The Life We Left Behind

I don't like it when my moms are fighting

As he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he could hear the water running upstairs. Regina was taking a shower. He swallowed hard and his new heart was beating a little faster in his chest as he desperately tried to keep his memories at bay. How often had he showered together with Roni? He knew every inch of her body so well, he knew exactly what she must look like right now, the hot water running over her skin. He could still smell the shower gel she used to use, and her shampoo. He shook his head to shake off the thoughts. He mustn't think about her anymore, he needed to forget her. That woman he used to be with, she was gone. The woman upstairs, she was Regina, the queen, the mayor, a dear friend, but he would never take another shower with her ever again.

To his surprise, the thought almost brought him to tears as he turned around and desperately tried to find sleep. Thankfully, the water stopped soon after and put the images in his mind to rest.

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„Hey there! Good to see you!", Regina smiled at her son and hugged him tight before sitting down opposite of him at one of the tables at Granny's, „How are you re-adjusting, back in good old Storybrooke?"

„It's so good to be back! Lucy loves it, and it's starting to grow on Ella too even though she's not much of a small town girl."

„That's good to hear."

„And how about you?"

„Oh well... you know, I created this town. So I'm doing well. Glad to be back in office. And in my office, and my house. And it's so nice to be back together with everyone."

„That's so true. And how's it going living with Hook?"

„Why does everybody keep asking me that? How do you think it's going?"

„No, I just mean... do you get along? I mean, back in the Heights, you were..."

„Yes, dear God. Yes, I know what we were, and if only people could stop constantly bringing it up we could actually move on from there."

„Alright, alright, I got it... You're right! And I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again, okay? But speaking of Hook", he looked at her, then cleared his throat, „so listen... I spoke with Emma and she said you guys had some sort of a fight last night?"

„Oh", she sighed and raised a dismissive eyebrow, „that. I'd call it a disagreement."

„Well, she was pretty angry and upset about it."

„Too bad for her."

„Mom! Apparently you were talking bad about Hook? Her Hook?"

She gave him an intense stare and the tone of her voice dropped by a few notes, signaling imminent danger. „Yes, because she was talking bad about my... I mean, the other Hook. About Killian. I merely wanted her to give him a chance, that can hardly be too much to ask for."

„Well, I bet she's more inclined to do so without you attacking her. How about everybody stops talking bad about all kinds of versions of Hook? You know I don't like it when you guys are fighting. Especially now. It's Thanksgiving on Thursday, did you realize? We were telling Lucy about the way we used to celebrate it here, at our house, with everybody there. She would be so happy if we could do it again. And if we do, we can't be fighting!"

She sighed and raised her hands. „Fine. For Lucy's sake. And because it's the holiday season, and I'm tired of fighting. I want peace, finally."

„Will you apologize to Emma then?"

„Why me? And why aren't you more upset about this, Killian is your friend too, he was your best man at your wedding."

„Yes, and the other Killian is my stepfather, so I'm kind of caught between a rock and a hard place here."

„I'll apologize to her if she apologizes to me."

„Deal. So we can do Thanksgiving at your place then? Shall we come help you cook?"

She raised her eyebrows. „Cook? Since when do we cook? That will take me all day, plus the day before, and then cleaning up everything after, are you insane? We're not peasants! That's what magic is for."

„Come on, mom", he smiled and tried his hardest to look like the little boy again that never failed to warm her heart, „It just tastes different when you actually make it yourself. You can taste the effort."

„Yeah?", she scoffed, „How would you know, I've never cooked a Thanksgiving feast in my life before."

„Sure you have! Lucy told me. She still raves about the food Roni used to prepare."

„Oh well. I'm afraid that skill disappeared along with her, bless her heart. You know my cooking is somewhat limited to a mediocre lasagne and occasionally poisoned apple turnovers and pancakes."

„It's a date then", he smiled triumphantly, „We'll come over and cook all together. We'll bring the turkey."

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Regina checked her watch once more and scoffed. She grew more annoyed by the minute. „Of course! This was foreseeable from miles away", her phone buzzed and she read the message, then she exclaimed, „They're late! They won't be here for another hour, at least. Good thing we didn't rely on them bringing the turkey... I knew it! I should have..."

„It's alright, love, don't worry about it, they'll come. We're good so far, aren't we?"

Killian stood in the kitchen wearing – and she couldn't believe it herself – an apron, stirring the cranberry sauce as it boiled. So far, he had been the best helper in the kitchen she could have asked for, he even took care of preparing that nasty bird for the oven while she had been making the roll dough and most likely ruined the stuffing.

„Yes, I guess we are... still though, he asks us to put in all this effort and not to use magic, and then he doesn't show up to help as he promised."

„Relax!", he smiled at her, „Do you remember how we used to make Thanksgiving dinner at Roni's?"

She looked over at him, and he could see that she was fighting a smile because she still wanted to be mad at Henry. Eventually though, she surrendered as she was kneading the dough for the rolls.