hunnyfresh - Letters from War

Emma had called the next day, this time when Henry was home, and Regina was so thankful that she wouldn't have to be made a liar to her son. For five minutes, Henry was enamoured by the blonde on the phone, asking her questions of who she had saved that day and when she was coming home. The last five, though given up with great reluctance on Henry's part, was with Regina and Emma as the younger woman supported her through stubborn council men and Regina wished her safety.

Ever since then the trio had gotten into a routine of sorts where Emma would call (from the good phone this time earning herself an extra ten minutes of Mills family time) at least once a week if she could manage. Some nights if Emma timed it correctly, she'd be able to catch them just before Henry's bedtime and after his bath. She had done it often enough that Henry began asking Emma for bedtime stories.

At first she simply listened to Regina's voice while she read Henry a part of The Paper Bag Princess where the boy would fall asleep less than halfway through, but one night Henry had been insistent, so Emma had done her best to retell The White Knight and the Evil Queen . The tale had stuck with her during her time in Storybrooke, and since it was the first one that came to mind, she had leaned herself against the wall and began telling Henry a bedtime story. She was pretty good most times to get the gist of the tale, but whenever she forgot a part, she'd exaggerate how big the dragon was or how long the Queen's heart was frozen for, and Henry – and even Regina, Emma could tell by the soft giggle – was eating it up.

Now, over a month later since they had begun their weekly phone sessions, Emma was listening as Henry sang for her the song Ms. Bell had taught the class that day. Apparently the daycare was having a summer concert at the end of August. Along with "My Little Yellow Bus" which Henry was currently belting out at the moment, they were also set to sing "You Are My Sunshine."

Emma had basically begged Regina to record that, but Henry had provided the blonde to an exclusive sneak peek of song number one.

". . .hop on board to my little yellow bus!" Henry finished. Emma laughed as Regina clapped in the background, and judging from the wet smack, she had given him a kiss on the cheek.

"That's awesome, little man," Emma cheered just as the doorbell rang at Mifflin and Regina excused herself. "I bet you're gonna be the best singer at the whole concert."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Mommy says I'm the best."

"Mommy's right. So do I get to hear the other song?"

Henry giggled, Emma imagining him shake his head adorably. "Nooo, it's a surprise."

"But I want to hear it now."

"At the concert," he insisted. "You have to wait."

Emma frowned and did her best not to sound too disappointed as she reminded the three-year old of her absence. "I won't be able to go to your concert, buddy. I have to work, but Mommy's gonna show me a video when I get back, and when I visit you again you can put on another show. Is that okay?"

"Yes!" He agreed readily. "You coming to the fair?"

"What fair?"

"The fireworks fair." If Henry had been older, Emma was sure the 'duh' would have followed soon after.

"The fireworks fair," the blonde repeated. "Does that happen to be on the Fourth of July?"

"Iunno," the boy shrugged, "but there's popcorn, and games, and, and rides, and popcorn, and cotton candy, and games, and, and-"

"And fireworks?" She asked holding back her laughter at his excitement.

"Yeah! How did you know?" He asked amazed.

"I can read minds," the blonde whispered covertly.

"Noo," he insisted. "What's in my mind?"

"Hmmm." Emma took a minute to contemplate. "Popcorn and games?"

Henry gasped obnoxiously. "How did you know?!"

"Okay, my turn." Regina's voice sounded further away though increased in volume like she was walking back into the living room.

"It's my turn, Mommy," Henry said, and judging by the shuffling of the mouth piece the kid was hogging the phone to his chest.

Regina must have set him with one of her signature warning stares that the boy was slowly becoming immune to for the line shuffled again and with a "fiiine, Mommy" Regina was in possession of the phone.

"Kid's determined," Emma noted knowingly. "Wonder where he gets that from."

"And he's only three," Regina added wryly.

"Just wait until he reaches double digits and starts talking back to you."

"I'll have you know I'm raising a fine, young gentleman," Regina said pointedly.

"Mommy!" Henry yelled so loudly he may as well have been in the same room. "I have to poo-poo!"

"Fine, young gentleman indeed," the blonde snorted.

Regina scoffed, and Emma could basically see the eye roll from the brunette as she turned to speak with Henry. "Go ahead, sweetie. You're a big boy. Call me when you're done."

"'Kay."

A sudden memory overtook the blonde as she remembered a story from Henry's baby years that Regina had written to her about, and she started to laugh. "Hey, remember when he tried to go to the bathroom by himself, and he ended up falling in the toilet?"

Regina inhaled swiftly trying with no avail to hold in her own laughter. She had been terrified when it happened, of course, but looking back on it now, she realized how ridiculously hilarious it was. "He wouldn't use the big boy potty for a month after that."

"Oh god, I wish you got pictures."

"I'm all for embarrassing my child, but I'm not that evil," Regina said wryly.

"Sure," the blonde conceded dryly. "So what have you been up to?"

"Well that was Ms. Bell at the door just now," Regina began. "She made treats for the class the other day and Henry came home raving about them, so I asked for the recipe."

"Hold up. You're close enough with Tina that she can just drop by and hand you stuff?"

"You make me sound like a hermit."

"And you're cooking someone else's recipe?" Emma asked amazed. "Geez, I've been gone for all of two months, you're already replacing me."

"Well a woman does have needs," Regina quipped throatily.

For a moment, Emma felt the bile rise to her throat from panic because it was true, and Regina was in Storybrooke and Emma was at Benning. It wasn't completely unheard of that couples broke up while one of them was in service, the distance being too much or the eye wandering too far for those left at home. She knew it was a possibility, and she knew Regina could have her pick at anyone she wanted, so the tightness grew in the blonde's throat. Regina must have heard the stifled hitch because she was quick to add on to her statement. "But don't worry, dear. Only you know my secret apple turnover recipe."

Emma snorted, the tension seeping away from her throat slowly. "Here I thought you gave all the nice blondes that recipe."

"Just you."

Emma had to turn her head toward the window to hide the impending blush that painted her cheeks. She cleared her throat, trying to seem like this brunette wasn't having an effect on her despite how light and fluffy she felt inside. "So are you guys best friends forever?"

Regina scoffed, a dismissal on her lips before she toyed. "Why? Are you jealous?"

"Completely." And it was mostly true, and even Emma could verify that.

"Not quite. I'm saving that position for someone special."

"Henry got the job, didn't he?"

"Now you make me sound like I have no friends."

"I still think you're awesome."

"And if you think so, then damn everyone else," she retorted with enough sarcasm that it didn't sound overly cheesy. "Oh, have you talked to August lately?" Regina asked suddenly.

"August?" The blonde questioned, her face scrunched up in confusion. She had written letters to him since her return, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary that raised a red flag to the blonde. "Why? What did he do?"