The Way

Chapter Three

Emma's eyes traveled to the door with a vague interest at an unexpected knock. In her peripheral vision she witnessed her mother and father halt and exchange glances. Her brows furrowed slightly as Snow stepped to the door and pulled it open. Leaning her head slightly to see who was there, Emma's lips parted a few millimeters when black boots and a black jacket appeared as her mother closed the door.

"Regina?" she asked, standing upright from the point where she leaned against the back of the couch. She closed her magazine with one hand, setting it on the couch before crossing her arms. "What are you doing here?" Then she realized something was missing. "And where's Henry?"

Snow graciously offered to take Regina's trench coat from her but the dark haired woman shrugged her away in a manner that was oddly...polite. Still, she seemed uncomfortable. It didn't take long for her to find Emma's eyes from across the room, and to respond to her inquiry.

"He said he wasn't feeling well. He insisted I join you all regardless." She spoke to her audience as a whole, but her eyes never strayed from Emma's. She slipped off her gloves, seeming nervous and borderline defensive. Emma couldn't help but assume the woman was lying, and she was fully prepared to call her out.

But the accusation never came. The woman claimed she was trying to change. Emma would give her the benefit of the doubt...for now.

"Okay...so...you didn't answer my first question," Emma continued, walking toward her former nemesis. "Why are you here?" One of her eyebrows was raised, and she thought she saw Regina lean backward a bit.

Snow and Charming hovered at the edge of their daughter's line of sight, also appearing quit nervous. It was to be expected. Regina and Emma had never exactly gotten along. Emma saw Regina cast a glance their way without moving her head. When she looked back, she too had an eyebrow raised.

"I was invited, Miss Swan."

Surprised, Emma's mouth opened slightly and she looked at her mother and father. Charming looked from Emma's eyes to his wife.

"You invited her, Mother?" the blonde asked, incredulous. "Why?"

"Emma, sweetie," Snow whispered, smiling. "This is no way to behave in front of our guest."

"Can't blame the girl for seeing this for what it is, Snow White," Regina piped up, beginning to re-glove her hands. "...A bad idea." She turned to leave. Emma rolled her head and sighed before she called out to her.

"Regina...wait, please," she said, stepping toward and and offering the woman's hesitant dark eyes as reassuring a smile as she could muster. "I'm sorry. I just...I had a really long night and you are about the last person I expected to see in my kitchen first thing on a Sunday—"

"Emma!" Snow interrupted, her eyes stern. Emma looked from her mother back to Regina. The latter had raised her brow and did not look at all reassured.

"Have you finished, Miss Swan?" the former mayor issued at last, clasping her hands in front of her long coat.

Emma studied her for another few moments and then nodded.

Charming chose that moment to clang a pot against the stove, breaking the awkward silence.

For the second time, Regina removed her gloves, and this time she slipped her coat off and placed it on the nearby coat hook. Emma led the way to the cupboards and began to gather dishes to set the small table. Snow busied herself with making small talk with Regina, though she was clearly just as nervous as Emma about having the former evil queen under their roof. Emma watched out of the corner of her eye as Regina moved to help Snow retrieve salt and pepper, butter, and some pads on which to set the searing hot pans when the food was ready. Their motions were awkward and tense, but Emma understood. The feud between these two went way back. It couldn't be easy to tolerate each other in such a...normal...setting. Still, she gave them credit. Regina had been there for five whole minutes and they hadn't killed each other yet.