Chapter Text
Emma Swan sits back against the plush leather chair in her boss's office. She's looking at her boss, Amelia Doppler, in disbelief. She gazes from the file on the desk to Amelia's eyes for a solid 30 seconds.
"You can't be serious" Emma says. Really, Amelia can't be serious.
"Emma, look. I know--"
"I told you, no kids. You knew that from the get go."
Emma runs a hand through her unruly blonde curls. She lets out another huff.
"Emma. This client asked for the best. And honestly, she's paying more than enough to get the best. And you are the best that Montressor has to offer. Hands down."
Amelia isn't exactly pleading, she wouldn't actually plead. But she is damn close. And when she sees Emma's eyes harden even more, she thinks she might actually have to plead, even perhaps, beg. She never thought she would have to. Not with Emma. Emma, the woman who is so much more than the Scrappy little teen that had been assigned to her ship in the Navy all those years ago. Emma, who she sees almost like her own daughter. Emma who was so hard and so broken when she showed up, sea bag in hand to the RLS Legacy.
"That's because I don't do kids, Captain."
The word almost cuts her to the bone. Well maybe not the word, but the tone. The same tone she'd heard time and time again from 18 year old Emma. Amelia sighs. She knows why Emma is so hesitant. She knows, Gods above does she know. She was the one that peeled Emma and Jim off of the floor of countless bars 5 years ago.
"Emma, please. Look, Regina isn't just a client, Okay. She's a friend. Well, daughter of a friend. And I promised Henry Sr. that I would always take care of her. I'm 47 years old, I got a bad shoulder and a halfway decent knee on a good day. I can't really be her bodyguard, or her son's for that matter. You can."
Amelia stood and slowly made her way in front of her desk, in front of Emma. She reached down and grabbed her hands. Hands that she knows have always been as steady as a beating drum. Hands that are now slightly shaking. She waited until Emma's emerald eyes locked onto her own Forest green ones.
"I know this is hard for you. And I wouldn't ask this of you if I thought even for just one second that you were not capable of protecting that little boy, or his mother."
Amelia held steady with her gaze. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Emma broke eye contact and nodded.
"Okay, Cap. I'll do it.