After arriving back at the school Emma said goodbye to Henry and Regina then headed back to her room at the Inn.

As she climbed the stairs to her room she couldn't help but smile as she thought about the day she'd spent with Regina.

She showered, changed and put on her jacket then headed over to Regina's house.

She didn't even have time to ring the bell as the door flew open.

"Hi Emma." Henry said, "Bye Emma.

He ran passed her with a backpack on.

"Hey where are you going?" She called after him.

"Sleepover!" He yelled not even turning around. He hopped into a car that was waiting idle at the curb and then it took off.

Emma stepped inside the house and shut the door behind her, "Regina?"

Regina walked up the hall towards her, "I was in the kitchen."

"Oh no, you weren't cooking again were you?" Emma asked with shock on her face.

"Funny." Regina said, "No, I was warming up the lasagna and there's a fresh green salad and some garlic bread."

"So, Henry kind of took off in a hurry huh?" Emma asked as she followed Regina to the kitchen.

"He had a sleepover." Regina told her as she opened the oven and checked the garlic bread.

"You didn't mention that."

"I didn't?" Regina asked innocently, "Hmm must have slipped my mind."

Emma smiled, "Sure it did."

They made small conversation while they ate.

After dinner, Emma offered to wash the dishes.

"You don't have to do that." Regina told her.

"It's the least I can do." Emma told her as she stood and waited for the hot water to fill the sink. She poured in some liquid soup then dug in with her hands.

"I'll dry." Regina said as she grabbed a dish towel and stood elbow to elbow next to her.

"You know, you don't really talk about yourself." Emma said as she passed a dish to her.

"Not much to say I guess." Regina told her as she took the dish and dried it before putting it away in the cupboard.

"Do you get along with your parents?" Emma asked.

Regina dried another plate and put it in the rack.

"My father died when I was 17 and my mother and I don't get along." Regina told her, "In fact I haven't spoken to her in 12 years."

"Wow 12 years is a long time to go without talking." Emma said, "What happened that made you stop talking to her?"

Regina took the lasagna pan and dried it slowly, "Because of Henry."

"What do you mean because of Henry?"

Regina put the pan down and leaned against the counter and looked at Emma, "She didn't want me to adopt."

"She told me that I wouldn't be a real mother because Henry wouldn't really be mine."

"That's bullshit!" Emma said loudly.

"Yes it is." Regina told her, "And I told her that if that was the way she felt then she didn't need to be a part of our lives."

Regina sighed, "My mother and I haven't always had the best or easiest relationship so it was no big surprise that she didn't approve of me adopting Henry."

"It is what it is though." Regina told her, "I love Henry with all my heart and he is my son."

She turned back around and took the dish that Emma has been holding and dried it.

"Henry's named after my father." Regina told her, "I bet you didn't know that huh?"

Emma stood staring at Regina as if she was looking at her for the very first time.

After the dishes were washed and dried Regina offered Emma a drink and they went into the living room and sat on the couch together.

Emma placed her drink on a coaster on the coffee table.

"Tell me more about yourself." Emma asked.

"My father may have left me this house but everything else I have in my life I worked hard for." Regina told her.

"I have a degree in Business and graduated college maxima cum laude." She said.

"Maximum what whata?" Emma asked.

Maxima Cum Laude." Regina told her.

"Now you're just making words up."

Regina laughed, "It's Latin for with very great honor. And it's very rarely awarded."

"So you got it all, brains and beauty." Emma said, "You must have had all the guys in school wanting you."

"Not just the guys." Regina said with a wink then took a sip of her wine.

Emma smiled then picked up her bourbon and took a small sip of it.

"So here's an important question." Emma said taking another sip before putting her glass back down.

Regina set her glass down as well and looked at her, "And what is that?"

"Why are you single?" Emma asked, "Why isn't there someone sharing your bed at night?"

"That was two questions." Regina said.

"Are you dodging my questions Madam Mayor?" Emma asked.

"Maybe I haven't found someone who challenges me in every way." Regina said with a smile.

"Ah." Emma said as she scooted closer, "And if you found someone like that, someone who can test your nerves one minute and make you laugh the next, then maybe they'd have a chance?"

Regina looked into Emma's eyes, "Possibly."

Emma reached up with her hand and gently brushed Regina's hair back behind her ear then touched her cheek softly.

"What about me Regina?" Emma asked as she leaned in close.

Their lips so close to touching.

"Do I have a chance?"

Regina closed her eyes and whispered, "Yes."

Emma closed the small distance between them as she cupped Regina's face and kissed her.

It was as if fireworks were going off in Regina's head as she felt warm lips on hers. She grabbed at Emma as if trying to pull her closer as their kiss deepened.

Emma was the first to pull away and looked into Regina's dazed eyes.

"I should probably get going." Emma said quietly.

"Probably."

"Are you going to let me go?" Emma asked her.

"I don't think I can keep you here." Regina said confused.

"Well you've kind of got …"

Regina looked down to see that she was still clutching Emma's shirt in her hands.

She smiled then let go of her shirt and smoothed it down for her, "Sorry about that."

Emma stood up, grabbed her drink and swallowed what remained in one gulp before setting the glass back down.

"I don't mean to eat dinner, make out then run but I should go before I don't want to go." Emma told her.

Regina got up and followed Emma to the door. She opened it for her and they lingered.

"Thanks for dinner." Emma said.

"You're welcome."

Emma leaned in again and gave her another kiss on the lips, "Good night."

Regina couldn't hide the smile on her face, "Good night Emma."

Emma thought about going back to her room but she was too wired to stay in for the rest of the night. She drove to a small bar near the edge of town and went in.

The place wasn't much but it had all the necessities, loud music, rowdy customers and plenty to drink.

Emma sat at the bar and ordered a beer before she turned and looked around at the crowd of people.

"Looking for someone in particular?"

Emma turned to see a strikingly beautiful woman standing next to her.

"Nope, just seeing what kind of crowd is here." Emma told her.

"Mind if I join you?" the woman asked.

"Sit if you want." Emma said as she turned back around to face the bar.

The woman sat down on the stool next to her and Emma noticed she was drinking some kind of fru-fru drink. I mean it even had a small umbrella in it.

"So you're new here huh?" the woman asked.

"To the bar and the town." Emma said as she took a sip of her beer.

"Plan on staying long?"

Emma gave her a look, "I didn't at first but now I'm reconsidering it."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Why are you so curious?" Emma asked.

The woman shrugged her shoulders, "Just making conversation." She took the umbrella out of her drink and finished it off.

"Well that's it for me for the night." She said as she stood up, "I have work in the morning and my boss doesn't like it if you call in because of a hangover."

Emma watched as the woman pulled out some money and put it on the bar.

She smiled at Emma and started to walk way. As she pushed through the crowd she turned around, "It was nice talking to you Emma."

She then disappeared into the crowd and Emma lost sight of her.

Emma stayed only to finish her beer before she went back to her room. She kept thinking about the woman she met at the bar. Who was she? How'd she know her name?

In the morning Regina sat behind her desk at work. She didn't want to focus on paperwork or the council meeting she had to go to. All she could think about was Emma kissing her and how much she really wanted it again.

A knock at her door interrupted her pleasant thoughts.

"Come in." Regina called out.

The door opened and a woman came into the office with a smile as she carried folders in her arms.

Regina smiled, "I see you're ready for the council meeting Mulan."

"Well as deputy Mayor I thought I should be so it doesn't reflect poorly on you." Mulan said as she sat down in the chair across from Regina.

"So, how'd last night go?" Mulan asked, "You know, you're dinner with Emma?"

A wide smile spread across Regina's face and she started to blush.

"That good huh?" Mulan asked.

"We had a lovely dinner then we had a drink." Regina told her, "Then we kissed."

"You kissed?"

Regina frowned at her friend, "You don't approve?"

"I just think you should be careful Regina." Mulan told her, "I don't want to see you get hurt by this woman."

After the council meeting Regina went back to her office and shut the door. What Mulan had said struck a nerve. Yes it had been just one kiss, okay well two but Regina was starting to like Emma, a lot.

Was she being blinded by her feelings? Was Emma going to hurt her?

Emma already said that she was planning on leaving town but maybe Regina could get her to stay.

Regina sighed heavily as she sat back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"Why are you at work on a Saturday?" Emma asked as she came into Regina's office without knocking.

Regina opened her eyes and sat forward, "Emergency council meeting and a lot of paperwork."

"And you had to rush over here at 8 in the morning?" Emma asked.

"Hence the Emergency part." Regina told her, "And what are you doing up so early for someone who hates mornings?"

"I have an idea and I need Henry." Emma said as she sat down in the chair in front of her.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I heard there's this apple orchard in the next town and they just let you come in and pick as many apples as you want." Emma said, "So I was wondering if Henry didn't have plans that maybe we'd go and pick some apples."

"You do like apples right?" Emma asked.

Regina didn't mention the fact that she had an apple tree growing in her backyard.

"Yes we like apples." Regina told her.

"Good." Emma said as she stood up, "I went by your house but I'm guessing he isn't back from his sleepover."

"He's supposed to be at the playground right about now with his friends." Regina told her.

"Okay good to know." Emma said as she stood up, "Tonight I'd like to take you guys somewhere after dinner if that's alright."

"Where?" Regina asked.

"It's a surprise." She said then slipped out the door.

Emma parked her car and headed to the playground. She saw Mary Margaret standing by one of the slides.

"Please don't see me, please don't see me." She repeated quietly to herself.

Unfortunately for Emma, Mary Margaret spotted her and started to walk over to her.

"It's nice to see you Emma." Mary Margaret said with a smile.

"Nice seeing you again too." Emma said as she scanned the playground for Henry, "What are you doing here?"

"I watch over the kids when they are here sometimes." Mary Margaret told her.

"Ah, well that's nice."

"Henry says you're thinking about sticking around town for a while." Mary Margaret said.

"Oh he did huh?"

"He really loves having you here." Mary Margaret said.

Emma spotted Henry as he jumped down from the monkey bars, "Yo kid over here!" She waved wildly.

As soon as he spotted her a huge smile appeared on his face and he jogged towards her.

"Told you, if you gave this town a chance you'd find a little magic in it." Mary Margaret said as she patted Emma's arm then walked off.

Henry hugged Emma as soon as he got to her. Emma let out a small laugh as he squeezed the breath from her.

He pulled back, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we'd go on a little adventure." Emma told him as they got into the car.

"Where are we going?" He asked as he put on his seatbelt.

"Just enjoy the ride." Emma told him.

During the ride Henry talked to her about the two latest graphic novels he'd been reading and Emma was thoroughly confused on who was who and what was what by the time they made it to the Happy Apple Orchard.

Emma and Henry walked up to the fruit stand where a woman in her 70s sat with a blanket covering her legs.

"Welcome." She said to them, "You here to pick your own?"

"Yes Ma'am." Emma told her.

"Wonderful. Go on over to Albert there and he'll take care of you." She told them as she pointed to an old man in overalls.

They listened to the rules of the orchard, which consist of, no kids on the ladder, don't eat the apples before you pay, and don't harm the trees.

Emma and Henry headed into the orchard and Emma let Henry pick the tree.

"Can we go to Boston?" Henry asked as he watched Emma climb the ladder.

"I don't think your mom would appreciate me taking you to Boston when I told her we'd be going to pick apples." Emma said as she got settled on the ladder, "Okay get ready to catch some apples."

"I didn't mean right now." He said, "I meant someday, but you know soon."

She looked down at him, "I don't know Henry. I haven't been back to Boston in a long time."

"Perfect time for a trip back home then huh?" He asked looking up at her with a smile.

Emma dropped a couple apples to him and he put them in the basket.

"Don't really think of Boston as home." Emma told him.

"But it's where you grew up." Henry said, "I'd like to see where you grew up."

"I'll think about it." She said to him.

Emma and Henry moved to a few different trees in the orchard picking apples.

After they were done Henry insisted on carrying the heavy basket by himself to the fruit stand.

Emma paid and Henry carried the box of apples to the car.

"What are you going to do with all those apples?" He asked as they started the drive home.

"Well I'm going to keep some and the rest are for you and your mom." She told him.

"But Emma, we have an apple tree in our yard." Henry told her.

"Hmm well your mom didn't tell me that." Emma told him.

On the ride back Emma turned the tables and gave Henry the third degree.

"What's your favorite color? Favorite subject in school?"

"I like the color blue but sometimes I like green. I guess it just depends on my mood." He told her, "And I like math. I'm not very good at it but I like it."

"If you could be any super hero—." Emma started to ask but Henry interrupted her with his answer.

"Wolverine." He said, "Because he's got cool claws, he's really strong and he heals quick."

"I see." She said with a smile.

She continued to bombard him with questions till they got back to his house.

"Okay I'll see you later kid." Emma said.

"Bye." He said with a smile, grabbed a small box of apples before getting out of the car and running up the walkway.

Emma drove over to the diner and carried in a box of apples, she placed it on the counter and looked at Ruby, "I need a favor."

"And what's that?" Ruby asked.

"I need to borrow your kitchen to make some pies."

Emma spent most of the afternoon in Gran's kitchen at the diner and ended up making 3 apple pies from scratch. She was so proud she remembered how from her days working in a small pastry shop before she started sleeping with the owner's wife and stole $600.

As a thank you Emma left two pies at Grans. She packed up the last pie and took it back to her room where she showered and changed.

She took the pie and drove over to Regina's for dinner.

Henry answered the door and smiled.

"You're not going to bolt out of here again are you?" Emma asked him.

"No." He told her, "Mom said you're taking us somewhere after dinner."

She followed him into the kitchen to see Regina with her apron on and she smiled.

"You cooked?" Emma asked.

"I did." Regina told he, "And not one fire."

"I'm so proud of you." Emma said with a small chuckle.

"What's that?" Henry asked point to the box Emma had.

"This is dessert." She said as she handed him the box.

"Apple pie?" He asked opening the lid.

"Home-made apple pie." Emma told her.

"You baked?" Regina asked.

"What can I say?" Emma said with a shrug, "I'm full of surprises."

They sat and ate dinner then had dessert. Emma was too distracted by the noises Regina was making while eating the pie that she didn't take more than 4 bites of her own.

After dessert Emma told them to leave the dishes and go get changed into something warm.

They all got into Emma's car and she took off driving.

"So, do you want to tell us where we're going?" Regina asked.

"Did you know that every October there's a HUGE corn maze in the next town?" Emma asked as she looked through the review mirror at Henry.

"Really?!" Henry asked getting excited.

"Yep and I hear it's one of the biggest ones on the East coast." Emma told him.

The man sitting at the entrance handed each of them a map, a flashlight and a whistle.

"If you get lost, just blow on that till one of the helpers comes to assist you." He told them.

"People have gotten lost in here?" Henry asked.

"Yep and let me tell you something son, we still haven't recovered them all."

Henry's eyes got big as Emma put a hand on his shoulder and steered him into the maze.

It took an hour and a half for them to find their way out of the maze. Regina almost blew the whistle twice but Emma told her not to be such a baby.

Sure it earned Emma a hard punch in the arm but it was worth it.

"Mom, can we go on the hay ride?" Henry asked.

"I don't know Henry it seems a little late." Regina told him.

"But I don't have school tomorrow and my friend Conner is here." He told her.

He gave her his best puppy dog eyes, "Please?"

Regina looked at Emma who was giving her the same puppy dog eyes.

She sighed and gave in.

Henry went to sit with his friend and Emma and Regina sat together near the back of the big wooden flatbed wagon.

A young woman handed out some blankets and Regina covered hers and Emma's lap. They tucked their hands under to keep warm.

The driver clicked at the horses and the wagon took off.

Regina slowly moved her hand under the covers and Emma pretend not to notice at first.

She took Emma's hand and interlaced their fingers and Emma looked at her and smiled.

She leaned over and whispered in Regina's ear, "I'd kiss you right now if we weren't surrounded by a bunch of people."

A smile tugged at Regina's lips.

As Regina's thumb brushed against Emma's hand Emma started to get nervous.

Her internal monologue started and once it got going Emma didn't think it was going to stop.

What the hell are you doing Emma? What have you gotten yourself into? This wasn't the plan. You were supposed to breeze in, get the kid and woman to trust you, steal something and take off. Now look at you, you're sitting on a damn hay ride holding hands under the blanket with her like you're two god damn teenagers!

Get your shit together!

But I like her, I really do and I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to take anything from her.

I… I…

NO! DON'T SAY IT!

I'm falling for her

Damn it Emma! Why'd you say it? You're going to ruin everything.

"Emma?"

"Huh?" Emma asked as she looked at Regina.

"The ride's over." Regina told her.

"Oh yeah okay."

They climbed down from the wagon and headed to the car.

Henry talked almost non-stop the whole ride home which Emma was thankful for because it kept her from thinking.

When they got to Regina's house, Emma got out and walked them to the door. Henry thanked her, gave her a hug then went inside.

"Would you like to come in for a bit?" Regina asked.

"Uh, no I better get going." Emma told her.

She gave Regina a quick peck on the cheek then turned to leave.

Regina watched, a little confused as Emma headed down the walkway, got into her car and drove away.

Emma got to her room at the inn and immediately started opening drawers and grabbing her clothes. She threw them into a pile on the bed.

You can't do it Emma. You don't know how to stay in one place. You don't belong here. This wasn't supposed to happen. She is a mark, nothing more.

You are not supposed to stay with her and the kid.

It's time to move the fuck on.

Emma went to the closet and grabbed her shirts, ripping them from the hangers and tossing them onto the bed.

She grabbed her bag and started shoving her clothes into it.

But you promised Henry you wouldn't leave till he got to know you.

Close enough.

You're going to break his heart. Hers too. You know that right?

Emma growled, "Shut up!"

Her phone rang and Emma dug into her pocket and answered it, "What?!"

"Emma?"

She sighed, "I'm sorry Henry."

"Sorry to bother you so late but I forgot to ask you something." He said.

"What is it?"

"Tomorrow is the first skate of the season party at the indoor ice skating rink." He said, "And I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me and Mom."

She looked at her half packed bag then listened to him breathe on the phone. She could hear the hope in every small breath he took.

She sighed heavily as she sat down on the bed, "Sure Henry."

"Great! I can't wait." He said, "I'll see you tomorrow Emma! Good night!"

"Night Henry." She said quietly then hung up.

She stood up and started putting her clothes away.

She stopped halfway to the closet when it dawned on her what Henry asked.

"But I can't skate." She said quietly to no one.