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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Regina was beginning to worry that her nails were making tiny red half moons at the bridge of her nose. She had found herself in the same position all morning: pinching it.

To say the negotiations were going slow would have been an understatement. And Hollywood didn’t do understatement. Here you went big or you went home. Regina was seriously considering option number 2.

She needed a break. They had been debating resumes and salaries and the order of credits for 3 straight hours. This was not her first client. She didn’t understand what in the world was so difficult. Kathryn Nolan was an accomplished actress. She was beautiful and trending and easy to work with. She would be a great addition to the frankly winding down show. Yet the execs were acting like mules you had to force to water.

That was not true, actually. She could understand. She just couldn’t fathom. Getting a black actress into an all white cast, as a recurring character was no piece of cake. No matter how talented she was, Regina was going to have to fight tooth and nail for her client.

Regina was just pondering her options by the craft table with a warm coffee firm in her hand, when she was approached by a woman in a tight tank top and ...cargo pants? Despite the horrendous clothing choice, the woman was pretty. Her hair was styled into an afro, her face had soft features and big eyes, and her skin was flawless and a beautiful russet brown.

“Excuse me?”

Regina was really not in the mood. No matter how cute she was.

“Look, I know I’m not cast or crew but I've been here since 7am and a coffee is the minimum of what I deserve.”

The woman raised raised an eyebrow at her and bit her lip before trying again.

“Sure ma’am, but-”

“Who even are you? The snack police? So I had a single protein bar are you saying the cast is going to starve?” Regina built herself up and squared her shoulders when the woman still wouldn’t leave.

“Listen lady, the cast will be fine, you however are going to trip over that cable you got your 6 inch heels tangled up in.” She said in a now rather annoyed tone.

Regina looked down at her feet. Indeed. Not only had she bitched at this innocent, but she had also made an ass of herself by not being able to get herself a coffee without literally stepping into trouble. Regina turned beet red and closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself. When she opened them, the woman was at her feet pulling the cables straight.

“No, please! I apologize!”

“It’s fine. Hard day?” She said getting back up and offering Regina her hand.

“Like biting granit.” Regina took it, and stepped away from the death trap that was the craft table.

“Must be tough when your work is devalued, hmm hotshot?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just messing with you. You’re Regina Mills right?” Regina had to laugh, relieved she wasn’t being attacked. Unlike the rest of her day.

“Yes, I am. And you are?”

“Emma Swan. Camera woman.”

“It’s nice to meet you. Although the circumstances are…”

“Suboptimal? Yeah, I should probably tell August to take care of that. Listen, I get it. Your representing Kathryn Nolan right?”

“Yes?”

“Seems like an uphill battle to me.”

“I’ve definitely got my hands full. Thankfully she is a joy.”

“Too bad you’re gonna get you anywhere with that.”

“This is true.” Regina said in a defeated tone.

“Why don’t you take those protein bars out your pocket and Officer Snack Patrol will show you where we keep the really good stuff?” Emma said with a wink.

Regina removed the two bars from her blazers pocket and Emma a guilty look. She just smiled and shook her head.

And while she was sharing a bagel, that really didn’t fit into her diet, with the first person to be nice to her in awhile; a beautiful camera woman, she thought that maybe her day wasn’t that bad.

Chapter Text

Emma was excited. Not hunting down villains and escaping curses excited. For once she was just normal cosy night with her girlfriend and wholesome fun excited. Regina had invited her over for a movie night and she had been giddy all week.

Regina and she had only been dating for a couple months and what at first had been family night dinners and the occasional Sunday mornings at Grannies had quickly become date nights for them and and sleep-overs for their son. Henry could only stand so much of his lovey dovey mothers, which Emma understood. But not tonight. Regina had announced that they were doing this as a family.

Which was why she could not believe her eyes when she saw Henry sneaking out of his first story window, while parking the bug on the street. She quietly shut her car door and hid behind the hedge, watching him. He was doing pretty well, climbing down the big tree in the front yard, until he slipped with his foot right above the ground. He fell to the ground and twisted his ankle.

Emma appeared in a cloud of white magic next to him while he was still rolling around on the ground.

“Hey there David Blaine. I’d give your routine a 7/10 cause you didn’t stick the landing.”

“Please Ma?” He ask slowly getting back up. She held out her hand to help him.

“Come inside. Your mother will heal your ankle and I’ll make some popcorn.”

“But-”

“You can hang out with your little friends every other weekend for all I care. Tonight is family night.”

While he braced himself on her, and they walked towards the Mansion she heard him mumble something.

“What was that?”

“I said: I’d trade the next 2 months of weekends for going out tonight.”

“Must be some party your missing.” She said knocking on the door.

She heard Regina yell from the kitchen to come in. As the went through the foyer Henry limping, Emma wondering what great things Regina was cooking up, she heard her voice again:

“I hope your hungry. I made way to much and Henry said he’s not hungry, he’s finishing up his homework. He’ll be down in a bit.” Her back was turned and she was leaned over a pot with a wooden ladle in her hand. She looked good. She always looked so good.

“Faster than you think.” Emma said, letting Henry down on one of the bar stools.

Regina turned around just in time to catch Henry’s pleading look to Emma.

“Henry Daniel Mills! Did you lie to me?!”

“I’m sorry mom, I know how excited you get about this just…” He trailed off.

“Healing then yelling.” Emma said pointing to Henry’s ankle. He held it out for his mother and she leaned down to work her magic.

Emma couldn’t help but notice the tiny smile on her lips. Not that she rejoiced in her sons pain, but she was getting very skilled at healing. She saw it as a sign of her becoming more of a hery with every day.

“You know, because you lied to her, she gets to pick the movie.” Emma joked getting closer to the oven to sneak a look into the pots.

“She already picked.” He grumbled.

“It’s not ready yet. No peeking!” Regina said standing back up, her work done.

“Fine,” Emma sat down next to Henry, “What are we watching?”

“Same thing we watch every second Friday of February. Roots.” Henry said rubbing the now no longer swelling ankle.

“So in honor of roots night you thought you’d try your own escape?” Emma laughed.

“Emma! That’s not funny. Henry, its tradition.” Regina scolded them both and returned to her pot.

“How long have you guys been doing this?” Emma snatched a piece of bread from the basket on the counter. She was already too hungry. Regina’s food was wonderful but unlike her magic is always took time.

“Since I was 10. She made me sit through all of it Friday night and into Saturday morning.”

“Wait all of it, Regina? ALL of roots? In one sitting?”

“It was a weekend and I thought it was important.” She defended waving the ladle at them disapprovingly.

“My poor child.” Emma laughed. She could just picture his much younger face at the prospect of 7 hours of history lesson.

“Are you saying you don’t like it?” Regina sounded outraged.

“No, I mean it’s an incredible movie, but I watched it the first time as an adult. For a 10 year old thats into superhero,s I imagine it wasn’t all that.”

She had not once had a foster family that would have put in the time or effort to show it to her. Emma often felt like she had missed out on key features of black culture because of the way she grew up. She felt out of place and disconnected at times. Of course Regina being who she was would try her best to give her child everything he needed. Even if he didn’t necessarily enjoy it. Emma found herself wondering what she would be like now if she had had some in childhood. Someone who cared.

“Kunta Kinte was a hero.” Regina concluded defiantly, and turned back around. “Emma, you’ll spoil your appetite!”

“Not if past experience is anything to go by. Also, hero is not the same thing as drives a bat shaped car or leaps tall buildings in a single bound.” Henry said.

“I thought you liked those stories because of their moral not the flashy powers.” Regina took the piece of bread out of Emma’s hand and put it back into the basket. And took the basket out of reach. For good measure.

“Not at 10,” Henry said a little whiny, “ come on Mom. I read the books I watch the documentaries. I know my history. I just don’t want to watch Roots over and over again.”

“And what would you and your friends be doing instead tonight?” Regina asked. She clearly didn’t want him to feel like this was a punishment.

Before Henry opened his mouth, Emma saw his guilty looking face and intervened.

“If you say movie night I’m going to go get the switch.”

“Tyler Perry marathon.” He begrudgingly admitted.

“The curse must have made a mistake, this is clearly not my child.” Emma declared dramatically.

“What?! All black movies have to be a cinematic masterpiece?! We should be just as entitled to make goofy films as everybody else.”

“Of course,” Emma said, causing Regina to raise her eyebrows in surprise. “But those just happen to suck.”

Regina couldn’t help but laugh at the fish gasping for air expression their son made.

“Make it an Eddie Murphy marathon and you can go.”

“Deal!” He was up on his feet “Bye Moms!” He gave them each a hasty kiss on the cheek and was out the door before either of them could say a word.

They didn’t discuss it. Dinner tasted wonderful but was very quiet. Only when they had settled into the couch with blankets and pillows did Regina finally say what was on her mind.

“You rewarded him for lying to me.”

“Gotta pick you battles. I sent him away so he wouldn’t ruin our evening sulking, now your sulking.”

“Are you going to make me watch something else?” She asked holding the remote in her hand as if it was made of gold.

“No, I’d like in on the tradition, please.” She leaned in to kiss Regina, who pulled away at the last moment.

“If you talk incessantly during Roots I will get the switch.” Regina said.

“I thought you liked that about me?”

“Not tonight, my love.” She said and leaned in the rest of the way, granting Emma the kiss she sought.