I'm getting these out as soon as I can since you all seem to love it so much :)

The next day Emma continued on her same path for her run. She ran passed Granny's then the library and started toward the Mayor's office. She watched Regina get out of her old Mercedes, from across the street, and head toward the front door. She didn't keep her eyes on her for too long, trying not to seem interested.

But Regina noticed Emma running by and watched her for a moment before heading inside. The mayor had dealt with a very upset 3-year-old last night and an aching heart, so sleep had not come easy. It hadn't really come at all, actually. Those circles under her eyes were damn noticeable, too.

Her assistant sure noticed it. "Mayor Mills not to be rude but you look like you could use some rest. If you would like I can just send you the important emails to your phone that way you can go home and read over them. There isn't anything going on and you don't have any meetings scheduled."

Regina frowned. "I'm fine, Claire. I can make it by for one day without any sleep." The mayor walked on past Claire's desk then into her office, putting her coat and purse away before taking a seat. An unexpected visitor came in soon enough.

"Hello, Darling." Cora waltzed into the office and shut the door behind her. Sitting down, she smoothed out her dress. "You look very tired. Have you not been resting?"

Hearing that voice made Regina inwardly cringe every time. She clenched her jaw and slowly looked up from her paperwork, schooling her features. "Hello, Mother. I didn't have the best night's sleep."

Mrs. Gold smiled lightly. "Well look at you working hard on no rest." She clasped her hands together. "I came here to take you to lunch. So come to a stopping point, dear, and we'll go."

"I'm not really hungry, Mother. I need to get back to 'working hard on no rest.'" Regina replied, still trying to defy her mother at 28.

"I am not taking no for an answer, Regina. You'll come to lunch with me or I'll sit here for the whole day while you work."

And Regina knew she would. It's not like she'd call the police on her own mother. No matter how enraging she was. "Fine." The mayor replied with barely contained anger. "A quick lunch."

"That's all I'm asking for,dear." Cora stood and smiled. "I'll wait in the car."

When Regina came out of the building, Emma had been running back in the direction of the office, and nearly mowed the brunette down. Luckily with a quick reaction time, the jogger was able to turn just slightly so it was less of an impact. Wrapping her arms around Regina, she prevented her from falling. "Shit... sorry." Stepping back, the blonde bent down and picked up the mayor's cellphone and handed it back. "You okay?"

Regina huffed, and seeing that it was Emma, pulled out that thorny attitude again. "I'd be better if you'd watch where you're going." She complained as she snatched her phone from the blonde.

She finally looked up at Regina with red eyes (ones that were previously spilling over with tears at the docks) and nodded. "Yeah." Emma took a few steps back before turning and walking off.

Regina knew the sight of red, puffy eyes all too well. Her face softened, but too late for the orphan to notice. The mayor stood there conflicted, watching Emma walk away until she heard her name, turning to her mother. "I'm coming."

Cora raised her brow. "Well that looked exciting." She said as she put the car into reverse then backed up into the street before pulling off to go to Milo's for lunch. "Did you know her?" She of course already knew the answer.

Regina really didn't want to deal with her mother more than she had to, but she knew the woman would find out the truth eventually. "Yes. Not well, though."

"Oh.. wait is that the outsider that's running for Sheriff?" She asked as they drove passed Emma walking down the sidewalk. "She's pretty, even if she is a sweaty mess."

"Yes, she's running for Sheriff." Regina sat up a bit straighter, pressing her lips together tightly as she refused to look out the window. "I'm sure many of Storybrooke's bachelors would be very happy men if she got the position."

"Oh I'm sure." Cora raised her brow at her daughter. "But what does the Mayor think?"

Regina shrugged. "I guess she'd make an alright Sheriff."

"Well that's the spirit." The mother patted her daughter's thigh as she continued to drive. Once getting to Milo's, Cora walked Regina inside and got seated at a table. "Now tell me, what have you been up to?"

Regina had been pretty sulky and/or irritated since Cora walked into her office. That didn't change any at the restaurant. "Working, spending time with Henry. I don't have time for much else."

"You should make time for other things, Dear." Cora said as she looked down to the menu. "Do you have any potentials?"

"As in dating potentials?" Regina asked with a breathy laugh. "In Storybrooke? Please." The mayor's drab tone excused such a notion as she placed a cloth napkin in her lap.

"Though you didn't find Daniel in Storybrooke, I don't see why you can't find someone else here. I've seen many beautiful people around here. That Sheriff potential being one of them."

Regina pursed her lips together, trying not to lash out. "That Sheriff potential is not dating potential. And all the other beautiful people are married or about to be."

"What about that Jones fellow? All you have to do is take the bottle away from him and he'd be husband potential. Of course clean him up a bit as well."

Regina laughed and tilted her head. "Seriously? That boy has slept with just about everything that has two legs and a vagina."

"Regina, language." Cora scolded. "Well if you could choose anyone around here, who would you choose?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Myself. I'd choose myself. Because I know that I'm not going to run away and abandon Henry when things get tough. I've almost died once, too, so what are the chances that'll happen again? Henry and I can rely on me."

"So you're happy living alone, darling? Aside from Henry of course. But what if someone comes up to you and promises you that they are here to stay? That they want to be with you and they will prove that to you every single day? Could you deny that? Could you deny your heart when It falls in love unexpectedly?"

"Yes." Regina said without hesitation. Hell, she was doing it right now. She'd loved Emma Swan since the day they met. Even Daniel hadn't completely filled that hole. "I've had potentials and more make me promises just to break them. I'm done." She finished staring off into the distance.

"You say that now." Cora smiled. "You'll have someone to come into your life that will fall in love with you and you them -No matter how hard you fight it. They will fall in love with Henry and your attitude as well, and you wont be able to push them away."

Regina laughed. "Yeah... I doubt it. I'm not exactly a ray of sunshine." She shook her head. "Why are you bringing this all up all of a sudden?" Her brown eyes met her mother's. "Did Robert say something to you?"

Cora nodded. "He mentioned something about a friend of the past that's here, but didn't mention anymore."

The look of irritation was clear on Regina's face. "That's because there isn't anymore. Emma isn't even a friend anymore. And even if she was, I wouldn't be taking advice from you, Mother, no offense."

"Oh honey, there was offense in there." She shrugged it off. "Now tell me about her and what happened between the two of you." She said right before the waiter came up and took their order.

Regina forced a pleasant disposition until the waiter left. "I don't want to talk about Emma, Mother. Not with you. You fell in love with a manipulative asshole who cares about himself more than anyone else. I wouldn't say you have the best taste in lovers."

"Touche, my love." She leaned back against the chair. "But who will you talk to?"

"Finally." Regina threw her hand up in the air. "You admit to it out loud. I don't need to talk to anyone. There's nothing to talk about. I don't know how many times I have to say that."

Cora shrugged. "If you say so, Regina. Now how is that precious grandson of mine?"

Regina narrowed her eyes at her mother. She could be just as manipulative as Robert so it was hard to say if the older woman was really letting it go or not. "Henry is doing great. He loves preschool and learning. Along with all the games they play."

"That's wonderful, dear. I do hope since he loves preschool he is also excelling at it as well. What do his teachers say?"

Regina frowned. Her mother had always pushed her to excel. To the point it left scars. She didn't want that for Henry. "His teachers love him. They say he's a great little boy who absorbs everything like a sponge."

"That's great. I'm happy for him. His birthday is coming up, correct?"

"You've already missed it, Mother." Regina said with an arched brow. "While you were in Europe running around."

"Oh. Well I apologize, dear. I'll be sure to get him a nice belated birthday gift then. What has he been asking for lately?"

A swan. Emma Swan. "Nothing you can get him." Regina answered. "But he does love Batman. So if you get him any toys or games, think the Dark Knight."

"Dark Knight? I'll see what I can find." Cora said. Their lunch went more smoothly than the beginning. Afterward the mother drove her daughter back to the office and bid her adieu."

Regina was just glad to be free of her mother. For at least a few days. She headed back into the office to find Claire on the phone.

"Good timing, Madam Mayor. It's the preschool." She handed it over.

"Hello?" Regina asked, worried.

"Hi, Ms. Mills. It's Ms. Blanchard. Henry is sick. Could you please come pick him up?"

"Of course." Regina sighed. "I'll be there in just a few minutes."

"I'll hold down the fort, Mayor Mills. Go take care of Henry." Claire smiled softly. "Tell him I hope he feels better."

"Mommy, my tummy huwts." Henry whined into his mother's shoulder the moment she picked him up.

"He threw up twice before I could even get him to the nurse." The pixie haired woman explained.

"My poor little guy." Regina cooed and cradled her son, totally focused on the 3-year-old. "I'll get him to Dr. Whale. Thank you, Ms. Blanchard." She gave the teacher a small smile, signed Henry out as she held him in one arm, then left the preschool, calling the doctor's office on her way out to the car.

Whale had told the mother to bring Henry right in and he would take a look at him. "Alright Henry I need you to take a deep breath." The doctor listened to his lungs then the boy's heart before he took his blood pressure. "How long have you been feeling bad, Mr. Mills?"

"Just tooday." The boy groaned as he rubbed his tummy.

Regina rubbed Henry's back as soon as Dr. Whale had stepped away to take notes. "What do you think it is, Dr. Whale?"

Dr. Whale chuckled lightly. "Well I can't find anything wrong except for his stomach hurting. Henry, what did you have to eat today?"

After a long hesitation he admitted, "Candy..."

"Ah and how much?"

"A wot." The boy said in a whisper then rubbed his tummy as he laid down on his side.

"You what?" Regina asked, clearly displeased as she looked down at her son.

"There'd was lots at scwool." The boy answered with pleading eyes, knowing Mommy was not happy.

"Oh that woman..." Regina gritted her teeth as she returned her gaze to Whale. "I'll have to have a little talk with his teacher. And figure out what to do with him when I get home. The best remedy?"

"Best remedy that he wouldn't gag at would be a couple tablespoons of pure honey and drink lots of water. Other than that you just wait it out and make sure he gets some rest."

"I tawry, Mommy."

Regina sighed. "Thank you, Dr. Whale." She turned to the boy again. "You are not getting off that easy, Mister." She opened her arms and the boy crawled into them. "I'll nurse you back to health and then you're going to have to learn to listen to Mommy."

"Otay..." He whispered and cuddled into Regina.

Victor smiled at the pair. "Have a better day, you two."

When Regina was walking out of the hospital, Emma was walking in with an injured Red. "Regina, hey, are you and Henry okay?" She asked stopping in her tracks to visually check on them, worry in her voice and on her features.

"EmEm." Henry waved at Emma from over Regina's shoulder.

The mayor didn't have it in her to exert that harshness she'd been dishing out to Emma lately. She was already tired, and she knew she wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight, either. Plus Henry would not be happy to hear her be mean. "We're fine. Henry just ate too much leftover Halloween candy at school. What happened to Ms. Lucas here?" She asked curiously, wondering if they'd been messing around.

"I hope you feel better, little man." She smiled sweetly at Henry, getting a weak one in return. "Ruby cut her hand at the diner. She'll definitely need stitches."

Red held her towel wrapped hand. "I'm going to check in."

Emma gave her a nod then looked back to Regina. "Um, let me know if I can do anything to help. Cya..." She gave one last smile to Henry before backing up and turning to go through the second set of doors.

"EmEm, wait." Henry called out, waiting until she turned. "When you come over?"

She had to pause for a moment after the heartbreaking question. Glancing at the Mayor with saddened eyes she looked back to the boy. "As soon as I can, buddy."

"Otay..." Henry said, disappointed.

The whole feeling like the villain thing wasn't working for Regina. "I need to get him home. I hope Ruby's stitch up goes smoothly. Say 'bye, bye,' Henry."

"Go for it." Emma said softly then reached out to give Henry the 'high five' he was asking for. "Bye buddy." With that she turned around and went to join Red in the waiting room. "Bled out yet?"

"Not yet. But with the long waits around here, I wouldn't be surprised if I do." The waitress chuckled. "So how'd that convo go? Had to be better than the one in the diner."

"It wasn't much to it. Henry asked when I was coming over..." She said trailing her words at the end. "Let me see your hand." She said before carefully taking it and unwrapping it.

"So what'd you tell him?" Ruby asked as she looked upon Emma's face, trying to read it. The cut on her hand was fairly deep.

"I told him I would as soon as I could." She said before standing up and pulling Red up as well. The two walked to the nurses' station. "Hey! Do you see my friend's hand? Yeah, pretty damn deep isn't it? And its still bleeding. She needs it taken care of right now."

"We'll get to her as soon as we can, Ma'am. We go by priority of the emergency." The nurse replied calmly.

"It's okay, Em, really. I can wait." Ruby whispered. "I wanna know what Regina said to your response?" The noisy brunette continued.

"No she needs to go now." Emma put her arm around, Ruby's upperback. "I'm pretty sure the people with the sniffles shouldn't be going before a girl with a severe gash to her hand." She looked to her friend. "You were telling me earlier you were starting to feel faint." She winked so the nurse wouldn't see.

"Oh yeah. Yeah." Red looked to the nurse. "I'm already forgetting stuff I said just 10 minutes ago. Maybe it's the blood loss. Making me all fuzzy."

The nurse sighed, knowing their game. "I'll make sure your friend is next. Now please, can you go sit back down?"

Emma nodded and smiled at the nurse before she picked her friend up bridal style and carried her to the chairs and sat down with Red on her lap. "She didn't say much to it. Just that she had to get Henry home and that she hoped your stitches go smoothly." She explained as she wrapped Ruby's hand back up.

"Look at you taking care of me." Ruby smiled. "Well, at least she didn't tell you to run off this time." She winced as Emma finished up. "We need to find a way to bring you two together."

"I don't think she'll do that in front of Henry. So I'm sure she was holding back a lot." Emma looked back at red and smiled slightly. "How ya feeling?"

"I think I'll live. Think I'll keep my hand?" She questioned with a grin. "Henry obviously adores you, Em. Can Regina really just look past that? Especially after you become Sheriff?" She winked.

"Too soon to tell." Emma chuckled about her hand then shrugged about the subject of Regina. "I hope not. But I mean I don't want her to think I'm using Henry either." The blond lightly traced Red's fingers with her own.

"Stop that or I'll be forced to temporarily abandon my mission of hooking you up with Regina." Ruby grinned. "And come on, your affection for the little guy is so clear, which begs me to ask, what is it about little Henry Mills that tugs at your heartstrings so?"

Emma chuckled and stopped her menstruations. "I dunno. Just the way he giggles and wants me to get involved. His innocence. Have you seen him? Henry is the cutest kid ever."

Ruby chuckled. "He is. He's so sweet and well mannered. It is hard not to like the little guy." She smiled. "Did ya ever think you'd fall for someone with a kid?"

"I...Nah. After her and after Neal I just quit trying to be happy in that way. I let work take over my life and eventually that's all I cared about. But seeing her again its opened me up to a little more, whether she hates me or not."

"I don't think she really hates you. I don't see why she would. I think she's just being cautious after Daniel. And just plan mean." Ruby pouted. "So this Neal guy... is he your Daniel?" "Neal was... he was something." Emma sighed. "I loved him but he's the one that lead me into that house. He said one more gig. One more and we would be set. Well, we-"

"Ruby Lucas." The nurse called.

"We will save the story for later." Emma said before picking Ruby up and setting her feet on the floor. "You want me to go back there with you?"

"Yes, please. I hate needles. I'll need comfort." The girl chuckled, pulling Emma along with her good hand.

Regina followed Dr. Whale's instructions then got Henry into bed. "Alright, sweetie, you should feel better pretty soon. No more candy for a long while."

"But, I till have have Halloweenie candy weft." Henry pouted but pulled the covers up to his chin.

"It'll be put to good use. There are other children who didn't get any candy so it can go to them. You, Mister, are in trouble. Mommy told you not to eat more than two pieces at one time." Regina said as she helped make him more comfortable.

"What? No! Mommy pwease don't. Dat's mine. Me and Em worked hard for it." He teared up. "Can... she at weast have it?"

Regina sighed. "No, Henry. I told you the rules with the candy and you broke them. Emma doesn't need all that candy. She got some of her own."

"Not a wot." Henry huffed.

"She got enough." Regina said with a frown. "Yours is being given away. That's final."

"Fine!" He shouted and turned over away from Regina. "Weave me awone."

"You better watch that tone." Regina said sternly. "I'll leave, but I'll be back to check on you later." She stood from the edge of his bed then and grabbed his bucket of candy on the way out. Luckily Henry didn't have many temper tantrums, but Regina hated each one.

He was left crying because of his tummy ache and because of the loss of his candy.

I promise happy times will come. Just bare with us lol It is kind of a slow burn.

Reviews are like candy to a giddy Henry lol