"She's not answering her phone," Mary Margaret paced her small apartment. "Where do you think she could be? It's nearly 9."

David frowned deeply. "I don't know, but, wherever she is, it's some place safe. She wouldn't take Henry somewhere that wasn't." He sighed heavily as he ran a hand over his face. "She's not at Granny's, she's not staying with Ruby, and she's not at the station."

"The last place we know about is Regina's." The little brunette stopped talking as a look of abject horror crossed her face. "David, you don't suppose…?" She let the thought trail off.

"It's possible. When you two were away, Henry spent a few nights with Regina when I had to work late shifts at the station for whatever reason, but I don't know how likely it is Emma is there right now. What are the odds Regina would allow Emma to stay in her house?"

"Without hurting her?" At his nod, Mary Margaret's face steeled. "Not great."

"She might not hurt Emma if it meant doing more damage to her relationship with Henry. You know how she is about him." David stood up to retrieve his keys and a jacket. "She's trying to do better by him."

"I can't believe you believe her." She followed him, picking up her coat along the way. "You know she's just playing us. There's no way she's honestly trying to be a better person. When we finally figure out what angle she's playing, both you and Emma owe me an apology, assuming it's not too late by then."

"I'm not saying I buy into it completely. I'm just saying that she's at least putting up a front of trying." He shrugged as he held the door open. "It's a start."

"It's dangerous, like thinking a poisonous snake won't bite you just because it's not coiled to attack." She stepped outside as she pulled her coat on. "Are you driving?"

"Yeah, I thought I might," he answered while he closed and locked the front door.


The study was blissfully quiet. The only sounds that filled the space were the crackle of the fire in the fireplace, the sound of Regina's pen as she corrected Henry's work, the sound of Henry grunting as he played one of his handheld games, and pages rustling as Emma read through her book.

In the warm space, the scene was a deceptive bubble of harmony until it was shattered by the sound of Emma's phone ringing again.

"You really ought to get that, Ms. Swan. They will continue to call," Regina blandly commented, not bothering to look up from Henry's essay.

Emma calmly turned the page in her book. "I'm in the middle of the chapter, and I can't remember the last time I had the chance to sit down and actually read. She can wait."

Henry looked up from his game. "Ma, what are you reading anyway?" At the word 'Ma', Regina did look up, but only to cock an eyebrow in disapproval before returning to her work.

"Good Christian," the Sheriff hesitated for a moment, realizing the inappropriateness of the title. "Belles. Good Christian Bells. It's a book about pretentious people who act like people they're not in order to gain power, prestige, and undermine the people they call friend to their face and enemy to their back."

"How very Peyton Place,"Regina mumbled just loud enough to be heard.

"Or Storybrooke," Emma shot back, not bothering to look at the other woman. Her phone rang again. "That's the fifth time. You'd think she'd get the hint."

Regina gave a dark chuckle. "Your mother is known for her annoying stamina and persistence. It must be where you get it."

"And Henry," the blonde said with a smirk, which earned her another grunt from the former mayor. "I'm not answering the phone."

"And she's not going to stop calling," Regina stated with a sigh.

"Hey, Mom," Henry's voice cut into their odd little dialogue. Regina looked up from her desk. "I'm really tired. Would it be okay if I went to bed now and got up early tomorrow to work on my corrections? I promise I'll actually get up." He tried and failed to stifle a yawn.

The brunette glanced at the clock and noted it was nearly nine at night. "Of course, Henry, but I expect you to be up a half hour earlier."

"Okay," he stood from his place by the fire, turning his game off as he moved. First he went to Emma and gave her a hug and a wish good night. Then he went to Regina. She watched him carefully from the corner of her eye, afraid he might turn around and walk away if she made full eye contact.

He pursed his lips in thought, much like she, herself, often did, and then gave a little smile. "Goodnight, Mom." He stepped closer to her chair, and she turned, pushing away from her desk to give him room. Carefully, he stepped closer and gave her a quick hug. For the briefest of moments, her face displayed the emotion of a woman who felt so very alone that one single action from the only being that might still love her meant the world to her.

He was done just as quickly as he had started, and Regina quickly and silently went back to her corrections. Henry departed quietly, leaving the women alone. It took Regina a few minutes to realize she was being watched, and she looked up with a snap in her voice. "What?"

Emma shrugged. "Nothing. You're just… different …with Henry. It's nice to see you can actually be human."

Regina made a face. "I'm not sure I appreciate what you're implying, Ms. Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Can't you just take a positive comment for what it is?"

"Not when it's a backhanded compliment," Regina answered in turn.

They both grunted and went back to what they were doing.


"I don't see Emma's car." Mary Margaret's voice was full of anxiety.

David tried not to groan. "It could be parked in the back."

"So we don't know where to look for the body," his wife replied.

"Or so Emma can get to it faster in case there's an emergency where she's needed," he added.

She ignored him. "I don't see any lights on in the front of the house."

At that, he did groan. "It's 9:30. They might be settled down for the night."

"You make it sound like they're friendly. David, they are not friendly. This whole situation doesn't sit well with me. What is Regina up to? Why would she offer Emma a place to stay the night? Something's not right here." She opened the car door and stepped out. "Come on, we're wasting time just sitting here."

"You know, we could just call Regina's phone," he said as he followed her to the front door of the mayoral mansion.

"No. I need to see Emma and Henry. I need to know they're not hurt or in trouble," she said, voice full of the fear she was actually feeling.

"I agree with you on that," David said as they stopped at the door. "Let's just hope everything is okay." He gave a few hard knocks to the door. "For once, I'd like to be wrong about my gut and have Regina actually surprise us."


I'm trying not to make Snow too obnoxious. I swear.