiculousness, but still defensive nonetheless.

“Babe, you’re gonna be fine,” the blonde nodded with a gentle smile, as if coaxing her into agreeing. “Look, you do wanna go to New York, right?”

Regina frowned. “Of course I do…”

“Well, unfortunately by plane is the only way we’re getting there, you’re just gonna have to tolerate the scary, new stuff in order to get to the fun bit, yeah?” she rubbed the Mayor’s upper arm.

Regina nodded, seeing the logic, before ducking her head a little in a blush.

Emma tried to meet her gaze, puzzled. “What?”

The Mayor shook her head, looking up with a mocking expression. “Did you call me ‘babe’?”

The Sheriff went to speak in her own defence, before…

“Got it!” Henry pelted down the stairs and towards the kitchen, his two mothers practically leaping apart.

Emma blushed as Regina fixed herself up, deciding now would be a good time to take her flask and purse to the car. She shoved the purse under her arm and used her free hand to ruffle her son’s hair. “Nice one, kid. I’ll be starting the engine, you okay to lock up?” she turned to the Mayor, who nodded distractedly.

“Alright, we ready for the Big Apple?” she chuckled with her son as she led him out the door.

-

The Sheriff made sure to keep the radio on for the entirety of the drive, even if only as background noise. It was working pretty well at keeping Regina preoccupied, especially since the satellite connection in Storybrooke was usually so awful they could only ever reach a handful of local stations. In the yellow bug, however, the tunes were better and the radio hosts were livelier - though it was certainly a ‘death trap on wheels’, she had to give it that. Henry was far too excited to fall asleep in the backseat, instead he rambled on about the countless activities Neal had promised the trip would entail. Emma rolled her eyes to the Mayor in the passenger seat as he mentioned this ‘authentic New York walking hot dog tour’ for the second time, ordering him not to count too much on that one happening. Still, even with all his excitement and distractedness, he didn’t fail to notice the way the blonde missed the traffic lights every time Regina was subtly mouthing the words to a song on the radio, or how excited they both seemed about the shared room as the Mayor flicked through photos of their hotel online.

-

They were about 20 minutes into the flight when Emma noticed the Mayor’s leg bouncing frantically, a stoic and poised expression remaining on her face like a swan in water.

She searched her mind for some kind of distraction she could offer, and suddenly smiled to herself as a thought popped into her head, subtly placing a hand on the Mayor’s knee just out of Henry’s sight.

“So… you ever thought about joining the mile high club?” she whispered near her ear.

“The what?” Regina’s leg stopped, but she still seemed preoccupied and a little puzzled.

“The mile high club….” Emma repeated mischievously.

The Mayor merely shook her head, eyes wide, expecting further elaboration. “What is that, like a membership or something?” she flicked her hair back, still obviously distracted.

The blonde leant her head back on her chair, with another laugh. She was always delighted when she got to introduce the Mayor to a new crass term. 

“No… Regina, it’s not… it’s not like that,” she emphasised suggestively.

“I have no…” she turned to the blonde in confusion, brows furrowing more than she thought possible. “…idea what you mean, and something’s telling me I probably don’t want to-“ she sat back again, a little frustrated, but cut off by the woman smiling in amusement.

Regina. I’m asking if you want to have sex in the bathroom …” Emma whispered, averting her eyes to the front of the plane in an effort to seem casual.

“Emma! I- what?” the Mayor snapped quietly, double-taking at the younger woman. “Keep your voice down…”

“Oh please, no one can hear me!” Emma whisper-shouted over the loud whirring of the aircraft.

“I’m not doing anything with you in a bathroom , let alone a public bathroom … as if the pair of us could even fit in there…” Regina rolled her eyes, flicking them to Henry beside her to check he wasn’t listening.

“That’s kinda the idea, the less space… the better,” Emma husked as she crept her hand under the brim of the Mayor’s skirt in the tight space between them, only goading her on. Luckily her coat laying in her lap just about covered the situation.

The older woman’s hand flew there to stop her, slightly tempted to leave it, but ultimately too anxious about getting caught. “Emma… drop it. Stop being a child…” she hissed with a glare.

The blonde coughed to herself, embarrassed at having taken it too far in trying to distract her.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just trying to get your mind off the journey I guess,” she replied timidly.

Regina merely nodded once; understanding, but irritated, folding her arms in her lap. Emma felt like a child being told off.

A few moments of silence passed between them, Regina opting for rubbing her own forearms in agitation. Finally, after much consideration, she broke the silence.

“Surely someone would see us both go in at the same time…” she mumbled just loud enough for the blonde to hear.

Emma raised a brow, under the assumption that the conversation had ended minutes ago.

“We could go in one after the other... There’s two bathrooms behind a curtain at the back of the plane, no one would notice. But, y’know, you don’t want to, I get it,” she waved it off, secretly knowing all too well she was making a good argument.

Regina tilted her head as if to consider all the reasons not to do this, chewing on her cheek.

“And of course, we couldn’t leave Henry here all alone…” she glanced at her son, who was too preoccupied with his headphones and iPad to know what was unfolding beside him.

“Well, given how quick I am with you we wouldn’t take long…” Emma smirked. “Plus the air stewardess is right there to watch over him. But, again, you don’t want to, so it’s not a problem…” she teased further, smiling, wanting to see the Mayor crack.

Regina stared at the blonde for a moment, trying to figure out how she could come out of this situation with so much as a slither of dignity left. Then again, whenever she was in Emma’s company there never seemed to be a moment she could uphold her authoritative reputation.

“Knock on the left cubicle in 2 minutes. And be discreet,” she ordered in a low voice, unclasping her seatbelt.

She watched as the woman patted Henry’s knee, telling him she was going to the bathroom. She watched as the woman tried to hide a smirk in her direction as she sauntered off to the bathroom. She watched as she disappeared behind the curtain, and then she thought, fuck me, I love this woman.

-

Roughly a minute and a half had passed, she couldn’t be any more patient than this…

She leant over to Henry, tapping his shoulder.

“Ugh, what?! Harry’s just about to defeat Voldemort!” he gave back, with very little patience.

Emma’s eyes widened with a chuckle, putting up her hands in surrender. “Jeez, sorry… I was just gonna say I’m gonna head to the bathroom too before they put the seatbelt sign back on.”

He nodded, careless. “Yeah, sure…”

She unclasped her own seatbelt and made her way to the back, thanking the heavens there was no queue behind the curtains, or passengers too close nearby.

She knocked timidly on the left cubicle, finding it hard to believe this was actually about to happen. If she weren’t so focused on their short window of time she would’ve taken a moment to dorkily chuckle to herself.

Without a moment’s time to register, a hand was fisting her shirt and pulling her forward into the bathroom. It was tiny, as would be expected, but if they could manage in a shower, they would do just fine in here…

“This is absolutely insane…” Regina whispered into the space between them, brows furrowed. Emma gave a cheeky, and yet also delicate look, as if to say ‘we don’t have to do this’, to which the Mayor completely neglected as she followed up with: “...and probably… one of the most exciting circumstances under which I’ve ever had sex.”

The blonde hung her head in a chuckle, moving ever closer - not that it was hard given the space. “Well,” she smirked. “I am full of good ideas.”

The Mayor confirmed this statement with a flirtatious nod before crashing her lips against Emma’s, wasting no time as she dragged her tongue over the blonde’s lip whilst reaching down to unbutton her jeans.

-

It was both a blessing and a curse that the captain had requested passengers return to their seats, and put the seatbelt sign on, only a few short minutes after the two women’s impulsive bathroom make-out. Thankfully it was an easy situation to get out of; there’d been no queue outside the door and so Emma slipped out the cubicle seamlessly after fixing herself up in the mirror. Regina followed moments after so as not to look suspicious. They spent the remainder of the flight - being only thirty minutes - making mischievous eye contact and trying not to laugh. Before they knew it, they were landing, and every ounce of stress the Mayor had been occupied by had dissipated without her even realising.

Neal met them at the airport, and it wasn’t lost on Regina that his handmade collection sign read ‘Swan-Mills family’. She was sure it was done as a quip, but it made her feel a little more included, even though she knew he was reluctant to have her coming along in the first place. “That’s so cute,” Emma chuckled, pointing to the cardboard he now held under his arm after they’d all exchanged hugs and ‘hello’s. Picking up an ecstatic Henry and pulling him onto his shoulders, he shrugged self-effacingly. “I’m glad you’re all here,” he patted the blonde’s arm, turning to glance at the Mayor too.

“Well, we’re excited to be here,” Regina tried, nodding. Emma smiled in her direction, proud of how she’d pushed through her anxieties. Neal mentioned the idea of hailing a cab once they’d collected their luggage, before Henry loudly made his objections. 

“Nooo, we have to take the subway! We never take the subway back home when we go outside of town,” he pouted. Not one of the three adults could see what was so thrilling about filthy underground transportation, but all reluctantly agreed given that it might make things less awkward than being cramped in a cab, stuck in endless morning traffic.

“You wanna grab some breakfast nearby after your bags arrive?” his dad offered. Henry’s eyes lit up with another suggestion. “Bagels! Mom, New York bagels for breakfast are a must…” he turned to Regina, nodding, as if he’d read articles on this for preparation. She chuckled, patting his shoulder. “I’m sure they are. But you go ahead, sweetheart, I’m not so hungry right now.”

Emma agreed, suggesting that the two boys go and grab something whilst she and the Mayor awaited their bags on the conveyor belt. “Grab us some coffee though!” she exclaimed as she watched them saunter off, happy as ever.

Regina was watching the information board, turning to the blonde with distracted concentration. “I think our bags should be coming into number four?” she pointed at the screen.

Emma smirked. “Look at you, airport-pro,” she nudged her. The Mayor rolled her eyes and tried not to be affected by her praise. Without a second thought, the Sheriff was linking her arm and walking over to the luggage collection area reading ‘4’.

“Y’know…” she began. “Now that we’re in a completely different city, where no one else knows us, we don’t have to hide so much,” her eyes glistened. Regina was absorbed by the words, but reluctant to agree.

“Right,” she responded through a scoff, her tone flat. “Except that we’re on this trip with our ten year old son and his father, your ex boyfriend, who despises me…” it wasn’t said in a sombre way, more comical.

“Hey,” Emma craned her head to her, eyebrows furrowed, as if this was nonsense. “He does not despise you. You saw the way he was talking to you; including you… He’s trying to get on.”

The Mayor nodded. “Fair enough… I’m sorry,” she rubbed the blonde’s arm that was linked with her own.

“And it’s not like they’ll be here the whole time…” Emma continued. “If Henry keeps up this bagel obsession, I can keep sneaking kisses. Like this…” she grinned as she leant in to peck Regina’s lips. It was quick; fleeting. The area around them was mostly empty, most people having already collected their bags.

“Don’t be a tease,” the Mayor blushed. Trying to give back what she got, she suggestively leant back in towards Emma, before her gaze averted to the left. “Oh look, our bags,” she pointed with a raised brow and a smirk, walking away with a confident sway in her hips.

“Huh, and I’m the tease,” the blonde murmured to herself, following behind rather unenthusiastically.

-

After a short subway ride, they left their bags at Neal’s apartment before heading out for a tour around the city, as well as where he now worked. He made a quick stop there to check up on things, and to introduce Henry, Emma and Regina to a couple of his colleagues. It was clear to the blonde that he was trying to show off his adorable ten year old son a little, but it only made her grin; his pride in his family in front of others was quite sweet. The Mayor was pretty quiet throughout, reluctant to impose on what felt like Swan-Cassidy family time, but every now and then Emma would squeeze her hand, or wink at her, or exchange sweet words covertly, and it made her feel okay again.

Slowly she began to enjoy herself more, liking the change of setting for once. Central park was beautiful; buzzing and grand, actually more so than she’d been expecting. The food, though not too healthy, was admittedly delicious. She was with her son, and her Sheriff, and even beginning to redeem herself in the eyes of someone else she’d once hurt, and slowly, everything felt pretty positive.

Aware of how early her son had been up this morning, when it reached late afternoon, Emma decided it might be time to round up their adventures and find someplace to eat dinner.

Neal already had it covered - he’d booked a restaurant in good distance between his own place and their hotel, so that they could pick up their bags after and head to the room.

Over food they updated him on life in Storybrooke. Henry went on about school for a bit, mentioning Grace a few more times than necessary, at which Regina and Emma made knowing glances at one another.

“So, you guys still Sheriffing and Mayoring about the town?” Neal asked, mid-bite of pasta.

“Yep,” the blonde nodded. “Busy as ever… a new fresh hell awaits every morning,” she chuckled. “Sometimes I actually can’t believe my life consists of fighting bad guys from fairy tales with my magical powers,” she shook her head with a laugh.

“You think that’s hard…” Henry began. “Try being the Mayor and Sheriff’s son. They’re gonna name me ‘goody two shoes’ in the school year book for sure…” he frowned exaggeratedly. The three adults chuckled at his comment, unsure of how he’d grown up to be such a little comedian.

Neal ruffled his hair. “I’m sure that’s not true, buddy. You’ll be the class clown and valedictorian all at once,” he consoled.

They talked about work some more, Henry yawning every now and then at the boring adult conversation. Eventually they took the hint and got the bill.

The restaurant was a short walk from Neal’s place, and they made their way back to grab their cases. “You want some tea before you go?” he offered, filling the kettle.

“Sure,” the blonde accepted, watching as Henry explored his dad’s bookshelf and pointed out various editions of fairy tales to Regina.

“I’ll drop you guys back after. You can see the new car,” Neal slipped in casually with a raised brow.

Regina tried not to roll her eyes to herself at the subtle brag.

“New car, eh?” Emma asked, impressed. “Did you steal this one too?” she quipped.

“Ha, ha. No, I actually paid for it, y’know, with my job… ” he gave back sarcastically.

Hm, and what job would that be? Regina thought to herself. Ah yes, the job we haven’t stopped hearing about since we arrived.

“You still got the yellow bug?” Neal asked as he stirred the teapot.

“She does,” Regina answered for her through a groan.

“Hey! You love that car and you know it,” the blonde teased.

“It’s a deathwish on four near-flat tyres, Emma,” the Mayor retorted lovingly.

Of course, Neal immediately came to the Sheriff’s rescue, thinking this was meant in offence.

“I actually love that car. Lotta memories,” he turned, smiling. Emma nodded, a little awkwardly, feeling like she was stuck in the middle of two suitors in a period drama. Regina merely narrowed her eyes and busied herself elsewhere before she could get too defensive. If she had no inhibition, she’d have him know that herself and the Sheriff had made many a memory in that car too…

As if she could read the Mayor’s mind, she passed her a knowing glance, as if to say ‘calm down, don’t let him wind you up’.

Regina wouldn’t be too upset to depart from this place for the night. As nice as Neal had been most of today, she’d had quite her fill of him for now. Besides, she was beginning to get quite possessive. It wasn’t a quality she prided herself in, but then again, it was one Emma secretly quite liked.

-

The room wasn’t quite what they’d been expecting - not that they minded. Neal had given the blonde the impression over the phone that the room had three beds; a single for Henry, and two doubles, one for each of the women. Instead, there was a single and a double, meaning they’d be sharing. Obviously Regina and Emma had no problem with the arrangement, but they were worried for Henry’s sake that it might seem a little strange. Luckily, he was unbothered, and had probably been expecting it. The Sheriff blushed as she made her way over, laying their cases on the stand by the door.

“Look at this bathroom!” Henry exclaimed as he entered.

Emma searched Regina’s face as she looked around.

“You ok? You don’t like it?” she asked delicately.

The Mayor turned, pulled out of her daydream. “Hm? No, no. Nothing like that. It’s fine,” she nodded.

“Fine? Gina, have you seen this bed? You could fit like ten me’s on here.” She said as she hopped onto the sheets and took her boots off in delight.

Regina rolled her eyes, slightly amused, but irritation winning over.

“If the sharing-a-bed thing is weird with Henry here…” Emma began, keeping her tone low. “I can get us a different room?”

Quite abruptly, the Mayor snapped back for no good reason. “Miss Swan, I said it’s nothing. Leave it.”

Emma’s eyes widened a little, not expecting that response. “So we’re back to Miss Swan… ” she mumbled, hanging her head a little.

“What’s that?” Regina asked impatiently.

Nothing,” Emma gave back, with the same cold demeanour. She had no idea what was causing the sudden mood swing, and she couldn’t even be bothered to figure it out.

Regina rolled her eyes at her childlike mimicking.

“Yeah, not so nice when people neglect to be honest with you, is it?” Emma replied, careful to keep a playful tone. She didn’t want to cause a fight, she just wanted the truth.

Emma,” Regina emphasised out of spite. “Just let it go. It’s not like you’re going to want to hear what I have to say…” the insecure demeanour surfaced a little at that, and Emma softened, feeling sympathetic.

“Oh? Try me,” she responded. It wasn’t cold, or spiteful. It was a polite request for the truth.

“It’s just- I just don’t know how to be around him . It’s like he holds onto these little anecdotes about you two just to throw them in my face at any given moment. Just when I think we’re alright, I get… it makes me jealous,” she admitted, ashamed. Emma tried to ignore the pang in her lower stomach at the word, she wasn’t sure if it was upsetting or slightly attractive… or both. “I feel like that’s his intention. To rile me up…” the Mayor trailed off.

“Hey, what are you talking about? He doesn’t even know that we’re together. Why would he have a personal vendetta? He’s literally paying for all of us to stay in this hotel room…” the blonde attempted to comfort her.

“Oh please, I’m the last person Neal wants tagging along with his son and the ex love he’s still pining for. This is so obviously a scheme to win you over. I don’t know how I didn’t see it before…” She was spiralling. She could feel it, and it felt pretty embarrassing

“Come on, you can’t be serious? He’s not pining for me,” Emma scoffed. “Neal can still be part of Henry’s life without being the only other parent , just like I can still be a part of his life without him and I being in love ,” she defended, a little angry that the woman still wasn’t getting it. She could never feel the same way about Neal that she felt about Regina, not in a million years. It felt like she finally knew what love was.

They paused for a moment, unable not to break into a faint chuckle as Henry exclaimed distantly from the bathroom: “Woah! This shower is huge!”

It broke the tension, just as their son usually did. Suddenly Regina realised how stupid this whole thing was.

“You’re sure you don’t still… have feelings for him?” the Mayor softened, looking deflated as she took a seat beside the blonde on the edge of the bed.

“Honestly…?” Emma placed a hand over her knee. “He’s got nothing on you, Madam Mayor.”

Emma might as well have confessed to loving her; Regina’s entire face softened and she took a deep inhale. She shouldn’t have felt so validated at the words ‘he’s got nothing on you’, but she couldn’t help the way it made her heart palpitate. She didn’t want to feel superior to Neal, that wasn’t it - she was no longer the power hungry Evil Queen she’d once been. All she wanted was to be the one somebody chose . Well, not just somebody - the one Emma Swan chose.

Her eyes flickered to the bathroom door. Hearing the tap run, she grasped the opportunity to tenderly kiss the Sheriff’s lips, leaving their foreheads connected for a moment as she pulled away.

“You always know what to say,” she whispered, smiling. Emma shrugged jokingly, feigning modesty. “I’m sorry I spiralled,” Regina chuckled.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Emma whispered back. “I’m all in, Gina. The spiralling, the fights, the good, the bad, the amazing… I want all of it.”

Regina had thought she’d heard it all, but nothing beat that. She never thought anybody would willingly stick around during her worst moments.

Quickly, they pulled away and sat at a comfortable distance as they heard the door unlock. Henry opened the door cautiously, leaving his mothers a little confused. As if checking the coast was clear, he finally opened it fully and ran over to them, an arm around each of them in a tight hug.

“Sweetheart?” the Mayor asked, concerned, looking at Emma in confusion.

“You okay, kiddo?” the blonde wrapped her arms around him in return, wondering what this was all about.

His head stayed buried between them, speaking through a muffled voice.

“I’m just… really happy to be here. With both of you,” he spoke.

Emma pouted at the Mayor, who stroked his head comfortingly. “So are we, darling. I take it today was a good first day here?” she smiled.

He lifted his head up, beaming. “Great day,” he replied enthusiastically. He made his way towards the suitcase before pausing to suggest an idea.

“Hey, I was thinking,” he began, laced with the tone of a scheming ten year old.

“If it’s about ordering ice cream from room service, the answer is no. You ate your body weight in churros earlier, I felt sick just watching… ” Emma began. Regina raised her eyes at witnessing her finally playing the role of the responsible parent.

“Not that ,” Henry whined. “Maybe I could spend some time with just Dad tomorrow… if that’s ok? There’s this fair down by the park I saw on the way home and they have one of those wheel rides!” he exclaimed, busying himself with unpacking again.

The blonde looked to the Mayor with a raised brow and a shrug, to which she gave a satisfied nod.

“Oh, yeah, sure kid. I can check with him, but I think he’d love that,” Emma pulled out her phone.

“Great. It’s not that… you know I love hanging out with you guys… but I think,” he considered his next words. “We would all benefit from it…” he mumbled to himself, successfully playing matchmaker.

“What was that?” Regina chuckled, helping him move the toiletries to the bathroom.

“I just said… I know you guys hate rides. Dad will wanna go for sure!” he defended confidently.

“Me? Hates rides? You don’t know me at all kid…” Emma scoffed as she typed a text to Neal asking about tomorrow’s arrangements.

“Fine, but someone has to stay with the scaredy cat,” he whispered, pointing to the Mayor who exaggeratedly gasped in mock-offence.

The rest of the evening was spent bingeing ‘Friends’ on the room’s giant flatscreen, with Emma and Henry ‘accidentally’ opening up the bag of M&M’s in the minifridge even after all her objections about the churros. They bundled up on the huge bed until Henry fell asleep in between them, passed out from a long day of excitement.

The Sheriff carried him to the single bed to their left, tucking him in lovingly and brushing the hair from his face. Regina was beside her, leaning down to kiss his cheek and whispering goodnight.

“He needs a haircut,” the blonde quipped, grinning at his overgrown locks of hair in a halo around his head.

“Shhh,” the Mayor retorted. “He’s perfect.”

The Sheriff glanced at her, seeing all the love radiate from her face. She instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist in the dim light of the room. “So are you.”

Regina grinned, nuzzling her head into the woman’s neck, pressing a kiss to her collarbone.

“Bed? I’m exhausted,” she whispered into her warm skin. Emma hummed in agreement, taking the Mayor’s hand and leading her back to the bed.

She crashed onto the sheets pretty ungracefully, in contrast to Regina who got herself comfortable and giggled at the scene.

Instinctively, the blonde ended up intertwining her legs with the Mayor, leaning her head on the older woman’s chest in pure heaven.

Before they drifted off, a thought entered her head that had been playing on her mind for the past few days.

“Gina?” she whispered into the dark.

“Mm?” the woman hummed, playing with the long blonde locks of her hair.

“You know how the other day, at Granny’s, you referred to our ‘relationship’...?” she smiled to herself.

Regina rolled her eyes, not up for being made fun of right now. “Emma…” she began.

“No, but- is that what this is?” the blonde clarified before she could be interrupted. Ripping the band aid off, so to speak. “Are we… in a relationship?” she asked, barely audible.

A few seconds of silence passed; Emma’s heart racing, Regina considering.

“I- I don’t know…” she finally replied timidly. “Would you want to be?”

The Sheriff chuckled to herself. “Honestly, sometimes I kind of feel like we already are,” she turned to face her, eyes glistening in the dark.

“Me too,” the Mayor smirked.

Emma beamed. “So…” she began.

“So…” Regina mimicked.

“Are we, like… dating? Do you wanna ask me or something?” the blonde’s eyes searched the room awkwardly.

“Ask you what?”

Emma cringed. She couldn’t believe what she was about to say.

“Uhm, I guess, like…” she moved her face a little closer. “If I want to be your girlfriend?”

Regina tried her best not to scoff at the cliche, and miserably failed. Emma brought a hand over her mouth in fear of waking Henry. “Oh, very nice,” she chuckled, feeling like a fool.

“No, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” the Mayor apologised. “Emma…” she began, pulling herself together.

The blonde rolled her eyes, all swoon. “Yes?” she played along.

“Would you ever consider possibly doing me the honour-” Regina was met with a playful wack to the arm.

“We’re not getting engaged!” Emma argued, feeling stupid.

“Fine, you ask then.”

The blonde rolled her eyes again, leaning in to softly kiss the Mayor’s lips. As she pulled away, she whispered against them.

“You wanna date me?”

Without hesitation, Regina nodded, with a soft ‘yes’.

“Thank God that’s over…” Emma retorted, earning another cackle and kiss from the Mayor before they drifted off, intertwined.

Notes:

Ugh they're so cutesy kmn