Last chapter was a bit shorter so this one is the longest yet! Enjoy!

Present Storybrooke

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. How long since she had collapsed into a heap. As her mind started to clear, she realized there was a pain in her ass from being on the hard floor for so long. This time it had been almost too much to handle. But then again this time it wasn't just the over exertion of her magic. Though she had strained herself just a bit more by using her magic her own way.

But no, it wasn't just that. The shock of it all hit Emma hard. It had her so stunned she couldn't move. She had watched everything from Regina's arrival to when she left for work without a single pause. Not even a quick moment to catch her breath or try to wrap her head around the scene she was witnessing.

Emma shook herself a few times as she cleared through the haze. She grabbed the side of the bed as she started pushing herself into a standing position, swaying momentarily in the dizzy wave that hit her. It was then her eyes caught the woman in front of her again. Emma stared down at Regina and her head spun as she thought back.

Regina had a strong grip on Emma's hips as she backed her up a few feet until her legs hit the mattress. She broke their kiss and gave a firm shove so Emma fell back and landed with a bounce on the bed. Regina's eyes were so dark as she hooked her hands under the inside of Emma's knees and gave a strong pull, making Emma slide right to the edge of the bed.

Emma leaned up and the two met in another hungry kiss. Emma lifted her arms as Regina removed her shirt. Emma grabbed Regina's jacket and pushed it off her shoulders. She undid the buttons of the woman's shirt to reveal two perfect breasts incased in black lace. Regina smiled softly down at her.

Emma started kissing a gentle line straight up the center of the brunette's chest and up to her neck. Regina held Emma to her as she reached down and removed her bra. Emma pulled back to do the same.

Emma was taking slow, deep breaths and blinked as she realized how long she had been staring at Regina's hospital gown covered chest. She licked her suddenly dry lips. Her eyes moved up to Regina's lips and lingered there. The downside of the little adventure she had just gone through was that although she had the right perspective this time, she was still only seeing things. Not actually experiencing or feeling them as she suddenly wished more than anything she could do. She wasn't over thinking that.

It was a very slow movement as Emma reached out a hand towards the sleeping woman. She let just her fingertips come in contact with the soft skin at the back of Regina's hand, touching very genty. Emma took a deep breath. Regina was so warm. She started trailing her fingers up the woman's arm slowly. She got all the way to her shoulder and couldn't help herself. The Sheriff reached up and took a small piece of dark brown hair between her fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment.

Emma moved a hand to the back of Regina's head, fingers in the soft brown hair. Regina bit down on her breast and Emma gasped. Regina removed her mouth, but Emma had a half smile as she bit her own lip. She used the hand still in Regina's hair to pull her down again. Regina smiled and continued.

When Regina stopped, Emma opened her eyes and released her lip just in time for Regina to lean in and take it between her own teeth. She nibbled and sucked on it before latching on tightly and pulling back enough to make Emma's head come off the bed to stay with her. She released it with a smirk as the blonde head plopped back down on the mattress. Emma shook her head but was grinning back up at Regina who was slowly licking her lips with a hum.

Emma was breathing deeper and curling her fingers though Regina's hair without even realizing wasn't until a noise outside the door startled her, that she snapped her eyes open wide and fast. She jerked her hand back and narrowed her eyes like it was the appendages fault. She looked down Regina's body, not able to tear her eyes away for more than a second.

Emma took Regina's panties with her teeth and crawled backwards with them. Regina lifted her hips and then her legs to help and they were quickly removed. Emma took a deep breath. She leaned down and kissed the inside of her right thigh before sliding her tongue the rest of the way up. When a very pleased moan escaped the mayor's lips, Emma repeated the action on the other leg.

She looked up and made eye contact one last time before dipping her head and licking straight up Regina's center. The brunette slammed her head back as louder moan escaped and threw a hand down to lock tightly in blonde hair.

Emma blinked rapidly. She couldn't think straight right now. She was tired and overwhelmed and if she was honest- uncomfortably and overwhelmingly aroused. She realized looking down at Regina's body wasn't going to help clear her thoughts at all. So with one final glance, she moved quickly out of the room.

Ruby was just setting down at customer's order when she caught sight of the nervous looking sheriff. She walked towards her with a concerned expression.

"Emma? Are you okay? You're all red." She laid a hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"I need to talk to you." She said urgently.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Privately." She insisted with raised eyebrows. Ruby noted the serious expression and nodded, turned and lead them to the back room.

"Em you're freaking me out, what's wrong?" She held Emma's gaze and when the blonde didn't respond, placed her hands on her shoulders again. "Emma-"

"I had sex with Regina." Emma blurted and then covered her mouth with a hand in a way that would have been comical in any other situation. Ruby's mouth dropped and they stood in several moments of silence.

"You…you what?!" Ruby nearly shrieked finally.

"Not like for real. In Regina's like…sleep world or whatever." She waved her hand around before running it through her hair nervously.

"Wait so like how we saw you two kissing…now you two are sleeping together?" She spoke in a slightly calmer tone now but Emma still looked a little terrified.

"Yeah pretty much." Emma started pacing but Ruby's lips were twitching with a very different reaction.

"So you just saw...yourself having sex?"

"Well no, I figured out how to see it in my own body." She kept pacing and now Ruby had a small smile.

"Ah so you saw Regina?" Ruby said, now very amused.

"I…uh…yeah." Emma mumbled hesitantly.

"And how do you feel about that?" She crossed her arms and Emma spun, placing her hands on her own hips.

"How do I feel about that?! I…I feel…I…I'm…" Emma looked almost panicked and Ruby had to suppress her laughter.

"Okay calm down. Take some deep breaths. Look, it's not like it actually happened."

"But it did…in a way I mean. It happened for Regina. And she's is in a replication of this world. We're all the same. She's just making different decisions and changing the course of events."

"Whoa wait, so let me get this straight. If Regina would have been nice to you…if she wouldn't have tried to hurt you…you two…you would have fallen for each other?" Ruby had her hands out like she really was trying to work through this.

"Oh no…no no no…of course not…no…never…that's insane…we hate each other." Emma was shaking her head and Ruby tilted hers curiously.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you two hate each other?" She asked simply and Emma narrowed her eyes incredulously.

"What do you mean why? We have always hated each other."

"From the moment you laid eyes on her? Really?" She lifted her eyebrows again, waiting for the reply.

"Well…no…it wasn't until she started threatening me-"

"So what if she hadn't? What if she had been nice? Maybe even flirted a little."

"I…well…I never thought about that-"

"Do you think she's attractive?"

"What?! N- no! Of course not."

"Emma, you came to me for a reason right? Because there's no one else that you talk to about all of this. Whatever you say won't leave these walls. This is a simple question. Do you think Regina is an attractive woman?" She watched Emma pace again while biting her lip.

"I guess…physically…she has a decent body…" She finally admitted and now Ruby did chuckle a few times.

"Please Em, we all know Regina's got a rockin bod. It's just the whole Evil Queen, bitch thing is a major turn off." She smirked and Emma gave a small smile with a roll of her eyes.

"Right."

"But seriously, if she were to have to been nice to you, if you two would have hit it off even just as friends from the beginning, do you really think it's "insane" that you could have formed some kind of relationship?" The question was logical and Ruby could see Emma's mind working.

"I guess anything is possible." She said quietly. "It's just that after all the power plays between us, the way I was…I don't know it was just not how I thought I'd react."

"You've thought about it huh?" Ruby was grinning and Emma narrowed her eyes.

"Hey, I did come to you for a reason and it was not to be made fun of."

"Sorry. What do you mean you reacted differently?" She immediately saw Emma's hesitation. "It's okay really. You can talk to me."

"I don't know it's just…I was way more…open in a weird way I guess. Like I usually won't even let someone just kiss me. I like to be in control of myself. Especially in that aspect, but with her…it was different." She couldn't quite find the words but Ruby nodded like she understood.

"I can't really believe that I'm saying this, but I don't think it's really that shocking. I mean without her going on the offensive with you, it sounds like you have no reason to defend yourself and more reason to open up a bit. Let your guard down...let go of a little control."

"It's just so crazy that it would be with her of all people."

"Well it seems to me that when you two drop the whole, fight to the death act, you still gravitate towards each other. Still go at each other throats. Just in a very different way." She gave a small, playful grin but was still being serious.

"Man…" Emma sighed, slumping down into a chair.

"So…what does this change?" Ruby said, sitting down next to her, watching the emotions cross her friends face. Emma looked up at her, shaking her head.

"It changes everything."

Henry was in bed in record time. He had his covers pulled up to his chest and his hands tapping over the medallion around his neck. Emma stood in the doorway with an amused smile.

After she had calmed enough to pick up Henry from school and survived his questioning about her hospital visit, referring to the event as a success but with no new information, she had done everything she could to keep him busy and occupied. Knowing he might have access to his comatose mother had him anxious and excited but Emma knew there was no way he could fall asleep so early. Now, after a few hours of sword practice, she figured that even with his excitement, he should fall asleep soon.

"I hope this works." He said with a small smile. Emma walked over and sat on the bed facing him.

"We should probably have some ground rules incase this really does work."

"Like what?"

"Like if you can control yourself…don't tell her its all just a dream world. Not yet. Tonight we're just trying to see if we can influence that world at all. But I don't want her to panic."

"Okay." He took a deep breath and Emma leaned up to kiss him on the forehead.

"Goodnight Henry."

"Night Emma."

With that Emma walked to the door, flipped the light switch, and stepped out of the room. Henry closed his eyes and thought of his sleeping mother. It took longer than normal due to his anxiety but eventually, exhaustion took over and sleep claimed him.

Regina

"Henry?" Emma waved her hand in front of his face.

"Huh?" He blinked a few times before glancing around the diner slowly.

"I said, don't get your hopes up okay?" Emma said from her seat across from him. Before he could form a response, Mary Margaret appeared next to them and took the seat beside Henry. Emma looked at her expectantly.

"He woke up."

"What?" Emma said immediately, her expression dropping.

"I mean he didn't wake up wake up but he grabbed my hand." Mary Margaret's eyes were wide and Henry was glancing back and forth between them.

"What did the doctor say?"

"That I imagined it but I'm not crazy. I know it happened." She insisted and Henry suppressed his excitement.

It worked.

He thought quickly. He knew they should just go to the toll bridge but couldn't think of a good argument. He shouldn't know that David left the hospital yet. Better to play this out the right way first.

"We have to go back. You have to read to him again." He said and Mary Margaret nodded.

"Let's go."

"Wh- wait. What?" Emma said with her eyes wide as she stood to face them.

"If I got through to him…if we made a connection-"

"You don't believe-"

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not. Somehow, someway…I touched him." Mary Margaret said before spinning and leaving the diner. Emma stood and stared after them incredulously before reluctantly following.

Most of what happened over the next few hours played out in a very similar way as the original timeline, though there were definitely differences. They did go to the hospital and discover the missing patient. But the first difference was how Regina wasn't there already. Henry brushed it off though, figuring this was one of her changes. She had after all, decided to go along with helping the husband and wife reunite. He felt odd about it though…possibly a little disappointed at her absence if he could admit it. But then again, he didn't over think it.

This time Henry stayed with them until it came to searching for David. Emma insisted it was time he went home, but in true Henry fashion, he simply waited until they had made it a small ways before following after like he had the first time. The next difference was that when Emma tried to get him to go home from the woods, she only pointed out that Regina would be worried and that he should have asked her first. The tone she used, with even more kindness than she had in the last few days of his true reality, actually threw him off for a moment. He stayed in character though and convinced her to let him stay again.

They found David, Mary Margaret woke him up and they returned to the hospital. This where things changed just a bit again. Though it was Henry that altered the time line.

It wasn't intentional of course. So far he had kept up easily, remembering how things went and keeping with the story line. Not even the sight of Graham had tripped him up enough to drop the act. Leave it to Regina though, to be the game changer.

Since the thought of his mother never waking up again entered his mind, Henry had a sick feeling in his stomach. He had been ignoring it and focusing on the dreams and ways to help her but he had been uneasy the whole time. When they stepped into the hospital again and the woman stood tall, as healthy as can be, he reacted without thought. Truthfully though, it was probably like any child who thought they'd lost their mother.

"Henry?" Regina got out just before ten year old arms squeezed like a vice around her waist. She brought one hand to the back of his head and the other to around his back. She glanced at Emma who shrugged, looking just as confused as Regina before turning her eyes back to their son. "Sweetie what is it? What's wrong?" She brushed his bangs away to see his eyes squeezed shut.

"Nothing." He mumbled as he realized how odd this must seem and started to pull back slowly. Regina cupped his cheek with a hand, still looking completely confused.

"Are you sure?" She still held his face as his expression turned to an easy smile.

"Yeah." He shrugged and hoped everybody would just let the little outburst go. Everyone in close proximity eyed him for another moment before getting back to their activities. As Mary Margaret, Emma and Graham moved towards the glass to check on David, Regina pulled Henry to the side to speak privately.

"I see the mission was a success." She smiled and the genuine quality of it held all of Henry's attention momentarily. It was so different but a really, really good different.

"Ye-yeah." He said, smiling up at her. For that moment, everything was perfect. Then-

"David?!"

All heads turned to see a tall blonde running through the hall and straight into the formerly comatose patient's room. Henry narrowed his eyes and looked up at Regina. He realized immediately though, that she was just as confused as everyone else.

"Who's that?" Mary Margaret asked and Regina nearly groaned out loud.

"His wife." She said reluctantly. She caught Henry's gaze and shook her head, lowering her tone so only he could hear. "I promise Henry, I had nothing to do with this." She defended quickly and Henry didn't need Emma's superpower to see the truth in her words.

"I believe you." He said and the woman sighed in relief. She asked him to wait a second before walking though the glass door and straight to the doctor, grabbing his arm to gain his attention.

"How did this woman know he was here?" She asked, trying to keep a calm tone. She was sure as hell positive she hadn't called Katherine this time around.

"I assumed you wanted her informed now. Now that he's awake of course." He shrugged and Regina repressed an eye roll.

It was amusing that she had looked like the bad guy for bringing her last time and she could have avoided that altogether. The thought had her shaking her head as she approached Henry again and knelt in front of him.

"Okay we have a little problem. That's Katherine." She paused and took a deep breath. Henry wanted to tell her it was okay, he already knew, but then he couldn't. "Technically, she is his wife here, but don't worry. We'll figure something else out alright?"

She looked so concerned at how Henry would react and the boy found himself feeling a little guilty. He didn't know much about Katherine but there was one thing about his world he could rely on and wondered how he hadn't considered this the first time around.

"What if we found her true love too?"

"Katherine's?" She asked curiously but then her mind immediately started working.

"Yeah. I mean she has one right? Here I mean. If we introduced them, she would see she doesn't really belong with David. Then he and Mary Margaret would be able to be together." He shrugged. He knew he was now completely off script, but then again it shouldn't matter as long as he didn't tell his Mom about the sleeping spell.

"Huh…okay. Yes you know him actually. It's your gym teacher." She said and Henry narrowed his eyes.

"You made Prince Charming's real wife, and his fake wife's real husband work together?" He asked raising eyebrow, looking very much like his adoptive mother. Regina's face showed an almost comical looking guilty expression.

"I did a lot of things like that I'm afraid." She held her expression until Henry let out a small snort of amusement and she raised an eyebrow.

"Great." He sighed and glanced over to hear a familiar conversation between Katherine and Mary Margaret about the blonde woman's past with her husband.

"Alright so for the next mission in Operation Cobra, you convince Mary Margaret to keep trying with David and I'll see what I can do about Katherine and Frederick." Regina said simply and Henry just stared at her. He knew from his dreams that they were in this together now, but actually talking about it with her in person like this and so casually made him pause yet again.

"Uh…okay." He finally responded. Regina smiled as she stood up and before anything else, Emma was at their side.

"Hey Regina, what are you doing here?" The first name and happy tone surprised Henry but he didn't react.

"I'm actually Mr. Nolan's emergency contact. I found him years ago and because we didn't know who he was, I automatically became his contact."

"Gotcha." Emma accepted the explanation at face value and Henry realized she had no reason to mistrust her here. "Stinks for Mary Margaret." She said as they looked over to the startled and disappointed looking woman.

"She'll be with Prince Charming eventually." Henry shrugged and saw Emma look at Regina. He wasn't quite sure of the dynamic there. How the two of them interacted when it came to the curse now that Regina was personally playing the major roll. They both knew about it and were both involved. The changing situation was making him lose character again and now he didn't know what else to say.

"I guess that is the dream right?" Emma finally said a little awkwardly. Regina though, looked the most uncomfortable. They saw Katherine finally go into the room and Mary Margaret looked like she was going to leave.

"I'm gonna go talk to Miss Blanchard." Henry said and walked to her. Emma looked at Regina again and moved a little closer.

"So uh…this whole curse thing…Henry says you're helping him?" She knit her brow slightly and Regina tried to think of how to respond. How to steer Emma a little without pushing her.

"He wants people to have their happy endings and I just want to show him that I'm not the Evil one keeping them apart anymore."

"Anymore?" Emma questioned with a raised brow.

"When it comes to my past, Henry's explanations are not as…implausible as they seem." She shrugged casually and subtly studied Emma's face.

"You're trying to tell me you used to be an Evil Queen? I find that just a tad hard to believe." Emma said playfully with a small laugh, but stopped when Regina's expression remained serious.

"I find it hard to believe that a woman could wake a patient who's been in a coma for years just by reading to him. But would you look at that." She looked curiously over at David who was giving an awkward one-armed hug to Katherine, but had his eyes glued to a younger short haired brunette.

"Wait, you're not actually asking me to believe Henry's story-"

"I'm not asking you to do anything. I'm simply pointing out that Henry is a very bright boy. He has a habit of getting these things right." She walked away from the deputy, trying to ignore her dumbfounded expression.

She was sure if she were to directly admit to being the Evil Queen of the fairy tale stories to Emma, the blonde would write her off as crazy or run away altogether. Neither of which would help her and Henry. She still hadn't ceased to be amazed at her own care in nudging Emma towards the truth.

When she walked back over to her son, she heard his teacher trying to sound logical about the crazy situation and Henry continuing to try to convince her the opposite. She avoided Mary Margaret's eyes, mainly because no matter what, she frankly still couldn't stand the woman. She smiled at Henry though, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I think it's time we headed out." She squeezed his shoulder, smiling when the boy gave his farewells and turned to walk beside her without any argument. She shared a kind smile with the young Deputy and tried not to react when the blonde winked at her playfully. There was a small fluttering feeling in her chest she tried hard to ignore. Neither noticed the furrowed brow of the ten year old, silently looking on.

As they made their way home, Regina noticed Henry looking at her rather frequently. He didn't look upset or angry, just intrigued and easily dodged any questions about his altered behavior, instead changing the subject to the curse. He seemed very interested and excited to speak about the "mission" and she indulged him, enjoying the one on one time. She didn't notice any other suspicious behavior until they started getting ready for bed and his demeanor changed again.

She walked up behind him as they were heading to their rooms and caught him standing hesitantly in the doorway. She watched for a minute as he looked around the room before finally addressing him.

"Henry?" She said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned slowly to face her.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay sweetie?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" He shrugged and Regina narrowed her eyes.

"Honey, you want to tell me what's going on? You've been acting oddly."

"No I haven't." He tried to defend, but Regina wasn't convinced. She took the next few steps towards the bed to sit and patted the space next to her. Henry bit his lip for a second as he sat beside her.

"What's going on? I thought you'd be happy." She tilted her head.

"I am…really. It's just…" He hesitated and Regina waited patiently for a moment before responding.

"Just what sweetie?"

"You're so different now." He looked down at his hands and spoke the next words quietly. "You're just being so good. Everything is so much better now."

"I told you Henry, I want to be good for you. To do the right thing. Be better." She spoke kindly, running her fingers through his hair.

"You are." He smiled and saw Regina's eyes get just a bit glassier.

"Well…it's time for bed now." She started to stand but Henry grabbed her arm impulsively.

"Do you…do you wanna read some comics together first?" He asked hesitantly. He didn't know exactly what would happen, or when he would go back to his world but he knew for certain he wasn't ready to let this one go yet. He felt an odd sensation run though him, but ignored it.

"Sure." Regina sounded just as hesitant but wouldn't dream of turning the offer down. She couldn't even remember the last time he asked her to read with him.

Henry smiled and jumped up. He studied the comics laid out across his desk and grabbed one with a smile. The two sat next to each other with their backs on the headboard. As they started reading, Henry felt another wave hit him. It was like for a second his whole body was overcome with exhaustion, but he focused on the words of the comic and the sound of Regina's voice when she read her part.

The more they continued, the more often it happened. He felt himself being tugged more and more towards sleep, leaning more of his weight on his mother. Regina simply took the behavior as being a tired little boy and took over the reading on her own. Henry fought to keep his eyes open, trying to concentrate but his whole body was just feeling heavier and heavier until his eyes started fluttering closed. Finally the pull was too overwhelming and he was out.

Present Storybrooke

"Henry?!" Emma shook Henry again and still couldn't get a reaction. She was starting to panic and as her tone rose, she gained the attention of her parents.

"Emma, what's going on?" Mary Margaret's voice startled Emma and the Sheriff spun to see the pair in the doorway.

"Henry's not waking up. I don't know what's going on." As Emma turned back to him, both parents quickly made it to her side.

"Why is he wearing the necklace?" David asked as he knelt by his grandson.

"He wanted to see if he could control his dreams with Regina."

"Okay we'll be getting back to that in a moment but let's try this first." David leaned in and removed the necklace. Once it was off he shook the boy's shoulder again. "Henry, come on buddy." They all watched with rapt attention as his eyes started fluttering slowly.

"Henry?…Henry?" Emma tried as his eyes landed on her. "Hey kid, I've been trying to get you up forever." Henry then sat up slowly as he took in the looks on his families faces. "Are you okay?"

"It worked!"

Almost done with school! Working on this when i can. I really hope you liked this chapter. Pretty please review! :)