Snow swallowed hard roaming the entire room with a confused and terrified look on her face. She stopped when she finally noticed David among the audience and nodded her head. His eyes were filled up with worry and impatience as well. He needed an answer... he needed her answer to the judge... he needed her to finally speak so they could get this over with.

Don't you think that David was the heartless one. Not even close... he cared about Regina... he cared about Regina's destiny and her child's future, but unfortunately he knew that he had to help out his daughter even if she was entirely wrong.

"Miss Blanchard? Do you want me to repeat my question?"

The judge asked lowering her voice and Snow glanced over her clearing her throat. Emma looked away. She held Henry's hand and brought it on her lap squeezing it nervously. The little boy knew... maybe he wasn't that little anymore. He knew his mother better than anyone else... and right now emma was lost.

"Mum it's going to be okay."

He tried to sound reassuring and encouraging as he whispered and gave her a squeeze on her right hand. Emma just looked at him bitting her lips and nodded her head as she hadn't even focused on what her son just told her. She was lost in her thoughts...

"Miss Blanchard?"

The judge insisted raising an eyebrow. Barbara held Regina's hand and the brunette woman slipped her hand down her abdomen protectively as she looked at snow with wide and sad eyes. Her destiny was approaching.. and she had only a couple of seconds to process that her future from now on wouldn't be the same.

"No!"

Snow admitted almost choking on her words

The entire audience froze looking at her with wide eyes. David stood up looking at her and then back at Emma who had remained still on her seat not even daring to look at them. Henry turned around looking at Regina who was astonished by Snow'a words. Her jaw dropped the minute she hears the woman's denial...

She couldn't believe this... did Snow suddenly decide to protect her? And why? After all these years...

"I said no. That woman... raised me. Well it's complicated but I shared a big amount of my life with her so I can be sure that she's far from dangerous. She's kinda... loving... a carrying mother that would give her heart in heartbeat in order to save her son. And that's what I admire on her the most! Her sheer will, and endless love for her boy! You don't find mothers like her that easily."

The frown on her face turned into a wide smile as she looked at Regina proudly. At this point she didn't care about David's lecture or Emma's upcoming rage. She was freaking Snow White and she couldn't let an innocent person go to jail when she knew that Regina had tried so hard to change everything for Henry's sake.

A single mistake shouldn't make her the bad guy again. Not after what she went through...

"So you're telling me that this woman never did anything wrong?"

"I'm telling you your honour I know that woman my entire life! She might went through a couple of dark moments in her life but that's pretty normal right? We all do! We all tend to lose ourselves sometimes and freak out on the process of rediscovering our inner strength and power."

"I guess you're right."

The judge agree as she turned around facing Regina.

"Miss Mills are you sure that you're able to share the custody of your son with miss swan?"

Regina looked at Henry as her eyes softened and teared up.

"Yes. Yes I do."

"Do you promise in the name of law that you'll always protect him and look after him."

"Cross my heart and hope to die"

She spelled trying her best to keep back her happy tears. None decision was taken yet... she had to make sure that it was safe for her to smile and relax peacefully.

The judge pressed her lips together as she put on her glasses looking at her notes when she rose her head and focused on Henry.

"What about you kid? Do you think you're safe around that woman? Do you want her to be part of your life?"

Henry hesitated at first. His heart missed a beat the moment he heard the question but it was his moment to shine. It was his moment to claim

his right and fix his relationship with his mother...

He might got mad at her at first but now he knew. He knew that she was willing to love him and protect him forever! And he hates himself for even doubting that fact.

Emma was right next to him looking down at her shoes confused. She didn't feel defeated... she didn't feel unhappy. Just confused and ashamed.

"Sometimes people make mistakes. But they always deserve a second chance, and I'm willing to give my mother another one. We've been through some horrible moments together but I knew that she always loved me. And I personally don't wanna lose connection with that woman... ever."

He looked back at Regina with tears in his eyes while the bottom lip of his mouth was trembling like he used to do when he was little before he would burst in tears.

"Then I'm sorry miss Swan but your demand to claim the full custody of your son Henry Mills is declined."

The judge finally admitted and knocked her little wooden hammer on the bench in front of her.

The entire audience stood up applauding when Emma stood up, let out a silent sob as she hid her face and run outside of the court room.

Henry wanted so bad to follow her out there and explain but Regina was his priority. He approached her as he extended both of his arms for a hug. The brunette woman waddled her way towards him and let him embrace her tight. Gosh... she missed that. She missed his smell... his heart beating against hers... she missed her little boy.

She cupped his cheeks with both of her hands and pulled him closer again for an even tighter embrace.

Henry smiled shyly as he smelled her classic smell. Apples and cinnamon. He placed his head on her chest smiling finally feeling peaceful and happy to have his mother back.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I let you go away back then. You know I would never let you go do you?"

She whispered at him keeping him close and he nodded his head in return as a broad and bright smile formed on his face making his cheeks blush.

"Mum... the past is in the past. Let's just turn the page and move on. I'm tired of constantly fighting and arguing... I'm tired of losing you... I love you."

He buried his hand between her neck and collarbone and let out a couple of hot tears. Snow White approached the reunited family with a guilty look on her face. Henry sniffed.

"Can we talk? I promise it won't take long."

She looked at Henry and smirked. The younger boy nodded his head as her glanced over his mother was who looking at him with a proud look on her face.

He slowly walked away. Step mother and step daughter were finally alone. Regina took a deep breath as she forced a smile on her face.

"Thank you. Thank you for supporting me."

She sounded way more grateful and thankful than she planned to. Snow smiled charmingly and held Regina's hand in her smooth palms.

"I can't not serve justice."

The pixie haired woman replied and glanced over the exit of the court room to find her daughter pacing up and down in the hallway huffing.

She knew she had messed up. She knew she could have lost her family right now... but she wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully at night if she hadn't supported Regina. She owned her that.

"I still appreciate it. Without you, I'd be behind bars now..."

"I know we had our differences in the past, but you will forever be a part of my family Regina. I couldn't just sentence an innocent woman to a lifetime as a prisoner. It didn't feel right. After all, I can see that you're actually trying very hard to change your lifestyle and earn Henry's trust back."

"Thank you..."

She was way too proud to say anything else. She was beyond thankful that her step daughter had morals and such a kind heart. Her soul was indeed pure and innocent...

"I should better go talk to Emma..."

Regina continued.

"What? How come?"

"I'm not entirely heartless Miss Blanchard."

She teased as she gave Snow a playful smirk and rubbed her shoulder.

"Is that a truce between us madam mayor?"

Snow spelled shyly and Regina just nodded her head.

"You could say that."

In the mean time emma walked outside of the vast building and sat down on the white stairs burying her head between her palms and let out a sob that she was trying to hold back for hours now. She failed... and it wasn't failure that pained her the most but the fact that she remained extremely confused.

Even her mother recognised her mistakes... but she was way too blinded by envy and rage to focus on the right decision. She run her fingers through her hair removing a couple of blond curls of her face and pouted. She missed having a family.

She missed Regina. She missed things between her and her family being normal... Henry's reaction at the judge's words when she announced that Emma's demand had been declined broke Emma's heart. It made her feel like she was the worst person in the world...

Her anger made her turn Henry against Regina at first when she should have never forbidden her son to see his mother. Whatever happened between her and Regina should remain personal... She turned around to see the people exiting the court house when a tall thin figure approached her and struggled to sit down next to her on the white stairs. He placed his walking stick on his lap and gazed the blue sky above them.

"Life can be cruel."

He huffed and turned around to look at her with an evil smirk on his face.

"Gold now it's not the right time."

"Oh I actually believe that right now is the best time! Such a bummer that you failed Miss swan. I had faith in you."

He said in his Smokey voice as he lit a cigarette and sipped a bang exhaling the smoke slowly.

The former sheriff rolled her eyes irritated and placed both of her cold hands inside the pockets of her leather jacket.

"What's that supposed to mean now? I'm not in the mood for one more of your riddles. Don't you even think that I'm willing to have a deal with you..."

Her voice sounded quite desperate... she was entirely lost.

"As you know, I'm not only the kind of guy who causes turmoil but I'm the kind of guy who knows how to keep a secret and how to hide my tracks."

"Excuse me?"

She frowned narrowing his eyes looking at him clearly confused.

"You don't know? I thought my good friend Killian would have let you know about it, when you visited him at prison."

"You know about that?"

She growled.

"Oh dearie! You should know that I'm aware of everything as well."

"What was Killian supposed to tell me?"

"You really have no idea?"

"Is that the face of someone that's fully aware of something?"

She fought back rubbing her face exasperated. Why did life have to be so complicated?

"Oh dearie... you can be very naive and innocent you know. Such a bummer that I have to be the bad guy again and break this to you. Maybe you should stop blaming Regina for tearing your family apart again considering that I casted the curse and she offered me a deal. She did everything about you... she told me that in case she took the blame about the curse... it would be pretty obvious that everyone would have believed her plus she protected me from Belle's anger... that I'd let you killian and Henry live a happy life as a family. She knew how much you wanted a family miss swan. So she took the blame, she protected me from Belle, and she saved you and her son as well. That's not the kind of person that I consider selfish. But I'm just a corrupted man right? An arrogant... a bastard that would do absolutely everything about magic and power so what do I know really?"

The blond woman raised her head looking at him in shock. It couldn't be true... her heart sunk...

-enjoy this part as well guys! Love y'all