Regina sighed heavily before she slid the card key into its slot to open the door to her room. When she walked in, the lights were still low and Emma slept undisturbed by Regina's entrance. Unable to stop herself, she moved closer to Emma, wanting to check on her once more. She approached the woman in the bed and leaned over her to see her face.

At that moment, Emma let out a particularly loud snort, and Regina rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out of her head. And she would never admit it, but a wide smile had also split her face at the sound. She reached out and tucked the blonde hair that was falling in Emma's face behind her ear. And before she knew what she was doing she was stroking Emma's hair, letting it run between her fingers until she reached the tips.

Emma let out a content little mumble, and her brow uncreased a bit. Regina felt the familiar pressure of tears building in her eyes, and suddenly she couldn't stand there another moment. So she immediately straightened herself, and backed away from the bed. She wondered where to go. She wasn't sure if she was ready to confront Henry yet, but she knew she couldn't sit in this room with a sleeping Emma any longer. Not when all she wanted to do was return to the embrace from earlier and place kisses to Emma's crinkled brow until it was smooth and worry free again.

But she knew that wasn't an option, so she braced herself, and knocked on the door to her son's room. His response was slow in coming, but eventually he called out, and Regina pushed through the door. When she entered the room, Henry was sitting up at the head of his bed. His book was closed beside him and his phone with the headphones still plugged in sat on top of the book he had clearly just put down. For a moment words didn't come out of Regina's mouth no matter how hard she tried to push them past her throat. She watched Henry sulk and avoid eye contact, instead staring out the window into the courtyard of the hotel.

She felt a source of exasperation boil through her being. Henry was her son, and she shouldn't feel afraid to talk to him. But she dreaded his rejection, as well as the possibility that he might not understand the position he was putting her in.

Soon the silence had dragged on too long, and Henry quickly became uncomfortable. He finally looked to his mom and asked, "Do you want to say anything?"

Regina crossed the room and sat on the edge of Henry's bed with her body twisted to face him where he sat. "I think there is quite a bit we both should say." Regina replied, finally able to convince her vocal chords to make sound. "I would, however, like to start with an apology from you, Henry."

Henry gave her a desperate look, eyes full of fire and a plea of innocence. "But, Mom," he cried, "I meant it, you and Emma could be so great together! You're both my moms, you love her, why can't you be together?"

Regina put the fingertips of one hand to her brow while the flat of her thumb landed on her cheek as she attempted to massage the stress out of her muscles. She dropped her hand soon after to look at Henry directly. "I know you are very sincere about what you're saying, and I'm not saying you should apologize for wanting your parents to be together. Henry, that's completely natural. I'm asking for an apology because you pushed too far, and I think you know it." She paused there to regard him.

Henry bit his lip, and fought valiantly to stop the tears from coming out of his eyes. "I know," he whispered.

Regina grabbed the box of tissues on the nightstand and offered one to Henry, which he refused in favor of pretending he wasn't tearing up. Regina smiled at her boy, and cupped his cheek. She wiped away one tear with the pad of her thumb before she continued what she had been telling him before.

"Henry, I never want to talk to you as if you are not an equal, as though your age makes you somehow less than me. But there is a difference between having a mature conversation with your mom and having an inappropriate conversation." Regina pulled her hand from his cheek and landed it on his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, before she kept on, "You're welcome to discuss any feelings you are having with me, Henry. You know I encourage it. But you are my son, and as such, it's not okay for you to try to dictate my love life."

"But what if I hate the person you're dating?" Henry responded instantly.

"Henry, if I have chosen a person who makes you unhappy in whatever way, of course I want you to tell me. You are my first priority. Always and forever." Regina spoke clearly to make sure he knew what she said was true.

"I'm sorry he's dead, and I'm so sorry you had to lose someone again, but I hated Robin." Henry admitted.

Regina's eyes widened at his words, and a little taken aback, she needed a moment to answer him. "Henry, you never said anything. I don't understand."

"I didn't want to, you've lost so many people, you finally loved someone again. But he wasn't good enough for you. You were his second choice. And I didn't like the way he looked at you. Like he bestowed the honor of choosing you on you. He didn't see you, Mom. He never saw you as you, just the hero parts. You're more than a hero, Mom."

Regina was more than stunned. Everything Henry had said was true, but she had gone on a painstaking emotional journey to discover it, to learn that she was in love with the idea of Robin more than the man himself. The concept that she had a predestined soulmate where her fate and love was decided for her, well it made her nauseous to think about now. Especially since she found out that Tink's test had been manipulated. But at the time it seemed like such a fool proof guarantee, an escape from her loneliness. But hearing her innermost insecurities and thoughts about Robin presented to her by her son no less, it hit home.

"Oh Henry, I'm so sorry you felt you couldn't tell me. But I'm glad you got it off your chest now." Regina gave him a watery smile, and he returned it.

"You're not mad?" He asked quietly, afraid of the answer.

"No, Henry. Everything you said, it took me a long time but I realized it myself as well."

"I hate Hook too. He's disgusting, he thinks he owns Ma, and he almost gets us killed all the time, and then he stops trying to kill us and suddenly he's a hero! And he smells gross! He smells like barnacles and rum all the time."

Regina bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing or agreeing with her son too vehemently. "I think you should talk to your mother about this, Henry. She will put you first as well, we both always will. Just maybe, don't tell her what you just told me in so many words." Regina chuckled a little bit at the end, losing her resolve. Henry smiled at her with a conspiratorial tinge.

"But all that aside, we've gotten off the point. I just want you to understand Henry, that while you may come to me and talk to me about how you feel about the person I've chosen; and discuss anything you are feeling, even if you feel sad that your parents aren't together; it's not your place to interfere with my feelings and dictate how and when I process or emote them. Or anyone else for that matter. Do you understand?"

"Yeah. I understand. I am sorry. I know I pushed too far, and I know I hurt you and I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said you have to do anything about being in love with Emma right away. Or ever, I guess. But can I ask you something?" Henry spoke with conviction; his apology was heartfelt. But the question at the end of it was timid.

Regina instantly wanted to soothe his nerves about asking her anything, so she connected her gaze with Henry's, and told him with a smile and in no uncertain terms that he could ask her whatever he liked. Henry chewed his lip for a minute before gathering his courage, afraid he was going to cross a line again. Finally, the question came forth and was out of his mouth with the sheer force of his curiosity more than his bravery.

"Do you think you'll be sad, if you never tell Ma that you love her?"

Henry's eyes were so big and wide; they were the eyes of a child who can't bear the thought of his mom being hurt in any way. For a long while Regina just looked into them, and tried to fathom an answer to the question that seemed like it should be so simple. Finally, she let a small whoosh of air out of her lungs, and answered him.

"Yes, I do."

Henry's eyes got impossibly wider, and he felt the need to do and say whatever it took to make sure his mom wasn't sad for one moment longer of his life. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Regina set her hand on his shoulder and beat him to it.

"Why don't you and I go find some dinner in town, hm?" Her smile was too wide and the tension in her shoulders was clear to the boy, but he knew better than to push his mom twice in one night. So he nodded, slipped on his sneakers and grabbed his phone off the bed as he got up. His mom stood as well, and they both walked through the door.

When Emma woke for the third time that evening, she was alone in the room. It was beginning to get dark outside. She smacked her lips together a few times in an attempt to work some moisture onto her tongue and palate. What it mostly accomplished, however, was proliferating the foul taste on her tongue everywhere in her mouth. She balked, and stuck her tongue out in disgust.

She began to look around the room, taking a moment to remember she was in a hotel, not her home. As she turned to the bedside table, she saw a two water bottles there and she instantly reached for one. She popped open the cap and gulped down as much as she could to get the taste out of her mouth before she needed a breath. Emma soon regretted her decision though, as the sudden and large intake of water turned in her stomach. So she set the water bottle down again, fully intending to throw herself back under the corners, but something caught her eye.

In front of the bottles was a note that Emma hadn't seen before, having gone straight to the water. She picked it up and she knew by the delicate handwriting that Regina wrote it before she saw a name on it. She chuckled as she read it, a dopey smile on her face as she heard Regina's voice in her mind enunciating the words on the page.

Emma,

Henry and I went to dinner in town, we will likely walk around a bit and explore, so we might not be back until a little later. I expect we won't be later than 9:00. Don't forget to hydrate, and don't drink too fast!

Regina

Emma rolled her eyes at the last bit. Of course Regina knew she would chug her water. She set the note down on the table once more, and flopped back onto the pillows. She rolled to her side though so that she could look at the clock on the table and check the time.

8:42

At this rate I might as well watch a little TV and wait for them to get back.

The blue haze of the television screen lit up the otherwise dark room, and Emma began flipping through the channels. Finally, she settled on a home improvement show. She didn't really know why, but she was always interested in the process that went into remaking a home. That and she loved the before and after shots; cringing at the pre remodel appearance and then oohing and aahing over the refinished home.

Before Emma knew it, she heard the door to the room rattle and open. Regina, followed by Henry stepped through and entered the room. Henry's face lit up when he saw Emma awake and sitting up.

"Hey, Ma! You're awake!" He cheered and plopped himself on the foot of the bed. He criss crossed his gangly legs and smiled at his mother. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Hey, kid. A little bit." Emma grinned for him, and Henry began telling her all about the sea food restaurant he and Regina had gone to for dinner. Truthfully Emma was already feeling exhaustion tug at her senses again, but she wanted so desperately to spend some time with Henry after sleeping away the whole afternoon.

Regina, meanwhile busied herself with her luggage as Henry chattered. She was studiously avoiding focusing on Emma, but it wasn't long before she felt a pair of eyes on her. She looked over her shoulder and saw the blonde woman gazing at her, completely ruining her plan of evasion. She tried smiling and ignoring Emma, but of course that didn't work. Every few moments between Henry and Emma's conversation, Regina would feel Emma's gaze again. And before long, Emma piped up and attempted to pull Regina into her and Henry's conversation.

"Regina, come sit with us."

"Oh that's alright, dear." Regina tried to dismiss, tossing it over her shoulder and hiding her face.

But Emma didn't accept this, and she pressed on. "Come on, Henry was just saying we should watch a movie. We can still have a nice evening even though I wrecked it by getting sick."

At that Regina whirled around, concern etched in her face. "Emma, you didn't ruin anything. It's not your fault you're sick." Emma just shrugged timorously and didn't really acknowledge Regina's comment in favor of urging her to sit with them again. Regina clenched her jaw tightly to keep herself from groaning out loud, and she looked to Henry desperately. He returned the look with sympathetic and understanding eyes. He had remained quiet before, trying not to pressure his mom after what had happened earlier.

"It's okay if you just want to go to bed, Mom." He tried to backtrack.

Regina bit her lip. This was what this whole vacation was supposed to be about, wasn't it? Spending time with her family. Maybe it would hurt, but it would be time spent with Emma and Henry, and that was precious. So she relented, and went to sit down on the bed. Before she got there, however, Henry jumped up.

"Hey, I'm going to go put on my pajamas before we start the movie. Don't pick a movie without me!" He warned, then ducked through the door to his room and disappeared, leaving Emma and Regina alone once more.

"That's not a bad idea. I should really put some pants on, or I'll have to hide under the covers the whole time." Emma added.

"Oh. Right." Regina seemed to be stumped, and she stood in the middle of the room unsure of quite what to do next. Should she change into pajamas too? She chewed her lip for a moment as she stood, but soon her thoughts were elsewhere as Emma stood from the bed. There were those long, lean legs again. Regina averted her gaze as fast as possible, staring at her shoes as Emma went to her luggage and fished something out of it.

"Do you want to change too?" Emma asked, oblivious to Regina's extreme discomfort.

"Ah…yes." Regina decided in that moment, still looking anywhere but at Emma.

"Okay, I'll go change in the bathroom. You can change out here. Just let me know when you're done." And with that, Emma walked off into the bathroom.

When she heard the door click shut, Regina dug out her own pajamas and busied herself with changing into the royal purple silk pajama set. A few minutes later, she heard Emma calling to her from the bathroom, asking if Regina was decent. Regina responded in the affirmative, and Emma reentered the room.

She was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a white tank top. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she went instantly back into the bed. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she knew she wouldn't make it through even the first half of whatever movie Henry picked out. But she didn't really care, she was happy to just be surrounded by her family.

Not long after Emma had resettled in the bed, there was a knock on their door from Henry's room. Regina let the boy in and he went straight to the TV. He picked out the newest Avengers movie, surprising no one, and settled back onto the bed, resuming his earlier position. This just left Regina, still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Both Emma and Henry looked to her expectantly, and swallowing hard, she made her way over to the other two. She perched herself carefully on the bed, leaving as much space between her and Emma as possible without falling off the bed.

It wasn't long before Emma was completely asleep again. Regina and Henry finished the movie together as Emma slept even through the loud action sequences, and Regina felt herself even relaxing. It wasn't really any different from movie night at home with Emma and Henry. But she then made the mistake of looking over at Emma. Her heart tugged out of her chest at the sight, though it was no longer the first time she'd seen Emma sleeping.

Henry's words started echoing in her head. Do you think you'll be sad, if you never tell her you love her? She tried to focus on the TV after that, but it was hopeless. She kept peeking over at Emma. Do you think you'll be sad?

Regina knew all too well what it was like to live life with an aching, broken heart. And she had resigned herself to it. When she realized she was in love with Emma she had accepted her fate. But now she just couldn't shake Henry's voice. And she couldn't help but thinking to herself, maybe I don't want to be sad anymore.

Maybe, just maybe, Regina thought, I could try.