One more night at the bothersome presence of the Charmings over their new home, one more day she went through without any kind of contact with anyone but the little complicated family. Even so, she wasn't about to complain, quite the opposite. Ever since Emma displayed just how much of Snow White's daughter she can be, ever since she went back in time and changed Regina's future with her urge to always be the hero, ever since she brought Maid Marian back from their land and reunited Robin's family, that's all she could stand for contact with people other than Henry.

Regina avoided any interactions at first, but there wasn't as many places to hide and she needed to leave the house, even if just to see Henry. She had to admit, the first couple of times were hard, seeing how much they actually were getting along well. Rolland would wave his little hand to her and a hopeless smile would form before she ran away avoiding any discussions. A week in was what took for the phone calls and knocks on her doorstep to stop, but she knew he'd want to have their final conversation, Robin was only waiting for her to be ready.

When she started coming every Friday night to have their gatherings and she saw just how relieved was that she still had her son, and that only could be enough for the time being at least. Regina started making her peace with the atrocious way her premature relationship with Robin Hood ended.

As for Emma Swan, well, the sheriff was clearly avoiding her at any cost. She always made what she could to skip being face to face with Regina, and even if the dinners were always at her parents' she usually left a poorly plotted excuse just before Regina knocked on their door.

Regina never really said a word about this completely usual defense mode the blonde got herself into, maybe Emma just wanted her to have sometime to pull herself together before they could talk. Somehow, Regina always felt that their little dysfunctional family missed something with her son's other mother's absence, the conversations missed a spot, the table was left with a vacant seat, Mary and David turned right off when anything concerning their daughter came up - even the first being hesitant to do so firstly - she wouldn't say it out loud but Regina appreciated that they were actually trying to fill her in and make her comfortable even if the price was leaving their own daughter out of their dinner-table for the time being.

The dynamic was just about the same every week, so as per usual Regina walked up to their front door, she insisted on bringing desert even if leaving apples off the plate was always a challenge she thought it worth, learning new recipes was welcomed. But things weren't as much equal as the other evenings when Snow looked from the front window just after making sure Baby Neal was asleep and ascended the stairs. "Oh, Emma's here!"

"Emma?" Regina reacted in a reflex.

Snow turned back from the window to face her husband, grandson and Regina at the living room, she thanked David when he spoke up on her behalf. "Emma is joining us, finally. She seems to have all of her duties on handle tonight." He said sounding as much natural as he could. But Regina knew it, Emma having her duties handled actually meant, Emma ran out of excuses this week.

But nobody said a word, Regina kept her attention to her son while she hugged him with an arm across his shoulder at the couch and looked down smiling for no reasonable motto nervously.

The bell didn't make it to sound, before Emma could think of pushing the button her mother already opened the door. Regina couldn't help but think of when Henry was coming home, and she always knew when Henry was near, she felt his presence and before the doorbell had the chance to rush through her house she was out greeting him.

She only noticed Emma was inside when Henry left her arms to greet her with a warm hug, they hadn't seen each other since the prior day. Seeing Henry display such affections to another person - well, if the other person was specifically Emma Swan - didn't make Regina struggle with her possessive side as much, she was still learning to share his affections, true, but she was managing it.

"Hey, kid." Emma reciprocated his hug tightening it and only leaving him when he started his grown up teenager speech about boundaries of display of affection.

Emma looked at him with a fake hint of offense before he showed his tongue and made his way back to the couch. Regina's eyes flashed away from the other woman as Emma finally turned to face her, notice her. "Hey." Was an awkward moment of silence to everyone.

"Hello."

Regina tried to stop her eyes, though they were as stubborn as herself at that moment, and she regretted leaving them be because when she finally found the green eyes staring at her from this short of a distance after so long, she saw something there she didn't really thought she knew how to name and the sensations she felt were completely out of her reach. She fixed her posture at the sit with the uncomfortable sensation.

And the moment was off when finally David got tired of staring their interaction from the corner of the room and decided to walk up to his daughter.

During diner they did their best to keep everything as light as they had been for the other encounters, Mary would tell about things Neal was learning, Regina sometimes would say something about Henry being similar to him in his early days, to which he'd complain right away disagreeing whenever it could embarrass him, David remarked that Emma must have been just like the two of them, and even she not remembering anything she'd disagree when it came to half things only because it was beyond weird for a child to need this much change or cry this much or eat like that and hold everyone's hair all the time, Regina would surprise the others with comments about where Henry got his baby habits from and make them laugh at the blonde, that night Emma Swan blushed once or twice with only Regina's jokes on her. Things flowed easy, easier than anyone could ever predict they would and for that the five of them were thankful.

After desert Henry, his moms and grandmother moved to the living while David took care of the dishes, they talked about everything and nothing until the electronic nanny took them by surprise with Neal crying and Mary sighed smiling because she should have predicted he would wake crying around that hour as every day.

"We could read a story from the book to him!" Henry spoke excited while getting the book from his backpack and waited for his grandma's response. Mary smiled at the boy and stood a hand for him before they went upstairs.

The tense heavy silence filled the whole room once Regina and Emma were left alone, they stared at each other few times before Emma blabbering anything about work.

Even with them having close to no contact throughout the last few months Emma did her best to always have her paperwork done in anticipated dates as to the ones they were requested for. She did her job as well as she could, and the sheriff's department was never so organized ever since... Regina couldn't precisely say when, she never really pulled as much strict rules with things to Graham, and ever since he was substituted she lost the handle of things until recently. Paperwork wasn't the only thing Emma had been doing her best with, she was never late for anything when needed, she went on school meetings whenever Regina couldn't and made notes detailing everything to send Regina right after the conference was off. Henry even complained about how Emma kept him grounded whenever he did something they'd not approve, or how she took away his games so he'd finish his homework, and make him sleep on time even on Saturdays. Regina didn't know why but it really bothered her being out of things to call Emma out, and maybe this was the biggest reason why she herself didn't force a meeting for a long time.

"We don't need to talk about it." Regina made the suggestion with close to no emotions in her words, as if setting a common rule to their next minutes alone.

"Alright, so no work subjects for the night."

Regina looked at the woman across the room frowning, she clearly didn't mean whatever Emma understood. She just thought that she should let the other woman know she was okay with not talking about the changing that was forced upon her life by the blonde.

"So, I hear you and Hook are quite the couple. Everyone's gossip of the past month."

"Well, that's flattering I guess."

"Why didn't him come along?" Regina asked intrigued with the fact.

"Since it's a family thing I jus- we just thought that it's still complicated to add him to family activities and all that."

Regina didn't know what was actually going on but she knew it had to be something. They were rarely seen in public, which was the cause of so much gossip, everyone knew something was going on between the pirate and their savior but no one had seen much of it. And since when was Hook not in the Charming Family activities? He was bringing himself into them ever since coming to Storybrook practically.

"I'm sorry." Emma's whispered words almost didn't make it to Regina comprehensive understanding and for a second time she saw the unusual unknown mystery glare of Emma's eyes locking with her own.

"You don't h-"

"I know," Emma cut the sentence, she looked down to her hands not being able to sustain their eyes locked for longer. "We don't have to talk about it now, here, where my parents and our son are," She repeated the words letting Regina know that she did get what she meant and caused a small and brief smile upon the other woman's face. "I just wanted, needed, to let you know that I am really sorry for everything and I don't expect you to forgive me or anything like that. I screwed things up, and I deserve whatever you must be feeling right now, but... If you need anything, if you need someone to punch or someone to scream at, or just company or anything really, just know that I'm here. Even if I'm not your best or first or ideal option."

Regina didn't say anything, she didn't move a muscle, she just took everything in and digested in silence. Emma was already halfway to the kitchen with an random excuse, something about David being alone or whatever but she stopped dead in her tracks few steps away from the kitchen's door.

"Why today?" Regina waited until she was met with a confused couple of green eyes. "Why did you come today and not before?" The true question was not made because Regina couldn't say it, she couldn't ask why Emma hadn't spoken with her before, why only tonight, why wait this long.

"I guess I ran out of excuses." She simply answered.

The sincerity tracking Emma's words were unexpected for both women.

"I'm sure your mom wouldn't notice if you repeated some."

"I would. I did try to repeat some, but I just couldn't take." What was she talking about now, Emma wouldn't take her own excuses for not to come? "The excuses were mostly for me. Mary- my mother, wouldn't fall for any of them when I tried." She explained with shame all over her words, it was almost comic to watch the scene.

Emma was still shocked that Regina didn't seem to be resistant to her presence, or absolutely out of control, or back into their old nemesis threats. She was still the redeemed woman Henry aspired her to be, even if not showing her anger was probably killing her inside. She resisted. Or she just changed for good, learned with the past.

Not long after Emma left Henry and Snow came down with matching smiles probably because the baby had taken the stories well enough. The evening ended not shortly afterwards, when Regina decided she'd go home with her son leaving Emma alone with her parents.

"So, you came today, huh?" Snow said as if she wanted everything just by asking nothing.

"Do not start it. We've already discussed, not gonna happen." She made sure to state not for the first time and she knew it would not be the last, Snow was just not going to leave this stupid crazy idea of hers so soon.

She didn't need to say anything on the matter, she felt tired and only wanted to leave to her own apartment and get some sleep. They said their goodbyes, as much as the scene repeated Emma was still not used to the warming embraces and all that came with them, but she didn't try to stop them anymore either. After promises of coming back next week for the new gathering Emma left.

When David and Mary were alone again he looked at his wife knowing for the expression on her face. "You won't give up, will you?" He asked already aware of the answer.

Snow shook her head.

"Those two are perfect for each other, they just need a little push. That's all."