Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Regina looked out the window, gazing down on Henry and Emma as they walked by, probably going to Granny's. Her heart ached now more than it did in the Enchanted Forest. Seeing him so close and unable to be with him, because he has no idea who she is. He thinks of Emma how she always wanted him to think of her, and to get so close just to... She'd never felt so horrible. Well, that wasn't true. Daniel. Somehow it felt worse.

She felt someone behind her and turned to find it was the thief. She crossed her arms. "What are you doing here?"

He merely smirked. "I came to see how long I am to keep...your secret."

Now she smirked. "Until I tell you otherwise." Her smirk softened. "Thank you. I...appreciate this."

He gave an almost teasing bow. "It's my pleasure, milady."

"I told you, it's Regina."

"Regina then." He met her eyes. "Was that boy your son? The brown-headed boy with Emma?"

She nodded slightly.

"He doesn't remember you, does he?"

"No." She dropped her arms. She had a taste of her own medicine—having someone she loved not remember her at all. What she wouldn't give to restore his memory.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't image my son not remembering me."

"I'm sure you'll never have to experience that." She paused and remembered that her door was locked. "Did you feel like it was necessary to pick the lock just to ask me a question?"

"Old habits." He smiled.

"I see." She walked over to the door. "I have business to attend to, so you'll have to excuse me."

"Actually, I came to ask about that drink."

"As I said, I'm busy."

"Tonight then. Say...seven 'o clock at Granny's."

"Fine. Seven." She opened the door, he walked out, and she sighed. She wasn't sure she was ready. She'd lost so much, and love was not always the right path for her, but what she was feeling...felt right. She hadn't felt something quite like this since Daniel. Zelena was right about her not seeing what's right in front of her, about her not appreciating it, and she did say she supposed she owed him a drink. Now he's come to collect like Gold for rent.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her coat and headed to the cemetery to try and find a way to protect Henry from Zelena's wrath. Zelena may not know how much Henry means to her, but if she's going to start destroying the people Regina cared for—well, it's not a long list. She had to make sure he was safe. Even if he didn't remember who she was, she was still his mother, and she was would never let anything happen to him, not with magic like the apple turnover and Neverland.

She spent most of the day perfecting the spell, making sure nothing could break it and nothing could slip through the cracks. She just needed a few more ingredients and then it would be complete. She could wait for him to fall asleep then cast it.

She gripped bottle with the mixed ingredients inside and pushed a cork over the opening, noticing her watch read six-thirty. Tinker Bell had said she not only ruined her life, but his too. She knew who he was, but he didn't know who she was. Had she gone into that bar, she might have been happy, but she never would have Henry. She didn't regret that decision of leaving, because of Henry. But now Henry was here and so was Robin. What excuse could she procure now?

She tucked the spell and bottle into her purse gently and left the vault. She found Emma Swan outside, waiting for her, and she met her eyes. "I assume you're not here to give condolences."

"It's about Mary Margaret."

"Well, as interested as I am, I have plans."

"Regina, it's about the baby. David wants to be sure it's protected, and it would put her at ease to know no one can get that baby."

"Fine, I will make you something tomorrow." She walked by her.

"Thanks."

"Sure." Regina went home and prepared a shower. She smelled like chemicals and herds. That wasn't the impression she wanted to make. She'd already ran away from him once and then gave him her heart. She hadn't given him an explanation for her running away either. If this...worked out, she might have to. Part of her wanted to tell him, but the part that made her run away all those years ago made her never want to tell him or even go tonight. However, if she didn't show, he would probably break into her house and find her. Thieving vagabond.

She showered, experiencing a twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach for some reason, and as she covered herself in her robe, she discovered she was...anxious. She hadn't felt this way since she was a girl and would sneak out to meet Daniel in the pastures. How trivial. She wasn't a child. There was nothing to fear.

She looked through her closet and found suits and blazers. She did miss her wardrobe back in the Enchanted Forest, but she could manage with what she had. She kept it simple, not wanting to impress, because she had something else to do afterward. She needed to help Henry, and tomorrow she would deal with the pumpkin.

She buttoned her jacket and grabbed her blue scarf, wrapping it around her neck before heading out. She drove to Granny's and paused outside. She spotted Robin at the bar, talking to Ruby, and she gazed in at him. He was very attractive, even his personality—what she knew of it—was pleasant. He was a good father, even if he did smell of forest and stole for a living. He was good, and she was a villain. Villains don't get happy endings. And look who's dead and who's alive.

She started to enter when those knots returned. They were beginning to be very intrusive. She was worried and nervous. It wasn't like Graham. This was her true love. It would be difficult to screw up true love, but she did it before. Her mother helped the first time, and her nerves the last time she was supposed to meet Robin. Why did this trouble her so much? Because her mother ruined almost everything she touched without her heart? Because she sacrificed the person she loved the most for revenge? Because this was her last chance of finding happiness if Henry never remembered her? So much depended on this, and one wrong move would ruin everything. Could she risk that? Could she?

Was being happy such a terrible fate? Yes! Yes, it was!

Anger was all she had back then. All she had now was someone to destroy and Henry. What was life without a little risk? It wasn't as if it was her curse that was currently active, after all. She wouldn't repeat the past. She did with Henry, and it only pushed him further away. She had to go in. She—as much as she didn't want to admit it—owed this to Tinker Bell. And Robin and Daniel.

Love again.

She took a deep breath and walked inside, finding Granny's was almost empty. She saw Ruby tending to tables, and one of them had Hook and Henry. She smiled at him, giving a slight nod, and he smiled back then returned to his conversation with Hook. She was glad she didn't have her heart with her. Speaking of that, where was her heart if Robin was with her?

She stopped beside him. "Sorry, I'm late. I had...business that needed my attention."

"Business after business? You must need a drink." He held out a glass to her. "Or are you doing to decline again?"

She smirked and took the glass. "I'm not saying no, but I'm driving tonight, so this'll be my only one."

"Then allow me to buy you dinner. I hear this place has a great hamburger."

"I don't really—" she cut off her automatic no. "—like burgers. Perhaps, we can have dinner another night. At my house."

"All right then." He gestured to a booth. "Would you mind if I brought Roland? He hasn't had a real meal in quite some time, and I'm sure he'd like to meet you."

"Pushing your own kid off on me since I don't have mine?" She removed her gloves.

"Nothing of the sort. I assumed you would would like to meet the boy."

"I would. I don't mind if you bring him. It's been...too long since I've had a child at the dinner table. Henry doesn't—didn't like to eat vegetables." She smiled at the memory. "I always tried to make deals with him, but he was so smart that I ended up owing him something." Even if she planned it like that.

"You love him," he noted.

"Very much." She rested her hands on the table. "So, what about Roland? Or do you not find vegetables out in the woods?"

"We make do, though Roland isn't fond of most greens." He paused. "How do you know we're in the woods?"

She shrugged. "You smell like forest."

"And here I thought Ruby was the wolf." He drank from his glass. "Is that a particularly repulsive scent?"

"I spent a lot of time traveling back home, and I can honestly say it's better than most scents."

"Well, since you're being honest, care to tell me why you ran off the other day?"

Her eyes automatically moved to his tattoo then she dropped them to her glass and cleared her throat. "I already told you: I was following a clue trail that lead nowhere."

"So, it's the Lying Queen now, is it?"

"Believe what you will; I stand by my story." She drank from her glass.

"Do you still doubt yourself?" he asked suddenly. "Since the last we spoke and the letter—do you doubt yourself still?"

"There's no doubt—Zelena's stronger than me, but power isn't...everything. Being clever and having wit can...delay the inevitable."

"You don't make it sound like defeat."

"Not unlike Rumpelstiltskin, I have always have an alternate plan." She curled her fingers around the glass. "Though this one is proving to be quite...irksome."

"Care to share this secondary plan?"

"Not just yet."

The bell to Granny's door jingled, Regina looked over her shoulder and saw Emma in the doorway. Henry said goodbye to Hook and left with her, smiling, telling her about his day, and Regina remembered when he used to do that with her. Before that story book Once Upon A Time and before he knew she was the Evil Queen. She missed those days as well, because at least he knew her. Now, he just looks at her like a stranger, a kind stranger. It was her own magic that had done it, but she never expected to see Henry again. At least with her curse, no one knew who their loved ones were. A blessing. Truly, it was.

"Are you all right?"

"To say yes would be lying." She blinked hard and finished off her drink.

"He'll remember you one day," he assured her. "You aren't easily forgotten."

If he remembers the good she's done. "On second thought, I think I'll have another."

"Allow me." He picked up her glass and got a refill.

~O~Q~

A throbbing sensation rolled through her head when the sun shined down on her face, and she sat up, using magic to sooth the throbbing. She was in her bed, still fully clothed, and she heard movement downstairs. She changed out of the wrinkled clothes and padded down the stairs, finding more than one person in her kitchen. What the hell?

"Regina."

She turned to face Robin. "Robin. What are you doing here?"

"Well, you got a bit tipsy last night, so I helped you home. Emma stopped by to check on you. Your car's still at Granny's."

"Yes, Granny's. I—I remember." She met his eyes. "Thank you."

"I couldn't abandon a lady in need."

"We're out of the Enchanted Forest, women do most of the saving themselves," she informed him.

"Yes, but chivalry isn't as easily forgotten as the past year, Regina." He offered her a smile. "I should go and check on Roland. He's probably worried."

"Probably."

He closed the space between them, and she tensed momentarily. He didn't move to kiss her, just to whisper, "I enjoyed last night. Perhaps tomorrow night will be better."

"Tomorrow night?" She flicked hair from her eyes. "Our dinner?"

"Til then." He reached down and grasped her hand, lifting it up and placing a gentle kiss to her skin. "I leave her in your care." He left without another word.

"Someone had fun last night." It was Emma.

Regina turned. "I don't know what you're talking about." She crossed her arms. "Are you hear to train your mag—?"

"Sssh." She pointed to the kitchen and whispered, "Henry's here."

"Henry? You brought him?"

"Mary Margaret went to see Doc with David, and Killian had...plans." She shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you about...Operation Green."

"Creative."

"The kid was the one who came up with names."

"Speaking of him, how will we talk if he doesn't know?"

"Give him a video game, and it'll be like we aren't even here. Let's talk in your office. Henry."

"Yeah?" He stepped in from the kitchen, listening to music on his phone while playing a game.

"We're gonna talk about the case, so make yourself at home."

"Are you sure?" He was looking at Regina.

"Yes." She smiled. "My home is your home."

He smiled back. "Thanks."

Regina and Emma went upstairs to her home office, Henry looked for something to eat since Emma and he had only grabbed hot coca from Granny's, and Emma made sure Henry wasn't listening at the door.

"About our sessions, I would like to continue them. Right now, I want to make sure you're okay. Zelena hasn't shown up at Granny's, so I doubt she knows about Henry. She can't use him against you."

"Right, Henry. I have a protection spell for him and...Mary Margaret. I leave her spell to you."

"Me? You're trusting me with something so sensitive?"

"She's your mother. If you want that baby to protected with all of your heart, you have nothing to worry about."

Emma stared at her. "I don't have that much control over my powers, Regina."

"You saw my mother kill substitute Archie. You stopped the trigger that was going to destroy Storybrooke. You helped me create an eclipse. You've made fire and rebuilt a collapsing bridge—Do I need to continue?"

"Yes, but that was instinct."

"Then harness that instinct and use the damn spell to protect your little brother or sister."

"If it doesn't work—"

"Have some confidence, Emma. It will work." She was glaring. "You have so much untapped potential, but you either chose to ignore it or demoralize yourself. It's pissing me off."

"Fine. Let's get Henry and go to their apartment to wait."

"Well, it's not that easy. You have to create the potion. The spell protects the person, but the potion can protect, say, the apartment."

"Don't you have one already made?"

"You're staying at Granny's."

"Right. Well, I'll drop Henry off with Archie."

"You're leaving him in the care of a therapist? He's going to think you think he's crazy."

"You sent him to Archie for years."

"Yes, but I was trying to get silly fantasies out of his head."

"They were real."

"Are you going to argue with me and waste time that Zelena can use to get Mary Margaret's baby or are you going to drop him off with Belle? He likes to read, and the library has an extensive collection of books. It's better than video games."

"All right. Let's go."

They started for the door, the glass window behind them shattered as a flying monkey flew into the office, and Henry ran upstairs to see what the commotion was. Regina climbed to her feet and saw she wasn't the target—Emma was.

"Well, you wanted a session," Regina told Emma.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Emma dodged the flying monkey.

"Mom?" Henry called. "Mom?"

"Henry, stay there!" Emma grabbed a piece of glass and stabbed the monkey in the abdomen with it, and it cried out.

Regina used it's tail as a rope and made it slitter around the monkey's arms and wings, trapping it effectively. She summoned a cage around it and blocked it as Henry ran into the room. He paused in the doorway, confused.

"I—I thought I heard glass shatter." He studied the untouched window. "And—there was a cry."

"She broke my mother's vase," Regina lied. "My mother meant a lot to me, but I can fix it."

He wasn't buying it. "Then what's behind you?"

"There has been a dog ruining my flowerbeds, and I've asked your mom to help me...return it to its owner." She moved, revealing Pongo.

"Why my mom?"

"With her contacts, I'm sure she'll find them faster than a missing poster."

"Right."

"Well, kid, we have to return the dog, so I'm going drop you off at the library."

"Why can't I come?" He crossed his arms.

"Because I said so." She faced Regina. "I'll meet you outside in ten minutes."

She nodded, her eyes on Henry, and she watched them leave then closed the door and removed the cloaking spell. She crouched down and looked at the monkey. "Now who's in there?"