A Wish Upon A Star
Life is not about one big
happy ending
but about many small
happy beginnings.
They say that when one door closes, another opens. Every ending is a new beginning. The stars twinkling brightly in a dark New England sky and signifying the ending to another beautiful day, will hide when the sun comes up the next morning to start anew.
It was with this thought that young Henry Mills stared out of his second story bedroom window. He wondered what tomorrow would bring and whether it would make his mother truly happy. She had never admitted to him that she was unhappy, but he could tell that behind the smiles and chuckles at his jokes that her eyes remained sad. He knew that she was happier when she was dating the mayor of their quiet town not too long ago. He also knew that they had since broken up and he had seen instances of his mother very angry when she thought he wasn't around.
Why can't she just find someone cool to make her happy? Henry propped his chin on his palms and thought silently into the night. He overheard his mother tell his aunt that she was "destined to be single for the rest of her life, and relationships just were not in the cards" for her. His aunt had replied that her rantings were a "load of bollocks" and that she would find the right person when she wasn't looking. He remembered making a mental note to ask his aunt what playing cards had to do with dating and what the word bollocks meant.
Out of the corner of his eye, he witnessed the shooting star fall diagonally across the sky and in his excitement, he made a wish for someone to come along to make his mom laugh and smile again. It was an unselfish gesture—after all, he knew he could have wished for some new Pokémon cards—but this was important to him.
The sliver of light, coming through the cracked bedroom door, interrupted him as it widened and he heard his mother's voice chastise calmly, "Henry Mills, it is past 11 o'clock on a school night. What are you still doing up?"
He hunched his shoulders and gazed out the window again, looking a little forlorn. With a weary sigh, he tilted his head dramatically and lifted a shoulder, and answered, "Oh… I'm just… thinking."
Regina Mills was surprised and lifted a high brow over a gaping mouth. Though she should be upset, she couldn't be when her son was such an adorable little human being. She wandered further into the room, trying to conceal her smile and hoping to keep a firm parental line about breaking curfew. She placed a hand on his shoulder and urged him toward his bed.
"I see. Yes, you do appear to have the weight of the world on your shoulders, young man. May I ask, what is occupying your mind and keeping you awake when you should be sleeping?"
He pondered his next comment while she tucked his sheets all around him. He liked when she tucked him in because she was careful not to tightly wrap him in, but secure him just right, to the point where he felt safe and comfortable. His mom was the best tucker-inner he had ever known. He hadn't known many in his 6 years, but she was better than his aunt, grandmother, and grandfather who all had a hand in tucking him in.
"Mommy? Do you believe in magic?"
"Magic?"
"Yeah…" Henry's little furrowed brow looked so much like her own. It was a mannerism that she had taught him by example. She also frowned when pensive or upset. Her mother constantly joked that her creased brow was her signature look and she had used it so often with so many different emotions that it became an unreadable facial appearance. Looking at him now, Regina realized that their foreheads were mirrored crinkles. "Like shooting star magic."
She gave a thoughtful nod and a few eye blinks before she settled herself on the bed and hovered over him, giving him a considering hum.
"As a little girl, I would dream about princesses and fairytales under a blanket of stars and only twice in my life have I seen that glowing spark soar across the sky."
"Did you make a wish?"
"I did. That's what you're supposed to do."
"And did they come true?"
The corner of Regina's lips curled up and with a soft brush, she wiped the brown tuft of his bangs away.
"As a matter of fact, they did."
"What'd you wish for?"
Regina took a lengthy breath in and tilted her eyes upward as if trying to remember. Recognition flit across her face. "The first time I saw the star I was 13. I wished for a pony."
"Rocinante!"
"Yes. Your grandfather got him for me. He was beautiful."
"And when did you see the other shooting star?"
"Oh, well, I was already an adult by that time."
"What did you wish for?"
Sentimental eyes laid upon him and his mother's smile was reflected in them. This was the first time in days that joy was evident in her demeanor. "I wished for someone very special to share my life with. Someone amazing to add color to my world."
Henry perked up at that. This sounded very much like the wish that had been taking shape in his head.
"And what happened? Did they come and color your world?"
The light chuckle and shoulder hitch accompanied the mirth in her brown eyes. "I should say so. Yes. It was you, Henry. You came into my life."
"Oh…" His frown was back and hers appeared too, but more over a perplexed smile.
"What? Why do you look so disappointed?"
"Well… I just thought… thought, you know, that someone special might be another grown-up."
Her smile disappeared and for the briefest of seconds Henry saw the fleeting sadness again. He hated that sad look. His mom was the best and she deserved to not be so sad. "I see." She smoothed the lip of his bedsheets over his chest and shook his body a tad to address him. "But we've been doing okay on our own, haven't we? I mean, we have each other. We also have your grandparents and Aunt Zelena and your cousin, Robyn."
"I know. But when you and Mayor Mal were dating, you seemed… happier."
A drawn-out sigh was heard and Regina closed her eyes and swung her head around, choosing to focus on his stack of comic books. He was doing a good job of reading already and was already ahead of his class. "I thought you didn't like Mayor Mal."
"I don't really." Henry thought of the cool blonde with antipathy. He always got the sense that she was being nice to him for Regina's sake. His mother still asked him to give her a chance so he tried to be nice and extend his own childish version of an olive branch. Mayor Mal didn't appreciate when he had put peanut butter in her sandwich that day she came to lunch. He only did it because he liked peanut butter in his sandwiches and was only trying to be friendly. How did he know that she was allergic to peanuts? And she certainly didn't appreciate the frog he gave her in a box as an apology. She screamed when Arnold jumped out of the box and landed on the top of her head. He had been sure Arnold the frog would have stopped squirming if she hadn't made so much noise. She was scaring him!
"Henry, listen to me. I am happier now than I have been in the last few months, okay? It just takes a while to move on." He blinked at her and she donned her serious mom-face. "I'm a big girl though. And I can take care of myself and you, alright? You, on the other hand, are a 6-year-old boy who has an 8 o'clock curfew and it is far too late for you and me to be up talking about my love life. Okay?"
He knew a conversational road block when he heard one, so he nodded.
"Good boy." She placed a tender kiss on the top of his head, followed by one on each closed eye lid. "Now off to sleep. Goodnight, sweetheart."
"'Night, Mom."
He watched her leave, closing the door behind her and when he was satisfied that she had gone into her own bedroom, he quietly hopped out of bed and quickly ran to the window to finish his wish.
"Please send someone to love my Mom and for her to love back. Someone who will love her like Peter Parker loves Mary Jane. Someone cool like Captain America!" He turned but paused and added, remembering his mother's preference. "But a girl."
Then he ran back into his bed, dove under the covers and laid on his side, hugging his pillow and hoping his wish would come true.
[ -]
Sheriff Emma Swan inspected herself one more time in the side mirror of her yellow Ford pick-up truck. She looked presentable. Her long blonde hair hung down past her shoulders, where the ends were curled in spirals and she adjusted her red leather jacket to allow the deep green of a rayon button up blouse to appear. She inspected her black flat-heeled, mid-calf boots over a pair of jet black denim pants that hugged her legs nearly like a second skin. Though they were snug-fitting, she had deemed them appropriate for a lawn party at the Mayor's house. She only hoped that Mal Drakeford felt the same way.
The Mayor's mansion was gated off but welcoming. She could hear the guests from the backyard mingling while walking up the arched driveway. Before walking up the stairs, she was intercepted by two stocky body guards dressed like the Men in Black.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Can I please have your name?"
Spying their rigid stances, instead of going with compliance, Emma went with a scoffing quip, "Do you promise to give it back?"
When they didn't budge and instead gave her a quizzical look, she waved them off. "Forget it boys. Just trying to be funny. Swan. Emma Swan."
The darker skinned one, who was slightly taller, pulled a tablet from his pocket and finger scrolled through the list. He squinted at her. "Sheriff E. Swan?"
"That's me."
The other guard swept her form dubiously. Emma was used to this reaction from men. She was sure, as a security precaution, they had gone over the list before and because her first name wasn't listed, they had obviously thought she was a man. She was new in town and not due to start her job for another few days. No one knew who she was. And for her, the town of Storybrooke was a clean slate.
The guard that had just checked her out gave a hesitant smirk and asked, "You're the new Sheriff?" He incredulously glanced at his partner and they shared a mocking sneer. "Really?"
Though Emma appeared to be smiling, slightly, she was nibbling on the inside of her cheek, knowing she was just seconds away from demonstrating to these two monkeys just why they should not underestimate her.
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
Both guards were caught in surprise at the question, thinking the answer should have been quite obvious already. "Look, we're sorry but…" Making a hand gesture to all of her, one of them replied with a charming grin, apparently hoping to win her over with his compliment, "You're just so young… and pretty. You look more like a supermodel than the new sheriff."
Oh, no they didn't.
Emma crossed her arms and shook her head when he continued, "A sweet thing like you… shouldn't be… you know…" He looked at his partner for support and Emma raised a challenging eyebrow. "…chasing criminals and all. It's a dangerous world out there for a lady."
"I'm sure the mayor would disagree with you," Emma replied with a smug smile as both men sobered a little.
The darker man held up a hand and said, "We apologize, Sheriff."
"What are your names?"
"I'm Tyrone. This is Smitty."
Emma nodded, observing their forms and sizing them up. Though they had apologized, she could sense they still didn't believe she could do her job and that enraged her inside. She'd spent years proving herself to men like these two. All of her life, in fact.
Smitty flashed a cocky grin and Emma hid a cringe at the forced charm he was exuding. She could tell when someone was sexually interested in her and this man's interest was disgusting… and unwanted. "Sheriff Swan. We didn't mean anything by it. It's just we weren't expecting someone so… stunning to be heading up the department. If there's anything I can personally do to make the job easier for you…" He let his tongue drag flirtatiously across his bottom lip. At least Tyrone had the decency to roll his eyes. Tyrone may be old fashioned in his thinking about what a woman's role in law enforcement might be, but he wasn't an arrogant creep like Smitty was.
Having had enough, Emma smiled at them and said, "How would you guys like to make a little wager?"
Tyrone twisted and gave her a sidelong glance. "What kind of wager."
"I bet that I can take both of you down in a matter of seconds. We'll call it an exercise. No one's around. Everyone's at the party." What the hell was she doing? Instead of reflecting about how bad an idea this was, Emma was taking her red leather jacket off, which gathered all Smitty's attention to her breasts. Her eyes tilted upward in absurdity at him as she rolled her sleeves up.
"I don't think this is a wise idea," Tyrone replied. He seemed to be eyeing her in a new light, sensing the integrity, and a newfound respect began blossoming. Perhaps he had pegged Emma Swan a little too prematurely. Smitty however, put a hand on his bicep.
"Naw, Ty. Let's hear the lady out. So, you were saying? You can lay us flat in a few measly seconds? Both of us?" He derisively snorted but he still wore that deeply smug grin. "And if we win and you end up on your..." Smitty eyed her bottom and Emma felt his ogling without even looking at him. "Back. What do we get?"
She smiled sweetly at him, snaring his interest further. "What do you want?" It was a loaded question for she already knew all too well what Smitty wanted.
"A date."
"Smitty," Tyrone warned, but Emma had her hand out in part surrender and allowance.
"Deal." She was going to enjoy this.
[ -]
A half an hour earlier…
"Regina, you need to relax."
Zelena Mills sipped from her wine glass and perused the party guests standing around who, for the most part, were networking and making professional contacts. Practically the whole town had been invited because that was how small Storybrooke actually was. She eyeballed her younger sister, Regina, over the rim of her glass and then swiveled her body to see what she was studying. Standing just yards away in their direct line of sight was their mother, Cora Mills, speaking and laughing with Regina's ex, Mayor Mal Drakeford.
When Regina realized that Zelena had noticed, she exasperatingly huffed and brought her own wine up pausing the glass midway and spat confidentially to her redheaded sister, "I don't want to be here."
"Then why come? I wouldn't have come if I were you."
"You know very well why." After a second, Regina expelled a frustrated breath. "Mother made me." Regina faced her sister, effectively blocking Mal and Cora from seeing them and imitated Cora, making Zelena crack a smile. "No matter what you have gone through, Regina-Darling, you are a MILLS, and MILLS women do not run off with their tail between their legs."
Zelena's guffaw was discreet and she continued the emulation, "No, we bare our FANGS and demolish the offenders. Take control!"
"Honestly." Regina nearly tossed a look over her shoulder in Cora's direction. "She makes us sound so… merciless. Like we're a coven of evil witches or something." Regina's shoulders slumped and she nearly rolled her eyes. "Besides… we all go way back don't we? Mother and Father have been friends with the Drakefords for so long."
"Which is why I warned you not to get involved with Mal. Do you not remember anything from our teenage years?"
"I thought that maybe she had changed."
"Um, no!" The last word was drawn out in incredulity and Zelena snorted into her glass. "That bitch is still a fire-breathing dragon only after the thrill of the chase." Zelena gulped and nodded over Regina's shoulder at the mayor.
A bitter sound arose from deep in Regina's throat and her eyes hardened. "I'm surprised she's even mayor."
"I'm not." Zelena further explained when Regina gaped at her. "She knows how to keep her scandals under wraps and her prey enchanted with her wiles." That last part was delivered with a meaningful and slightly accusatory look for Regina, who had been Mal's latest conquest. "And for Heaven's sake, she's a politician. Lying is in her nature."
Regina felt like a fool again at Zelena's words. She had no one to blame but herself for the predicament she was in. She and Mal had been dating for a year before she had found out about Mal's other romantic endeavors. What Zelena had said was true though. Mal had always had a wandering eye and Regina should have known better. What she hated was seeing pity in the eyes of others who had also known better: her sister, her mother. She couldn't stand to see those expressions on their faces.
"She was pretty good at it," Regina groaned.
"What, the lying?"
"No… the…" Regina's sentence fell incomplete but the shake of her head and movement of her eyes clued her sister into the more intimate part of their past relationship.
"Ohhhhhh…" Zelena caught on and decided that now was the time to probably come clean. The sex. "Yes, I know."
Shock and confusion traveled across Regina's dark features and she brushed her hair behind her ear, taking a moment to calm herself before asking a question she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to. But her sister read her mind, as she always did and put a supportive hand on her arm. "I was 17, you were 14, and she was 19. That summer trip our families took to the lake cabin?"
Astonished, Regina pinned her sister with a slow blinking expression. "The hell, you say."
"Yes, Darling Regina, even I fell victim to the Dragon. Your ex was my first sexual experience." When Regina's eyes dipped lower, Zelena asked nervousness edging her speech, "Are you angry?"
Regina whipped her head up in surprise at the question. Her sister was her closest friend and confidante in the world. However unexpected this new piece of information was, Regina knew her sister loved and cared for her deeply. "No! I'm just… processing."
"Why do you think I told you to stay clear from her, dear."
"Wow."
"Yes." Suddenly Zelena's eyes widened and in a hushed tone, "Oh my God! They're coming over."
"What?"
"Act casual!"
"I… no… what?!"
"Keep it together, cornflake."
"After what you just told me?"
"Forget it! I have."
It was easy for Zelena to say but Regina was finding it hard to downshift her mind so quickly. Who else had she known that Mal slept with, she wondered.
"Ah, there are my fetching daughters."
Cora's proud voice boomed loudly in greeting and Regina turned to see both women, dressed impeccably, stop in front of them. Cora was in a lovely turquoise business suit whereas Mal dressed in a soft, light khaki colored one that coordinated well with her short styled blonde hair, the ends curling up just over her collar. Regina waited for that familiar tug in her middle, but surprisingly it didn't come.
"Hello, Regina."
"Mal."
"You are looking as stunning as ever."
"Thank you."
Mal gave a greeting nod to Zelena which the tall redhead returned. "You're looking well, Z." Mal's eyes moved very slowly down Zelena's body and Regina felt ill, not jealous, but ill that Mal would openly ogle her sister in front of her. Zelena's eyes darted in disbelief from Mal to Regina, then back to Mal, and finally to the light green sundress she was wearing, though also picking up on Mal's interest, she was not going to be a part of this huntress' plans.
"Um… thank you. You're looking…" Nice, great, what? Zelena opened her mouth but no compliment registered fittingly in her brain. The audacity of the Mayor to leer at her in front of Regina. "…Mayoral."
Mal smiled but there was a predatory glint in her eye. "Regina, I was hoping that we could have a moment to talk."
Regina glanced at her sister, as if Zelena were silently communicating with her, "Well look who has a brass set of lady-balls?"
Instead, Regina offered a beguiling smile in return because, dammit, she had wiles too but felt relieved when out of the corner of her eye she saw two blurs, one shorter than the other, with a shaggy mop of brown hair. Her son and her niece bounded up to the group giggling.
"Mummy! Mummy!" Henry's seven-year-old cousin, Robyn, hugged Zelena, who received her as a delighted welcome around her waist. "Ms. Belle, the librarian, was showing us a magic trick."
"Was she?"
"Yeah," answered Henry excitedly and slipped his hand into Regina's free one. "She made a whole quarter disappear and come out of my ear!"
The adults laughed and the kids went to Cora when she opened her arms to them. "I'm surprised my grandchildren didn't ask for candy to be pulled out of their ears next."
"We did," Robyn replied with a guilty chuckle. She looked up at Zelena when her mother lovingly stroked the crown of her red hair, so much like hers.
There was a silence that took over and Regina became very aware that Mal was studying her, so she averted her eyes anywhere else.
The mayor spoke up, "Hello Henry."
A very reserved "Hi" came from the six-year-old who moved closer to his mother, gripping her hand a little tighter.
"Henry," Regina started, inspiration striking, "Go on and get your coat. It's time we headed out."
"So soon?" Cora asked with a head tilt while Mal lifted a quizzical eye-brow. An arrogant smile spread across the blonde's face and Regina got the distinct impression that Mal thought that she had an effect on Regina and was glad by it. The only thing was, though, that she didn't. Something had changed in the last 25 minutes, when Zelena had admitted that she had also been with Mal. A revelation that should have devastated Regina, had ended up liberating her somehow. She deserved better.
After Henry raced off, Regina fibbed her excuse. "Sorry we can't stay. Henry has a playdate."
"Well, that is unfortunate. I was hoping we could talk."
It was clear when the whites of Mal's teeth were revealed, in an almost nefarious smile, that Regina wanted to slap that smugness right off her face. Every day since they had broken up, Regina pined less and less for the woman. Today might have been the day of understanding. It was dawning on her that she was better off without the likes of Mal Drakeford in her life.
"Another time… maybe." She confused Mal then with a grab of the woman's hand, pulling her in for a quick, chaste kiss on the cheek. It was a true goodbye-you-have-no-hold-over-me kiss. Even Zelena had been shocked when she pulled away. "Thank you for the invite." To the rest of their group, she gave more familial hugs, knowing she was going to get a call from her sister later.
As she walked away, Regina felt truly wonderful. She was ready to move on and begin again.
[ -]
Henry was glad they were leaving. As far as he was concerned, getting away from the mayor couldn't have come soon enough. He didn't like how she looked at his mom. Regina had been a little stiff before and he had felt protective of her. Victor, the butler, handed him his coat and he bolted out the front door, not even waiting to put it on while skipping down the steps. He instantly froze in his tracks at the sight before him.
There was a fight! Two big men in black suits advanced on a shorter, slender blonde woman. She moved lightning fast, ducking and sweeping the younger man off his feet and onto his back. When the second man reached out to stop her, she twisted and deftly threw him—threw him!—over her shoulder onto the other guy and stood there, proudly standing over them with her arms crossed, while they groaned and barely moved.
Wow!
Tyrone was the first to sit up and shake his head to clear the dizziness while trying to stretch his arm out. The new Sheriff had certainly knocked the wind out of him. "Well, you did it, Sheriff. You took us down fair and square." Emma grinned and helped him up and he bent over to steady himself a bit more.
Smitty, on the other hand, bitterly complained. "I don't think it was so fair and square."
"You're right, it wasn't," Emma returned. "It was two against one. Not very fair at all."
She turned back, in concern for Tyrone who was still bent over, not seeing Smitty come at her again. He wrapped an arm around her neck, her back flush against his front and she placed both hands on his elbow, attempting to alleviate his tightening hold.
"Again," she wheezed. "This isn't very fair, Smitty." Not giving him time to answer, she stomped her foot hard onto his toes causing a shout of pain. Emma took advantage of his loosened grip, twisted her body and elbowed him hard in the solar plexus. As he doubled over, she delivered an effective blow to his back sending him crashing onto the floor, but not before Tyrone joined in to help control Smitty.
Henry had not understood this and thought they were ganging up on her so he ran full force down the concrete railing and heroically jumped on Tyrone's back.
"What the…!" Tyrone tried to get Henry off but the small child held on fast like a wild baby monkey.
Emma, a little out of breath, had seen the small fast-moving blip and saw Tyrone, arms flailing backward, trying to remove the child, but the little boy was too quick and squirrely. She stared at them briefly with her mouth gaping open. Where had the kid come from and why was he bull-riding Tyrone like a junior Rodeo Champion?
"Kid! Hey, Kid!" Emma tried to grab the young boy by the waist but he was tenacious, clutching to Tyrone.
A few things happened very quickly. Tyrone, in his distress, spun on his heel, not seeing where he was going, had tripped backward over a debilitated Smitty. Emma reached out and grabbed onto the black lapels of his jacket before he could fully fall. If Tyrone fell backward, that kid would be crushed beneath him.
With all of her strength, she quickly caught Tyrone, who was a very heavy man, and the motion took his pint-sized attacker by surprise, causing him to lose his grip and fall onto his back just as a terrified "HENRY!" was shouted from the front door, followed by loud clicking heels on concrete.
Henry had heard his mom's scream and wondered hazily if the bad men had gotten her too. He struggled to sit up and the first thing he saw was the blonde woman squatting down in front of him, however, she was dressed differently than she had been moments before. Now. She was a vision, clad in a bright blue suit with a big white star in a red circle on her chest. Just like his favorite super hero!
She was here! The woman that he had wished for had come!
"Kid. Henry? Are you okay?"
He smiled up at her still a little dazed. "Captain America?"
"What?" Emma looked down at the child in befuddlement but didn't have any time to ask further questions because she was suddenly smacked in the face with a Prada purse.
"What are you doing? Get away from my son!" Knocked back on her butt, Emma squinted up to find a gorgeous, short-haired brunette in spiked pumps and a navy skirt suit bending in front of the boy as he sat up, running her hands over him concerningly.
"Mom?"
Mom? Emma crawled onto her knees and bent over the boy named Henry and evaluated his condition. He looked less dazed than before. "He's okay."
"He could have a head injury."
"I didn't fall on my head."
"Stay still."
"I think he's fine." Emma said and won a glare from the brunette.
"Are you a doctor?"
"No, but…"
"Then kindly shut up."
Emma was taken aback but also a little intrigued. Who was this woman and where could she find her again?
At that moment, Tyrone limped over and bent over all of them. "Is the little guy okay? He's got a strong grip."
"Yeah," Emma said.
"No," Regina snapped at the same time. "What the hell is going on here?" Her eyes met Emma's and they darkened with disdain as they traveled inquisitively over her body. "And just who the hell are you?"
"Emma Swan."
"Emma Swan? What kind of name is that?"
"It's a very good name. One that is nearly impossible to forget." She hoped, Emma thought.
"Emma Swan." Henry said it in wonder as if testing the weight of it on his tongue. He smiled at Emma approvingly. "I like it. Can I call you Emma?"
"Sure, kid."
"No, you may not!" Regina's quick reply came before aiming daggers with her eyes at the blonde. However, she was not ready when the blonde's green eyes sparkled humorously beneath a questioning brow. It was appealing. It ws distracting! Regina's brow deepened and her lashes fluttered, demanding clarity before she returned her attention back to Henry. "Henry Mills, just what did you think you were doing?"
Henry began to mumble, as most six-year-olds do when they must string words along to plead their case, yet hopefully not get into more trouble. "Um… well… I… out the door… and saw the… and… then to rescue her… but she was Captain America."
Regina hunched her shoulders and threw her son a most agitated look while Emma scratched her head in puzzlement.
"Maybe the little guy did hit his head?" Tyrone offered, hoping beyond all hope that that wasn't the case.
"No," Regina explained. "He just knows that he's in trouble."
"I think maybe I should explain." Emma smiled and put a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Tyrone, Smitty and I were doing an innocent self-defense demonstration and young Henry thought I was being threatened and came to my aid." Henry listened and beamed at Emma for trying to smooth things over with his mother. "He was just trying to be honorable."
"By running into a fight? Miss Whatever-your-name-is, I don't condone violence. Especially where my son is concerned."
The blonde looked at Regina like she was trying to read her and she had the audacity to smile knowingly at her implication that she had already forgotten Emma's name.
Playfully, Emma replied with, "Come on… You remember."
A beat passed between the two woman who remained in an intense eye-lock. They weren't aware Henry was smiling and looking between the two of them.
"Wow," Henry said drawing their focus back on him and he raised his shoulders sheepishly.
"Come on, Henry. We're leaving."
Both women helped him up and Henry liked having them tend to him together. It felt right. Emma was standing beside him, no longer dressed like his favorite super hero, but she offered him a quick informal hug by putting one arm around his shoulders and saying softly. "Your mom's right, Henry. You shouldn't go running into fights with adults. You could have gotten really hurt. But thanks for the help. You are a very brave boy."
They both eyed Regina then, who didn't look as mad as before. The line of her mouth straightened from the disapproving frown she had worn moments ago. Her expression was still less than thrilled but Emma got the impression that she was no longer being viewed as the dog crap on the bottom of someone's shoe.
"You know I don't even know your last name. Henry what?"
"Mills." His smile charmed her again. He was a cute kid. And his mother was also cute. Very cute. When his mom beckoned for him with a hand, he walked past Emma with a wave.
"See you around, Henry. You too, Mrs. Mills."
Regina didn't know what possessed her to correct the woman. Maybe it was how Ms. Swan was so sweet to her son. Maybe it was Ms. Swan admitting she was right. Maybe it was the way her son looked at the woman with such admiration. "It's Ms. Mills, Ms. Swan."
"Regina," whispered Henry in secret, cupping his hand around his mouth.
Ms. Did that mean Regina wasn't married? "It's Sheriff Swan actually, Ms. Mills." There. It wasn't the best introduction but now they knew who each other was and where Emma could be found. Emma was already looking forward to seeing the Millses again. She watched as Regina slowly comprehended this. There was a flicker of something in the woman's eyes and Emma concluded that Regina Mills was an exciting storm of emotions.
"Come along, Henry."
Emma's gaze followed them down the driveway until they were out of sight. Yep, her new beginning in Storybrooke had already been quite interesting.
