I don't own anything.

When she entered the appartment, her daughter was staring at nowhere, a newspaper lying in front of her. Sending a 'hello' in her direction didn't seem to awake her from her transe. Approaching the kitchen she got a look at the page on which her daughter stopped reading and she immediately started to worry. The main article of the page was about the Mayor Office and the newly elected mayor. It had been a fair election, one in which Snow herself didn't want to take part in. To be honest, it was a relief for her to get away from it.

At first, she felt she was being selfish but after a time discussing it with her husband they decided that they had won the right to be selfish.

Surprisingly, the new mayor was not much of a change. The people of Storybrook decided to put Regina back in office. What was even more surprising was that no one disputed the results of the election. To all, it was only logical to see Regina at the head of the city again. Why? she asked some of the inhabitants and all said that no one could do the job as well as Regina. To Snow it seemed more that no one wanted the job as much as Regina wanted it but she couldn't blame anyone, she herself chose to get away from the responsabilities after all.

The problem in all this is that Emma being the sheriff, she would have to be in contact with Regina and even if their relationship was much more trusting now they both had a temper. Emma didn't like being told what to do – something Regina blamed on Snow's genes – and Regina didn't like defiant people – which Snow refered to as 'old habits', a comment not quite liked by the mayor who despised being refered as 'old' whatever the subject of the sentence. Of course since then, Snow had a tendency to use the word 'old' way more often when Regina was around.

"Something bothering you ?" Snow finally asked her daughter.

"Huh … when did you come back?" Emma asked with a frown that made her mother chuckle.

"I just did. I said hello but you didn't answer."

"Oh sorry" She said going back to the reading of the newspaper.

Suspicious, Snow carefully observed her daughter. "Something is bothering you" she said less questioning and more asserting this time.

"Nothing is bothering me." Emma answered pretending to read hoping it would convince her mother.

"Something is bothering you."

"Repeating it will not make it true Mother !"

Snow smiled slowly, she knew her daughter only used this title to mock her, not in a mean way of course but to point out that she was exasperating her by being overly protective. Snow wasn't hiding from it, she was indeed overprotective and she wasn't planning to change. She loved her two children and with everything they went through as a family she certainly deserved the right to be protective of them.

What Emma still refused to admit though was that Snow could read her like an open book and right now she could see that her daughter was bothered by something and that something was more than likely related to the mayor.

Seeing her daughter was not going to spill the beans anytime soon, she decided it was time to be sneaky about it. Retrieving her phone she started dialing a number.

"Who are you calling?" Emma asked frowning.

"Regina."

She didn't have the time to finish telling the mayor's name that Emma freed her from her phone.

"So something did happen."

"Nothing happened." Seeing the unconvinced look her mother was giving her she insisted, "Seriously I didn't even talk to her today."

And just like that it all made sense for Snow. "You're avoiding her."

Emma looked at her surprise written all over her face.

"Why?"

"This is stupid." Emma said before leaving the kitchen to go sit on the couch away from her mother.

"It's not stupid if it's bothering you Emma."

Snow chose to stay put, allowing the space between them. She watched her daughter pondering her next move. After awhile, she saw Emma putting her head in her hands refusing to look into the direction of the mother.

"It's stupid, really stupid …" She hesitated but told herself that it was too late now. Plus, she needed to get it out of her mind and she knew her mother would never mock her. "I realized something some time ago and I can't stop thinking about it." She took a breath before going on. "You know when sometimes there are things you absolutely don't want someone to know but out of nowhere this something is exactly the word that get out of your mouth without notice?" Snow nodded only, not wanting to interrupt her daughter. "Well a few days ago, I was babysitting Neal and Grumpy came here to fix the loose staircase ramp. We started talking and he asked if it was weird for me to have Regina as a grandmother. I didn't understand at first but then I did and I had to use all my self control to not freak out on the spot ! It never crossed my mind before and now I can't stop thinking about it."

"Technically she's your step-grandmother." Commented Snow as if it was not that big of a deal.

"I don't care about technicality ! When I had to see her after that I couldn't stop thinking about it, our last meetings were awkward but I managed. I saw her yesterday, I had some papers to give to her so we met in her office. She complained like always about the fact that my reports weren't elaborated enough and usually I would respond by a 'Yes Madam Mayor' to annoy her but when I went out this time I wasn't thinking about what I was saying …" The Sheriff tried to hide her head into a cushion but Snow had time to see her red face of embarassment.

"What did you say?" She asked curious. A grunt was all she heard in answer. "I can't hear you Emma."

"I said 'Yes Grandma' …"

Snow smiled reassured, it was not that big of a deal after all.

But Emma wasn't finished.

"I tried to backpedal, telling her I was joking you know but I don't know why that's what pissed her off. She told me the jokes about her age had lasted long enough, I don't know of what she was talking about."

But Snow knew, she was the one making fun of her about this and granted, the older woman was being a good sport about it, or at least she had been because it seemed like her little fun was put to an end.

"I don't know who thought funny to make fun of the former Evil Queen but I would have loved to receive a heads up."

"That would be me."

Emma looked up suddenly,"You?"

"Sorry." Snow apologized in a chuckle. "At least she's not thinking you were really seeing her as your grandma." She added smiling.

"Funny."

"Are you?" Snow asked gently.

"Of course not, it's Regina we're talking about."

Snow approached the couch and sat next to her daughter. "You never had grandparents Emma, I don't think it weird for you to want that in your life."

"Again it's Regina we're talking about." An incredulous look plastered on her face. "Besides, Grandmas are supposed to make cookies and tell you stories about your parents, they're not supposed to be scary."

That made her mother scoff, "Have you met Granny?"

"Good point." Emma stood up, walked toward the staircase but stopped before climbing the steps remembering another thing from her encounter with Regina yesterday. "Oh, you might want to avoid Regina for awhile."

"I'm supposed to see her tonight, we have a meeting with the teachers."

"Well you should skip it."

"I won't hide from her Emma." Snow said brushing off the warning.

"Before I left her office in a hurry, she told me to tell you that if you knew what was good for you you will avoid her for a few weeks. I don't think she was kidding."

Maybe I'll call in sick, thought Snow after consideration.