This is a fluffy one shot that had been nagging me since last week's ep. It takes place as Regina tucks Henry in. Enjoy and let me know what you think of it.

"Oh I know that look; that's five hours of Space Paranoids and too much Pizza" she quipped, poking him with her index, and eliciting a smile out of him. He was holding onto her hand, and no words could describe what it felt like. They were both on top of the bed, with her other arm supporting her weight as her body draped over his. She felt better this way, her body shielding him from any danger that can befall him. His smile warmed her heart; it had been a while since he smiled at her like that, let alone allow her to tuck him in and sit with him like that. She missed those small moments that many seem to complain about, or cruise through them like they will last forever.

"Pizza is good" he said back, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly, before her face grew serious again as she looked down at his chest once more. Her hand glowed brightly, as she waved it over his heart. She ignored his cringes, and the slight squirming. As much as she hated seeing him in pain, especially because of magic and at her hands no less, it needed to be done.

"It stings. What's that for?" he grimaces, once she's done and she allows her hand to lay limply over his stomach.

"This spell, so no one can ever take your heart, ever again" she stressed the last point.

He reached for her hand, and held on tight. She doesn't remember the last time he did that, but boy did she remember what it felt like and missed it, craved it even. The warmth shot from her hand and straight to her broken, but now slowly healing heart.

"Thanks Mom" he said sincerely, and her face shows how much her heart swelled at that small gesture. He hadn't thanked her for anything since before the curse broke, not sincerely any ways, and he most certainly hasn't reached for her hand in far too long. She leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, another thing that she hadn't done in a while, and yet another thing that she took for granted as he grew up. He tightened his hand around hers, and when she pulled back, she didn't pull back all the way. She stayed closer to him than she was moments ago, and gazed lovingly at him, enjoying the sight of love in his eyes, directed at her once more.

"We'll be home soon" she assured him, "my little prince" she added fondly, smiling at him when he gave a small smile at the title she had given him a very long time ago. When she tried to take her hand away so she can go back up the deck, she felt him tighten his hand around hers even more.

"I'll be up on the deck, if you need anything just call, and I'll be right down" she soothed, trying to decipher the look in his eyes, as she got up from the bed and straightened the covers around him.

He watched her closely as she walked towards the ladder, "Mom" he called and she immediately stopped and turned around to face him, "yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you stay?" he asked hopefully.

She couldn't help the bright grin, or the tears that pooled into her eyes at his request. She wordlessly walked back to the cot, watching happily as he wiggled closer to the wall to make room for her, memories of a near past playing before her very eyes of a her baby boy doing the same thing over and over again as he grew up, before he decided that she was the Evil Queen and incapable of love. She climbed into bed with him, and gladly welcomed him into her arms, when he snuggled against her, burying his head in her chest and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. She wrapped her arms around him as well, and brought one hand to stroke his hair soothingly to try and lull him to sleep.

"I missed you Mom" he mumbled against her chest, and she closed her eyes at his words, savoring them and savoring the feel of him being in her arms like that.

She kissed the top of his head, "I missed you too baby, more than anything" she choked out into his hair, before resting her cheek on top of his head.

"Do you remember those nightmare I used to have when I was six?" he asked.

"Yeah" she answered.

"You were always gone in them" he confessed, and she pulled back slightly from their embrace, instantly missing his warmth, and looked at him quizzically, "gone?" she repeated.

He nodded, "in them, I can't find you anywhere in the house, no matter how hard I look. And somehow, I always knew that you were gone" he recounted, tears springing to his eyes at the memory of his childhood fear.

"Oh Henry" she exclaimed sympathetically.

"But then I would wake up, and you would be there, you were always there" he added.

"Of course I would be there, I'll always be" she vowed.

"Until you weren't" he exclaimed tearfully, as a tear now rolled down his cheek and it finally dawned on her.

"You had the nightmare again when you were staying with Emma" it wasn't a question, it was a statement. He nodded in response, and she couldn't deny that she was surprised that he feared losing her, enough to dream about it when he was with his 'real' mother as he used to call Emma. And then she saw it, the real reason why he was telling her all of this, the silent plea in his eyes.

"I won't leave you baby, ever, again" she vowed, smiling reassuringly at him and sighing in relief when she saw that he believed her. She pulled him back into her arms, and wound them tight around his ever growing body, as she murmured kisses and soothing sounds into his hair.

When Regina didn't come back up to help with their escape plan, Emma decided to go below deck to find her. She figured that Regina was probably standing on guard next to Henry's bed, scared to close her eyes, or maybe even savoring her time with him. She never expected to find the sight that greeted her, once she turned away from the ladder and towards the bed.

Regina was lying on her side, with her back towards Emma, and the only thing visible of Henry were his tightly wound arms around Regina's waist, and his fists clenched around the back of her jacket. She walked slowly and quietly towards the bed, and was surprised when neither of them made a move to indicate that they know of her presence, even though the floorboards creaked under her weight. Her face softened when she realized that both mother and son were fast asleep, with Regina's arms wrapped tightly around Henry, who had his face buried in her chest. She smiled wistfully when she noted the peaceful and content expression Henry had on his face, and the content and protective one on Regina's.

She put her hand on Regina's arm and shook her gently, "Regina" she whispered, trying to wake her up without startling her and without waking up Henry.

It seemed she failed in both; Regina jerked slightly at the contact, and Emma saw how Henry's arms visibly tightened around her waist as he too jerked awake. The slight panic in his eyes tugged at her heart, but before she could open her mouth to try and soothe him, his eyes focused on Regina's warm brown ones, and he immediately relaxed.

Once Regina was satisfied that Henry wasn't about to have a panic attack, she turned her head and looked at Emma questioningly.

"It's time" she said, and Regina nodded.

"Let's go home" Regina exclaimed gently to Henry, who nodded and smiled lovingly at her.