Chapter 1 – All the Prince I need…

Regina doubted before knocking at the door. If she was standing there thinking of even doing so was because things had changed. And gone a long way she had. She needed to talk to someone and after all she had done… Snow was the closest to a friend she had. And Tink too, but she wasn´t an option. Not on this subject. The only friend besides… him. And she missed the guy like crazy. She thought she should feel stupid, but she had spent her life grieving after Daniel anyway. She found a chance to heal, and it was taken away. Maybe she wasn´t a hero after all. Maybe… changing required way more than she thought. She didn´t get a chance because the door opened and the cry of a baby pierced her ears and shattered her heart a little bit more if that was even possible.

"Regina… how are you?" asked snow, rocking the child in her arms.

"Can we talk? Are you going out?" the Queen muttered, looking down at the child. Snow nodded after a few seconds of surprise and ushered her in.

"No, I just… thought I heard something. Do you want some tea?"

"That would be nice" she smiled and sat down. "I can… hold Neal if you want me to".

"Yes, of course" Snow smiled, cradling the baby into Regina´s arms. "I am so tired. How did you cope with Henry?" she continued, already fetching the filled cups.

"Well…" Regina started, smiling at the cooing baby. "He was the only one who ever trusted me… I love him and you all know that".

"That´s not quite true" Regina´s eyes shot up at the sound of Snow´s words, hurt and angered. "I mean, I know how much you love Henry, but he wasn´t the only one who ever trusted you. I spared your life more than once because I did so and I wasn´t wrong".

"Maybe you shouldn´t have. Death, or sleep, sound better than feeling void. Death is not the worst of curses".

And it did, Henry might love her but he would never be her child. He would never be fully hers.

"Not having someone is" Snow completed. "Have you ever heard the saying ´the darkest the night, the closest the dawn´?"

"Let me guess, it means…" Regina tried, but Snow didn´t give her a chance.

"Good always wins. Evil never lasts forever. But tell me, why are you here?" Regina still kept silent. Neal grabbed her finger and she was staring at him. He looked so much like her Henry. How she wished he was around to hold her. Maybe then the hurt wouldn´t seem so deep.

"How do you do it? How do you keep faith when it seems you have lost everything?"

"You haven´t lost everything, Regina. That´s what hope means. Hope is something you choose when you realize a life without hope, a world without hope, is too sad to be worth it. I´m sure you´ll both figure this out in the end. No one meant to harm you and I´m sorry in Emma´s behalf because she did hurt you, but he is still out there and you know he loves you. You saved my happy ending back in the Enchanted Forest and for that I promise I will help you save yours in return".

"That´s even worst. At least Daniel was dead and I never doubted him. But now… now I just wasn´t enough. Now he is away because he want to".

"Give it time… the guy has things to sort out and surely a lot in his mind. Be ready, because you will both have things to forgive to each other. Don´t blame him, trust" Snow finished, sipping her tea.

"It´s been a week already! I think his choice is clear" Regina shot back.

But the conversation was interrupted by the door opening, and it changed everything for her. They greeted the newcomers; Henry ran to give her a hug and Regina handed Neal back to Snow to hug him back. As quick as that, her life didn´t seem as gloomy anymore. Emma stood just behind him and didn´t say a word.

"Are you alright, mom?" Henry asked. Of course he knew the story, the fundamental part of it anyway, not the real length it had taken, and he seemed worried. Which she didn´t like.

"I´m perfectly fine. How was school?" Regina smiled.

"Why do you always change the subject" he demanded and crossed his arms. "I am old enough for you to tell me".

"Because you shouldn´t be worrying" Regina laughed. No mother can get so easily at peace with the idea their baby was growing. "I´m good and I love you. You´re all the prince my story needs".

"What about a movie and pizza tonight, then?" he suggested, leaving his backpack on the counter. "I can sleep over in my old room".

"Sounds fantastic. What do you feel like watching?" Regina asked, standing up.

"I feel like having a huge pepperoni pizza. Extra cheese" Henry replied, coming back to her.

"Let´s go get it then" she stood up, put her jacket back on and wrapped an arm around him. "Is that fine with you?" she finally asked Emma, who nodded, so they said goodbye and rushed to leave. Emma grabbed her arm before she closed the door.

"I´m sorry. I really am".

"You should be. I hope time won´t bring us all reasons to be more sorry than we already are. As I said, keep your prayers on that".

.-.-.-.-.-

You know, mom? It does seem to me you´re missing a certain outlaw. I might be the Prince, but you want the King. That´s fine, don´t worry. Heroes always get tested. You will get your happy ending after all. You deserve it. Henry said so to her before going to bed and hugged her tightly. A simple gesture that really comforted her heart and still made her feel better when she woke the next morning. And he was already up and running when she walked to his room. So she made some scrambled eggs and he was ready for school. When the bell suddenly rang she grabbed both their coats and they both headed to the door.

"Good morning" said Emma when Regina opened the door. She didn´t smile and her expression didn´t foretell good news.

"Hey, mom, what´s up?" Henry asked, walking to her.

"You can walk yourself to school today, buddy. You are old enough already" Emma told him with a brief hug.

"But I was going to walk him. He doesn´t need to go alone" Regina protested, feeling the inside coldness again.

"We need to talk, Regina. He will be fine" Emma assured with a meaningful look.

"Okay, bye" the kid said with a shrug and left. Regina´s eyes followed him, watching the backpack bounce as he ran.

"What was all this about, Swann?" Regina demanded squinting her eyes.

"There´s no easy way around this, Regina, so just don´t freak out. Marian is dead and you are my main suspect. I have to take you in" Emma said in a rush.

Regina gave a step back, surprised. Marian´s disappearance hit her as much as her arrival had. She was confused and she couldn´t, really couldn´t take this blame. She couldn´t live knowing he would hate her.

"What are you talking about? I didn´t leave Henry´s side the whole night. It couldn´t possibly have been me. And the truth is I would never do it, because if he hears you all think it was me… I don´t know if I could live with his hatred. You can´t force me".

"I know I can´t force you" Emma replied, grabbing the handcuffs. "And I know you are innocent. But this is my duty, and if you help me and come willingly it will speak in your favor, and it will make it easier to find the true killer. Win him back".

Regina sighed and approached Emma.

"You are really taking pleasure in this, aren´t you?"

"As hard as it might be for you to believe, I´m not. I´ve seen enough from you to know who you truly are. I would have known you didn't do it even without my super power".

"Then why are you really locking me in?" Regina inquired, not amused at all. The handcuffs clicked and she wanted to cry and disappear. She wanted to know he was happy, that was all.

"Strategy. The same we did with Zelena. Remember?" Emma asked, raising and eyebrow and guiding the Queen to her car.

"Do I always have to be the bait for your schemes?" Regina muttered, unhappily falling onto the back seat.

.-.-.-.-.-

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think and I will keep posting if you want me too. There is a lot coming… xxx