Breaking the news to Henry wasn't easy. Regina put it off until they were home and he was unpacking his school bag. She knocked on the door to his room, even though it was open and walked inside before he could invite her in.

"Emma's not moving in, is she?" He asked, without turning around.

"It's complicated."

"But she said she would."

"We've decided it's best if we wait a while longer. We want to give people time to get used to us being together first."

"We? Does that mean you or her?"

"Henry…"

"I don't understand."

"Not everyone will understand…"

"So, who matters most? Mom or them?"

"Emma, of course."

"Then why…"

"People still need time to see us together, we don't want to rush into things. You'll understand when…"

"If you say when I'm older…"

Regina put her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry."

Henry let out a deep breath. "So how much longer?"

"I don't know."

When Snow's first 'family dinner' invite came through, Regina was so nervous. She spent an entire day thinking about nothing else. She worried about what to wear, what to say to them. What if Henry or Emma said or did something to let them know what had been going on? What if she did or said something to mess up this second chance?

Luckily it was Henry's night with her so he walked with her to Snow's and knocked on the door. She reminded him in the house and again on the way that Snow didn't know and her relationship with Emma. It wouldn't be fair to bring it up now. He said he understood. Emma had given him the same talk.

Snow's greeting for the grandson she had seen only the day before gave Regina a chance to get inside and take a look around. She didn't see Emma. Charming, however, was standing in the kitchen area, setting a plate of freshly baked cookies on the side. Regina shrugged off her coat before Snow could offer to take it.

"Welcome, welcome." Snow finally spoke when Henry had disentangled himself from her hug.

She smiled at Regina, her hands coming up as if to offer her a hug, but her smile faltered as if realising that Regina might not accept it and one hand dropped back to her side. Regina gazed at the one hand she was still holding out, then shook it. As her hand touched Snow's, the younger woman seemed to relax and her smile brightened again. When Regina looked around, Henry was already sitting on one of the stools in front of his grandfather, smiling with a half-eaten cookie in one hand.

"How have you been?" Regina tried to start the conversation as Snow led her towards the sofa.

"Good. David still misses working with Emma, but we're keeping busy. I'm going to visit the school next week and see how Belle is getting along. How are you finding your new job?"

"Emma's keeping me busy with paperwork."

Snow laughed. "Yes, the reports have certainly been improving recently."

Henry stayed where he was as David kept him talking and didn't remove the plate from the counter. Snow had sat down opposite Regina.

"Will Emma be joining us?" Regina asked looking around.

Snow shook her head. "Unfortunately she's got to work."

Regina was surprised Snow wasn't suspicious at her question. She had no idea what Emma was using as her excuse to stay away. There wasn't anything urgent at the moment. It was just Emma's way of evading her. Again.

Since the text asking her to cover shifts at certain hours this week, Emma had managed to stay out of the office and avoid seeing her. Regina knew she was hurt and she didn't know how to fix it without risking her second chance with Snow. She had already booked an appointment with Archie for the morning. Hopefully he could help her figure it all out.

"So what's for dinner?" Henry finally came to join them after David removed his temptation from remaining near the kitchen.

"Roast dinner. The full works." David promised as he followed him over. "Should be ready in about half an hour."

Regina wished Emma was there. Half an hour of conversation with her ex-stepdaughter for the first time in decades wasn't going to be easy. She reminded herself that it was a first step. Like trying to be good for Henry. It would be hard at first, but she could do it.

If only Emma was there to support her.

Pongo came and took up his customary position, placing his head on Regina's knee as she sat down. Archie smiled and adjusted his glasses.

"Lovely morning today, isn't it?"

"I had dinner with Snow and Charming last night. Henry was there. She wants to give me a chance to be part of their family again." Regina rushed out the words, her hand stroking Pongo to try and calm herself.

"Oh." Archie didn't look too surprised at the news, and Regina wondered if this was something Snow had already discussed with him. "How did it go?"

"It was uncomfortable at first. I kept expecting her to mention the past, but she talked about the town and Henry so…"

"That's good."

"Except that it's messed up the relationship I was telling you about. I tried to slow things down, to focus on this thing with Snow and… I don't know. Now everything's… I just don't know what to do. Did I make the right choice?"

"Slow down, go back a minute. Why should this affect your relationship?"

"Because…" Regina tried to remember her rehearsed excuse. "I said I needed to set more time aside from the relationship to spend with Snow. The relationship had been progressing so fast, we were thinking about moving in together…"

"Before you said you loved them?" Archie interrupted.

Regina nodded. "Everything else was perfect. We'd told Henry, in fact he brought up the subject before I could as if they wanted to move in."

Now Archie was interested. That bit of information certainly narrowed down the list of suspects, though he had already one candidate in mind as the favourite. He indicated to Regina that she should continue.

"Then Snow made her offer…"

"And you don't think she would accept you having this other person as part of your life? Do you think she would make the relationship difficult for you?"

"It's not just that." Regina leant forward and placed a kiss on top of Pongo's head, giving herself a little more time to reply. "I need to show Snow and everyone that I can change. Henry needs to see a happy family and I know in the past we've both done things to hurt the other but she made the offer… I only asked for a little more time."

Archie smiled at her. "And this other person didn't understand? Did you try and explain?"

"Yes, of course…"

"If you had to choose again, right now, what is it that you want most of all? Not Henry, pretend he isn't in the picture at all, but Snow or this other relationship?"

Regina returned his smile. She knew the answer. She just wasn't sure how to convince Emma.

"Then you need to sit down and have a proper talk with them. Even if you're not ready to introduce them to Snow, you should mention that you're in a relationship. Maybe build up a friendship by asking for advice; you don't have to say who it is but make her feel part of your life. I think she would like that. As to this other person…"

"I want to say 'I love you' and I've been trying to…"

"You can't avoid heartache forever. Admitting your feelings or not, the pain will be just as great if something goes wrong. Saying it out loud to them, perhaps…perhaps they're just as scared as you are and this will let them know that you feel the same way." He smiled as he remembered Emma's similar visit and part of him hoped they could both get past their fears. "Keep trying. I have faith in you."

"I think you're on your own there."

"If you want to practice some more, why not try it on Pongo? You seem comfortable with him and he certainly likes you."

Regina laughed and just continued to stroke the Dalmatian's fur.