Disclaimer: Same as Prologue

Chapter 1

This past month had been confusing for the 11 year old boy. Henry looked at his adoptive mom in shock seeing her stand there in a zoo shirt wrapped in a heavy leather jacket that seemed to make his normally larger than life mom seem so small. It didn't help that the woman beside her wasn't that much taller than his mom but he could see how the jacket would fit the woman. Seeing the woman standing next to his mom had rest her hand on his mom's lower back spoke volumes. The boy on the woman's shoulders smiled down at him.

Thinking back to a month ago when Emma had told him what she believed his mom did made Henry wonder if she picked a new family to make up for him picking Emma and his grandparents over her.

Getting off the bus, Henry found a sober Emma fidgeting nervously. "Ma, what's going on?"

Emma stopped fidgeting as she said, "Kid, I have something to tell you."

Henry let Emma lead him towards the bench away from the others, "What is it?"

Emma took the time to clear and organize her thoughts before answering, "Henry do you remember this morning with Pongo?" At his nod, she continued, "Well Ruby and I found, Archie in his office."

"Was he okay?"

"No kid, he… uh, he was dead."

Henry rocked back, "Well, who did it?"

Emma sighed because she was about to kill his belief in Regina but with what she saw, "Regina did."

"WHAT!?" Henry felt so torn he had thought his mom was trying to change but for her to kill Archie when he was helping her. The boy fell forward into his ma's arms as the revelation filled his mind.

Henry moved closer to his mom before saying, "Mom?"

He watched as she moved towards him replying, "Henry?" That was all the incentive to barrel into her. Regina felt his arms go around her waist causing her to give into her reflexive response when it came to the boy.

Henry pulled away enough to ask, "Why did you leave?"

Regina looked down at him before answering, "I couldn't handle the idea you would look at me like a killer when I had nothing to do with Dr. Hopper's death."

That comment made Henry think back to when they learned that Regina had left town all together.

It had been a couple days before Emma and David got back to the Sheriff station because they had been searching for Regina after she had disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Upon entering the office, Emma noticed two envelopes on her desk. One was addressed to her the other was addressed to Henry. She recognized the handwriting as Regina's. After sending David out on a wild goose hunt Emma opened the letter addressed to her.

Dear Ms Swan,

If you are reading this then I have left town. I could not handle the thought that my son lost so much trust in me that he couldn't or wouldn't give me the benefit of the doubt. I stand by my innocence in the Cricket's death given Dr. Hopper's death would have lost me my son, which seeing as you would have already told him by the time you read this attested that I have lost him.

As I have said, I stand by my innocence in Hopper's death and leave you one little kernel of thought, why would someone go to so much trouble to frame me. And how did they impersonate me? Answer, I know myself, Rumple and my mother had the ability to change forms to blend in where we could learn information without alerting others to our presence.

Sheriff I want you to know this, I love my son but every past love in any form never ended well for me. In fact it always ended in pain. I want you to take care of my son. And please protect him from whoever is framing me for the Cricket.

Sincerely,

Regina Mills

Ps. Please Emma, make sure Henry get the letter I wrote for him.

Emma sat and stared at the letter before swiping both hers and Henry's into her coat pocket when she heard someone enter the station.

David spoke, "Still no sign of her."

Henry turned to the other woman asking, "Who are you?" then gesturing at the boy on her shoulders, "And him?"

The woman grinned at him as she answered, "I'm Faith." Looking up at her boy, Faith added, "This is my boy, Jace."

Jace tapped his mama's head speaking, "Mama down." Henry watched as the woman lifted the boy off her shoulders before placing him on the ground. He watched as Jace walked towards him, "Awe you Pwetty Lady's son?"

Henry blinked, "Umm… who's Pretty Lady?" Jace rolled his eyes but pointed at Regina anyways. Henry nodded, "Then yeah. I'm her son."

Faith chuckled as she watched the two boys interacted before noticing Regina seemed tense. She moved closer dipping her head closer to Regina's ear asking, "Are you alright?"

Regina turned to the Slayer causing her nose to lightly brushed Faith's as she replied, "Yes, of course." At Faith's raised brow, Regina sighed, "I'm not comfortable with Henry being here with Mr. Gold."

Henry looked up at his mom's comment and seeing her so comfortable being so close to this Faith woman shocked the boy. He has never known his mother to be comfortable and quite honestly look like the break in personal space was being less about power struggle and more about just enjoying the other person's presence.

Now Henry knew his mom loved him, she left him a letter stating the fact but to see her enjoying people that were not him. Well it threw him, thinking back to the letter she left him caused him to truly think about what he was seeing when it came to his mom and this Faith. He really wasn't sure what to make of Faith.

Henry was sitting at the table when Emma came over to him. It had been two weeks since Emma told him that his m- no Regina had killed Archie. It had also been a week since Emma told him that his m- no, stop that her name's Regina had left town. Henry had been designing the apartment for when Gram and Gramps moved out. When he looked towards the letter that Emma had given him yesterday saying it was from Regina.

He didn't know if he wanted to read it. On one hand it would explain why she left; on the other Emma told him that she killed Archie. Henry took a deep breath and opened it.

Dearest Henry,

Words can't describe how much I wish I could be there with you or how much I had hoped that your belief and trust in me hadn't been shattered so much that you couldn't or wouldn't give me the benefit of the doubt about Dr. Hopper's death. I will say this now, no matter what Ms Swan believes I did not kill Archie. What would I have to gain? Watching as my sweet boy walked away from me for the hundredth time. I once told you that I don't know how to love very well but in truth I know how to love but not how to express it. All the love I have ever had in my life has either ended tragically or been painful to me in some form. Daniel died because your grandmother couldn't keep a secret, what's more is that because her father was king I could not tell him no. My mother couldn't love me correctly because she was without her heart long before I was born, and my father was too much of a coward in the face of my mother's magic. I never wanted magic Henry. But I wanted you very much, and to watch as you would pick Ms Swan and her parents over and over again was too much for me to handle.

On the thought of Dr. Hopper's death, if I had killed him it would have lost me you. But I didn't kill him and yet I still lost you. I want you to know this though my darling boy, I will love you forever and always even if you no longer feel the same towards me. You are my special boy and I love you. And I am sorry for lying about the curse and making you feel like you were crazy.

Here is my new number if you ever wish to call me (342) 645-1125

Love,

Mom

Henry sniffed as he finished reading the letter. He didn't know what to think anymore. On one hand his ma is the Savior while his m-Regina was the Evil Queen but still she did raise him and did care for him. On the other hand, his m-R-mom did make a good point that killing Archie would lose her him. But he didn't know what to think any more.

Henry asked, "What's going on?" Looking first at his mom then at Faith.

Regina turned towards Henry without leaving the comforting presence that Faith gave her, "I-what do you mean Henry?"

Before Henry could say anything, Emma jogged up. Gold spoke, "Did you find him?"

Emma looked at Regina, who was still standing close to Faith, in shock, "Regina?"

Again Faith felt Regina tense so she placed one of her hands on Regina's hip while the other motioned JD to her. The little boy waved at Henry before moving back to his mama. Faith held her arm parallel with the ground causing JD to grab it and she lifted him up to her hip. Regina turned to make sure JD was held in place while the boy moved his arms around Faith's neck and Faith put the arm around his back. All three of the others watched how the two women moved in sync with little difficulty. Turning back to the Savior, Regina spoke, "Ms. Swan."

Emma watched the interaction between the two women in an even more mess of emotions after running into Neal, who turns out to be Gold's son, only to find Henry's mother on what looked like a date with another woman. Thinking back to how much she screwed up with Regina, and when she found out that Archie was not only alive but Cora was in town well she really needs to apologize.

A week after Henry read the letter from Regina, Emma watched Henry sitting at the table again drawing up renovation plans, "what's that?"

Henry looked up, "An armory incase Regina comes back."

"Henry, if and when she comes back, Regina wouldn't hurt you."

Before Henry could reply there was a knock at the door so Emma answered it. Upon opening the door, both Emma and Henry looked at a worse for wear Archie standing alive and well.

Just before Emma could say anything, Gold hobbled into the apartment building causing all to follow him.

Regina looked sadly at Faith saying, "I'm sorry."

Faith just grinned, "Hey this might be fun?"

"You have the oddest definition of fun." With a smile Regina took Faith's hand and followed the other's inside.

The small group broke into the apartment causing Faith to shrug because really she's not sure but it feels like both she and JD will need to be here for whatever was about to go down. JD again motioned for his mama to put him down before moving back over to Henry, who had his book out.

JD asked the older boy, "Wead to me pwease." Having seen the book, JD was very interested. His mama and Gwampy sometimes would read to him from leather bound books like the one his Pretty Lady's son had.

Henry looked up to see Jace, "Umm… sure." Moving over Henry made room and then helped JD into the sit next to him. Regina watched from her place next to Faith and had Faith not been a Slayer she thinks the other woman's hand would have broken by now. She knew the book that Henry had on him was the same one that lost her him. Faith wondered what it was about that book that had Regina so of kilter but she decided not to ask.

Henry cleared his throat; "Once Upon a Time…" as he weaved the tale, Regina would get paler and paler causing Faith to pull the woman close. Listening to the story that Henry was weaving, caused Faith to realize that this wasn't the most traditional version of fairytales. It was neither Disney nor Brothers Grimm. Nor were they any of the more obscure variants that Faith had taken the time to read and enjoy.

Regina fought not to flinch with every mention of the horrible things she had done as Queen. She can't say she completely regrets them what with if she hadn't done them. Who knows if Henry would be alive or if she would have met Faith? But there was remorse in the more extreme actions like massacring entire villages.

JD blinked in confusion, "Yous tell this like its weal."

Henry looks towards the rather cute four years old before answering, "Every story in this book actually happened." Showing JD the picture of the Evil Queen, "Doesn't she look familiar?"

Faith caught a glimpse of the picture before glancing at Regina looking horrified, "No wonder you flinched when I told you how the Grimms' tale ended."

JD looked at the picture than to his pretty lady before saying, "So?"

Henry replied, "She's the Evil Queen." Faith pulled Regina into her after the boy's words seemed to get to the other woman.

"So…" JD said again before adding, "My mama was known as the Dawk Slayew…"

Faith continued for her boy, "His uncle Angel spent 251 years as a vampire and more than half of that time was soulless causing him to gain the title of 'Scourge of Europe', and his other uncle Connor was known as 'The Destroyer'."

Regina felt her jaw drop as both Lehanes' defend her against what was written in the book. JD says, "My mama always says…"

Faith's voice cut in, "The past is the past for a reason and you should always hear both sides of a story before judging a person's actions."

Emma had been standing by the window looking at a very familiar dreamcatcher listening to Henry first spill the secrets of the book then have these two outsiders easily accepts Regina for who she is.

Gold watched the proceeding of this Faith woman undoing all his hard work at making Regina his monster. But what's more is Ms Swan's bizarre fascination with a dreamcatcher hanging on the window.

Henry sat back in surprise and shock before giving what both Faith and JD said some thought. Before he could comment on their point of views, Mr. Gold started to lose his temper against Emma.

"We had a deal! You were supposed to get my son to see and talk to me…"

As Regina moved over to the boys pulling them out of the room, Faith moved to keep the man from doing anything to the blonde. When the door opened and a man called, "Hey!"

Gold spoke softly, "Bae?" but it was overlapped with Emma saying, "Neal."

Faith felt her eyebrows rise as she realized that the man was known to both of them. It seemed that the blonde knew the man that just entered.

Neal spoke softly to Emma, "I got this Emma."

Gold roared, "You two know each other. How do you two know each other?!"

Henry pushed past his mom coming in asking, "What's with, all the yelling ma?"

Neal watched as a woman walked in from the part of his apartment that the boy did. The woman was holding a four year old. Turning to the boy and Emma watching as she tried to hurry the boy back to the regal postured woman, he thought about the boy calling Emma 'ma' caused him to ask, "how old are you kid?"

Emma looked at Henry saying, "Don't answer that."

Neal asked again, "Hey, how old are you?"

Henry broke away from Emma answering, "Eleven!"

Regina watched as she put the pieces together. She saw the shock on the man's face and noticed the pain as he seemed to realize that Henry was his biologically.

Neal asks, "Is he mine? Is this my son?"

Henry replied, "My dad's a fireman and he died."

Emma had tears in her eyes as she said, "Yes."

Henry pulled away glancing at Regina before going out the window. Faith followed him before any of the others could even move.

Inside Regina rocked JD as she tried to calm herself down, as she hoped Faith could find out what was going through Henry's head. She moved over to Neal saying, "Mister…?"

Neal blinked, "Cassidy, Neal Cassidy. And you are?"

Wearing a politician smile, Regina answered, "Regina Mills, Henry's adoptive mother."

Neal looked first at her then at Emma noticing Emma glancing between the woman holding a toddler and the window. "Well then I believe I owe you a thank you for raising Henry."

Both Emma and Regina blinked in shock, as Regina questioned, "I-I'm sorry what?" Emma had not been expecting that given what she did know about Neal but then learning that he was Rumplestiltskin's son just proved she didn't know him much at all.

Neal sighed, "I just mean he could have ended up like Emma and I, in the system being given back over and over again until he felt like he was unwanted. But instead he got adopted by some one that cares about him and raised him to be from what I've seen so far a good kid."

Emma felt her shoulders drop because with everything that had happened in the last fifteen months. She had forgotten that everything Henry is and was had little to do with her and everything to do with how Regina raised him. But Emma then felt her hackles rise as Gold stepped in, "Bae, you realize that your boy was raised by the Evil Queen, right?"

Neal gave his papa a dark look before replying back, "No different than being raised by the Dark One. And what do you know both Henry and I turned out fine."

Emma tried to defend herself, "You did leave Regina."

While this conversation was going on inside outside on the fire escape, Henry looked out over the part of the city he could see when Faith came out behind him. "What's up Bub?"

Henry scoffed, "My name's Henry."

Faith nodded, "Yeah I know. I have this thing for nicknames though."

Henry just shrugged before asking, "Is my mom replacing me?"

Blinking Faith asked, "Umm, what do you mean?"

"I mean I've seen her with your son and I remember she was like that with me for a time before I learned that I was adopted and the truth about the curse and all."

"Okay, Henry," the used of his name caught his attention just like Faith knew it would so she continued, "You're mom isn't replacing you. I've seen something that JD doesn't when the two interact. I saw your mom have a look of pain and longing when ever my boy did something just a certain way."

Henry bit his lip as tears filled his eyes, "Then why did she leave?"

Faith slowly brought her hand up to his cheek as she answered, "Sometimes a person needs to get away from a toxic situation to find themselves again. And sometimes the best way to do that is to leave."

The boy looked at Faith before asking, "Is that what happened to you before?"

Faith gave a sad smile, "Yeah, JD's father didn't want me to have him. Wood suggested abortion or adoption and when he did I lashed out. I gave him a black eye before walking away as to not do more damage." Thinking back Faith knew there was more she could tell to help clarify, "But I later saw him surrounded by people that I thought were my allies and he had two broken arms, two black eyes and a broken nose. I heard him twisting the story into me being a cheating abuser, and you know what two of the group believed him while the other two just sat there unsure but not standing up for me."

Henry looked up at Faith seeing the look of sorrow pass over her face. Deciding that this woman had been helping his mom, Henry gave Faith a hug. She returned it before turning the conversation back on him, "So bub, why did you bolt out here after learning who your paternal genetic donor was?"

Henry furrowed his brow asking, "You mean my dad?"

"No I said what I meant. To me you have to earn the title of mom or dad."

"How so?"

Faith smiled at him, "By being there. In some cases by passing on what your parents taught you growing up or in other cases doing the opposite of what your parents would do. A Blood relation is only part of what makes a family, another part is how a person raises their child and most importantly loves them."

Henry looked thoughtful, "So I have a mom and a ma, and a Neal who may someday get the title of dad?"

"Yeah."

He hummed his thoughts before asking, "Are you and my mom dating?"

Faith's eyebrows flew up her forehead as she questioned, "Why do you think that?"

Henry rolled his eyes, "Mom's never comfortable with other people and doesn't break personal space unless she's trying to intimidate a person or she's interacting with me. So I ask again are you two dating."

With a grin Faith replied, "Well today was technically our first date but I've been training your mom to defend herself physically over the last month so I got to know her a bit."

The two sat out there a bit after Faith's last comment before Henry spoke again, "You hurt my mom and I'll do something really bad, not sure what but I will."

Faith turned and looked down at him replying, "I wouldn't expect anything less, Bub."

"Can you ask Emma to come out to talk to me then my mom, and maybe Neal because I do want to get to know him."

"Sure." With that Faith turned to head back inside.

Back inside, Neal watched as sadness and anger passed over Regina's face as she snapped back, "I was being framed for a murder I didn't commit. And my son believes the infamous 'Savior' because with parents like Snow White and Prince Charming how could she be wrong or makes a mistake. But no the Evil Queen is in the wrong even if she didn't do anything this time. What's more the 'Savior' has evidence she extracted from a DOG!"

JD hugged Regina's neck tightly which seemed to calm the woman down. Emma dropped her head as she realized just how much she screwed up. "I'm sorry."

A wound up Regina felt the anger disperse into disbelief, "You're-What?"

Emma rubbed at the back of her neck before saying, "I'm sorry for accusing you for a murder that didn't even happen." At the tilt of Regina's head, she added, "Archie showed up about a week ago alive."

Regina was about to say something when Faith re-entered saying, "Emma is it?" Looking at the blonde, Emma nodded causing Faith to finish, "Henry wants to talk to all three of you but first you blondie, then Regina and if okay with both of you ladies, um… Neal"

Emma cautiously climbed out the window and found Henry sitting on the stairs. Henry looked right at her; Emma could see both Regina and Neal in this particular facial expression. Emma gulped because there was the Mills glare coupled with the Cassidy puppy eyes and well Emma knew both looks on Regina and Neal respectfully had both similar yet different response from her. But combined on all three's son's face well its killer.

"Hey kid." Emma spoke softly.

Henry sighed, "You lied to me. You knew with mom lying to me that I would hate to be lied too yet you did it anyway."

Emma sighed, "I wasn't lying to you because I didn't think you deserved to know I was lying to protect myself."

The boy nodded but didn't say anything else as he got up to head back inside. Emma followed once inside the two saw Regina leaning into Faith's side as the little boy reenacted what happened to cause Regina to be wearing the zoo shirt to Neal. Regina looked up to see her son and his ma entering. Henry waved her over causing Regina to place a kiss on Faith's cheek before moving over to them.

Henry waited until she was in front of him before wrapping her up in a hug asking, "Does she make you happy?"

Regina looked down at the boy before glancing back at the somewhat smug Faith then she spoke loud enough for Faith to hear answered the boy, "When she's not being overtly smug."

Faith barked in laughter, even Neal chuckled. Henry then asked both women, "May I get to know Neal?"

Regina kneeled down to be at eye level with Henry before saying, "I learned my lesson on trying to keep you from getting to know a birth parent, so it's okay with me."

Emma chewed at her lower lip before answering, "Honestly I don't want you to Kid because he hurt me in the past. Neal left me to take the fall for a crime he committed and I only found out I was pregnant once in jail."

Faith watched as Neal bowed his head, and Henry turned to size up the man. She then spoke up, "Hey Bub, remember hear both sides of a story before judging a person, yeah."

Henry had to ask, "Why though? I mean why do you suggest that?"

Faith chuckled, "Because while the facts may line up in both stories, each side of a story gives perspective behind the reasons from each person."

Henry turned to Neal asking, "Why did you leave Emma?"

Neal sighed, "I loved Emma." Glancing over at his father who had been very quiet throughout this conversation, he continued, "But I was a coward. I let August use my abandonment issues with my father to make me abandon someone I cared greatly about." Looking towards Emma, he finished with, "But I never called the cops on you."

Just before anyone could comment, Faith's phone went off from its place in Faith's jacket. Regina pulled it out and answered it, "Hello?"

Faith rolled her eyes muttering, "Normally that would be a big breach of personal space…answering my phone…who knows who's on the other end."

The others fought back a chuckle at Faith commentary, as Regina spoke again, "Hold on a second Rupert, I'll give the phone to Faith."

Faith took the phone with a slight huff, "Hey Giles, what can I do for you?"

Giles spoke softly, "I'm sorry to interrupt your date Faith, but it would appear that Buffy and the rest showed up here."

Faith tensed, "I thought you guys were going to Cleveland and that's why you came a few days earlier to have a stop over here in New York?"

"It was supposed to be in Cleveland and you're right that had been my plan," Faith could hear Giles pull his glasses off to clean them as he finished with, "As much as it pains me to ask you this, but Faith, you need to come back because your girls are on the verge of snapping and I know as good at calming them down as Violet is. You are the only one they really listen too."

Faith pinched the bridge of her nose as she replied, "How long do we ha-" Before Faith could finish her sentence the group in the apartment found themselves no longer in Neal's apartment. Faith finished looking right at Giles, who also had a phone to his ear, "-ve?"