Baker's Dozen, Week Ten - Part One (Rated M, OQ AU, 10/14)
Author's Note: Remember when I said Week Ten was long? Very long? Well, it's officially the longest chapter in this story. It is going to tip 20,000 words and that just seemed like... well... too much for a single chapter. So you're getting it in two pieces. Here is Week Ten, Monday through Wednesday. Thursday through the weekend will be forthcoming just as soon as I have them finished for ya. Many thanks you my wonderful beta ninzied and for emily31594 for her reassurances re: the Cora bit.
The holidays are in full swing at Forbidden Fruit, fake snow sprayed into the corners of the bakery case and front window amongst paper snowflakes and snowmen, bells painted in red and green, blue and silver. A lengthy playlist of holiday songs have taken up residence in the sound system and the special of the day is a chocolate cream pie with crushed peppermint and a mint cookie crust. Pumpkin cookies have been replaced by ginger snaps, and there are thick, frosted sugar cookies shaped like snowmen nestled alongside the usual fare.
Ruby is particularly festive, her preference for red lending well to the season, and as if that wasn't enough, today she's sporting reindeer antlers that light up.
Regina, on the other hand, isn't quite feeling the holiday cheer. She's still recovering from her bout with the flu, still sluggish and sleepy by the time the lunch rush rolls around on Monday. At least she's not feverish, she tells herself. At least the baking sheets don't feel ten pounds heavier than they really are.
Still, she's yawning into her elbow, watching as the mixer paddle spins around and around, increasingly hypnotic.
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is playing for what has to be the third or fourth time since six this morning, and Regina wonders how the hell that is possible when there are hundreds of songs that should be shuffling. She kills the mixer, moves to the sound system and hits the Next button, just as Ashley floats through the kitchen door, singing along for a beat or two even after the song cuts out.
Then she frowns, and says, "Hey, I like that one."
"I did too," Regina grumbles, one hand at her neck, kneading sore muscles there absently. Maybe she can get Robin to give her a back rub later… "The first three times."
Continue on FFnet or Ao3.
