The Only Exception (Swan Queen)

Chapter 26

How strange it is, that after all that we are strangers again. ~Lang Leav.

Emma blushed slightly. "Hi," she said nervously, unable to say anything else.

Regina's gaze softened and her face fell slightly. "You're here?" she said in disbelief.

Emma shifted her weight awkwardly as she stared towards the ground. "Um... Yeah, I guess I am," she mumbled. Nice going, Swan. She scolded herself for the lame reaction.

She looked up again and look at the other woman. Her face fell.

Her raven hair was pulled back into a flat, effortless bun. The dark circles under her eyes were noticeable against her soft, olive skin tone. Around her eyes were slightly red and puffy. Her irises had dulled slightly from their old, soft cocoa colour and was replaced with a rougher umber colour. Her usually soft, perfect wrinkled lips were cracked and broken with close to no colour in them.

Gone were her power suits, tight skirts, and heels. Instead, a pair of white fluffy socks, plain black leggings and a worn, grey, baggy hoodie. The hoodie, Emma recognised, was the one she stole from her when they spend nights together. The thought of her keeping it made her smile slightly.

Regina was slouched over slightly with her hands stuffed in the front pocket of the hoodie. She looked much smaller, more fragile. She wasn't the same strong and confident woman she used to be. Her overall appearance made Emma's heart feel like it was being squeezed from inside her chest.

I did that to her. This is my fault.

Henry cleared his throat. "Yeah, I found her in Boston," he clarified, breaking the silence that was lingering in the room.

Regina stared at him. "That's where you went?"

He nodded. "Well, I went to New York to look first. Boston was a close second," he explained with a small shrug.

"At least you're home safe," she mumbled, pulling him in for another hug. She pulled away after a moment and lightly tapped his arm. "You should probably head to bed, it's late," she told him in a soft but stern voice.

He chuckled. "Alright, mom. Love you," he said. placing a light kiss on her forehead.

Emma couldn't help but smile at the affection shown between the two. Even though Henry was nearly sixteen he was still the same little boy who loved his mother.

He turned to her and smiled. "Night, Ma."

"Night, Kid," she responded quickly and watched him dart up the stairs to bed.

"Thank you for bringing him back," Regina mumbled. "I thought that was why he'd run off, but I wasn't expecting to see you again." She stared down at the floor as she spoke.

Emma frowned. "I'll always bring him back to you. He's your son. You're more his mother than I will ever be," she told her.

Regina's eyes looked slightly teary as her head lifted to meet her gaze.

Emma let out a soft cough after a minute, breaking the silence that had started to linger between them. "I should probably get going and see if I can get a room at Granny's," she mumbled.

"You could stay here," Regina offered, wrapping her arms around her torso. "It would probably be easier since it's so late," she added. Emma opened her mouth to respond but was cut off. "If that's okay, I mean. I don't wanna-"

She chuckled softly, bringing the older woman's ramble to an end. "It's okay, Gina."

They both stiffened at the old nickname. Emma bit her lower lip. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Regina shook her head. "Don't be. You never called me anything else. It's instinct, I guess."

Emma shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and rocked nervously on her heels. "Yeah," she mumbled, staring down at the ground.

After a few seconds, she looked up slowly to look at her again.

They stayed locked there for a few seconds before Regina averted her gaze. "Some of your stuff is still upstairs, it's um... In the guest room," she explained, a slight red blush appearing on her cheeks.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You didn't throw it all out?" In her blind desperation to flee the town, she only took what she could grab. She assumed Regina would have gotten rid of the rest.

Regina shifted slightly. "Some of it but other things... I didn't have it in me," she said honestly as she tugged at the sleeves of the hoodie. She coughed awkwardly, breaking the awkward silence. "Well, um, you can make yourself comfortable in the guest room. Um, goodnight, Emma," she said quickly, stumbling over her words.

She nodded. "Thank you, um, for letting me stay. Goodnight, Regina." She shot her a polite smile.

Regina nodded and headed up the stairs without another word.

Emma soon followed, making her way towards the guest room. Her eyes briefly meeting Regina's before she walked into her room.

She opened the door and walked into the room. She flicked on the light and pulled off her boots, noticing two boxes sitting in the corner and headed over. One of them held some clothes and a pair of old boots. The other one held photos and other little things.

She flicked through a few of the still framed photographs. One of herself, Regina, and Henry all together, one of her and Henry, and one of her and Regina. Their arms were wrapped around each other's waists holding one another close, and Emma's lips were pressed to her cheek.

She couldn't help but frown. We were so happy. Why did I have to go and fuck it all up?

At the bottom of the box was her baby blanket. She held the old, delicate piece of knitted wool in her hands, admiring it after all these years. She ran her fingertips along the fine thread embroidering her name before putting it down.

Emma headed to the bathroom and on her way back she noticed the door of Regina's room was half open. She grew curious because Regina had always slept with her door closed. The soft, low light from the hall seeped in onto her sleeping form. Emma couldn't help but notice the thing she was clinging close to her chest – the red leather jacket.