A little fluffy one-off to make your day a little brighter.

I don't own Once Upon a Time, no matter how much I'd like to.

Monday Mornings

When Emma pulled up in front of the Mayor's mansion, the sun was just peaking over the top of the roof, turning the sky a marvelous pink and purple color with orange accents in the clouds. She shoved the old Bug into park and snuck a look at herself in the mirror, meeting her own gaze with a grimace. Emma looked like a wreck, the all night drive taking a toll on her appearance. She hadn't showered since yesterday morning and she certainly hadn't brushed her teeth since then either. Quickly, she knotted her hair into a quick side braid and jumped out of the car, but took the time to quietly shut the door, as to not make a disturbance.

Emma bounded to the front door, tucking in her tank top into her jeans the best she could. She dug around in her back pocket, producing a single silver key, without a key ring, and silently unlocked the door letting it swing open in front of her. For a moment she just stood there and for the first time in a week, she felt like she was home. As she stepped out of her boots, she promised herself to never let work take her away like that again from her family, although she couldn't deny how elated she felt to have something to come home. The feeling was like none other she had ever experienced before.

Taking a deep breath, she padded up the stairs and took a sharp right, careful not to wake anyone. Their door, the last on the right, was wide open and she propped herself against the doorframe, the biggest smile on her face. It was so big, it almost hurt and a small giggle escaped between her teeth.

The early morning sun shone through the drapes onto Regina's sleeping form. Their usually pristine white sheets were wrapped around her tan legs, the deep purple comforter shoved to the floor sometime during the night. Regina was fast asleep on her stomach, her face buried into the pillow on the right side of the bed, her face hidden from Emma, while her feet rested close to the left edge. The jersey strap of the worn out white tank top she was wearing had drifted to the edge of her shoulder, exposing the skin there to the sun and to wandering eyes. Regina's hair was a sleepy wreck, especially that it was longer than she had allowed it to grow in a decade. It swept down the middle of her back in a dark curly mess. Emma preferred it this way, which is why Regina had kept it and let it grow so Emma could get lost in it.

Other than the mess in the bed, everything in the bedroom was in its perfect place. A small glass of water sat on the nightstand between a pair of black wide rimmed reading glasses and the crossword puzzle from the past Sunday's paper. Their tradition. The baby monitor sat on the corner of the table, a quiet cooing noise coming through the airwaves.

As much as Emma wanted to wake her, she knew Regina was getting the best rest she'd allowed herself to in months. The house was peacefully quiet and Emma wanted to keep it that way for a while. Her Regina deserved it.

Instead, Emma turned on her heels and took herself to the other end of the hall and peeked into Henry's room. The boy was turned on his stomach in his twin bed, exactly like his mother was sleeping in the other room. The sight made Emma laugh out loud and she immediately shoved a hand over her mouth one second to late. Henry stirred, so Emma entered the room and perched herself on the edge of the mattress. She innocently began to poke his sides, tickling him awake.

He turned on his back and his eyes fluttered open. It only took him a second and he sat up stick straight, the same smile on his face that Emma was still carrying with her.

"Mom!" he shouted, a bit too loud.

Emma pulled him into a bear hug, ruffling his hair and placing a kiss on the top of his head.

"Shhh… kid. Let's let your mom sleep. We can talk downstairs okay?"

Henry nodded and jumped out of bed when Emma let him go. Emma shook her head at how easy it was for him to wake up.

He definitely did not get that from me, she thought.

"Mom, will you make waffles?" Henry whispered from the doorway. "I missed them."

"Sure, kid. Whatever you want. I'll be down in a second."

In true mom fashion, Emma quickly made Henry's bed then headed across the hall and opened the door all the way. The nursery was her favorite room, the lilac walls greeted her and the soft baby smell drifting up to meet her. The same sun came through the windows and into the crib, illuminating baby Addie who was gurgling up at her blonde mother with the biggest grin on her face.

Emma reached down and gathered the five month old in her arms and went through the morning routine she had missed so much for the past week. After changing her diaper and putting her in the cutest outfit she could find, Emma sat down with Addie in the rocker by the window.

"Addie, you're getting so big!" Emma whispered to her. "I missed you little one. You know you're looking more and more like your mama every day? Yeah I bet you know that don't you. Don't think you're gonna start using all her tricks to get everything you want, though."

Addie reached up and grabbed the end of Emma's braid, wrapped her little fingers in the hair and pulled gently, happy to be holding on to something.

"Well, I guess I'm a little late on that one, aren't I?" Emma giggled.

Emma looked into the deep brown eyes that stared so intently into hers and smoothed a hand over the head of almost black hair on the Addie's head. The resemblance to Regina was undeniable, but there was something in the baby's smile that made Emma think that Addie was uniquely hers.

Emma worked her way downstairs, Addie in her arms. In the kitchen, Henry had already put the coffee on and had the waffle griddle out. He was sitting at the island, working on a glass of orange juice.

"Geeze, since when do twelve year olds know how to make coffee?" Emma scoffed in pretend disgust.

"Come on Mom, you're behind the times."

"Kid, I was only gone for a week."

Emma handed off Addie to her brother, who was more than happy to take her.

"It's not that hard. You push like, three buttons."

Emma looked at her son, who had grown so much in the past two years, and wondered where the time had gone. So much had happened so quickly, but she thanked the heavens she had kept her feet firmly on the ground.

"I'm glad you're back early."

"Me too," Emma replied. "How's your mom doing?"

"Oh she was okay. But I know she missed you a lot. She'll be so happy you're back, even if it's just a day early."

"Waffles?"

"Waffles."

An hour and a half later Emma sent Henry off to school and Regina was still fast asleep, a fact that made Emma deliriously happy. Emma had crept back in and shut the alarm off, a delicious treat for a mother with a baby. It was only 7:15 after all, and she was sure Regina had taken the day off anyway, since Emma wasn't due to return until Tuesday evening.

Emma was sprawled out in the living room floor on the quilt they put down for Addie to play on, the baby happy hopping up and down in her bouncy chair. Every other jump Emma would reach out and grab her little socked feet, making her squeal and kick harder, which in turn made Emma squeal and laugh much to her daughter's delight.

She turned and checked the clock above the mantle again. 7:45.

Right on time, she heard a pair of feet hit the floor above her with a thud. Then a pause, then a shuffle and then a run down the hall. Then the slap of bare feet thundering down the stairs behind her in the foyer.

Emma jumped to her feet and rounded the corner into the entryway just as Regina had turned the corner into the kitchen, catching only the image of flying long dark hair, a white tank top and black lacey boy shorts.

"Henry? Why did you let me sleep so late! Did you pack your lunch? You made coffee? Why didn't you wake me up. You're going to be late! Where's your backpack? Do you have Addie? Where are you?!"

Emma couldn't help but laugh for the millionth time that morning at Regina's ridiculous rambles that came spewing out in the delightfully rasping morning voice that she loved so much. Emma waited by the stairs for Regina to make a full circle around the kitchen and back out. She leaned against the banister, one arm dangling off the wood, her legs crossed at the ankles, that same smirk on her mouth.

Regina stopped in the middle of the kitchen, suddenly awake. Something felt different. There were dishes in the sink, Emma's favorite mug among them. And there was that perfume in the air that was like a fresh spring day and smelled so much like all the nights they had shared together in their house.

Emma.

Without a word, Regina turned on her toes and launched herself out of the kitchen, literally flying into Emma arms, who barely saw her coming let alone getting the time to brace herself against the small woman sailing through the air at her.

Regina buried her face in Emma's neck, both arms flung around her shoulders. Emma supported her frame, gripped Regina's ass in those sexy boy shorts, and pulled her up into her own taller frame.

Emma felt the vibrations of Regina murmuring into her neck, the words falling between the peppering of kisses she was placing between Emma's ear and collarbone.

For what felt like ages but not exactly long enough, Emma just held her like that, taking in her musky smell combined with the apple scent of her too-expensive shampoo. When her arms couldn't take it any more, she dropped Regina onto her feet and wasted no time grabbing her face with both hands and pulling her into a deep kiss.

When they finally came up for air, Emma returned to her full height, but still stayed close to her wife, bumping noses with her and grinning like a fool. She finally made herself pull back to take all of Regina in. It wasn't so often that she saw her wife so casual. But Emma really, really liked it. Regina was stunning, even in the morning. Her face was tinged with a deep pink blush, but was bare of makeup and the usual dark lipstick. The tank clung to her in all the right places, a bit of her stomach peaking out from where it had rode up in their reunion. Right then, Emma knew she was in the right place. The Regina she had met when she first came to Storybrooke was in there somewhere, she was sure of it. But what she had right in front of her was not that woman. In that moment, with her long hair big and curly rolling around her face and shoulders, her face clean of heavy makeup and standing in bare feet before her, Regina looked ten years younger than Emma knew her real age to be. She was positively radiant.

Regina stepped forward again, pulling Emma in for a hug.

"Emma, you weren't supposed to be home until tomorrow!" she happily exclaimed. "How are you here right now?"

Emma pulled back and guided her towards the family room, hand still firmly on her hips.

"Well," Emma started. "As of last night my people finding services were 'no longer needed', and I didn't want to waste any time getting home. So I drove all night to get here, as cliché as that sounds."

Regina and Emma plopped down on the couch, sitting as close to each other as possible, Regina's arm resting across Emma's legs and Emma's arm thrown over Regina's shoulder, pulling her closer. They breathed in contentment, happy to just be there watching their baby girl entertain herself.

"''Gina, she looks so much like you. I feel like she's grown so much in a week. Did you see how big her smile is?"

"Sweetie, I think she's just happy her see her mama home."

Regina glided her manicured nails across the fabric of Emma's jeans, scratching the denim-clad thigh. At the contact, Emma slipped down the couch a bit and rested her head on Regina's shoulder.

Regina smiled and ran a hand through her own tangled hair, trying to get the knots out.

"You know, this mama missed you too Emma. Thank you for letting me sleep in. I really did need that. This week has been totally…"

She trailed off as she picked up Emma's heavy breathing. Raising an eyebrow, she nodded her head down to try and get a better look at Emma's face. The blonde's eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open, the little snores coming out of her fast and shallow.

"Oh Emma….how I love you," Regina chuckled, leaning back into the couch. There were a million things she needed to do, but in that moment she was more than happy to be sitting there with Emma and her daughter in their blissfully unique state of living.