Chapter 17

Regina had tried to keep the peace between Emma and Cora, but it was a difficult task. Every chance she got, Cora would announce yet again that she was going to Storybrooke. Regina couldn't decide if she wanted her to or not, actually. Before her little vacation, she would have instantly shouted no. But since this trip home had began… Well, the woman had changed. It was as if the business had stolen Cora's heart, and now that the business was gone, her heart had been put back. She seemed to care about Regina and even a bit about everyone else.

"What could you even do in a sleepy little town?" Emma asked as they drove down an interstate somewhere in Pennsylvania.

Cora shrugged, absently flipping thru a magazine. "Oh, I don't know. Retire, I suppose?"

"Really? You're gonna go from illicit kingpin to old lady in a rocking chair?" Emma chuckled at the mental image.

"No, I'm not a knitter dear. Maybe I can find something to do though. I like dogs! I like… well… I like dogs."

Regina rolled her eyes, "we have an animal shelter if you really want to work with dogs…"

Laughing in a haughty manner, Cora tossed down the magazine, "I'm not going to work. Obviously. I could buy a dog."

Emma frowned, "doesn't buying and having a dog cost money? Where you gonna get money?"

"Stupid girl. I have off shore accounts that aren't connected to the business. Gold has no way to get to them and neither did Regina, so I know they are still intact. I'm rich as a mofo."

Regina glanced back at her mother, "mofo? Where did you pick that language up from?"

"MTV." Cora stretched and tapped the back of Emma's head, "we need a rest stop dear."

Groaning loudly, Emma started looking for an exit. It had become pointless to argue with Cora when she demanded a break. It simply wasn't worth the stress.

…..

Sitting outside of a massive fancy building in New York, Regina tried to reason with her mother one more time. "Zelena would love to have you, mother. You can always come visit us in Maine, it's not so far."

Cora crossed her arms and glared at her daughter. "No."

Emma tried too, "you've never even met her, maybe you'll like her. Besides, she actually wants you, unlike us."

Regina slapped her arm lightly and hushed her, "mother, shouldn't you at least meet her?"

Shaking her head, Cora gestured for them to drive, "no thank you. I have kept up with her thru the years and I have no intentions of meeting her. She is controlling, manipulative, dominant, and sadistic."

Emma smiled and started the car, "so basically, she's your clone?"

Cora kicked the back of Emma's seat until the blonde pulled out of the parking spot. "Now, onward to Maine. I am just dying to see this Gloryhole of yours."

"Storybrooke! Where the hell did you get Gloryhole from?!" Regina asked loudly.

Cora looked confused, "Ruby said last night that I might find something to do at the Gloryhole. I assumed that was the name of an establishment or the town? She said she knew a man named Leroy who would just love to meet me there."

Emma started laughing loudly and refused to be still, eventually Regina joined in, leaving a very confused Cora.

…

When they finally reached Storybrooke, it was very late at night. Regina, Emma and Cora got room keys from Ruby after she calmed her grandmother who had woken up to them coming in the diner. They all went and slept peacefully, now that the trip was done.

"So, what are we going to do in this quiet town of yours?" Regina asked as she crawled in to the bed beside Emma.

"I have a few ideas, but I won't have anything solid until I talk to everyone tomorrow."

"I see. What exactly are these ideas of yours?" Regina snuggled close to Emma and sighed happily.

"Well, last I heard, they needed a new sheriff. Town has been without one for a couple months now. No one wants the job. I thought I might try my hand on the other side of the bars. After all, I got a spotless record now." Emma said as she wrapped her arms around the smaller brunette.

"You would look so hot in a sheriff uniform."

Smiling brightly, Emma kissed the top of her head. "Yeah well, the elections are coming up in a few weeks for mayor too. My mom has been doing it, but only because no one else will. I bet with all your fancy degrees the whole town would vote for you."

Regina sighed, "that would be the perfect job Emma, but no one knows me here. I'm a stranger."

"Nope. You're Mrs. Swan-Mills. Since everyone loves me, they will love you too. Just watch."

Kissing Emma good night, Regina fell asleep quickly. She dreamt of fancy pant suits and skirts. She imagined all the people asking her questions and she always had the perfect answer. She imagined a big house and a big yard. She even dreamed of a little brown haired boy running around a tree. The only bad dream she had was of her mother living in her house with them. When she woke up, finding her mother a place to live was top priority.

…..

Two years later

"Emma!" Regina shouted from the bottom of the staircase.

"What?!" Came the shouted response from the master bedroom.

"You need to get down here! I will be late for work if you are not down here in 5 seconds!" Regina checked her watch again and tried not to smile when Emma came barreling down the stairs.

Emma wrapped her arms tightly around her and didn't care if she wrinkled the expensive fabric. "Sorry. I'm here. Go save the world!"

Regina laughed then and kissed the blonde soundly before pulling away and heading for the door. "Yes, saving the world. One budget meeting at a time."

Emma smiled and waved before dashing into the kitchen. She was laughing again as she watched Henry washing his face in the sink. "She got you, didn't she?"

Henry dried his face and grabbed his back pack. "You gave birth to an angel first, and a demon second."

Emma kissed his head before he rushed out of the house. She approached the little girl who was wearing several shades of home made baby food. "Well well, what have we here? You look like a little mush monster!"

The little girl laughed and some food slid off her golden curls and onto her high chair. Emma got a towel and tried to clean her up. Then she threw down the towel and sighed, "nope. It's gonna take more than that." She glanced up as the front door opened and shut.

"Oh my word! What have you done, Emma? That child is an absolute mess!" Cora huffed angrily at her.

Emma shrugged, "I think breakfast happened, not me. Anyhow, your turn. I recommend a bath!"

Cora shouted at her to stop but Emma dashed out the door, leaving grandma Cora to clean up. She grabbed herself a coffee and bear claw from Ruby at the diner before heading in to the station.

"Morning sheriff." Killian said happily from behind his desk.

"Mornin deputy." Emma responded before sitting at her own desk and happily eating her breakfast. "How's the boys?"

Killian sighed heavily. "Oh, you don't know how lucky you are mate. You girls had one baby. But Belle had to pop out three of the little Krakens."

Emma laughed, "that's what you get for listening to Dr. Whale."

Nodding, Killian went to refill his mug. "Aye. I can still hear the bloody bastard telling us to use three of Ruby's eggs to put in Belle. He said no way more than one would take. Well… he was wrong and now me, Ruby and Belle have to take shifts with the beasts. I tell you, it's been since before they were born that the three of us have been in bed at the same time!"

"Woah!" Emma held up her hands, "you're on the verge of too much info man."

Killian laughed and took his seat again, "no worries, love. I can't even remember what sex is like nowadays."

They laughed and chatted and did not much else until lunch time. Emma headed to Grannys and got two lunches before going to Regina's office. She opened the door and stared at Regina's backside. She was currently bent over and picking something up from in front of her desk.

Once she stood and caught Emma staring, Regina smirked and took her seat again, gesturing for Emma to put down the bags. "Are we going to have lunch or would you like to stare all afternoon?"

Emma sat the bags down and smiled happily, "stare. At least until dinner. Because, you see, I know that you have to have dinner before dessert, and I intend to have you for dessert."

Regina blushed slightly and took her food. "Such language in the mayors office."

"Not my fault, the mayors a hot bitch." Emma smiled cheekily before digging in to her own food.

Regina shook her head and smiled as she ate. Years ago, she had been desperate for a vacation from her life, now… now her life was a vacation every day. She had no intentions of ever running away again. Well… maybe a few times. But only when Emma drove her somewhere crazy and random. They did that every couple of months, just to be wild. Maybe they would do it again, when the baby was a bit older. For now, they were happily rooted.

…

Well, that's the end! I hope you all enjoyed my story.