Regina sighed heavily as she checked apples to pull from her tree. Setting one into the basket hanging just below her elbow, she allowed her thoughts to wander over that morning's conversation with Henry. There wasn't one particular reason why she didn't want him to know about who she was before she met Daniel, before she was forced into marrying Leopold, but the underlying thought plaguing her was that he wouldn't believe her. Henry was good, down to his very core, and she had once been good, too. But he knew the stories of her, of the Evil Queen, and she feared that telling him anything before that time of her life would only lead to pain when he didn't believe she could have been so innocent once.

Pulling another apple from the tree, Regina wondered what it would be like if Henry could truly know who she was when she was his age, seventeen and innocent and mostly unharmed. Perhaps if he could have met her, he would believe her, but that wasn't going to happen, and there was no point in wondering about such things.

Regina felt a surge of magic and heard a yelp from the other side of the tree as she saw a body drop from, seemingly, out of thin air. The girl was on all fours, having caught herself against the ground, and she had long dark hair that fell over her shoulders. She was wearing a light blue dress, long, floor length probably. The fabric was shiny, though the dress seemed simple enough and was laying naturally against her and it looked... well, it looked oddly familiar.

Swallowing thickly, Regina rolled her lips and set down her basket of apples, crouching as well as she could in her pencil skirt as she reached her hand out to help the girl. The visitor reached for her hand blindly and mumbled a soft thanks as she stood. Once they were standing, facing each other, Regina squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples, sighing as she pulled out her phone and the girl looked at her frantically, almost fearful.

Dialing the phone, she waited for an answer, then said, "Emma... I need you outside my office, now."

"What's up?" Emma asked, popping a chip into her mouth and chewing it loudly, mostly to annoy Regina, as she swung her feet off her desk and stood, grabbing her keys.

She rolled her eyes at the phone and turned away from the visitor enough to be quiet, but not enough to lose sight of her. "We have a magical problem. A visitor. From the past."

"Well shit," Emma sighed. "Of course we do. Because it's been, what, a week since someone tried to blow us up? I'll be right there."

"Good." Hanging up the phone, Regina turned back to the visitor and tried to look calm. "Are you all right?"

She received a nod, as the girl looked her over and frowned. "I do not understand... where am I and... are you-?"

"Yes. Just wait a few moments and we'll get this figured out," she said, looking around and silently begging Emma to get there faster.

Within minutes, Emma screeched to a halt in front of City Hall, slamming her car door and striding over to where Regina was standing next to someone with dark hair and a blue dress. "Okay, what's the problem?"

Regina turned so Emma could see them both clearly and waved her hand in front of the girl. "This, Emma. This is the problem."

Emma's mouth fell open in surprise. "Oh," she finally said, still blinking at the younger Regina. "Well… shit. That's… what?"

"I don't know! She just appeared!" Regina hissed exasperatedly. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she shook her head and looked around. "I have no idea how to fix whatever happened."

"And you expect me to know?! Regina, I know I've come a long way with my magic and all, but you're still the expert, not me!"

"Maybe so," she allowed, dropping her hands and clapping them against her legs. "But I need your help with her. I can't... until we figure this out, we can't let her know much about me, it could change things when we send her back."

"Hm," Emma hummed, eyeing the girl. "Why don't we get Henry to keep her occupied? He won't say anything."

Regina looked at her younger self and, after a moment, nodded with a mix of caution and satisfaction. Henry would finally be able to know who she'd really been. With that thought, she realized that she must have accidentally brought her younger self to Storybrooke. Brushing the thought away momentarily, she said, "Very well. Call him."

"Excuse me," the younger Regina said softly. "Who is Henry? And where am I?" She studied the clothes the older women were wearing and scrunched her nose. The attire was strange, and the buildings looked considerably different from home, and oh, her mother would punish her for disappearing like this.

"Oh my god, she sounds adorable," Emma laughed. "Regina, were you seriously like this?"

With a roll of her eyes, Regina pinned Emma with a glare. "Obviously, since she is me. Now would you please just call him?" She turned to her... self and gave a tight smile. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with Henry until we can figure out how to get you home."

Young Regina nodded and stood awkwardly, eyes wandering over her surroundings and over the woman who had said that she was her. Her hair was shorter than her own, not by too much, but enough. And she looked sad, and she found herself wondering what had brought such sadness to her life as she aged.

Emma muttered something about being touchy, and pulled out her phone, dialling Henry. When he picked up, she smiled reflexively. "Hey, kid, I need a favor."

"What is it?" Henry asked, setting down the comic he'd been reading.

"There's a situation at City Hall… We kind of have two Reginas right now. And since the new one is your age, I thought you could keep her company… and away from people who might give information without spoiler alerts."

Henry sat on his bed, staring at the wall as Emma's words filtered in.

"Kid?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll be there in a few. Any idea what I should do to keep her occupied?" Henry asked, frowning in confusion as he pulled on a pair of sneakers.

"No idea. We'll figure out what she likes when you get here. Hurry up, okay?"

"Will do."

Emma hung up, turning back to the two women. "He'll be here soon."

"Good," Regina breathed, turning to look at the innocent version of herself. "I'm sure Henry won't enjoy it, but he's going to have to take her shopping, or at least to my house to get her some suitable clothes."

"This is one of my nicest dresses!" the other Regina said, her voice light but carrying an edge of hurt in it. She wasn't particularly fond of the dress, she would wear riding clothes everyday if she could, but she didn't appreciate having her appearance be called unsuitable.

"It isn't that," Regina assured. "It's just that we need you to not stick out, and right now you do."

"Regina," Emma murmured, moving closer to the mayor. "Seriously. You were adorable. Can I keep her?"

Shooting another glare at the blonde, Regina said, "Only if you get rid of me, and while I'm sure that would please you to no end, it isn't an option."

Emma's argument was cut off by the arrival of Henry in his car.

"You weren't kidding," was the first thing he said upon approach, looking at the younger version of his mother. He smiled at her and held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Henry."

"Regina," she answered, frowning at his hand and gripping the sides of her dress instead. The girl gave him a small curtsy and dipped her head slightly. "I've never shaken a man's hand before."

Regina sighed and nodded. "It's fine, dear. Now, why don't you go with Henry, and Emma and I will just figure out how to get you back home." Then, looking at Henry, she added, "She'll need some different clothes."

Henry looked slightly pained. "Can I just take her by the mansion and get something of yours? That's a little less painful than shopping. Also cheaper."

"Okay. I have jeans in the dresser and... just point her toward the top drawer in my closet dresser and let her choose something, but don't go in there. And she can wear any shirt she'd like," Regina said, second guessing if maybe she should be the one to take her for clothes. The underclothing in the Enchanted Forest was different, and probably wouldn't fit under the tight clothes she owned, nor would her younger self know how to work a bra.

The teen girl made a face and looked between Henry and Regina. "What in the realm are jeans?"

"Are you sure I can't keep her?" Emma whispered.

Henry grinned and pointed at his denim-covered legs, then at Emma's. "These are jeans. Normally they're not as tight as Ma wears them, so don't worry about that. Plus, I was thinking, you like riding horses, right? Jeans are great for that."

Perking up immediately, the younger woman smiled. "You have horses? I love to ride." She then frowned in thought and shook her head. "Mother says I ride like a man. Is that... will that bother you?"

Regina felt pain squeeze her heart at her younger self's words and shook her head. "No, sweetheart, you ride just how you know and like."

Henry nodded in agreement. "And you can pick whichever horse you want, too. Come on," he held out his hand to her, grinning.

She took his hand and said her goodbyes to the other women. Looking at Henry, she smiled softly and asked, "Are jeans comfortable? Although, I suppose they can't be much worse than a corset." Her last words were mumbled and she blushed when she realized he had probably heard anyway. It wasn't proper to speak of such things in the company of a man.

Smiling assuringly, Henry nodded. "Jeans are great. And don't worry. Ma went to the Enchanted Forest a couple times, and she said corsets were the most uncomfortable thing she ever wore." He guided her to his car and opened the passenger side door for her.

"What is this?" Regina frowned. "Is this a carriage? It's awfully strange looking." Still, she crouched slightly, looking in and then sliding into the seat provided. There were buttons all over the inside and a wheel on the other side that looked strange to her.

"It's a kind of carriage, yeah," Henry agreed, then closed the door and jogged around to the other side, sliding into the driver's seat. "It's called a car. I'm gonna warn you now, it makes noise and kinda vibrates when it's running, okay? I don't want it to startle you or anything when I turn it on."

Nodding, she mentally prepared herself not to be frightened. "You're very kind, Henry," Regina told him. "I haven't been around many men, but the ones I have are always pushy and wretched. But you seem different."

Smiling proudly, Henry told her, "I was raised to be a gentleman." He reached over and squeezed her hand briefly before turning the key in the ignition, the car rumbling to life underneath them.

"Oh! That's strange!" Regina said, her eyes widening at the new sound and feeling. "Is it very fast?"

"It can be," Henry nodded as he pulled his seatbelt on. "But we have speed limits so you can't go too fast. Oh, and you have to wear these," he added. "Yours is over your right shoulder if you want to grab it. And it just clicks in here." He blushed a little as he had to move her dress to uncover the seatbelt latch.

She did as he told, fumbling a little when she tried to push it in. "What is this for?" Regina asked, not liking the material across her chest, rubbing against her skin.

"Uh," Henry hesitated, not wanting to say that it was in case they crashed. "It keeps you in place when you turn corners fast or stop suddenly." He gave her another reassuring smile before pulling out of his parking spot and starting down the road.

"I see." Regina found herself admiring his features. The other women had said he was her age, but she hadn't told them how old she was exactly. Still, Henry didn't look more than seventeen or eighteen. She found herself blushing, the warmth spreading across her cheeks as she admired him, then turned her face away so she wouldn't get caught.

The ride to the mansion was in silence, Henry pulling up in front of the house, parking on the street. "Here we are." He got out and quickly rounded the car to open her door for her and hold out his hand to help her out. "Ready to get out of that uncomfortable corset?" he teased.

Regina's eyes widened and she blushed again, but she soon realized he hadn't meant it in the way her thoughts had taken her, since they'd spoken about her changing her clothing. "Oh... yes, I am." Then, taking his offered hand, she stood out of the car and smiled shyly at him.

Henry grinned in return, the tips of his ears beginning to turn red. Stop being weird, Mills, this is your mom. Sorta. Of course, she was also a pretty girl around his own age, with sparkling eyes and a soft smile. "Come on." He closed the door with his free hand and led her up the path, opening the front door. "This is the great mayoral mansion," he chuckled. "Also known as where future-you lives."

"It's beautiful," she whispered in awe. "And so quaint!" Regina looked around as she entered. "I must have lovely tastes as an adult."

"Quaint?" Henry asked, raising his eyebrows. "The bedrooms are upstairs." Tilting his head, he led the way to the staircase.

Following him, she said, "I live in a castle." Regina shrugged and looked at the walls and decorations as they climbed the stairs. "But this is so much better."

"Better than a castle?" Henry laughed in disbelief. "I'd give anything to live in a castle. That would be so cool."

"Why ever? They're cold and large and... empty," she said, her voice sad.

Twisting his lips together, Henry stopped at the top of the stairs and faced her. "Maybe you just need the right people there with you."

Giving a nod of agreement, Regina smiled once more. "Perhaps so. Now... where might I find this clothing I need to wear?"

"This way." Henry led her to Regina's bedroom, opening the door and going into the closet. He grabbed the jeans from the drawer and handed them to her. "Here are the jeans. The, um…" his ears and cheeks flared red, "underthings are in the top drawer. Shirts are hanging up. Pick whatever you want. I'll just… wait downstairs."

"Oh. Henry? I know this is terribly personal," she started, blushing in a shade that matched his own cheeks well. "There's a latch at the top of my dress in the back. I couldn't possibly reach it on my own. Could you...?" Regina left the sentence hanging in the air between them and immediately vowed to herself that her mother could never know she'd just asked for a man's help in getting her dress undone.

Henry's eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed hard. "Sure," the word came out dry and rasping, and he cleared his throat, stepping behind her. He found the latch and quickly undid it, asking, "Is that… is that good?"

Turning her shoulders just slightly, Regina turned her neck and gave him a tight smile and a soft nod. "Yes, thank you," she answered quietly, staring into his green eyes. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "I'll just find you when I'm done then?"

"Sure," Henry nodded quickly, half-stumbling over his feet as he made his way to the door. Once it was closed between them, he leaned against it briefly, blowing out a long breath and willing himself to get a grip.

Regina slid out of her dress, laying it across the bed. Then she made her way to the dresser and opened the top drawer. Her eyes widened at how little material each piece consisted of and she ruffled through until she found a pair made more of silk than lace. She felt scandalized, they were bright red, and it felt so unladylike to wear, but nothing else even looked like it would cover her. With a sigh, she pulled them on and followed with the jeans. The fabric was surprisingly soft against her skin despite the rougher exterior, and they fit snugly around her bottom, which made her eyes widen in the mirror.

Regina then reached back and tugged at the lace of her corset, untying it and pulling it off. She found what looked like a miniature corset in the drawer with the underwear, but she looked at it and had no idea what to do with it. Walking into the closet, she looked through the shirts to find something to wear. There was a row of what looked like soft corsets with thin straps for her shoulders, so she pulled one on and was pleased to find it was concealing enough. Picking out a dark blue button-up, she pulled it up her arms and over her shoulders, working the buttons into their proper spaces. Once she was satisfied, she walked out of the room and down the stairs.

Henry looked up when he heard footsteps, and his eyes widened slightly. "You look… good," he choked out, his gaze scanning her form. "I, uh, found a pair of riding boots for you," he added, holding out his mother's rarely-used boots.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Something needs to be familiar to me," Regina answered, taking the boots from him. Before she pulled one on, she looked at him with her brow furrowed. "I don't have my stockings."

"Oh, right," Henry snapped his fingers. "Socks. Be right back!" He ran up the stairs two at a time back into the master bedroom closet, checking the dresser drawers - and avoiding the top one - until he found the socks. Grabbing a pair, he hurried back downstairs. "Here you go."

Taking them from him, Regina pulled them on, followed by the riding boots. She stood, thanking Henry for his help. "Now do we get to see the horses?"

"Yep," Henry nodded. "Unless you wanna grab something to eat first, but personally, I don't like riding after eating."

"No, I can wait to eat. I had an apple for breakfast, anyway," she answered with a smile. "I'm quite excited to ride. I love horses."

Henry shook his head slightly at how little she apparently ate, but didn't say anything other than, "Let's go, then," and led her back to the car.

Sliding in the car with more familiarity, Regina remembered the strange restraint and pulled it on. She was ready to ride a more familiar mode of transportation though, that was for certain.

"So how long have you been riding?" Henry asked once they were headed toward the stables.

"Since I was young, probably eight or nine," Regina told him. "Mother said it was for discipline, but now she's not very fond of my affinity for it. And you?"

"Six years ago, when I was eleven," Henry replied. "My grandpa thought I should learn, so he got me my own horse."

She smiled fondly at that. "Then you must have a relationship with your horse? That's very important."

"Yeah," Henry chuckled. "I missed a year, I had to move and he couldn't come, but when I got back, I started going to the stables again. I don't get to ride as much as I'd like, so I'm not very good, but, y'know, I can stay on his back, so that's a plus."

"I can help teach you!" Regina told him excitedly. She found that she enjoyed having something like a friend. Looking out the window, she watched as the surroundings passed quickly. "It's beautiful here, this strange land."

Grinning happily, Henry nodded. "It's called Maine. Well, the town is Storybrooke, but it's in Maine. I like it here."

"Storybrooke. What a strange name. And I'm the... Mayor, you said?" she asked. When she saw stables, she smiled once more.

"Yeah, the mayor," Henry affirmed, parking in front of the stables. "But that doesn't matter, right? We have horses to ride!"

"Yes, horses," Regina answered, giving a nod and releasing the belt from her. Turning to open the door, she realized she hadn't had to yet, so she didn't know how, so she looked to Henry for guidance.

"See that latch there?" Henry pointed, his arm almost brushing her chest. "Just pull that, and push the door." He pulled back and demonstrated by opening his own door.

Thanking him again, she did as he explained and got out of the car. Regina looked around and breathed in the fresh air, already able to smell the hay. "I know I do not know much here, you probably find it bothersome. I'm sorry you got stuck keeping track of me."

"I don't mind," Henry replied easily. "I wasn't really doing anything anyway, and besides, you're really pretty." His brain caught up with his mouth, and he flushed, stuttering, "A-and, y'know… horses."

She blushed deeply and her lips curved up into an unintentional smile. "Thank you. You're very good looking yourself," Regina mumbled, then teasingly added, "and horses."

Henry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, and entered the stable. "Uh, this is my horse," he said, stopping in front of a stall containing a grey dapple gelding. "His name is Atlas." Reaching up, he scratched the top of the horse's head, between his ears. The horse nickered and nudged at Henry's shoulder, sniffing at him, looking for treats.

"Strong," Regina said automatically. "He's beautiful." She moved to stand in front of the horse, bowing her head slightly and holding her hand up in front of him, just above his nose. Fingers pointing to the sky, she held it just inches from him and waited to see if he would respond.

Atlas sniffed at her cautiously before pressing his soft muzzle into her palm and snorting.

Henry laughed. "I think he likes you."

Humming, she stepped closer to the horse and petted him happily. "The feeling is mutual. He's a wonderful horse."

"Marcus - he runs the stables - is really good about only bringing in horses that have been treated well and are healthy. He has another smaller stable where he works on rehabilitating abused horses, but they're not kept here. Too many kids ride," Henry explained. "Oh, oh! Hey, check it out." Taking Regina's hand, he pulled her a few stalls down, where a large bay stood with his back to them. The nameplate said his name was 'The Royal Guard' and Henry whistled softly. "This is your horse," he said, then shrugged. "Well… yours in the future."

Clucking her tongue, Regina waited as the horse turned. She repeated the same actions she had with Atlas, pleased when he, too, responded well. "Hey there," she cooed, petting him. "You're quite a beautiful horse. Will you let me ride you today?" Regina waited a moment as she ran her hand up between his eyes and to the top of his mane. Finally, the horse neighed, and Regina clapped excitedly. "He likes me!"

"I'd hope so," Henry chuckled, fascinated by her innocent enthusiasm. "He probably recognizes you. Also you, future you is the only person he lets ride him. So I figure he'll let you ride him."

"He doesn't let you ride him?" she asked in surprise. Regina slowly pulled open the door as she looked at Henry for his response, her bright eyes watching his face.

"Nope," Henry shook his head a little ruefully. "Royal likes people well enough, but he's picky about who he lets on his back."

"But you're so wonderful," Regina countered without thinking. After realizing what she said, she dropped her eyes to the floor and moved into the stall, running her fingers over Royal's mane.

Blushing, Henry scuffed his foot against the wood floor. "So… do you want a saddle, or bareback?"

"Bareback, of course. Though, he's awfully large, I may need assistance getting up," she answered, looking around on the ground for a stool.

"Oh, uh…" Henry hesitated before shrugging internally and moving into the stall as well, brushing his hand over Royal's side before going down on one knee and giving Regina a half-smile, patting his leg.

She pressed her foot on top of his leg and gripped the horse's mane, tossing her leg over Royal's back and settling herself. "Thank you, Henry. You would make a very noble knight."

"Maybe I'd be a gallant prince," he returned, chuckling at his own joke as he stood again. "And see? I told you Royal would let you ride him. He'd be fidgeting by now and spazzing out if he wasn't."

"Maybe he'd let you ride with me," she suggested innocently. "After I have him to myself, of course. I promised to teach you, afterall."

Henry bit his lip, looking down and shaking his head slightly before glancing back up at her and teasing, "You're trouble."

"Trouble? How so?" Regina was worried she had offended him and looked intently into his bright green eyes.

Backing out of the stall, Henry replied, "You're too beautiful," and fled to get his own horse, his face burning in embarrassment. She may be trouble, but he was the one who was going to get into trouble - fuck, no, that's not what I meant! - if he didn't behave himself. His mothers would kill him.

Blushing after he walked away, Regina shook her head and tried to stop the light fluttering she felt in her stomach. Henry was a lovely young man, but it wouldn't do her any good to fall for someone in a place and time she didn't live in. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss him. Her first kiss.

After a minute, Henry returned on Atlas's back, grinning a little awkwardly at Regina. "So, um, there are a few riding trails, and one of them goes to this big open field. I was thinking maybe we could go there?"

She nodded her agreement and nudged Royal with her heel to get him moving. Following Henry and Atlas out of the stables, Regina felt free. Having a horse to ride without her mother's constant judgements felt wonderful. "Lead the way, dashing Prince," she teased, with a sudden surge of confidence.

Henry grinned, giving Regina a sideways glance as he moved past her. "That's a lot of trust, pretty princess… maybe I'll lead you away to have my wicked way with you," he teased back.

Raising her eyebrows, she blushed again, keenly aware of how the butterflies in her stomach were moving madly. Regina could not recall any of the suitors her mother forcing her to meet being quite so charming in their boldness. "Perhaps I've put my trust in the wrong gentleman," she countered, eyes shining with amusement. "But I shall trust you anyway, and perhaps if you remain on your best behavior, I may allow you a kiss."

Henry lost his breath for a moment as a flush of warmth moved through him, and his legs tightened around Atlas, causing the horse to jolt forward. After a moment to get himself back under control, he turned back to Regina, his expression serious. "Just so you know… I wouldn't. Take advantage of you, I mean. I would never do anything to a woman that she didn't want."

"I believe that," Regina answered, grinning at him. "I may be young, but I can tell the difference between a gentlemen and a man with poor intentions." And she truly did believe him, and trust him, despite hardly knowing anything about him.

"Good," Henry nodded, smiling at her before he turned his horse toward the path.

There was so much she wanted to ask him, so much she wanted to know, but she settled for enjoying the ride in silence. Following him, Regina wondered what it would be like to actually know someone, to actually have a true friend, and the idea pleased her.

When they got to the field, Henry brought Atlas to a stop and turned his head, watching as Regina pulled up next to him. "Here we are," he said, motioning in front of them. "This is my favorite place to ride. Most people take the other trails, so it's quiet, and there's room to gallop and just do whatever."

Smirking, Regina pressed her heels into Royal's sides and led him into a canter. She wasn't quite ready to gallop yet, not with a new horse, and not when she was trying to show off. Her body bounced in motion with every lift from the horse and she removed one hand from his mane, extending it and allowing it to move against the air.

Henry grinned as she rode away from him, admiring her freedom and skill. He watched the way her long hair flowed behind her, his eyes following it down, over her back, to the jeans she wore. Biting his lip hard, he watched as her muscles flexed under the fabric, and he looked away when heat began to collect in the pit of his stomach. What's wrong with me? She's practically my mom! Hell, she is my mom!

When Regina rounded the edge of the field, she let go of Royal's mane completely, tightening her thighs on his sides and holding both arms out. She let out a cheerful laugh, closing her eyes and tilting her head back just slightly.

Looking up at her laugh, Henry let out a strangled sound as he watched her. She was moving gracefully with the horse, her hips shifting in a subtle back-and-forth that had her body rolling and her breasts bouncing. His gaze narrowed in on that last detail, his mouth dry as he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. And his jeans were now starting to strain in the front.

Regina regripped the mane as she grew closer to Henry, slowing her horse to a trot as she approached him. Once she was beside him again, she gave him a smirk and asked, "Aren't you going to help me down?"

Henry's mouth opened and closed a few times as he stared at her, trying to figure out how to do so without revealing his arousal. "I… okay," he agreed, slowly sliding down from Atlas's back on the side away from Regina. Squeezing his eyes shut, he took a deep breath, willing himself to calm before he rounded the horse and stepped up to Royal's side, holding his hands up to Regina. "I'll catch you."

Bracing herself with her palms flat on the horse's back, Regina pulled her leg from around his side so her hips were pressed against him. She slid down the horse, feeling Henry's hands grip her hips as she did. Once her feet were on the ground, she turned in his hold and smiled up at him.

The side of Henry's mouth twitched in an attempt at a smile as he stared down at her, pupils dilated with a lust he knew he should be ashamed of, but couldn't find it in himself to care about.

Regina found herself unabashedly enjoying his touch, and as her eyes caught his, she was certain he was pleased, too. "Thank you." The words came out as a whisper, though that hadn't been her intention.

Henry's gaze moved down to her lips, full and pink and so soft-looking. The scar threw him off for a moment, but as he looked back into her eyes, it ceased to matter.

Biting her lip coyly, she let her own gaze flicker to his mouth, his lips still holding a half smile. Regina released her lip and smiled easily, wanting to tell him he could kiss her, but fairly sure that was too forward for a lady.

After a long, heavy moment, Henry slowly slid his hands from her hips and took a step back, looking away and breathing deeply.

She cleared her throat once he let go of her and looked away, embarrassed. "Do you just sit here, then, when you come alone?"

Henry cleared his throat as well and ran a hand roughly through his hair. "Uh, yeah, sometimes," he answered, nodding. "Sometimes I ride. Sometimes I lay down and look at the pictures in the clouds."

"Pictures in the clouds?" Regina asked, scrunching her nose in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Eyes widening, Henry turned back to her. "You've never looked for pictures in the clouds?" he asked incredulously.

Shaking her head as she looked up at him, she said, "No. How do you do such a thing?"

Grinning, Henry grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her out into the middle of the field, forcing her to run to keep up with him in his excitement. "Okay, okay," he said, once he decided they were in the right spot. "Here, lay down." He did as he directed, laying on his back in the soft grass.

The action seemed intimate, but she lowered herself to the ground and lined herself up beside him. She could feel the heat from his arm through both of their clothes, and Regina forced herself to concentrate on looking at the sky. "Now what?"

"Now you use your imagination." Henry scanned the sky, then shifted so his head was next to Regina's so when he pointed, she would see on the same angle as him. "Like that one," he pointed at a large, fluffy light grey cloud. "That one looks like a dragon. See? The head, and the legs," he traced the lines with his finger. "And the wings, there."

It took her a moment, but she did see the dragon in the cloud. "I see it!" Regina said with excitement, giggling as she searched the clouds to find one of her own. After checking a handful of clouds for pictures, she leaned up on her elbow and looked down at Henry. "I'm not very good at this," she pouted. "I can't find any on my own."

"There aren't always pictures," Henry reassured her. "Sometimes you have to wait for the wind to blow the clouds around a bit."

Huffing, she rolled back down onto her back and tilted her head for a different angle. Regina shifted her hand slightly and let her pinky brush against Henry's, then bit back a smile.

Henry didn't hide his grin, his ears warming as he quickly hooked his pinky around hers.

"I like this game," she murmured, her eyes still watching the sky as she tried to concentrate on finding an image. Regina shifted her body just slightly so their heads were pressed together and sighed softly.

"Me too," Henry agreed in the same tone. He looked up at the clouds, not paying them any attention as he tentatively moved his hand further over hers, lacing their fingers together.

Turning her hand beneath his, she weaved their fingers together again and chuckled. "You have very soft hands."

Henry laughed quietly. "Thanks? I don't really do a lot of physical work, so they don't get rough."

"It's nice," Regina added, leaving the thought that crossed her mind of how they would feel should he touch her more affectionately than holding her hand alone.

"Yeah," he agreed, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand. After a moment of silence, debating with himself, he sighed.

Squeezing his hand, Regina leaned up again, looking at him with questioning eyes. "Are you all right, Henry?"

Looking up at her, Henry winced slightly, admitting, "I… I really want to kiss you."

Regina needed somewhere to look besides his beautiful green eyes or the curve of his lips, so she dropped her gaze to his shirt, focusing on his shoulder as she blushed. "I would not deny you if you did," she whispered.

"But you should," he said, looking away miserably. "And I shouldn't do it. There's… there's something you don't know. About… who you are here in Storybrooke."

Using her free hand, Regina cupped his cheek and turned his face back to her after lifting her gaze to look at his face. "Am I bad? Someone who should not be desired?"

"No!" Henry exclaimed, his eyes widening. "No, not at all. You're good. You're a hero. You're… you're my mom."

"What? But... that blonde woman... she's your mom?" she questioned, thoroughly confused.

"Well… yeah," Henry nodded. "That's Emma. She's… It's kind of complicated. Emma gave me up for adoption when I was born. And you - Regina… she adopted me. She raised me. I found Emma when I was ten, and she's been my mom, too, ever since. But… yeah." Biting his lip, he looked anywhere but into Regina's eyes. "But you're so… pretty. And… and I really like you. And I know that's so… wrong, but…"

Regina sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She wanted to kiss him, she liked him, and she wasn't his mother now, not really. But the thought felt strange, and she rested her chin on her knees as she contemplated the news he'd just given her.

"I-I didn't want to… I didn't want you to think I was… using you or something," Henry said quietly, rolling onto his stomach and staring down at the grass. "If you found out after, I mean."

"I understand," she offered softly. Sighing, Regina turned over to copy his position on the ground and began picking at the grass. "I guess I'm just confused."

Henry let out a mirthless laugh. "Join the club." He stacked his fists and rested his chin on the top one, tilting his head slightly to watch Regina. "It's so weird."

"I've met dozens of princes before, countless numbers, really, and I've never liked a single one of them as I like you," Regina explained. She rested her arms against the ground, elbows bent with one hand on the other and laid her cheek on top of her hands. "I feel as though I shouldn't like you anymore, now that I know who you are to me. But I do and I don't know what that means."

"Me too. I mean… I knew who you were from the beginning," Henry said. "But at first, it was just, I don't know, like you were a long-lost relative or something. But then… Helping you with your dress, and watching you ride… You're really hot," he blurted out on a loud sigh.

Chuckling, she shook her head and smiled. "I'm certain you don't mean my temperature, but I cannot, for the life of me, understand what you mean by that."

Henry's face heated. "Uh… it-it means that, um… looking at you makes my temperature go up," he explained awkwardly.

"Oh. Oh," she said, holding the word the second time she spoke it, finally understanding what he meant. Her cheeks flushed and she looked back to the ground. "You make my stomach feel funny."

Flexing his fingers slightly, Henry slowly asked in a shaky whisper, "Can I… can I kiss you?"

Regina looked at him with such uncertainty that it nearly caused her pain, but she whispered back, "Would it make me bad if I say yes?"

"Does it make me bad that I asked?" Henry gave her a little wavering smile.

"I think... not." Dropping the pieces of grass she'd picked from the ground, Regina turned her face more, pushing back up so her weight rested on one elbow again, her other arm laying lazily along her body.

Henry mirrored her position, but moved his free hand to her cheek, stroking it lightly. "Have you… kissed anyone before?"

She tilted her cheek into his touch as she shook her head. "No. H-have you?"

"No," Henry murmured back. He licked his lips quickly and rolled them together before slowly leaning forward, pressing his mouth to hers.

Regina sighed softly as soon as his lips were against hers and leaned into him. She didn't know what to do or how to react, so she decided to wait for him to lead. Keeping their mouths together, she cupped his cheek tenderly.

Henry moved his lips slowly over hers, shifting closer and curling his fingers around the side of her neck.

She followed his lead, forming her lips to his own. Regina let out a soft whimper as he pulled her closer, but she wanted more - of what she couldn't be sure.

Sliding his hand down Regina's back, Henry brought her flush against him and carefully brushed his tongue against her bottom lip.

The action took her by surprise, but it was pleasant and warm, so she copied him, hesitantly sliding her own tongue out, meeting his. Regina moved her hand from his cheek to wrap her arm around his neck.

Henry groaned quietly as their tongues slid together, and he shifted slightly, tilting Regina more onto her back so he was propped up over her.

She was pleased at his initiative, taking the action she had wanted to do herself, so she let her body move so her back was flush against the grass. Regina pulled him closer, exploring his mouth with their kiss as she used her free arm to wrap around his waist, her hand fisting the back of his shirt.

Breaking the kiss long enough to whisper, "You're so beautiful," and press against her, despite knowing that she would probably be able to feel his growing arousal, Henry captured her lips again, pushing his tongue into her mouth and learning the contours.

Moaning into his mouth, Regina tried to get a grip on her sanity. She was like putty in his hands, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. When she felt him hard against her hip, Regina pulled back and bit her lip. "I really like kissing you, Henry," she whispered, her eyes searching his.

"I like kissing you, too," Henry whispered back a little breathlessly, bringing his hand up to run his fingers through her soft hair.

A little worried about the message she was sending, Regina bit her lip and furrowed her brow. "I... I'm not ready for... for much more than kissing, though," she warned quietly.

Henry let out a small, inadvertent laugh. "That's okay," he assured her. "I'm not, either. I just… really like kissing you." He bit his lip a little shyly.

Nodding, Regina smiled. "The kissing is good. I really like it, too," she murmured, letting him know he wasn't the only one aroused, despite the ease of hiding such things for women.

Henry physically felt his eyes dilate at her soft confession, and he groaned, kissing her again.

Bringing both of her hands to the back of his head, Regina held him closer and kissed him deeper. She didn't care who she was to him in the future; something that felt this good couldn't possibly be wrong.

Sliding a hand to Regina's waist, Henry was about to slip his fingertips under the edge of her shirt when his phone went off in his pocket, and he pulled away, groaning.

"What's that sound?" Regina questioned, disappointed at the interruption.

"That's my phone, sorry." Henry sat up, taking a calming breath and running his fingers through his hair before digging out his phone and answering it before it went to voicemail. "'Lo?"

"Hey, kid," Emma greeted. "How's it going with baby Regina?"

Regina's voice came through the line, muffled by her distance from the phone. "I told you not to call her that."

"Uh, it's fine," Henry said, blushing and shooting a glance at the girl in question. "We went riding and are chilling out at the field."

"Okay, well there's a storm coming, and Regina made lunch, so you might want to get back now."

Surprised, Henry looked up at the sky. The puffy, light grey clouds had darkened and thickened since he last looked, and they looked like they would break open at any second. "Okay, we'll be there soon."

"All right, kid. See you soon."

"Yeah. Bye, Ma." Henry hung up with a small sigh. "I think we're gonna get wet," he said, just as a fat raindrop landed on his nose.

Regina blushed and looked at the sky before she felt the rain. "That's okay. I love the rain. Storms carry one of my favorite smells."

Henry grinned widely. "Like wet grass and trees and a little bit of that smell when lightning cracks?" he asked. "I like storms, too. I was afraid of them when I was a kid, but-" he cut himself off, thinking of the day his mother had taken him into the back yard, holding him comfortingly and explaining what each noise and flash of light was as they sat in the rain. "I grew out of it," he finished a little lamely.

"The only thing I'm afraid of is my mother," Regina said softly. She didn't want to get too distracted by him again, so she pressed her hand against his chest. "I guess we should go."

Standing up, Henry held out his hands for Regina, pulling her up with him. "Why don't we see if Royal will let me ride him with you? Atlas will follow if he's told, he's good like that."

Nodding, Regina made her way to the bay horse, petting his face and speaking to him. "Can you trust me, lovely? Henry is really nice, and I trust him. Are you going to let him ride with me?" She held her hand out, taking Henry's into her own and tugging him to the horse. Holding his hand above the horse's nose, she waited, smiling when Royal pressed his nose to Henry's palm. "If he lets you touch the top of his back, it means he's okay if you ride him."

A little nervously, Henry reached out, stroking Royal's side, and then his back, before resting his hand there and biting his lip. "Waddya say, Royal?"

Regina smiled proudly. "I think he'll let you. Get me up first, though."

Henry knelt down to again give her a boost up, soaking the knee of his pants in the process. Once she was up and seated comfortably, he took a deep breath and hoisted himself onto the horse's back as well, settling behind her. And immediately realizing how torturous the ride back was going to be, as her backside nestled snugly against his groin. Before they started moving and he inevitably forgot about everything else in the world, he turned his head, whistling and calling, "Atlas!" to the gelding grazing a few yards away. The horse's ears twitched, and he lifted his head, trotting over. "Follow." Henry patted his thigh, then tentatively curled his hands around Regina's waist for balance. "Ready."

Leaning forward just a little to grip Royal's mane, Regina grinned at the warmth of Henry's touch. She dug her heels into the horse's sides and led him into a walk.

Oh fuck. I'm fucking screwed. Fuck. Henry bit his lip to hold back a groan as she shifted against him, and he squeezed his eyes shut, rather embarrassed that he was already getting hard. And they had a good ten to fifteen minutes before they got back to the stables.

Regina felt herself blushing at the new pressure against her backside and, slowing the horse, she turned her head to look at his as well as she could from their position. "Everything all right back there?" she teased, biting back the satisfied grin that was trying to curl on her lips.

"Fine," Henry's voice squeaked awkwardly, and he cleared his throat.

She was certain she couldn't handle the ride being as long as it had been on the way there, so Regina released Royal's mane and rested her hands on Henry's, tugging them to wrap around her stomach. "I'm going to go faster, I don't want you to fall off and hurt that pretty head of yours," she explained. Then, returning her hands to the mane, she dug her heels in harder, setting them off faster than they'd come.

Henry did groan then, directly into Regina's ear, and he blushed, knowing that there was no way she missed the sound, or his arousal pressed tightly against her. He didn't know which was worse, the slow grinding of the walk, or the pulsing pressure of the canter. If he didn't get a grip on himself, he was liable to make a humiliating mess of his pants.

Regina swallowed thickly, entirely too affected by his body against hers, his hardness pressed against her. But she couldn't let her mind wander, because she had to get them back safely before the serious storm started so Atlas and Royal didn't get spooked. She was able to cut the time nearly in half, and Regina slowed the horse once she saw the stables growing close.

By the time Regina slowed Royal's pace, Henry was breathing heavily, his forehead pressed against her shoulder. Every inhale had him drawing in her scent, which was definitely not helping his situation, and the temptation to kiss her neck was nearly overwhelming, but it did help a bit to hide his head.

Shifting forward slightly, Regina nearly whimpered at the loss of contact, but knew that it was what was best if they were to be seeing his mothers shortly. Once she directed Royal into the stable, she stopped him and waited, sitting there in the stillness.

The smell of the stables helped, and Henry slowly lifted his head and pulled his arms back from around Regina. After another moment and a slight adjustment, he slid off the horse's back, avoiding looking at the other teenager as he motioned behind him. "I'll get Atlas," he muttered, turning away, and clucking his tongue at his horse, leading the gelding into his stall.

She slid easily off the horse, dropping to her feet and gently tugging his mane to lead him into his stall. Readjusting her clothes, Regina checked the ground beneath Royal, then took a calming breath before she stepped out of the stall and pushed the door shut. She walked to Atlas' stall and shook her head. "You need to put more hay down. A heavy layer. Or a blanket."

"Huh?" Henry looked up distractedly, shaking his head a little. "What? Oh… hay… right." Looking around in confusion, he bit his lip.

Reaching for his hand, Regina wove their fingers together and pulled him from the stall. "Where do you get their bales of hay to feed them," she asked, trying to help him focus. "We need to hurry, Henry."

Henry had to think for a moment before the answer clicked in his brain. "Out back. There's a barn." He led Regina back out into the rain and to the barn, pushing the door open to reveal stacks of small square hay bales. He picked one up, looking at her expectantly, waiting for direction.

She nodded and gave him a soft smile. "That should be enough. We'll have to move him to make sure it's under his feet enough."

"Okay." Henry nodded, taking a deep breath and heading back to the stable, pausing only to close the barn behind them. He brought Atlas back out of his stall, leaving him with Regina while he untied the hay bale and scattered it around. The monotony, and lack of constant stimulation, helped, and although he was still aroused, by the time he finished, his higher brain functions had returned.

She watched him affectionately while she stroked Atlas' nose. Nobody ever listened to her, and Henry did, and that warmed her. When he was finished, she led Atlas back into the stall and looked up at Henry. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Henry nodded, taking a deep breath. He let out a half-chuckle. "Sorry, my brain is…" he trailed off. His brain was in his pants, but he wasn't about to say that.

"That's okay," Regina answered softly, walking to the doorway to the outside and turning to him. She could hear the rain pound against the rooftop, and onto the ground behind them, but she didn't care, she would wait patiently for him.

With another small laugh, Henry peeked outside. "It's really coming down."

"Yes. It's beautiful," she said. Regina held her hand out for him to take.

Henry took her hand and stepped outside, looking up into the rain, blinking rapidly as it fell on his face. After a moment, he looked at Regina again, and pulled her against him, pressing his lips over hers.

Letting go of his hand, she wrapped her arms around his waist, palms flat against his back as they kissed. Regina parted her lips against his, boldly sliding her tongue against his lip this time.

Groaning, Henry parted his lips for her and walked her backwards until her back pressed against the side of the stable. He ran his hands down her arms to her hands, and twined their fingers together before bringing their hands up over her head, pressing against the wall.

Regina whimpered at the action, slipping her tongue into his mouth, sliding it against his own. Her immediate reaction was to push her hips forward against his, but she hesitated.

Henry felt her hips stutter forward slightly, and he hissed, "Yes," into her mouth, leaning further against her, his arms bracketing hers against the wall as they kissed.

Tilting her hips further, she moaned heavily against his lips. She wondered for a moment if maybe she shouldn't enjoy what they were doing so much, but ignored the small voice calling her a stupid girl.

His erection returned full-force, Henry ground his hips against her, groaning into her mouth at the pressure and friction. "I want you so much," he whispered.

Regina pulled back slightly, looking into his darkened eyes. "We should probably go. Your mothers are expecting us," she answered quietly.

"I know." Henry pulled back, letting go of her hands and resting his against the wood, still boxing her in, but no longer touching her in any way. "I'm sorry. I just… I'm sorry." He exhaled hard, shaking his head.

Moving her hands to cup his face, Regina leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Don't be. It is rather flattering. I'm just not ready for that."

Henry nodded. "I know. I'm not, I'm not either. It's just… hard to think about that when I want… when I desire you so much."

She smiled brightly, giving him a hum in agreement. "Perhaps then, we shall reconsider our time together and how we spend it," Regina teased, pulling him toward his car.

Letting out a little laugh, Henry nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He opened the door for Regina, waiting until she was inside before getting into the car himself, starting it and immediately blasting the heat as he realized he was shivering.

Once Henry finished fiddling with the buttons, she took his hand between her two, looking at him shyly through her eyelashes. "How long do you think it will take your mothers to figure out how they're going to send me back?"

"I don't know." Henry looked down at their hands and squeezed her fingers. "It probably depends on how you got here in the first place. But probably at least a couple days. They're good, but they're not miracle workers."

"That doesn't seem like much time," Regina said sadly. She didn't want to go home, she wasn't happy there. But she had most certainly had several happy minutes in Henry's hold since being in this land.

"Then we better make the most of it." Henry smiled and leaned over, kissing her gently. "Let's get back, I'm starving."

"Okay," she agreed, though it was reluctant.

"It'll be okay," Henry said, squeezing her hand again before pulling away to put on his seatbelt. Once hers was fastened as well, he pulled out of the parking area, heading back to the mansion.