The Tie That Binds

Chapter Fourteen

"Regina what the hell is going on?"

She reads from her phone once again as Emma drags their sleepy son to his bedroom to say goodnight. What the hell is she going to say to Emma's parents? How is she even going to begin to explain being the one that impregnated their pride and joy.

"Hey," Emma's small and timid voice is coming from the hallway, encouraging Regina to abandon her phone and pay close attention to her girlfriend. "I'm kinda tired, ready to call it a night? Or did you want to watch another movie?" She innocently asks, her head too heavy to keep supported, so that must be why she rests it against the wall.

And dammit she's so adorable.

"We can turn in for the night," she quietly whispers, standing up from the couch and leaving her phone behind.

Emma smiles so softly at her that it convinces her heart to do a backflip. Regina reaches out, her hand sliding down the switch to turn off the living room lights along the way as she follows Emma. They pass their son's room, but his bedroom door is firmly closed, so she can't even sneak a peek before they enter Emma's bedroom.

A bedroom she has never even seen before.

Emma spins behind her to close the door while Regina assesses the master bedroom. Her eyes roam over the very modern decor with splashes of grey and white. She notices the wooden beams running across the ceiling and the red brick wall behind the bed, much like the living room. There's a small bathroom to the left but what catches her eye is the window that looks out over the city to her right. It's almost the entire length and width of the wall and she finds her feet compelled to lead her toward the sparkling city below.

"This is stunning," she breathlessly gasps as she steps up to the cool glass and peers out at the busy night zooming by.

"I know, it's my favorite part of this place and I'm really gonna miss it when we move because I know I won't find another like this."

"Probably not one you can afford that consists of three bedrooms in the city."

"Not a chance," Emma huffs beside her.

"Maybe it's time to consider moving into the suburbs. You will have two children now, maybe it will be more accommodating," she suggests, taking a chance and glancing at the beautiful woman she is falling madly in love with.

Tonight, against the glow of the dazzling city lights, Emma's irises are a sea-green with splashes of honey. Regina smiles unknowingly at the warm and familiar eyes already waiting to meet her gaze. This woman is stunning, absolutely gorgeous but what really sets Regina's heart on fire is her personality, her determination, her passion, her drive, her compassion, her empathy, her awkward sense of humor...dammit, is there anything she doesn't love about this woman anymore? Even the little quirks that used to drive her mad she finds endearing now.

"I don't know. I've never been much of a suburb girl. The suburbs remind me of stability and families, and not just houses but homes. Homes that feel like forever and safe. Ever since I was born I was always shuffled between houses, always on the move and on the go and that's safe to me...familiar and that's what the city feels like. Always in a rush to the next destination, never settling down, I don't know if I could make that kind of change," Emma sadly acknowledges, peering out at the towers filling every inch of space.

"Maybe," Regina flippantly says, "or maybe you've already created stability by being there for Henry," she softly murmurs, inspiring Emma to pivot and meet her loving eyes. "It doesn't matter what four walls you sleep in at night because to Henry, you are his home, his stability, his safe haven. And I believe that boy is all of that for you as well. You're building your own family, creating a new life and it doesn't matter where you are so long as you are all together. That's your home, the city or the suburbs, that's just the backdrop to your painting, it's not nearly as important as the main focus."