She sees Henry again the next day, he is playing on the porch but this time his red ball is replaced with a shiny new truck. He sees her almost immediately jumping off the porch to run and talk to her. She smiles at him, messing up his hair as usual. "How's it going kid?"

"Just playing with my new toy, look!" He says shoving it in her face, "isn't it neat?"

"It is pretty rad." She says mirroring the boy's excitement.

"Rad?" The boy repeats, her head cocked to a side as if not understanding what she had just said.

Emma stares at him equally as confused but she understands, laughing to herself about her use of slang from the future.

"Henry, are you ready to go?" A woman says as she approaches the house. She is busy looking in her bag and doesn't notice Emma until she is a few feet away.

"Auntie Regina!" The boy exclaims throwing his arms around her neck.

"Auntie Regina?" Emma asks and Regina looks just as dumbstruck as her, opening her mouth to speak before being promptly cut off the bouncing boy in her arms. "Rehearsals are done already, where's Mommy?"

Regina's eyes flicker towards her then back as Henry as she replies, "Mommy had to stay a bit longer but she sent me here to take you out for ice cream, would you like that Henry?" The boy cheers and Emma cannot believe what she is seeing. She thought she knew what happiness looked like from the portrait hanging in the room. She thought she knew what happiness was but everything she is witnessing now proved her wrong. Regina looked so soft, like the feeling of a flowing river blading through your fingers, or the touch of someone who loves you. Yes, Emma could see how much she loved the boy. One hand on his cheek and the other in his hair pulling him close as he hugs her legs.

Henry is beaming, brighter than the sun but Emma can't find it in herself to look away. She suddenly feels out of place and waves an awkward goodbye to Henry before turning to walk towards the path. She hears small footsteps running up behind and a small hand grab the back of her shirt. "Won't you come too Emma?" He looks at her with his big brown eyes and she can't imagine saying no but looks up at Regina who seems to be studying her and shakes her head. "No, kid. I wouldn't want to intrude."

He shakes his head, "Please, don't you like ice cream?" He turns to look at Regina, "Can't she come Auntie, please." The boy begs and Regina seems surprised at the boy's insistence and nods politely.

"Of course Miss Swan, you can join us if you'd like."

Emma stares at her as to read an expression but Regina is practiced and well rehearsed giving nothing away. "Well, okay." She says and the boy jumps up in a cheer before jumping on top of her. She nearly topples over from the unexpected weight of the boy but she catches herself and steadys her stance.

"Let's go then." Regina says taking his hand, "We should be back before dark."

Emma follows the pair as they hail a cab and makes the small trip to town. Henry sits between them in the cab, rambling on and on about what he did today and the adventures he had with Emma and Regina sits there smiling, saying nothing and looks at her when she thinks she isn't looking.

Her lips are pressed tight but she doesn't seem angry. She seems more confused if anything, her brows slightly knitted and her eyes are clouded. The air is thick in the cab but Henry notices nothing. Finally the trio arrive at the ice cream shop and they pay the man before making their way inside.

Henry is nearly vibrating from excitement as he spies all the flavors of treats. "What can I get Auntie?"

Regina smiles at the boy and pushes him towards the freezer, "Anything you'd like. Go on and have a look." The boy runs off to push his face on the glass leaving the women alone with their thoughts and each other.

Emma studies the other woman before facing her, "Thanks for letting me tag along. I know it was Henry's idea but thanks for letting me come anyway." Emma is smiling at her so brightly and so sincerely and she swears she can see a crack beginning to form in the woman's mask before disappearing just as quick.

"I only did it for Henry." She says quickly, her face not as hard as before but still far from soft as she glances between her and the boy.

Emma laughs lightly, more to herself than anyone else, "I know, he's lucky to have you. I didn't know you were his Aunt?"

Regina whips her head back to face her, "Well, I don't see how you would since we barely know each other and you certainly don't know me."

But the thing is she really does know. She knows what it's like to hide away her feelings and bury them inside herself. She can see the performance Regina puts on for everyone else, letting no one get close enough to see what's under her cool facade. Emma recognizes it because it's her, she sees their similarities despite their obvious differences. That with everything stripped away from them, their lives, their world, time itself that she would still feel this connection. She sees herself under it all and thinks that perhaps loving someone like you is an act of self love in itself.

"And that reminds me," Regina continues, looking seriously at her, "How exactly do you know my nephew?"

Emma answers telling the story about his ball bouncing by her feet and the creation of paper boats by the pier. Explaining it in the best way she can and hoping that the woman can follow.

"Well, that does sound like Henry." She remarks, casting a glance towards the boy.

"He's a really great kid." Emma says as she catches sight of him. His eyes are glimmering and his face a wide grin as the server hands him the ice cream. A pang hits her chest at the thought of Henry searching for her, wondering where she went. She regrets not writing a letter but what would she have said? That she had traveled back in time to find her true love? She's not sure what she would have said but she is left with this empty feeling that she should have said at least something, for she might ever get a chance to see the man again except in the form of a five year old boy.

Something flickers behind Regina's eyes as she watches Emma who wears a look of affection for the boy. Her eyes are searching the ones before her but Emma is as experienced as Regina as shows nothing. Regina's brow arches slightly as she whispers to herself or to her, Emma wasn't sure, "I don't...understand."

Emma looks at her, suddenly serious, and opens her mouth to speak before Henry runs over towards the pair. "Aren't you going to get some too?" He asks, and there's a chocolate smear on his upper lip already. Regina averts her eyes and bends down to see Henry, the tension between them gone, at least for now. Emma walks towards the freezer suddenly remembering why they came here at all.

It's dark by the time they leave the ice cream shop. They stayed longer than expected and have difficulties hailing a cab. In times like this Emma could just grab her cellphone and make a call but she can't in this decade. After a few failed attempts at hailing some more cabs Regina huffs and grabbing Henry's hand begins to walk back towards the hotel. The walk is fifteen, twenty minutes at most but it's dark and the summer breeze is gone and replaced with the chill of the crisp Maine air. Henry walks close to Regina, huddled tight against her body and Emma trails behind them. She is concerned walking so late at night but then she remembers it's the nineteen fifties and she's calm for a second before she realizes again that she's in the nineteen fifties and she feels worried again.

The pair are at the edge of town and on top of the hill Emma can see the lights of the hotel but it's very dark now and the gravel is uneven as Regina trips and falls on the ground.

Emma sees this just a moment too late and reaches out her hand a second delayed.

"Auntie!" Henry screams as Regina falls on the gravel. "Are you okay Auntie?" He puts his arms on her and tries to pull.

Regina tries to stand but wobbles a bit and nearly falls forward but this time Emma is there to catch her. "I got ya." She says as she moves to help stable the woman.

"Get off of me." Regina snarls but it's not as vicious as it appears and Emma looks at her still unfazed and not at all amused. She looks down at the woman's ankle and recognizing the injury from her past knows that it is sprained.

"Can't let you go. If I do you'll fall and bloody up that pretty actress face even more."

"What?" Regina says, her eyes go wide and she brings a hand up her to face. It's then that she tastes the metal in her mouth and feels the cut on her upper lip. Mother is going to be furious, a cut on her face and only a week before the show. What more could go wrong? And as if posing the question to the universe itself, it begins to rain.

Suddenly Henry is crying about Regina getting hurt and Regina is laughing because of how much shit she's going to get from her mother. Emma is standing there between them both, Regina's arm draped around her shoulder and Henry crying at her side. "Enough." She says and the pair both go silent and look at her with disbelief, though for very different reasons. Emma is staring back at them too, her eyes wide with the same surprise but she remains as fixed in her stance and swoops Regina up in one smooth move, carrying her bridal style.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Regina snaps, her eyes are blazing but she's hanging tight to Emma, her nails digging into her pale shoulder.

"Well you're in no shape to walk and it's raining plus we wouldn't want Henry to get a cold do we?" And the boy is staring at her with some type of awe. "So let's get you two home." Before Regina can further protest Emma is already walking swiftly up the hill, Henry trailing behind them. Her body feels like it's on fire despite the cold raining falling on her. She can feel Regina's breathing, in and out, watching her lips quiver slightly and turn pink from the cold. Regina is watching Emma watch her, her eyes flickering from Emma's mouth to her eyes and back again. How perfect this moment would be if she could only reach out and kiss those lips.

"We're almost there." Henry says as he points to the Mifflin house and suddenly Emma looks away, heat creeping on her cheeks and she runs the rest of the way. They finally make it to the house and Henry bangs on the door repeatedly until a woman answers the door.

"Henry!" The woman yells, "I was beginning to worry. Where's Regina?"

Emma appears in the doorway carry a very mean looking Regina. She probably feels like a child being carried like this and she is definitely pouting like one.

"Zelena?" Emma says in surprise, her brows nearly up to her hairline, "Zelena is your sister?"

Regina looks at her dumbfoundedly as if not not sure if the blonde just was slow or an complete idiot, "Of course, who else did you think she was?"

And Emma doesn't respond as she remembers all that had transpired the day before and suddenly it all making sense. Zelena's defiance towards Cora, Regina's anger at them both, everything she said now taking on a new meaning, her precious daughter, her star. There is a story surrounding these women, but without a doubt Emma could now see their connection.

"What happened?" Zelena says as she looks between Emma and Regina. They both say nothing when suddenly Henry pipes up.

"We went for ice cream and then Auntie Regina fell and Emma carried her. Emma's like Superwoman!" He turns to her, "You're not Superwoman are you?" His big brown eyes are shining up at her.

Emma laughs, "No kid, not even close." She shakes his wet hair.

The other woman watches them closely before Zelena says, "Henry, let's run you a warm bath and get some dry clothes for Auntie okay." The boy agrees waving a hand goodbye at Emma before turning down the hall.

Once they are gone Emma turns to meet Regina who is staring at her but her eyes are clouded and she can't tell what she's thinking. She shifts her feet before putting her hands in her pocket and walking towards the door. "I guess I better get going." Regina is still staring at her but says nothing and she takes it as her cue to leave.

"Wait." She says behind her and Emma turns to face her, "Do you own any other clothes?" She says and in any other context is could sound malicious but Emma knows it's an innocent question. "Why are wearing the same outfit that I met you in if you can afford to stay here?"

She turns red slightly, honestly she never thought about bringing anything more than the clothes on her back and money in her pocket. Never thought she would have made it here in the first place so bringing another set of clothes was not on her priority list. Emma looks sheepish as she rubs the back of her neck. "Um, no, not really. I was just going to hang these up when I got back to my room."

"Don't bother." Regina says with a huff, "You might as well throw it all away. Tomorrow we will go to town and get you some clothes." Her face set in determination.

Emma puts her hands up and shakes her head, "Oh, that's not really necessary. I'll be fine, I'll-"

Regina's face while still set, softens a bit as it says, "Please, It's the least I can do."

Emma gets the feeling that apologies don't come easy to the woman, she can hear almost how unnatural and childlike she sounded when she said the word please. The sound of vulnerability in her voice shakes Emma a bit and so she stands there locking eyes with Regina before giving in and nodding. A satisfied gin crosses Regina's face as she settles further into the couch. She is dripping wet, both of them are yet only Regina is able to make it look good. The water drips from her brunette locks, falling onto the shoulder of her blouse. Her skin is flushed from the heat but her lips pink from the cold. Her feet are tucked under her and her arms are around herself. Regina's eyes are still glued to hers, holding the stare so tight and Emma seems to know what she means yet nothing at the same time. The way Regina is looking at her is almost soft, not like with Henry but warmer than before and this takes her breath away and reminds her of that night. Emma smiles at Regina once more before turning around and walking out the door and towards the hotel lights.