A/N: Hello readers. Though I am not new to FanFiction, this is my first time writing a fic! I thank you for taking the time to look at a new writer and I hope I don't disappoint. I am open to any criticism or suggestions. Obviously, I do not own Once Upon a Time or it's characters. Otherwise, I'd have someone give Regina a hug once in awhile. Anyway, happy reading!

"Mom!"

The sound of teenage feet thunder above the lower floor of the mayoral mansion, echoing in the large and lonely house.

"Mom!"

Those same feet thunder down the stairs in the main entrance and progress into a rapid crescendo as they near the kitchen. The owner of those feet enter the kitchen to find his mother gazing out the window, lost in her own thoughts with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Mom?" Henry questions his mother as he takes in her unfocused gaze. Regina suddenly shakes herself and looks at her growing son. "Sorry, dear...I was just thinking."

"I know, Mom," starts Henry. He looks at the former queen with understanding and grief. "I know. It's been a year" Henry's eyes fill with tears. Regina shakes herself out of her clouded mind to fully take in her son. She pulls him into an embrace, taking note at how much he had grown in the past year.

"Oh sweetie, I know...I know." She held him close to her, reflecting on the past year and how hard it had been for him and, well, if she were honest with herself, she too had difficulty coming to terms with what had happened. Henry had already come to deal with and face more than most adults had. Henry had also gotten taller over the past year and would soon over-pass her in height. It seemed he took after his blonde mother in height...

Emma...

A muffled "Mom?" was uttered from the boy in former queen's arms which pulled Regina from her reverie to realize that she had held him for a good ten minutes. She let Henry go and moved to rest her hand upon his shoulders. "Yes, Henry?"

Henry looked at the floor and then back to his mother's eyes. "They're holding the memorial service today, in an hour in fact. Grandpa's supposed to get me in few minutes. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

"Henry..." came the hesitant reply. "I'm not sure that would be best." In actuality, Regina knew it would be a horrible idea if she were to go considering that the town of Storybrooke was insistent on demanding her blood. "No one wants me there anyway, besides you. They still blame me for..." She didn't finish her sentence but Henry got the message; his mother still blamed herself for what had happened.

Henry knew she wasn't at fault and said as such. "But that's not fair to you! It wasn't your fault!"

Regina looked at him tenderly, still in awe of his unwavering faith in her, even after everything that had happened. Though he lost faith in her before and in that rough period after the curse broke, ever since coming back from Neverland, Henry unquestioningly believed the former queen with all his heart, knowing that she would do anything for him. She still couldn't believe that he choose her over the rest of the town.

"Henry, not everyone was there. I told you that I would never lie to you again and you believed me when I said that I didn't do it. However, it was because of me that it happened which does make the fault mine. I'll have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life." With these words, Regina attempted to put her mayoral mask in place, but Henry saw right through it; his mom was hurting. Sure enough, Regina's expressive eyes gave her away. The dark brown eyes of the former queen were filled with unshed tears, hurt and grief clear in the swirling depths of her gaze. Absent-mindedly, Regina's hand left his shoulder and moved to touch the chain around her neck, the pendant always hidden under his mother's shirt, away from prying eyes. Henry thought he caught a glimpse of it a year ago when his mother started wearing it and thought he saw a flash of silver and something that looked like a wing.

Henry then mirrored his mother's actions from earlier and grasped her shoulders and stared straight into her eyes. "Mom," he began. "I love you and don't you ever forget that. No one is going to hurt you. Grandma and Grandpa believe in you and no one would dare harm you if they don't want them too." He said this with such conviction that Regina couldn't help but smile in spite of herself. Henry was most definitely of Charming blood with his undying faith that good will always prevail. But Regina knew the people of her town and was certain that if she ever left her mansion, she would be dead, no matter what Charming and Snow said.

"Oh Henry, it doesn't matter. Why do you think I have barely left the house? But that's not important now. I have something for you to take with you." With a wave of her hand, the former queen conjured a small bouquet of variegated tulips. They were white and black streaks throughout them. The tips of the tulips were flecked with silver. Henry had never seen flowers like these anywhere. Anywhere, that is, except...

"Wait, aren't these the ones that..." A sudden knock on the front door interrupted him. Charming had arrived to pick up Henry. Regina handed the flowers to Henry and gently pushed him out of the kitchen and towards the front door. Henry continued forward and went to put his shoes and jacket on while Regina stayed behind at the bottom of the stairs. Henry had just reached for the door handle when he took on last glance at his mother.

"You miss her too, don't you." It wasn't a question but a statement, quiet and without judgement. Regina just stood at the bottom step of the stairs, her eyes closed and her fingers resting on the silver chain. Henry turned back to the door, understanding that his mother wouldn't answer and realizing that she probably wouldn't. However, just as he turned the handle of the door, he heard her answer.

"Yes."

Later, Regina found herself in her study on her couch, her fourth glass of cider sitting untouched on the coffee table. She was lying on the couch in front of the fire, curled up in a ball. It was late as the sun had already set, but how late, Regina did not know. The only sign that time had passed was the dying embers of the fire that Regina had lit hours before. The room was quite dark, the only other source of light coming from the kitchen down the hall that Regina had uncharacteristically forgotten to turn of. That, or she really didn't care. She could have shut if off with a flick of her wrist just as she could have reignited the fire with another flick of her wrist, but the former queen was not inclined to do so. In fact, she was not inclined to do anything at all. Henry would be spending the night at his grandparents house that evening and that left Regina on her own to stew in her own dark thoughts. With Henry there, at least she was distracted from her own dark mind, soothing his own grief and offering him comfort. But now, on her own, Regina's control was slipping from her grasp.

These dark thoughts about her past haunted her night after night with reoccurring nightmares. She had dealt with them before and usually pushed them aside as she began her day. She had been going to see Archie as well, and he had proved to be helpful in dealing with the demons of her past. However, it was the demons of the recent past that haunted her the most and, since she had been primarily secluded in her house, she had no help. It was those thoughts that plagued her now. The only comfort Regina could find was in the silver chain around her neck. She was grasping it now and she lay on the couch she started to fall into an uneasy sleep. Just as she started to drift off, there came a loud knocking from her front door.

Regina bolted upright at the sound, a fireball ready in her hand. Henry was not due to be home until tomorrow, and his grandparents would've called had there been a change in plans. The former queen realized that it must be one of the towns bolder citizens, coming to exact their revenge on her. Well, she thought to herself. If they want and Evil Queen, then that's exactly who they'll get.

She moved from her study to the front door where the knocking had ceased for a few second before it started up again, more incessant this time. The former queen moved to the door and abruptly opened it, fireball at the ready and aimed at the poor unfortunate soul who dared to challenge the Evil Queen. However, the sight that greeted the former queen was not one she expected. No, instead of an angry citizen at her door, the former queen was greeted by a very familiar figure of too tight jeans, boots, long blonde hair, emerald eyes, and a red leather jacket that Regina found she missed seeing.

"This is impossible." The former queen's face was a mixture of emotions. Grief, hope, and disbelief fluttered across her normally stoic visage. For, standing on her front porch was the supposedly dead former Sheriff.