One day in 2004 Storybrooke…

Regina had just finished putting little Henry to bed. She was happy to be a mother now.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

"Hello?" Regina asked, "Whom may I ask is calling?"

"Ms. Mills," an unfamiliar voice on the other end said. "We've had a great deal of trouble trying to contact you. In your agreement to adopt your son, Henry, it is mandatory for a bi-annual social worker checkup. You have yet to meet with any state representative."

"I-I know," Regina stammered, "it's just that juggling being mayor on top of being a mother to Henry, it slipped my mind."

"Ms. Mills if you don't meet with someone in the next thirty days, the state may have to take Henry out of your hands." the caller said.

"No!" Regina shouted, "I can assure you, Henry is getting the best of care from me."

"I'd like to believe that, ma'am, but I'm afraid protocol requires for a social worker visit." the caller said, "when is good time for you?"

"How about tomorrow?" Regina asked. "At 4:00."

"Tomorrow at four, you got it," the caller said, "we'll send someone over to your town, tomorrow. They'll be calling you shortly."

"No!" Regina shouted, "I mean, Storybrooke's pretty hectic this time of year. Besides, traffic on the interstate is a pain!"

"Ms. Mills, if you can't allow the social worker to come into your town, I'm afraid we can't meet." The caller said.

"Well, how about if I meet them in Boston?" Regina asked, "I'll bring photos and videos of Henry in Storybrooke as proof that he is under the best of care here."

"I can tell you really care about him," the caller said, "Tell you what, we'll meet you in Boston. If we're still not convinced, someone will have to come over to your home."

"Great!" Regina said, "See you at 3:00!"

The next day, in Boston…

At the adoption agency…

"Hello Ms. Mills," a young woman said, shaking her hand, "I'm Ren Stevens. I'm a college intern here. I'm going to Boston University."

"I'm sorry," Regina said with confusion, "Are you the social worker?"

"No," Ren said, "I'll bring her in."

A middle-aged redheaded woman came in.

"Hello Ms. Mills," she said, with a thick Irish accent, "My name is Monica. I'll be handling your case with wee Henry.

"A pleasure to meet you, Monica," Regina said, "you too, Ms. Stevens."

"If you wouldn't mind, I could take care of Henry while you're meeting," Ren said.

"No," Regina said, "That won't be necessary. He's my son."

"I realize that, ma'am," Ren said, "but there's a certain part of the screening the child should not be present for."

"Alright," Regina said, "here's his favorite stuffed animal, and a book you can read him."

Regina and little toddler Henry went in the meeting room with Monica.

"So," Monica said, "I'm told that due to these unusual circumstances you've provided photographs and videos of Henry's life so far in Storybrooke."

"Correct," Regina said, "you love it there, don't you, Henry?"

"Yes, Mommy," Henry said, as Regina smiled.

"Please refrain from speaking to your child for the time being, Ms. Mills," Monica said.

"So I'm not supposed to talk to my own son now, is that it?" Regina asked.

"You misunderstand," Monica clarified, "since this is an evaluation, I'd like to ask the questions to get the most honest answers from Henry, as well as you."

"Ok," Regina said, "fire away!"

"Would you step out of the room for a moment, Ms. Mills?" Monica asked.

"Fine." Regina said smugly.

Regina joined Ren in the hallway.

"Am in twouble?" Henry asked.

"No sweetie," Monica giggled, "I just need to ask you a few questions. It won't take long."

"What kind of questions?" Henry asked.

"About life with your Mommy," Monica said, "Henry, has your Mommy ever hit you?"

"Never," Henry said, "Mommy loves me."

"Has she ever left you alone for an extended period of time?" Monica asked.

"No," Henry said, "she takes me to her office. And I get to play."

"Has she ever left you without food?" Monica asked.

"Nope," Henry said, "she makes a mean lasagna, plus her apple pies are the best!"

"Do you like your life in Storybrooke?" Monica asked.

"Yeah," Henry said, "Everybody's nice to us."

"Ok, Henry, we're done," Monica said, "you can go now. I need to talk to your Mommy."

"I wonder what they're talking about in there," Ren said.

"Probably brainwashing my son!" Regina snapped.

"Probably not for us to know." Ren said.

Monica and Henry walked out.

"Ok, I need to speak with you, Ms. Mills." Monica said.

"Please," Regina said, with a smile, "call me Regina."

"Alright Henry," Monica said, "you're going to stay with Ms. Stevens while I speak with Mom."

"Hey Henry," Ren said, "How are you?"

Suddenly, an older, quite statuesque woman came in. She was dressed in black with a leopard-skin scarf.

"Hello," Ren said, "I'm Ren Stevens. May I help you, ma'am?"

"You certainly can," she said, "My name is Selina Kyle, and I have no idea how I got here. I was on my way to get some fresh gardening supplies and food for my cats, when suddenly, I felt I got swallowed up by the earth and ended up here. Where am I?"

"Boston, Massachusetts, Ms. Kyle," Ren said, "Do you need me to call a cab or something?"

"No," Selina said, "I need to get back to Gotham."

"Gotham?" Ren asked, "as in Gotham City?"

"That's right," Selina said.

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Ms. Kyle," Ren said, "Would you mind waiting here for a minute?"

Ren went over to the phone.

"And who might this bundle of joy be?" Selina asked Henry as she sat down.

"My Mommy told me never to talk to strangers," Henry said.

"How purr-fectly responsible of her!" Selina said.

Selina got up to talk to Ren.

"Excuse me, Ms. Stevens," Selina said, "Purr-haps you can help me, you see I need to make a phone call to a friend, and—"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kyle, but I can't get through to public relations," Ren said, "looks like you'll be stuck here for a while."

"Maybe not," Selina said, "Tell me, do have any cats?"

"Well," Ren said, "I may be single, but I'm not that lonely, no offense."

"None taken," Selina said, as they walked down the hall away from Henry.

"Do you know where they keep any secret information in this building?" Selina asked.

"Ma'am, I'm just an intern, and besides even if I did know anything, I couldn't tell you." Ren said. "But if you want I could ask the director, for you."

"Purr-fect!" Selina cooed.

Meanwhile, Monica and Regina were finishing up their meeting.

"Well, Ms. Mills," Monica said, "I think from the footage and photos you've shown me, plus the responses I received from Henry and the detailed outline of your progress with your son, I can see you are a dedicated mother."

"Thank you, Monica," Regina said.

"I realize life can be difficult, being in a high position of power as well as a single mother," Monica said, "if I were you, I wouldn't let anything else get in the way."

"Trust me," Regina said, "I can handle whatever God throws at me."

"Well, sometimes God throws things our way that we don't exactly expect." Monica said.

Suddenly, they find Henry on the couch and Ren lying on the ground, unconscious.

"Ren!" Monica said, "call 9-1-1!"

"Henry, are you ok?" Regina asked, "what happened?"

"I don't know," Henry said, "some old lady came in and talked with Miss Stevens, and then they walked off."

"Who was the lady?" Monica asked.

"Her name was Ms. Kyle," Henry said, "Selina Kyle."

"Do you know where she went?" Regina asked.

"Nope," Henry said.

Selina was raiding the archives and walked off with a folder.

"Purr-fect!" she said, "Step one, complete!"