Here's another one-shot from Yours Truly. Got lost in the weird section of YouTube again, and oddly enough, it gave me inspiration to write this. This is based on season 1 before the curse broke, though my timeline is a bit longer than the show's. I'm excited—fun one-shots always put me in a better mood. I hope this does the same to you! Enjoy!

Emma awoke in her bed in Mary Margaret's loft that she now shared with her, head pounding and stomach churning. What a hell of a night she had—and now an even worse morning. 1 bottle of wine and a few shots of whiskey, and she was feeling worse than that time she had celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Usually she'd chalk it up to being young and stupid, but a) she wasn't that young anymore (hello first gray hair) and b) she hadn't drunk like that in a long time.

No, this time she was doing it to curb the anger she had been feeling. She'd called Storybrooke home for 8 months now, and she still hadn't gotten to spend one night with Henry. Emma could understand Regina trying to protect her son and being territorial (she had taken care of him his whole life so far), but couldn't she give her a little leeway? Kathryn had copies of the paperwork Emma and Regina were both given, stating they had to share Henry as Emma was his biological mother and Regina was his adopted mother. They had both agreed to the terms. 6 months later, Emma was still chomping at the bit while Regina reveled in the glory and ignored the fact that her son hated her.

Emma rolled over and punched her pillow in frustration. Yes, she had made a mistake. She never should have given him up in the first place; now guilt was eating away at her insides as she realized her son had been placed with a sociopath. Sure, Regina gave him the fundamentals and necessary things to succeed (clothes, food, good schooling, an allowance), but emotionally, he was as starved as Emma back when she was in the foster system. She may not have been able to give him all material things like Regina, but she sure as hell would have loved him with all her heart and he never once would have doubted that.

A knock at the door interrupted her silent rant. Emma groaned and sat up, putting her feet flat on the floor as the room began to spin. Another knock this time, just a little more urgent. Emma wrestled with the indecision to either yell at whoever it is to go away, or open the door and pretend to be sober. She looked at the clock; 10 in the morning, it couldn't be Henry, he would already be in school right now. But then again, the kid did tend to run off more often than stay in school.

Emma opened the door, trying to look somewhat okay in case it did happen to be Henry. Instead, she was met with a smiling Regina, which immediately put her on defense (Regina only smiled around her when she had a trick up her sleeve to knock Emma down a few notches). Emma put one hand on her hip, suddenly all too aware that she was wearing only a white tank top and lacy red underwear (on the off chance she would get lucky with a random townie). Her near nakedness was soon forgotten as she saw what Regina had with her.

"Sheriff Swan," Regina greeted, dressed in a bright red dress the same color as Emma's underwear, her grown hair waving just past her shoulders, black kitten heels, and to top it off, maroon-colored lipstick. Emma would be lying if she didn't say the mayor looked totally ravishing.

That was just the thing; Regina did affect her in more ways than just annoyance or anger. She had adopted a baby out of the kindness of her heart (though Emma often doubted she even had one), she took care of him the best she could, she obviously loved him even though she had a funny way of showing it. To the eye, she was gorgeous. Anyone would be lucky to even be graced with her presence. But deep down, she also made Emma feel some… other feelings. And maybe Emma had dressed a tiny bit slutty last night hoping she would run into her—now she was thankful she hadn't. That would have been a mark against her on her I-can-be-a-good-mom pros and cons list (all cons so far) that Regina had surely compiled.

Emma nodded down to the covered car seat sitting on the floor next to Regina as little cooing sounds could be heard from within. "Did you sneak another peek at my file and adopt another one of my kids?"

Regina didn't even bat an eye. In fact, her smile grew even larger. "I have a proposition for you, Sheriff."

Emma sighed and stepped back to allow Regina in, mentally preparing herself for the verbal abuse that came with all of their talks and forced herself to ignore how short Regina's dress was. "I have a name, you know."

"Is sheriff of our lovely little town not one of them?" Regina asked. Emma noticed her eyes rested on the empty bottles of alcohol she had forgotten to throw away. Usually, Mary Margaret would have tidied up a bit as she was the "Mother Hen" of their loft so to speak, but she must have been in a hurry for work this morning.

"So what's this?" Emma dodged her question, sitting down on the sofa and motioning to the carrier.

Regina looked around awkwardly before choosing to stand, clasping her hands in front of her. Emma noticed her eyes glancing at her underwear, and quickly repositioned herself from "slutty hooker" to "somewhat dignified lady". Regina's cheeks flushed as she noticed Emma had caught her staring, and she cleared her throat.

"I know our agreement with Henry has been a bit one-sided lately. However, you must understand that I take into account my son's best interest."

"So Kathryn called you."

Emma smirked as Regina averted her gaze. The mayor looked quite cute when she was flustered, as opposed to her normal "I hate everyone and have a stick up my ass" look. Though that was kinda sexy, too. Emma had contacted Kathryn last night after a few glasses of wine, explaining her situation and how she thought it was unfair. Surprisingly, Kathryn had agreed with her and had promised to talk to Regina. So why was the mayor in such a good mood?

"Yes," Regina answered, brushing a wrinkle out of her dress. "However, we came to a compromise on something. Before I allow you your full half custody over Henry, you must realize the reality of motherhood. Taking care of a 10-year-old is a lot different than taking care of an infant, though it poses its own challenges. So, we both agreed…" Regina lifted the blanket off the carrier to reveal a robotic, yet eerily life-like baby doll nestled within, dressed in a pink outfit, unblinking blue eyes staring into blank space. "Meet Lucy."

Emma stared at the doll, then Regina, more than creeped out. "You named it?"

Regina glared at her in annoyance, picking up the doll and bouncing it lightly in her arms. "She. Not It. And yes, she responds to her name. Aside from a silicone body and immobile exterior, Lucy is that of a newborn baby. She cries, wets her diaper, and must be attended to at all times. You will be caring for her starting today, Monday morning, through Sunday. If you pass, I will allow you full half custody. If not, you will only have supervised visits. And you're forbidden from leaving it in the care of other people."

"You have got to be kidding me," Emma said. "My future relationship with my son is determined by a robot baby?!"

Regina handed the doll over along with a pink diaper bag with a white duck on the front. "You should be grateful I didn't give you a boy. Girls are much easier to handle, as they don't pee every time you open their diaper."

"But—" Emma was cut off as the doll began screaming as though she had chucked it against the wall. "What's wrong with it?!" She yelled over the noise, causing the doll to scream louder.

"You dropped her neck back," Regina explained, helping Emma reposition her arms so the doll's neck was supported. "Remember, she can't hold her head up by herself yet. And yelling in front of her also affects your score."

Emma held the baby up, looking for a hidden camera or microphone. "I'm being watched?" She accidentally dropped the neck back again, causing it to scream louder. "Shit! I mean, shoot!"

"It has a sensor and it times how long it takes to find out what she needs and how long it takes you to make her calm again." Regina offered her a mega-watt smile, thoroughly enjoying Emma's torment. "Enjoy motherhood, Miss Swan."

Emma watched Regina go, staring at the shut door in silence. It seems the doll shared her skepticism, as it had stopped screaming. "What a bitch."

The baby cooed in agreement, making Emma smile. "You think anyone will notice if we take the week off work?"

By the time Emma got herself presentable and ready to go out the door, the doll had needed fed (with real formula), burped, and changed. (Emma discovered it really did wet its diapers. She hoped it only had the ability to drain water and nothing else.) Ruby was looking after the station today, but Emma had decided to go check in to see how things were going.

"Alright, now how do I get this seat buckled in?" Emma mused aloud, cluelessly looking at the diagram on the back of the car seat.

After 15 minutes and still not having figured it out, Emma gave up. "Fuck it," she muttered very quietly, hoping the doll wouldn't pick up on her language. It began to cry, and she bounced it until it calmed down again. "Now I know you can't ride on my lap since that's technically illegal, so we're gonna do this another way." Emma sat the doll up in the passenger seat and wrapped the belt buckle around it before duct taping its head to the seat to ensure its head wouldn't fall forward.

"All good?" She checked. The doll cooed happily in response. "Just for the record, Kathryn, if you're listening, I wouldn't do this with a real baby. I mean, is this really going to determine my continuing a relationship with Henry?" The blonde chewed on her lip as she eyed the doll, knowing she had to have a bad score already. If Regina's threat was true, she would lose everything. And she couldn't do that to her son. She wouldn't leave him again.

Emma carefully unwrapped the doll, putting it back in its carrier and choosing to walk the 4 blocks to the station. When she arrived at the station, her arm was aching from the weight of the carrier and she was on edge from having to stop twice to tend to the doll. Ruby was waiting with a steaming cup of coffee for her, having organized her files and handled the phone calls.

"Are you helping Mother Superior with the nursery?" Ruby asked upon seeing the covered carrier.

"No, I regained custody of my other kid," Emma answered.

An awkward silence followed as Ruby blinked in surprise. She must not have realized Emma had been joking. Emma lifted the blanket to reveal the doll. "This is Lucy. She's the one kid Regina is allowing me to spend time with."

Regina grimaced at her words. "Yikes. Is this a bet between you two or something?"

"It's part of our custody agreement that I wasn't informed of. I gotta take care of this doll for a week to see whether or not I can take care of Henry. If I fail, I get supervised visits only."

Ruby smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Em. I know this has been hard on you."

Emma shrugged in response. "I'm pretty used to getting the short end of the stick. Part of me knows this is Regina being spiteful of the fact that she has to share her son with someone, but part of me knows she's really looking out for what's best for him."

"Part of me knows she's into you," Ruby muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

After the trip to the station, Emma decided to stop by Granny's for a quick bite to eat. Upon hearing no sounds coming from the rather noisy doll, Emma got her meal to go, knowing that silence is the calm before the storm.

"Hello, Emma!" Granny greeted her, not batting an eye at the carrier. "I'll have your order ready to go in a few minutes!"

"Thanks, Granny," Emma thanked her, rocking the carrier back and forth to keep the doll subdued.

The silence didn't last long, as the doll began to cry again, prompting Emma to pick it up and begin cooing to it, shushing it and praying that no one noticed the sheriff rocking a fake baby. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing Emma had done, not by a long shot, but she was still rather new to Storybrooke and small-town people were known to be pretty judgmental.

"Might I suggest covering her with a blanket and swaying instead of bouncing?"

Emma looked up as Mr. Gold limped over, dressed in a black suit and tie and leaning heavily on a black cane. She narrowed her eyes at the smirk upon his face, not trusting the man ever since he rigged the election and tried to take Ashley's baby. Whenever Mr. Gold started a conversation with you, it was best to walk in the other direction.

Emma decided to face him and be unlike everyone else in this town. It was time Gold got a taste of his own medicine. "Are you the reason for me caring for this doll, Gold?"

Gold remained aloof, his expression frustratingly neutral. "I don't know what you mean, Miss Swan. I won't judge you for choosing to take care of a fake doll, though I was under the impression they were made for children. I was simply suggesting a few tips that have worked for me."

Emma quirked an eyebrow, thoroughly surprised. Gold had a kid? "You were the one who helped me get half-custody of Henry. Are you double-sided and working with Regina, too?"

Gold limped forward to grab a to-go cup of coffee from Ruby's outstretched hand, dropping a few bills in exchange for the drink. "I try to avoid altercations with the mayor as much as I can, Miss Swan. Have a nice day."

Emma shrugged off the weird feeling that had crept up on her, finding out (with irritation) that Gold was right. The doll's breathing slowed as if it had fallen asleep just as Granny returned with her meal. Emma left the restaurant and headed to the park, unable to shake the sense that someone was watching her.

As it turns out, she was right. She had just unwrapped her hamburger to eat and was rocking the carrier with the heel of her boot when Henry appeared out of nowhere, startling her and waking the doll. "Hey, Emma!" The boy chirped, sitting on the top of the picnic table in his school uniform with his army-green backpack settled against his back.

"Hey, kid," Emma greeted, trying to hide her irritation as she rocked the upset doll.

Henry's brow furrowed as he realized what she was doing. "What's that? A present for someone?"

"It's a doll. And no, it's a… a test, of sorts."

"It's noisy," Henry complained, covering his ears.

"Yeah," Emma agreed, wishing she could do the same. She suddenly realized it wasn't time for school to be out yet. "Kid, it's 1 in the afternoon. What are you doing out of school already?"

Henry instantly stiffened, and Emma knew she had caught him. "Uh, today was early out day. School holiday." The boy shrugged and tried to act casual, but Emma saw right through him.

"Oh yeah? What holiday?" Emma asked.

"Earth day."

Emma opened her mouth to retort, then ultimately realized she had no idea when Earth day was. So she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "Well, I guess I'll invite Mary Margaret over since school is done for the day."

"No!" Henry panicked, reaching for the phone.

Emma smirked at him, pulling the cell from his reach. Henry sighed and his shoulders slumped forward, knowing he had been caught in a lie. "Okay, it's not Earth day today and I'm supposed to be in school. But I wanted to come see you. I don't get to very often, and Mom is being really strict lately."

Emma's smirk turned into a look of sympathy. The poor kid just wanted attention. She couldn't blame him for wanting a few hours reprieve from his military-like life. He was on a schedule at all times, and if he strayed away from it even for an hour, he would get lectured and grounded. How Emma wished she could take him away from Storybrooke and start over. But she couldn't. Kathryn would never allow it, and Henry had to love Regina at least a little, though he hid it well. But if she could prove she was worthy… she could gain full custody and let Regina have visits with him.

Emma laid a hand on the boy's arm. "I'm sorry, kid. But hey, if all goes well this week, we'll have plenty of time to spend together."

Henry's face lit up, the smile stretching across his face illuminating the little freckles around his nose. "Really? You're joining Operation Cobra and bringing back the happy endings?"

Emma nodded. "Yep. But I'm going to need your help. You have to go back to school and stay there, okay?"

"Okay!" Henry jumped off the picnic table, practically shaking in excitement. "I'll go back right now!"

"Take a snack for the road." Emma handed him her fries, knowing they were his favorite. The boy hugged her quickly before taking off down the sidewalk, his backpack bouncing on his back with every step he took. And Emma suddenly felt hopeful. She could do this.

3 days later, all hope had been thrown out the window. Mary Margaret winced as she entered the apartment to see Emma nursing a beer in one hand, feeding the doll with the other. The doll had woken her every 2 hours during the night, stealing what little rest she had. Emma knew she looked like crap; her eyes were blood-shot, her hair was frizzy (even taking a 5-minute shower seemed impossible), and her patience was thin. Even poor Mary Margaret looked more stressed than usual, though when Emma had offered to rent a room at Granny's for a few nights, the woman had refused.

"If you try the beer instead of the formula, it might put it to sleep faster," Mary Margaret suggested with a sympathetic smile.

Emma took another drink of her beer and scoffed. "I wish. If I knew taking care of a fake baby for the week was going to be this difficult, I would have told Regina to shove it where the sun don't shine."

From the look on Mary Margaret's face, they both knew that was a lie. Henry meant everything to her, and she would go through hell or high water to spend even a minute with him. She had to give Regina props, though; if what Regina said was true about girls being easier than boys, Emma could see why she was always in a bitchy mood. And Henry was a really good kid. Deep down inside, Regina Mills had a heart. And Emma wanted to get to know it.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get a room at Granny's?" Emma tried again as Mary Margaret went to grab a beer as well (the woman had drunk more these past 3 days than Emma ever witnessed before).

"Absolutely not!" Mary Margaret came to take the doll from her, positioning it over her shoulder before lightly patting the small of its back. Emma watched her with admiration. Her friend was going to make a really good mother someday. Mary Margaret always talked about wanting kids and had a natural nurturing characteristic about her that shone through. In truth, it made Emma jealous; she had no idea what she was doing.

"Why don't you just go talk to Regina? She's a mother, I'm sure she'll understand what you're going through," Mary Margaret suggested.

Emma shook her head. "The whole point of me taking care of the doll is to prove that I'm worthy enough to take care of my real kid. If I talk to Regina, I am admitting defeat and I'll lose Henry forever."

The schoolteacher simply shook her head and smiled. "You are so cute. You really don't see the real reason why she's doing this?"

"To make my life miserable."

Mary Margaret began rocking the doll again as it let out a burping sound over her shoulder. "She likes you. Yes, she is nervous that you are stepping on her turf and becoming closer with Henry, but she also respects you. She's jealous of how well you do with him and that she can't find the capability to do that. She just doesn't know how to relate and talk to children. She's probably been expecting you to show up on her doorstep since the very first day."

Silence fell over the room as Emma pondered the theory. Regina had been less rude to her lately, and even when she would try and undermine her, there was something in her tone that hadn't been there before. And those eyes… how they roamed Emma's body and seemed as if they could see right through to her soul. And when they would talk about Henry they were relaxed and civil, like two co-moms that had known each other for years. Would Emma dare to go so far and say they were… friends?

That wall of rejection wrapped around her heart threw itself up again, and Emma shot down the theory. "Regina hates me. She is doing this out of spite. She wants Henry all to herself and will do anything to make it happen, no matter if Henry is caught in the middle and ends up getting hurt. She's evil, deep down to her very core."

Mary Margaret surprised her by setting the doll down and wrapping her in a tight embrace. Emma couldn't help but relax into her arms, inhaling the scent of clean linen emanating from the woman that made her feel safe. Along with that came a pang of sadness. If Emma had a mother like Mary Margaret, she wouldn't be in this situation. She wouldn't feel like she screwed everything up. She would be able to confide in her and lean on her to help her through the struggles that life brought. So she decided to do the next best thing that she hadn't allowed herself to do in a long time; she allowed herself to open up and trust.

"Okay, I'll go see Regina tomorrow."

Mary Margaret pulled back and offered her a wide smile. "Wonderful! I am so glad you decided to take my advice!"

Emma took Mary Margaret's hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze. "You're my best friend. Who else's advice am I gonna take?"

Friday evening, Emma loaded the doll in her Bug and left for Regina's, promising to fill Mary Margaret in as much as she could. The woman had been like a giddy teenager as she helped Emma with her hair and makeup and gave her a black skirt to wear with a soft baby blue knitted sweater that was a little small but worked in her favor by showing off her cleavage. Lastly, Mary Margaret had fastened a silver chain around her neck with a diamond heart pendant that she claimed her mother had given to her.

"And now I have someone to pass it on to," Mary Margaret had said with happy tears in her eyes.

Emma played with the necklace as she knocked on the door and waited for a response. Just knowing that she carried something so sentimental from her best friend made her feel calm and not so alone.

The door swung open to reveal a very annoyed Regina sporting a baby blue button up dress shirt and a pencil skirt, whose expression quickly morphed to shock, then happiness, then back to annoyed. "What are you doing here, Miss Swan? Your week is not over yet."

Emma licked her lips, glanced down to the carrier in her hand. With a deep breath, she revealed the reason she was standing awkwardly on the mayor's doorstep at 8 in the evening. "I can't do this."

Regina casually crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, an arrogant smirk on her face. It painted a picture in Emma's mind of when she was 15 and had saved up enough money from mowing lawns and shoveling sidewalks to buy a video camera that she had been wanting for years. A cruel kid from the same group home had promptly snatched it out of her hands and then smashed it to the ground before posing in the same way Regina was. It put Emma on edge, and she took a step back, both frightened and angry.

"Well well. It seems someone is not fit to be a mother," Regina sneered, her plum-stained lips curling upwards.

Emma's first instinct was to lash out. She wanted to grab a fistful of those silky locks and tear them from the scalp. She also wanted to slam the woman against the wall and kiss her, but she did neither of those things. Instead, she turned the other cheek and did something that surprised them both.

"I know. I messed up. But I realized that I can't do this alone. I also realized how admirable it was for you to adopt my son and take care of him. How hard that must have been doing that all alone. To endure sleepless nights, dirty diapers, fevers, injuries, all while trying to stay sane and teach him what he needs to develop and grow." Emma paused to see Regina was listening intently, shell-shocked at her speech. Emma was shocked herself to discover she meant every word coming from her mouth. "Henry is a great kid. He's smart and kind and creative. Because of you. I don't want to take him away—I just want to be a part of his life and help him become an even better kid. And maybe… maybe I want to know his mother, too."

Silence descended upon them, and Emma was half-afraid that Regina was going to slam the door in her face. Once she had recovered from the shock she relaxed her pose and stepped forward, her hands clasped in front of her. "Thank you, Emma."

Emma couldn't contain the grin that appeared upon her face at the fact that Regina had called her by her real name for the first time instead of "Miss Swan" or "Sheriff Swan" or "Idiot". Not that she minded being called those names (except for the last one). But being called Emma was just so much more personal, and the water under the bridge receded a little.

"Come on in." Regina stepped back to let Emma inside, steadying her as she almost fell forward with the carrier in hand. "Henry is just finishing up his homework, and then we're going to have a movie and ice cream sundae night."

"Sounds fun," Emma commented. It seems the schedule Henry had to live by wasn't so bad after all.

"Emma! What are you doing here?!" Henry cried and wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist.

Emma hugged him back, smiling as Regina stroked the boy's wild brown locks. "Your mom offered to help me take care of your baby sister this weekend."

Henry giggled at that. "I always wanted a baby sibling."

"Have at it." Emma pushed the carrier toward the boy and followed Regina into the kitchen to help with the dessert. "You know, I make a mean ice cream sundae."

Regina scoffed lightly as she scooped vanilla ice cream from the container into sundae cups. "Why does that not surprise me?"

Emma hopped up onto the counter and swung her legs back and forth, popping a maraschino cherry into her mouth and enjoying the sweet syrup. "By the night is over, your thighs are gonna be thick and you'll be cursing my name because you couldn't stop eating."

"I see you've been hanging around the teenagers at the arcade lately," Regina teased, licking the spoon in such a way that made Emma glad she wasn't standing. The woman even had chemistry with a spoon! How was the even possible?

"YOLO," Emma said, attempting to make a gang sign with her fingers.

As soon as the sundaes were made (with extra milk duds and gummy bears—Emma's "specialty"), the doll began to cry. They hurried into the living room to see Henry rocking the doll gently and feeding it the rest of the formula from a bottle Emma had made earlier. Emma stared in shock while Regina smiled, ever the proud mother. "And that is why I always allowed him to play with dolls. He'll make a great father someday," Regina said.

"Yeah, Emma, this isn't hard at all. Ooh, sundaes!" Henry all but threw the doll onto the couch as he scrambled to reach one of the sundaes in Emma's hands. The doll bounced off face-first before landing on the wood floor with a hard thunk where it then began to scream.

Regina shrugged as Emma gave her a disbelieving look. "Not all parents are perfect."

Emma woke during the night to Regina shaking her, the lamp on the table turned on and the doll nestled within her arms, screaming its head off. She blinked herself awake, her head still foggy from sleep. They had had a really fun night watching Avengers movies and consuming way too much sugar. She had carried Henry to bed and then bid Regina goodnight, and apparently had crashed so hard from the sugar that she slept through the doll's crying.

"Emma, she needs to be changed and fed," Regina was saying.

"Just 5 more minutes…" Emma mumbled.

"You sleepy little idiot," Regina muttered before grabbing the doll from her. "You're lucky I have a soft spot for you."

"I have a soft spot too…" Emma mumbled before promptly snoring again.

She was woken straight from her foggy mind as Regina pressed her lips against hers. Was she still dreaming? Or was Regina kissing her to the background sound of a crying baby? Emma's eyes fluttered open to meet Regina's, soft brown staring into wide-eyed green.

Regina pulled back, coughing to clear the electric air between them. "You—you're a heavy sleeper. The baby has been crying for hours."

Emma sat up a little more, offering Regina a gentle smile. "Will you show me how to calm her down?" She asked, not wanting to embarrass Regina any more though inside she was jumping for joy. The mayor had kissed her! Mary Margaret had been right! And Ruby… and probably everyone in town...

Regina laid the baby on the bed, pulling the pants down and expertly releasing the Velcro tabs on the diaper. "First of all, you put the diaper on backwards. That might be why she's fussy."

"I thought it was one size fits all," Emma mumbled, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

Regina chuckled warmly as she put on a new diaper and dressed the doll once more. "You're lucky we're co-parenting on this. Or else I'd never let Henry out of my sight again."

A flare of anger hit Emma harshly, clearing all tiredness from her mind. "This little experiment was cruel, Regina. I take damn good care of Henry. It doesn't matter that I didn't when he was little."

Regina pinned her with an equally dangerous stare. "Yes, it does! You walk right into our lives, thinking you can claim rights to my son, but you know nothing about him! You weren't here these past 10 years! You didn't have to deal with sleepless nights and tantrums. All you did was sign the papers and went on your way like he was a degenerate dog and not a human being!"

"I made a mistake!" Emma yelled, feeling as though her eyes were bulging in their sockets. "And I'm trying to make up for it! But you have to make things so damn difficult all the time!" Tears filled Emma's eyes as she spoke. "I love that little boy. He stole my heart the moment he found me in Boston. And if you think that you can keep him from me because of this fake doll test, you have another thing coming."

Regina was silent for a moment, her brown eyes almost black with anger. Then she leaned forward, crashing her lips onto Emma's and knocking her back against the headboard. One hand found purchase on the back of Emma's neck, the other on her waist.

"Screw the test," Regina mumbled against her lips. "You idiot—don't you see it was you I wanted this whole time?"

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Emma gasped as Regina bit down on her bottom lip harshly, hard enough to draw blood.

Regina pulled back, her eyes narrowed into slits. "For 8 months, you allowed me to walk all over you. I don't mean the election, or the fact that I made almost everyone in town turn on you. With Henry, you were so damn compliant. I wanted you to fight, to show me that you wanted him."

"So now that I'm here, did I pass?" Emma husked.

"With flying colors," Regina answered before delving back in and claiming her mouth, tongues wrestling and hands tugging on tight clothing.

"You're a bitch," Emma hissed into Regina's mouth, earning her a bite on her lip hard enough to make her yelp. Everything was happening too fast; this was all so confusing. She had gone from hating Regina to thinking she was totally sexy to fighting with her to making out with her, and her brain just couldn't keep up. But she forced herself to pull back.

"Tell me you love him," she ordered, staring into Regina's eyes.

"Henry is my whole world," Regina answered.

Emma didn't have to use her superpower to know that it was true. So she leaned in to kiss her again. But before they could continue, the doll began screaming again. Regina growled in annoyance and ripped the battery pack out of the doll's back, silencing the crying and looking like a lion that had just ripped out the throat of a wildebeest.

Regina all but lunged for Emma next, ripping her sweater over her head as Emma's hands pushed down the tight skirt that she was thankful she had borrowed. Jeans get in the way and ruin the mood. Regina must have been thinking the same thing, as her hand quickly found purchase on Emma's panties and began rubbing her earnestly through the fabric.

"Oh my god!" Emma groaned, back arching and lips meeting Regina's as the woman began ravishing her again. It had been so long since she had been touched, and now she had the woman she had been secretly pining for for nearly a year being the one to make her feel so good.

"Lock—the—the door…" Emma panted as Regina ripped off her bra as if it wasn't the hardest thing in the world to open.

"Don't want Henry to see his mommies getting along so well?" Regina teased, nipping and sucking on her pale neck.

"Regina…" Emma groaned as she felt a bruise beginning to form in under her sensitive skin.

Regina growled and ripped her panties off, leaping off the bed to lock the door with one hand. Quick as a flash she was back, entering Emma's soaked sex with two fingers and leaving her breathless. "You don't realize how long I've waited to do this, Emma…"

Emma gave a cry of pleasure as Regina curled her fingers upwards to hit her g-spot, the sound of her name coming from the mayor's lips enough to put her on the edge. She wanted nothing more to agree with Regina, as she had wanted the woman the moment she had set eyes on her. Regina Mills was a selfish bitch, but deep down she had a heart. Deep down…

"Why the hell did you stop?!" Emma yelped as Regina pulled her fingers out of her and casually wiped them on the bed sheets.

"Your mind was on other things, apparently." Regina shrugged though her lips graced just a hint of a smile.

"I was thinking about you! I've wanted you since I first came to Storybrooke! Now please…" Emma grabbed Regina's hand with both of hers and tried to guide those skillful fingers back where they once were.

Regina slowly slid one finger back into her. "Interesting… why don't you tell me more…"

"I swear to god, Regina, if you don't fuck me right now like your life depends on it I will make your life hell!"

"How so?" Regina teased, pressing another finger against her entrance but not entering.

Emma panted and fought to think. "I—I'll refuse to turn my paperwork in!"

"How dare you," Regina growled, pressing her hand against Emma's windpipe and making it harder for her to breathe as she pumped two fingers inside of her as fast as she could.

Emma knew the woman was teasing by the twinkle in her eye. The hand on her throat was all too real, however, and she was surprised to feel her walls clenching around Regina's fingers at the feeling. The dizziness combined with the friction from her fingers was making the experience even more pleasurable, and she attempted to lift her head up so Regina would then press down harder.

"Take. It. Back," Regina growled, punctuating each word with a hard thrust.

Emma grit her teeth and shook with the effort of trying not to cum. She wouldn't allow herself to give in.

Her body seemed to have other ideas as Regina's thumb came up to caress her clit, sending sparks of pleasure through her that had her hips bucking against her fingers. A silent scream is all that escaped as Emma came, her arousal gushing around Regina's fingers and onto the sheets underneath her.

She gasped as Regina's fingers moved faster. Regina wasn't going to stop until she gave in.

"Look at me, Miss Swan," Regina ordered, her eyes staring into Emma's own. The woman grinned ferally as she felt Emma's pulse beginning to slow. Emma began to see black spots dance across her vision.

"I take it back!" Emma gasped as a painful orgasm pushed her over the edge into unconsciousness.

When Emma woke, Regina was cleaning her with a warm washcloth. When the woman noticed she was awake, she grabbed a glass of water from the nightstand and held it to her lips. Emma gulped it gratefully to her fill before lying back against the pillows. "You stayed," she said.

"Yes I did," Regina answered, pulling the comforter over Emma's naked body as she shivered. "You passed out."

Emma nervously glanced toward the door. "You don't think the kid heard us, did you?"

Regina chuckled. "He would sleep through a tornado if I let him."

Emma didn't comment as Regina laid down next to her, now dressed in a pair of blue silk pajamas. She did however, notice how stunning the woman looked and realized Regina hadn't gotten a turn. As Emma reached down between the woman's legs to give back the mind-blowing sex she had just received, Regina gently pulled her hand away.

Emma frowned, and the mayor smiled, leaning forward to give her a lingering kiss. "What about you?" Emma pouted.

"I can wait another day. I feel satisfied just making you feel so good," Regina answered.

"But—"

"Shh," Regina whispered, putting a finger to the blonde's lips to silence her. "You passed out. You look exhausted, and after dealing with that doll for a week you need all the sleep you can get. Rest now."

Almost as if it was against her will, Emma's eyes slid closed. A smile appeared on her face as Regina kissed her forehead, gentle as a lamb compared to how she treated her earlier. "Good night, Emma," were the last words she heard before sleep came to carry her away.

"Regina, I got it, will you cut it out?!" Emma grumbled as Regina tried to show her how to flip the pancake in the pan.

"You're burning it! Just flip it—you know what, never mind. I got it. You go pour the orange juice," Regina said, bumping Emma's hip and moving her off to the side.

Emma huffed and crossed her arms. "I thought you were supposed to be teaching me mom expertise."

"I am teaching you. By making you watch."

"You're such a bitch," Emma grumbled, both cranky from waking up early and being unable to make a simple pancake.

"Pour the orange juice and then we'll move onto the next lesson," Regina instructed, pretending she didn't hear the name Emma called her.

"What lesson?" Henry entered the kitchen dressed in a tank top and boxers, his hair sticking up every which way. "Why are you here so early, Emma?"

Emma blushed at his question. "Your mom is giving me tips on adult stuff."

Henry wrinkled his nose like he smelled something awful. "Oh."

Regina grinned at him over her shoulder. "Maybe you should show Emma how to make a perfect pancake, Henry. She could learn a thing or two from you."

"Pancakes are easy!" Henry gloated. He then looked around in confusion. "Hey, where's that doll you were taking care of?"

"I gave it back to Mother Superior," Emma answered, buttering the toast.

Regina set down a plate of pancakes for her to put butter on top of. Sensing her anxiety, the woman squeezed Emma's shoulder gently. "You're doing great," she whispered.

Emma relaxed slightly at those words, though she cringed as she watched Henry take a bite of burnt bacon. The boy smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "Great breakfast, Emma."

Assuming her son was trying to be polite, Emma rolled her eyes.

"No, he really does like burnt bacon and pancakes. I assume he takes after his father in that aspect," Regina said quietly.

As Henry finished his breakfast and ran off to the library to check out the newest comic book, Emma finally allowed herself to relax. "So? How did I do for my first mom lesson?" She asked Regina, who was sipping on a cup of earl grey tea.

"I give it an 8 out of 10. Now you have to teach me the new lingo that all the kids are doing these days," Regina answered.

"Okay." Emma smiled, pulling the woman in for a kiss. "Right after I teach you a few pointers in How to Make a Woman Scream."

Emma may have failed the doll test, but she had gained points in Regina's little black book, earning her a place in Henry's life and Regina's heart. For the first time in her life, Emma could say she was glad she failed at something.

Hello again. :) Hope you enjoyed this story. I couldn't resist adding a bit of smut, I love me some dirty Swan Queen. Any who, leave a review if you want, I love reading them. Much love!