Lawyer vs. Love

Chapter 11

A muffled cry woke Regina up a few weeks after Emma had been released from prison. She had insisted that Emma stay with her until she got on her feet and found her own place, the only thing she didn't account for was how used she was to Henry waking up in the night. The now four and a half-month old had a habit of waking up around 3 am no matter what time he had fallen asleep, and it woke Regina up every night.

The brunette pulled herself out of bed to get herself a drink when she saw Emma pacing round the kitchen. The moonlight hit her face in exactly the right way and Regina was mesmerized at how someone so sleep deprived could still look so beautiful. Her thoughts were buried at the back of her mind when Emma spoke to her.

"We didn't mean to wake you, sorry," Emma said as she rocked a crying Henry back and forth.

"I'm used to it," Regina said as she stood on her tippy toes to reach a glass. She filled it with water before turning back to Emma.

"Come on," Emma cooed, "mommy is here, no need to cry."

"Emma, you've been up with him every night since you got here. Why don't you go back to bed and I'll soothe him, you're no used to him worn out."

"It's fine," Emma said with a smile that somehow didn't reach her eyes.

"I insist, Emma."

"I can do this!" Emma snapped making Henry cry harder.

Regina knew Emma could do it. The blonde had done nothing but try to prove herself since the moment she walked through the front door. Even before she could unpack what little she had in the way of belongings, she was heating up Henry's dinner and making them both some coffee.

The next morning Regina had woken of her own accord and not by her alarm or Henry. When she had sat up in bed, the first thing she noticed was the smell of food wafting through her bedroom door. She had followed the smell to find Emma trying her best not to burn the eggs and bacon whilst Henry laid on his play-mat with Lola besides him.

"What's this?" Regina asked.

"Breakfast," Emma chirped. "Is bacon and eggs okay?"

"That's fine," Regina said as she sat at the kitchen island. "You didn't have to."

"I did."

Regina smiled at the memory of that morning, to her it felt like she finally had a family. Something to hold onto.

"Emma, you've done nothing but prove yourself since you got here, both me and Henry know you can do this," Regina said. "But my statement stills stands, you're no used to us sleep deprived."

Emma ducked her head. She knew Regina was right, she had hardly stopped to take a breather since she had stepped foot inside the apartment. The blonde handed Henry over to Regina and once he saw the smile on the brunettes face he stopped crying immediately.

"Look," Emma said as she collapsed on the sofa, "he hates me. That's why he was crying."

Regina sat down beside Emma who was on the verge of tears, "Emma, he doesn't hate you."

"He does. I try and do what you do, but I can never stop him crying and he, like, stops -" Emma babbled.

Lola padded over to the duo to see what the commotion was and nuzzled into Emma's side when she saw the blonde upset.

Henry was now fast asleep, so Regina placed him in his play-pen and put a blanket over him before sitting down beside Emma, pulling the blonde into a side hug. She rubbed the blondes shoulder with her thumb and absentmindedly placed a kiss in blonde locks.