***A/N: Normally I don't post this close together. But out of the 4 stories that I'm juggling right now, this really is my favorite one to write. I hope you all enjoy. :)***

CHAPTER 21

"Girls could you please give us a couple of minutes alone? I promise she's not going anywhere."

Emma narrowed her eyes at Regina, "Of course I'm not going anywhere. I would never leave my children," Emma threw at Regina.

The girls picked up on the tension in the room and began to frown and look uncomfortable. They slowly went to the door and Regina walked behind them to close it. "And I mean it. Go back into the dining room. I promise you I'll come and get you before she leaves." Regina waited until they had walked away before closing the door and turning back to Emma.

"All this time…," Emma was seething. "All this time you had MY daughters out there and you didn't bother to say one word to me?" She was crying outright now. "I would never have done this to you Regina. NEVER!"

Regina felt as torn as she had always felt everytime she had wanted to pick up the phone and let Emma know but didn't. She knew this was going to be hard but she had the power of her convictions that they just weren't safe around Henry or even Emma's parents to strengthen her spine.

"I didn't know I was pregnant until after you were gone," even to her ears that excuse sounded flimsy. "I am sorry for how you feel. I know this is a shock and honestly there was no way to prepare for it except to put it out there," Regina spoke in a low tone. She met Emma's eyes. "I am genuinely sorry to you for what has been lost. But I do not regret one thing that I have done. And if I had it to do over again, I would make the same choice."

Emma shook her head. This betrayal cut her so deep. Regina had known that missing out on the first part of Henry's life was something that she had a hard time forgiving herself for. And now she was standing here telling her that she'd do it all over again? "You really hate me that much?"

Regina walked forward to her and almost reached out but stopped. "I don't hate you at all Emma. And whether you choose to listen and believe me or not, I am honestly sorry. But my children come first. And I would do anything to protect them."

"From me?" Emma pointed to her chest. "What the hell do you have to protect my children from me for?"

Regina walked over to her desk and picked up some papers. She brought them over to Emma. "Not you. From your son," she handed them to her.

Emma couldn't believe her ears nor eyes. It was a restraining order barring Henry from any form of contact with Regina, her family, her home, her car, or her place of work which was listed as Granny's diner.

Emma's jaw went slack and she gaped at Regina. "My son? MY SON?! HE'S OUR SON REGINA! OUR SON!"

Regina's temper had been rising since opening the door and finding Emma on the other side of it. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She walked over to Emma and practically butted noses with her, "No! MY son was the sweet loving boy that you took out of here just so that you could feel better about giving him up. YOUR son is the monster who came into my home and attacked me! That is not my son. And he never will be," with that Regina walked out of the study.

Emma stood there in shock. She had never expected to hear anything like that come out of Regina's mouth. Didn't she know that Henry was just a mixed up kid? She was wiping at her eyes when the door opened again and in walked her girls.

"Hi Mom," they greeted her in unison again.

"Why are you crying?" one had her head turned to the side frowning at her.

"I'm just… so glad to see you two," that seemed to work because both girls grinned at her.

"We're happy to see you too," one of them came over and hugged her.

Emma stepped back. "Now, you're going to have to tell me which is Sissy?"

The girls laughed. "I'm Xisi Mom. Alexis. And that's Zoe," she pointed to her sister. "I come first. I'm the smart one."

"And I'm the pretty one," Zoe folded her hands underneath her chin and batted her lashes. They all shared a laugh.

"So, Mom, what are you doing tomorrow? Mummy said if you weren't busy then we could hang out with you at the diner."

Emma was overjoyed at the prospect of seeing her girls again. She had no idea where they were going from here but she knew no matter what, she would fight tooth and nail for the opportunity to stay in her children's lives.

"I'd love to. And there's nothing in the world more important to me than spending time with you two."

With that, Zoe walked over to her and her sister and both girls wrapped their arms around their Mom.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The girls walked out of the study back into the dining room trailed by their Mom. Apparently dinner was over because Regina was the only person left in there. She was collecting leftovers and gathering dishes. Emma could hear the tv blasting from the den and assumed that's where everyone else was.

The girls flanked Regina and pulled on her arms. "Mummy, Mom said that she's going to see us tomorrow at the diner." Regina gave Zoe a nod.

"Mummy, can Mom stay for dinner and the movie?" Alexis asked.

Emma bounced on her tiptoes, "I need to talk to your… um… Mummy girls," she looked at Regina over their heads. "Can we talk for a minute?"

Regina looked like she wanted to do anything else but still she nodded, "Sure," she smiled at her. "We'll be right back."

"Hurry up Mom. Dinner's getting cold," one of the twins said as she dug into her plate.

They walked back into the study and Emma walked over to the desk. She kept her head down with her finger pressed to her lip as she kept her back to Regina trying to gather her thoughts. When they continued to spiral all over the place she sighed and turned around. Regina was standing with her arms crossed waiting for whatever to come.

"I don't know what to say to you. And what all we have to say is going to take more than one conversation anyway," Regina nodded her agreement. "I – I don't know what to say about this." She gestured to the door. "I'm so hurt," her voice started to crack. She took a second to get herself together. "I want to see my girls."

"And I won't stop you," Regina said. "As long as you think that you can follow my stipulations."

Emma narrowed her eyes. She didn't think Regina had a right to be asking anything of her after this revelation. "What?"

"I won't interfere in you seeing the girls as long as it's supervised."

"Supervised?"

Regina compressed her lips. "I don't trust you Emma. And I won't have my girls in jeopardy."

Emma wanted to scream at her how dare she, but she knew that a lot of time had passed. This wasn't the woman that she had given her heart to ten years ago. No matter what the first priority had to be their kids. She didn't want them to suffer. She needed to tread carefully. She nodded for her to continue, "And?"

"And I don't want them around your son. Or your parents."

Emma wasn't pleased by any of these requests. Henry, she didn't like but she could understand. But her parents? "What's wrong with my parents?"

Regina threw her one of her glares that came right before hurling an insult. "My son didn't become a monster until he went to stay with them."

Emma felt like she'd been punched. "Henry's not a monster."

Regina quirked her eyebrow at her, "We'll just have to agree to disagree."

Emma wanted to defend them but found she couldn't. A lot of what Regina was saying made sense. Except things weren't that simple. "We need to work out custody for the girls."

Regina shrugged. "We'll come up with something."

Emma bristled, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Regina sighed and shifted her weight jutting out her hip, "We do have lives outside of here. We don't even live in this country most of the time."

"Is that why my kids have an accent and say Mummy?"

"Well no. That would be from their Dad."

Emma didn't like the sound of that. For now though she'd let it go. "How do you tell the two of them apart?" Emma didn't have much experience around twins. Sure she's known a few over the years as everyone has but none that she was ever close to.

Regina laughed. It was the first time Emma had heard her laughter in ten years. She'd missed it. "Well A is for apple and Alexis. Alexis has a rounder face than Zoe does. They also have completely opposite personalities. Alexis prefers to read and Zoe prefers to socialize. It gets easier after being around them a while. You'll catch on."

"Well, she definitely didn't get that from either one of us." They shared a smile. "I'm glad that you're back," Emma said sincerely.

Regina inclined her head, "Thank you."

Emma nodded pensively. She stuck her tongue out slightly as she gathered herself, "I want to spend as much time with them as possible."

"I want that for you too. And for them," Regina walked closer and leaned on the back of the sofa, "They've heard every story and every detail I can remember but they never get sick of hearing about their other Mom. This means a lot to them."

After a moment of silence Regina said, "I'll let you get back to dinner."

Emma didn't think that her heart could take anymore of a roller coaster ride than it had already been on. "Actually, I really need to head out."

"I'll get the girls so you can say goodnight." Regina left and soon her daughters came in.

Emma stared at them remembering what Regina said about Xisi having the rounder face. But, all she saw was two identical bookends.

She said her goodbyes and headed out. She needed to clear her head and think before heading home and talking to Henry about his Mom and sisters. She put her hand in her pocket and touched upon the restraining order that Regina had given her. She couldn't believe she had gone to those lengths. It saddened her that things had come to that and she had missed it all. Yet, if it was her, she'd probably do the same.