Chapter Text
A shrill ringing roused Emma from her comfortable sleep. She did not fully awake just yet as this was just the first of four alarms. Each alarm goes off every quarter of an hour, waking her a little more each time. This one was only a warning so she kept her eyes closed and snuggled closer to the body pressed against her front. Nuzzling into the crook of the woman's neck, she inhaled her. She loved the way she smelled of the tropical breeze, sunshine, and the delicious tropical fruit they ate so much of these days. She hummed and relaxed into her pillow again.
The second alarm went off and she felt the body moving in her arms, the woman was waking. Emma groaned and tightened her grip on her so she couldn't get away. They barely have any time together anymore. Their jobs have been keeping them apart and usually, dinner and a few hours of sleep were the only quality time they got together.
By the time the alarm sounded again, the other woman was fully awake. She was moving more and wiggled out of Emma's strong grasp, turned over, and looked up at her. Emma's eyes had opened at this point and she found herself staring into those beautiful brown eyes.
"Goodmorning." Emma's wife whispered with a tired smile.
Emma's heart clenched and her stomach fluttered at the mere sight of her, the same way it does every single time she lays eyes on her. That's something that has not changed about them and never will. Emma accepted the offered good morning kiss. It was much too quick for her liking but it was better than nothing. They have both been so insanely busy, there was just never enough time in the day.
Regina was always on call since she was one of the vets of the park.
"Let's sleep a little longer," Emma whispered, just wanting to enjoy the breeze coming from their open balcony doors and the feeling of the woman she loved in her arms.
An oscillating fan provided a bit more coolness but Emma noticed that the heat here was much different than the heat back in the states. The weather of Isle Nublar- a small island in Costa Rica felt very similar to the weather of her wife's homeland of Puerto Rico. She had been a couple of times with Regina and their son. This was different, they were not on vacation. They were working.
These jobs were very time-consuming. Regina was needed constantly and so there was no surprise when her wife answered with, "I wish I could but I have to get up."
Emma sighed deeply in disappointment but kept her eyes closed. She had to remind herself that this was not a rejection. Regina is busy and she wants nothing more in the world than to snuggle with her. "Okay."
She felt soft fingers on her cheek, tracing her jawline. The touch trailed down gently and slowly. It felt so nice and she welcomed it. It did not stop until the fingers reached her chin where they settled. As expected, Regina began playing with the little cleft there. Emma looked down at the woman looking up at her with wide brown eyes as they laid there for a moment, not saying much of anything.
The exotic birds were chirping and singing outside as the sun was streaming in through the balcony doors.
"I'm sorry I've been so busy," Regina said softly. "Work has been piling on since the other doctor got mauled by that Dire Wolf."
Emma winced at that. She and her team were the first on the scene when it happened. It was a time ago but she will never forget the sight that greeted her. The memory made her feel queasy. There was blood everywhere and the man was lying on his back screaming, holding a bloody severed stump where his arm had once been. They subdued the wolves by tranquilizing them before allowing the medical team inside. The sight made one of her men sick and the entire day he couldn't keep anything down which she understood. Emma had seen some shit during her time serving in the military and that was just as horrible.
"Why did you bring that up?" Emma groaned, shutting her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Regina whispered.
When Emma opened her eyes, she found that Regina's eyes had grown two sizes and her bottom lip was poked out. "Regina, don't."
"I'm sorry, I am. I know that was upsetting for you."
Emma's eyebrows rose as she stared at her wife in disbelief. "It wasn't for you?" She knew that Regina didn't talk about it much but she did listen to Emma when she vented about it and provided comfort. All this time she just thought Regina did not want to talk about it but it turns out that she's just married to someone so coldblooded "Like at all?"
"I mean, it was…" Regina mumbled. "I guess. It just wasn't a surprise. We have protocols for a reason and he never followed them. Who just walks into a Dire Wolf enclosure without security?"
"Not many people since they've been extinct for the last thirteen thousand years." Emma deadpanned. "But yeah giant wolves with big scary teeth and dangerously fast speed, very scary."
Regina rolled her eyes, "And he did the same thing with the Smilodon Gracilis exhibit. Now, I have a soft spot for the cubs myself but you don't see me doing that."
Emma had to remind herself that smilodon were saber-toothed tigers. She often just wished that Regina used terms like that. "You did do that with the Mastodon and Mammoth enclosures though."
Regina's eyes widened. "Who told you?
"I have eyes everywhere, Doctor Swan-Mills," Emma grinned then she turned serious. "What have I told you about that?"
"Shayla was having tummy troubles." Regina frowned. "I wanted to see what was wrong. Anyway, I asked Graham to go in with me so I was not alone, Captain Swan-Mills."
Emma raised a brow and watched her wife for a moment who gave her a cheeky grin. "You should have asked me."
"You were on carnivore Island and you would have said no."
"Exactly!" Emma cried. "Let someone else do it, damn it."
Regina gasped then chuckled. "Hush, Emma. The Mastodons and Mammoths will not hurt me. They love me, thank you very much."
"And Carl probably thought the same thing about the Dire Wolves."
Regina made a face. "Absolutely no one thinks that of the Dire Wolves. They're prehistoric wolves ."
"Baby, I'm serious. Next time you have to go into an enclosure like that, just call me. I promise you won't be bothering me."
Regina gave Emma a long look. "I know I won't be bothering you."
"Good." Emma sighed. "We don't need you being trampled by Mammoths."
Regina smiled. "Yes, Captain. I will be more careful."
Emma patted the woman's hip. "That's all I ask." Squeezing, she added, "I don't need to be chasing you and our kid around this place."
"Don't you love us both giving you trouble?"
Emma grinned and squeezed the flesh in her hand. "You're enough trouble."
Regina bit her lip. "Am I?"
"You are." Emma smiled. "What do you say we blow-off today, huh? Stay in bed and fool around?"
Regina hummed with a roll of her eyes. "No, we should get going."
Emma groaned and tightened her grip on the woman's waist. "We can be a little late."
"Actually… no," Regina told her before leaning in for a kiss. Emma happily accepted it, lingering a bit Regina pulled away. "Come on."
"Fine." Emma groaned.
Regina hummed with a nod then slid from under Emma's arm and the blankets. She then got out of bed. Emma watched her closely in the see-through silk slip she was in as she passed the doors, the sunlight gave her a pretty good view.
She stopped and looked out through the open balcony doors. "I will never get enough of that view. It is absolutely stunning."
Emma knew she meant the landscape. This island was beautiful. Clear blue skies, clear clean ocean water on the lovely beach, green foliage everywhere. The first time Emma saw it it took her breath away but right now something rose had caught her eye. "Fuck yeah it's a nice view."
Regina's head whipped around abs and stared at her then she raised a brow. "Oh, cut it out"
Regina stepped away from the doors and started heading to the bathroom. As she approached, she threw a little over her shoulder at Emma then she pulled the slip up over her head, discarding it on the floor. Then with a little smirk she slipped into the bathroom.
Emma's mouth went dry as she watched her wife's nude form retreat into the bathroom. She groaned and let her head fall back against the pillows.
While Regina was in the shower, Emma had fallen back asleep. It was the sound of the bathroom door opening that woke her up. She opened an eye to see Regina walking out wrapped in a towel.
Emma watched the woman until she disappeared into their walk-in closet. Regina was in there a while and Emma started to drift off again.
"Emma, go shower." Regina's voice roused her awake.
Emma frowned, her wife was in full makeup, hair done, and dressed in a pencil skirt, silk red blouse, and heels. How long had she been asleep? "I want to sleep a little longer."
"You'll get plenty of rest later. Come on."
Emma groaned. "Fine. You're a little mean, you know."
Regina raised a brow. "Mean because I want you to be a functioning adult?"
"Yes, you're a functioning adult. Isn't that enough?"
"Emma, I love you but I need you to grow up."
"Baby, you know I was like this when you agreed to marry me."
"You proposed. What was I supposed to say, no ?"
Emma grinned. "You couldn't say no because you've always been in love with me, Regina."
Regina rolled her eyes and moved over to the dresser and opened her jewelry box. "Silly me, huh?"
Emma watched the woman put in her earrings before saying, "You're in a real spicy mood today, I see."
Regina chuckled then. "I am."
Emma bit her lip. "That's why I love you. That sassy attitude of yours."
Regina hummed. "I know."
"Come here," Emma said, extending an arm to the woman.
Regina looked like she was considering it but then she snapped out of it. "No, Emma, shower and get dressed. I want to have breakfast with our son."
"Motivate me. Take your shirt off."
Regina snorted, something she doesn't do often except when she's caught off guard. "You will be sleeping at the security center, you pervert."
"Fine. You're grumpy when you're hungry."
"I am. Now let's go, Captain."
"Alright, Doc," Emma muttered, getting up.
"Thank you." Regina said before blowing her a kiss. "Hurry up."
"I'm up."
Regina hummed then started leaving the room, Emma watched every move. She stopped at the door. "We're not going to wait all morning."
Emma smiled a little at that. "I'll be right down, babe."
Regina nodded her head then opened the door and stepped out. Emma chuckled to herself then got up and headed to the shower.
Henry followed the smell of Turkey bacon and pancakes down the stairs of their condo. He sometimes missed his house and his friends but he had gotten used to being here. After all, it's been six months. He just deals with it. Besides, he talks to his friends every day. It's super easy.
He walked into the kitchen where he found his dark-haired mother standing at the stove, flipping a pancake. On the counter beside her was a plate with a large stack of pancakes and a plate with bacon.
"So that's mom's, where is ours?" He asked.
The woman at the stove laughed at his joke. There was a bit of truth to it because his blonde mother could eat a meal for a family of five in one sitting. His other mother often has to slow her down. "Henry!"
The boy laughed. He ate a lot too but his other mother ate a lot more than he did. She also works out a lot though. "Hey, it's true."
Regina laughed and put the last pancake on the stack. "Then you better hurry and get some."
The little boy snickered and his mother placed the plates on the kitchen island in front of him. He started piling food on his plate while his mother went to the fridge to grab something. She returned with a bowl and placed it on the island. He peeked in and saw that it was fruit. He took a few pieces just because she wanted him to.
"Thanks, mom."
"You're welcome." She replied.
He grabbed the syrup then hopped down from the stool and headed to the dining table. He sat down at the table then turned the bottle of syrup upside down and began drowning his pancakes. He managed to get it all over his place before the bottle was snatched from his hand. His blonde mother plopped down in the chair next to him.
"Gonna save me some, kid?" She asked before pouring some on her mountain of pancakes.
Henry glared at her then turned back to his food. Regina sat across from Emma with her bowl of fruit and pancakes. She did not put syrup on hers and Henry couldn't understand why she ate her food this way.
"This is delicious, baby," Emma said before shoveling more food into her mouth. "I married an incredible cook."
Regina smiled a little and looked up into Emma's eyes. "I'm glad you like them."
"I love them because I love you." Emma grinned at her wife.
"Give me a break." Henry groaned with a roll of his eyes.
"What?" Emma asked. "What are you complaining about?"
"We get it, you guys love each other." He grumbled. "No reason to spoil my breakfast."
Regina laughed while Emma gave him a look. "Good thing you're going to camp so you won't have to worry about us kissing and embarrassing you for a few weeks."'
Henry made a face. "That sucks. Why do I have to go to a camp about the cretaceous period if I literally live with dinosaurs? We're practically cavemen. You wouldn't send Fred Flintstone to dino camp."
"That's because you are not a caveman, my love," Regina said gently. "And it's just camp. Besides, your mother and I will be so busy at work. Who will watch you?"
"I can watch myself!" Henry cried.
"You're twelve." His brunette mother sighed. "You're just a little boy. You can't watch out for yourself."
"I can," Henry argued. He turned to Emma. "Mom, tell her."
Emma was chugging her glass of milk. She put the glass down and wiped her mouth with her wrist. "Babe, he can handle himself. Remember me at twelve?"
"Yes, I do. That's why I don't think he's old enough."
"Honey, come on." Emma chuckled. "Give the boy a chance. We have surveillance everywhere. I can have my guys keep an eye on him."
"No," Regina said sharply. "Your guys should be watching out for the dinosaurs and the patrons."
"I live here." Henry cried.
"Exactly. Camp Cretaceous, you go."
Henry huffed and folded his arms over his chest. "I don't wanna go to camp."
Emma sighed. "Sorry, kid. Your mom said no."
"So you do what she says?" Henry challenged. "She's not the. boss of you."
Emma smirked. "Nice try. I won't fall for that." She winked at him. "She is the boss of me."
Henry groaned. "You guys suck."
Emma laughed and Regina sighed with a roll of her eyes. Henry didn't care. He did not want to go camping and they couldn't make him.
They made him.
After breakfast, his mother made him get ready by packing his backpack with water, snacks, and a first aid kit. He had a duffle bag with his clothes in it. Even though his mother wanted him to go to camp, she was still nervous about him being away from her in the forest. He'll deal with it but he had an ace up his sleeve. He always did.
"Let's go, kid." His mother said heading for the front door.
He sighed as he followed her to the door. His dark haired mother came up behind them, wearing her black glasses and holding her purse.
His other mother pulled the front door open and held it open for them. He walked out and his mothers followed him. As they walked down the hall, they met up with a few of their other neighbors. Most of the people on their floor worked in the genetics lab or the vet office. The control room staff lived below them and the security staff below them. The handlers were next and the other staff lived on the lower floors.
They walked down the hallway decorated in earth tone toward the elevators at the end of it. His mother pushed for it and another family joined them. The couple began speaking to his mothers happily, leaving him and their eight year old daughter to speak awkwardly. Just when Henry thought he couldn't take it anymore, one of the two elevators arrived.
They piled on and his blonde mother pressed for the parking lot. It began taking them down, and a few people got on along the way. The elevator was almost packed by the time they reached the lot. When the doors opened, everyone got off and headed for their cars. He moped behind his mothers. He was very displeased about his plans for the day and he couldn't hide it.
When they came to his mother's yellow keep, Henry silently climbed into the backseat. His dark-haired mother climbed into the passenger seat and his other mother got in the driver's seat.
"Seat Belts." Emma announced as she started up the car. Regina glanced back at Henry.
"He's buckled in, Emma." Regina told her.
Emma looked at him through the rearview just in time to catch him rolling his eyes. "Henry, stop brooding."
Henry simply huffed but didn't respond. Instead he folded his arms over his chest and stared out of the window.
"Fine." Emma muttered and started up the car.
They often drove around together. Emma would take Regina and Henry to the ferry so Regina could take him to the mainland for school and she would pick Regina up from the ferry when she got back. Then she would pick them up at the end of the day too. They treated her like a chauffeur and it's pretty great.
The staff usually traveled through back roads. It made it easier to get around the crowds of guests. From the roads they could see the resort that was located not even a mile away. Henry stared at the amusement park longingly. He became even more disappointed as he watched the tall ferris wheel that loomed over the rest of the park. He could make out two of the roller coasters, the T-rex Stomp and the Bronto Soar. He's been on them both so many times and it never got old. He would certainly rather be riding them for the hundredth time instead of going to a stupid camp.
As they drove on, the amusement park faded from view and gave way to foliage and trees as far as the eye could see. They were heading deep into the forest. Something that Henry hated to do. He preferred the visitors areas and the staff living areas. He wasn't an outdoorsy kid.
The camp was located far out in the forest on an incline. Henry looked around, nothing as far as the eye could see. He hated that.
A man came into view in the distance. He was waving at the car. They pulled up closer and the car stopped in front of him, he smiled.
"What's up?" Emma said before getting out of the car. She rounded it and walked up to the man.
Regina got out as Emma was shaking the man's hand.
"Good morning." Regina greeted.
The man smiled and offered his hand to shake hers next and when she did he said, "it's a pleasure, Mrs. Swan."
Regina smiled politely, "Dr. Swan-Mills." She corrected him lightly. "I'm one of the vets here."
"Pardon me, Doctor. You do amazing work, by the way. The animals look very healthy and happy." He said smiling. "I met your wife some time ago when she came to do a safety check of the area."
"Oh, I see." She turned to Emma. "Everything checked out, I presume."
Emma laughed. "Yeah or I wouldn't let anyone out here. Especially not our son."
Regina hummed with a nod but the man spoke. "Can I meet the guy?"
"Yep." Emma replied, before opening the passenger door. Henry sighed deeply and slid over to the other side. He then slowly got out of the car.
"Hey, kid!" The man greeted him with way too much enthusiasm for this time of morning. "It's nice to meet ya, Henry!"
Henry shook the hand offered to him. "Yeah same."
"I'm Peter." He said with a smile. The man didn't look much older than Henry. Late teens maybe. Henry was going to be taken care of by a kid.
Henry sighed. "Cool."
Catching onto Henry's mood the man tried to cheer him up. "We have an awesome itinerary. We're gonna have a great time. Are you ready?!"
Henry looked up at his blonde mother and she leaned closer to him and whispered, "if you do this I will talk to your mom about a dog again."
That piqued his interest. He had been asking his moms for a dog for years but Regina always says no. "A gold retriever."
"Don't push it." Emma said sharply. "Something medium to small."
Henry let out a long dramatic sigh. "Fine."
Emma patted him on the back. "That's my boy."
"So, Henry, what do you say we head over to the campsite so you can meet your fellow campers?"
Henry wanted to tell him to buzz off but when he glanced at his brunette mother, he realized the stern look she was giving him. He turned back to the man, forced a smile and nodded. "Sure."
Before he could go, his blonde mother grabbed him up into a hug. "See you later, kid." She said, giving him a squeeze. "We will miss you."
"Yeah, sure." Henry muttered.
When he was released it was his other mother's turn. She hugged him tight then kissed his forehead. "Call me if you need me. We love you." She whispered to him.
He nodded. "I will. Love you too."
"Good boy." Regina whispered before kissing his nose. She reluctantly released him.
Henry smiled at her then walked over to Peter who patted him on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's go get acquainted with everyone."
Henry sighed but hesitated.
"Henry, go. It's fine." Regina assured him. "We will see you in a few weeks."
Henry groaned then. "That's so long.
"Henry, go. You're not a little kid." Emma told him. "We'll see you soon."
"Emma!" Regina hissed.
"What?!" Emma asked.
She received an eye roll and a shake of the woman's head in reply. "You're ridiculous."
"I don't see what I-"
Regina ignored her. "See you soon, sweetie."
Crap his moms were fighting. He nodded then looked up at Peter. "Lead the way."
The man smiled and started heading towards the forest. Henry looked back at his mothers one last time before following Peter.
He hated this already.
He followed Peter through trees, around bushes and over stumps. Henry couldn't express how much he hated this already. He wanted to turn back. Screw him getting a dog. He wanted to hang out at the resorts and have a good time.
They went up a hill and ended up in a clearing. Peter pointed ahead of them, "There we are."
Henry stared ahead of them in awe. He couldn't believe it. They weren't staying in tents but a giant treehouse. He followed Peter. He just had to see inside. When they walked up to the steps, Henry saw a bike propped up against the tree. He wondered if it was Peter's.
"Come on, Henry." Peter said before heading up the stairs.
Henry started following Peter up the winding stairs that wrapped around the tree. He could tell that the tree isn't real. There was no tree that could hold a structure this size but it sure is cool. When they reached the top, Henry looked back out over the deck.. He found that they were up so high that he could see the park from there. It only made him want to leave even more.
There was chatter coming from inside and when Peter opened the door it revealed a wide room. There were tables, couches and chairs around. In the back there was a kitchenette. He spotted kids hanging out by the hammocks.
"Hey kids! Come meet Henry!" Peter called them over.
There were a total of six children that made their way over to Henry and the counselor. They stood in front of them, spread out. They watched Henry and Henry watched them. He didn't really get along well with many kids but he hoped they weren't complete jerks.
Peter began introductions. "Henry, this is Ava," he said, pointing to a girl with long blonde curls. Then he pointed to the dark haired boy beside her, "this is Nick."
The kids waved at him. "Hey, Henry."
Henry forced a tight lipped smile. "Hi."
They smiled but Henry said nothing else so Peter continued. "This is Paige." He gestures to a girl with darker blonde hair pulled into a ponytail. She had a kind smile and kind hazel eyes. "It seems like Paige, Ava and Nick clicked automatically. That's what we want here."
"That's cool." Henry shrugged.
"And this is Ana and Ivy." Peter pointed to a pair of girls who resemble each other, except Ivy had darker hair and it was cut shorter in a stylish bob. Ana had lighter brown hair and it was pretty long. Ivy wore a summer dress which was absolutely inappropriate for camping while Ana had on denim shorts and a tee shirt. Ana waved then nudged her sister who glanced up from her phone long enough to regard Henry. She gave him a phony smile. "Ivy loves her phone." Peter mumbled.
Henry nodded in agreement. Clearly. She's in Jurassic Kingdom and she's worrying about social media. "Cool."
"Last but not least we have Brian." He looked at the boy. He was standing off alone, staring down at the floor. "Brian arrived before you did."
Brian looked up then. "I hope you brought your sunscreen and bug spray. We have no idea what kind of bugs are here. Something could bite you and kill you."
"Uh…" Henry glanced at Peter who simply shrugged. "I think my mom packed it."
Brian looked relieved then. "Good. That's good. I have six bottles so if you need one…"
"Thanks…" Henry muttered. So Brian was one of those kids.
"Welcome to Camp Cretaceous." Said Peter. "You kids are our first group of campers ever. If it goes great we can do it again next year. So, let's try to make things great."
Henry forced a smile again. "Sure."
"Um, Peter," A counselor with blonde hair pulled into a curly ponytail bargain as she emerged from a room behind him. "Do a headcount…"
Henry turned around to find a female counselor with blonde curls that went just past her shoulders joined them with a bright smile.
"Wendy, this is Henry." Peter said.
The woman's smile grew. "Hi, Henry." It's nice to meet you. I'm Wendy. " Henry waved at her and she waved back. "Where are you from?"
"Here." Henry answered. "My moms work here so we live here. I am only here because my parents need someone to keep an eye on me."
"Oh." Wendy breathed then she shrugged. "Oh well, we're the ones to do it. We'll have loads of fun."
Peter agreed. "Definitely. Don't you worry."
They Were making a lot of promises about fun but he'll see if they keep the promises or not. Henry shrugged and looked around the area. It wasn't much but he felt he could stand it for the time being. "Would you like to look around?" Wendy asked.
Henry shrugged again. He didn't care either way; he didn't plan to be there for long. He stepped away from them and started to browse the space. The interior reminded him of a log cabin except it was made of brighter wood. Most of the things inside were made of wood.
"Snacks are right there in the cupboard." Wendy said behind him.
Henry spun around and found her pointing to a small kitchen in the back. He eyed it. There was a stove with two counter tops on each side. At the end of one counter was a refrigerator and on the other side there was a large cabinet. That's probably where he would find the snacks.
He looked back over his shoulder and found that the kids and counselors had dispersed and gone to do other things. He shrugged and headed over to the kitchen.
"They better have good snacks." He muttered to himself.