Here it is guys, a new update! :) I intended to post this earlier, but responsibilities happened... so, here is an even longer chapter for your enjoyment! ;) Just to clarify, and so no one will be confused about chapter 3. I made Eugenia Lucas Regina's grandmother in this fic, I just see her being perfect for that part. Keep those reviews coming in guys! I will post more soon.


Despite Regina and Robin being divorced, Robin's parents were very taken with Regina, they grew to love her and of course, they adored their grandson Henry.

As Robin's father was having a get together at their home to celebrate his running for mayor of the town, he had invited Regina and her grandmother to join them in the festivity. Nothing made the man happier than to show off his beautiful grandson off to his friends.

Eugenia however, wasn't interested in going. Instead she kept herself busy vacuuming the entrance carpet of the house.

"You should just come. You never know, you might have fun." Regina spoke over the suctioning noise of the vacuum cleaner, as she finished getting ready.

"Save your breath. I'm not going." Eugenia told Regina as she passed by an entryway with the vacuum still running.

"Why not?" Regina asked loudly.

"You know I can't stand all that political extravaganza!" Eugenia said, as Henry ran his way into Regina's bedroom all excited about being able to tie his tie all himself.

"Mom, check it out!" Henry exclaimed excited.

Regina smiled happily at him, kneeling in front of her son, "Wow! That's great, sweetie. You look very handsome."

As Regina and Henry were making their way to her truck, Emma was making her way up the driveway, back from walking three dogs for the day.

Regina stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Emma Swan. There was something in the way the sunlight was shining down on her in that moment, her blonde curls long past her shoulders, and even more golden by the sun that Regina couldn't help but gawk at her.

Of course, she snapped quickly out of it, once Emma looked over - catching Regina gawking her way. The brunette did look stunning in that white dress with pink flowers all over it.

Regina shook her head, and continued on her way into the truck, avoiding all eye contact; as Emma continued her walk towards the kennel area.


"Dad!" Henry ran to hug his father, as they arrived at the party that was being held in the backyard.

"Hey, my boy!" Robin hugged Henry immediately, but the boy's smile faded once Robin pointed at Henry's tie, "Hey! What's this mess here? I'll have to show you to tie a proper tie." Robin teased as he sent Henry off to play with a light shove.

Henry ran off to play, without a worry in the world. Regina however did give Robin a few sharp glares because of how he talked to their son.

Robin quickly held Regina by her waist, moving much too close to her liking. Feeling extremely uncomfortable as the more she tried to pull away, the closer he got, looking up and down at her as if she were a piece of meat.

"Look at you. I love you in that dress. Makes me wish I would've never signed those papers." He said with a chuckle, placing a quick kiss on her cheek, as Regina quickly turned away and began to walk off. Robin following behind her tracks like a magnet. "So, why don't you tell me about your new girlfriend?"

Regina's eyes went wide at the question. "What?"

"Soldier girl." Robin said with a light chuckle.

Regina shook her head at the subject. "Don't ask me about her."

Robin lightly laughed noticing how nervous she got. "Oh, come on." He always knew. Deep down, he always knew Regina was more inclined towards women when they started dating.

He hated the thought of that. He hated the thought of anyone coming near Regina that wasn't him. And the thought of this strange woman coming in between them... Not happening.

The party went on for the rest of the morning with everyone gushing over how cute Henry was growing up to be.


Emma was enjoying a peaceful walk with Zeus as the sun was almost getting ready to set, but there was still enough sunlight out, when she heard this laughter coming from underneath the bridge she happened to be crossing at that moment.

Regina was in the lake, throwing a tennis ball at a dog they were caring for, cheering it on as the animal happily played along, making the brunette laugh in delight. She was the most fun and relaxed Emma had ever seen her be.

All that changed, of course, once Regina felt a pair of eyes staring down at her, her body becoming stiff and smile disappearing once she saw who was up on that bridge.

Regina had had enough. She needed to vent.

That's exactly what she did, hours later after seeing Emma up on that bridge. Eugenia enjoying a nice cup of tea.

"That woman is so irritating. Everytime I turn around she's-" Regina vented as she made her way through the door and into the kitchen, her words cutting off as Emma walked right past her with a cup of tea in hand.

"Good morning." Emma said as she took a seat at the kitchen table, across from Eugenia.

Regina's eyes shot wide, feeling embarrassed with herself, that only gained a look and slight smirk from Eugenia.

What the hell was wrong with her? She should have been more careful.

As Emma placed the cup of freshly served tea in front of the older woman, Eugenia continued her conversation with the blonde. "You were saying?" Eyes following a still embarrassed Regina as she made her way across the kitchen for a cup of tea.

Emma continued with her story, "We moved around a lot, so I sort of grew up everywhere and nowhere."

"That must have been hard. Changing schools, leaving friends." Eugenia told her, as she took a sip from her cup.

"It was okay. It was all I knew."

Regina was never one to eavesdrop, but, hey they were in the same room. I mean, she had to, right?

As she tilted her head to look at Emma, Regina's face bloomed with curiosity over this blonde's life story.

Eugenia nodding, holding on to every word Emma shared with her. "But, you went to college?" She asked her, wanting to know more.

"Yes, ma'am. Just for a year." Emma nodded, keeping her perfect posture even as she sat in that chair.

"What'd you study?" The older woman asked.

Emma didn't have time to answer, as Regina cut into the conversation. "Well, she didn't study much if it was just for a year." she said with a smirk playing on her face, obviously trying to get a riot out of the blonde.

"Regina Mills." was all her grandmother could say.

Emma kept her eyes on Eugenia, not letting Regina's words bother her one bit. "I liked Philosophy."

To this Regina kept her eyes on Emma with an arched brow. "Really?" Interested oozing from her voice.

"Yeah, I like to read." The blonde said as she made eye contact with Regina.

"Give us a quote of your favorite Philosopher." Regina wouldn't be Regina if she didn't in some way challenge her, as if trying to catch her in a lie.

Emma looked away growing quiet in thought for just a moment, as she quoted, "Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."

Eugenia nodded, impressed that Emma met up to Regina's challenge, as Emma took a sip from her cup.

"Don't tell me. Voltaire?" Regina quickly stated.

Emma shifted her body towards Regina's direction, "It's Dr. Seuss." she corrected, beating Regina at her own game with something so simple as a quote from a children's author.

Eugenia chuckled, amazed by Emma once more, as Regina was left in wonder and defeat.

Emma sat her cup on the table, looking back at Eugenia, "Thank you very much for the tea, Mrs. Mills. I should get back to work." Emma stood up, making her way out the door.

"Will you call me Eugenia, for goodness sake?" The older woman asked, almost in a plea.

Emma gave her one last nod and walked away from the house, while Regina stood by the door still in shock; leaving Eugenia to laugh even more at her defeat.


By next morning Regina was teaching Belle's class for the day at Henry's school. She felt alive teaching kids. She was all smiles and the kids loved having her there.

She loved working at the kennel, but she missed teaching.

During that same day, as Regina was making her way down the school hallway to go on home after her day with the kids was over, the principal was also trying to convince her to come back to teaching. But, that wasn't possible yet.

It hurt Regina to keep turning her down, but with Robin constantly fighting her for full custody of Henry, and constantly looking for reasons to use against her in court, she couldn't have anymore problems to deal with. Her son is what she loved the most.


Emma was on her daily walk. a loyal Zeus by her side.

A soft, somewhat off key melody was heard off in the distance of what sounded like a keyboard piano. Emma stopped on her tracks to get a better listen, as she saw little Henry playing it to himself in a treehouse that was across an old bridge, just above a water shore.

It was then that Henry's playing came to a complete stop, as he noticed a familiar blonde watching as he played.

"Not bad." Emma told a shy Henry.

"I didn't think anyone was listening!" The brunette boy shouted.

"I'm glad I was." Emma replied as she took a bite of her apple and walked off.

As Emma was making her way back past the kennel and to her own home, Regina was just inside observing the blonde from the window. The sunlight was shining all on Emma Swan again.

Regina couldn't help but gawk again. Even Eugenia was a witness to how much Emma Swan was beginning to have an effect on Regina.


A mom and her son were just leaving from picking up their dog from the kennel, Emma was graciously helping them load up their car and wishing them a good day.

Regina forbid her grandmother from driving anywhere she needed to go, due to her strokes and medication. So, the older woman asked Emma if she would drive her to where she needed to go.

They were quickly on their way, as Emma drove the truck.

"My bossy granddaughter won't let me drive since I- well, you can hardly even call it a stroke. It's more of a tap really." she scoffs, as Emma smiles at her words. "Hasn't slowed me down in the slightest."

"I can see that, ma'am."

Eugenia observes Emma quietly for a moment. "How old are you, dear?"

"Twenty five." replied Emma.

"How many tours?" Eugenia asked the blonde.

"Three."

The older woman nods, "My grandson never finished his second."

Emma looked over at the woman, surprised to know that detail about them.

Eugenia nodded, "Yeah. You would've liked him. You two, you were cut of the same cloth." the older woman continued, "You know, you live long enough, Emma, you lose enough people… you learn to appreciate the memories you have. Stop worrying about the ones you never got to make." The woman had a point. She knew, deep down that Emma was interested in Regina. "Regina hasn't lived as long as I have. She isn't as bad as she seems."

Emma looked over at her, "She doesn't seem so bad to me."

The blonde soon returned after dropping off Eugenia at her destination.

"Hello?" Emma called out, as she had to enter Regina's house to leave the trucks keys on a hook where they belonged.

The house sounded empty, Emma looked around for any sign of life other than her own.

Silence.

As Emma stood between a hallway and turned her head towards a room filled with pieces of furniture all covered in white long sheets. The room looked untouched.

The blonde couldn't help going into the room, and lifting up one of the sheets revealing a grand piano. As she lifted the lid, revealing the black and white keys to the instrument, her fingers instinctively began playing a tranquil and soft melody.

Henry was making his way down the same hallway, making whooshing sounds, and swinging a lightsaber playing Jedi, when he heard that same melody coming from the room.

Henry wouldn't be Regina's if his curiosity didn't get the best of him.

The boy's head appeared just outside the door frame, watching Emma as she gracefully played those keys.

All that stopped as Emma saw Regina's friend dropping her off onto the driveway making the blonde snap out of her playing, and covering everything up as it was.


It had gotten dark, Regina found herself making a lasagna with Henry while they danced in the kitchen with music going on loud.

Henry loved his father, but he shared this magical bond with his mother that anyone could see. And he loved cooking with his mom. As much as dancing, as they were both dancing together in the kitchen when Emma popped her head in through the door the wish them a good night.

"Night all." Emma said through the music playing loudly.

Henry however had other plans.

"Do you like lasagna?" the boy asked Emma, inviting her to stay and have dinner with them.

Regina immediately cut in, "No. Henry, I'm sure Emma already has other plans."

"Do you?" Henry asked insisting she'd stay.

How could Emma resist?

As she began to walk away from the door and into the kitchen, "I can't remember the last time I had a plan." Emma said as she began moving her feet and hips to the rhythm of the music as Henry kept dancing happily. "You got dance moves, kid? Show me what you got."

Regina would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the sight of Emma dancing with Henry; even when she tried not looking at them so much.

By the end of dinner, Regina was picking up the plates as Henry was having the best of times conversing with Emma.

"Mom ran track. She was suuuuuper fast." Henry informed Emma.

"I wasn't that good." Regina said as she made her way from the dining area towards the kitchen.

"Is that why you got a scholarship to Tulane? Because you weren't any good." Henry challenged as his mom made her way back into the dining room and sat down.

"Okay. Once upon a time I was pretty good." She said to Emma, then leaned to look at her son. "Are you happy?"

"You went to Tulane?" Emma asked, wanting to know more about Regina.

"No, I went to state to be closer to home. We had some personal stuff come up." Regina clarified.

Henry jumped right in, as he looked over at Emma, "She got pregnant. With me." the boy said proudly.

"Thank you, Henry." Regina said in a slight embarrassed tone, as Emma's eyebrows shot up to her hairline as she looked at the boy. "Isn't it your night for the dishes?" the brunette asked her son.

Henry rolled his eyes, but got up from his chair and made his way into the kitchen to wash his own plate.

"Thank you." His mother said with a smile.

"Do you still run competitively?" Emma asked the brunette.

Regina turned towards Emma quickly shaking her head. "Oh, no. Now I just do it to clear my head. It's a lot cheaper than therapy."

"So is walking." Emma told her. Regina's eyes looking down in shame, remembering the time she thought of Emma as a crazy person just because she walked miles from Colorado; now understanding the reason behind Emma's walks.

As Emma saw Henry coming back into the dining room to join them, she asked, "Who plays chess?"

"Me." Henry told her, standing beside his mom.

"Me too." Emma replied.

"I bet I can beat you." Henry challenged.

"What's the bet?" Emma asked the boy.

"Dishes tonight." said Henry.

"Dishes tonight, against the pooper scooper tomorrow." Emma challenged as Henry smirked and shook Emma's hand sealing their bet. "I have to warn you, I'm not bad."

Their chess game went on for a long while. Henry was good. Real good, way better than Emma thought a boy his age would be. Henry was a smart kid, no doubt who took after his mother.

Emma had met her match with this kid. She couldn't figure out how he would block all her moves in both games they had played. After a while of thinking of her next move, Emma finally decided on one, only to be beaten by the small boy.

"Checkmate. Detergent is under the sink." Henry said proudly as Emma was left practically scratching her head while Regina was smirking from a distance as she watched them.


Emma's hands were buried in soap as her sleeves were rolled up to prevent them from getting wet from dish scrubbing. "You have to admit, I played better the second time."

"Sure, until your second move." Henry reminded the blonde as he sat on a chair, while Regina was standing next to Emma by the sink.

"Do you have any other secret talents I should know about?" Emma asked Henry.

"You're the one with the secret." Henry told her.

Time froze - literally. Emma's hands stopped scrubbing, green and brown eyes turned to look at Henry in question.

"I saw her playing the piano." Henry revealed.

For a moment the blonde thought it had to do with Regina's picture being in Emma's possession. It wasn't that Emma completely forgot about giving the picture back, she just needed to figure out a way to say it. It wasn't easy. And truthfully… Emma didn't mind keeping it.

"Really?" Regina asked as she walked away from the sink.

Emma's hands continued their scrubbing. "Yeah. I saw it when I put the keys back."

"She's really good." Henry said as he leaned his chin against the back of the chair.

"Hey, you're not too bad yourself." Emma continued, "Why don't you play something for us?"

"How about a magic trick instead?" Henry asked, changing that conversation.

"Okay." Emma stared at Henry as he ran off to get a deck of cards.

Regina explained to the blonde, "He hates playing for people. He doesn't think that he's good enough."


With Emma and Regina sitting on the living room couch, Henry was in front of the blonde with his deck of cards spread out like a fan in his hand.

"Ordinary deck." Henry said as he held the deck in front of Emma.

"Wow. Okay." Emma replied, keeping her eyes on the deck.

As Henry grabbed the thick deck in his small hands to shuffle them, the cards suddenly flew off, causing the boy to smile in shyness, as Emma laughed lightly with the boy. "Oh, it's alright. Show me again." she encouraged the boy.

Henry tried again, "Tell me when to stop." he instructed.

"Stop." Emma said, her eyes on the deck.

Henry held the deck spread out, revealing the card Emma chose in front of her, "Memorize the card, and I am not looking." his head turned away to verify he did not see the card she chose.

"Got it." Emma replied, as Henry held up the deck in front of Emma, waving his fingers in the air just above the deck.

"Let me give it a little magic." Henry said, as the card that Emma chose came up on it's own.

Emma laughed with a smile on her face, "Wow! I didn't know you were a magician too."

"Wait until you see this one." Henry said excitedly.

Regina then sat beside Henry, grabbing a hold of the deck from her son's hands, "Henry, it's past your bedtime."

Henry held the deck even tighter as he looked at his mother, "Wait. This is the best one."

Emma cut in, "It's okay. You can show me tomorrow."

Henry started to fight his mom for the deck, Regina leaned in to catch his eyes with her own, "Henry, say good night to Emma, now. Come on."

The deck went flying off both their grip, cards everywhere, as Henry stood up suddenly upset. "I just wanted to show her a trick!" He told his mother as he ran off to his room.

Regina shook her head at her son's reaction. "I'm sorry. He's usually not-"

Emma began picking up the cards from the table. "It's fine."

Regina turned to help Emma with the cards. "My brother taught him a few tricks. Magic was kind of their thing. We lost him last year." The brunette continued, "He was a Marine too. It's been hard on Henry." Regina suddenly locked eyes with Emma. "It's been hard on all of us."

Emma had looked into those eyes many times. But, God, they were really something seeing them in person, right in front of her. She could swear she stopped breathing.


"I'm glad you came." Regina said to Emma with a smile as she walked outside with her.

In that moment Eugenia was being dropped off from spending a day out with her friends. As she was making her way up the porch, she chuckled in delight from being slightly drunk, as Emma caught her, saving her from a fall.

The older woman happily cupped Emma's face, "Aren't you helpful, dear. Very helpful. Isn't she helpful?" She asked as she looked at Regina.

"Have you been drinking?" Regina asked her.

"Oh, you know, I had a little something called Moscow Mule. It sounds terrible but it was so good." As Eugenia made her way inside the house, Emma had been thinking about how to tell Regina about her picture, since Henry called her out on having a secret.

Once Regina turned back to face Emma to say good night, Emma spoke, "Look, there's something that I've been meaning to tell you. I never fully explained how-" Emma's own words caught in her throat in that moment as she locked eyes once again with the brunette. She knew she needed to tell her eventually, but it wasn't as easy as it seemed. Especially when Regina's eyes were piercing into Emma's soul in that very moment. Her way towards Emma had changed, she felt it. They both had opened up to each other tonight in a small way.

Emma shook her head in frustration, "I'm sorry, I can't find the right words."

"It's all right. Another time, maybe. After all, I'm not going anywhere." Regina assured her. "Good night, Emma." Regina spoke as she made her way inside the house, closing the door behind her.

Something in Regina had definitely changed towards Emma that night. As for Emma… there was no doubt anymore - she felt something for this woman.

Emma went home that night, oblivious to the fact that Robin was parked outside Regina's house, seeing them on the porch enjoying their conversation.

Emma became frustrated with herself as soon as she made it home. With her hands placed on the back of her head, Emma grunted, taking Regina's picture out of her pouch, placing it face down underneath one of her books on a small table she had by her front door.

She had feelings for Regina, and that made it harder for her to say what she came here to say.

Seeing Regina in that picture for so many years was totally different from seeing her in front of her every day. She needed to keep seeing her.


It was a sad day. The anniversary of Regina's brother's death.

That morning, as Eugenia gathered roses to take his grave, Regina was still getting ready, her hair still wet from the shower.

It was indeed a sad day.

Regina sat outside the garden area, on a bench, still sad from visiting her brother's tomb. The garden was their spot. It held special meaning for her. But something inside of her snapped as she began cutting up all the roses and breaking two giant flower pots; screaming and crying out of sadness, frustration and pain.

Emma had been observing her through a window of the office when she ran out, grabbing a hold of Regina as her arms wrapped around her body. "Regina! No! Come on, stop it!"

The blonde held her tighter, as Regina tried getting away from her grip until she broke down sobbing.

Emma took steps back, keeping her hold on Regina as she sat down on the bench, as she sat Regina on her lap. "Come on." Emma murmured as she felt the brunette's body relax in her arms, her hand caressing her back for comfort. "It's okay. It's okay."

She sat there with Regina in silence for as long as the brunette needed to feel better.

Regina finally spoke with sadness still in her voice, "At first they wouldn't tell us anything. Just that friendly fire was a possibility."

Emma sat quietly, keeping her eyes on Regina as she continued.

"So it's a year ago today… and the official investigation into the death of Sergeant... " Regina's voice begins to break. "August… Mills… is still ongoing. That's the worst part. Not knowing." She shakes her head as she continues, "I would give anything to know that he didn't die for nothing." Her eyes meeting Emma's.

Regina went on telling Emma stories about her brother, how they were inseparable as kids, how she supervised the day August built the brick wall that formed part of the garden area - Regina mostly reading and drinking iced tea.

Emma chuckled at the image of Regina supervising. That is so Regina.

Feeling slightly better, she went on telling Emma about a day she couldn't find her book, so she asked August about it, only to discover that he had made it a part of the brick wall he had built. Regina pointed towards the wall as she stood up with Emma following behind to show her her brother's masterpiece.

Smiling at the memory of that day, she continued, "God, I was so mad at him and he just laughed."

Emma kept her eyes on that laugh, as it turned to a sob again. The blonde wanted to keep her safe in that moment, she felt the need to protect her from any pain she felt - so she did the best thing she could think of in that moment, wrapping her arms around her once again, she held Regina in a tight hug, her chin resting at the top of the brunette's head.

Regina was thankful, but she also felt bad for getting that way and venting out to Emma.

"I'm sorry." she murmured.

Emma shaking her head, "It's okay."

The blonde's green eyes never leaving Regina's lovely features. "You have a great laugh, you know that? I wish I could hear it more."

Brown eyes locked right onto green ones.

Emma was very attractive, of that Regina was certain, which is why she tried so hard to avoid her any chance she got. But now… there was something in the way Emma was staring into her eyes that just made Regina want to give in.

"Why don't you try telling me a joke?" asked Regina.

"Because you're gonna have to get a few beers in me before I start telling you jokes." replied Emma.

"Okay." was all Regina could say, as Emma nodded in agreement. "Okay."