A/N: Glad that people like this story! love the reviews keep them coming! :) Stick with me I am away and am using a tablet to update. Not really well proof read. Once I get back home I will go through it again. Thanks for reading.
The next morning Henry goes about packing food and water into another backpack, since he didn't meet Emma yesterday evening to get the batman backpack back.
Regina watches Henry in amazement. Henry can feel his mom watching him and shyly says, "What?"
Regina mmhm's and says, "Nothing. It's just seeing you do this makes me really proud of you."
Henry ducks his head and blushes a little, "Thanks mom. And thanks for giving Emma a chance." Regina nods her head, "I just hope I can help her."
Henry nods and zips up the bag, "You ready?"
Regina nods and grabs her phone and keys. Henry turns to Regina and says put your phone on silent, Emma gets scared when the ringtone sounds. Trust me."
Regina nods again and puts the phone on silent as they head out towards the woods.
They walk in a comfortable silence just listening to the sounds of nature as they walk. Henry slows down a little and Regina notices it's the exact same place as yesterday.
Just as he did yesterday Henry sits on the fallen tree and waits. He sees Regina standing off to the side and pats the fallen tree trunk next to him.
Regina scrunches her nose at the dirty tree and looks to Henry, "Really?"
Henry just laughs, nods his head, and pats the seat again. Regina huffs and gracefully sits down.
Henry smiles at Regina and calls out to Emma, "Emma. Emma. I know you are around here somewhere, and I know you can hear and see me. I promise she wont hurt you. This is my mom, she is the mayor and we both PROMISE to not hurt you. Please come out."
Henry and Regina wait and wait for what seems like forever, when it really has only been about 2 minutes.
Henry nor Regina hears or sees Emma coming so when she appears behind them and taps Henry on the shoulder it definitely give them both a fright.
Henry jumps and Regina shrieks and almost falls off the trunk, "OH MY GODS! what. how. ugh!"
Henry bites his hand to try and stifle his laughter, Emma just smiles and gives a small laugh before she looks down at the ground and give a shy apology, "sorry".
If Regina hadn't been looking so intensely at Emma she won't have seen her lips more or heard the soft 'sorry' she spoke.
Regina takes in as much as she can about Emma, she has long blonde hair, green eyes, about a good 15 pounds underweight, but tall. She is wearing one of Henry's old t-shirts and a pair of jeans that have seen better days. Her shoes where probably originally white converse, but are now grey with holes. Looking at her face now Regina can tell that her original guess of 8 was off, Emma looks maybe 5, and that is pushing it.
Regina chuckles and holds out her hand, "Its very nice to meet you Emma, I am Henry's mom, Regina"
Emma sees the hand coming towards her, flinches, and squeezes her eyes tight.
The flinch isn't missed by Regina but she continues to hold her hand out waiting for Emma to see she isn't going to hurt her.
Emma keeps her eyes closed for another second and after the hit never comes she slowly opens her eyes and looks at the hand. Emma shakily brings her hand up to Regina's and places it into her hand. Regina smiles and gently shakes Emma's hand. Emma looks Regina in the eye, the shake slowly stops and Regina releases Emma's hand.
Emma looks away from Regina and looks at Henry. Henry opens the backpack and holds out one of Regina's apples. Regina watches Emma as her face lights up as she reaches for the apple. Emma takes a huge bite and hums; the juices are running down her chin but she doesn't care.
Regina laughs, bends down to Emma's height takes out a tissue from her pocket and wipes the juice from Emma's chin. Regina smiles and so does Emma.
Regina looks at this little girl and wonders what kind of animal could leave and abuse this precious angel.
Henry has a smile that engulfs his whole face, but it soon fades. Henry catches Emma's eye and pats the space between himself and Regina.
Emma sits down and looks at Henry. Henry says, "Emma, I know you don't want to, but we need you to come with us into town."
Henry sees Emma eyes widen in fear, he quickly tries to make it better, "Emma I promise that I won't leave. And my mom is going to be there the whole time to make sure no one hurts you."
Emma looks over to Regina who smiles slightly and nods her head in agreement.
Henry continues, "We just want to take you to a friend to make sure you are healthy, then we can go back to our house and you can sleep in a real bed. I promise."
Emma looks back at Henry and softly asks, "Do you pinky promise?"
Henry says, "yes" and holds out his pinky, Emma grabs a hold of his pinky and says, "ok".
Henry looks up at Regina,who has tears in her eyes, and smiles.
Regina looks at Emma and asks "Is there anything you want to bring with you?"
Emma thinks for a second and nods her head. Regina says, "Ok, well why don't you take us to where it is and then we can all head back towards town together."
Emma hesitates but nods her head; she holds out her hand for Regina to take. Regina's eyes once again fill with un-shed tears as she grasps onto Emma's little hand. Emma leads the way hand in hand with Regina and Henry trails next to Regina.
If you were to see them walking on the street you would think they were a happy little family.
A/N: hope you enjoyed.