Regina and Henry were in the kitchen, years of the same routine made it impossible to sleep in. Regina was making Henry his breakfast before he went to school. She set a plate of toast down in front of her son, it was prepared exactly like he liked it. No crust, cut into triangles, and the jam and butter evenly spread to the sides.

When Emma was looking after them, Henry whispered to Regina that he liked her toast better. Not wanting to hurt Emma's feelings or be ungrateful, he would eat his toast but it always never cut properly and it had the crust on and jam and butter would pool in the middle making it soggy.

Once she had even gone so far as to switch it up and instead of putting on his jam that had been his favorite since he could remember, she had used chocolate spread. He had to admit he liked it but he preferred his jam.

The chocolate had gotten all over his face and his Emma and his Grandparents had laughed at him. Snow even tried to spit on a hanky and wash it off. Henry didn't have any of that though he had lept off his seat and yelled "I've got it, grandma" as he ran to the bathroom to wash it off never had it again after that in case Snow came at him with her hanky again. He loved his grandma but he didn't want Snow to clean his face with her spit hanky. He was too old for that.

He was halfway through his toast when Emma appeared from the living room. Her hair was messy and her clothes were all had made Henry jump because his other Mom hadn't told him she was here.

When Emma woke up covered with a blanket. She tried to straighten her hair up and debated just leaving but she didn't want to go without saying thank you. She could tell Regina had taken her shoes off because of they where neatly paired together by the edge of the sofa so she would see them when she woke up, but she wasn't awake enough to put them on yet so she stumbled sleepily to the kitchen.

"Hello Miss Swan, I was wondering when you'd wake up. I didn't tell Henry you were here in the hope he would make enough noise to wake you. I'm guessing it was the smell of toast and coffee that did the trick though because he was looking for one of his shoes earlier upstairs and I could hear him outside when I was picking apples, I came back in you were still snoring." Regina said putting toast and a cup of coffee in front of Emma who had just woken up.

"I do not snore!" Emma said embarrassed.

"Oh you do Miss Swan I took a video for proof, want to see it?" Regina said trying to see if she could make the blond blush anymore because she thought Emma looked cute when she was embarrassed.

" No, and Henry can't either, in fact, delete it now!" Emma said. Regina shook her head and held her phone up so Emma could see it.

"You'll have to get it first." She said wigging the phone, to taunt Emma, grinning at her. Emma leaped off her seat and darted for the phone. Regina poofed it to her other hand as soon as Emma had reached her.

" Not fair," Emma said as she went for the phone again. Regina disappeared and reappeared behind the Saviour and taped her on the shoulder. Emma turned around. Just as they made eye contact, Regina chucked the phone to Henry, who caught it expertly and ran as fast as he could away from Emma who was now running after him. She managed to grab him before he reached the stairs quickly grabbing the phone before Henry could react.

"Ah ha" When she got her phone Henry had tried to get it back by pickpocketing her. Emma who knew the trade quite well from her practice in her younger years had caught him red handed and now was carrying him into the kitchen over her shoulder. Both of them were out of breath from running around. Emma plonked Henry down next to his chair so he could finish his toast. Emma sat next to him and started on her own toast.

"I don't know how you do it but even your toast is perfect. I didn't think there was a right way to do toast, but apparently, there is." Emma said taking a bite and letting the jam spread over her tongue. It was defiantly better than the stuff Snow got from the shops. She made a noise of appreciation." Where do you get this stuff?" Emma asked curiously because she had never had a jam that tasted that good before and she had tried a lot of jams. Peanut butter and Jelly was one of her favorite snacks as a kid and secretly as an adult too.

" I make it," Regina said. The answer should have been obvious to Emma.

"Strawberry jam?" Emma asked thinking that it doesn't taste like strawberries because it had a very tart taste to it that made her mouth water.

"No raspberries. There a bush a the back of my garden. I experimented with the idea of using strawberries but when Henry was younger he got a nasty rash from the plant." Regina said remembering Henry coming in covered in red blotches complaining he felt itchy. He had been trying to sneak the Strawberries from the bush like he did with the really good raspberries. After eating one he started to feel funny and ran inside crying to his mum, who the next day dug the plant from the ground.

"Yep, I looked like a tomato for a few days. Mum had to force me to put some smelly cream on so it would go away." Henry chuckled.

"Yes, he was struggling so much to get away the first time that he accidentally kicked me in the stomach and felt so bad about it after that he just let me put it on every other time," Regina smirked at Henry and ruffled his hair.

"It smelt really bad though, Mom even took me out of school," Henry said smiling like being taken out of school was an accomplishment.

"Yes because no son of mine will go to school smelling like cheesy feet," Regina said making her and Emma another coffee. " Ok, I think we better get you to school. Your running ten minutes late already" Regina said hustling her son out of the door.

" I leave twenty minutes early usually anyway mum so I'm technically still ten minutes early for school," Henry said knowing he usually stood around waiting for the bus for ages. He would sometimes sneak into the dinner for a drink or cake.

"Yes and that's how it will stay. If I ever hear you were late for school I know its because you have probably wondered off. Like went, you kept skiving off to help Emma with Operation Cobra" Regina said as she gave him his coat and bag.

"Yeah but that was necessary, I need to get Emma to believe in magic" Henry complained.

"Ok but never again unless one of us say so, you already missed enough school this month," Regina said she kissed him on the cheek and Emma came out to hug him goodbye too. Regina closed the door when he was gone.

" So is there any chance I could shower and borrow an iron. I look like I've had a one night stand." Emma said looking down at her clothes, then at Regina who was laughing a little at her.

"I did try and lend you some pajama's but you wouldn't wake up. Of course, help yourself, I'll go find you a towel and some fresh clothing." Regina said she led the blond upstairs to her bathroom. She handed her a clean towel and some clothes that she magicked up some of Emma's clothes to wear. Although Emma had been practicing her magic she had trouble with the everyday spells like conjuring and teleporting herself places. Which was annoying to her because it would make things so much easier sometimes.

"You need to teach me how to do that, I want to be able to magic up bear claws whenever I want," Emma said knowing that, that probably wasn't going to convince her to teach her, but it was the truth.

"Maybe when we haven't got something to do? Have a shower already we need to get started before My head explodes from holding too many questions." Regina said. Going to walk out when she felt a hand on her arm stopping her from leaving. She turned around to Emma who quickly caught her her lips quickly with her own. She pulled away from the blond.

"Shower," She said softer than she tried to say it. Damn blond.

Regina went to get their research together and make a start on their day's work. She decided she needed to practice what she was going to write to Aldara's staff. She had been writing a while and had restarted a few time, not able to get the right words down. Maybe she needed a break. She went to make some coffee. She was pouring herself a cup when Emma walked into the kitchen.

"Ahh hook me up," Emma said doing a little run and slide to Regina.

" What?" Regina said confused at Emma's words.

"Could I have some coffee?" Emma asked forgetting herself a little in front of Regina. Regina raised an eyebrow waiting for something. " Please" Emma added with a cheesy smiled.

"Of course, here, have mine I will make another one," She said handing her cup over to Emma. Turning back to get another cup and pouring another coffee.

"Could we drink it outside?" Emma asked she really liked Regina's garden. Having lived in cities most of her life she never had a proper garden. She always kind of wanted one and Regina's was beautiful especially in summer. There were even a few sunflowers that Henry had helped to plant that where huge of them was even taller than David.

" Sure, that sound like it will be refreshing. I've been sat trying to write to Aldara since you got in the shower. I've come up with nothing I like" She said a little angry at herself she was usually very well written. For some reason, she just couldn't word what she wanted to say. The pair walked to the bench.

"So talk to me see if that helps," Emma said grabbing Regina's hand and interlacing their fingers. Regina looked down at their hands and thought about what she was going to say. "Start at the maybe your daughter part. Do you think it's possible she is?" Emma asked trying to help the brunette a little.

"I guess it could be, I mean I could have taken a forgetting potion right after. I did know where Mum used to keep them, she used to use them all the time. So its possible, but I can't be sure who her father was. She could be Daniels." Regina said pausing at that thought. A tear springing to her eye. She looked at Emma with a shocked expression. " She might be Daniels" She smiled widely at Emma. The alternative she didn't want to think about because her mother had forced her into a lot of situations she didn't want to be in.

"That would be so great Gina, I think we should use a map to see where she is staying. You need to talk face to face" Emma said knowing Regina might be better at talking about everything rather than write.

"I don't think I can Emma, she was so angry. She looked like I did after Daniel died. She needs time to accept whats happening by herself. Showing up uninvited might just anger her more Emma. If she is my daughter, right now she might not be so easily consoled" Regina said knowing from past, not everyone wanted to be saved at first. It had taken Regina ages to realize she wanted help from her family and friends. Without Emma and Henry, she doubted that would have ever happened.

It took Henry being taken for her to come to terms with her life goals. None of them was going to be achieved by killing and capturing people. She had worked with her family against Pan to save her son and she noticed that it helped to have people around you that are trying to help. Seeing Snow and Emma together reminded Regina she wasn't the only one who has had a rough upbringing. She didn't realize how much she and Emma had in common.

They both grew up learning tough love. Maybe there experiences where different but they had the same result. The had both turned to darkness to get them out of it. The difference was Emma had been stopped before she dove in head first. She had met Neil and had Henry and the life she had been living she abandoned to help people. Regina had gone off the deep end and was there for quite some time before anyone would give her a chance. She had a few chances with Snow but back then she thought it more as an insult than a blessing. She didn't want to make the same mistake with Aldara. Pushing her too much right away might have catastrophic consequences.

" Ok, so we finish this letter then. Maybe just introduce yourself and explain about Cora a little and why you couldn't have kept her with you." Emma advised knowing that she would of like to know why her parent had to give her up. Regina nodded.

"I just wish I knew about her. Why would I take a potion to forget my own daughter, who does that?" Regina asked tears appearing in her eyes and she fought against herself. Emma took Regina's face in her hands.

"Look I know you and even as the Evil Queen you wouldn't have wanted your mother to know about her especially with her magic as strong as it is. She's a part of you that you knew you had to keep a secret for Aldara's sake. You need to tell her about it" Emma said hoping she was right for Regina's sake. The woman next to her looked so hurt and lost that she would do anything to get Sarcastic and bossy Regina back. She lightly kissed the older woman and led her inside. They sat on the sofa and Regina held the notebook and pencil. After a long conversation and many notes finally, Regina was happy to send her letter. It read:

Aldara,

Our first meeting was a little rocky. I have no memory of having a child but I assure you I am trying to remember you. My mother was a cruel woman and she made me do things I will always regret. If I left you it's because that woman would have hurt you. She did everything in her power to make my life miserable. She killed my first love and made me marry Snow Whites father who was considerably older than I was and was not as nice to me as he was his darling daughter.

Through the years I have worked on my anger for the world I was born in. I now have a family and friends. Something I never thought possible after what Mother and Rumplestiltskin had made me into. I just want you to know before you doing anything too rash that if you are my daughter that I love you no matter what. I would really like the chance to settle everything. I have found a way to restore my memories, if I gave you anything as a baby we can use it to make sure I am your mother, So we can finally know for sure that we are family. I really hope you consider meeting with me again.

Regina x

It might not be the most informative or persuasive letter she had written but it definitely the most truthful and hardest letter she had ever had to write. She did as rumple said and folded up the paper she whispered Aldara's name and blew on it. It burst into flames then disappeared. Now they just had to wait for the reply. Regina felt restless and uncertan she had done the right thing.

"No matter what happens I'm here for you Regina" Emma the teriffied Brunette into her arms and holding her. "We won't stop until we are either dead or she wants to be a part of our family. We won't give up Regina we will do our best help her."

"I know, thank you Emma, I don't know what would of happened with out you around" Regina said snuggling further into the blonds grasp. She couldn't help but feel content there. She didn't know what was happening between her and Emma but for some reason it didn't seem important to figure it out. Her and Emma just seemed to fall into it together and neither one wanted to go back. For now they were happy just to have each other.