Another Charming Life

Chapter 1

This is one of those moments she's thankful she has relatively short hair. She had started to let it grow out from it's pixie cut and it was just beginning to rest at her collar bones but right now it was in the way. One hand braces herself against the bathroom stall wall and the other holds back her dark wavy locks as she vomits again. She knew exactly what was going on but it was still a surprise she wasn't ready for. But this would be a good thing... right?

The restroom door opens with a creak, music and voices filling the air until it closes again. The New Year's party as Aesop's was in full swing as midnight was creeping up. "Snow? You in here?"

She hesitates to answer as she catches her breath, it's taking her brain a few seconds to reboot. "..y-yeah. I'm here."

"David's looking a little lost without you. I think he may have had a few too many." She snickers."...and I think we may need to keep an eye on Ruby, we don't need a repeat of last year. " Regina is leaning close into a mirror checking her makeup and hair when she sees the paler than usual face exit the stall just over her right shoulder. "Snow?" She turns around to get a better look at her. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Not nearly enough."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Regina's eyes narrow a little as her arms cross in front of her.

Snow takes a heavy breath and slightly shakes her head. She pauses and give her friend a pitiful look. "......I'm late."

Regina's arm's drop an she stands up straight. "...you mean...?"

"I'm not sure but I think I am."

"You're late late?"

"Three?... maybe four days?"

"Well, no more drinking for you tonight." The older woman is beaming at her. Snow groans and moves to the second sink and leans on it with her head hanging. "You aren't happy about this?" Regina steps in close, almost hovering over her.

"I don't know. After Neal we tried again for so long..." Her right hand moves from the porcelain sink and rests against her stomach. "...but I suppose the universe had different plans for the timing."

Regina's hip leans against the sink she had just been facing. "You know David is going to be ecstatic, don't you?" She places a hand against Snow's left shoulder. "If you're worri-.."

Snow nods. "No, I know."

"Then what's bothering you?"

"I guess... I guess I'm the one not ready to do this all over again." She stands upright, looking at herself in the mirror. "I resigned myself to thinking we were done, that Emma and Neal were what we were meant for. I went back to work, we moved, started making plans..." Bending over, she turns the faucet on and splashes her face as a new wave of nausea passed over her. Regina waits, she knew there was more than Snow was letting on. "...Principal Hoffman is retiring after this upcoming semester. I was going to throw my name in the hat but now..." The faucet shuts off. "...now I don't know."

Well this was absolutely stupid. "I, of all people, know damn well you can have a career and be a parent. I like to think I did alright raising Henry, balancing life between work and family is hard but doable... and I was a single mother." Regina stands straight from where she was leaning an opens the bathroom door. Loud music and something akin to disco lights pour into the quieter space. "...you have that idiot out there who will bend over backwards to give you and your children anything your heart desires." Out on the dance floor is a very drunk and uncoordinated Prince Charming dancing his heart out with Robin and Leroy who also looked to be equally just as hammered. Regina makes a disgusted face, those men were as white as they came with those terrible moves. Snow can't help but smile and chuckle to herself, oh yes... her husband was going to have quite the hangover tomorrow. He rarely drank, but this time of year he made an exception. Regina releases the door and it shuts again.