She found herself staring at the child. She'd always wanted one, assumed her and Daniel would have as many as they could count. Dreamed of what they would look like, dreamed of what she could teach them. Little boys with Daniel's kind eyes and little girls who adored him as much as she did. Those dreams died with Daniel however. Her marriage to the king brought about a rather strange deal with the imp to curse her womb. What he got in return was unimportant, yet well worth its weight in gold. Still, she finds herself staring at him. A young man named after her father, a tribute she knows she would give.

As she watches the rise and fall of his chest she thinks back to their horseback ride on Wednesday. The way he looks at her, his love shakes her, only her father looks at her with that kind of adoration. To them she means something, something important. It makes her uncomfortable, makes her feel weak. She prefers, no, is more comfortable with the lust of her guards. The unabashed desire of her huntsman who eases his inability to feel with the passion from her body. This little boy however has her on her knees watching the very breath he takes and she can't find it in herself to move away or closer.

He had packed a surprise picnic for their ride on Wednesday. He wouldn't take no for an answer when she claimed a lack of time. Simply laid out the blanket two place setting and all the food. He finally got her to reluctantly sit down. It gave her such a peaceful feeling sitting with him. It was almost more than she could handle. The moment he finished eating she had rushed him back to the stables. If he noticed she didn't do more than pick at the food he never mentioned. Her minds wouldn't stop turning; why would this boy be so content to simply be in her company?

It's only been a few day since then and she finds herself drawn to him more and more. She'd ordered the huntsman to accompany him everywhere, he must be kept safe. She's made sure he's never alone. Her father has kept him company for the entirety of yesterday. He'd regaled him with hours of stories about her childhood while he taught him archery. "You don't talk about your childhood…ever. You really don't talk about here at all. Your dad's a pretty great guy, you know." She nods "Indeed I do, our parents are our first experience with love." She can still see his bright grin at her.

He shifts slightly, no longer a gentle rise and fall of his chest. It brings her out of her thoughts. His breath becomes slightly erratic, his eyes can be seen moving behind his eyelids. She's tempted to reach out to him, she doesn't, she sits back on her feet still instead still kneeling beside him. His dream must be getting worse.

She gently says his name when his body starts writhing under the furs that cover him. She's frozen as not only does his eyes fly wide open but he's launched himself into her. "Mom" he's out of breathe and looks awfully scared. His arms wrap around her neck tightly his head tucked in the nape of her neck. She lets out a breath she was holding, Henry's sitting in her lap holding her tight like she's his lifeline. She doesn't know how to comfort him. His grip does not loosen even as his breathing even out, she can still feel his heart pounding. "Bad dream" she finally finds her voice.

"I'm never getting back am I?" It occurs to her that he needs the "her" from the future. He's still tucked up tight against her so she places her arms around him tentatively. It calms him. "I'm trying to find a way."

"You are." She nods. "You can't stay here." She confesses. He's making her weak. "You can't remember me. Graham can't either." Her eyebrow raises at him. "Why do you call him Graham?"

"It's his name?"

"He's never told me his name. I call him the huntsman." Henry shrugs. "Then it's the name you gave him for our town." That has her nodding.

"Alright, but just us two?"

"Yes" she looks at him obviously confused. "What was your dream about?" She asks gently changing the subject as he finally releases her sitting next to her on the floor. "Us"

"Care to elaborate? Thought you were trying to get back to me."

"I am. I was 4 and I had a bad dream that a bad guy took me away from you. When I woke up I went to your room but you weren't there. I found you in your study. You held me until it was calm. For a month afterwards you double checked under my bed and in my closet. It made me feel safe."

"That was what caused you to fling across the room into my arms?" He chuckled slightly at her confusion. "No, that was the beginning of the dream it shifted to Neverland and Peter Pan had me and I thought I was never getting home." Her confusion didn't lessen. "Instead of you saving me this time you left me there. I saw your face the first night. I know now that I hurt you but I was angry that you didn't tell me about being adopted and I thought I was doing the right thing finding my real

Mom who would love me no matter what." She opens her mouth to speak but he cuts her off. "I was wrong."

"Henry, I can assure you my affections are not so easily swayed."

"I know mom you're loyal to a fault." She nods her acceptance. Tells him to get ready for the day he can't stay in his pjs all day. The dream plagued him as he went about getting ready for the day. He didn't tell her the truly horrifying part of his dream.

He's standing by the well. Watching as the green curse on the well flows through her body, into her body. He'd barely glanced at her as the curse threw her. He called "mom" and ran right past her running into Emma's arms, he'd seen her arm reach out to him but she's not who he wanted. He never asks her if she's ok. She's not but she's very good at masks, very good at pretending everything is ok when it's not. He finally remembers to thank her in the back of Gold's shop and leaves her without a second thought to be with his real family when the offer of dinner comes up.

She loses the façade, the fight, later that evening, it was a death curse after all. In his dream she doesn't make it to the welcome back dinner, she's already dead by the time it takes place. No one notices. Its several weeks before anyone thinks to check on her, he'd had no need. Emma doesn't let him in the house, he overhears her tell Charming that she was perfectly preserved, it was creepy to her. He's hysterical and unable to be calmed. Mr. Gold forces the hard truth on him. "You have the family you wanted Henry, your real mom and dad. I was at the well also, you never even gave her a second glance. If she meant anything to you don't you think you'd have check to see if she was ok? You had a chance later that evening, you again chose your family, left her alone when she was in pain and dying." Mr. Gold seems to relish his tears. "What did you think was going to happen when you brought the savior here? Good defeats evil, ever watched a movie lad, does the villain live?"

He's shaking "did you even try to save her, you knew she was going to die?" Mr. Gold's smile fades. "Would you have even wanted me to?" his face falls in shock. "Of course I would she was my mom. I love her." Mr. Gold's laughing now "Again laddie I was there you ran to your 'mom', you left the woman who raised you and loved you enough to die for your belief in pain barely upright against a tree. Poor Regina couldn't even get an invite to dinner." He's laughing again walking away. "Action speak louder than words boy and your told her just how worthless she was."

It was then that she woke him. He was breaking in her arms. So very thankful to feel her arms again. He would take the queen her over no her any day.

"Any idea how we return him?"

"I think there is a way daddy. It was a wish that brought him here. A charm. Have you noticed it? He's kept it on him since he first arrived. He stares at it when he thinks no one is watching."

"I have seen it. Do you still doubt him?" her father asks gently. His concern shows plainly in his features. "He's only been giving us part of the story, he holds back in everything he says."

"Maybe it's for the best. He could be protecting us. Protecting you at least, he made it clear we've never met."

"He has me concerned. He only seems to think a memory potion is needed for the huntsman and I. Daddy, he's met hundreds of palace staff, and he's not concerned of a single one of them."

"Shall we ask him, perhaps he recognizes no one he's met but you two." Regina doesn't answer. She's lost in thought. He's walking in and he stares at them. He notes they haven't moved from when he left. He tries talking to her but she stills his words, telling him she will find a way to return him to his family.

"You are my family." He wishes that would make her smile. "All the more reason for me to get you home." And with that he's left alone with his grandfather.

His grandfather break the silence that has enveloped around them. "So just my daughter and the huntsman." Henry smiles at his grandson. "He's her friend." Shrugging seems to be all he can do this morning. "I guess kind of like he is here, but he's a lot nicer, they both are." That has Henry chuckling. "So my daughter prefers to be alone." Shrugging again. "I don't think so, she really likes the last guy. He's the only guys she's ever let be around me. I mean like boyfriend around, uh never mind." He trails off not sure how to finish that statement or even word it properly. "Does he like her also?" He forces himself not to shrug "I think so. It got complicated the night I got sent here. Before that thought they looked really happy."

"And what of the huntsman?" He looks like a kid with his hand caught in a cookie jar. "Uh, not around anymore hasn't been in a couple years." He looks around "Can we go eat grandpa." "As you wish Prince Henry." They are both smiling as they head to the dining hall. She can't help but notice how quickly they've fallen together.

It should make her guilty for using the mirror to eavesdrop on them but surprisingly it doesn't. The potion she's brewing will make her huntsman and her forget the boy was ever around she'll let her father remember the child that brings him such joy. She calls for the one man who can use the charm the boy holds take him back to where he belongs. She rolls her eyes before she calls out to him, wonders what this will cost her.

"Rumpelstiltskin." His trademark "Hello Dearie" is honestly the last thing she wants to here. "I need your expertise."