Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

A/N: This is just a bunch of interconnecting One-shots depicting Henry's Parents and how the three may end up working together to raise the boy.

This is from Neal's pov

Upon returning to Storybrooke, Emma, Regina and I started to work together in looking after Henry. The two still bickered over most things but Henry tells me that well it's normal for those two. Tonight, Regina invited Ems and me over to have dinner with her and Henry; it is her night with him. Dude we really needed a better system for this that kid cannot be handed around so much.

We reached the door just as Henry yanked it open, "Hi Ma, Dad, Mom's putting the finishing touches on the apple turnovers," the kid looked up at us with an overly innocent face. I was a little confused but seeing Emma flinch was still kind of funny.

The Queen's voice called from farther in the manor stating, "He's kidding Ms. Swan. I made peach cobbler." I looked up just in time to see Regina exiting the kitchen as she took off her apron, "Mr. Cassidy, interesting choice of wine."

I grinned, "Well, I figured one of us should bring something. And Emma still can't cook." Regina chuckled as Ems turned and glared at me.

Emma rolled her eyes before heading with Henry into the dining room. I turned to Regina offering my right arm, "Your Majesty?" Regina shakes her head at me before gracefully accepting my arm.

Before leading me into the kitchen, Regina said, "Well dear, since you offered you can help me bring the food in." My jaw dropped as I hear laughter from my son and his ma at my expense. Huh sometimes I think the three of them work at picking on the new guy in this crazy situation.

Regina handed me the platter with the chicken on it as she grabbed the vegetables and potatoes. I followed her as she led me into the dining room she spoke to both Henry and Emma saying, "Did you wash up?"

The funny thing is that they both answered, "Yes, mom." Though Ems sounded more sarcastic then I've ever heard her.

Regina raised an elegant eyebrow at Ems before sassing back with, "Dear, I wouldn't want to be your mother, because then I would have to endure that irritating catch phrase, and do you really see me saying," her tone changed as she mocked Emma's parents, "'I will always find you,'" Henry and I cracked up at that, hell even Ems had a to smile at that.

The dinner conversation was mostly carried by Henry and me. Since Regina cooked, Henry and Emma cleaned up and brought the cobbler in. Emma asked the question that was plaguing both of us, "Regina, we usually don't mess with time spent with Henry, so why ask Neal and me to dinner? The kid already gets a family dinner night at Granny's." This is true the three of us had set Friday nights as family dinner night at a neutral place.

Regina looked towards the kid as both Ems and I noticed she was internally fighting putting the Mayor mask back on. She sighed as Henry nodded his head, "Ms. Sw- Emma," looking towards Ems "Neal," she glanced at me before gesturing towards the kid, "Henry wanted to hear my story and sense my story is entwined with both of you. It seemed only fitting that you both hear it as well."

Emma and I shared a look of understanding as we all sat back down. Sadly enough the cobbler was momentary forgotten in favor of what Regina was about to explain. I sat there listening as she explained her life with a magically abusive mother and coward of a father. I couldn't help but wonder if my life was worse without my mother, Ems life in the foster system or Regina's with the abuse that would only leave mental scars.

Regina cleared her throat as she seemed to get to the part of the story that I knew was in the book though what was in the book didn't seem to explain why she blamed Snow. "One afternoon, I was meeting with Daniel in the fields when a young girl about your age, Henry," she look towards the kid as he sat up listening with rapid attention, "was screaming for help on the back of a runaway horse. I didn't know who she was at the time but I reacted by jumping back on to my own horse before taking off after her."

Emma and my jaws dropped hearing how the former Evil Queen initial reaction was to save Snow White. Regina gave a slight sob that blended with the chuckle she had at our faces before continuing, "I caught up to her and pulled her on to my own horse. I then slowed down and let the girl down off." Regina had a far off look on her face as she explained, "Snow had made a comment about never riding again."

I looked over at Henry as he heard that his mom never wanted to marry the king and that her mother was forcing her into it. I noticed that he had tears sliding down his face as he listened to his mom's tale. Glancing at Ems, showed that she wasn't dealing much better, I could tell this story was only going to get worse. "I met Daniel in the stables later that night. I proposed that we run." Regina gave an audible gulp.

She explained about begging Snow to keep the secret from Cora. She glazed over the more grizzly details for Henry's sake but once she told us that Cora took and crushed Daniel's heart, I noticed Emma rub lightly at her own chest. Regina went on to tell us about calling my father for help then about how he offered to teach her magic. She said she originally just wanted it to bring Daniel back.

I could feel myself getting even angrier at my father for him corrupting her further. But hearing her owning her choices as her own well, I knew how my father could be but I couldn't help but be proud of Regina for accepting what she's done. As her story led into what was in the story book, Regina started to wind down her story.

Henry got up and gave Regina a hug as he asked, "Do you regret what you've done? And would you change anything in the past if you could?"

She looked down at him, "Do I regret it, yes." Regina then looked towards Ems and I before saying, "Would I change anything, no," she ran her hand through the kid's hair before silencing Emma by saying; "If I changed anything then Henry would not exist."

Henry's brow furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Regina smiled down at him as she said, "Henry, your father was in Neverland and then this world. Had I not cast the curse, Emma would not have met Neal and thus you wouldn't have been born."

I thought about what she had just said before thinking out loud, "Who created the original curse?"

Both Emma and Regina answered me with, "Gold."

"Let me get this straight, my father corrupts you," I point at Regina, "Uses you," as I gesture at Ems, "all just to find me, when he could have just not let go of me to begin with?!"

Henry looked up from his place in his mom's arms as I could feel my anger at my father rise. But before I let it get the better of me I asked Ems, "Why did you rub over where your heart is?"

I noticed both Henry and Regina look towards Emma with similar expressions. I silently chuckled at the fact that our kid share all three of our facial expressions. Emma glared momentary at me before sighing, "When Mom and I were over in the Enchanted forest, just before coming back through the portal, and Cora attempted to take my heart."

Regina blinked before saying, "My mother doesn't attempt to take someone's heart dear; she just does it."

"Yeah well, her hand was in my chest and she pulled but my heart wouldn't budge," Ems runs her hand through her hair, "Then she was just blasted back."

Regina bit her lower lip in thought and I could just see the thought flying through her mind. She wanted to see if it was a fluke or if it would happen to her if she attempted what her mother did. I asked, "Ems, do you think it was a onetime thing or what?"

Emma looked between Regina and I when she noticed that I was watching Regina when I asked my question. "You want to see if it would happen again, don't you?"

Regina cleared her throat, "It would be good to know one way or another."

Henry, who had been watching the conversation with slight fear, called out, "NO! Because either you," pointing at his mom, "can take it out or you get blasted back and get hurt. So No!"

The three of us share a silent conversation about shelving this until the kid wasn't around, so I suggested, "Cobbler?"