Chapter 10

A/N: I would like to thank my lovely beta, LMPsisterhood, for taking interest in my story, and being a wonderful person! Check out her stories, dears! Happy Once-Sunday, and enjoy. Reviews are like candy, so gimme please…

Henry woke by a loud, sudden crash, just down the hall. He could hear glass breaking, and raised voices. It sounded a lot like Emma. There was a man too, but Henry could not quite identify the voice. It sounded very familiar; it was warm, but harsh. Calm, but raised. Henry stepped out into the hall that was brightened up by the light illuminating from downstairs. The closet door was open, which always used to be closed, by strict directions from Regina. Henry peeked around the corner and down the stairs. The woman was Emma indeed, but she looked different, her kind and goofy demeanour was gone, and it was taken over by a tired, mad woman. She was unrecognizable; such a far cry from the Emma he knew and loved. The man turned around, and to Henry's big surprise, it was actually just David. Why were they so angry and yelling at each other? He contemplated whether to go downstairs, or go back to bed to ignore it all. The choice got easy when he heard the word adultery and disgrace. He was only 11 years old, but he knew that those words were not nice words.

His feet shuffled heavily down the hall, before coughing and grunting captured his attention. The noises came from the master bedroom. Regina's bedroom. He had not seen his mom since that day in the forest, or rather, 48 hours ago. It was not because he was scared of her; he was terrified of how she would look and if the curse had affected her feelings towards everything. If she had reversed to her old ways, or if she would continue on her recently heroic path. Should he knock? What if she couldn't speak? He decided that it was best if he carefully opened the door to see what position she was in, and if she even was awake. There was a good chance that the curse had wiped all of her energy.

There she was, lying on her back under the duvet. He could not tell if she was asleep or not, but her slowly heaving chest told him that she did not have problems breathing, which was a big relief.

"Who- who's there?" Regina said, almost in a whimper followed by a cough. She tried to sit up straight, as if to protect herself. Henry rushed over to her, and helped her lay down comfortably.

"Mom, it's just me, Henry." He said and pushed the hair out of her face. He could not control the gasp that escaped his lips when his eyes landed upon his mother's face. It was almost completely blue, with gashes, her lips were completely chapped. He made eye contact with her, and he wiped away the tears that ran down her cheeks. She turned her head away; however, she reached out for Henry's hand and held on to it tightly.

"I do not want you to see me in this state." She said, with the little of authority and conviction she had left in her body. Henry let go of her hand, and went to the other side of the bed. Regina just pulled her hand back to her body, closed her eyes in disappointed of the fact that Henry left her. That was until she felt the bed dip, and someone laying down in front of her face. She reluctantly opened her eyes, only to be met by brown, comforting orbs. He had this smile on his face that was familiar of sorts; he would smile like that when he was happy. It had been such long time since the last time she had seen her son smile like that in her presence. A small, pale hand reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. Henry let his palm rest on Regina's uninjured cheek, and he began stroking his thumb just under her eye.

"I think you're beautiful." He whispered to his mom. That was all it took to break down the last of Regina's wall; her insecurities. A heart-wrenching sob escaped Regina's lips as she used all the energy she had left to lift her arm and lay it around her son's waist, and pull him in close to her body, feeling his heart beat against her chest. It was horribly painful, but it was the most beautiful kind of pain she had ever felt.

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"You don't go cheating on your wife when she is in fucking fairy-tale land, fighting for her life, only to be back in your arms, David!" Emma yelled. She eventually came back after the initial shock of the adultery revelation, but now, all she wanted to do was yell things at David that he already knew.

"I know that, Emma. Just let me explain." He said, holding his hands up in mock surrender to show his daughter that she had the upper hand of this fight. Of course, he knew his "affair" with Regina was the wrong thing. However, out of all of his "mistakes", Regina was most definitely his favourite.

"I don't want to hear it. There is no excuse!" Emma yelled and walked towards him in a raging pace, fists clenched at her sides. Her voice was on the verge of breaking, and there were tears threatening to fall down her cheeks that were red with anger.

"I'm a real person, Emma. I'm not the perfect Prince Charming. I make mistakes, because I am human, just like you. Your mom and I had problems for a long time, but we always supressed them; there was always a new adventure waiting for us, or some curse to be broken. We never had time to actually get to know each other and fall in love." Charming said, his voice raised, but not in a condescending way, but like he wanted Emma to listen to every word he said. Emma stood there for a long time, just processing what had just been thrown at her. She was 29 years old; this should not affect her as much as it did. However, they were the only parents she had ever had that actually cared for her, no matter what. That unconditional love a child is meant to receive.

"Did you ever love her? My mom?" she asked carefully, like she was a little child again.

"Of course I did."

"But?"

"I was never fully in love with her as I wish I was." He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. That was the first time he had ever acknowledged the fact that he was never in love with Snow. There is a certain way you should feel for a person you are truly in love with; you would be willing to do anything and everything for that person. Emma shifted uncomfortably, mouth agape.

"What is this? Some joke? You have a kid together!"

"Yes, we do, and I have never regretted that decision." Emma started pacing, muttering curses under her breath. Her hands flew up to her hips, and she tucked them into her waist.

After a long silence, Emma finally spoke up, "How long?"

"What?" Confusion was written all over David's face. Emma took a step closer before she continued.

"How long have you and Regina been…intimate?" David would never lie to his daughter, bit this was one of those hard decisions where the lie can actually save the feelings of the other person. However, David had learned that lies come back and bite you straight in the ass. It felt right to just come out clean right away.

"2 days after you fell through the portal."

"Seriously? You went over to Regina's house, tail between your feet, seeking comfort, only to end up fucking her?" Emma was only half way through her rant before she saw someone at the top of the stairs.

"Must you be so loud? You are scaring Henry." Regina said, clutching to the rails, as if her life depended on it. Ironically enough, she had good reason to.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?" David and Emma ran up to her and grabbed each side of her waist, and helped her keep her weight of her feet. Regina flinched in pain, but it soon disappeared.

"You were scaring Henry." She simply stated as they carried her back to the bed and laid her carefully down on top of the duvet this time. David told them he was going downstairs for some water, and that he would take Henry back to bed.

"Do you promise that you're not gonna' hurt her? I heard you talking about her." Henry said, keeping a glare toward Emma.

"Kid, I promise you, I will not hurt Regina." Emma said, taking his hand in hers, but he quickly pulled away. He wanted her to know that he was upset with her. Henry bent down, and kissed Regina goodnight on the cheek before he left the room. Emma was just turning around to leave before Regina spoke up.

"I never meant to hurt your feelings, I hope you know that. This is not about you." She said, and Emma turned around so quick, it surprised Regina that she did not get dizzy.

"Hurt my feelings? You fucked a married man, Regina! Don't you have any self-respect?"

"I never, as eloquently as you put it, fucked David. We kissed. Once. That's it." Regina said, so slow and firmly that it took Emma by surprise. She thought her dad had been so reckless, but he had only kissed the woman. However, it still counts s cheating. He was still legally married to his wife; he cannot go around kissing every woman he wants. Nevertheless, it was Regina. Emma had always noticed this chemistry between her father and Regina, but she never really gave it much thought. Secretly, she had noticed her mom and dad's relationship going downhill, but she had chosen to ignore it.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Emma sneered at the brunette, her words like venom.

"No, it's not. I just wanted you to know all of the facts necessary for you to understand this situation." Emma scoffed and raised her eyebrows. How could she possibly understand this? This is cheating, and David's wife, her mother, just died.

"She's dead." Emma said, but she did not understand her own words, she did not want to understand. The only person she had close to being her mother, was gone because of her. Regina looked surprised at Emma's words, but quickly recovered.

"I know." Tears gathered in both women's eyes. Emma just sat down at the edge of the bed and gave a long, exhausted sigh. Regina scooted over, so Emma had room.

"I'm not mad." Emma said, and Regina mutely nodded, her eyes glistening with appreciation. Regina's biggest fear was that Henry and Emma was going to hate her for "stealing" David.

"Thank you, Emma." David came running through the door with a glass of water in his left hand. Emma and Regina just stared at him, mouths agape.

"Shit, I fell asleep at the counter, okay?" He said pinching the bridge of his nose. United laughter spread all over the room as the sun rose outside the window, creating yet another day.