Looks like it's going to be a busy long weekend for me so there's a good chance there is going to be a bit of a wait for the next update. I do have a life ;) which unfortunately can sometimes get in the way of updating for you guys! I wrote up a longer one for you though to keep you busy just a little longer during your wait for the next update :) I appreciate your guys' patience! Enjoy!


"James you're being ridiculous," Regina laughed at his protective behavior as she flipped her hair out of the collar of her blazer. She'd have to go home and change before anyone saw her in the same clothes as she wore the day before.

"Am I? You said yourself that he's known for his twists," he moved his arms in large gestures as he spoke and watched Regina pull on her boots.

She let her exhale be heard as she stood up straight and walked toward him resting her hands on his chest, "I'll be fine. It's nice to know that some one finally has my back though," she smiled softly and stood on her toes to give him a gentle kiss.

Her words were like a punch in the gut and his heart ached sadly as her lips pressed against his. He realized that she had probably never had anyone feel the need to protect her before, aside from Daniel but that was short lived. He admired her for her strength, he didn't know of a single person besides her that could possibly go through all that pain and loneliness and still come out and have the ability to love so much.

She lowered herself back down and turned to leave but he couldn't let her leave with such a sad smile. He stepped forward and gripped her arm, "come here," he gave her a good tug that sent her spinning back into him with a thud. He gave her another kiss as she laughed quietly in to his mouth.

"I'm coming back, it's not like you're never going to see me again," she hung her arms lazily over his shoulders as he held her waist close.

"I know," he leaned down and kissed her one last time before reluctantly letting her slide from his grip.

She walked to the door but stopped when her fingers touched the handle and she twisted her head over her shoulder. "I love you," it caught her by surprise how honest her voice was when it spoke out without her consent. It was a quick sentence that promised her return and sounded as though she used it frequently when in reality she could count the amount of times she had said it to him on both hands. She mentally kicked herself and met his eyes with worry and fear. She knew he'd said he loved her but it was still hard for her to believe and she was always waiting for him to leave her alone.

"I love you too," he savored her words before he gave his reply. Regina released the breath she was holding in a relieved laugh as she dropped her gaze back to the handle and turned it. To her his words were a promise to be there when she returned and she couldn't help but grin like an idiot. It was like she was falling for him all over again.

...

Still smiling to herself, Regina stood next to her car and lifted her keys closer to her face in an attempt to find the one that would unlock the vehicle. It was a shame that her mood was going to be hardened by Rumplestiltskin, she was enjoying the feeling of finally being happy.

"Regina?"

The voice rang annoyingly in her ears as she lifted her gaze to find Blue walking toward her. Her smile was still pulling at her mouth when her attention moved back to her keys, "what can I do for you?" she took the car key in her hand and let the rest jingle over the side of her palm.

"Nothing I'm just surprised to see you here," she was more surprised by the entirely friendly air that came off of Regina. Her attire threw her for a loop as well.

"Just trying to figure out how to get his family back," she answered plainly and motioned up to the apartment window.

Blue flashed her eyes up at the building and then back to Regina, "have you been in there all night?" she didn't know what to think.

Regina scrambled quickly for an answer. Lie and risk getting caught or tell the truth and try to cover her tracks. She nodded, "yes turns out time tends to fly when you're," she paused in thought for an explanation that wasn't entirely a lie, "caught in a heated discussion."

Regina's smile faded as the former fairy looked over her skeptically with her chin held high, "alright look," she took a step closer, "I don't like this set up anymore than you do but I am extending an olive branch here. It'd be a little easier on the both of us if you'd at least try and meet me in the middle so we can get this over with and go our separate ways."

"Fine," she nodded stiffly and dug her fingernails into her palms. It would be over sooner if they found a way to set aside their differences and work together as Regina and James had done, "where are you going?"

Regina stepped back and fit the key into the door, "to see Rumplestiltskin. Seems he's got some information he's only willing to give to me," she pulled the key out and opened the door between her and Blue.

"And you trust him?" she may have been willing to work with the evil queen but working with Rumplestiltskin is where she drew the line.

"Do you trust me?" She nodded at Blue's distrustful glare, "then I'm sure you can relate to my relationship with him," her lips formed in to a small smile before she dropped down in to her car and started the engine, "I'm sure I'll see you again soon," she looked up at the Fairy before closing the door and driving away.

...

"Glad to see you've decided to talk," he didn't lift his eyes to see her walk through the door, he felt her arrogant presence enter the shop and he knew it could only belong to her.

Regina smirked as she walked up to the counter, "what is it you want to talk about Rumple?"

"I want to know your angle, I need to know if you are going to be a threat to what I am trying to do or if this will be a welcome distraction. You see I've known you a long time, love, but I cannot seem to figure out why you are including yourself in getting Snow and Emma back," he pointed at her and then let his hand drop back to the counter.

Regina only shook her head, "I have no angle. I want my son back, I want to move on. I believe it was you who told me that as long as I live in the past, I'll never find my future," she smirked at him but it faded and was replaced with a near snarl, "I hate my past."

He stood tall and unaffected by her aggressive forward stance, "oh come now Regina, you can't possibly believe that you can walk away from your dark past," he chuckled lowly, "it's who you are. You my dear, have a heart as black and as cruel as mine. There is no changing that, it's your very nature."

"That is not who I am," she pointed at her chest, "you made me this way."

Rumplestiltskin scoffed, "I may have played a part in it but it was you who made the decision to listen to me," his voice danced through various tones and volumes.

"You took advantage of me at my lowest point! You manipulated me in to your play thing! My sole purpose to you was to become a monster and enact this curse to bring you here," she spat the words at him and glared at him through dark eyes.

"Oh but the fun we had together!" He raised his voice in excitement, mocking her.

"I don't want to play this game anymore. I want to be myself, I want to find my happiness."

"That darkness will always be a part of you dearie, you will never be able to rid yourself of it, that I am sure," he nodded and gave her a toothy grin. The satisfaction of her silence urged him to continue, "there is one small thing that I would appreciate you clear up for me. James claims the two of you have been together for months, now that would mean you started this whole thing before the curse was broken. I know you initiated it, there would be no reason for him to go after you. I must say I am impressed that you kept it all hidden from me. Why choose him?"

Regina shrugged plainly, "to hurt Snow."

Rumplestiltskin waved his hand through the air, "clearly. But why have you chosen to stay with him? Surely you have succeeded in harming Snow White. The fact that he's willing to continue to stay with you flies right over my head. If you're trying pointlessly to redeem yourself and find your nonexistent happiness, why hold on to him?"

Regina straightened her posture and pursed her lips shut as she tried to keep her expression from softening. Based on the look of surprise that spread over his face she wasn't doing a very good job.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for him!" her uncomfortable silence was all the confirmation he needed and he let out a breathy laugh, "you can't be serious. You and him? Now you're just setting yourself up to get hurt. Need I remind you that you are helping him retrieve his wife and daughter?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens," Regina flicked her hair from her face, a nervous twitch that she wished she could get rid of.

"You want to take bets on the outcome?" He lifted his eyebrows and nodded through his sarcastic tone.

Her own doubt in the outcome was only magnified by his certainty of it. She wouldn't let him see her crumble, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Love is weakness Regina, you know that."

She shook her head softly, "I am beginning to disagree," she wasn't looking for an argument, her voice was calm and definite. "I'll be sure to pass on your opinion to Belle if you'd like," she didn't expect an answer she was just proving her point. It was effective and she tapped the counter top with her palm before she turned to leave.

"Come now, you know I never break a deal. I've enjoyed our little chat, now allow me to hold up my end," he was sure he had broken her beyond repair long ago. Where she had found the strength to try and mend her broken spirit he did not know and he was baffled by it.

...

Regina had thought about going to find James or even Red and tell them of the theory Rumple had given. She couldn't see either of them though, not while Rumplestiltskin's voice echoed through her head "you're just setting yourself up to get hurt" it had been her fear from the very beginning. So she didn't look for them, instead she parked her car on the grass near the shore line next to where she had had Henry's rickety castle torn down.

Turning the engine off and leaving the keys in the ignition she stepped out of the car and closed the door gently. She stood soaking in the warm sunlight and closed her eyes as she breathed in through her nose enjoying the salty air as the soft breeze tugged at her dark hair. It was no wonder why Henry had come here so often.

Opening her eyes she slipped of her stilettos and gracefully climbed on to the hood of her car facing the water. She rested her back against the windshield and brought her left knee up slightly keeping her hands just below her stomach. She kept her eyes focused on the horizon enjoying the quietness of the area, she could let her mind wander without the busy noises of the town interrupting. She only wished she had something better and less worrying to let her mind wander through.

"Regina what are you doing," she whispered to herself in defeat while she watched the light reflect off of the water. Rumple was right, she would never be able to rid herself of the darkness that had consumed her entirely for so much of her life. It would always be there, lingering in the back, keeping her from trusting, stopping her from being able to move on completely. She hugged her arms tightly around herself in an attempt at comfort. The evil queen took up too much of her life to be discarded and forgotten, it was a huge part of her and there was no denying that. It was who she was, who she had been since she was wanted to find herself again, to find that young girl who hated magic with all her being, that young girl that would sneak out to ride through the night with Daniel, that young girl that was able to love with all her heart and never look back.

She felt the tears rising to her eyes, how did I let this happen? Bits and pieces at a time she had lost herself along the way until there was nothing left. Bits and pieces until she had become the one person she had promised herself she would never become. Her mother. Ripping hearts out and taking happiness. How could she have fooled herself in to believing she could be happy here, here where everyone knew of her past. If only they had known her before or at least had a heart open enough to try to know her like James had done.

She let out a shaky breath and wiped the tears that broke away as she blinked. She wanted to love James with all that was left of her heart. She trusted him with her life and she could only hope he felt the same and right now it was great, they were happy in their own little world. What ate at her was the uncertainty on what was going to happen when everyone found out. Would he start to change his mind? Would he realize that he was supposed to be with Snow? Snow. When they are successful in bringing them back would he leave her alone again? She felt sick to her stomach, she physically couldn't handle another broken heart.

"What are you doing here?" there was no suspicion or accusing tone in his voice not even surprise, it was just a question.

Regina started slightly at the sound but let the smile form on her mouth, "just thinking," she didn't moved an inch from her position, "what about you?"

Henry shrugged his shoulders, "just thinking," he focused his gaze out at the water. He smiled quietly as he turned his head to look at his mother again. Her eyes stayed focused on the water and the wind pushed her hair back ever so gently while her bare feet were placed comfortably on the metal with her left knee raised. She was so quiet, even the space around her that was almost always blocked off by threats and anger, was calm and quiet. He found it relaxing, "you want to think together?"

She turned her neck to look at her son before she nodded once, "sure," her smile was small and she couldn't help the sadness in it. She watched him clamber clumsily on to the car and sit next to her. Their arms were touching gently and she enjoyed the comfortable silence that enveloped them. The both of them kept their gaze out at the water and Regina was hit with a sudden painful realization.

Emma was going to be with Snow which meant that there was a good chance Henry was going to leave her for Emma. Losing both James and Henry would be just be too much and she feared the pain could actually kill her. She could only cling to the hope that he believed she was changing and fighting for him.

"Mom, can you promise me something?" he looked up at her hopefully. The sadness in her dark eyes caught him by surprise and he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"Depends on what it is," the words came out soft and slow.

"I want you to promise me that when Emma and Snow White get back that you won't go back to being the evil queen," he watched the tears start to well up in her eyes and he wasn't entirely sure which emotion they were connected to. "I don't want you to hurt them, I don't want you to hurt anyone. You've been making friends and you've been happy, you've been trying so hard and I don't want you to go back. I want to be with you, I want to learn magic and how to ride from you. I don't want to be with the evil queen," he paused before he asked again, "can you promise to be my mom?"

Regina nodded and tried to push down the tears, "yes, I can promise you that," her throat tightened and she let out a sound that was part laugh and part cry. She wiped the tears that had fallen and let the relieved laughter shake her shoulders.

Henry wasn't so great at reading body language, it was another skill he had hoped to learn from his mother, but he could always tell when someone needed a hug. Turning on to his knees, Henry wrapped his arms around her neck and held on tight as he nuzzled in to his mothers neck breathing in her comforting scent.

He felt her knee rise to his side to support his weight which was entirely unnecessary because of the strong hold her arms had around him. He leaned in to the kiss she gave him on the side of his head as her mixed laughter subsided and he relaxed fully in to her when she nestled her head in to the crook of his neck.

Regina closed her eyes in to her sons neck and took a deep breath soaking in his affection, "thank you Henry," she whispered it gratefully in to his neck and tightened her grip around his small form.

Henry knew she wasn't thanking him for the hug, no he knew what she meant. She was thanking him for not giving up on her and after all the effort she had put in, how could he.

He sat in her hold a little while longer before he loosened his grip and moved back instantly missing her warmth, "you know you can come here whenever you like," he offered as he repositioned himself. He sat between her legs and leaned his back against her, rising and falling gently with every breath she took. He reached for her hands and moved them in front of him, "this place always helps me think," he held his mothers hands in his and began affectionately bending and playing with her fingers.

Regina enjoyed the weight of him against her and her heart melted at his words. She rested her head against his and watched him play with her hands, "it is quite the place isn't it," she caressed the top of his hand with her thumb before moving her eyes back to the water. She let herself relax, she had Henry back and if she did in fact lose James to Snow, she would fight to pick up the pieces of her broken heart to keep her promise to her son.