Alice was sitting in front of her dad, drawing something in a book he had bought her a week before, he was so happy his little girl had found a hobby she liked. Killian looked at the paper, the whole page was filled with flowers, trees and yellow reflexes he took as a morning sun.

"It looks amazing, starfish." he said, kissing her hair.

"It's not finished, papa, don't look!" she said, hiding her work.

"Do you like your art classes?"

"Yes papa, a lot! I really like Miss Mills. She showed me how to draw trees and flowers and how to color them so there won't be white spots."

"She is very talented, I see." he smiled.

"Yes she is!" she smiled, "but soon classes will be over." she add with sad voice.

"Hey! You will be back at the classes soon and I'm sure you will make progress in drawing till that time."

"Papa," Alice looked into his eyes, "can we buy a present or some flowers for Miss Mills?"

"Of course starfish." he kissed her forehead, "we can buy whatever you want for Miss Mills."

The class was full of loud children preparing their stuff for the last classes of that year. Crayons, markers and paint were laying in front of them, so as white papers. Regina entered the class on time, as usual all the children looked at her and at once the class became silent. Alice looked at her favorite teacher, she was wearing a nice dark blue dress and heels. Her son, Henry, was going after her with his book in one hand and his school bag in other. Alice didn't like him much, but he was bearable.

"Can I go to the library?" he asked.

"No. You have to stay here. I don't want you to go in Mister Gold's way, he's the principal here and he wasn't so happy when you broke that window." she said, looking at him, "go and sit next to Alice."

"Mom.."

"Henry Dan-" she started.

"Okay! I will, but I won't draw anything."

"That's all I ask for. Sit."

Henry sat next to Alice as he was told, Regina looked at her class, they were very talented and she loved them like her own. She smiled to them and after a moment she told them the topic of their last class. Apples. They had to imagine the sweetest, most perfect red or green apple and draw it. After a moment crayons, pencils and paint were used and the kids were drawing fast, using bright colors or just shadows to show the perfection of their imagination. Regina walked through the sits and looks at their works.

"Very nice Alice, it's a very nice apple." she said, looking at her paper.

"Thank you Miss Mills."

Regina walked to her desk and waited till the whole class had finished their works. Henry was looking at Alice's work, pretending that he was very focused on his book. He liked her, but not in the girl-boy way. Henry didn't have much friends since they had to leave their home, he knew mom would be overprotective towards him now, she was afraid that he would kidnapped him or even worse. He didn't remember much from that night, only that mom told him they had to go and to take only the toys he really liked. It was five or six years ago and now they had another life.

"Do you like my mom?" Henry asked.

"Yes I do." she whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I don't have one."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay. I love my papa, he has taken care of me since I was little, but sometimes… I just want to call someone "mom"."

"I don't have a dad, but my mom is pretty awesome." Henry smiled. "your work is beautiful."

"You think so?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah. You should show it to my mom."

Time fled and the class was going to end, Regina stood up and walked around the class to look at all the works. She always gave good grades, but today there was another reason to try harder. She told her students that today they could win tickets to the cinema. The movie was up to them and they could choose whatever they wanted. Regina looked at all the works once again and smiled.

"Alice Jones." Regina smiled, "you won."

"I did?" the girl smiled too.

Killian entered the school with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a nice little box in the other one. Yesterday's shopping with Alice showed him how hard it was to be the father of girl. He would have know what to say or what to buy if he had had a son. Alice wanted to buy something special for her favourite teacher, and the had spent two hours to find that thing. Killian hid the things behind his back and entered the art classroom.

"Papa! I won! Look!" Alice shouted.

"What did you win, starfish?"

"Tickets for any movie I want to see! Miss Mills thinks that my work was the best today."

"That's amazing! I'm very proud of you." he kissed her forehead.

"Oh, I forgot. Did you bring the present, papa?"

"Yes. Let's give it to Miss Mills."

Killiant stood in line with other parents and kids who loved Miss Mills as much as his daughter. He looked at her, but he couldn't see her face just yet. When he approached her, his face lit up a bit and his hands become sweaty. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, her chocolate eyes were warm and sparkled like stars. Her dark blue dress exposed her perfect curves and Killian couldn't focus on what his daughter was saying. Her smile made his knees weak and he hoped she wouldn't notice it.

"Miss Mills. This is my dad. We… I want to thank you for the whole time you helped me." Alice said, with tiny box in her hands.

"It's very nice of you Alice, but you didn't have to buy me anything. I'm very happy to teach you." Regina answered.

"I would like to thank you too. She is very happy every time she comes home." Killian said, giving Regina the flowers.

Regina looked a bit up, she could swear his eyes were the color of the ocean. She blinked and after a moment she finally spoke.

"Thank you." she answered, "can I open it?" she asked, looking at the box.

"Yes! Please." Alice said as her eyes lit up.

Regina opened it and after a second smile spread on her face. A silver necklace with a little red apple shone in the box. She smiled and lifted her head up.

"Thank you. I love it."

"Papa, could you help Miss Mills put it on?" Alice asked.

"Yes, of course. If Miss Mills…" Killian started.

"Regina." she smiled, "please call me Regina."

Killian took the necklace from the box, his look went to Regina's neck, soft and olive. His hands started to shake, but he managed to put the necklace on her alabaster skin.

"It's perfect. Thank you." Regina smiled again. "and those are tickets for Alice. Her work was amazing."

"Maybe we could go together?" Henry asked.

"Yes! I would love it!" Alice answered quick.

"I guess we are going to the cinema together." Regina said and her eyes lit up.

"I guess we are." Kilian answered with a smile.

The library was empty at that time of the day, Alice loved books too, but not as much as Henry. She preferred drawing and spending time with her creativity rather than reading books. She slowly entered the big room with dark brown shelves filled with the colorful covers of the books. Alice looked around to find her new friend, she didn't know if she could call him like that, not yet, but she liked that feeling. She didn't have many friends, all her schoolmates avoided her, probably because they didn't know how to behave or talk about their moms with her around.

"Hi." she whispered.

"Hey." Henry answered surprised, "what are you doing here?"

"Uhm you know I can read too right?"

"Of course, but you always spend time in my mother's classroom."

"The classes are over, we have only a few days till end of the school year and I want you to help me."

"Me?"

"Yes, and it's good for us both." she said, smiling.

After an hour of talking Alice looked at Henry's face. He was surprised, but she could swear that per idea interested him a lot too. He looked at her and after a moment of thinking he finally spoke.

"So you're telling me, we have to make our parents to like each other and become them a couple?"

"Yes! Didn't you see how your mother was smiling yesterday? My dad's hands were shaking when he put that necklace on her. It has to be love! It has to."

"I saw something in her eyes… I hadn't seen it for a long time."

"So.. you're in?" Alice asked.

"I'm in." he answered with a smile. "let's start an operation : 'Operation Queen's heart.' "

"Queen's heart?"

"Well of course. My mom is like a Queen and it will be so hard to win her heart, you know. After what she's been through… She sometimes has nightmares… She screams at night…."

"Don't worry, my Papa will help her and he will be good for you too." she smiled.

Killian was waiting for Alice in front of the cinema, he wasn't an overprotective parent, but he was starting to get worried. He lifted his hand and looked at the phone. There were no messages from her and the movie was starting in about twenty minutes. At once he spotted her, she wore a light red dress and a matching jacket, he could see her smile lit the place even though it was raining.

"Killian." she said, hiding her umbrella.

"Regina." he smiled, not able to control it.

"I thought Alice and Henry would be with you." her smile vanished.

"They told me you would pick them up from school."

"Oh my God!" she smiled a bit, biting her lip. "they tricked us."

"That would explain the tickets." he showed her.

"Love, actually? Our kids have good taste." she looked into his eyes.

"You're not mad?"

"No, are you?"

"The truth is… I've never be happier that my daughter sent me on a date."

"It's a date then?"

"No! Of course...it's just.. ugh." he blushed.

"I would love for it to be a date." she smiled, looking at her shoes, biting her lip.

"So we are on a date. Can I buy you popcorns, then?"

"The only thing i love more than movies are popcorns." she looked into his eyes, licking her lip seductively.

Regina entered her house with a big smile on her face, even though she had had an amazing time with Killian, she decided to punish a little her son. She walked to the kitchen where Henry was sitting with a book opened. He was looking into it so hard that Regina knew that he was ready for her to yell.

"Hi sweetie. How was Belle? Did you two have fun?" she asked, kissing his forehead.

"I… We had… are you mad?"

"Mad? Why?"

"Because of the movie and… that we didn't show up…"

"Movie? It was tonight?" she said surprised, "I had to stay at work for a bit longer today."

"What?! No!" he jumped from the chair.

"Henry what's wrong?"

"We set up a date for you and Alice's dad! He probably stood there like an idiot! I have to call Alice."

Regina stood there for a moment, she watched as her son looked for a phone and tried to dial the number, but after a second she took the phone from his hands and looked into his eyes.

"Don't worry. I went there, but the thing is… why did you and Alice want to set up a date for us? We're good together… you've never wanted anyone else in our life."

"I did. I want someone who will protect you when I'm not around mom. I know you cry at night. Alice's dad is nice, he likes you and he would protect you."

"Henry," she hugged him tight, "I don't need anyone to protect us. I will protect you."

"But… do you like him? You look different when you are with him. I miss that happiness in your eyes."

"Yes, I like him and I had great fun, but promise me you will never set up a date again, okay?"

"Okay." he smiled.

"What do you want for dinner, then?"

"Pizza!" he screamed.

"Okay then." she smiled, "we will eat pizza today."

Alice was sitting by the table, drawing in her sketchbook, when she heard the noise of the opening door. She knew that her father would be mad at her, he could even yell at her, but she knew it would be worth it.

"Hi starfish. How was your day?" he asked.

"Good.." she whispered. "and yours?"

"I had a lot of work today. That's why I asked Mary to look after you."

"Papa! You had a date with Miss Mills today! We arranged it with Henry! I'm so sorry, but you looked like you liked her and we thought… she was left there alone and now everything is ruined!" she talked fast.

"Alice." he grabbed her gently, "why did you do this?"

"Because she is alone and you are too. I thought we could forma family together and that Henry wouldn't be so scared…"

"Scared of what?"

"That he'll find them and take him away from his mother. We talked a lot and he told me that he and Miss Mills had to run away from her boyfriend. She cries at night and she is very protective over Henry. You could just… protect all of us, Papa." she said, crying.

"Starfish." she whispered, "I met with Regina as you both planned. We had a great time and thank you for that, but we have to wait for her move on, you know. I would love to protect all of you, you know."

"You do?" she asked, smiling.

"Of course! I really liked your teacher, but if she's so scared and has her story, she should be the one who decides, okay?"

"Okay!" she smiled again.

"What do you want for dinner then, love?"

"Pizza!" she shouted, running for the phone.

"So… pizza then." he smiled to himself, but at once the thoughts run through his head. "Which secrets do you hide, Regina?"