Work Text:
Snow takes a deep breath in before opening the door of the ice cream shop.
The Ice Queen stands behind the counter, wiping rag in hand, and Snow is startled by how human she looks.
“Ingrid, hi,” Snow greets, nodding her head.
“Snow White,” Ingrid replies coolly through gritted teeth. She instinctively takes a step back and balls her fists. She takes a deep, cleansing breath. She promised Emma she wouldn’t hurt her mother.
Emma’s mother. The thought sends a dagger through her heart.
“Why are you here? I don’t want to fight.” The Ice Queen sounds weary, defeated.
“I didn’t come here to fight, Ingrid. I…I came to make peace. We can’t keep this up. Us hating each other, it’s making Emma miserable, and I can’t stand to watch my child suffer any longer. Can you?”
The implication that they somehow share Emma warms the Queen’s heart.
/
They walk hand in hand into the station, planning on surprising their daughter. Together.
“Hey sweet girl,” Ingrid says, smiling.
Emma looks up from her computer screen, confused by what she’s seeing.
“M-mom, Ingrid? What are you guys doing here?”
“Thought we’d bring you a snack,” Snow answers, setting down a pint of ‘Rocky Road’ on her desk.
And the grin that illuminates their daughter’s face is worth every compromise they might have made.