A/N: Welp, yet another chapter written straight after the other. Like I said, when inspiration strikes. *shrugs*. Now, I'm going to publish this straight away. For no other reason but to showcase exactly how this is NOT like other AU's, and exactly how different it will be. What? I told you in Enthralled my updates would be sporadicly random. *shrugs* Like I said, TAKE NOTE OF THE TITLES! It's important. *insert smirk here*. And once again, like Enthralled, this will go along quite slowly. Depending how you look at it ;) I guess you could say this is a non-linear story. If you don't know what that means, I'm not going to tell you because one: it'd be fun watching you get confused, and two: this note is already long enough. Without further adieu, chapter two.

Regina - Part I

There was something to be said about being Mayor. The days were long, the paperwork was tiresome, and she nursed a headache more often than she would like. But - it was well worth the power. The control. She ran this town, and every resident within it's borders. It was she who made the calls, it was she who had the final say. Everything and all things waited upon her approval. And Regina revelled in it.

Power and control were her kinks. It's what kept her alive. It's what kept her sane. She could count on one hand the only times she gave either up. And none of them were pleasant. For anyone. And least of all for herself. Six years she had kept this town from the brink of destruction - even though she was more likely the one to cause it. She had thought to, at first. All she wanted to do the moment her eyes opened and she gazed over her new 'kingdom', her new town - All she wanted to do was run them all in to the ground. Watch them cry and beg and scream.

Evil Queen?

Evil Queen indeed.

Somehow, Evil Mayor didn't quite have the same ring to it. Though she knew that most referred to her as the 'Ice Queen'. Just another title she was all to amused by, and had little trouble embracing. Striding down the sidewalk, each resident presenting a slight bow of their heads, an acknowledgment towards their Mayor, their 'leader'. Regina scoffed, laughing away the fearful glances and the hint of respect. For they did respect her. They were programmed to. They just didn't know it.

Pushing open the door, the jingle of the bell above her causing a slight grimace of annoyance to grace her features, Regina slipped her mask in to place. The concerned, kind Mayor pokerface she gambled with every day. No one ever saw past it. Saw the dark hooded eyes searching for a reason to strike out. Everything was a game to her. Everything. She slid in to her seat, crossing one leg over the other and bending slightly, hoisting Henry up in to the seat beside her, his four year old legs kicking out happily. She smiled, though it was tight and clipped in the corners.

"Panca's?"

Regina continued to smile tightly at her son, blinking away the awfully odd feeling settling in to her stomach. Why she had adopted him, she hadn't quite worked out. He had started as merely a pawn in her game. A strategic move against - her. Somehow, along the way and throughout the four years she had him by her side, he had melted a small amount of her ice cold heart. Shattering the hardened wall she had built, determined to keep feelings and love away. She cared for him, she knew that.

But she could do little more.

"Madam Mayor?" Regina tipped her head, tilting it to the side as she sat Henry down beside her and ensured he would not slide to the floor. The waitress, Ruby, was scantily clothed and Regina wondered just how that conversation began every morning, her granny not one to approve. It amused her though, for the lack of clothing and the newly streaked hair spoke volumes to the brunette.

Desperation.

A cry for - something. Help? Attention? Regardless - the sight was nothing but entertainment for Regina.

Smirking slightly, though hiding it behind a smile, she lifted her brow and nodded. "Coffee and a bagel for me." Turning to Henry, she stared at his pleading gaze, his pouted lip and the blinking of his eyes, before rolling her own. "Pancakes for Henry." Ruby nodded, writing down the order, before bopping Henry on the nose and wandering away, Regina watching her leave with thinly veiled amusement.

"Pull your skirt down and untie that shirt, for gods sake Ruby!"

"Ugh!"

Turning from the bickering women, Regina lifted the newspaper as Henry played with the lunch menu. Everything was so - routine now. No surprises, no last minute problems that needed tending to. Everything ran so smoothly.

And Regina was bored.

Flicking page after page over the other, Regina sighed softly. Useless ramblings of Sydney White, her own personal 'genie'. What she wanted, he delivered. And it was for that reason she hadn't disposed of the man. Still, the mines were off-limits, the clock tower broken, the sheriff finding lost dogs - nothing changed. Regina was both thankful, and annoyed. The only differences in her life in the last six years had been Henry, and that was four years ago. She needed something - else. What, she wasn't sure of yet. But when it came, she would know.

But would she like it?

Regina raised a brow as her coffee was placed beside her, her ordered bagel in front and Henry's pancakes sliding across the table to sit before him. He grinned happily, bouncing in his seat as he waited for Regina. The Mayor lifted her chin, glancing over her order before nodding in approval to the tall brunette standing patiently by their table. "Will that be all?" Regina nodded, lifting a hand and gesturing for her to leave, shooing her away. She smirked as Ruby left, the faint 'Bitch' wafting back to her followed by the thwack of granny's own newspaper against her arm. "Quiet!" She muttered, though Regina still heard.

It was good being her.

She leant to the side, cutting Henry's pancakes for him and pushing the knife away from his reach, handing him the fork and staring down at him. "Don't rush and don't smother it in syrup. It's bad for you." He nodded at her, having heard it all before, quickly digging in to his breakfast whilst Regina lifted the coffee mug to her lips.

"Morning Madame Mayor."

Regina jerked slightly, spilling her coffee over her hand and hissing against the heat. She lifted her gaze, glaring at the sheriff as he grimaced, quickly pulling napkins from the bench and moving to press them against her hand. She pulled away from him, eyes narrowed as she snatched the napkins from his hand and proceeded to hold it against her stinging skin. "Graham." She greeted roughly, angry with both him, and herself. Herself for having reacted as she did. And he for having caused it. "What do you want Sheriff?"

Graham grimaced once again, sliding in to the seat opposite and smiling as Henry waved. "Hi Graha'." Regina sighed, tilting her head in her sons direction as she dabbed at her skin. "Don't talk with your mouth full Henry." She scolded, Henry sinking in his seat with a mumbled 'sorry', returning to eating quietly. Regina sighed, running her hand over his hair before returning it to her hold, soothing the skin over her palm. "Graham?"

The sheriff rubbed at the back of his neck, smiling awkwardly as he shifted in his seat. "Well, I was wondering when you wanted me to come in for our meeting?" Regina raised a brow, dropping the napkin to the table and using it to wipe what had been hot coffee away from the surface of the table. "Meeting?" There were plenty of meetings she had today, each about the same thing. Funding for the school, funding for the hospital, Dr. Hopper's expenses - everything revolved around money now. Not that any of it mattered. Nothing changed in this town, and that included time. Henry was the exception, something Regina was surprised no one had picked up on as yet. But then she had known Storybrooke's resident's were clueless, mindless. They followed what she wanted. And she wanted subtlety.

"Yes Ma'am. You asked to see me yesterday at the town meeting? After everyone left." Graham glanced to Henry, watching him shove a forkful of pancake in his mouth happily. Regina blinked, frowning as she thought back before she sighed and shifted in her seat. "I'll get Isobel to call your office once I've checked my schedule." Graham nodded, still watching Henry until Regina coughed, raising her brow and pursing her lips. "Was there anything else Sheriff, or may I have breakfast with my son?" It wasn't so much a question, as a demand. Go away. Very subtle Regina.

Graham smiled crookedly, nodding his head as he stood. "Have a good day Madame Mayor. Henry."

Regina followed him with her eyes as he left, still facing the opposite seat and sighing as she heard the bell. "You don't like him." Turning her gaze to her son, Regina smiled, brow creasing. "Why would you think that?" It was stupid to argue. She didn't like the sheriff. She didn't like anyone. Henry, once again, the exception. "Justa feelin'." Regina grimaced, lifting her brow at the punctuations, the pronunciation. Henry cringed, smiling awkwardly up at his mother as he raised his shoulders. "Sorry." He mumbled, returning to his food before leaning up as best he could, reaching for the glass of juice Ruby had brought out. Sighing, Regina pulled the glass closer and watched as Henry drank, picking at her bagel in thought.

Lifting her gaze, turning back to face the opposite chair, she nodded in thanks as granny lowered a new coffee to her side. They were all well aware of how touchy Regina could be without her morning caffeine. She lifted the mug to her lips, inhaling the smell she so desired, closing her eyes as the scent wafted through her. Smiling, she opened her eyes and froze. Across from her, a portrait was situated on the wall. Encased in glass, it presented a reflection of whatever, or rather whomever, passed the diner outside. A flash of blonde escaped her vision, green eyes staring in to her own brown ones, before the image was gone. Regina turned, placing the mug to the table and standing, one hand braced on her chair as her heart pounded.

No. She couldn't be - it wasn't her - it wasn't possible.

She moved quickly, striding across the diner's floor and flinging the door open, ignoring the no doubt shocked and curious stares of the patron's within as she stepped out on to the sidewalk. Glancing both ways, Regina huffed softly, folding her arms over her chest as she blinked rapidly, shaking her head.

Nothing.

Regina laughed coldly, shaking her head once again as she re-entered the diner and glared at anyone watching her. It was stupid of her to think that she would find her, that she would come back. And stupid was one thing Regina was not. Sliding back in to her seat, she smiled stiffly at Henry. "Momma?" Shaking her head once again, she nodded towards his breakfast. "Eat up Henry, then we're going." He nodded, finished what remained of his pancakes as she tore what was left of her bagel, taking a deep breath and glancing up at the portrait across from her.

All she saw was Storybrooke's docks.

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat, sneering at her own slip and perfecting the mask she held in place. This was why she held herself at a distance. This was why she couldn't feel. Why she shouldn't.

Because of her.

Emma.

A/N: Hope this was satisfactory? Now, just a little notice. If I've taken at least, oh, four days since updating, feel free to spam my PM Box with 'Can you update please?'. Sometimes the motivation runs out but I'm rather determined to get these two stories done and dusted. With that, goodnight xx