Memories

Chapter 9

Zelena was happy to be back. After a month-long trip to sunny Spain with her little Robin, she couldn't wait to see her sister once again and to, more importantly, be filled in on the gossip of the town. Making a bee-line for the mansion after dropping her bags off, Zelena barged in, without so much as a knock. Robin ran into the living room in search of the toys that Regina kept in a small toy box for her, worried that the three-year-old might get hurt, or break something Zelena quickly ran after her, only to be stopped in her tracks as none other than Emma Swan walked out of the kitchen still dressed in her pyjamas.

"Auntie Emmy!" The toddler screamed, abandoning her search for toys she ran straight for the confused woman. The toddler quickly wrapped her chubby arms around Emma's bare leg, as she begged to be lifted by her favorite aunt.

"Hey, monkey!" The phrase had left Emma's lips before she even had a chance to process what was happening. In one swift motion, Emma lifted the child and carefully spun her around in the air as best she could with a healing wrist.

"Care to explain why you are half naked in my sister's kitchen?" Emma jumped at the sound of a familiar voice. In an instant, memories of Zelena and Robin came rushing back, and she smiled as she looked up at the redhead.

"Zelena?" Emma and Zelena both looked happy to see each other and Robin was defiantly happy to have cuddles from her aunt.

"Is this back on? Do I need to buy another horrific hat for SwanQueen wedding part 2?" Zelena teased as she walked over to half hug the blonde.

"No, I'm just staying until I get back on my feet again," Emma spoke, thinking that Regina had already filled her sister in on what had been happening.

"Did something happen? I go away for a month and come back to see my sister playing house with her ex." Zelena joked as she moved to sit in the living, Emma followed in tow, with a hyperactive toddler wiggling in her arms.

"I was in a pretty bad accident; didn't Regina tell you?"

"I haven't spoken to Regina since I left, what happened darling? Are you okay?" Zelena reached over to take Emma's hand, as Robin went in search of toys once again.

"Few broken ribs, busted up wrist...and a six-year memory gap," Emma explained, making Zelena gasp.

"But you knew who I was? And Robin." Zelena questioned.

"I remember little things, like names, relationships, faces...just none of the important stuff. Like when I woke up, I knew I was married, I just didn't know who she was or that the marriage was actually over." Emma tried her best to explain things as best she could, but in all honesty, she didn't really understand what was happening to her fully.

"Wow...so how did you end up back here?" Zelena continued with her questions as Robin handed both women an empty plastic cup from her tea set. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Thanks, monkey." Emma winked at the child, "Henry suggested that I would have a better chance of remembering everything if I came back here, and Regina agreed." Emma stated simply.

"Well I for one, am happy to see you in this house again. You're heaps better than that waitress Regina has been seeing." Zelena pretended to drink nonexistent tea from the cup.

"Ruby's not that bad, as long as Regina is happy, I'm happy." Emma smiled, as she mimicked Zelena's actions.

"You, Emma Swan, are too nice for your own good sometimes." Emma didn't bother to respond, instead, she looked over at Robin, she couldn't help but smile at the toddler's actions. Without speaking Emma moved to play with the toddler whilst Zelena spoke of her recent travels, but Emma didn't hear anything she was saying, instead she was brought back to an important turning point in her marriage.

(Flashback, 4 years earlier)

Emma paced the carpeted floors for the master bedroom, she had never been this nervous before, not even on her wedding day. This was big, what she was about to find out would change her and her family's life forever. The sound of the toilet flushing caused the blonde Sheriff to jump and rush over to the gold-handled door.

"Gina? Can I come in?" Emma spoke sweetly as her hand hovered over the handle.

"Yes..." Regina spoke in a hushed tone, just loud enough for Emma to register what she said. In a flash, the blonde woman made her entrance and moved swiftly to her wife, who sat frozen on the side of the bathtub, pregnancy test in hand.

"How much longer?" Emma asked as she took Regina's free hand in her own. The two women had been waiting for this moment for a long time and the excitement radiated from both women as they looked longingly at the stick.

"One minute..." Regina beamed at her wife, who looked lovingly back.

"Six months of treatment and sperm research, and it's this last minute that's going to drag in," Emma commented, before placing a kiss on the brunette's hairline.

"I can't believe that this day is finally here...I love you." Regina rested her head sweetly against the blonde's shoulder.

"Gina...what if I mess the baby up?" Emma's expression dropped, it was just dawning on her that she had no experience with young children, let alone babies.

"Hey, you are an amazing mother already Emma Swan-Mills." Regina placed the pregnancy stick on the sink so that she could pull her wife in for a much-needed hug.

"Henry was nine when I got here, I've never had to deal with a baby before...what if I drop them, or forget it at the supermarket?" Emma spoke in a frantic tone, making her wife giggle slightly. "This is funny Regina!" Emma pouted.

"I know, I'm sorry. You don't have to worry Emma because I will be with you every step of the way...I will always be here for you." Regina stole a quick peck from her wife, before hugging her close once again.

"You kinda sounded like my dad for a second..." Emma joked, making Regina push her away playfully.

"It's been over a minute...ready to find out our future?" Regina laced her fingers with Emma's, as the blonde nodded nervously. Reaching over Regina retrieved the test, taking a deep breath Regina flipped the test to reveal the words: 'Not Pregnant'. Unable to take the crushing pain from the negative result, Regina fell into her wife's arms and sobbed for hours.

(End of Flashback)

Emma fought back the tears as she played with her niece, kicking herself for missing this stage of Henry's life and not trying harder to make another little human with Regina. Emma was so engrossed in what could have been, she failed to notice her ex-wife make her way towards the group.

Regina could hear the tell-tale sound of her sister's voice as soon as she stepped out of the shower, in a rush to see her again the brunette threw on an oversized t-shirt that once belonged to Emma and her yoga pants and sprinted down the stairs, only to freeze at the sight of her ex-wife playing happily with her niece, Regina was completely transfix to Emma's every move, every word, every giggle. This didn't get passed Zelena, who upon hearing her sister's footsteps, turned around in her seat to greet her. Zelena couldn't help but smile at how smitten her younger sister was for the town's Sheriff, and had to stifle back a laugh at how oblivious the brunette was to her feelings that were literally staring her in the face.

"Hey sis," Zelena finally spoke, making Regina jump slightly and quickly tear her eyes away from Emma.

"Zelena! I thought you weren't back until next week?" Regina swiftly made her way over to hug her grinning sister.

"Robin was missing her aunt's and big cousin so I cut the trip short...you didn't think that Emma nearly dying in a car crash, losing most of her memories and moving back in with you, deserved a phone call, or even a text?" Zelena smirked at the nervousness of her younger sister.

"I was going to clue you in when you got back, everything has just been a tad hectic since the accident." Regina finally sat down beside her sister and dared herself to look over once again at her former true love, who was oblivious to the two sisters and focused solely on her tea party with the toddler.

"How is the waitress dealing with this?" Zelena asked in a whisper, making the faint smile on Regina's lips fade into a scowl. "By the look on your face, I'm going to wager that she's not taking it too well," Zelena suggested, leaving Regina to simply nod in reply.

"It's just been one argument after the other since the accident, it's gotten to the point where I don't even know if we are in a relationship at the moment," Regina confessed she had been dying to talk to someone about her recent relationship problems, but with all her friends linked to Emma and her sister out of the county, she was forced to keep things locked up inside.

"I think what you need, dear sister is a pleasant distraction from the soap opera that is your life," Zelena smirked at the brunette, making her feel extremely nervous.

"What are you up too?"

"Robin sweetie? How would you like to spend the day with Auntie Gina?" Zelena cooed at her daughter who clapped her chubby hands in delight.

"I would love to, but I can't today I hav-"

"I can watch her, I'm due some monkey time." Emma interrupted, making the smirk on Zelena's face grow twice in size.

"Emma, you are in no state to watch a toddler on your own," Regina added, hoping to put her ex-wife off the idea.

"Then you'll have to stay home and help her. Please, Regina, I need the day to get things sorted out around here and having my gorgeous girl by my side will only slow me down." Zelena fake pleaded with her sister, knowing that she was bound to give in to her.

"Please Regina?" Emma pouted while cuddling with their niece.

"Okay fine, but you owe me, sis," Regina smirked, before stealing another hug from Zelena.

***
"Emma catch her!" Regina shouted, joy laced in her voice, as Emma ran after the naked toddler. The trio had spent most of the afternoon engaging in a wonderful tea party, then Emma spent a few hours chasing Robin around the backyard while Regina sat on the swing bench and watched lovingly. After a messy lunch, that most of which ended up on the floor and on Robin's face, instead of in her mouth, Emma and Regina tried to tackle bath time. Leaving both women soaked and cursing Zelena's name as they ran quickly down the stairs as Robin did her best to hide from her aunts.

"How fast can one toddler be?" Emma was out of breath and hurting from the stain she had been putting on herself.

"You sit, I'll find her." Regina offered, making Emma quickly shake her head in refusal.

"I got us into this mess, I'm not tagging out yet..." Emma counterattacked before pausing, "Hear that?" Emma whispered as she moved closer to the curtains. gesturing for Regina to move to the other side of the window, Emma mouthed a 3,2,1 countdown before quickly pulling the curtain to reveal the toddler in question. Before Robin had a chance to react Regina scooped the young girl up into her arms, while Emma moved to grab the towel that the young girl had trailed down the stairs with her.

"Got ya!" Regina giggled as she blew raspberries on the bare tummy on the child.

"Auntie Gina...stop." The girl screamed between fits of laughter.

"Never! The tickle monster doesn't let up on anyone!" Regina played as Emma retrieved the young girl's clothes.

"Emmy! Save me!"

"Only if you promise to get dressed," Emma added as she moved to sit next to the pair.

"I promise..." The young girl screamed.

"Surrender you scary beast! This monkey is in my possession now!" Emma pretended to slay Regina and quickly scooped the child out of her arms.

"You've got me. The Saviour wins again." Regina teases while moving to sit back on the couch.

"And you are finished. What do you say we watch a movie and get all cuddly?" Emma ignored Regina's previous statement, as Robin moved to cuddle into both of her aunts.

"Toy story!" The three-year-old shouted.

"Good job Swan...today has been surprisingly fun." Regina smiled at the blonde, as she moved to cuddle the child.

"Couldn't have done it without the great tickle monster." Emma teased, winking at the Mayor.

It was well past four when the toddler had calmed down from her fun-filled day, lazily the three lay cuddled up on the couch watching Toy Story 2, Regina's favorite. They had just gotten to the part when they find out Jessie's backstory and Emma felt the need to check on the brunette, who was already starting to weep at the first few lines of 'When She Loved Me', untangling one of her arms from the toddler, Emma reached over and took Regina's hand in her own. Neither woman spoke, they just gazed at each other, as the song played throughout the house when it finally came to an end, Regina moved to lay her head on the blonde's shoulder whilst still holding on tight to the blonde's hand. The three girls stayed like this for the rest of the movie, Robin had fallen asleep shortly after the movie's end and Emma and Regina didn't dare move out of fear of waking the hyper child. Instead, they embraced this rare instance of closeness they had found, that was until they were startled by the flash of a camera and laughter of both Regina's sister and their own son.

"Shhh! We can't move or she'll wake!" Regina warned her sister, who tiptoed around to lift her child.

"Thanks for today, I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Zelena whispered as she cuddled her stirring child.

"She was perfect...goodbye monkey." Emma kissed the child's head gently before stretching her tighten muscles.

"Bye sweetheart, I'll walk you out." Regina offered.

"Mom, have you been watching Toy Story 2 again?" Henry asked noticing Regina's ruined eye makeup.

"I-umm."

"You can't keep putting yourself through that dear, you know it's not real," Zelena added, whilst Emma and Henry tried their best not to laugh.

"It's just so wrong, I just don't understand why she would leave her there..." Regina began to weep again, almost instantly Emma moved to comfort the brunette, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Henry and Zelena who smirked at each other knowingly.