Regina walked out of her office. It had been raining and very overcast most of the day, but at the current moment the sun seemed to be peaking out. She went to cover her eyes from the blinding light. She had been helping MM with paperwork and the woman was slowly nudging Regina into the idea of taking her office back.

Regina smiled, she was enjoying her time with MM and if she were honest with herself, her and Emma's friendship had been developing quite nicely. She still vaguely remembered the kiss the other day. They both had walls up but maybe they would start to let them down.

Regina heard a noise over by the dumpster, her face taking on a look of concentration. She thought maybe there was some animal behind the thing, but when she got there she saw a young girl. Blonde, green eyes and the ever distinct red leather jacket.

Regina froze, "Emma?"

The young girl plastered herself against the side of the building. Regina could see she was soaked, dirty and looked petrified. Her heart ached for the savior, though she must have done something idiotic to be transformed back into some five year old.

The girl was shaking, clearly had no recollection of who Regina was. Regina looked around, though she knew there would be no one. She kneeled down on the ground with her hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Regina…would you like to come home with me? We can get you cleaned up and sort everything out."

Regina gently reached a hand out, and Emma flinched. Regina's stomach dropped, what had happened to Emma when she was young?

Regina reached again for Emma, touching her arm gently.

"I promise everything will be ok Emma." She smiled.

That was all it took for Emma to launch herself into the woman's arms.

…..

Regina took Emma home, the girl loved riding in her car. She would catch her smiling but when the girl saw Regina watching her, the smile would fade and she would get shy.

They quickly arrived at 108 Mifflin Street. Regina holding a small hand as they walked across the front yard. She hung up Emma's jacket and her coat in the closet as she stooped down again.

"So Emma, let's get you a bath and then we can come down and make some hot chocolate and cookies how does that sound? Oh and my son Henry is going to be spending the night at his grandparents this weekend, but he'll be home for a while as well."

She small girl looked up with wide eyes and nodded. She moved her hand half way to her mouth to suck her thumb but then quickly remembered what had happened at her last foster home when she had done this motion, she put her hand down.

Regina was so saddened by this timid Emma, this was not the woman she knew, then again, Emma was only a child right now.

"Come on dear." She reached out her hand and little Emma gripped it tight.

Regina set up her bathtub with all the colorful hair products and soaps she had normally put away. She filled the tub, and carefully helped Emma out of her wet close and into the warm water.

The girl sneezed, which produced a light laugh from Regina. Upon hearing the older woman laugh, Emma smiled. Regina took her time washing Emma's light blonde hair and letting Emma chose what she wanted it to smell like. The girl had pointed to her winter cinnamon shampoo. Regina liked that one.

When she was done with bathing Emma she wrapped the girl in a large fluffy deep purple towel and carried her out to the bedroom, setting her down on the bed. When Emma thought she wasn't watching, Regina saw the girl's eyes go wide, admiring the room and swinging her legs.

Regina pulled out a light blue cotton tshirt and did a little magic to make sure the dark blue silk pants would fit Emma. She also magic-ed some underwear.

She walked out of the closet and slipped the clothes on then smiled when Emma looked warm and happy. She then grabbed Emma's wet clothes to put in the laundry.

"Let's go make that hot chocolate and cookies, hm?"

Emma jumped up and followed after this nice lady. She had always been told at school not to go home with strangers but strangers didn't seem to be as bad as the homes she was normally in, well this stranger anyways.

…..

Henry arrived soon after they got the ingredients out.

"Mom! I'm home! I am so excited to make Christmas cookies, we haven't done that in what, like two years?" He laughed but froze when he entered the kitchen, seeing a smaller version of his birth mother.

Regina looked up and made eye contact, shaking her head.

Henry slowly closed his mouth, but gave his mom a look that conveyed, 'what the hell happened here?'.

"Henry, I'll tell you about it later ok? For now… we have a guest," She put her hands on Emma's shoulders, "this is Emma she is going to be staying with us for a little while."

Henry shook his head feeling more confused than normal but walked up and shook little Emma's hand.

At least his mother's were still getting along.

"Hey there Emma," Then turning and hugging his mom, "Hey Mom."

Regina smiled as she hugged her son back, she was so glad he loved her again.

They spent the better part of the afternoon turning the sugar cookie dough into all kinds of things. Regina found out Emma had an odd obsession with ducks.

"Sweetheart don't you want to make something else?" Regina looked at the ten duck like mounds already on the tray.

Emma's face scrunched up as she tried hard to think.

"umm what about a princess duck? And evil duck… an Evil Princess duck!" Emma smiled happily as she went to work.

Henry and Regina shared a laugh and shrugged.

Henry ran upstairs to make sure everything was ready when his grandma arrived. Regina left Emma in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell ring.

She had just opened the door and opened her mouth to greet snow when she heard a thud in the kitchen she quickly went darting back. Emma stood in the middle of the room with a huge mess around her.

"I tried to, I wanted to help…I sorry..." Her little eyes already filling with tears.

Regina was relieved it hadn't been Emma who had thudded to the floor. She cursed herself for leaving her alone, what if she had hurt herself. She sighed and walked towards Emma.

Emma reached a hand in front of her to protect herself.

"Please I'm sorry…." Her eyes were darting around the room, looking for an escape path.

Regina slowed her advance. She instead sat on the previously vacated stool and reached her hand out.

"Emma, come here sweetheart." Emma was still crying, hard, fearing what punishment she would receive. She had been doing so well, now this woman would never want to keep her.

Regina pulled Emma up into her lap, wrapped her arms around her and gave her a kiss to her cheek.

"We can clean it up Emma, it's not a big deal, I was so worried you were hurt."

Emma could hear how Regina's voice was strained, it was how the other parents at school acted when they came to pick up their kids that were hurt on the playground.

"Really?" Emma snuggled back into Regina.

"Yes, Emma, really. Please try not to scare me like that."

Emma relaxed, this woman was nice. She wanted to stay here forever.

They both looked up when they heard a voice in the doorway

"EMMA?!"

A/N: Hey guys this is going to be a short fluffy fict. Been working on it in my head for a while just finally had time to write it down today. Let me know if you want more :PPP