"Okay, Henry, keep your mouth shut," Emma whispered as they heard Regina's car engine turn off outside.

"But Ma… Mom's gonna be furious… she's not going to let you keep it."

"Shh… shhh… shh… it's gonna be awesome," Emma said, waving a hand at Henry, before she stuffed her fist against her mouth to keep from laughing out in anticipation.

They both sucked in their breath as they heard the door beginning to open, "Emma! Henry! I'm home!"

Emma clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from squealing in delight as they heard the telltale click of heels beginning their trek into the house, "Emma? Henry?"

"Squawk! Sexy lady! Wrrack!"

Henry slapped at Emma when they heard a loud scream from the foyer, followed by an ominous thump. Emma looked at him to see he was grinning like an idiot… and trying not to laugh. She shot him a smile and snickered silently…

"What in the hell!" Regina's voice echoed through the house.

"Wrracck! Beautiful! Ruuurooo… sexy lady!"

Emma snorted and slapped her hand over her mouth and nose, hoping Regina didn't hear her.

"Emma! Henry! I swear, if I find that you two are home…" Regina let the threat hang in the air, and it caused shivers to run up both their spines.

"Ma…" Henry whispered, "what if she fries it?"

Emma gave him a wide eyed look and snapped all her attention to the closet door… listen for any signs that magic was being used.

A wolf whistle cut through the air, "Wraack! Pretty lady! Wrackk! Squawk! Emma loves Regina!"

This time, when Emma looked at Henry, he merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "It's true…" he whispered.

She smiled back, but kept silent.

"Emma, okay, the fun is over. I've been away for a month, and I would really enjoy having you and Henry here to meet me. Your car is out front, dear, and why would you put this thing here if you weren't home to enjoy it scaring me?"

Emma and Henry remained quiet, flinching when they heard Regina's heels clicking closer and closer to the closet.

"Squawk! Fuck me wraaack! Shit! Wraaack!"

Henry sputtered, and Emma's mouth fell open before they started laughing loudly, "Oh my god!"

The closet door opened and a red-faced Regina Mills was standing before them, "You taught this parrot to use foul language!"

Emma fell over, clutching at her sides as she laughed, "No! Oh my god! I tripped down the stairs the other day… and… oh God! I didn't think it was going to pick it up so fast!"

Henry nodded and began laughing even harder, "She totally ate it!"

Emma tried to sit up, and failed, causing her to slip and land back on the ground with a thud, "I… I was… I got it as a surprise… and… we taught it… to be very complimenting…"

She looked up to see Regina glaring at her, a quirk on her lips she was trying to hide, "Emma, why on earth would you get a parrot?"

Taking a deep breath and clearing her throat, Emma calmed her laughter and gave a nervous chuckle, "We got bored, just the two of us. After just the first week, we did so many things that we didn't know what else to do… a month is a long time, Regina… so we got a parrot and spent all the time teaching it to talk. Barnie surprised me when he said Emma loves Regina… that was Henry's doing. We were both surprised when it cursed."

"You got bored, and decided to buy a parrot?"

"Well…" Emma smiled crookedly, "yea… we missed you, and thought it would be fun if we taught it to say nice things, so when you got back you had three people happy about your return."

Regina smiled and reached her hand out, which Emma gratefully accepted. Being pulled to her feet, she returned the smile before wrapping her arms around Regina and connecting their lips together for the first time in a month.

At their feet, Henry made a sound of mock disgust, "Yuck… gross!"

Pulling away, Regina laughed as she reached down to help Henry to his feet, and placing a sloppy kiss to his forehead, "I'm so glad to be home."

Henry stuck out his tongue and wiped at his head, "Mo-om! Gross! You were just kissing Ma! Gross!" He laughed.

"Gross! Squawk!" Barnie screeched before stretching his wings and flying to Emma's shoulder, "Wraack! Pretty lady!" He bobbed his head in Regina's direction.

Regina laughed and reached out her hand, smiling when Barnie stepped onto her finger, "Who's a good parrot, yea, you know how to get the ladies now don't you," she cooed as she ran her fingers over his head.

"Whoa… you're not like… afraid of it or anything?" Emma asked.

"No, contrary to belief. I also don't hate birds, despite Snow's crazy obsession with them."

"Emma loves Regina!" Barnie squawked.

"That she does," Regina smiled, leaning over Barnie to quickly press a kiss to Emma's lips, "and I love her, too."

"Wraack! Gross! Squawk!"

Henry began to giggle, and in seconds Regina and Emma were laughing with him.