"Come on, Reggie, you know I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then enlighten me, Miss Swan, how DID you mean it? Because it sounded like you weren't concerned at all about Henry going to Daniels every weekend."

"It's not that I'm not concerned, I'm sorry I joked about you having more free time to spend with me. I don't honestly think he'll have him every weekend anyways, his lawyer is just trying to make this more drawn out than necessary."

"I don't care if you thought it was merely a joke, even the thought that I would want to be away from Henry at all is enough."

"Regina, I get it, really I do."

"How could you get it? You have no problem being away from Charlotte, you know nothing on the matter of being a mom!" A gasp escaped Regina's throat as she looked in shock at Emma, the taken aback expression said it all. She had hit home, and now she had to deal with the consequences. Her mother's statement drifted through her thoughts "To speak without thinking is to shoot without aiming". She truly hadn't meant it when she said it, and she really didn't want to hurt Emma, she had just been upset and spoke words she didn't mean, something she had always done.

"Emma, I didn't mean that."

"Yes, I think you did. Don't worry, I get it. You're right, I can hardly speak on the matter of mothering when I'm not much of one myself now can I?"

"Emma, that's not true, I swear to you."

"No, Regina I think you're right. Maybe we should take a break from this… this whatever it is we have going so I can learn to be a better parent first."

"This whatever? You mean our relationship?"

"What relationship, Regina? We haven't really been on a proper date. Every weekend I want to spend with you, you rather spend with Henry except on the rare occasion he takes off to his friend's house for a night. On week days you're too busy looking at jobs, even though I offered you one. We can't hang out at your house because you live at your sisters. What relationship do we really have?"

"ONE WHERE I LOVE YOU. I don't want to take that job because I feel like it's just saying I can't get one on my own! I want my own job before I leave my sisters so I can have a stable environment! I've been spending time with Henry because he's my son, and I don't want him to grow up! I'm sorry if that's not enough for you."

"I love you too, Regina, and I'm sorry that you don't feel like you can take that job from me… but until this shit storm gets worked out, I think we need some time apart."

"Agreed, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my SISTER'S house." And with that she stormed out, slamming the door. Charlotte stuck her head out from behind the kitchen door, disappointment etched across her features.

"So… I guess we get to eat the anniversary cake ourselves?"

"I suppose so, it's just a stupid one month anyways."

"Mom… it's okay to be upset."

Emma let out a sigh, and walked towards her daughter tugging her into her side.

"Don't grow up too fast, you're already too smart for your own good.. Now what do you say we have some of that cake and watch a movie?"

"You don't have to spend time with me if you don't want too… I don't think that you're not a mom just because we haven't had the best relationship… you don't gotta feel obligated."

"I don't feel obligated, I promise, we need to spend time together anyways, Regina is right on that part."

Charlotte let a shy smile take place on her features before taking the piece of cake her mother had cut for her into the living room to pick out a movie.

Across town Regina was just arriving home when Henry was coming to the front door with a wrapped present in hand.

"there's no need to bring that now, Henry. You can just… put it in my closet."

"Uh… why?"

"Emma and I are… taking a break."

"That's stupid. Why?

"Because her and I don't see eye to eye on some things…"

"Okay, spill. What happened?"

"You are twelve, you don't need to hear about these things."

"I'm almost thirteen, mom. I'm not three, I understand relationships. Just spill okay?"

"Fine… we had a falling out because she says that I spend too much time with you, and not enough with her. As in we haven't really gotten to go on a proper date yet. And I may have said that she wouldn't understand how I feel because she doesn't act like a mother to Charlotte."

"Mom…"

"What? It's not my fault she doesn't spend as much time with Charlotte as I spend with you."

"that's a good thing. You spend too much time with me."

"What?"

"You heard me. You want to hang out a lot, and honestly? I rather hang out with friends more often, but I don't want to ask because I don't want to hurt your feelings."

"And you thought now would be the optimum time to hurt them?"

"No, I just think that while we're talking about things out in the open… that I should let you know that she does have somewhat of a point. It also isn't very nice to tell her she isn't a mother."

"Now you sound like me."

"Well it's true. She's not the same as you are, and that's bound to happen. Everyone is different, isn't that what you've always taught me?"

"I suppose…"

"Good, now can you go fix this?"

"Henry, it's not that simple."

"Yes it is. You just have to believe, go out on a date or something! Don't break up on your one month anniversary, that's gotta be like bad luck or something."

"Henry, she's also upset that I haven't taken the job she offered, it's not an overnight fix."

"Take the job then."

"What?"

"Take the job. We both know it's just your pride stopping you."

"Henry Boston Mills…"

"Mills, I like that. Now go on, go get your girl!"

"She's probably too angry with me."

"I doubt it… would you just go already? Jeesh. And take the present with you, do I have to be the boss around here?"

"We're talking about this later!"

"No we're not! Bye mom!"

Regina let out a sigh and shook her head as the front door was shut behind her. She was smothering him? And when did he learn to speak like that? Maybe Emma wasn't the only one who wasn't mothering enough if her son knew how to behave like an adult already. She supposed that it was her pride getting in the way, but in all honesty… Other than her son, it was all she had left, and it was already dented and bent out of shape from the lies her ex-husband had fed her. Too often she found herself playing on the defensive, and behaving in an inappropriate manner to an adult. She had jumped into the wife role to early, and grew up too fast, now she was paying for it.

She decided to walk back to Emma's house, allowing the cold air to calm her nerves. It had already been a month since they started going out, and it seemed a little ridiculous that they had this falling out now. But Henry was right, she needed to straighten out, and they were both being ridiculous, trying too hard. She let her mind drift to all the wonderful memories they already had, and couldn't help the smile on her face that came whenever she thought of their possible future. She wanted more children, that was for sure, and she hoped it was something Emma wanted too.

Emma…

Hopefully she hadn't messed it up too bad, surely she wasn't completely to blame… but she did have some fault, and she shouldn't have said what she did.

In Emma's house, her and Charlotte were still watching the movie. Kind of. Mostly they were talking about what happened, and Charlotte took up much the same role as Henry had. Both children had grown up too quickly.

"I'm just saying that maybe you shouldn't joke about stuff like that… and that you should be more understanding of her not wanting to take the job you offered her."

"And why is that?"

"Because, she has pride much like you do. Do you like it when people question your choices?"

"Well… no…"

"Exactly, I think you need to buck up, and apologize."

"It's not that simple."

"Then make it that simple."

"You are just like her you know?"

"Like who?"

"Regina"

"Really?"

"Yes, she was just like you at your age. All logical, and an adult even before puberty. I don't know how you ended up just like her with me as your mother, and maybe it's because I've… been like cora. But still, the coincidence is ridiculous."

"I'm happy to be like her. And… You're not too much like Cora. I get it mom, really I do. Okay? No hard feelings."

"How would you feel about a mother daughter day every week?"

"I think that would be amazing! Can we do Wednesday's?"

"Why Wednesday's?"

"Its… we'll it's…"

"Go on."

"It's brownie dessert day at the Diner every Wednesday…"

Emma let out a laugh, pulling her daughter into a hug.

"And here I thought you were a Regina clone! I knew you were my kid, all about the food! Of course we can have mother-daughter day be on Wednesday."

Charlotte smiled brightly, snuggling into her mother's side before a knock sounded against the door.

"I'll get it!"

Charlotte skipped up to the front door, opening it quickly with a large smile that quickly faded. The sheriff was at the door, and he looked somewhat down trodden.

"Graham?"

"yes, hello Charlotte, is your mother here?"

"Um... Yeah, just a second. MOM! GRAHAM IS HERE!"

The sheriff winced a little before the blonde came into view, a grim expression already in place.

"Emma, do you have somewhere private we may speak?"

"Um. I suppose so, yes. Follow me."

They walked over to the office, Emma quietly closing the door behind graham before turning around, facing him with an unreadable expression.

"Well, what is it?"

"There's been an accident…"

"Who's accident?"

"It's your dad, Emma. He's been in a car accident and he's at the hospital waiting for surgery. He um.. His police cruiser crashed into the light pole, and they're saying they don't know when he'll wake up."

"So help me graham, if this is some sick and twisted joke…"

"it's not I swear it! He was fine when I saw him just an hour ago! But then I got a call that he was in pursuit of some teens that had been desecrating the town hall, and he got in the car and that was the last I heard until I got a call from the dispatch unit that his car had hit a pole! I called ahead to the hospital and they told me everything, so I came to tell you."

Emma's expression was blank, minus the thin line her mouth was sat in.

"Have you told my mother?"

"Leroy told her, he was fixing to have a drink with your dad when he heard the news."

"I have to get there immediately, will you watch Charlotte for me? Please?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank you."

With that she rushed out of the house, no jacket, and barely a pair of shoes when she just about toppled over due to a brunette in a rush.

"Regina?"

"Emma."

"I don't have time to argue right now, Regina I have to go to the hospital."

"I didn't come to argue, I promise. What's at the hospital?"

"My dad's been in an accident, I have to go."

"Wait, I can drive you!"

"I don't have time for this, I'll talk to you later. Goodbye Regina."

Deep brown eyes watered, before a single tear slid down her cheek. Maybe she had messed this up too much, now Emma wouldn't even let her drive to the hospital. More tears fell as the brunette walked back in the direction she came, letting her mind wander before she came to one resounding thought. She would get her car and she would drive to the hospital where she would support Emma. She didn't care how they ended up, Emma needed someone, and she wasn't going to let some stupid fight stop that. She loved too much and too deeply for that. She would fix this no matter what, was her final thought before stomping her way over to her car, jerking it into gear and heading off to the hospital in pursuit of her love.