Note: I know I should be working in another fic but I kind of had this story stuck in my head. I do not own Once Upon a Time or Spider Man or whatever reference I make. English is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes you find. I hope you enjoy this story! Let me know what you think.

Emma eyed the computer as the receptionist typed something on the keyboard. She had handed the young girl her ID a while ago and after scanning it, she still hadn't got it back. Emma tapped her fingers on the wooden surface but stopped when she realized. She was there on vacation, forced by her best friend Ruby, and she had to relax. That's why she was there.

It had been so long since she had gone on vacation. Too long to even remember—she did remember, but she wanted to forget those braces she had wore during that 90's summer with an adoptive family she doesn't even remember anymore—.

After a few years of working as a creative in a boring company, she had finally left her job there and found another company to work for with Ruby, her friend since childhood. However, before she started working, Ruby insisted she took a week off. So that's why she was now at the reception of some apartments she had found on the Internet with a 20% offer.

"Here you go, ma'am," the receptionist said with a smile as she slid the ID and another card towards Emma. "Your room is number 041. You can find it going out and turning right. There are signs that will help you find it without any trouble. In the room you'll find a folder with all the information you may need."

Emma nodded as she took in the information and put her ID back into the front pocket of her bag, thinking she should probably buy a real wallet. "Cool, thanks," she smiled.

The receptionist grinned in return in a way that told Emma she had done it too many times before to make it look almost genuine. Almost. "Thank you. Have a nice stay."

Leaning down to pick up her bags, Emma smiled one last time and left the reception, turning right as the young girl had indicated her. She had been right; Emma found the apartment quickly following the signs that led the way. Balancing the bags in one hand, she managed to pull out the card from the envelope and opened the door. Once inside, she dropped her bags—two gym bags she owned since she was too lazy to buy a proper suitcase—and stretched.

The room wasn't big, but it was enough for her. It had a cosy living room, a full equipped kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. She would have liked a hotel more, where she could just relax and not care about making her meal everyday, but her shitty paid from her last job wouldn't let her afford it. How bad could it be? Emma had thought. She would just buy some pre-cooked pizzas, cereal and milk. She could live with that.

Emma walked over to the door that covered a whole wall and rolled the curtains to reveal a lovely terrace with a table, two chairs, and two hammocks. It was half stone, half grass, making it look wonderful under the sunny afternoon. Emma rolled on her heels and was about to turn on the TV when her hand stopped midway to the remote. She was a few feet away from a great pool, or so it looked from the pictures on the apartment's web page. Why would she spend her days off sitting on a couch and watching TV when she could just do that at her house? Leaning down to reach for her bags, she carried them to the bedroom, where she opened the one she thought her bikini was in. After changing in the bathroom and pulling her hair up in a ponytail, Emma grabbed her towel, sunglasses and a ball and left her room.

One of the best things about having vacations on September was that the apartments weren't too full and it allowed Emma to relax. She quickly found a lonely hammock free on the side of the pool and she lifted her towel to lay it there. She took a seat, but her eyes found the pool and found it looked like it was praying for her to dive in. Luckily, on that time of year the weather was still warm enough for her to feel hot and dying to get into the pool.

Emma left her glasses and approached the edge of the pool, eyeing the few kids that were playing there, along with some more people. It wasn't a big pool, but since there weren't a lot of clients, it was perfect. She jumped into the pool, headfirst, and emerged a few moments later feeling refreshed. Maybe Ruby was right and she really needed this vacation. She closed her eyes and smiled at the sun, now oblivious to the kid that was approaching the hammocks.

"Mom, look! There's a ball!" he pointed when he saw the object next to Emma's hammock.

His mother gazed to where her son was pointing and then put her hand on his back, redirecting him to their hammocks. "Henry, that's not yours to take."

"But I forgot to bring mine," he pouted. Henry kept eyeing the ball as his mother knelt down in front of him to take his shirt off before spraying the sunscreen on his chest. "Maybe I could ask the person who has it if I can play with them?"

Regina looked over to the single hammock with a simple towel on it. "If you find them, you may. But remember to always be polite." She finished spreading the sunscreen and rose to her feet.

Henry nodded with a bright smile. "Yeah, mom."

He ran to the pool, ready to jump in, but before he could, Regina was wick to remind him. "Keep in the children's area, Henry. You know you still can't swim very well."

Looking around them, Henry flushed and nodded softly, hoping nobody in the pool had heard it. He hated when his mother said it out loud. Luckily for them, the pool had a large area for kids, with no more than half a metre of depth where he could sit and play around with his toys.

His mother settled down on the hammock, putting on her sunscreen and then laying down to enjoy the sun while she read a book. By the corner of her eye though, she was watching Henry, since she was in the first row of hammocks, right next to the pool. He splashed around and while he played with a little boat, he threw it away and it hit Emma's head.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, bringing up her hand to the back of her head. She turned and saw the kid looking at her with wide eyes. Emma noticed the toy boat floating next to her and she grabbed it. "Is this yours little man?"

He nodded quickly but remained quiet, watching her. She smiled when she noticed he seemed scared that she would scream at him. Swimming towards him, she sat on the pool, where the water now reached below her bikini top.

"That was a nice shot. You like to throw things, huh?" she asked as she handed him the toy.

Henry shrugged, accepting the boat. "I forgot my ball and this is the best I have."

Emma looked down at him. He looked lonely, playing with is toys, so she thought she could play with him for a while. She had nothing to do anyways and it looked like the kid wanted some company.

"Well, I just happen to have a ball. Wanna play with me?"

Henry's eyes shot up at her, glowing with the idea of finding someone willing to play with him and owned a ball. He smiled brightly and nodded, "That would be awesome."

Emma laughed at that. "Okay, let me grab it and I'll be back."

While she got out of the pool, Henry took the chance to collect all his toys and take them to the edge of the pool so they wouldn't get lost. By the time Emma was back though, he was already in the pool waiting for her. She threw the ball at him from outside the pool and he jumped to get it, giggling. At that noise, Henry's mother lowered the book to look at her son and saw him playing with a blonde woman. They were passing the ball, higher every time, and Henry was smiling so much his face was almost swallowed by his grin.

She watched them play for a while, forgetting the book completely. The other girl's hair was glowing like it was gold, and she was smiling too, even laughing when Henry missed the ball. She tilted her head, studying that woman who was playing with her son so happily.

After a while, another kids joined them, and Emma took the chance to take a break. She may be playing with kids but man, it was tiring. She approached the edge of the pool and sat there, letting the sun kiss her pale skin and dry the little drops that fell down her body. She watched the kids playing with a smile on her face.

Suddenly, someone took a seat next to her. When Emma raised her gaze, her breath hitched at the sight of easily the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on. Her hair was short and it brushed her shoulders as the soft wind played with the silky dark tresses. Her sun kissed skin created a good contrast with the white bikini she was wearing, and as Emma subtly glanced down, she noticed that woman was smoking hot. She was wearing sunglasses, so her eyes were hidden behind them and it added her persona a mystery vibe that attracted Emma.

"Are you a part of the animation team?" she suddenly said once she had taken a seat next to Emma.

The blonde tilted her head, "Uh…no." She hadn't meant it to be some witty, funny answer, but somehow it made the other woman smile and Emma suddenly could feel every heartbeat like a hammer in her chest.

"Pardon me," she said looking towards the pool. "It would appear so since you're so good with kids."

Emma shrugged, following her gaze. Henry was waving his arms, calling for another kid to pass him the ball. "Give them a ball and you already are half way done."

"There are people who would not agree on that. Technology has taken its toll on the society," she pointed out.

"Are you one of those people?" Emma asked arching an eyebrow, but instead of answering, the other woman smiled. "Anyways, there may be a lot of videogames out there, but nothing can replace a pool and a ball."

"Strong ideas, I see," she commented, making Emma eye her curiously. It was like if she was passing a test.

"Mom!" they heard Henry yelling. Both woman averted their eyes from each other and saw him approaching them with the ball. "Did you see that? I just flew over Michael and caught the ball!"

Henry stopped in front of them and Emma frowned, not quite sure if he was referring to her. He had said mom and the woman sitting next to her couldn't be his mother.

"I did, honey. It was amazing, but be careful. We don't want to end up in a hospital like last year now, do we?" She answered sweetly. Emma blinked at her, surprised to notice the change in her voice and the fact that she was Henry's mother.

He frowned at the memory and shook his head to himself before gazing up and smiling at his mother. Then he looked at Emma, "Emma, you have to come back. They are destroying us!"

Emma laughed softly and nodded. "I'll be right back, kid. You go ahead and distract them." He grinned and saluted her before swimming away. Emma looked over to the other woman and raised her eyebrows.

"Go ahead, your team needs you," she smiled as she nodded towards Henry. "I should tell you that Henry doesn't like to lose, so you better give the best of yourself."

"Always do," Emma smiled before jumping into the water and joining the kids, aware of a pair of eyes hidden by sunglasses that were following her.

"Do it again!" Henry exclaimed excitedly as he swam back to Emma. It was late now; the sun was coming down and the sky was starting to die a bright orange. There was barely anyone else in the pool, only them and a few other people, but the kids they had been playing with before were gone.

After a while of playing with the ball, they had left it aside and were just playing around. In the spare of an hour Emma had been a shark, a crocodile, a swan, a whale and a mermaid. At some point, she had grabbed Henry and had thrown him in the air, making him fly for a second before landing on the pool. He had liked it and Emma had lost the count on how many times he has asked her to do it.

She grabbed him by his waist and shook him. "All ready in the Mills spaceship." He shook his head and Emma tilted her head. "Mmm Spider Man spaceship?" This time Henry nodded and wiggled in her hands, getting ready for it. "Okay then, all ready in the Spider Man spaceship. Take off in one…two…and three!"

Emma raised him from the pool and threw him forward. He giggled in the air for a moment before he landed on the water. She walked closer to make sure he emerged in time and when she saw him struggling, she helped him. He went out of the water taking a deep breath of air and wearing a smile on his face. His hair was covering his eyes and Emma pushed it back.

"You okay, buddy?" He nodded before coughing a little and she smiled. "Mission accomplished," she said imitating the voice of a radio, making him laugh.

Henry looked behind her and his eyes opened even more. "Mom is coming to the pool!" He tried to swim towards her, but it was taking him too long, so he approached to the edge of the pool with Emma's help and gripped it as he made his way there.

Emma raised her gaze and saw his mother walking with an elegance Emma didn't think it would be possible in a pool and stopped at the edge, where Henry was already waiting, looking up at her. She smiled down at him and took off her sunglasses, giving her hair a whip. Emma swallowed at the sight. After leaving her sunglasses with Henry, she jumped headfirst in the pool and Emma considered that she must be a professional swimmer because it wasn't normal for someone to be so elegant in all her moves.

When she emerged, she pushed her hair back and came back with Henry, who left the pool's edge and jumped into her arms, putting her sunglasses on. She laughed as he moved his head, most likely imitating her. Emma could stare at that scene forever, but she caught herself in time when Henry's mother looked at her. She said something and he rose a little to whisper in her ear.

"Emma?" she called out loud, surprising the blonde.

"Emma is a spaceship!" Henry explained to his mother. Emma smiled awkwardly, suddenly hesitating about throwing him in the air without his mother's permission.

"I saw that," she said, walking closer to Emma and raising an eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry if…" Emma started, but the mother shook her head softly with a smile. She looked at the kid in her arms and took her sunglasses to put them on. However, Emma had already seen those bright brown eyes that were making her head dizzy.

Henry seemed to ignore that interaction and left his mother's arms to jump into Emma. "Look mom. Do it Emma!"

"Henry, don't boss around," she scolded him, but Emma shook her head with a smile.

"It's okay." She grabbed him and swung him. "One, two and three!" She threw him and it splashed them, making them look away and, in the process, get a little closer.

"I guess I would have to pay you for you nanny services," the woman said as they watched Henry come out of the water. They reached for him at the same time and he came back to his mother's arms.

"Please, I had as much fun as he did."

Henry wiggled and she let him go so he could go to the edge of the pool, probably to get his toys. "Still, spending all evening with him and even losing the game."

Emma laughed and nodded, "You were right; he doesn't take losing very good. But he just needs the right distraction to forget about it."

"Do you have children, Emma?" she suddenly asked. The use of her name and the personal question threw Emma a little off balance, but she quickly recovered, shaking her head.

"No, I guess I just like them."

"I can tell."

Emma looked at her and saw the corners of her mouth quirking up, but she had no time to say anything else when Henry came back. He brought them where he could stand without drowning and started to give them his toys, but his mother stopped him.

"Henry, we have to go soon. I have to make dinner."

He pouted at her, "Just a little longer, mom. So I can show Emma my toys?"

She looked pointedly over at the blonde, "I'm not sure she has time either. She has to make dinner too, don't you Emma?"

Emma got the message on her tone and nodded at Henry. "I kinda do, kid. I'm sorry. You can show me tomorrow."

"Or you can come have dinner with us so I can show you the ones I have in my room!" he said, looking between the two women. They looked at each other, matching surprised expression on their faces.

"I…" Emma started, but she was cut off by Henry's mother.

"Actually, it would be a good way to make up for it for taking care of my son all evening."

Emma opened her mouth to refuse but she saw Henry's brown eyes, matching his mother's, and there was something in her that stopped her. What the hell? She had no plans for dinner, she didn't even have food, and having dinner with one of the hottest woman she had ever seen was the best turn of events she could think of. Also, she had been invited, so it's not like she was going there unwanted.

"Yeah, okay. Why not?" she shrugged and both Henry and his mother smiled.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, splashing water around.

"Okay, then let's go Henry. You have to take a shower before dinner so we should get going." This time he nodded and obeyed his mother as he got out of the pool. Alone again, the woman turned to Emma. "If you don't want to come or had enough of Henry, it's okay if you decline. I can make something up," she whispered.

Emma shook her head, "No, it sounds pretty great actually. My plans involved take out pizza and TV, so this is much better."

The woman stared at her, like analyzing her words. After a moment she smiled softly. "We're in room 108, on the first floor going that way," she pointed at the stairs. "Are you allergic to something?"

Emma wasn't expecting that question and blinked. The woman smiled to herself and clarified, "Just in case I cook something that makes you sick."

"Oh no," Emma answered. "I can take everything."

She nodded and walked away in the pool. "See you later then, Emma."

The blonde froze for a moment, feeling a shiver running down her spine at both the way that woman said her name and the way she got out of the pool gracefully. But something snapped inside of her, that in the last minute she called for her.

"Wait!" Henry's mother turned at the edge of the pool, glancing at her from above. "I didn't get your name."

"I'm Regina," she said, her lips curving. "Regina Mills."

Emma nodded and watched them go. Henry waved at her and she waved back, but she was in autopilot, the name of Regina Mills echoing in her mind.