Chapter Text
Post Planning
Regina woke to soft lips pressing against her neck. She hummed happily, snuggling in the blonde's arms. "What time is it?" Part of her struggled with knowing that she didn't deserve the love she had. How could she? Dani would have stayed if she had deserved it, right? Then, teeth bit into the tender skin of her neck and chased away the thoughts of what could have been her life. The bed shifted as Emma rolled to check the time and then resumed her position.
"7:30," The blonde's sleepy rasp made her hate the thought of work.
Playful lips caressed her bare shoulder, eliciting a satisfied hum. "We don't have time for that, Dr. Swan." Regina bit her lower lip but couldn't suppress the grin spreading across her face. "I know. I'm not trying to start anything, but I am enjoying having you in my bed. And, to think we can do this every single day for two months if we wanted." Emma nuzzled her neck with her nose.
"I thought we agreed to only a few nights a week?"
Emma ignored her response. "Do you need to go home before we go to work, or do you want to borrow something from me?"
Something warm blossomed in the brunette's chest, hearing the underlying hint of possessiveness in Emma's words. Yet the blonde allowed her the freedom to choose; she gave her support and encouragement. Emma drove away the demons Dani created without trying. With that thought, Regina rolled to face Emma, putting their foreheads together. "Oh, what a scandal we can create if I were to show up wearing your clothes!" An evil grin blossomed. "If you will lend me a t-shirt, I think my shorts from yesterday will suffice."
"Dr. Mills is wearing casual clothes to school! What will the world think?" Emma's sarcastic comment earned an eye roll.
"I'm not that bad." Emma kissed her shoulder again.
"Right." Then, she placed a loving kiss on the top of the brunette's head. "Says the woman who wore a three-piece suit to pre-planning."
"I was assisting the admin."
Regina's mock defensiveness fell on deaf ears. "I wonder how much money will change hands now that they can prove we slept together?"
"Mal collected money from most of the Phys. Ed. department back in April when we carpooled every day. I doubt if there is anyone still betting on us."
"That's too bad. But, then again, I did take you to prom. I guess we're old news now."
Emma smirked as she tossed Regina one of her well-worn undergrad t-shirts. "Gold didn't wear a tie that day. You were the best-dressed person in the building, and that included two assistant superintendents and a few school board members."
"Someone has a good memory."
"When it comes to you, I remember every single second."
Blushing from her girlfriend's admission, the brunette shrugged and attempted to change the subject. "Well, it's the end of the year, and I am not in charge of the newbies anymore, so I can go be as slovenly as the rest of you."
"Sure, you will. I" m going to grab a quick shower. Don't you dare iron that shirt," Emerald eyes sparkled, knowing full well that Regina would still look runway ready before they stepped out the door.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Thirty minutes later, the two climbed into the bright yellow car. Regina blew out a slow breath and closed her eyes. "I can't get over how easy this feels sometimes."
Emerald eyes dance in the morning light. "Have you never been happy before?"
"I guess not. I thought I was, but I must have been mistaken." Plump lips brushed thin ones. "But I'm learning."
"That makes two of us."
Another half-hour later and the two stood in line at the faculty breakfast. "What is worth eating here?" Emma asked over her shoulder.
"Mills, I didn't know you went to Tulane?" Mal poked at her friend by yelling across the room, earning two identical eye rolls.
Red nails pulled the t-shirt away from her body. Regina looked down at the shirt like she'd never seen it before, then put her hand across her mouth in shock, miming to her friend that she'd no idea where she found the shirt.
"The two of you can give up on the farce now. If one more coach gives me a thumbs up, I might vomit all over this magnificent breakfast.
Regina snorted. "The bacon and the biscuits are usually decent. The sausages are usually burned and overly greasy. Avoid the pancakes; their rubbery. The eggs are powdered and the fruit, well, I've never had much luck with it."
Looking at her girlfriend somewhat confused, Emma handed Regina a plate and began to fill her own with bacon, biscuits, and gravy. While shooting daggers with her eyes at the coach behind them, Emma asked, "How exactly can you have luck with fruit?" Regina ignored the question entirely. At the end of the line, the blonde grabbed a fruit cup before heading to the table where Mal sat. As soon as they were both in their chairs, she picked up the fruit cup and peeled back the plastic to see a concrete block of frozen puree.
"See, I told you. I've never had much luck with it."
"You could have warned me, you know." Emma narrowed her eyes in mock anger. "Is this why Michael always joked about chipping his teeth on the peaches?"
Mal scoffed. "Probably."
"If you can hear my voice clap your hands," Belle stated without raising her voice. All the teachers sitting next to her automatically quit talking and clapped their hands twice.
"And, we're all back in kindergarten," Emma's snide remark drew matching grins from the two other women.
"You know we are worse behaved than the little kids any day," Mal retorted.
"If you can hear my voice clap your hands," the principal's secretary repeated, and more of the crowd joined. As soon as she felt like all of the conversations had stopped, Belle smiled and began talking to the group. "Thank all of you for coming on time this morning for our annual faculty breakfast. Those of you still getting breakfast, please do so quietly as we have several items on the agenda this morning. Ah, there he is...everyone, please give a round of applause to our fearless leader, Mr. Gold."
Gold limped into the room using his cane. The superintendent and several of her staff members followed quickly on his heels. Unlike Belle, he preferred using the microphone. He tapped it. "Is this on?" rang through the room, making the group wince.
He walked over to the podium and lifted a large gold plated plaque. "As many of you know, it is our tradition that the last thing done is our faculty breakfast. This is where we show our appreciation for those who have served with us, new and old alike. And, we always announce the teacher of the year." Murmuring filled the room.
Emma's brow furrowed. "When did we vote for this?"
"Around the time of Henry's accident."
"Oh." Emma looked lost as she had no idea who had been in the running. "Please tell me none of the smarmy coaches got it."
Superintendent Wolf took the microphone from Gold's hand. "Most of the time, I like to sit on the sidelines and watch these being given. But, not this year. Several months ago, I had an angry parent showing up to the county office demanding the removal of one of the new hires at LBHS. They complained that she was too close to the kids. She cared too much. I will say that when I first heard a few of the details, I was concerned. Then, I did what I've always done. I investigated. I interviewed a couple of hundred students and parents. And, do you know what I found out? Do you? I found out that Mr. Gold had one amazing new teacher on staff. Not only did this woman come in and make the best AP test scores our building has ever seen, and yes, that means she did better than our great Dr. Mills over there. But, she stepped in and protected some of our babies who have no one else. It is my pleasure to present to you the Leopold Blanchard High Teacher of the Year, Dr. Emma Swan."
"What?" Emma stared blankly at the woman in front of the room.
"Come on down, Emma. This is your moment." Wolf grinned, showing the gold caps on her back teeth.
"Wow." The blonde stumbled forward, pushed by an olive hand on the small of her back. Mal and Regina stood clapping wildly. Getting to the front, she took the trophy and admired it for a minute with tears pricking at her eyes. "Um. Wow. Babe, did you know about this?" Nervous giggles erupted around them as Regina blushed.
"Um. Thanks. I don't know what to say." Emma blew out a slow breath. "I've never stayed in a school district long enough that I thought that Teacher of the Year was something I could consider. When I moved here in the middle of the summer, it was just another school in a new town, a new state. Nothing new for me, since I change where I live nearly every year. But, unlike every other place I have been, I found warm and welcoming people from the start. Her eyes fell on Dr. Hopper.
"And, others pushed me to be a better teacher even when I thought they were an arrogant asshat." The loving smile she shined toward Regina brought an "aw" from the crowd.
Her crass language drew only a whack on the shoulder from the superintendent. "I want to say thank you. I mean it. I've never had any place to make me feel as at home as I have here. I can't wait to tackle the next year."
"Just wait until she finds out she has to write five essays bragging about what a great teacher she is for county office," Mal remarked while laughing. "I bet she won't be so thankful then."
"Oh, hush." Regina laughed. "Let her enjoy the moment before they ruin it with paperwork."
After they took a few pictures and presented Emma with a ridiculously large gift basket, she retook her seat with her friends. Superintendent Wolf handed the microphone back to the principal but conspicuously stayed at the front of the room.
A nervous chuckle ran through the crowd as Gold resumed his place in front of them. Regina grew worried, seeing the droop in his shoulders, very uncharacteristic of the man she'd known for decades. "LBHS has long been known for our hospitality. I would like you to give a warm welcome to Superintendent Wolf and the school board for joining us for breakfast. Here at LBHS, we want everyone to know that we are one big happy family."
Regina smirked at how far emerald eyes rolled every time Gold mentioned the school's name. "You do know as a teacher-leader, you should show more respect than that," she whispered in the blonde's ear, knowing Emma wouldn't change.
"There are a few people I would like to recognize for their dedication over their years of service as they are either retiring or moving on to greener pastures."
"You have no idea how many of those plaques I have collected through the years; most say thank you for your one years of service," Emma cringed, describing them to Regina under her breath. The women clapped for each of the named teachers that neither found any interest in during the year. After the six former colleagues sat down with their plaques, Gold cleared his throat and began to look shaken.
"The end of the school year is always hard because we have to say goodbye to so many lovely people. It has been my pleasure this past year to work with all of you. This has been my twenty-second year at LBHS, and it is with much regret that I must tell you that it is my last. I have decided that it is time to retire."
Regina's head whipped around so that her eyes locked on his. Her step-father's hand motioned for her to keep calm. His eyes didn't waver from hers; there had to be more to this story, but she knew this wouldn't be the time to ask.
"I won't completely disappear, but as many of you know, I went into teaching to make a difference in this community. I spend a few days a month filling in when we are shorthanded. How many classes did I substitute this year: fifteen or twenty? I have attended most of our athletic events and a few of our theatrical productions. But, as I've gotten older, it's become harder. The losses we sustained this year only made it more so. For this reason, I feel it's best if I move on and leave these shoes to be filled with someone younger and lighter of heart."
Sniffles began to be heard around the room as well as many people shifted in their chairs.
"How bad could it be? I mean, it isn't like he is the best principal ever." Emma joked with those around her.
"Yeah, but sometimes it's better to have the devil you know." Mal offered.
"I will be glad to talk to anyone who wishes to drop in to wish me farewell, but this morning I would prefer if we choose to celebrate."
Regina repeated to herself, "How bad could it be?" An ominous rock took residence in her gut.