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"See you tomorrow, Goodnight, Emma."
Regina stood with her hand on the closed door for longer than she would have admitted, pondering the woman who had just left. The connection she felt to the social worker was concerning, and she knew she needed to put it aside, at least until she was into some kind of routine with Henry. It was great that they seemed to get along so well, and great that Emma cared so much about Henry. She didn't need to know anymore. She wanted to know more, but she didn't need to.
She lightly sighed as she turned and walked through the bottom floor making sure the lights were off and all was in order. She wondered if Henry was going to want to watch some television tonight, or if she should make him some kind of snack. She ascended the stairs and finally thought to remove the heels she had forgotten she was still wearing. The tops of her slacks brushed her now bare feet as she quietly walked by Henry's door.
"Henry, do yo-" Regina stopped when she was surprised by the sight she came upon. At first she was afraid he wasn't breathing because of how quiet he was, but she was calmed to see a slight rise and fall of his chest and scolded herself for being too paranoid. Henry was curled up on the bed, taking up an impossibly small amount of space and clutching a notebook tightly to his chest. A dull and small pencil dangled from one of his hands, a stark contrast to his intense hold on the notebook. She noted that though fast asleep, he was still in his clothes which would be sure to be covered in wrinkles in the morning. There's no point in waking him, she thought he could probably use the rest.
Regina did her best to not disturb his sleep and started by taking the pencil in one hand. She slid the notebook from his iron grip as carefully as possible and noticed the small strip of paper fall from within. Oh now you've done it, she thought, He hasn't been here an hour and he's going to think you've been going through his things and violating his trust. Of all of the reading she had done on foster parenting, she knew the importance of being trustworthy. She had to repair this. She picked up the slip of paper and didn't intend to pry, but saw the words Emma's number written above 10 digits with a Boston area code. She again found herself silently thanking the woman for watching out for him and opened the notebook to put the slip back in. She took a seat at the desk she had chosen for him, a chestnut hardwood, and though she hesitated, found she couldn't look away from what she had found.
She quickly glanced to ensure Henry was still asleep, and when she saw that he was she studied the notebook more deeply. Inside, Henry had done a variety of pencil drawings. Some were short comics and some were portraits of faces. There were so many different things, Regina felt as though she was meeting the real Henry when she looked through. She was seeing the world through his eyes, and it was beautiful. There was pain, but there was beauty. This simple boy who had barely spoken two words since arriving had told her thousands of stories through his artwork. She found herself coming to the end of the drawings, but was surprised to see some pieces he must have just sketched out. On the last page she saw the front of her home, and the address written just below the drawing.
There was a drawing of Emma saying, "Call me if you need me, okay?" and Regina felt herself smile. When her eyes reached the bottom, she was truly stunned.
Henry had drawn her. But she wasn't depicted in the practical blazer, crisp white shirt, and slacks she had chosen for the very important first meeting with her new foster child and his new social worker. Henry had drawn her as what she perceived as a Queen in sweeping gowns and a crown. She stood, one hand holding the door and one gesturing inside. He had somehow managed to capture her posture perfectly, but there was warmth in her eyes that she didn't realize anyone could perceive and a small smile on her face. Regina suddenly felt a pang of guilt as she thought about what she had done. This was akin to reading someone's journal. And though the Queen depiction intrigued her, this was not her property to peruse.
Still slightly stunned, Regina put the notebook, now closed, on the desk and made her way back over to the boy. He hadn't moved at all. She wondered how someone slept so quietly and so still. To keep him asleep, she took the throw that had been so carefully positioned only hours before when she had set this room up for him and lightly placed it over him. She repressed the urge to brush his hair off his forehead, but touched his shoulder as she thought, Welcome home, Henry.
Regina left the room and made her way to her own, undressing and preparing for bed as per her routine. Regina quieted her mind and closed her eyes as she slipped into her bed, which was far too large for one person but had been one of her splurge purchases when she arrived in Storybrooke so long ago.
Since she couldn't sleep, she picked up the novel she had started and attempted to read. After reading the same sentence 4 times without actually comprehending, she closed the book and she thought about Henry and the art she had seen. If this is what he did on lined paper with a dull pencil, what could he do with actual supplies? Did anyone know he could draw like this? Did someone teach him?...Did Emma know?...Emma. The thoughts that circled around her head continued until sleep finally took her.
Emma knew she would be lying to herself if she tried to deny the attraction she felt towards Regina. It was like an inevitable pull. She knew in her logical mind that she knew almost nothing about Regina as a person, aside from the details in her file; only child, raised in Storybrooke, left Storybrooke and lived in Boston for a few years, returned to Storybrooke when her mother passed away and the house went to her, enjoys gardening and cooking, wants to be a mother. The problem was, Emma couldn't forget the warm caramel of Regina's eyes, or the slight turn up of her lips whenever Emma smirked, or the physical reaction Emma's own stomach had to the full version of Regina's smile. She tried to push the memory aside as she made her way up the walkway on the cool autumn morning.
All of her efforts went out the window when Regina opened the door. The business suit look she had seen the day before was nothing compared to the professional (and yet visually appealing….very appealing) navy blue, sleeveless dress Regina was in today. Emma suddenly felt under-dressed in her jeans and button-up shirt but silently thanked herself for having the forethought to iron it.
"Emma, come on in," Regina greeted her warmly and Emma smiled back.
"So Henry got off to school alright this morning then?" Emma asked as the women walked into the house.
"Yes, and I know his teacher, Miss Blanchard. I think he will do very well in there."
"Awesome, glad to hear it." Emma sat at the island while Regina stood. Regina gestured to the pie sitting covered and questioningly raised an eyebrow. "Yes, thank you…I don't think I could deny it twice," Emma smiled. Emma leaned down to reach for a file from her purse, and as Regina set the pie down on the island, she tried to ignore the "V" Emma's button-up was creating on her chest. Thankfully, Emma began speaking and the clouds in Regina's head could clear.
"So, I received Henry's file from Brooks. As you can see, he was extremely diligent in keeping it up to date." Emma gestured to the flopping, nearly empty file. At Regina's questioning look, Emma sighed. "I'm sorry. It's really unprofessional of me to do that. I just get really frustrated with people like Brooks. Henry shouldn't have been sliding along and being transferred as much as he was. But hey, we're here now.
You are Henry's eighth home, as you know, but you should know a few things that I didn't want to talk about on the phone." Regina became slightly worried, but kept her face blank.
Emma continued, "At home number three, he was really comfortable and it seemed like a good fit. He got transferred but Brooks didn't include why in that report. At house five, the report says 'Physical Abuse'." Emma continued through Regina's nearly inaudible sharp intake of breath. "It wasn't reported by Henry, but one of his teachers noticed bruises and burn marks and that was when he was relocated to house number six. Again, very little detail from Brooks but from my experience, you're going to want to give Henry space physically and wait for him to initiate any contact. I know that can be difficult, especially since I know how badly you want to be a mother and how long you've waited…" She paused because she could sense Regina wanted to speak.
"I will do whatever it takes to ensure Henry feels safe here." Emma breathed easier at Regina's statement. She was straightforward and to the point. Emma respected that, though she wasn't really surprised. Again, Emma was reminded that she could feel herself hesitating, but could trust Regina if she let herself. With a deep breath, Emma continued.
"That said, we're going to want to connect with his teacher to ensure he's feeling alright socially. Making even one friend in school can make these transitions easier, but he will be hesitant in case he needs to leave again." Emma paused and remembered the friends she had left through the cities she had lived in until she was 18. Few of them stuck, and few of them understood. Except for other foster children. Emma tried some of the pie that had been sitting untouched and closed her eyes when the flavours engulfed her mouth. She barely suppressed the urge to moan, but opened her eyes when Regina began speaking.
"Emma… if you don't mind me asking, how many of Henry's homes have had other foster children? I was slightly taken aback when he asked me last night expecting other children to be here."
Emma looked at the file. "It appears that Henry has been in four homes with multiple foster kids." At Regina's expression, Emma continued. "Regina, listen. I understand your desire to be a great mother to Henry, but the best way for you to do that is not going to be by thinking about his past and feeling all the things you want to feel." She grabbed the brunette's hand. Both women tried to ignore the shock at the first contact. "Henry doesn't need your pity, he just needs your care and support and strength. I know from your file that you're incredibly strong-"
"What do you know of my past?" Regina said, surprised.
"Nothing the government couldn't know," Emma said, smirking. She focused on Regina's eyes and held their gaze, removing the smirk and sensing the need for sincerity. Regina looked back at the green eyes begging her to believe, to trust, and to listen, and she did. "I know better than anyone that your story on paper is not your story. And I know there's more to you than what I know now." Regina's chin jutted out slightly, and Emma only noticed because of how closely she had been looking. She knew there was a mutual respect building here.
Looking down from the intensity of their shared gaze, Emma brought herself back to business. "And that is why I chose Henry when Brooks dropped him. I could sense that there is more to him than that 10 page file."
Regina thought of the notebook, and his quiet manners when she had dropped him off at school. He was not a bad child, just perhaps…ignored and in need to attention and love. She nodded with Emma's words, but decided to keep the notebook discovery to herself, for now.
Both women found themselves enjoying the moment, lost in thought about their own past demons and the puzzling boy in their care. As the moment began to feel a little bit long, Regina broke their extremely loud silence.
"Is there anything else you think I should know?" She asked. Emma began to stand, her pie finished.
"No, but I'm going to leave this file here, it's a copy I made you. You can read it, but I went over the most important stuff." As she started to leave, Regina grabbed her forearm lightly.
"Emma, thank you for giving me this boy, this opportunity. I'm going to do everything I can for him."
The tension in the air now dissipated allowed Emma to smirk once again. "I know you are, Regina. And if you're not, I know where you live…Seriously though, I've been in his shoes and Henry's lucky to have you. I'll be by on the weekend to see Henry, have a good one." She smiled and Regina watched as she made her way to her car. In the evening she hadn't noticed it's bright yellow colour and she chuckled to herself. For some reason, that car suits her. She thought. She waved as Emma drove away and went into the kitchen to clean up and to read the file before she had to pick Henry up from school.