Chapter 10: Mutuality Can Be a Bitch

The light from the morning sunrise hit Emma like a flare in the middle of the sea. She could feel her head pounding like waves.

"Is my mom gonna be okay," Emma heard Henry say as she emerged from her room.

"Yeah kid," said David but looking at Emma. "She will be."

David walked over to Emma and handed her a cup of coffee. "I'll handle the office today," he said to her. "You look like you could use a day off."

"Thanks," Emma replied.

David placed a kiss on her forehead and then left.

"You okay," Snow asked Emma once David was gone.

"Ask me in a few hours once my head stops spinning."

"You forgot to come say goodnight," Henry said still sitting at the counter eating his breakfast.

Scrambled eggs and hot chocolate. The smell of the food was revolting but Emma didn't say anything.

"I know Henry, I'm sorry. I'm not being a very good mom am I?"

Henry shrugged. "It's because of Neal isn't it?"

"Yeah kid, it's because of him."

Henry looked up at Emma and smiled. "Do you love him?"

"Henry!" said Snow.

Emma looked at her son with her mouth open. She quickly composed herself.

"Okay kid, breakfast time is over. You've got to get to school."

"But you didn't answer my question."

"That's because it's not a very good one," Emma replied. "Now scoot."

Henry sighed. "Fine." He went and grabbed his jacket and bag. "Bye grams," he said making his way out.

Emma shook her head and couldn't help but smile at her son.

She then turned and looked at Snow, Henry's words barely registering. "You're not going with him?"

Snow shrugged. "I took the day off," she said taking a sip of her chocolate, "Didn't want you to be alone."

"Snow, you didn't have to do that."

Snow smiled. "I wanted to."

Emma couldn't help but smile in return.

Mother and daughter sat in silence. Snow with a plate of breakfast for herself and Emma with her second cup of coffee and a bottle of asprin.

"You sure you're not hungry? I could fix something up for you if you'd like."

"I'm sure," Emma replied, "but thank you."

There was another wave of silence and again Snow spoke up.

"Want to talk about what happened last night?"

"Do we have to?" Snow shrugged and Emma continued. "It's just complicated and confusing and..."

Before Emma could get in another word her cell rang. 'Sorry,' she mouthed.

"Yeah," she said.

"Miss Swan, I was hoping you and I could talk," Regina said on the other line.

"About?"

"Henry among a few other things."

"What do you know," Emma asked reading between the lines.

"About what dear?"

"You know what."

"Please Miss Swan, can you come over to the house, I'd feel a lot better talking about this in person."

"Fine," Emma said hanging up as she stood and took her empty cup to the sink.

"I'm guessing by the tone in your voice, that wasn't pleasant," said Snow.

Emma turned. "Regina wants to have a little sit down and talk."

"That can't be good. What about?"

"She didn't say but I think I have a very clear idea."

Snow nodded. "Neal."

Emma also nodded. "I'm sorry you took the day off. I'm sure you could probably still go in."

"You sure you don't need me to stay?"

"I'll be fine, I promise. We can talk later tonight though."

Snow smiled. "That would be great," she said taking a step toward Emma. She placed a hand on her arm. "Be careful."

Emma nodded. "I will be."

Snow turned and went to her room to gather her things and Emma went to her room and changed. When she emerged she grabbed her red jacket off the coat rack.

"Thank you for coming," Regina said opening the door to her home.

The two walked into the study and took a seat; Emma on the couch and Regina on the one opposite. On the table in front of them was a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses. Regina poured and offered one to Emma.

"Thanks. You said this was about Henry."

"I just want to know how he's doing."

"He's doing okay. His grades are up now that he's not skipping school."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Do you think I can see him, I haven't seen him in a while."

"That's probably up to him, you know how he is."

"I certainly do, I did raise him for ten years."

Emma took a deep breath to calm down and not let Regina's words get to her. "We really don't have to get into this now, do we?"

"No I think we do. You may have full custody of him but we had an agreement that I could visit with him and still be a part of his life. And regardless of biology Miss Swan, he is still my son. I only want what's best for him."

"So do I," Emma replied.

"Do you or are you doing what's best for you?"

"What are you implying?"

"I think you know. You really should be more cautious about where you have your little rendezvous Miss Swan, anyone could be watching."

Emma could feel her heart flutter faster. It was bad enough that she had, for a second, given in to Neal, but now the fact that there had been a witness only made her freak out more.

"I can see I struck a nerve," said Regina.

"It wasn't what you think."

"Yes well it never is, is it?"

"You know what I don't have to explain anything to you."

"Maybe not, what you do is your business to be sure. That's great you have a life Miss Swan but consider Henry in all of this. Are you really ready to have this man come into his life so that Henry could call him 'daddy' only to have it end badly with him leaving or heaven forbid you actually find yourself attached to someone but decide to back off because you're so used to being alone."

Emma stood up and swirled the ice in the now empty cup of lemonade. She had nothing to say at the moment.

She couldn't deny the fact that Regina was right about just everything. Emma walked over to the fire place and rested her right arm on the mantle.

"It's a little more complicated than that."

"Really, well then please enlighten me."

Emma smiled and shook her head. She hated that Regina had the upper hand here but if she didn't say anything now Regina was bound to find out some other way and become more furious. Emma smiled in defeat.

"He's Henry's father."

Now it was Regina's turn to not have anything to say.

"What?"

Emma swallowed. "That man you saw me with… the guy who got me pregnant… it's him. Neal Cassidy. It's him." Emma looked at Regina. "So there you go your majesty."

Emma felt defeated, as if some of her power had been taken from her.

"You told me he didn't know about Henry."

"He didn't, not before he came here anyways and not before I told him."

Regina stood up. "Then what the hell is he doing here?"

"You'd have to ask him."

"I'm asking you."

Emma sighed. She didn't want to tell Regina everything. She didn't want to tell her how Neal knew about the curse or how and by whom he had found out about it. She may have shared Henry with Regina but she was still the Evil Queen, still the enemy regardless if the woman was trying to redeem herself.

Emma shrugged. "He came looking for me, that's all."

"And what about now that he knows about Henry?"

Emma looked up. "I don't know. If Henry wants to have a relationship I can't stop that any less than I can stop you from wanting to be in his life."

"You better think carefully about what you do, Miss Swan. I won't deny the fact that I don't want him here. I didn't take so kindly to you coming back into his life so you can see I don't take to kindly to his arrival either."

"Believe me I got that part."

"But if anything happens to Henry-,"

"It won't-,"

"Regardless of the mutual thing we have going on, Henry is the priority, never forget that. So if he gets hurt over this thing you have with Cassidy I won't hesitate and you know what I'm capable of."

Emma walked away from the fireplace and took a step toward Regina. "And just so we're clear, you know what I'm capable of if you decide to come after me or the people I care about. The only person stopping us right now is Henry."

Regina sized up the woman and smiled. "I guess we're done here. Good day Miss Swan."

Emma sized her up and smiled as well and then nodded as she left Regina's house.