Reset

Emma returned to her cereal and added milk and stood while leaning on the kitchen counter as she stretched her injured leg and ate. A few moments later Henry came back into the kitchen with Grace in his arms, “Mom wants me to watch Grace while she gets dressed.”

“She’s already dressed,” Emma frowned.

“She has clothes all over her bed,” Henry shrugged, “she says Mary Margaret is coming?”

“Yes,” Emma nodded in between mouthfuls of cereal, “she’s going to watch Grace while your Mom and I go and speak to Mr Battle about Joshua.”

“I can watch Grace,” Henry offered.

“Nice try,” Emma laughed, “you’re not skipping school.”

“It’s not skipping school if I’m needed to look after my baby sister,” Henry pointed out.

“But you’re not, Mary Margaret is coming over,” Emma told him and at that exactly moment the doorbell rang, “and here she is now.”

“I’ll go,” Henry said begrudgingly and left the kitchen to open the front door.

Emma quickly finished her cereal and then her, now lukewarm, coffee and started placing the crockery in the dishwasher.

“She is so adorable!” Mary Margaret said as she entered the kitchen with Grace in her arms, having dismissed Henry to get ready for school.

“Aww, thanks, Mom,” Emma quipped before turning around and pretending to look surprised that she meant Grace.

“You’re adorable too,” Mary Margaret smiled at the blonde, “how are you?”

The smile fell from Emma’s face and she sighed, “what did David say?”

Mary Margaret bounced Grace and gently played with her tiny hands, “nothing I didn’t already know,” she replied as she looked up and locked eyes with Emma, “I know you’re going to through some things and I know some of those things are my fault but..”

Emma tried to interrupt but Mary Margaret spoke over her, “but, I want you to know that I love you very much, we both do, and you are very important to us. I know that’s not going to fix things overnight but I need you to know that.”

With a slight tremor in her lip Emma nodded and Mary Margaret continued, “I know.. sometimes.. you feel alone and..” she struggled to use the words, “unloved. And that’s okay, they are your feelings and it’s not judgement on you but we are always here for you and we love you.”

It was the right thing to say at the right time and Emma nodded as she couldn’t speak because she knew then she’d cry. Luckily Henry chose that moment to burst into the kitchen with his school bag in his hand as he ran to the fridge and grabbed the lunch Regina had made for him earlier, “bye guys,” he said and then left before either of them had a chance to reply.

Mary Margaret laughed, “I wonder how long it will be until he is a teenager and that kind of speed is a thing of the past.”

“All too soon, I fear,” Regina answered as she entered the kitchen.

Mary Margaret raised a knowing eyebrow but Emma just stared at the woman in front of her. Regina wore a long black dress that billowed out and touched the ground. The dress had a very tight bodice with a plunging neckline that pushed Regina’s breasts up impressively. She wore a burgundy velvet jacket with a high, stiff neck and her makeup was harsher than usual. Her hair was swept up away from her face which added to the severe look.

“Your Majesty,” Mary Margaret quipped with a small smile.

“Snow,” Regina smirked back.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like that,” Mary Margaret observed.

“Yes, well, this world isn’t exactly made for these fashions,” Regina pointed out.

“You think John Battle is more likely to listen to you if you remind him who you are?” Mary Margaret nodded her agreement before Regina even spoke.

“I hope so,” Regina said as she fiddled with her cuffs, “if I want him to do as I say I can’t present a watered down version of myself, he has to see me for his Queen.”

Regina approached Mary Margaret and looked at Grace, “hopefully this won’t take too long,” she bent forward to kiss Grace on the forehead but the girl shied away into the protection of Mary Margaret’s chest.

“She doesn’t recognise you,” Mary Margaret said softly, “Grace it’s okay, it’s only Mommy in a costume..”

“It’s fine,” Regina stood stiffly, “probably best not to pressure her.”

Mary Margaret nodded, “I’ll.. I’ll take her up to her room and leave you two to it,” she said as she hurried from the room with the girl still cowering in her arms.

Regina watched them leave with a haunted expression on her face and Emma came and stood beside her.

“So much for unconditional love,” Regina joked bitterly.

“She’s six months old,” Emma pointed out, “she can’t see properly, I had my hair in a towel to other day and she looked at me like I was an alien.”

“Yes.. well..” Regina’s lip curled into a smile.

“Hey,” Emma admonished her, “be nice..”

Regina looked at her seriously, “if I’m to do this I cannot be nice,” she took a deep breath and all remnants of Regina vanished from her face, “I will transport us there and I apologise now for my behaviour when we get there.”