I've always hated Snow for what she did to me. For destroying my true love. So I've been fighting harder than ever to rip hers apart. But ever since that Swan girl has come into my life Mary Margaret and David seem to know that they're supposed to be in love. I cannot allow it.

And yet, here I am right now, preparing the table with David Nolan aka Prince Charming because a marvelous idea has just occurred. I can seduce him, therefore both punishing Snow and giving myself a new lover which I've longed for ever since I killed Graham...Sometimes I worry I may have acted a bit rashly and that keeping him alive would have served me better. But then I remind myself that he deserved what he got.

"Henry has been growing so distant since Emma Swan turned up." I say softly, pulling the lasagna from the oven.

He smiles at me with what looks like pity and it annoys me more than anything. I don't need anyone's pity. But if it makes him fall in love with me, I can live with it.

"Well, I guess he's just excited in meeting his birth mother. But it still hurts. After all, I am the one who raised him."

"I'm sure he'll realize that sooner or later, Madam Mayor," he mumbles.

"Please, call me Regina!" I smile sadly at him.

"Why do I get this special treatment?"

Oh, very funny, Charming, I think, but manage to extract a laugh from myself.

"You're the only one in this town who hasn't shown clear signs of detesting me..." I don't meet his eyes, this time out of embarrassment and the sob I let out is actually real. I don't remember having anyone to confide in, since...I push his name out of my mind. I can't afford to think about him now.

I feel a soft hand rubbing my shoulder and there he is smiling comfortingly.

"Maybe because I don't."

I give a feeble laugh and invite him to sit down and help himself to my cooking. If only I had magic this would have been way easier.

David's POV

I have no idea why I'm still here after all I've heard about this woman. Yet she seems the exact opposite of everything I've ever heard about her. My thoughts flicker briefly to Mary Margaret and wonder what she'll say if she knew I were here. I find Regina Mills a much nicer person when she's alone and now I get why she's seen as she is by the rest of the town.

"Henry is a wonderful boy; you did a good job in bringing him up!" I say to encourage her about her son. The only flaw I find her is that she cares too much about him.

"Yeah, except since Mary Margaret gave him that stupid fairy tale book, he seems to think that I'm the Evil Queen in his life…" she starts muttering more to herself. While talking, she's cutting her food so quickly, due to annoyment that it slips out of her hand and onto the floor. "Oh, stupid me!" she mumbles, suddenly red in the face (I've never noticed how well that color suits her). She bends to pick it up, but I'm there first. When I hand it over, our hands touch, and I feel a slight tingle and I get away from her, suddenly frightened of what it might mean. She looks up sharply.

"Not you too!"

"No, no, it's not that!" I say quickly, ashamed of myself. I crouch down and grab both her hands between mine to show her I'm not like the others. She looks as though she wants to continue asking questions, but I start talking to keep her silent.

"I don't think you're an Evil Queen! I think you're just a worried mother of a teenage boy who is starting to distance himself away from you, and a struggling mayor who has to cope with an entire city…" she smiles as those words and starts wiping away her tears.

"Thanks you, David! For everything!" she says, voice croaking as she gets up and tries to clear the table.

"Let me do the dishes!" I offer, not knowing how or why I came up with this thought.

She starts protesting, modestly, telling me I've done enough, but it feels so good to be appreciated. Again, I think of Mary Margaret and how she, unlike Regina has always had something to comment about me.

I begin washing the dishes, stealing glances at Regina. "So…" I begin, trying to continue the conversation, "No one ever told me how you found me…"

"That's because no one except me knows." She pauses and gives me one of the most genuine smiles I've ever seen from her. "I was late for work, when I realized I'd left my phone at home. At first I thought, whatever, I can get it anytime. But something told me to go back…" she trails of, locking eyes with me all the time.

"And you found me…" I continued as mesmerized.
"It was almost like the Universe wanted me to find you…"

The word 'find' triggers something in my memory and it's almost as if it's trying to tell me something. Suddenly, I notice Regina keeps coming closer and before I can do anything she leans in and kisses me softly.

Everything tells me to go away, but I can't because the shivers I get are the same I got when I kissed Mary Margaret who I thought I loved. Before I know what I'm doing I find myself kissing her back, passionately embracing her tightly, taking in her apple-scented perfume…