She's My Daughter

Road trip

Regina POV

I winced, the sunlight blinding me as I turned in my bed and groaned, my hands shifting to my phone as I clumsily dialled Emma's number.
"Hello?" Came a mumble from the other side of the line.
"Emma?" I replied just as grudgingly, the scattered remains of sleep still present in my voice.
"Hmm?" She groaned again. Rolling my eyes, I propped myself up on my elbows and ran my fingers through my hair.
"We're going on a road trip." I smirked before hanging up and leaving the bewildered blonde to sort herself out.

"Morning, sweetie." I said as I walked into the kitchen and pecked Selena on the cheek as she shovelled a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
"Morning." She mumbled back, her voice muffled by the Cheerios she was currently devouring. Chuckling, I placed my bag down on the table and went about making my morning coffee.
"Want one?" I asked over my shoulder. "Oh...no thanks. I'm not a fan of coffee." She said, screwing up her face as if sucking a sour lemon.
"Hot chocolate then?" I laughed.
"Yes please!" She grinned, her eyes shining. I laughed again, her happiness radiating through me.
"How are you feeling?" I asked her seriously as I placed the steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of her.
"Much better." She said reassuringly.
"Are you sure? You still look slightly...hurt."
"Well yeah, I am. But I'm over it." She shrugged again. I stared at her for a couple more seconds but when she just flashed me a grin and went back to her book. NI forced myself to simply sigh and look away.
"What's with the overnight bag?" Selena asked, as if sensing my questioning was over.
"Ah yes. Selena, I'm so sorry but I need to leave town for a bit. It's...complicated, but I'll tell you everything when I get back." I said guiltily, the fact that I was leaving her so soon after her incident with Gold eating away at me.
She titled her head to the side and frowned, a quirk I knew she got from me. "What do you need to do?" She asked.
"It's nothing - "
"What do you need to do?" She repeated firmly, the look in her eyes telling me she wouldn't rest until she knew.
I sighed. "There's this man...Robin Hood, who -"
"ROBIN HOOD IS REAL TOO?!" Selena nearly screamed as she leapt away from the table.
"Yes." I said alarmed, not knowing whether to laugh or be concerned over her scream. (A/N: Oh, Regina, if only you met us fangirls :p)
"Bloody hell...bloody hell. I used to have a huge crush on him when I was younger." She admitted as she met my eyes. "Well, not the fox version of him but this BBC series...wow."
I stared at her. How bloody awkward.
"I hope he's my age." She muttered.
"Um, actually...he's my boyfriend." I said slowly. "Well, ex-boyfriend. But I still love him and he still loves me so we're not like -"
Selena stared up at me in horror. "Please forget everything that has just passed my lips in the last minute and a half."
I laughed and flicked her on the nose. "Consider it done."
She nodded again, her face almost frozen in what looked like sheer repulsion. She shook her head violently as if chucking out the last minute and a half before she plastered another grin on her lips and turned to look at me again.
"So? Why do you need to go to him?" She asked, her grin slipping as she realised what her interrogation was for.
"He's in danger." I whispered softly. "Him and his son, Rowland."
"Wait...Rowland...he isn't...yours, is he?" She asked slightly nervously.
"No! No, he's his first love's Marian's son." I said hastily, the words still being able to scratch at my throat as I uttered them.
"Phew. That would have been bloody complicated." Serena muttered, running her slender fingers through her chestnut hair.
I smiled grimly. "It's a lot more complicated than that, believe me."
"Go on." She said, gesturing to the chair. I sighed and sat myself down before opening my mouth and - closing it again. Selena groaned as the notes of the doorbell rang through the house. Grinning apologetically at her, I went to go and let Emma in.

"Hey, Selena." Emma grinned as she walked into the room in front of me, her red backpack slung over her right shoulder.
"Hey." She smiled back as she budged over to make room for Emma at the table. Thanking her, Emma drew up a stool next to Selena and plonked herself down in it, helping herself to a bite of her Cheerios as she did so. I rolled my eyes and sat down in a slightly more refined manner.  (AN: she is a queen and slightly more "refined." ;))
"SSo you're going with Regina on this road trip, are you?" Selena asked questioningly as Emma grabbed a cookie from Selena's plate.
"Apparently." She frowned looking over at me for answers.
"You don't know why?" Selena asked confused.
"Nope. Our lovely mayor over here only called me at an unnatural hour of the morning and told me that we're leaving. No reason whatsoever." She said, giving me a lighthearted glare. Giving her a sarcastic smile back, I plunged back into the story.
"Robin's in danger." I said quickly.
"What sort of danger?" She frowned.
"Marian is Zelena."
Emma stopped, her cookie crumbling on the table in a downpour of what seemed to represent Emma's sanity.
"You what?" She asked, her voice hollow.
"Marian is Zelena. That's all there is to it. We need to go to him now. I've told him to keep Zelena busy for a while but she won't stay in the dark for long. She'll figure it out when Robin isn't being the doting husband he's meant to be." I said, pouring my coffee into a flask and quickly making one for Emma too, knowing she would only steal mine if I didn't.
"Zelena...your half sister?" Selena asked with a grimace.
I nodded curtly.
Selena opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off, knowing the limited time we had was just getting shorter and shorter.
"Selena, I'm sorry but we need to go. I'll explain everything when we get back."
Selena nodded before she got to her feet and hugged me, her arms curled behind my neck as she pushed herself onto her tiptoes. Before I could acknowledge that Selena had initiated a hug for the first time, she had released me and was giving me a small grin.
"Can I come with you?" She asked softly.
I sighed. "You know the answer to that."
"Please. I can help. I can use my magic to - " She said desperately, her eyes gleaming with the desire to fight.
I put my hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes, her chocolate eyes which were so like my own.
"Selena, you need to stay here. It's not safe. Not only because you can't control your magic yet but also because my sister will use you as leverage against me. And you can't beat her."
She stared at me, her eyes closing softly in despair before she forced them open again and gave me a tight smile.
"Then you better get going, hadn't you?"
I smiled in relief as I brought her towards me and placed a kiss on her head.
"Thank you." I whispered.
She pulled back with a grin, "I'm expecting full details when you get back."
"And you shall get them, your highness." I agreed, fake bowing to her. Giggling slightly she turned to Emma and hugged her too, told her to annoy me as much as possible and then was pushing us out the door.
"Bye!" She called from the landing as we pulled on our shoes.
"Oh! Selena, you're going to stay at Emma's place while we're gone." I said quickly from the door.
"What? I can look after myself!" She said indignantly.
"Well, you're still going. You'll take Emma's bed." I insisted, giving her a no -nonsense look.
"But-"
"No buts. David will be here to pick you up in an hour."
Grumbling under her breath, she jumped down the steps to where we were at the door and allowed me to kiss her goodbye one last time, let Emma punch her on the arm playfully and then we were gone, the door closing behind us, the clink of the lock sliding into place and the echoing steps of Selena as she stalked back into the heart of the big, empty house.