Everything is fine, Regina thought to herself. Henry loves her, ever since they figured it out how to get his memory back three years ago, things got way better than the first time he realized she was the Evil Queen. It was a bit confusing, she had to admit, to have his love so fast when before she had to fight so hard for it. They broke Zelena's curse, although Regina spent days locked in her house trying to figure out a way to not destroy Storybrooke in the process. She had her selfish reasons, she couldn't go back to the Enchanted Forest when everyone was happy and together. "Ew", she said unconsciously, while washing the dishes in her manor.

She made her peace with Snow and Charming, but it was still hard to live with their optimism and oozing happiness. She was lonely, besides those times of the year when people who chose to go to their old world would get in a portal and visit their relatives or friends who stayed in Storybrooke. Magic beans were still scarce and Snow, back in her kingdom, created a law that every month, she and Charming would open a portal to Storybrooke and stay there for a week until they would open another portal and everyone who wanted would come back. That week was her only source of happiness in her life back in those days. Regina would wait in the marked spot and wait for Henry with so much excitement and joy that she would forget all about the fact that he chose to live with Emma in the Enchanted Forest instead with her.

In the first year of this arrangement, Henry would pass through the portal with Emma by his side and a smile on their faces. Emma gave them time and would visit Ruby who chose to stay in the real world for personal reasons. After four days of just Regina and Henry enjoying themselves and Henry talking all about their new life, Emma would come by the local mayor's house and would spend the rest of the week with them. They grew closer, all of them. It was like they were a family for a week.

"Momssss, I don't want to go to the bed now! Let's watch another movie! We're going back tomorrow, we have to be together." Henry pointed at him and Emma and tried to convince his moms one more time.

"It's 1 am, Henry. This "we're going back tomorrow" does not work anymore. Besides, the early you go to bed, the early you wake up and we can all enjoy the morning until you have to go." Regina said, closing the subject.

"Now, give me a hug and go to bed. I love you, Henry".

Emma watched the interaction, sitting on the couch where they were all previously sitted, Henry hugging Regina, Regina kissing Henry's forehead and their little "I love you" whispers.

"Good night, kid. Brush your teeth!" She remembered, rising from the couch as well and messing up with his hair. Henry smiled at his moms and went upstairs.

"At least, your parenting skills are getting better", Regina teased.

"I'm taking good care of him, you know that, right?"

"I know." Regina answered seriously and they both stared at each other for a minute, until Emma broke their connection to catch a piece of popcorn stuck in the brunette's hair.

They started cleaning up the mess, catching the little popcorns in the couch, grabbing the shoes, turning off the Tv... it was becoming a routine. When they were finished, Regina lead the way to her study and Emma followed after. They both sat on the couch, one in each corner. Regina turned slightly to Emma, while Emma put one of her legs a little on top of the couch in the space between them.

"How is it going? Living in the Enchanted Forest, I mean."

"Well, I'm getting used to it. But I don't know if it's the right life for me, no plumbing, you know?" Emma smiled when Regina laughed.

"I know what you mean, dear. I guess that's the sole reason I wanted to live in Storybrooke. And electricity, of course."

"Henry is the most excited about it, he loves the castle, the knight thing and all." Regina smiled, Henry surely loved it.

"You told me last week, Henry was always passionate about heroes and his knight training must keep him occupied. But what about you? What do you do?"

"I try to convince Snow I don't want to be a queen and learn about the kingdoms and ruling..." Emma laughed trying to hide the ugly truth in her words.

"You always complaint about that world, you know you could always live here, Emma." Immediately when the words left her mouth, she regretted them, she couldn't be so bluntly desperate.

Emma was shocked, although she felt a little relieved. "Well..."

"I didn't meant it like that, I meant here Storybrooke."

"I know, I know... I know I have this choice, but Henry likes it there so much and my parents! I would like to spend normal time with them. Although, that's hardly possible." Regina tried to hide her disappointment, but she understood.

"But after some years, I want to come back to the real world, travel a little. Never thought I would say that, but I miss working." Emma continued, and Regina nodded agreeing.

"Oh, I get it, dear. After 28 years of being mayor, I wouldn't have guessed it's one of the things I most like to do."

"It always slip my mind that you got back to being mayor. You always take this week off for Henry that I forget it every time."

"Good! I don't want Henry seeing me working."

They stayed quiet for a moment, it was good to have a friend, somebody who were there to listen and laugh with.

"I just remembered, isn't your birthday next month?" Regina asked excitedly.

"It is! Snow is planning some big party, ball, masquerade? I don't know! Although I just wanted a small party for friends and family, she would never accept that!"

"No, she wouldn't!" They both laughed talking about Snow and Regina had a brilliant idea.

Regina remembered that day, one of the many family movie nights and the day she invited Emma to move in with her. She chuckled to herself, "That was utterly ridiculous, what was I thinking? That she would drop everything and come to Storybrooke? Leave Henry, her parents and... him." Although, she wasn't sure there was a him at the time or if they were dating during that year she and Emma pretended to be a family. She was such a fool, believing they could be a family. Emma would never choose her... What the fuck is she thinking? She's happy now. She's with her true love, she has a loving teenager son, her job is great and there's nothing bad happening in her life. Although, she let her mind wander back to the past again.

One day, everything fell apart. While Regina was waiting for Henry and ,with the passing of time she had to accept that she wouldn't mind seeing Emma too, she rubbed her hands. Emma had become her friend, her best friend and maybe even something more. She thought about their conversations at night when Henry slept, about their afternoon picnics, their family movie night... Regina checked her phone, it was almost time. It was Emma's birthday that month and she had bought a present that was safely kept in her car, Henry would appreciate it she kept telling herself, however she was nervous if the blonde would like it. She hadn't bought new clothes only for the surprise party she had planned with Ruby for Emma in the last day she would be here, that was for appearance, she was still the Mayor after all! A tremor ran through her as she felt the land before her start to twirl. Henry was the first to come out, she gave him a warm smile. He looked uneasy and glanced back waiting for his other mother, Emma came out of the portal, followed by other citizens…and Hook.

Regina came back from her memories with a frown when she felt hands on her waist and a kiss on her cheek.

"Babe, you're washing this plate for twenty minutes", he said.

Regina smiled weakly. "I'm just thinking about next week, if everything is ready for when Henry comes over." She dropped the plate, dried her hands and turned to him putting her hand on his shoulder. "I miss him and he couldn't come last month because of god knows what! Is Roland asleep?"

He kissed her sweetly and said: "Yes, asleep like a rock. He kept rambling about how much he misses Henry, because Henry is a knight!, he mimicked his son. Regina chuckled and got out of his grab, completing her task and putting away the dishes.

He observed her, leaning on the kitchen counter and went serious: "You though about it?"

She sighed, putting a glass on the higher cupboard and turning around. "I don't want to go back to the Enchanted Forest, Robin."

He tried to contain an invisible itch in the back of his neck and looked down. "My people are there. My home is in that forest."

She said it sadly: "I thought your home was here with me."

He looked up and went to grab her hand. "It is! I love you, Regina. You're my true love!"

She let go of his hand and walked through the kitchen feeling his eyes on her back. "You're my true love too, but I can't just drop everything! I have responsibilities here. I am the Mayor! People count on me to take care of this city!"

"Come on, now you're just making excuses not to go. You don't like these people, and you don't own them anything, Regina."

"I love this city, I learned to love its citizens and surprisingly they are okay with my ruling of this town and they love me too." They were raising their voice now and both were embarrassed by it.

Regina got out of the kitchen and Robin went soon after, she wasn't in the mood for this conversation again. She sat down in the sofa and put her face between her hands. Robin sat down beside her and said: "I'm sorry, I know you've been stressed planning Henry's birthday."

Regina glanced at him, she couldn't do this. She put his hands on her lap. "Robin, I am not stressed. I don't want to go the Enchanted Forest now or ever. I love you and I want you to be happy, so we can make this work being in two different worlds." He tried to talk but she silenced him: "You go to the Enchanted Forest and be happy and I stay here and be happy. And you could come every week and visit me and Roland."

He was worried, he didn't know if this would work, however the same way Regina would be unhappy in their old world, he was unhappy here. "Regina, I don't want to leave you here all alone, but I was planning on taking Roland with me."

She was silent. Since last year, when they decided to move in together, Regina was growing fond of the boy, of course he would never be Henry, but she treated him like her own son. Henry was growing so fast, she was planning his sixteenth birthday party, for god's sake! And now Roland was leaving too?

That week was the worst of all. After their arrival, Regina was unusual quiet. Emma looked both sad and guilty, and Henry was just standing there while Hook wrapped his arm around Emma. All four were on their way to the Mercedes, Regina was trying to hide her jealousy and anguish chatting happily with Henry about what was going on with his life. Regina quickly got in on the car to hide the small package previously in the passenger seat between her legs. Henry and Regina spent all six days together, both happy with each other's company. Regina forgot all about the pirate and the blonde woman.

Until the last day of their visit, when Ruby would try to bring Emma to the dinner and they would surprise her with a simple, but amazing birthday party. Regina woke up that day and went to get Henry out of bed to help. Henry was sleeping in his old bedroom, he was getting too big Regina realized when she noticed his left leg hanging outside the bed. She sat down next to his stomach.

"Hey, baby" She passed her hands through his hair trying to wake him up.

Henry grumbled and humbled some words. "Too early".

She chuckled and he tried to turn around but she stopped him. "You are sleeping too much for an aspiring knight."

"I am still a fourteen-year-old man, Mom! And I'm not a baby..."

"You're always be my baby" She said, kissing his forehead. "And today it's the surprise party for Ms. Swan in the dinner and I guess you're invited!"

That caught his attention and he looked at his mom, whom he missed so much everyday. "How are you, Mom?"

"I am perfectly fine, Henry. I have no idea what that has to do with Ms. Swan's party, but you're getting up so you can help decorate the dinner!" She said getting up and throwing his covers away.

"Mom!" He whined. Regina was conflicted about wearing those new special clothes, but in the end it didn't matter anymore, she put her usual days clothes.

When they got to the dinner a little after lunch, Ruby, Snow and Charming were already there. Ruby went to hug Henry and Regina giggled when he blushed, he was really a teenager now.

Ruby turned to her, putting her hands on her shoulders: "I don't know how, Snow and Charming heard about the idea and although they are giving her a party in the Enchanted Forest on the actual day, they wanted to help". Ruby raised her eyes from Henry ,who she had looked at after her inference that Henry couldn't keep a secret, to Regina slowly hoping she would not freak out.

"That's okay, Henry. You only should have told me that you wanted to invite your grandparents". She said looking at her son.

He smiled and said: "You were so excited about this party that I forgot to tell you, Mom!"

Regina went to Snow and Charming and started talking with them about their kingdom and/or Storybrooke. Henry was helping Ruby get things pretty and soon other citizens arrived and would also get on with helping. Regina forgot all about her feelings and focused on organizing her homemade cupcakes when suddenly Snow grabbed her arm and dragged her through the dinner until she stopped at a table.

"Hey, I invited a person for the party too, I hope you don't mind."

When Regina regained her balance, she saw the man she now remember meeting a year ago.

"Hello, Your Majesty. Nice to see you again." Robin Hood grinned.

She was too busy looking at his arm to realize all the lights went off and the sound of a little bell. "SURPRISE", everyone shouted.

In that moment, Regina redirected her gaze to the door, finding Hook with his arm linked around Emma's waist. She had to make a decision now. She was done running away from love and happiness and looking at the couple she only felt sadness and confusion. She glanced back at that lion tattoo and smiled back to the man now in front of her.