[A little note to all of you, from ReginaKatic:

"Hi! Just a note to say, this is a great story, based on a PUBLIC prompt which we are both the stories are similar, they are already going in very different directions, and I actually think it's really interesting to see how two different authors handle the same idea. The prompt was not mine, I was asked to write the story by a friend, and A is doing the same thing. I am communicating with her, and if she receives any more hate, I will stop writing my story, too. Do not send hate to people when you don't know the facts. There is already a note at the top of my latest chapter saying I am happy about this story existing alongside my own." ]

[Emma's thoughs: -...-

Regina's thoughts: *...*]

Chapter 2: Goodbye

As both walked into the mansion, they introduced themselves and then Regina walked right into the kitchen, while Emmanuel waited in the lobby. -Whoa, /that's/ a mansion!- The brunette grabbed two whiskey glasses and carried them to her mini bar, which was placed in her lobby.

"How did he find out where Emma lived?" Emmanuel asked while he placed his hands into his posterior pants pockets and watched the adoptive mother of Henry, put some ice cubes, before she poured the apple cider into each glass.

"/Lived/?" *Hmm, she might have moved out and left him the apartment.* "No idea. When I adopted him, he was only 3 weeks old. And I was told, the birth mother didn't want to have any contact." Regina shrugged softly.

"Yes. You were told right." The blonde pursed his lips.

"Where is she?" Regina asked curiously.

"She, uh.. she-" Emmanuel frowned in thought,

"Died?" Regina spoke out the word, coldly as she finished his sentence.

"Yeah.." The 'man' nodded his head slowly.

"When, if I may ask?" She asked curiously.

"..4 years ago.." He said with a soft tone in his voice.

"And the father? Do I need to worry about him?" The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"Nope. He doesn't even know about Henry." Emmanuel shook his head and leaned against the wall.

"Do I need to be worried about you, Mr. Swan?" Regina turned around and walked to him and hand him his glass, with a soft smirk on her face.

"Absolutely not." Emmanuel shook his head again and raised his eyebrows lightly as he reached for his glass. -Why should she be worried about me? Does she know that.. uh, I find her kind of attractive?-

In that moment, sheriff Graham Humbert, walked downstairs. "Madam mayor, you can relax, other than being a tired little boy, he's fine." He said with a soft and reassuring smile.

"Thank you, sheriff." Regina nodded her head once and offered him a soft smile.

The sheriff nodded his head gently. He had night shift and so we had to go back to his duties. The young brown haired man walked out of the mansion, on his way back to the sheriff station.

"I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's got into him." The brunette said to Henry's 'uncle' as she walked to her workroom.

The blonde pushed herself away from the wall and followed her. "Kid's having a rough time, happens." She said and took a seat on the vintage sofa.

"You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky." The brunette closed the door and took a seat on the armchair across from the blonde. "You have a job?" She asked curiously.

"Uh, I keep busy." Emmanuel chuckled softly and placed his glass on the coffee table.

"Yeah? Imagine having another one, on top of it. I've been a single mom. So, I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?" Regina tilted her head slightly to the side and forced a soft smile as she asked the blonde for his opinion.

"I'm-sure he's just saying that, because of the fairy tale thing." Emmanuel took a sip of his drink.

"What fairy tale thing?" Regina furrowed her eyebrows lightly in confusion and thought. *I hope Henry didn't tell him everything. That little smart boy.*

"Oh you know, his book. Henry thinks everyone is a cartoon character from it, like his shrink, he's Gimminy Cricket." Emmanuel laughed softly while he explained.

"I'm sorry, I-really have no any idea what you're talking about." Regina shook her head, apparently she didn't know about her son's fairy tale book.

"You know what. It's none of my business. He's your kid. And I really should be heading back." The blonde sighed softly while she smiled gently and shrugged, before she took another gulp of the best cider she had ever tasted.

*If Emmanuel would stay, who knows, maybe he would ruin my plans, by finding out who everyone is and who I really am.* "Of course!" Regina straightened her skirt as she stood up to open the door, motioning for the blonde to go home.

Emmanuel widened his eyes as he was about to swallow the cider, not expecting that Regina would say goodbye that fast. -But,.. I didn't even finish my apple cider..- He set his glass onto the coffee table and stood up, to walk out of the mayor's workroom.

The brunette walked him to the main door. "Goodbye, Mr. Swan." She offered him a soft smile.

The woman knew she couldn't get closer to him. That would be no good for the town nor her, since everyone was cursed, but Henry and her. And after all, he was the savior's brother.

"Bye." The blonde said with a soft tone in his voice. -It was nice to meet you..-

He walked back to his yellow bug and climbed in.

Henry was standing at the window of his room, watching the savior's 'brother' go back to his 'home'.

Emmanuel felt watched and so he turned around and saw how the boy ran back to his bed and turned off the light.

The blonde just sighed and started the engine. Finally driving off, on her way back to Boston.

As Emma was about to cross the town line, she looked to the passenger's seat, where she saw Henry's book. "Silly boy." She shook her head and in that instant, a white wolf stopped in the middle of the road.

The young woman widened her eyes and startled when she saw the wolf and immeadiately turned to the left. And because the road was wet because of the rainy weather, Emma crashed against the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign which was on the side of the road. Her head banged against the steering wheel and the woman was unconscious.