Emma wakes up the next morning feeling really rather content. She has only had about three hours sleep but today she can get out of bed easily. Usually it is at least two snoozes later. She goes downstairs to find Mary Margret sat quietly drinking coffee.

"Emma" she beams "What are you doing up?"

"I have work" Emma replies smiling, she feels somewhat giddy this morning. Bouncy.

"Yes but you are up, awake" Mary Margret shakes her head as if wonders will never cease.

"I do like to go to work awake" Emma jokes getting a pan to make Henry breakfast. "Do you want a pancake?" she asks. Mary Margret looks at her grapefruit breakfast, she had intended and grins.

"Of course I do, Extra maple for me."

Emma's mood seems to be infecting the whole house that morning. Henry soon stirs out of his teenage slumber at the smell of pancakes. Coming into the kitchen he stops.

"Mum, you are cooking?" His surprise is palatable. "Is Mary Margret ok?" he asks genuinely smiling at both women. "Are you ok?" He jokes.

"What?" Emma exclaims, "It is not unheard of a mother makes breakfast for her son!" she laughs. Even the kid's digs will not shake this good mood. She ruffles his hair as he takes a seat. The morning is spent with relaxed banter and no rush until Mary Margret noticed the time and all three rush to get ready while still trying to be quiet as David had a very late night. Mary Margret joking at the state her husband came in as, "He was never a good drinker" she laughs doing another impression of him trying to be quiet coming in.

"Shhhhh, don't wake the baby" she exaggerates every step. Henry is in hysterics at the impressions by this time.

"Come on Henry," Emma reminds him.

Henry rushes off to get ready while Mary Margret is dealing with Neal. Leaving Emma momentarily alone. As she got ready she reflects on the morning how happy her family seemed to be, last night Henry had seemed distracted and she could tell Mary Margret had noticed. She had made a note to talk to her about him. For now she trusted him to come to her when he was ready. She would also mention it to Regina, but would she be too pushy with him? She hoped not. No Regina had changed a lot, she could let him come to her now.

Henry was ready before Mary Margret came back, so Emma decided to talk to her later, she had enough to deal with, with a hungover husband and a young baby. So they left for work and school still laughing with each other about David's escapades.

Regina woke up later that she would usually but feeling just as relaxed and invigorated as Emma. She didn't remember a time she had felt so good, she had slept really well. She rolled over in her bed feeling a pang of loneliness. Missing Emma even though she had no right to. She had no right to expect the blonde to be there. She had not right to crave her body heat next to her. She had no right to miss her.

But she did.

She got up feeling her body, it was the best it had felt in years. As she stretched none of her muscles complained. None of her joints cracked. She decided she would go for a run. She had often ran in this world to stay in shape, of course she didn't do it in front of the Storybrooke residents. They didn't need to see the former Mayor, former Queen looking anything less the formidable. Sweaty and red was not going to happen. She had a light breakfast to stop herself from fainting or feeling sick. As banana smoothie should do it, as she added cinnamon to taste she thought of Emma. Smiling she blitzed the fruit and almond milk. As she drank it at the breakfast bar planning where to run, her phone buzzed.

*Do you want to go for dinner at Grannies with us tonight?* it was the cinnamon junkie herself, Emma.

Needless to say it made Regina smile. It was mid-morning, she must be at work by now, and Regina thought about it, were they becoming a family, her and the Charmings? Somewhat dysfunctional but a real family. The scary thing was Regina was ok about it, Snow and David being her family and sharing Henry. The only thing was Emma and herself, but that was just casual. No hurt feelings. No risk, she told herself, pulling on her trainers and starting to run down the drive. She decided to text Emma when she got back. Putting her ear phones in and selecting her favourite running songs she set off down the road. After a few minutes she stretched her muscles and took in the view of Storybrooke. It was a beautiful day and the waterfall would only enhance her feeling of wellbeing. So she set off upstream, feeling the air in her lungs and the hard ground at her feet.

She really did feel alive as she ran, it took a while until the feeling in her stomach relating to Emma calmed. Until she could feel herself, feel like she did before Daniel, before she married Leopold, before the curse. For once, however short lived, she felt free.

When she got back to her house she was surprised to see the door open. She knew she wouldn't have left her own front door open, so a small shard of apprehension settles in her stomach. Who was in her house? Slowly she crept in, fireball already brewing in her left hand. She heard a sound from the kitchen, was it someone cursing under their breath? Someone she knew?

It was Emma.

She walked into the kitchen

"What the hell are you doing?" she said louder than she intended, but then again why was Emma poking about her house?

"What am I…?" Emma stuttered "Where the hell have you been?" She asked clearly worked up about something. Regina was at a loss as to what though. Her look is obviously questioning this as Emma continues

"I text you over two hours ago. I thought you were mad at me so I came over and you weren't here, dirty dishes everywhere." She said in one lungful.

Regina chuckled, "Dishes everywhere, one blender and a glass?" she couldn't help but laugh at the endearing blonde. "Miss Swan you were worried about me due to a blender, I don't have OCD you know"

Emma looks around, calming down somewhat as Regina is clearly ok and not mad at her for any reason. She sighs relaxing. "Well you do keep house" she says weakly.

"Ha" Regina laughs "I… er… I went for a run" she says shyly, she had never told anyone before and it felt like some sort of sordid secret.

"A…. What?" Emma says in disbelief, "you went for a run" she doesn't know if she is more shocked because she panicked about something so mundane or the fact Regina goes running.

"Yes" Regina says slightly defensive and pouting "Why are you here" she asks curiously. Reflecting the attention off herself. Now it was Emma turn to be comfortable.

"Well … I er…." She starts, "I was worried, okay? You didn't get back to me. You weren't in work. I checked. You weren't here." She sighs she knew it was an overreaction but the fear had been real. If Regina was angry at her, again after all they had done or if she was gone altogether. What would she do? But she didn't want to admit that yet. Not yet.

After a short discussion where Emma calmed down Regina agreed to come go out with them for a meal that evening. So at around half seven she found herself sat with Henry, Emma, Snow and charming with Neil asleep in his car seat next to them.

Regina ordered the southern chicken salad, knowing her lasagne far out strides Granny's. Both Henry and Emma order the burger with fries, extra onion rings. Snow orders the sea food surprise and David orders the steak medium rare. They were enjoying each other's company. Regina was again surprised, she was happy. It wasn't a battle; it wasn't a competition of power or control. It was a pleasure. A good time. They all laughed so freely with each other. They were really happy at seeing their family's happiness. It was a first for Regina, but it was bliss. Even Snow making fun of David was funny not annoying. After everyone had finished their mains, Henry, Emma and Charming order huge sundaes while Regina treated Snow to a disaronno over ice.

"I don't honestly think we have ever shared anything like this" Mary Margret said raising a glass to Regina, "It's nice."

Regina smiled finding it surprisingly easy to hold back a sarcastic comment.

"It is nice" she chuckles and sips the amber liquid.

"Not as nice as this double chocolate hot fudge toffee sundae" Henry says with a mouth full of ice-cream.

"Henry" Emma sighs, "close your mouth." She says half serious, "No one wants to see that."

Henry just grins.

"How can this boy be mine? Ice cream all over his face" Regina jokes.

"Muuuuum I am not eight" Henry whines.

"Well, please eat like it then" Regina says still smiling while Emma laughs and ruffles his hair.

"You are not too big to listen to your mums!" she adds.

"It's ok" Henry grins, "Everyone knows that grandparents are the best ones." He smiles at David and Mary Margret.

"Defiantly" David agrees raising his sundae glass to cheers Henry, Emma shoves him playfully.

"Good old Gramps." She laughs

"Hey, hey, less of the old" he replies heartily.

The banter continues as ice creams and drinks are finished, until Snow looks at her watch and realizes the time.

"Oh my, it is ten" she says shocked.

"Seriously" Emma joins, looking around the now deserted diner. "Doesn't this place close at nine?" she asks seeing Ruby wave her over from behind the counter. When she gets there Ruby drops to her elbows.

"Yeah, you guys were so cute together, we let you stay over, tips are welcome though!" she says loud enough for the table of people to hear her. Then she adds quietly, "Regina cannot take her eyes off you" causing Emma stomach to summersault. "What is going on?"

"What? Nothing is going on" Emma lies, "What do you mean, can't keep her eyes off me?"

"She keeps looking at you, what else would I mean?" Ruby digs, "I mean she is looking at you"

Emma looks over to see Regina looking at her and quickly looking away, smiling. She looks back at Ruby, to see, Ruby's face is a mixture of *I knew it* and *I told you so*

"What's going on?"

"Nothing Rubes" Emma says again, to a very unconvinced Ruby.

"Ok" Ruby says with a red glint in her eye. "Ok I will just have to find out myself."

"What?" Emma says, "There is nothing to find out." She tries but she knows Ruby has a sense of something, and she won't let it go, so she decided she has to warn Regina. ASAP. What else can she do?

"Thanks for this Rubs" she says trying to call an end to the conversation.

"Here have a round on me" Ruby offers loud enough for everyone to hear, causing a cheer from the Charmings and Henry.

"You must join us for one Red" says Snow happily, and of course Ruby accepts, immediately grinning at Emma.

Shit, Emma thinks, shit, shit, shit.

Ruby brings them another round of drinks and pulls up a seat smiling as she sits down.

"So what's the occasion?" she asks.

"Nothing really" Snow replies, "just one of those last minute decisions"

"Ah come on, you are all so happy" Ruby presses.

Regina notices that Emma is trying not to look at her at all now. She wonders what happened; the blonde seems quieter all of a sudden. She pulls her phone onto her knee and texts, *are you ok?*

She looks up trying to see if Emma gets it, seeing the look of recognition in Emma eyes as she reads her own phone.

"I am just nipping to the loo" Emma excuses herself, praying Ruby will not stir up anything before she can get back. Emma gets to the toilet and quickly gets her phone out, deciding to text Regina and warn her what is going on now. *Ruby suspects there is something is going on*

She waits a few minutes for a response but quickly decides it is too long and she has to go back to the table.

Sitting down she makes herself comfortable with her beer Ruby has brought over. Seeing Regina glance up at her and look away she knows she got the text. She feels her phone vibrate in her pocket and casually looks at it.

*how does she suspect? What did you say to her over there?*

A spark of anger flares in Emma but she pushes it down. She needs to keep her cool or Ruby will notice. She can feel the wolf's eyes watching her.

"Hey guys, what about a girls' night out at the bar?" she grins, "M are you game?"

"Sure" says Mary Margret a bit taken a back at the sudden conversation change but enthusiastic never the less.

"Regina you can come too, it'll be fun" she adds, grinning like her animal counterpart. And Emma can swear she can see a red glint in her eye.

"Well… er…" Regina chokes on her drink, "I don't know." She visibly squirms.

"Awwww come on, let loose" Snow joins in, Regina looks at Emma willing her to help, but even she doesn't know what to say.

"What about Henry?" she says clearly grasping at straws.

"Hey" Henry interrupts "I am old enough to look after myself, And Grandpa will be there" he adds as she Emma open her mouth in protest. "You have a good night, it will be good for you" he smiles.

"Well, that settles it" says Emma feeling totally railroaded by her so called bloody friend, inside she is planning on how she can have serious words with the wolf.

"Cool sorted" Red beams "Friday good for everyone, I will text you all the details." And with that she bounces off to tidy up. Everyone has finished their drinks by this point so stand to get ready to leave.

"Come on Henry, you need to get to bed" Emma says.

"But I'm not tired" Henry whine stifling a poorly timed yawn.

"I don't care, you have school" Emma says sternly, "I'll walk Regina home and by the time I am back I expect you tucked up in your PJs." She smiles.

"You do not need to chaperone me Miss Swan" Regina says stubbornly. "I am a grown woman."

"I know" Emma says "but I don't care, who knows what lurks about at night here." Regina just tuts but thankfully doesn't argue back. She merely nods in acceptance.

"See you soon" Emma says to her parents, as she follows Regina out of the door.

Regina stops and turns to say "Yes, Snow this was nice," smiling, "Really nice"

"Good" Mary Margret says happily.

Then the pair turns to leave, stepping into the cold night air. Closing their coats in surprise at against the chill.