Chapter Thirty

After convincing Regina that Ruby was picking her up to take her to the pet store to help her pick out some things to get the new kittens settled in her apartment, Emma sat herself down on the front step and watched for Ruby's car to pull up. If Regina had suspected anything was off with Emma that morning, she hadn't mentioned it, and Emma hoped she was in the clear. Of all people, Regina was the last person Emma could picture herself talking about bras with, and she wanted to keep it that way.

As promised, Ruby pulled up just after one, and Emma jumped up, dashing toward her car with her purse in hand. She had managed to save up quite a bit of money from rapid-fire birthdays. She never had to spend any of it since her parents or Regina bought her everything she needed, and she was grateful she wasn't going to have to ask to borrow money from anyone for this. In her old memories, her foster mother had paid for her first bra, but everything was different this time.

"Ready for this?" Ruby asked, grinning, once Emma was in the car and had her seatbelt fastened.

Emma nodded. "It's not my first time, but… I still wouldn't know what to get if I had to go alone."

"No one should have to face this alone," Ruby acknowledged, as she pulled ahead, giving a quick wave to Regina who was watching from the window to make sure she had gotten Emma safely. "Even if this is technically round two for you."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Not that I mind taking you, but why couldn't Regina?"

Emma felt her face go red almost immediately. "I dunno. I didn't ask her… it felt… weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah. I dunno. Like… we're super close but… as I get older… it's starting to feel weird."

"Weird like how?" Ruby asked, and Emma immediately caught the inflection in her voice. She'd heard that same tone when social workers grilled her about foster parents - fathers specifically - when they thought something fishy was going on.

"No, not weird like that! More like… I don't know… I don't feel the same way as I did when I was younger and I don't know exactly what I feel right now, but it's weird."

"Okay," Ruby said, nodding as she pulled into a parking spot in front of a clothing store. Options were limited in Storybrooke, but this store looked like it might cater to teenagers, to Emma's relief.

"When did you know that you liked girls?" Emma asked as they walked up to the store, hoping that she sounded casual.

Ruby let out a small laugh as she pulled the door open. "Well… I guess from about your age? But, where I came from, it wasn't the big deal that people make it into now. It was more… accepted, I guess. People weren't so hung up on labels there."

"In the Enchanted Forest?"

"Yeah," Ruby said, leading Emma back to the undergarment section. "Why are you asking me this, Emma? Do you think you might like girls?"

Emma shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe? I was thinking so but then… well Regina told me last night that Henry is actually my kid, so I guess I must actually like boys if I'm gonna get pregnant one day."

Ruby shook her head. "It's not that simple. It doesn't have to be one or the other, you know? You can like both."

"You can?"

"Sure. Lots of people do."

"Does Regina?"

"I… don't know, actually. She and I were never really close. I think that's something you'd have to ask her."

Emma's eyes went wide at the thought. "No. I couldn't do that."

"Why don't we just focus on the task at hand, then?" Ruby suggested, motioning to the array of bras in front of them. "See any you like?"

"I hate all of them," Emma said, but she stepped closer anyway. "Why are they all so girly?"

"Yeah, you don't seem like a pink ribbons and lace kinda girl. You could try a sports bra, you know?"

"What's a sports bra?"

Emma grinned when Ruby directed her to another section and showed her the sports bra. "What? These are way better! When I went bra shopping with my foster mother she made me get this ugly white lace thing that was so scratchy and uncomfortable!"

"This seems like a much better choice, then."

Emma felt much more comfortable with her new bra on as she sat down in a booth at Granny's with Ruby for some celebratory milkshakes.

"You didn't have to bring me here," Emma said, though her eyes still lit up when the milkshake arrived.

"Of course I did! This is a big milestone and I'm glad you shared it with me. We were good friends when you were an adult, and I miss you, you know?"

"Well, I'll be an adult again pretty soon. Time seems to go so much faster the older I get."

"It never slows down," Ruby acknowledged. "So… Regina told you that Henry is your son, huh? How are you handling that?"

Emma shrugged. "It doesn't seem real, but I guess it will soon. I wonder what will happen then?"

"When?"

"Well… when I reach the part of my memories where I'm pregnant with him. I mean, I won't be pregnant again, will I?"

Ruby swallowed, considering the possibility. "I mean… I don't think so? I know magic is weird and all, but that would be super weird."

"What if I do and I have another Henry? He'll have a twin that's way younger."

"More like a clone!"

Emma shook her head. "No, there's no way that's gonna happen. I'll probably just remember it and it'll be super weird. I bet it's hard to give a baby up. I bet that will be hard to remember."

"Hey," Ruby said, grabbing Emma's hand and squeezing it. "Don't think about that right now, okay? You know he's back in your life and everything works out fine. Just focus on that, okay?"

Emma nodded. "Okay. Thanks Ruby."

"Did Ruby get everything she needed for the kittens?" Regina asked as Emma ran into the house and tried to get up the stairs before Regina saw her with her bag from the clothing store.

"Huh?" Emma asked, taking a second to process. "Oh yeah. Food, bowls, beds, everything. All good."

"What do you have in that bag?" Regina asked, as she stepped onto the bottom stair behind Emma.

"Nothing!" Emma said as she took off up the stairs. She had her drawer open and was quickly shoving her new sports bras inside, tags still attached, when Regina finally walked into her room.

"What's up with you?"

"What?" Emma spun around as she slammed the drawer shut. "Nothing! I just got a new… shirt. And I wanted to put it away."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Emma, you know you don't have to keep secrets from me, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Emma said, biting on her lip. She really, really did not want to tell Regina what she'd just purchased.

"Emma?"

Emma knew she had to change the subject, and fast, or risk being totally mortified. "Do you think I'm gonna get pregnant again?"

Regina blinked. "What?"

"In a couple months, when I'm seventeen again, what's gonna happen?"

"I, um, I don't know, Emma."

"What if I get, like, magically pregnant and have another Henry?"

Regina sighed and stepped closer, putting her hand on Emma's shoulder. "I don't know for sure what's going to happen, Emma, but I don't think you'll get magically pregnant. But, if you do, you know that you'll have a support system and we'll figure it all out, okay? You won't be alone."

Emma stared up at Regina for a moment, and forced a smile as she blinked back tears. She had only meant to change the subject, but she was starting to worry. What if she really did get pregnant again? She was only thirteen and it seemed impossible at the moment, but she knew, for her, seventeen was only four months away and she wasn't ready for this.

"Everything's going so fast," she said, practically falling against Regina, who quickly wrapped her arms around her and held her tight.

"I know, sweetheart," Regina said into Emma's hair, since Emma's head was at her shoulder now. "But everything's going to be okay, I promise."

Emma breathed a sigh as she wrapped her arms around Regina. Her conflicting feelings may have been getting the better of her lately, but she rested her head against Regina's shoulder, she knew that this was still her safe place, no matter what.