A/N: Hopefully I will be able to update this story weekly. I was planning on updating this yesterday but I was preoccupied with Lana's birthday. Flashbacks are in italics!
Chapter 2: A Sweater
Henry Mills woke up the next day in his Storybrooke bed. He made his way downstairs to meet his mother who was cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
"Good morning Henry!" said Regina as she turned around from the stove.
"Morning. What are you making?" asked the boy as he grabbed a stool at the counter and took a seat.
"Eggs, would you like some?"
"Nah, I'll stick with cereal." said Henry as he went to the cupboard.
Regina turned back towards the stove. "Someone is picky today."
"No, it's just that Em… I had a lot of eggs last week." mentioned Henry.
"Alright. Would you like to start cleaning the attic today? I have some paperwork at the office but I can work on it later tonight." said Regina as she flipped some eggs on a plate and sat down beside him.
"Yeah sure!" replied Henry.
"As soon as you finish your breakfast why don't you head upstairs and get ready, and I'll meet you at the top of the stairs." suggested Regina.
"Okay. "
15 minutes later the pair was pulling down the ladder to the attic. Regina coughed as a small cloud of dust came down from the opening.
"When was the last time you came up here?" asked Henry from the bottom of the ladder.
"I think it was last year, I put some old clothes up here." remarked Regina as she handed Henry a box labeled: Old Clothes.
"Here, why don't we take a few more boxes downstairs and then open them in the living room. " said Regina as she reached up to grab another box and then dropped it as she felt a searing pain going through her shoulder.
"Mom! Are you okay?!" exclaimed Henry as he helped his mother down from the ladder.
"I'm fine. Let me just grab another box."
"No, I'll grab it. " said Henry as he climbed up the ladder. As he climbed back down he spoke again: "You exert yourself too much. You could use magic for some things, especially heavy lifting like this"
Regina shook her head. "No Henry, I will not use magic for menial things I can do myself."
"Okay. Take the box of clothes, and I'll take these two downstairs."
Regina Mills gave a wave of her hand as the popcorn bowl Emma was reaching for flew across the living room. Henry burst out laughing.
"Really Regina? " said Emma as she rolled her eyes. "Aren't I the childish one?"
"You are. But that doesn't mean I can't have my fun. " said Regina as she smirked at Emma.
"Are we sure that we fused the Evil Queen back with yourself?" remarked Emma. Regina hit Emma gently with a pillow as Henry hopped off the couch. Emma shrieked as she fell off the couch.
"Honestly you guys are the weirdest people sometimes. Can we get back to the movie?" said Henry as he retrieved the popcorn from the other side of the room.
"Only if you mother gets me a drink in exchange for hitting me with a pillow." countered Emma.
Regina waved her hand again as a mug of hot chocolate with cinnamon appeared in her son's and Emma's hands.
"Are we satisfied Princess?" questioned Regina.
"Very." replied Emma as she smiled back at the brunette. Half an hour later, the movie finished and Henry headed upstairs to bed while Emma and Regina cleaned up the living room.
"How are you?" asked Regina as she pointed the remote at the TV and turned it off.
"Um, great, what's up with the questioning?" asked Emma.
"No I meant how are you feeling after the incident with Hook."
The blonde shrugged her shoulders as she bent down to pick up stray pieces of popcorn off the ground. "You know Regina you can call it a breakup. I'm fine. Just trying to heal. It's different when you lose a person you love vs. having the person you love stop loving you."
Regina paused. "To be honest, you're too good for Hook."
"That sounds familiar," said Emma with a strangled laugh.
"I mean it. If that pirate is upset because you would rather stay here in Storybrooke and spend time with your family or Henry rather then go sailing for a year across realms with him, that's his problem. "
"I know I know, I just thought he would have understood."
"All that matters is that your family understands. "
Emma raised an eyebrow. "So are you a part of this family?"
"No, I'm just the supportive friend." said Regina as she gave a small smile at Emma.
Regina Mills settled herself on the couch downstairs as Henry sat down beside her. The brunette opened the first box and pulled out some old clothes. Her hands rummaged through the fabrics, and then suddenly paused as her fingers traced over a grey wool sweater. "Henry?'
"Yeah Mom?" said the boy as he looked up from the second box he was opening.
"This is hers. Please return it." said Regina as she picked it up with two fingers and dropped it on his lap.
"Oh, okay. Is there anything else?"
"No, just please go put it away." sighed the brunette.
"Sure." replied Henry as he ran back upstairs to put it away and return to Emma next week.
Regina placed her fingers on the temples of her forehead as she leaned back on the couch.
It had been one of the worst storms that Regina had seen in Storybrooke and she unfortunately was outside in the middle of it. She had been driving home from the office after staying late and her car had stalled on her. She pulled over to the curb and waited in the car for a few minutes, hoping the storm would soon pass. Suddenly through the fog and the mist she saw a pair of headlights and then a familiar yellow volkswagon pulled up beside her, and after a few minutes Emma stepped out.
Regina rolled down the window as Emma opened an umbrella.
"Hello Sheriff Swan, what lovely weather we're having. " quipped Regina.
"Yes, it seems like you're stuck in your car though. Couldn't magic yourself back to your house? "
'It stalled. I could but I wanted to experience being stuck in a storm." deadpanned Regina. " I was just about to call Henry at home."
Emma laughed. "I already did, I called him when I saw your vehicle."
Regina gave Emma a smile. "Thank you, that was very kind."
"It's what I do, I'm the Savior. Now can I continue living up to my name and drive you home?"
"Oh yes, I was hoping that I would get to also experience a heroic rescue."
Emma rolled her eyes. Regina stepped out of her vehicle and followed Emma to her car. As they were driving towards Regina's house, Emma noticed Regina was shivering.
"You okay?" questioned the blonde.
"'I'm fine, just trying not to think about dying in a yellow metal death trap."
Emma ignored the previous comment as she pulled up in front of the mayoral mansion. "Thank you, I appreciate the assistance" said Regina as she got up to get out of the car.
"Wait" said Emma. She turned around to reach in to the backseat and grabbed a grey wool sweater and handed it to Regina. "Trust me, this is really comfy and warm, plus I doubt you have anything this functional in your closet."
Regina raised an eyebrow but took the sweater from Emma's hands. Emma waved to her as she reached her front steps and entered the house. She greeted Henry and went to have a shower. As she stepped out of the shower she reached for her regular silk pajamas, but noticed the sweater draped over a chair in the bedroom and put it on. The blonde was right, it was comfy and warm. Regina Mills settled into bed and closed her eyes as she relished in the comfort the sweater gave her.
As Henry made his way back downstairs he noticed his mother with her eyes closed on the couch.
"Mom?"
Regina opened her eyes and straightened up.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes, I suppose I'm just tired" replied the brunette.
The boy raised an eyebrow of his own but decided not to question it. "Alright, lets continue unpacking these. "
Regina nodded and the pair spent the next hour and a half going through boxes and deciding what they would keep or give away. " I think that's enough for today" said Regina as she laid down an old teakettle. We still have more boxes we can do later anyways. "
"Yeah, that works." said Henry as he got up. " Is it okay if I head upstairs?"
"Yes, I'll probably have lunch ready around 1" replied Regina.
The boy headed upstairs to his room and closed the door behind him as he lay down in his bed. He grabbed a cellphone and dialed a familiar number. After 3 rings the phone picked up on the other end.
"Hey Henry!." said Emma through the phone.
"Hey Mom. Can I ask you a question? It's just about a sweater you might have lost?"
Emma frowned on the other end. "What are you talking about?"
Henry laughed. "Never mind Mom. I'll explain when I see you next week. "
Emma paused. "Alright Henry, I'm sure you'll have a good explanation for this. Love you and I'll see you next week.
"Love you too Mom. " replied Henry as he hung up the phone.
