Emma woke up early in the morning, not that she had slept well anyway. She was trying to come up with some kind of plan so she could help Regina start to feel better. She went to get a quick shower, once she got done she threw on her running pants and a sports bra. She went downstairs, got a cup of orange juice, and she wrote Henry a quick note to explain she was going running. She grabbed her headphones and walked out the door heading towards the woods. Once she hit the tree line she started her workout playlist, and then she started running and thinking. How am I going to help her she needs something to do, something to help her think. She kept running forward. She thought about going places, and then realized that it would do good for only a little while. She thought about what her magic could do, nothing seemed personal enough. She stopped running, I need Henry he knows her the best he can help me.
She started running back towards home. She ran down Mifflin towards her new home, not paying attention and just running. All of a sudden the felt a thud, and looked up to see who she ran into. "Regina, I'm so sorry. I was out running and thinking and I didn't see anyone." Regina got up off the ground, "Just be careful Emma we don't need you running into traffic or something." Emma smiled, "I'll be careful if I can ask you to come over later tonight and have dinner with me and our son. He's worried about you." Regina looked at her and nodded, "I'll come for Henry. What time would you like me to get there?" Emma looked at her watch, it was still only eight in the morning so she could take all day to get everything ready, "Why not around six pm? Gives us plenty of time to eat and chat before it gets dark." Regina agreed and they said their goodbyes. Emma jogged away from Regina's house until she was out of view and then she ran hard the rest of the way home.
Emma walked in the door of her house and her son was watching tv. He didn't even noticed she had walked in, "Henry, we have a big day planned." He turn around, "Mom, your back. What's up?" The blonde laughed at him a little, "Henry I need a plan to help your mom, also we have to cook and clean. It has to be a perfect day your mom is coming over later tonight." She smiled and it was his turn to laugh at her. "Mom, I'll help you but I need to know, is this because you feel guilty or because of something more?" She looked at him intently "Honestly I'm starting to think it's a little of both of them." He nodded understanding she probably couldn't explain it any better than that. "First things first, we need to work on dinner. I suggest pot roast and vegetables since we have all day." Emma agreed, and got the slow cooker out, "Now we just need a plan for how to help her with everything else. What do you think kid? You know your mom better than anyone I know." Henry thought about it for awhile. "Well I think she needs to get away. No people, unless it is me and you. She needs a place to get her mind off of everything really. I know she'd love riding again she hasn't been on a horse in years." He was just spitballing ideas hoping his blonde mother could come up with something she thought they could work. "Henry I think I have an idea, but I'm going to need you to go home with your mom tonight and stay there for a few nights. Watch over her, maybe talk her into stopping over here without you so her and I can talk. I know you can get your mom to do things no one else could." He agreed quickly, "So what should I do for the day?" Emma told him to go pack anything he wanted to take with him and then to go outside and play while she continued setting up supper. She was thinking about what she wanted to do and it would take a lot of time and she'd need to do so at night when it was dark so no one would question anything or where she was all day long.
Emma had finished supper and set the table for everyone when she heard the doorbell, "Come in 'Gina. I'm out in the dining room setting the table." Regina walked in following the voice of the blonde to where she had said. "Hello Emma, how was you and Henry's day together?" Emma turned around, smiling and telling Regina about making supper and games they had played leaving out the secret plans they had been brewing. "Gina why don't you go out and tell Henry it's time to come in and wash his hands for supper?" Regina agreed and went to fetch their son so that they could all eat. "Emma, Henry said he wanted to come spend a couple nights at my house. I just wanted to make sure you would be okay with that." Emma nodded and told Regina that her and Henry had already discussed that. "I thought it would be good for both of you, give you both sometime together." They sat down and started eating, Henry was telling Regina stories in great detail and Emma just watched how far they had all come in the short years since having met. They all sat and finished their supper chatting about their days, Henry ran upstairs to get some things he wanted to take with him to his mom's house. "Emma, are you sure you don't mind him staying with me? I know it's not supposed to be my night." Emma laughed, "Regina, it's okay. You can just make supper tomorrow and invite me. It will more than make up for stealing the kid for a night or two." They both laughed and Henry came down the steps ready to go. He hugged Emma and said goodnight, Emma hugged Regina a little awkwardly, "Be safe and have fun tonight you two." Emma yelled as they walked down the stairs to the house. After they were gone Emma ran back inside to gather the supplies she was going to need for her surprise, after collecting everything in her bag she headed out the door.
Emma made it to the secret spot she had found in the woods, she laid out all of her equipment and got to work. She slowly started to lay the wood down and pounded in the nails, working as hard as she could. Layer after layer was put down for the first room, she couldn't believe that she was actually building a cabin in the woods. Thank god for August she thought, had she never met him then she wouldn't have known how to do any of this. She kept working as she thought back to everything she had been through up till this point. All of the problems, but also the few moments of happiness that she could remember. One moment of happiness was August teaching her how to make things with wood. She thought back to birdhouses, and frames. She heard different things he'd tell her about measuring and how to sand. It helped a little to be building while the thinking was going on this time.
Meanwhile at Regina's, Henry and his mom were watching a movie and talking. "Mom, are you still upset about Robin?" Regina told him that she was and while it got a little better with each day, it also got worse. "Why do you ask Henry? Have I been that bad?" She tilted her head downward. "No mom, however I can tell because I know you really well. Also Ma has noticed, but yet again it's because she knows you really well." She lifted her head, "Emma's noticed?" Henry nodded, "We discussed some of the things we had been worried about, we talked about all kinds of things. She is just as worried as I am", but he hid the plans they had made. They continued talking about everything that had been going on and watching movies until they both fell asleep on the couch. She didn't know what time it was when she woke, but it was still dark outside. Regina thought to herself about what her son and her had talked about. Emma was worried about her? Didn't Emma realise she was upset because of Emma's own hurting. She reasoned that it was because Emma had done so much in making her happy in life and nothing was working for either of them. She knew it hurt Emma that neither of them was happy, but Regina didn't know how she could fix it. She knew she had to though.
Emma woke up in complete darkness, with some of her magic and most just her hands she had finished the first room of the cabin. She still had six rooms to finish just the building, she wagered that taking a night to build a room would be worth the wait. Also she knew that it wouldn't over do the magic, she was saving that for the end of the project. She had special plans for the inside of the cabin. She started her walk home, slightly dirty and very sweaty. She turned onto Mifflin Street and saw a light on at Regina's. So she text Regina
Emma: Why are you up Mad'am Mayor?
Gina: How do you know I am up Miss Swan, and why are you texting me this late?
Emma: I was walking past your house and saw your lights on. I wanted to see if there was a problem. I am the sheriff after all.
Gina: Well I am awake, so what are you doing up at this hour?
Emma: I was thinking so I decided to take a walk. I'm sorry I bothered you. If you need me for anything just message me, I'll be awake.
Gina: Thank you Emma darling. I'll keep that in mind, now you have a wonderful evening and do get some sleep. Remember we have dinner tomorrow night.
Emma smiled as she got the last text message. She continued to walk down the road to her house. Once she reached the house she walked to the bathroom and soaked in a nice hot bath, to help her muscles relax after all the building before she had to go to work tomorrow. She got out of the water once it got cold, dried off. She went to the bedroom and put on her pjs, then went down stairs to grab a snack. She grabbed a couple cookies and a glass of milk and headed back upstairs to try and sleep. She laid in bed and ate the cookies, finished the milk and tried to sleep.
Regina was sitting there rereading the texts between her and Emma, she decided to take Henry upstairs and get a nice long bath to ease some of the stress. Using a little magic she lifted Henry up into the air carrying him up the steps into his bedroom. Once she put him in bed, she headed to her bathroom and started the water. She undressed and climbed into the tub letting the hot water rush over her tense muscles. Listening to soft classical music as she relaxed in the bath. She sat in the water just thinking about Emma and everything else going on. She just wanted Emma to be happy, and now that was ruined because the pirate was gone. She lost Robin and now she wasn't happy and that made Emma less happy. She just kept thinking of Emma, finally once the water was cold she got out and dried herself off. She went into her room and put on her silk nightgown and laid in bed continuing to think about Emma.
At about eight in the morning Emma woke up and started to get ready for work. She threw on her tank top and her tight jeans. She grabbed her boots and leather jacket and headed out the door. She walked to the diner to grab a hot chocolate and a bear claw for breakfast, she walked in and Ruby grabbed her usual. "Actually Rubes can you grab me an extra hot chocolate and one of Regina's coffees. Mid as well throw two more bear claws in." Ruby looked at her confused but got the extra orders ready. She handed all of the drinks to her and the bear claw. "Here ya go Em." Emma handed her the money and headed to the office. Once she got to the office she sat the drinks down and grabbed her phone.
Emma: Gina I figured you'd be awake, do you guys wanna come to the station to see me? I got you a coffee and Henry a hot chocolate. I also got some bear claws for us all.
Gina: Okay Emma. We can do that. Let us get dressed and We'll be there in no time. ;)
Emma: Okay see you both shortly. Later Gina.
Regina yelled at Henry "Do you wanna go see Emma at the station? She bought breakfast and hot chocolate." He agreed quickly and ran to get dressed. Regina through on a pair of jeans and a sweater along with her pair of black boots. Once they were both ready Regina used some magic to get them to the station. They entered into the station in a puff of purple smoke. "Hey Ma," Henry yelled. "Hey kid, Hey Gina. In my part of the office." They followed her voice into the cubicle. Emma had set out all of their breakfast on the desk her in the center and Regina on her right side and Henry on her left. They sat down and all started eating. Emma explained she didn't have much to do today since her paperwork was all done. It was nice having deputies. Regina explained she had no plans as well, Henry suggested they should all go to the beach. Both mothers agreed, knowing they didn't have any major duties. Regina and Emma finished their food and everyone went home quickly to change. Emma called her dad while she was changing and asking him to watch the station.