AN: Sorry for such a delay, life got a bit busy. Should be more frequent updates now. I'm also going to be changing the rating to an M as I don't think I can get away with the current rating anymore. So here is a rather huge chapter, you may want to read it in parts. I hope you enjoy and thanks for your lovely reviews on the previous chapter. They were much appreciated. :)

Enjoy!

Only four hours after she'd finally gone to sleep, Regina awoke. She was comforted to see Emma resting softly. Reaching out her hand, she ran the back of her fingers up and down Emma's arm. The caress wasn't just for the benefit of Emma.

Realising there was a significant space between them; she shuffled closer and lay down on her side. Her fingertips danced softly up and down her arm. She regretted touching her as Emma opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She said quietly.

Emma smiled softly. "No I'm glad you did." After a moment her face changed to a look of concern. Regina's eyes were still a little red and puffy from her previous night's crying session. The sheriff pushed herself up so she could look at her properly. She winced at the pain in her arm but breathed a sigh of relief as it quickly settled to just a numb soreness. "You look exhausted, you've hardly slept."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Regina said softly.

"I am worried about you. You look awful."

"Gee thanks." Regina forced a smile.

"I'm serious Regina. Tell me what's wrong. Talk to me." She said with concern.

"I'm that easy to read huh? -I don't know."

"You do know. Please Regina."

Regina shrugged defensively, her instinctual barriers being worn down by the saviour. She wasn't used to this feeling. "I just got a bit scared as yesterday kept replaying itself in my head. Things just got a bit much."

"When did this happen?" Emma asked softly.

"Last night... well most of the night." She admitted.

"Why didn't you wake me? What happened, how long did this last?"

Regina bit her lip as she forced her eyes not to water. "I um- well I just laid in bed for a while for a few hours I think and I just got panicked. I lost control okay." She said sadly. "I couldn't stop thinking about the blood. There was so much and it was on me and you were being quite spacey-and it was when I was crying and you were crying from the pain- and there was so much blood." She said quickly, she finally burst into tears.

"Sweetheart," Emma said sadly. "You should have woken me. Look I can't hug you properly, I so wish I could but I can do my best." Regina moved closer and sat up a little. She placed a shaky hand on Emma's ribs and she cautiously rested her head down on Emma's collar bone, her forehead against her neck. Emma wrapped her good arm around her back and pulled her closer. Regina seemed to relax a little more and softened into the embrace. It was so comforting to have Emma's warm, breathing body around her. It reassured her that the saviour was safe and well. However it didn't reassure Emma about Regina one bit. She was really worried about her.

She thought about it and she suddenly felt rather confused. Like her dismay was somewhat illogical. "I'm sorry that you're so upset. I don't understand how you could be so devastated though, I'm just me." She didn't know how else to say it.

Regina pushed herself up to look at her. "Do you remember how upset and shaken up you were after my whole rib-pain, passing out, fever thing?"

"When you very nearly died." Emma corrected her.

"Yes, I guess. You remember how upset you were? How you completely panicked?"

"Yes but that was you."

"You don't understand how in love with you I am, do you?" She looked at her sadly. "Emma you're my whole world; Henry too of course. Well when you got shot and you were practically bleeding out, my whole world crumbled to nothing. I was scared senseless. I'm just trying to build that world back together in my head because it hasn't sunk in that you're okay yet. So while I try and put it back together and get over it, I'm sorry but I'm going to cry. I'm going to be overly attached to you for a while, I have a feeling Henry will be too. I'm going to be staying awake and thinking about you because that is how much you mean to me Emma and you getting shot was a fucking shock for everyone, myself definitely included."

Emma nodded, taking in everything she said. "I'm really sorry for not understanding how you felt even though I felt the exact same thing like less than two weeks ago. Also I completely agree with the things you said. I don't mind if you're more cuddly than usual. I probably will be too. I love you to the moon and back and I promise you with all my heart that I am okay Regina. I am happy to be here with you. I'm happy to be here with my family and however much you hate him, (it really is fine if you do and I respect your opinion) I'm glad that I found Patrick again. I lost him as a child and I wished beyond my wildest dreams that I'd one day get to see him again."

"He must have been really special. Despite the asshole that he is, I'm happy that you're happy. I really am and I might give him a chance if you want him to become involved in your life. It's your decision and I will respect that."

"Have I told you that you're the most perfect human being on the earth?" Emma looked at her lovingly.

"I think you have actually." Regina smiled. "Now I think you should get some more sleep. You need to heal and sleep will speed up the process."

"But I want to be here with you. I want to talk to you and look at you."

"I will be here the whole time. I won't leave I promise."

Emma smiled sleepily. "You're allowed to leave. Just cuddle me for a while, okay?"

"Absolutely." Regina nodded. She moved back against Emma's body and settled against her side. She pulled the duvet over them more and subconsciously started fiddling with the hem of her girlfriend's vest top. Emma reached her arm down and lifted up the bottom of her vest, she placed Regina's hand on her bare stomach.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked with an amused chuckle.

"I don't know." Emma smiled. "I just wanted to be close with you. I wanted you to touch me."

"Emma you know that we can't-"

"Yes of course, I know. I just craved some kind of intimacy with you. So have my super exciting tummy." She smiled.

"Gladly." Regina nodded sincerely. With the final image of Regina's warm smile, she closed her eyes and fell into a comfortable deep sleep.

A few hours passed and Regina had managed to get a little more sleep also. She was awake now, with Mary Margaret perching on the corner of their bed. The matriarch had come in the room to check on them and upon seeing that Regina was awake, had decided to settle there and chat for a while.

The conversation had ceased and Regina casually picked up Emma's hand and placed a kiss on her palm. She took the limp hand into her own and cradled it as Emma slept.

Mary Margaret watched all of this with admiration. "You really care about her don't you?" She stated softly.

Regina nodded and drew circles on Emma's palm with her other hand. "Very much so."

"I never said thank you for looking after her and being there for her. You do it a lot for each other and it's beautiful to watch. Just the way you look at each other sometimes when the other isn't looking."

"I feel that she understands me in an impossible way. She seems to know what I am thinking, worrying about all of the time and she just gives me a look that says it's all going to be ok. I love her for that. She makes me feel safe." She said as she watched the woman's chest rise and fall softly.

Above the cast and bandages they could clearly see the top of a large purple bruise. It looked agonisingly painful yet there Emma slept so peacefully as if she didn't have a care in the world.

"It still shocks me that this happened to her. By her own childhood brother nonetheless."

"Imagine being there to watch it." Regina sighed with displeasure as she remembered.

"I apologise for asking but what happened after the gunshot? Nobody has really said anything."

"Since you are her mother I suppose you have a right to know these things." Regina pushed herself up and rested her back against the headstand. She picked up Emma's hand again and held it on her lap lightly playing with her fingertips. "She dropped down after the gunshot fired and I think I screamed. I remember her swearing but that might have been a little while after. I swore a lot at Patrick. So did Emma actually. We insulted him rather a lot. I wasn't exactly in the best frame of mind."

"No, insulting him seems perfectly fair. I think if I had been there I would have done far worse than insult him."

"I will be quoting that threat of violence from Snow White one day." Regina said with a humoured expression.

"I will protect my family members at all costs." Mary Margaret said clearly. Regina simply nodded in agreement. "I guess that includes you now." She smiled.

Regina raised her eyebrows. "You really consider me as a family member?" She asked with disbelief. She then composed herself and became more settled as her voice had risen a little during her last question.

"Yes of course I do. Whether you're my stepmother or my daughter-in-law you're in there somewhere." She shrugged with honesty.

"Now there's a sentence. This certainly is one messy family. I don't care for ever having to explain it to anyone who doesn't know us." She said. Then her face expression changed. "Wait did you say daughter-in-law?"

"Yes I did. At the rate you two are going you seem like the most worthy competitor." She gave a confirmative nod.

Regina looked a little taken aback. "Yes I suppose so. I've never really thought about that though with well anyone."

"Of course you two need to give it a lot more time either here or when we get back to Storybrooke but I can certainly imagine it in the future."

"Was that a blessing? -Two weeks into the relationship nonetheless." Regina asked with amusement.

Mary Margaret smiled. "I guess it is. Don't tell Emma we talked about this though. She'll think I was pressuring you into commitment or trying to scare you away or something. She's not convinced that I don't hate you so she thinks I'm always planning your demise in one way or another."

Regina watched her as she said this and then looked at Emma for a moment with a humoured smile. She turned her head to Mary Margaret. "Well are you?"

Miss Blanchard raised her eyebrows. "Of course not! That is the last thing I would want to do."

"You've certainly changed your tune from the past twenty- years. What's different?"

Mary Margaret looked a little wounded at that point. "I never truly wanted you to die. You pulled a lot of shit over the years Regina but even at my angriest I couldn't let you die. I stopped them from doing it that time. However much I hated you I always had this love for you from when you were my stepmother that I just couldn't shake no matter how hard I tried. I didn't wish pain and death upon you I just wanted you to stop being so evil and ruthless to innocent people. I couldn't take it anymore. Especially because all you really wanted to do is hurt me. None of those innocent villagers ever hurt you and yet they were always under your wrath."

"I only did that because I knew that it bothered you."

"I know, I always knew your actions were aimed at me. That I'd eventually find out everything you'd done one way or another and try harder to stop you."

"I was insanely fuelled with hate during my time as the evil queen and it all began with what happened to Daniel. No matter how composed I pretended to be throughout those years, that fire was always growing, as was my magic and when the day came that I was rid of your father it all came alive. I wanted everyone to feel my pain. I wanted them all to feel as hopeless, as disgusting and as desperate as I had felt in my past so I inflicted violence, pain and torture on them all in a wide attempt to also upset you. Because I wanted you to feel those things more than anything."

"I'm sorry you felt that way. That you ever felt those things. It seems they can all relate back to my father."

"I don't like to talk about that." Regina said uncomfortably, her body visually stiffening.

"I know. I know you don't. You passed out when I tried to make you last time. I don't see why anyone would ever want to talk about something like that so I'm sorry for asking you."

"You just want to come to terms with our past and why it was so complicated. I guess that's part of it." Regina responded with a light sigh.

"Yes, indeed it is unfortunately. I'll keep my thoughts of outrage to myself for now though. Not until you want to talk about It."

"Thank you. This really bothers you doesn't it?" She asked with curiosity.

"Of course it does. I found out two weeks ago and it disgusted me to no end. I loved and respected my father and my vision of him was shattered in an instant. I just said that I wouldn't do this but I am truly appalled and devastated that he would do such a thing especially to you."

"What's different about me?"

"You were so young and beautiful and perfect. You were an innocent young woman and you had such a huge heart. You obviously weren't ready for what he did to you, no one could ever be ready for that to happen to them... And he just shattered your hope and destroyed your happiness and your youth. You were so perfect to me, I think of you fondly from back then so it devastates me even more."

Regina bit her lips and her eyes watered. "I never knew that you cared about me. I felt so alone during that. And despite what was happening so unloved."

"I wish that I could go back and change things. I'd do absolutely anything to reverse that."

"What's done is done. I'd probably be the same now anyway."

"No, you wouldn't look so sad when you think no one's watching or lightly wince when people mentioned him. I've seen you do both."

Emma rested her hand on Regina's stomach. It looked like she was starting to wake up. Maybe she was giving comfort. Regina thought it would move again but Emma's hand just stayed there, resting softly, barely noticeable. Regina stroked it with her thumb and wiped at a tear with her other hand.

"Regina you have a beautiful family that you've made for yourself, maybe including Erin now? And most importantly you are loved."

Regina nodded. "Things seem better with us too. I never this day would come."

"Yes. You know, I think things with you and I might finally be okay."

Regina looked at her fondly for a moment and nodded. "Everything that happened made me who I am. Which is now what I hope to be a fairly okay person."

Emma shuffled towards her and grabbed her knee to push herself up a little. "You're an amazing person." She said with her eyes closed.

Regina looked at her with amusement. "Go back to sleep dear. You need it."

"But I want to stay awake with you." She mumbled, not even opening her eyes as she was so tired.

Regina leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep sweetheart, I'll be here the whole time, I promise you."

Emma nodded and ran her hand over Regina's knee comfortingly. Mary Margaret couldn't see this over the covers but she saw the gesture of it and it made her smile inwardly.

The injured saviour looked as if she was actually going back to sleep when she stirred a little. "Please come closer." She said sleepily.

"Okay dear." Regina shuffled closer to Emma cautiously as to not knock her arm and Emma placed her head on Regina's lap. The former mayor ran her fingers across Emma's temple and into her hair. "Go to sleep my love."

Emma gave a contented smile and then fell back into a deep sleep feeling safe and loved.

Mary Margaret looked at them adoringly. "That's partly why you have my blessing Regina. Because you make her feel so safe."

"She does the same for me. I couldn't ask for more. Now where's Henry, I haven't properly seen him in days."

"He'll probably be awake by now. I'll go and get him and you two can spend the day together. Emma needs to sleep for as long as possible. A few days ago I invited Erin for dinner tonight should I cancel?"

"No let her come anyway. I'd like to get to know her better. I have an appointment with her tomorrow anyway but I think I will cancel as I'd like to stay with Emma for a while yet."

"Of course. Don't cancel anymore sessions though."

"You don't get to order me about." Regina showed she was joking with a light smile.

"I certainly do if I'm your mother-in-law. You should be afraid of not making a good impression on me."

"I think we're a little past that, Snow." Regina smirked.

A further few days passed of the injured one sleeping and being overly cared for. They almost had a rota now with David, Mary Margaret and Regina rotating as her carers. Even when it wasn't her turn Regina would usually be there anyway. She couldn't stay away for too long.

Henry spent the whole previous day with Regina playing card games, board games and anything else they could find. Patrick had gone home but to everyone but Emma and Henry's dismay, promised he'd return soon.

Despite being rightfully apprehensive of the man at first, Henry had grown to fairly like Patrick. He was an o.k. guy who obviously felt extremely guilty about what he'd done and was desperately seeking forgiveness from everyone: he wasn't really getting it. Especially from Regina and David as they had been collectively either ignoring him or insulting him during his time with them. They knew it was his house but it didn't stop them from saying 'get out', 'go home' or 'nobody wants you here' (Regina's personal favourite) every so often.

Erin had promised she'd come over that afternoon to check on Emma and everyone. They were all getting closer to her now and she was slowly becoming a regular person in their lives.

Emma had insisted that she wanted to call someone in Storybrooke to see what was happening there. Especially since Greg and Tamara had gotten away that day.

It was a warm morning with bright sunshine seeping into the Manor through dated windows. Emma was sat on the living room sofa and Henry and Regina were both sat on the floor playing monopoly. They'd found a large stash of board games in one if the children's rooms.

Emma had the phone in her hand but was a little nervous to press dial. She had a choice between Mary Margaret's contacts of Belle or Ruby. All the others Emma didn't know.

Emma dialled Ruby first and received no answer. She then dialled Belle and listened as it rang for a moment.

"Hello?" Said a familiar British accent through the phone.

"Belle!" Emma said happily.

"Is that you Emma?" She asked with amazement.

"Yes, how are you? How's Storybrooke?"

"I'm fine. We're all fine now."

"Now? What happened before?"

"Well Neil fell down a portal to Neverland and Rumple went after him. As did I and a couple of others. Pan wanted Neil to get to Rumple; apparently Pan is Rumple's father."

"Oh wow. Are you all okay now? Did you get back okay?"

"We had a couple of fist fights with the lost boys, we all got a few scrapes and bruises but we got back fine. We defeated Pan and everything got sorted out so yes... I suppose so."

"Why do you sound so unsure?" Emma asked with concern.

"We've been quite worried about you guys and things haven't really been the same since you left."

"Oh."

"Can you tell us where you are? Are you all safe? Is everyone okay?"

"We don't know which state we're in but we're in this large manor house that I used to come to as a kid. We've only just worked that part out. We are definitely safe, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Henry, they're all well and safe."

"I heard about what happened to Regina is she definitely okay?"

"Regina was really ill for a while, fainting a lot and looking like she was in her deathbed all the time. It scared me a lot actually but we had one particularly bad night where she nearly didn't make it then with some help from someone we met here she managed to pull through and she's only been getting better since."

Regina overheard all of this and lifted her hand up and played with Emma's. Emma smiled and watched as Regina's fingertips danced over hers and settled in her hand.

"And you?"

"Well this is bad timing but I kind of got shot in the Arm."

"What!? When?"

"Three days ago. It was an accident by my childhood brother."

"Emma! Please rewind a bit and explain."

"He owns the manor house and he hadn't been staying in it. Regina and I were in the kitchen when he came back and everyone else was out. He knew that someone was staying here so he walked around armed ready to kick someone out and then he came into the kitchen and we'd turned the light off. I stood up to check if he'd gone, he hadn't and he fired a shot in alarm. It hit me in the arm just below my shoulder. The ambulance came pretty fast though and it was just a through and through."

"Oh my god. Are you still in a lot of pain?"

"I have good medication and there's a nurse who comes and redresses the wound every so often so it's ok. Regina's being amazing as well."

"Regina? I thought you two hated each other."

"No, things have really changed with Regina and I." Emma but her lip. Regina looked up at Emma and played with her hand a little more. Emma pulled it up and kissed it. Regina smirked and poked at Emma's face without looking.

"That's good to hear." Belle said pleasantly. "How are things with Snow and Regina?"

"Good. Shaky at first but they are starting to get along quite well. I think they are trying partly for me which is sweet."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Belle asked with a mischievous smirk.

"I'll tell you about it when I get back." Emma smiled. "How's Ruby?"

"She's good. I've spent a lot of time with her lately, she's being trouble again." She said fondly.

"What's she up to?" Emma asked with interest.

"She had a party with the dwarfs and pretty much anyone else in Storybrooke under the age of thirty. Everyone got rather drunk and trashed Granny's diner. She's been cleaning up for days." Belle explained with a humorous tone.

"Oh." Emma smiled. "I'm not too surprised. She certainly has a wild side."

"Yes. I don't really let her into the library anymore." She chuckled.

"Seems fair enough." Emma agreed. "We should be coming back sometime soon. We need to work our where we are and then the rest should be easy. Regina still has her magic."

"That's odd. You can't be too far then. Do you promise everyone is okay? We really have been worried about you."

"Yes I promise. Henry's doing great. I think he's having a nice time with us. I hope he is anyway." Emma said as she glanced down at Henry happily playing monopoly with Regina. He was currently charging her a fortune for a property she'd just landed on of his.

"That's good to hear."

Emma glanced down at Henry who was trying to get her attention. "Oh, Henry wants to talk to you."

"Oh sure!" She said enthusiastically.

Emma passed the phone to Henry with a nod and he immediately stood up, holding the phone to his ear.

"Belle hi!" He paced around the living room. "I am having a lovely time!" He stepped a little further away, spinning on his toes. "Yes the house is huge! Yes Emma got shot, she looks really badass..."

Regina got up and sat next to Emma on the sofa. She then stood up again as she'd sat down on the side of Emma's cast and had wanted to cuddle up to her. She placed herself on the other side and Emma wrapped her arm around her, pulling her closer.

Regina's head settled into her neck and Emma let out a contented sigh. She blinked at Regina sleepily.

"You're so cute when you're tired." Regina said softly, adoring Emma's baby like attitude at the moment. It was mostly because of the sore pain she was in and the drowsy pain medication. It wasn't exactly a good thing but she always looked like the sleepy infant you wanted to carry to bed and Regina found this incredibly cute.

Emma just gave her a tired smile and squeezed her a little closer. Regina rested her palm flat against Emma's ribs on the other side. Regina then lifted her head up and gave Emma a chaste kiss. Emma seized her lips and deepened the kiss, savouring her lips. How did she have such a hot girlfriend? It dawned on Emma as she kissed her. She's damn near perfection.

Emma's thoughts were taking elsewhere as she heard Henry said "Yes my mom's are dating! They're making out right now. Mary Margaret got mad at Emma because she caught them having sex." He stated casually.

"Henry!" Emma jumped up. Regina's eyes widened, she'd heard it too. "Give me the phone." She hissed.

Henry shrugged and handed her the phone. "Belle-"

"Wow." Belle remarked, quite taken aback. "I didn't realise things with you two were that serious."

Emma bit her lip and blushed. "Mmhm. Sorry he said that. We're working on boundaries with him right now. He's been stretching them a lot lately."

"I see." In Storybrooke she smiled to herself. "It's quite alright. I'll let that stay between your household. You need to tell Ruby and I everything when you get back though. Ruby won't want me hearing anything first."

Emma nodded instinctively and then responded "sure" as she remembered Belle couldn't see her.

"Well..." Belle didn't really know what to say.

"Well." Emma repeated. Feeling the awkwardness flush against her cheeks again.

"Please don't be embarrassed." Belle tried to reassure her. "Remember that you and David walked in on Rumple-"

"Yes, yes! You don't need to remind me." She quickly responded, fighting the image from her mind as she cringed.

Belle chuckled. "I guess we're sort of even then."

"It appears so." Emma agreed. "I don't think I can trust Henry to talk to you again."

"It's okay. I've been in the library store cupboard for about half an hour now. I have a teenage intern by themselves completely. I should get back anyway."

"Yeah." Emma agreed. "Good luck with things. It's not like I was to begin with but I'm putting you in charge of Storybrooke if you want to be." Emma suggested.

"Oh, sure." Belle agreed. "I'll try and stop the town from falling apart between now and when you're back. I hope you feel better soon. Tell Regina to look after you or there'll be trouble."

Emma smiled. "I will. I'm sure she'll be very scared. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Belle chuckled. "Bye."

"Bye Belle."

Emma switched off the phone and was met with a raised eyebrow from Regina. "What?" Emma asked defensively.

"Were you flirting with her?"

"No!" Emma tried to defend herself but she somehow broke out into a smile. "I absolutely wasn't! I was just trying to stop things from being so awkward after what Henry said."

Regina tried to look unimpressed but ended up smiling also. "I'll kick her ass if she tries to come onto you."

"I don't think I'm her type... And that's funny; she said she was going to kick your ass too."

"Did she now?" Regina asked with amusement.

"Yes, if you don't look after me properly." Emma raised her eyebrows, getting closer and closer to Regina's lips. Luckily Henry was no longer in the room; he'd gone to help out with David.

"Does not looking after you include this...?" Regina ran her hand slowly up Emma's thigh. Her lips ghosting over hers.

Emma's breath hitched with arousal. "Yep that's included." She managed to say; willing to play this game. Regina's hand parted Emma's legs and went up her inner thigh instead. Emma was wearing a loose pair of shorts so it was rather easy access if that's what Regina wanted to do.

Emma felt arousal rush down in between her legs. Regina's hand continued to ascend until it was hovering just above the desired spot. She ran the back of her fingers against Emma's underwear, feeling her folds through the cotton. "What about this?" Regina whispered against her lips.

Emma's felt desperation form in her nether regions. She wanted Regina to touch her so badly. "No, that's definitely a broken rule." Emma managed to whisper, the rebellious feeling and spontaneity getting her even more excited.

Regina delicately pushed her underwear to the side. "So this would be off the cards." She said into Emma's ear as she two of her fingers inside of her. Emma let out a small yelp and Regina covered her mouth with the other hand. She started slowly pumping her fingers in and out of Emma.

Emma's legs wriggled with the welcome intrusion and she savoured the erotic feeling. Regina used her thumb to graze Emma's clit and pumped harder. They both prayed above anything else that no one would come in right now. Simply because it would spoil the elated bubble they were currently in together. Mutually they didn't want that to end.

Regina pumped harder as she felt Emma coming to her high and added another finger. Emma moaned and Regina had no other choice but to kiss her hard in order to silence the racket she was making. It worked effectively and Emma's chest heaved as she came down from her orgasm.

Regina slowly released her fingers from her and took them into her mouth. Once they were clean she removed them with a pop. "Count that as destroying the evidence. Belle will never know I broke her rules now."

Emma stared at her with astonishment. "You're amazing." She whispered and took her lips. Her breathing slowed down and she relaxed into the couch, her girlfriend at her side.

"Thank god your mother didn't come in." Regina said with relief.

"I'd repay the favour but I only have one arm at the moment and I don't think I'd do a very good job."

"Oh, your time will come sweetheart. Not until you're fully healed will you go any where near there." She instructed.

Emma looked at her with disappointment. "What if I didn't use my hands...?" She asked suggestively.

Regina raised her eyebrows. "All in good time, dear." She smiled.

At that point David came into the lounge and took a seat on one of the armchairs. He looked over at Emma and Regina. Regina was blushing a was now blushing and Emma was beet-red.

"Oh god, what did I interrupt..." He didn't ask it as a question because he didn't really want an answer.

Emma bit her lip and Regina smirked a little. Emma made her feel like a teenager again. The smart posture, the need for power and the general regal-ness seemed to be leaving a little more every single day. The fact that she was now always wearing cotton shirts, t shirts and what were probably pyjama shorts, didn't make her that threatening either. Regina was starting to look like a 'mom'.

Everyone had noticed this recently and Emma thought it was extremely cute. She would have happily worn these clothes any day but they were far below Regina's usual standard so it was impressive she hadn't complained about them in so long. Maybe comfy clothes were becoming a little more appealing to her now she'd had the chance to try them out properly.

David looked at them a little apologetically. "I'm trying to be a cool dad so I'll choose to ignore your red faces. For Regina to blush it must be pretty bad."

"You don't have to be a cool dad." Emma gave him a soft smile. "You're Prince Charming, it doesn't get much cooler."

David gave her a grateful nod. "Can I talk to you tonight?" He asked Emma. "We've hardly spoken the whole time here and I'd like to catch up." He suggested kindly.

"Sure." Emma smiled. "I'm sure we could find some time, it's not like I can really go anywhere." She gestured to her arm.

"Yeah." He agreed. "I'm gonna go get Henry, he seems a little apprehensive to come back in, says he did something wrong."

"He did." Regina responded with a look of amusement. "But we're not going to bite his head off. He can come and sit in here if he wants to." She said. Emma nodded in agreement.

David went out of the room and disappeared for a few minutes. He returned with his arm around Henry's shoulders. "See, look how cosy they look, they're not going to kill you." He jokily tried to reassure him. He didn't know what he had done but it must have been pretty bad for him to be physically avoiding both of his mothers.

Emma looked at him sternly. She was still not impressed with what he'd done. She didn't want to shout at him but she wanted to stop him from doing it again. Regina must have been having similar thoughts.

"Henry, come here," she instructed.

Henry looked at David sheepishly and then moved away from his grasp. He stood in front of them, waiting for his verbal reprimand.

Regina shuffled away from Emma to make herself look stern and less of a pushover. There were times to look formal and she felt like this was definitely one of them even if she was wearing pyjamas. "Henry there are topics that stay within family walls and topics that are okay to leave them."

Henry nodded. "A little irritated that he was being patronised. He'd only told Belle because he wanted to see their reactions. He hadn't been having that much fun lately and tried to gain some entertainment for himself. He regretted it afterwards though knowing how annoyed they'd be. Emma wasn't even that close with Belle. They were hardly friends, this friendship had only birthed because of the situation they were in. They hardly knew each other.

With a nod from Regina, Emma continued for her. "It's okay to talk to people not in your family about things you've been up to and the normal things you'd talk about. It's not okay to talk about embarrassing things without the other person's permission or inappropriate things that boys your age shouldn't even know about." She explained.

"Fine, I get it. So 1. Keep family secrets, 2. Don't talk about sex with anyone." He summarised in a smartass way.

"Ughh!" Emma sighed exasperatedly. "I love you to bits but you drive me crazy sometimes. You know exactly what we mean."

"Remember the other thing as well." Regina added. "No more sexual references or suggestive comments ok. It's odd that someone of your age is even doing that."

David looked at them with surprise. This was awkward. He had no idea Henry was in trouble about this topic. Maybe this needed a male touch?

"Henry." David put a hand on his shoulder. Henry looked up at him. "Listen to what they're saying and if you genuinely have any questions that you don't feel comfortable talking to them about, you can ask me if you'd like. Always think of your mom's as a first option though. I'm sure they have your answers too."

Henry was blushing now. David felt sorry for him. Emma found it sweet and Regina felt a little disturbed that this stage of conversation was happening so soon. She thought it would be another three years at least...

"Yeah kid, it's fine if you have questions about that stuff. We're happy to answer them, just not when it's about us."

David gave an unimpressed expression. "You've been doing that?" He confronted Henry. "Yeah, don't do that. That's weird. Just let everyone get on with what they're doing and I'm sure they'll let you get on with it too in five years when you desperately want them to. You could save yourself a bit of trouble early on here." He advised him.

Henry nodded, still blushing. It was just getting worse and worse for him. At least Mary Margaret hadn't seen also, he'd thought to himself.

At that perfect moment Mary Margaret entered the living room carrying a particularly large phallus shaped cucumber in her hand saying, "I was thinking of making salad for lunch. Who wants some of this massive cucumber. It was the biggest one in the shop."

"Must get all the girls." Emma muttered. David and Regina heard and both laughed.

Henry's face flushed as he saw the cucumber, Mary Margaret's tight grip on it and her expectant and a little confused look. "What?" She asked as they all looked at Henry.

"Ah!" Henry ran out of the room and up the stairs.

"That'll teach him not to phone gossip again." Regina smiled.

"What did I do?" Mary Margaret questioned with a bewildered expression.

Hope you enjoyed it:)