The next night, Emma showed up promptly at eight. (Regina had a thing about being on time.) Henry met her with open arms, and she was grateful to see him. Regina had been much more lenient with the time she allowed Emma to spend with her son since their relationship had become sexual, but to Emma, it still wasn't enough. What she really wanted was to pick him up from school each day and drop him off the next morning. She wanted to kiss him goodnight before bed. But she was usually deprived of this - except that night, when she was allowed to stay with Henry until his adoptive mother returned from her meeting, which was supposed to run a few hours past his bedtime.

"Behave yourself, Henry. I don't want either of you causing any trouble while I'm gone. Understand?"

Henry nodded, but Emma just scowled at her.

"It's not like I'm going to do anything crazy," Emma quipped. "Except maybe read the kid a bedtime story. Is that alright with you, your highness?"

Regina scowled back and turned to leave.

"Ten o'clock. Bedtime. I mean it."

Once the woman was gone and Emma heard her exit the driveway, she sat down on the couch with her son. The two of them played bored games and talked about school and friends and bullies until finally the clock struck ten.

"Sorry, kiddo," Emma said. "Bedtime. Go upstairs and brush your teeth, okay?"

"Aw, come on!" he protested, stomping his foot on the hard wood floor, scuffing it with his red sneaker. "Don't make me. She'll never know. I won't tell. I promise!"

"No way, champ. Off you go."

Henry did as he was told and reluctantly marched up the stairs to the bathroom. He was sitting obediently in the bed when Emma entered his room.

"Nice work, buddy," she smiled. "So, you want a bedtime story, or what? You're probably too old for that crap."

"No, I'm not," he told her, wiggling back and leaning against his pillow, which was propped up against the headboard. "Read me this."

He handed her his book of fairy tails, and she frowned at him. Still, she didn't get a chance to see her son very often, so if he wanted a story, she was more than happy to oblige. She wasn't really in a place to tell him no. She read a few stories until about a half hour had past, then she tucked him in and kissed him goodnight. She treasured the moment he told her he loved her and smiled brightly as she shut out the light.

"I love you, too, Henry."

Emma made her way into the mayor's bedroom and sat down on the king sized bed, squeezing the comforter in her fists, feeling the softness of the expensive fabric. Everything in Regina's house was expensive, and it made her feel even poorer than she was already. Although she enjoyed the atmosphere and the impeccably clean surroundings, it had started to bother her that they were never able to stay at Emma's. Although she was okay with the casual nature of their relationship, she wasn't a fan of being a dirty little secret, especially from Henry. Actually, she was amazed they'd been able to keep it from him that long. She figured they'd just gotten lucky, and she just prayed that he'd never have to find out.

Emma eventually decided to lay down in the bed. A little nap wasn't going to hurt anything. After all, Regina wouldn't be back for a few hours anyway. In the meantime, she figured she'd get some sleep, too. But when sleep didn't come, Emma resorted to the only thing that seemed to calm her to the point of resting. This time, though, her timing was especially poor.

Regina opened the door silently, first looking confused (Where the hell was Emma anyway?), and then completely frozen with shock. She stared in disbelief, unable to stop herself from wondering what the woman was thinking about - sheriff Graham? - until she heard Emma moan her name. She couldn't help but drop her mouth open, caught completely off guard. She'd been so quiet that Emma hadn't noticed her presence, and her eyes were squeezed shut. Regina noiselessly locked the bedroom door and took a step forward and was grateful no noise was made by the usually squeaky floorboards.

"Emma?" she whispered, staring through the darkness at her lover.

Emma gasped, throwing her hands over her mouth and sitting straight up in the bed.

"Oh, my God," Emma breathed. "I..."