Two and a half years later...
"Come on Mom! You're getting slow in your old age!" Henry teased as he pushed his horse to a gallop.
"Hey! Technically I am in my late thirties and that is not old, young man!" Regina lectured as she paralleled her horse beside his. "Besides, I'm not the slow one…you are."
The brunette nudged her horse and Henry watched in awe as his mother's ebony stallion bolted ahead of him, leaving a wide berth between their horses as Regina left her son in her dust.
A few minutes had passed before Henry finally crested the hill and he spotted his mother as she stood beside the lone willow tree with her stallion, affectionately rubbing his nose and patting his neck as she waited for Henry to catch up.
Ever since Sofia had turned two, mother and son would get up early on Sunday mornings and spend time together at the stables while Emma and Sofia slept in. Regina had kept her promise of showing Henry how to ride and care for his horse and she was impressed by how quickly he took to it. It also gave them the much needed time to bond.
Regina forgot how much she enjoyed horseback riding and even though she didn't have Rocinante anymore, her new stallion Toronado was just as precious and strong. It brought out the youth within her and everyone in town had noticed the drastic change that not only her family had created, but her newly rediscovered hobby as well. When she wasn't working, her pristine skirts and expensive suits were replaced with designer jeans and riding pants, much to her wife's approval.
"I swear you feed that horse brimstone or something," Henry quipped as he jumped down from his steed and led him over to where Regina stood. "No normal horse should be able to run like that."
"What can I say? Toronado is fast," Regina chuckled as she continued to rub the moist nose that nudged her.
"I think you cheat," Henry challenged with a smirk.
"I do no such thing," Regina defended. "I'll have you know that his breed is known for being quick on their hooves."
"Unlike the old lady who's riding him?" Henry questioned with an amused grin.
The teenager watched as his mother's mouth hung open for a millisecond before she snapped it shut and glared. The shift in Regina's expression reminded him of the Evil Queen, but the playful twinkle in her russet eyes had proven that the darkness within had long since passed.
"Somebody needs to be taught a lesson on how to respect their elders," Regina warned in a low voice.
"So…you're admitting you're old?" Henry quipped before he let go of his horse's lead and suddenly took off running.
"I shall destroy you!" Regina yelled after him as she quickly followed suit.
Laughter bellowed out from him as he bolted down the hill and across the open field. He figured his longer legs would give him the advantage from his now shorter mother, but he was sorely mistaken when arms encircled his waist, eliciting a surprised yelp to pass his lips before they tumbled to the ground in a tangled heap. Playfully wrestling around in the soft dirt, Regina managed to get the upper hand as she pinned Henry beneath her and jabbed her fingers into his ticklish ribs, causing him to howl with laughter.
"Mom! Stop!" Henry shouted out between chuckles. "Parlay!"
Regina paused in her attack before she leaned in. "I'm sorry, what was that you just said?"
"Parlay!"
"I'll respect that on one condition; what have we learned today?" Regina pressed.
"Respect your elders," Henry chuckled out, earning him another jab to the ribs. "Okay! Okay, lesson is that my mother is young, very young and not old at all."
"That'll do," Regina conceded before she stood up and held out a hand to her son. "Your mother is going to interrogate us when she sees how filthy we are."
"Yeah, because she'll be jealous that she missed out on all the fun," Henry pointed out before he slung his arm around his mother's shoulders and guided her back towards the grazing horses.
He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Henry loved spending time with the carefree former queen that graced his everyday life now. He hoped to never see the day that her cheery attitude would return to the unhappy, brooding mayor she used to be.
"I love you, Mom," Henry blurted out, causing his mother to look up at him in surprise.
"I love you too, Henry," she returned with a smile.
Mounting their horses, they galloped towards the stables at a moderate pace when a sudden boom resounded throughout the field, causing both horses to rear up in fright.
"Whoa, Toronado! Easy boy," Regina shouted while she tightly gripped the reins as the horse kicked its front hooves in the air before landing again. "Easy boy." Looking towards Henry's horse, she inhaled a sharp breath when she saw the saddle was empty. "Henry!"
She looked down in horror at her unconscious son that was sprawled on the ground while his horse pranced nervously beside him. She quickly dismounted and shooed the frightened animals away before she knelt down beside the boy.
"Henry? Henry, open your eyes," Regina instructed as she quickly skimmed her hands over his body for injuries. Her fingers probed the back of his head and she whimpered when she felt a sticky substance matted to his hair. "Hold on, sweetheart."
Waving her hands over him, she watched as a violet mist settled over his body before it disappeared. Hazel eyes shot open and Henry groggily sat up before he rubbed his head in confusion.
"What happened?"
"A loud noise spooked our horses and Lancelot threw you," Regina explained. "You had a deep laceration to your head, but I was able to heal it."
"Thanks, Mom," he said as he got to his feet. "What do you think that noise was?"
Regina knitted her brow before she gave a half shrug. "I don't know, but we should take a look around. It definitely came from somewhere close by."
Retrieving their horses, Regina and Henry checked the surrounding fields, but came across nothing to indicate what had caused the sound. The only place left to investigate was the forest that bordered the property, but Regina was hesitant.
"We'll be fine, Mom," Henry pushed as he dismounted from Lancelot and tied his lead to the wooden fence post. "Come on."
Regina rolled her eyes at her son's insistence before she followed suit, leaving Toronado with Lancelot while they hopped the wooden fence and enter the woods.
They didn't travel far when Regina's hand shot out and gripped Henry's shoulder to stop his advancement.
"What is it?" Henry asked as he watched his mother's eyes dart around the area.
"Magic," she answered while she scrutinized the surrounding forest.
The sound of footsteps crunching across the leaf-covered ground caused panic to stir within Regina. She tightened her hold on Henry and prepared to magically teleport them the hell out of there if the approaching people showed any signs of being a threat.
The wait seemed to last forever until two silhouettes broke through the thicket ahead of them and revealed the last two people Regina expected to see. Henry's eyes immediately widened in disbelief and he slipped from his mother's grasp before he took off towards the approaching couple.
"Gramps! Grandma!" Henry shouted out in excitement.
Regina watched as Henry barreled towards David and Snow before they both took turns embracing him. It was then that she noticed the black-haired boy who was perched on Snow's hip, his bare feet kicking out in agitation as Snow tried to keep him still.
With a long sigh, she approached her son and extended family, plastering on the best smile she could drum up, although she had to admit it wasn't that much of an effort to be happy to see them again. She mentally shook her head at how much she had indeed changed over the years.
"Regina!" David belted out as he gripped the stunned woman and pulled her into an awkward hug. "I thought I'd never be happy to see you again!"
"The feeling is mutual," she replied smoothly as she looked over at Mary Margaret.
"Regina, you look…happy," Snow greeted as she struggled to keep the wiggling boy in her grasp.
"I am happy," Regina conveyed before she smiled at the unhappy little boy. "And who is this handsome young man?"
"Oh, this is our son Eric. He's a little upset because he wants to get down, but he lost his shoes along the way and as I'm sure you're aware, the ground is too dangerous to allow him to walk on his own," Snow stated before she tilted her head towards the boy. "Eric, say hello to Regina and Henry."
Bright blue eyes contrasted with the dark mop of hair on the boy's head and he paused momentarily in his need to break free in order to greet the strangers across from him. "Hi!"
"Hello," Regina replied with a warm smile before she turned to Snow with a pleading look. "May I?"
Mary Margaret realized what the other woman was requesting and she quickly recovered from her shock at the offer before she answered, "Of course."
Eric slid easily into Regina's arms and he studied the woman who held him before tapping her face with a small hand. "You're pretty."
Regina chuckled. "Well aren't you a charming little prince," she teased before she tickled his sides, causing him to squeal out in a fit of giggles.
Snow and David were stunned as they witnessed their former enemy interact with their son.
"He's never taken to somebody so quickly," Mary Margaret confessed. "Are you alright to hold him for a bit? He's not as small as he used to be and he seems quite content at the moment."
"I don't mind at all," Regina responded as she rubbed her nose against the boy's affectionately. "How did you get here?"
"Anton; he grew a new crop of beans and offered us one in gratitude for protecting him," Snow offered. "We didn't realize how much we missed it here until we lost the opportunity to return."
"So you opened a portal and came back?" Henry asked.
"Yes," David answered. "We settled everything in our kingdom and turned over the crown to Mulan and Aurora. We couldn't continue to live in a place where our daughter didn't exist."
"Well, you're welcome to stay at our place until you find a more suitable residence," Regina offered. "Emma will be pleased to see you."
"How is she?" Snow asked as her face softened at the mention of her daughter.
"Ma is great," Henry piped in. "We're all very happy."
"I can see that," Snow expressed as she watched Regina converse animatedly with her son. She leaned towards Henry and whispered, "I haven't seen her like that since...since the first time I met her."
Henry grinned before he replied, "She's like that all the time now."
A glint of metal caught Mary Margaret's attention and she raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"How long have you and my daughter been married?" Snow questioned as she pointed to the silver band adorning Regina's finger.
"Four years now," she answered. "Emma wished for your presence and if I'm to be honest, I wished for your presence as well; for Emma's sake, of course."
"Of course," Snow agreed with a wink.
"Henry, can you retrieve the horses and put them in their stalls while I bring the family to the car," Regina asked.
"Sure, Mom," Henry replied before he turned to his grandparents. "See you guys in a bit!"
The three adults watched him go and David sighed. "You raised a fine young man, Regina."
"No, your daughter and I raised a fine young man," Regina corrected before she started to walk with a delighted boy in her arms. "Are you ready to go meet your big sister?"
Regina parked the car in the driveway and everyone clambered out of the cramped space of the Mercedes before they made their way up the brick path. Regina had barely stepped up onto the porch when the front door banged open and a tiny body crashed into her legs as her blonde mother quickly pursued her.
"Sofia! What did I tell you about leaving the hou…," Emma started to lecture before she stopped dead in her tracks and took in the people before her.
"Mommy! Up please," Sofia pleaded and Regina hoisted her up before she noisily kissed her daughter's cheek.
"M-Mary Margaret? David?" Emma managed to say as she stared wide-eyed at her long lost parents.
Snow tore her gaze away from the little girl perched in Regina's arms to face her daughter. "Emma," she murmured through tears before she embraced the stunned woman. "We've missed you so much."
Emma returned the hug with gusto before she pulled away and looked to her father and the little boy he held in his arms.
"Is that my brother?" Emma questioned as she beamed a smile towards the youngster.
"Yes, this is Eric," David introduced.
"He's adorable, but looks nothing like me," Emma pointed out.
"No, he doesn't, does he?" Snow chuckled before she glanced at the child in Regina's arms. "She however, does look like you…and very much like Regina. How is that possible?"
"I'd like you to meet Sofia, your granddaughter," Emma introduced. "She's our little miracle baby."
Snow and David took in the suddenly shy girl as she rested her head against Regina's chest with her thumb planted firmly in her mouth. Auburn hair fell in ringlets around her cherub face as chocolate eyes observed the new people in front of her.
Snow leaned in closer and smiled. "Hello, Sofia. It's very nice to meet you."
Regina could feel her daughter cling tighter as her thumb sucking increased in earnest. Rocking softly side to side as a means of comfort, Regina brushed wispy curls of hair from Sofia's forehead before she offered Mary Margaret a half smile.
"Give her some time; she'll warm up," Regina expressed as she continued to sway. "Unlike Henry as a child, Sofia is quite shy."
"Yeah, she used to be very outgoing until she turned two and then suddenly she just clammed up. It took Ruby four days to get her to even say hi after not seeing her for a couple of weeks," Henry added before he teasingly poked his sister's side, causing Sofia to squirm in her mother's grip.
"Stop teasing your sister," Emma scolded as she grabbed the gangly teen around the neck and ruffled his hair, only to quickly pull back when she saw pieces of dirt fall from his head. "Yuck, what did you two do today? Wrestle in a mud pit?"
"Sorta," Henry offered with a gleam in his eye. "Apparently I had to learn a lesson on how to respect my very young and not old mother."
Regina snorted in laughter before she playfully pushed Henry's back towards the threshold. "Go shower and then set up the guest bedroom for your grandparents."
"Yes, mother," Henry droned before he disappeared into the house.
"I should go wash up as well," Regina indicated before she kissed the top of her daughter's head. "Sweetheart, I need you to go with Mama," she murmured before she closed the gap between her and her wife.
Without a word, their daughter quickly transitioned from one parent to the other and Emma held Sofia close as Regina excused herself and headed inside.
"Who's that?" Eric piped up as he pointed to Sofia.
"That's your niece," David answered as he slowly stepped closer to Emma. "Can you say hello to Sofia?"
Blue eyes locked with brown and he beamed a smile while waving. "Hi! I'm Eric."
Sofia grinned a little around her thumb and the adults awed at the interaction.
"Let's go inside and get you guys settled in," Emma offered. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
Snow looked from the little girl in her daughter's arms to the silver band around her left finger. "Yeah, I suppose we do."