AN: Nearly there, just one more chapter I reckon. It might be shorter than the others, I won't know until I finish writing it. :)

It was Christmas Eve. Regina held the ticket tightly in her hand and slipped into the back of the town hall. Letting the school hold it's play here had been her idea. It got the whole town involved, letting them come and watch the children. The money raised from ticket sales went to provide toys for the children spending Christmas at the hospital. Having the play on Christmas Eve meant fewer people would be working and could attend. She could hear the opening music and hoped no-one would notice the door opening. She had used magic to make herself invisible as a precaution and stood at the back, wondering when Henry would be on.

The younger classes came on first, the way they usually did, making up the background as trees or animals. What had Henry said he was going to be this year? No, he hadn't told her, he just said it was a speaking part. She looked around at the audience, noting that Prince Charming was in the front row. Snow White would be backstage with the other teachers who organised it. Had she helped Henry with his costume this year?

There were footsteps running in the hallway outside. Regina just stepped out of the doorway in time as Emma came rushing through. She grinned sheepishly as everyone turned to stare, apologising in whispers for being late. The people in the back row moved along to make room for her as the children continued the play. She watched as Emma took the second seat in and then sat down, leaving the end seat free. Emma turned around to look at the back doors, waved and patted the seat next to her.

Regina looked around, expecting to see someone else standing at the back with her. There was no-one there. It was impossible that Emma would be able to see her. She was using magic to hide…of course! Emma had magic. It was possible she could see through the spell and not even realise what she was doing. Walking slowly, in case she was mistaken, Regina went to the empty seat and sat down. Emma smiled at her and turned back to watch the play.

When it was over, and everyone was busy clapping the children, Regina headed to the doors. The invisibility spell would hold, but if someone bumped into her they would know she was there. When she reached the hallway, she teleported herself home. The Christmas presents were wrapped and waiting. She wanted to deliver them now, while everyone was still at the town hall. The tags on Emma and Ruby's just had their names. She had used different wrapping paper for Henry's so they wouldn't know the presents were from her. It was bad enough having to given them something for Christmas, it would be worse if they knew she had brought the presents.

"You were great kid!" Emma ruffled Henry's hair as she met him after the play.

Mary Margaret was still helping to clear up backstage and David had started putting the chairs away. There were all going to walk home together, picking up a takeaway hot chocolate from the diner as a treat for Henry. He had removed his costume and was wearing his everyday clothes, ready to leave.

"Did she come?" He asked, swiping her hand away and trying to straighten his hair.

Emma saw the way his eyes scanned the last few parents leaving with their children and was pleased she could tell him that yes, Regina had come.

"She sat next to me at the back. I was running late so your grandfather had to sit on his own at the front. Did you see me?"

"Yes." Henry frowned at her. "But you lied. She wasn't sitting next to you. I would have seen her."

"She was, she sat on the end. When I got here she was standing on her own by the back doors and there was an empty seat next to me so I waved her over. She left the second it was over, but she was definitely here."

"I don't believe you. She didn't come and you just want to make me feel better."

"Henry, I'm not lying to you."

"Then why didn't I see her?"

"It was dark…"

"I could see you…"

"Maybe…"

But Henry wasn't listening. He felt upset. She had never missed his play before. Even when she got really busy at work, or wasn't feeling well she had always come. It had been his first speaking role and she had missed it! It wasn't fair. He walked past Emma and returned backstage, telling her he had to get his coat. She heard the hiccough in his words and suspected he was about to start crying. Emma frowned and turned to her father.

"Change of plans. Can you walk Henry home without me, there's something I have to do."

"Of course."

He was in the middle of lifting a stack of chairs, so she couldn't see his face. Emma left before he could ask her where she was going.

Regina sat reading a book in the living room. The fire was just beginning to warm the room and along with her small reading lamp it was the only source of light. She had tucked her feet up under her on the soft cushioned chair and her head was tilted slightly forward as she concentrated on the pages. She found it was the best way to escape from the darkness that sometimes still caused a pain in her heart. When the pressure in her chest became too much to bear, when she feared returning to being the Evil Queen, she stopped and picked up a book. Something cheerful, with a happy ending and laughter. Not a fairy tale, but sometimes a children's book would suffice. It cleared her head, let her think calmly again, without emotions like rage ruling her.

In her own little world, she didn't even look up when the doorbell rang. Engrossed in the story, she didn't hear the loud banging that followed as someone knocked on the front door. A few minutes later and Emma stormed through the house, looking for her.

"Your security is pathetic." Emma told her as she slammed the living room door shut behind her.

Regina looked up from her book, a little disorientated at the sudden intrusion. "Did I forget to lock the back door again or have you resorted to breaking and entering?"

"One of your windows was open."

Regina patiently inserted a bookmark and closed the book. "Shouldn't you be with Henry, congratulating him on his performance in the play?"

"I was. He told me he didn't see you there."

"Of course not."

"Why?"

Regina stretched out her legs, speaking as though the answer was obvious. "I was invisible."

"I don't understand."

"I didn't want anyone to see me there. It was have been a distraction from the play. Clearly your own magic somehow allowed you to see through mine."

"Well Henry was upset. Why couldn't you let him see you?"

"It was a basic all or nothing spell, not requiring a lot of power." Regina stood up and went to return the book to one of the shelves, switching on the main lights in the room.

"He doesn't think you came to see him. He thinks I lied when I said you were sitting next to me."

"I'll explain when I see him."

"Come and tell him now."

Emma looked at the fireplace, noting how the apple tree was a little larger. She could see the ticket for Henry's play set against his present.

"I'm tired, I've had a long day Miss Swan."

"Really? I came over before the play this evening. I wanted to make sure you were coming. You didn't answer the door then either. What was so important?"

"I had some errands to run."

"Like what?"

"Christmas presents to deliver. I know you don't have a problem with the idea of trespassing so you won't mind that I put Henry's presents under your Christmas tree while you weren't home."

Emma looked shocked. "You what?"

"Nice decorations by the way. Did your mother buy all the tinsel in Maine, or just the supplies in Storybrooke?"

"I'm not here to talk about her, I came to talk to you about Henry!"

"Oh, please… Why would he care if I attended the play? All he ever wanted was his real mother and here you are. He even has his biological grandparents and found a way to break the curse. He's been trying to get away from me for so long that he should be happy thinking I didn't go."

"Then why did he ask me to get you that ticket? Why did he buy you a Christmas present?"

Regina could feel herself loosing control of her emotions. "How am I supposed to understand the workings of a good person, the mind of Snow White's grandson? I'm the Evil Queen."

She lashed out with her magic, causing the fire to grow and the floor to tremble. Emma looked frightened, but she held her ground. Regina waited until the earth was still and the fire settled before speaking again.

"Just leave me alone. Go, be with your family and stop breaking into my home. Next time you try…" She left the threat hanging, knowing Emma's parents had explained what she was capable of doing.

Emma just shook her head and walked to the front door. She thought Regina had been trying to change. This person wasn't the same one she had met when she first arrived in Storybrooke and it wasn't the same one she had seen with Henry since then. She hadn't wanted Henry to be disappointed, she had thought Regina would want him to know she still loved him. Had she given up? Were her parents right?