Regina finished drying her hair and magically poofed into her silky navy pyjamas. She wrapped a robe tightly around her waist and headed down to the kitchen humming to herself. Henry was playing his video games when he should have been doing homework. She berated him mentally but would let him get away with murder if it meant she got to spend time with him. She tapped gently on his bedroom door and smiled awkwardly. Things had been strained between them for a while now and he'd agreed to come home but was still wary of her. "Dinner is ready Henry I made your favorite."

"Ahuh, I'll be down in a sec. I just gotta finish this level." Henry barely turned his cheek and carried on with the game.

Regina sighed under her breath. "You''ve got five minutes or I'm giving your portion to the neighbor's dog." She turned and walked down the stairs thinking how she was losing him. She remembered how he had treated Emma badly recently and that made her feel a little less anxious. Not much though. She thought it may just be a phase. A normal, preteen phase that had nothing to do with her being the evil queen but she wasn't convinced. A voice in her mind laughed at her for being so pathetic and thinking anyone could ever love someone so evil, someone like her. She tried pushing past the negative thought and began mentally focusing on her schedule for tomorrow.

Emma was in the kitchen when the steady stream of jumbled thoughts hit her. It was disorienting and she had to grip the counter top so she didn't lose her balance. As the thoughts settled in her mind, she shook her head. Regina was one of the most put together people she'd ever met. Sure, she could be a bit uptight, maybe she had killed an entire village, but she'd changed. She hadn't been evil in all the time Emma had known her. Okay, there was the turnover incident, but they'd worked past that and she'd seriously repented after Henry was hurt. She'd been keeping a low profile and trying to make better decisions and Henry really wasnt making it any easier on her. The kid was stubborn. She laughed to herself and decided to send a quick text.

Across town, Henry's phone buzzed causing him to jump and lose his progress. He chucked the control on the bed and read the message.

Ma: Kid, you better be taking it easy on your mom. Go eat her lasagna before the dog does! X

He huffed and threw his phone back on the bed before stomping back downstairs.

"What's the matter dear?" Regina asked noting his posture.

He sat down and dragged the plate towards himself mumbling something Regina could only catch a few words of. "Two.. moms...my life...text..ganging up on me..." She smiled choosing not to persue him any further. He was just in a sulk and apparently at both her and Emma. She served herself a plate and tucked into it contentedly noting her son's sudden appetite increase.

Emma giggled. 'Well at least he's angry at both of us. I wonder what Emma had to say to him that had him all wound up? Something about ganging up on him? Glad to see she has some maternal instincts that don't contradict my own. He must get his appetite from her. It's good to see I haven't lost my touch in that department. He looks much happier now he's eating. My baby boy is growing up so fast.' She'd been completely immersed in the thoughts that she'd frozen to the spot with a spatula in one hand.

"Emma? Do you need a hand with anything? It smells delicious by the way!" Mary M walked into the kitchen pulling Emma from her daydream.

"Hmm? Oh no I'm good thanks." She pulled the lasagna out of the oven and served herself a huge slice. Now she knew it was technically Regina's cooking, she was looking forward to eating her fill.

"Are you okay? You've seemed distracted since you got home." Mary M fussed over her as Emma shoved a forkful in her mouth and threw her head back in satisfaction.

"Mmm hmm. Just got some stuff on my mind I guess. This is actually really good. Help yourself. I've done way too much." She took her plate back up to her room and perched on the edge of the bed as she listened to more thoughts coming from the intriguing brunette.

"How was school Henry?"

"Okay I guess."

"Do you have homework?" 'I know you do because I checked with your teacher.'

"Just science and math. I've done half of it if you wanna check."

Regina smiled. "I'll have a look after dinner." 'Good boy! You definately get your smarts from me!'

Emma chuckled. "Of course he does!"

"What were you playing upstairs? It looked violent." Regina asked casually. 'I don't understand the appeal of such games and I worry about their educational value.'

"Resident Evil. It's just a game Mom."

Regina smiled uncomfortably. 'Resident Evil? I don't recall buying him that. Is that supposed to reference me?'

Emma laughed. Okay, she may have got him that one as a direct dig at Regina when he first told her about fairytales being real and she didn't believe him. Maybe she should have thought that one through.

"I was thinking we could watch a movie together after we've checked your homework. There's an interesting portrayal of Maleficent I thought you'd enjoy." 'Nowhere near accurate but it might soften his view of villains if he sees an alternative back story.'

"Yeah sure."

Regina's heart leapt. 'That's a surprise! Maybe he's starting to forgive me.'

Emma finished her food and chucked the plate on her desk. She lay back with a full belly and closed her eyes. It was like dreaming listening to the chatter but she doubted she'd get much sleep unless Regina blacked out during the movie. She hoped she would. As interesting as it was, she needed to rest before pulling an all nighter. As numbers and equasions filled her head, she found herself drifting off easily. She'd always hated math.

Regina helped Henry with his homework and then instructed him to take a shower before the movie. It had taken almost an hour to correct it all as there were quite a few errors. He'd missed a lot of classes with all the changes around town and she hoped he could get his grades back up. Whilst he was showering, she poured herself another glass of wine and set about doing the dishes. She checked the time. The film would be starting shortly and she was quite excited to watch it. Maleficent had been more than just an ally and she missed her terribly at times. It wasn't safe to have her out roaming the streets though and she had cursed her into dragon form many years ago. After Emma had vanquished her, she mourned for a while in private and the regret over her own actions added to the never ending list. Henry shook her from her thoughts as he bounced down the stairs. They went into the lounge and settled into their respective couches. He used to cuddle up with her on the one couch but he deemed himself too big for that now. The movie began and Regina ran a commentary in her mind.

"Emma that was amazing!" Mary M burst through her door jolting Emma from her nap. "Sorry did I wake you?"

Emma looked at the clock and groaned. She'd only slept an hour and a half and she knew from experience, that would likely be all she was going to get. "Yeah but it's fine. I'm working a night shift tonight so I need to shower and stuff anyway." She got up and began clearing the plate she'd discarded earlier.

"I'll take that for you. You go and get yourself ready and relax. I'll clear downstairs."

"Thanks M."

'She and Stephan never had a thing! What a crock! If Mal could hear this she'd sue!'

Emma was walking to the shower as the commentary hit her. It was funny. She loved that Angelina Jolie movie and hearing Regina's account of what really happened was surreal.

'First off, it was Briar Rose that had her attention. She'd promised to run away with her but Stephan put a stop to that. Poor thing lost her fire not her wings. She didn't have wings aside from in dragon form.'

Emma scrubbed her body and made impressed faces. "Huh, so Maleficent was gay. Interesting."

'Ugh, please! She wasn't friends with the imps and treelords! Even as a child they hated her. They feared her. Those so called good fairies were nothing more than pawns in Stephans army. She deserved more. That evil basted took her love and ruined her. If I hadn't sought her out and convinced her to take revenge on his daughter, she'd be doped up or dead to this day.'

Emma's bit her lip and worried her brow. It seemed Regina really did have a hand in many atrocities back in the day but she was beginning to see the fairytales from a different point of view. Thinking back to a lesson she had learnt many years ago in one of the few classes she ever paid attention to, she remembered her history teacher telling her that the victor always got to tell their story and make themselves out as the heroes. Maybe evil was just the loser.

'She was so lost when I found her. I used to have such high respect and awe of the woman and then seeing her broken like that made the little romantic in me want to help her. She was so beautiful and had a reputation as an excellent lover. I was a curious little thing and she seemed to enjoy my company. It was only natural we sought comfort in one another. And oh did she live up to that reputation! Best lover I've ever had the pleasure of! Mmm. Such a pity The Savior slayed her. I do miss her firey touch.'

Emma hadn't noticed the water run cold. Her jaw was hanging open at this revelation. She often wondered about Regina's sexual preferences and this was the confirmation she'd been looking for. She couldn't get her head around Regina fucking a dragon though, which was the only way Emma had ever seen her. She wondered what Mal had looked like in her normal state. She didn't have to wonder too long.

'I suppose this actress does look a little like dear old Mally. She has similar lips and eyes, her cheekbones and fairness did inspire much poetry if I recall. But the hair is all wrong. Disney really ought to research their characters better. No, those wild blonde locks were what piqued my interest in the first instance. I must have a thing for blondes. Ugh, Regina. Don't go there! They are more trouble than they're worth! Remember what happened with Tink.. now she did lose her wings along with her virginity. Silly fairy!'

Emma shivered and turned the shower off. She quickly wrapped a towel around her soaking body and tried to calm herself. "She slept with Tinkerbell? Tinkerbell?!"

She wasn't sure if this new information was welcome. She had always been fascinated by the woman and she had indeed been the star of a few sexy fantasies she'd had over the years. But knowing that she might actually be open to persuit was a complicated issue. She was Henry's Mom. Her Boss. The Mayor of Storybrook and not to mention her own mother's arch nemesis! It was one thing to entertain a flippant fantasy. It was quite another to know the playing field may actually be open. "Remember, you said whatever you learnt wouldn't change anything about your relationship. Not a thing! Behave yourself Swan! BUDGET REPORTS, BUDGET REPORTS!" She chanted trying not to think about Regina's hands tangling in her hair.