Woo. Busy couple of days. I'm exhausted! Regardless, I couldn't stop writing, so I have another chapter for you all. Thanks to Anny Rodrigues, Miss Poisonous, Guests 1&2, and charmingfamily94 for the reviews. I know everyone was expecting more of a fight in the last chapter, but I had a different difficult direction in mind. Hope you all enjoy, and I can't wait to read your reviews! Should I try for another chapter on Thursday?

Henry watched his feet as he walked, Ms. Blanchard's arm draped around his shoulders. He felt humiliated as he pressed the ice pack to his face, allowing her to guide him down the school steps. It seemed like everyone was staring at him, which is why he'd decided to study the ground instead. He looked up briefly when they reached the bottom, knowing his mom would be somewhere in the crowd of parents, waiting for him, and he was glad he'd done so. A smile lit up his face as he caught sight of his mom's hand in David's. The smile hurt and he grimaced as he pressed the ice pack against his face more firmly. In that same instant, Regina caught sight of him and her hand pulled out of David's.

"Oh my god! Henry, what happened?" She rushed forward, bending down and putting a finger under his chin to tilt his head so she could get a better look.

"There was a fight today," Mary Margaret said, removing her arm. "I wanted to come out and talk to you about it."

"You got into a fight?" Regina asked her son. There was no anger in her voice, only concern.

"Sort of…"he said sheepishly.

"What happened, buddy?" David joined Regina and crouched down so he could look up at his grandson.

Henry shrugged and turned his head to wrest it away from his mother's grasp.

"Henry?" she questioned, looking over at David and then up at Mary Margaret for an answer when Henry didn't provide one himself.

"Perhaps we should take this inside?" she asked the pair, not wanting to discuss it in the middle of the school courtyard with all of the other students bustling around.

Regina gave her a sharp nod before standing straight. David straightened as well and the three followed Mary Margaret back into the building – this time with Regina's arm wrapped protectively around her son.

Once they were back in the classroom with the door shut firmly behind them, Mary Margaret moved to the front, leaning against her desk and gesturing for the couple to take seats if they wished. David leaned against a desk, but Regina chose to remain standing.

"What's this all about, Ms. Blanchard?" Irritation laced her voice now and it was clear that she was quickly losing her patience.

"Well…it started with a few comments made by other members of the class."

"Comments?" Regina raised an eyebrow. "What kind of comments?"

"Henry?" Mary Margaret prompted gently, trying to get him to take over. "Would you like to tell your mother what happened?"

Henry shook his head before dropping it back down.

"Were people picking on you?"

"No," he mumbled.

"I don't understand." Regina was growing extremely agitated, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the room. "There was a fight, and my son is injured, but I still don't know why. Would one of you please start explaining?!"

Henry didn't move his eyes from the spot he'd chosen on the floor, so it was Mary Margaret who finally spoke up.

"It was actually about the two of you," she said, looking between Regina and David.

"You mean our relationship?" Regina asked.

Mary Margaret nodded tentatively. "Some of the other children were making comments about David's…choice…in dating you. I know that everyone's been interested in the news that the two of you were dating, but when you moved in, people definitely noticed."

"People know that I moved in already?" David asked, somewhat incredulous. "That was yesterday."

"Yes, well it's a small town, and people love to gossip. The two of you are quite the hot topic recently."

David noticed Regina's anger building, and not wanting her to start something with Mary Margaret, he was the one to ask, "So what exactly is it about all of this that caused a fight?" He couldn't understand why the two of them together would lead to Henry being hurt.

"I guess it wasn't so much about the relationship as it was the names they were calling Mayor Mills. I don't want to go into detail, but it wasn't pretty. Henry was upset, as you can imagine, and tried to come to your defense. Both of your defenses, actually," she added, looking at David.

Regina was livid. She couldn't' believe anyone had used her relationship to taunt her son. And she certainly didn't appreciate the thought that even with the title of mayor, young children were calling her names. Despite her anger, she was worried about her son's reaction. "You didn't start the violence, did you, Henry?"

"No, no," Mary Margaret said quickly. "Henry used his words, not his fists. Unfortunately, the other children don't follow the same set of morals."

"And you let this go on?" Regina asked, guiding Henry to the nearest desk and pushing him lightly down into the chair.

"It was during afternoon recess," she defended. "I stopped it as soon as I realized what was going on. I wish I'd been able to get there more quickly."

"Yes, that would have been helpful," Regina snapped, pulling another desk up so that she could sit and examine Henry's injuries more closely.

David gave Mary Margaret an apologetic look, feeling extremely uncomfortable in the presence of both his wife and his new girlfriend, though one of them was completely unaware, and the other was too involved to notice the situation. He moved past Mary Margaret and sat on the desk next to Regina, watching as she reached toward Henry.

"Let me see, baby," she said, her voice returning immediately to the soft and soothing tones she used with her son.

"It's really not that bad, mom," he said, trying to pull away from her.

"Let me see it anyway? Please? Just humor me, Henry."

"Fine," he sighed, and finally allowed her to gently pull his hand and the ice pack away from his face.

"Oh, sweetheart," she cooed, seeing the already purpling skin. It was slightly swollen, and she very carefully ran her fingers over it, inspecting the area. He cringed and she removed her fingers, reaching for the ice pack and guiding his hand back over it. "You didn't have to defend me, darling," she told him.

"But I did! They were saying that David was stupid for dating someone as mean as you. And they were saying that he was going to leave soon because he'd realize it was a mistake to live with the two of us. They said there was a reason I'd never had a dad and you'd never been married and that it wouldn't be long before David saw why and left."

"They said that?" David asked, horrified by the cruelty of the last statement and the fact that it had come from other children Henry's age.

Henry nodded, tears building in his eyes now that he wasn't afraid to show them how much pain he was in.

Regina stood and pulled Henry into her, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Henry," David started. "You know that's not true, don't you? I'm not going to leave you and your mom."

Henry turned his tear-streaked face in David's direction. "I was just afraid, because of last night—"

"I would never leave because of you, and don't ever let anyone tell you any differently. As for your mom and I – we're both pretty tough. You don't have to worry about us."

Henry sniffed and stepped back, wiping his eyes, cringing painfully when he rubbed his bruise. "Can we go home now?" he asked.

David picked the ice pack up from the desk where it had fallen and handed it back to Henry. "Here, buddy. Keep this against your face, okay? Why don't you go out into the hall for just a second and your mom and I will be right behind you." He caught Regina's grateful gaze over Henry's head and knew that she was thinking the same thing he was.

"Yeah, okay."

Once the door was shut behind him, David turned to Mary Margaret. "Who did this to him?"

"There were three other children involved, and they—"

"I don't believe he asked how many," Regina pointed out coldly, stepping forward. "I believe he asked whom. Who did this to my son?"

David noticed Mary Margaret flinch under the terrifying gaze of the mayor before she spoke up, surprisingly confident in her words despite how fearful she appeared. "They've already been punished, Regina. I made sure they were each suspended. Their parents have each had a conference with both the principal and myself, and I can assure you that this will never happen again."

"That's not good en—" Regina was halted by a gentle hand pressing into her back.

"Regina," David said calmly, though he still looked upset. "I know you want to deal with these kids yourself – believe me, so do I – but we have to think about what's best for Henry. It wouldn't help his situation if we went after the children beyond the measures that have already been taken. And it wouldn't make it any easier for us in this town, either. Why don't we just go home, and be grateful that Henry's okay?"

She looked up at him and he could see the indecision and anger swirling in her eyes. Finally, she nodded. "You're right," she nearly choked out. "Let's just go home."

"So it's true then?" Mary Margaret asked, looking between the two of them. "You're really living together now?"

They both nodded, Regina narrowing her eyes. "Why?"

"Malcolm and I had heard the rumors, too. I just wasn't sure…well, anyway, I'm happy for the two of you," she told them, smiling warmly. "We'd both hoped they were true."

"You and Malcolm," David said, nodding and sounding a little lost.

Regina saw what was happening and placed a hand on his arm. "Henry's waiting for us." Without another word, the couple left the classroom, Regina guiding him out.

"What were you guys doing?" Henry asked.

"Just tying up a few loose ends," Regina said, though she was distracted by David, who still appeared to be flustered and lost in his thoughts.

"You're not going to say anything to the other kids, are you?" he asked fearfully.

"No, darling. No, I'm not. I believe they've already been talked to by their own parents."

Henry sighed in relief. "Thanks, mom."

She placed a hand on his head as they headed for the exit, brushing his hair back lovingly. "Has this happened before, Henry? The other children picking on you?"

"Only sometimes," he said quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to know. And you would have been mad at me then. It was because I was always talking about the book, and because you're the mayor."

"Children pick on you because of my position as mayor?" she asked him worriedly. How had she never considered that her role in the town could potentially cause him problems? After all, positions of power often came with a price. She stopped short outside the school, the courtyard now empty after the rest of the students and their parents had gone home. Turning to face Henry she knelt in front of him. "Henry – you are more important to me than anything. And there are no more secrets between us, right?" she asked, to which he slowly nodded. "Alright, then. No more secrets. I've told you the truth about who I am, and I want you to tell me the truth about what's going on in school. I love you, and I only want what's best for you. Promise me you'll tell me if you have any more trouble?"

"I promise."

"Good."

Regina looked around, instantly regretting their choice to walk today. She didn't want to make Henry walk through town with an ice pack held to his cheek.

"Where's the car, mom?" Henry asked, noticing the same thing she had.

"Well – David and I decided to walk today," she said slowly, still trying to figure out a solution.

A moment later, one appeared in the form of an old, worn-looking, irritation-inducing yellow bug.

"Great," Regina muttered under her breath.

David glanced at her before he followed her line of vision and noticed that his daughter had just pulled up in front.

Getting out of the car quickly, Emma jogged up to them. "Oh my god, Henry – what happened? I was just looking for Graham, but then I saw all of you coming out of the school. Are you okay?" She almost went to touch his face, but she held herself back in the presence of Regina, who she didn't think would appreciate it. "Who did this to you, kid?"

"Nobody," Henry told her, not really wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Deputy Swan," Regina addressed her tensely. "I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm glad that you're here."

Emma looked at her with a startled expression.

"David and I walked here this afternoon," Regina explained, "so we don't have a car with us. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking Henry home for me? We'll meet you there."

"Sure, yeah," Emma agreed, still flustered. "I could do that. What do you say, kid? Should we get you home?"

Regina only barely resisted her urge to glare at the blonde as she threw her arm around her son's shoulders. She managed to restrain herself, however, because of her improved relationship with Henry. She no longer feared that the deputy was taking her place.

Henry nodded silently.

"Thanks, Emma," David said warmly, and Regina's attention was caught by the way he was looking at her.

"Yeah, no problem. We'll see you guys soon."

Regina turned to David as soon as they were out of earshot. "I'd almost forgotten – you know the truth, so you know that Emma—"

"That Emma's my daughter?" David finished. "Yes." He was silent for a few moments. "I still can't believe it," he whispered, his eyes growing slightly moist. "She's an adult, but I can see that it's her. She looks like us – Snow and I – and I can just feel that she's my daughter. Even though she's supposed to be my baby girl."

Regina felt the guilt hit her like a wave and she reached out to touch David, but stopped short, letting her hand fall, feeling it was inappropriate for her to comfort him. He most likely wouldn't appreciate it coming from the woman who'd caused his separation from his daughter in the first place. "David, I…" she faltered, not sure was to say. "I'm so sorry." How could she apologize to someone for ripping their world apart and causing their separation from their child? Especially when she wasn't sorry for the circumstances around it? She'd been miserable in that world, and if she hadn't come to this one, she never would have had Henry; something which – of course – made her feel even more selfish and guilty.

David could only nod. It wasn't as if he could forgive her for the time lost with his only child, but he wanted to acknowledge that she truly was sorry for it.

The walk home began, and both could feel the renewed tension in the air on the return trip. There was no holding of hands this time around, and the silence between them was heavy rather than comfortable.

After a few minutes, Regina couldn't take it anymore. "Is this going to work?" she asked suddenly, startling David.

"What?" he asked, looking over at her.

"This relationship? I know what we said earlier, but were we just fooling ourselves? There's so much in our pasts that make us completely wrong for each other – the fact that I took your child from you for starters."

"You didn't take her," David told her honestly. "We chose to send her through the wardrobe."

"Yes, but because of me. Don't cover it up with technicalities like that. I know what I did was unforgiveable."

"I know you thought you had your reasons."

Her eyes darkened at the statement. "I didn't think – I did have my reasons. Reasons I stand by."

David's mouth flattened into a thin line as he bit back a retort. It was an old habit after years of fighting the Evil Queen. "What was the other thing?" he asked instead.

"What do you mean?"

"There was another reason – something else that made you think our relationship wouldn't work out. I could tell you were thinking about it even before Emma showed up. What was it?"

"You mean that's not enough?" she asked in disbelief.

"What was it?" he asked again, ignoring her question.

She sighed. "It's just this whole issue with Henry. If the other children are already giving him problems for having me as a mother, how do you think they'll react when they've all regained their memories and remember who I am?"

He nodded along. "It's true, things will be tough, but what does that have to do with our relationship? That's something that would happen anyway."

"They already don't accept him for his parentage. The only thing he has to protect him when the curse breaks is the fact that – biologically – he is the descendant of Snow White and Prince Charming; of you. That would protect him, except…"

"Except that if they all know that I willingly chose you even after I'd discovered the truth, I wouldn't have the credibility and standing that would help keep him safe."

"Exactly."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, both thinking hard about what had been said. Both were grateful when they finally reached the house, seeing Emma's bug parked in the driveway. They could use a distraction, and Henry needed them right now.