A/N:Thank you so much for your fabulous reviews from the last chapter. They inspire me :) I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Over the next few months Regina felt like she was walking on pins and needles. True to her word, Snow hadn't told anyone of her reappearance but that didn't mean Regina still didn't feel wary around her. God, she wanted nothing more than to just pack up her things and leave New York but it wasn't an option. It's not like she had the means to create a new identity for her and Henry like her father had. And if she went back to California as Regina Gardiner and Snow did call her mother she'd just be leading her to the people she cared about the most. And she couldn't let that happen. No, her best option was to stay in New York and make sure that Snow didn't go back on her word. It was easier said than done though. She avoided her as much as possible at work but that wasn't a hard task seeing as how disinterested Snow was in her life. Regina, however, did find herself a little intrigued by the person Snow had become in her absence. After watching her from afar at work she thought it was in her best interest to do a little research on the person who now held her life in her hands. What she found was shocking to say the least. It appeared that after she'd left Snow had fallen into a pattern of self-destructive behavior. A cursory internet search showed her underage partying, getting kicked out of schools, even crashing a car or two. It was painful for Regina to see how Snow had turned out. She'd would've never expected this from her four years ago.

Regina eyed the young intern from her designing desk. She'd come in late today. And if the sunglasses worn indoors were any indication, she was obviously hungover. Her head must be killing her too. She'd snapped at more than a few people about the volume of their voices. She was currently lying face down over her desk trying to block out the minimal noise in the office.

Carlotta snuck a look at her before rolling her eyes. "Who comes in hungover on a Tuesday?"

"You, on several occasions," replied Ursula, smirking at her.

"Yes but I'm better at hiding it darling," said Carlotta with a wink. "Our poor intern is clearly an amateur in that department."

"She's got no reason to hide," said Jefferson, not lifting his eyes from his sketchpad. "As long as her father keeps investing with Mal she can't be fired. Why wouldn't she act out?"

Regina gave them all a disapproving look. It hadn't taken her long to realize that the members of her design team were a bunch of gossips. Even though they talked about nearly everyone in the office Snow was clearly their favorite to bash. Regina couldn't say that she blamed them. Snow wasn't the friendliest face in building and she did little, if any, work. Still Regina couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"It seems to me all her behavior is just a cry for help," she mumbled to herself.

"Of course it is," sighed Jefferson. "Problem is no one's coming to her rescue. I don't even think she'd let them if they did. It's best to just not think about it."

It wasn't the worst advice Regina had been told. It was just the hardest to follow. She couldn't block out the voice in her head that said if no one helped Snow soon, she'd end up stuck in a situation she can't get out of. She also couldn't block out Marian's voice saying that the person to help should be her.

The only thing that really distracted her from Snow was work. The silver lining in her move to New York was that she loved designing at the firm. A part of her missed working with her hands and sewing the dresses herself but she never would've had the chance to design the dresses she was designing now if she'd stayed in California. They were being worn to movie premieres and A-list events. Watching them come to life was more fulfilling than she expected.

Regina hummed to herself as she critically ran her eyes over the sketchpad in front of her. She was designing a ball gown for a congresswoman and couldn't decide between no sleeves or quarter sleeves. Her concentration was broken when she heard the shuffle of Snow's boots walk up to her desk. The beat of her heart quickened as she looked up at her nervously.

Snow moaned tiredly before slipping off her sunglasses. She rapidly blinked her red tinted eyes as her pupils adjusted to the light. The dark circles under her eyes were only emphasized by the unhealthy pallor of her skin. Honestly she looked like hell.

"Rough night darling?" asked Carlotta, with false sincerity.

Snow glared at her venomously. "A little but at least it hasn't given me crow's feet."

Carlotta's smile dropped as her hands flew to the corners of her eyes. A smirk tugged on Snow's lips at her reaction. "Your concern is appreciated but I'm only talking to you to give you all a heads up."

"A heads up about what?" asked Jefferson, eyeing her curiously.

"My father," said Snow, looking at Regina pointedly. She sighed before turning back to the rest of the group. "I just got a call that he's coming in for a visit today."

Regina felt her hands begin to shake. Leopold was coming here? She forced to herself to keep breathing and remain calm.

"Really?" said Ursula her eyebrows raising in shock.

Snow hummed affirmatively. "I just got the call from his secretary a few minutes ago. He's doing a 24 hour layover before heading to Dubai and he should be here in two hours. He's going to check up on my progress with Mal and take me out to lunch."

"Well, how nice for you," said Ursula rolling her eyes in boredom.

"And lucky for you guys," replied Snow with a sickly sweet smile. "You all know what a good mood Mal is in when my father visits. You could probably ask to take the rest of the day off and she wouldn't even flinch."

She gave Regina a pointed look. "I personally think it's an opportunity you all should take advantage of."

Regina nodded at Snow subtly. She could take a hint when it was thrown to her. Once she was satisfied that Regina understood her meaning Snow slipped her sunglasses back on and adjusted her peasant blouse before sauntering toward's Mal's office. "I guess I'll go tell the dragon lady the good news."

Carlotta scoffed as she watched her go. "Can you believe her audacity? Flaunting her daddy's visit in our face."

"I actually might take her up on her offer," said Regina, rising from her seat shakily. "I miss spending time with Henry and I guess today's my chance."

"Any luck with his imaginary friend?" asked Jefferson with a grin.

Regina glared at him in response. She feared that Henry hadn't been adjusting well to their move. Sure he seemed happy enough but he hadn't really made any friends yet. She'd hoped that things would change after he started school but Henry didn't appear to be connecting with any of the kids in his class. She tried not to be bothered by it but a few days ago Henry had run up to her and said he'd made a new friend named Emma. Normally she'd be thrilled but when she'd checked with his teacher she'd said that there was no little girl named Emma in his class, or even his grade. She worried that this imaginary friend he'd made up was just his way of coping with the loneliness.

"I still think you're overreacting," insisted Jefferson. "Grace is Henry's age and she has plenty of imaginary friends."

"Yeah but do you have to pack lunches for them every day?" challenged Regina, raising an eyebrow at him.

He nodded concedingly. "Point taken."

She shrugged on her coat with a triumphant smile. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'm sure Henry will make friends soon enough. Until then a surprise lunch with me should be enough to bring a smile to his face."

As she walked over to Henry's new school Regina tried to wrap her head around Snow's mind boggling generosity that morning. Just as she'd said Mal had been more than willing to let Regina take the rest of the day off once she'd heard of Leopold's arrival and Snow's heads up had given her more than enough time to disappear before he got to the office. She just couldn't understand why she'd warned her in the first place. Snow had made it perfectly clear that Regina's predicament meant nothing to her and yet she'd gone out of her way to keep her fragile identity a secret. Why? She tried to shake the thoughts from her head as Henry's school came into view.

Regina would always be grateful that their move had allowed her a decent amount of time to find a school for Henry. He went to a charter school not far from their town house. It was three story brick building with cement steps leading up to the double doors. Clean with new books and good teachers it was the best public school in their district. Far better than she expected from the New York public school system. And his teachers said that he was doing well, academically at least. Grasping onto his letters and colors and reading a little better than anyone in his class. (She blamed Robin and his comic books for that one.) The teachers were just a little worried about how he was doing socially. He participated and talked with other students, he just seemed to have a hard time forming an actual bond with them. It was a little troubling. Regina had always known that Henry was more comfortable in his own world but she didn't think it was that serious until the teachers had told her so.

After going through the necessary protocol she finally approached Henry's classroom. A concerned frown settled on her face as looked the classroom window. It was bright and colorful inside with children's drawings on the wall and red plastic desks set up in a circle. There were around a dozen five-year-olds all running around and happily talking with each other in their navy blue school uniforms. And then there was Henry. He was sitting quietly at his desk, eyes firmly planted on the construction paper in front of him. Judging by the massive amount of yellow she could see he was probably drawing another picture of Emma. He always drew her with blonde hair, glasses and brown boots. His tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as he rapidly rubbed his crayon against the paper. Completely in his own world. Like always. She sighed before opening the classroom door.

"Henry?"

A bewildered look was on his face as he looked up to his mom standing in the doorway but in a split second it was replaced by a face splitting grin. "Mommy!"

A smile grew on her face as she kneeled down to capture him in a hug. "Hi baby. I missed you."

"Why are you at my school?" he asked curiously.

"Well I got some time off from my job," said Regina with a smile. "I thought we could go to the diner for lunch together then go explore the big library with the lions. Would you like that?"

Henry started to shuffle uncomfortably at the mention of lunch. "I can't go," he mumbled, looking down at his feet.

Regina knitted her eyebrows at him. "Why not?"

"Because if I go then Emma won't eat lunch," he said softly.

Regina let out a soft chuckle. "Henry… I promise you Emma will be fine if you come with me."

"No she won't!" he insisted. "She can only eat at the playground with me."

Regina hung her head and sighed. She had no idea that imaginary friends could be so much trouble. "Henry… Emma can eat with us at the diner. She'll probably like it there."

"You promise?"

"I promise," said Regina with a grin. "Now go get your things."

"Okay," he agreed happily skipping off to his cubby.

She watched Henry quickly shove his things into his tiny backpack. Her beautiful imaginative boy. She wondered if anyone was capable of seeing the world like he did.

After triple reassurance that Emma would be more than comfortable at the diner Henry and Regina finally walked out of the school. As she started walking in the direction of their favorite diner Regina was stopped short when she felt Henry tug on her arm.

"We have to get Emma first," he said earnestly.

Regina widened her eyes at him. "Oh! She's not with you?"

"No," he answered, giving her a quizzical look. "Why would you say that?"

"No reason," she laughed, giving her head a shake. "Where is she now?"

"She's at the playground. She likes to wait for me there."

"Okay," conceded Regina. "Let's go see if she's there."

Regina loved the playground at Henry's school. There was a colorful basketball court, monkey bars and swings. It wasn't hard to imagine children running around and having fun on it. Even when it was ghostly empty as it was now. Not a child in sight. Or an imaginary friend apparently.

"She's not here," Henry pouted, looking through the bars that surrounded the courtyard. "I thought she'd wait for me."

Regina set her purse on the ground beside her as she kneeled down to rub Henry's back comfortingly. "I'm sorry sweetheart. Maybe she had things to do today?"

Henry just leaned his forehead against the bars disappointedly. His dejection was a little alarming to his mother. Regina knew it was common for children his age to have imaginary friends but being this attached certainly couldn't be normal.

"C'mon sweetie, we have smile pancakes with our names on them at the diner. Okay?"

He nodded sadly but she didn't even get the chance to smile at him before she was knocked over. In a blur a man dressed in baggy pants and a gray hoodie pushed her into the fence before grabbing her purse and taking off down the street. A painful groan flew from her throat as he shoulder made impact with iron bars of the fence.

"Mommy!" cried Henry, fearfully wrapping his arms around her waist. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright Henry," she said, pulling him closer to check for injuries. Once she made sure he was alright she looked down the street to see her mugger racing away with her purse tucked under his arm. "Hey that's mine!"

Her words had no effect on the mugger. The man only continued to sprint as far away from her as possible. He was rapidly approaching the end of the block when, as if out of nowhere, he was suddenly knocked off his feet by what appeared to be a flash of yellow. A metallic bang rang down the block as a blonde woman in a plaid shirt and jean jacket slammed a rusty trash can lid into the mugger's face, knocking him flat on his back. Regina saw her quickly snatch the purse from the mugger and run in their direction. She skidded to a stop in front of them, her green eyes wild with adrenaline behind her glasses.

"Here," she panted, holding out the purse. "I think this belongs to you."

Regina eyed her warily as she took back her purse. Her blonde hero looked to be no older than Snow. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and her glasses were covered with so many scratches it must've been a miracle she could even see through them. Regina struggled to find words as she continued to stare at her. "Uh… thank you?"

She was certainly grateful to the stranger who'd recovered her purse but after just being mugged she thought it best to proceed with caution. Henry, however, shared none of her hesitation. He wasted no time wrapping his arm around the girl's waist and burying his face into her hip. "I knew you'd wait for me!"

Regina observed her son's behavior with a dropped jaw.

"Henry!" she scolded. "We do not hug strangers, no matter how grateful we are."

"She's not a stranger," he said, shaking his head. "She's Emma."

"What?" said Regina, furrowing her brow at him. Then she took another look at Emma. The blonde hair, the glasses, the brown boots. "Oh my god…"

Emma raised her hand shyly. "Hi."

There were dozens of plausible scenarios that Regina could've foreseen when she decided to take Henry to lunch. None of them included sitting across from her son's previously imaginary, adult secret friend.

Emma Swan.

How she wished she'd remained imaginary.

When she'd discovered that the imaginary friend her son had spoken so fondly of was an actual person, it took everything in her to swallow her rage and not throttle her on the spot. Emma Swan. She must've been sneaking to see Henry for weeks. Regina wanted nothing more than to just take her purse and her son and go home where she could simmer down in private. A hope that would go unfulfilled thanks to her son. He was quick to remind her of her promise to bring Emma with them to the diner and it wasn't like she could say no. Despite her inappropriate relationship with her son the girl had just recovered her purse from a mugger. She didn't want Henry thinking that shouldn't thank people who've done good things for you.

So that's how she ended up in a diner sitting across from Emma Swan.

She tried not to let it irritate her that Henry had chosen to sit on Emma's side of the booth instead of hers. They looked thick as thieves settled against the scratchy green and beige fabric of their seat. Emma, though apparently not shy with her pancakes, seemed more than determined not to make eye contact with her. She was perfectly content to keep her eyes on Henry, who was excitedly chatting with her. Regina had to admit it was the longest conversation she'd seen him hold since they moved to New York. After thirty minutes of watching them she gave Henry a roll of quarters to go play on the arcade game. As soon as he was gone she leveled a critical gaze on Emma.

"So… are all your friends kindergarteners or is my son just special?" she asked venomously.

Emma sighed guiltily pushing away what was left of her pancakes. "Look… the thing with Henry… it wasn't intentional."

"So you accidentally befriended my five-year-old and visited him every day for the past month and a half?" she retorted, arching an eyebrow. "What reason could you have for such inappropriate behavior?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I like talking to him."

Regina just shook her head at her. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," she answered sullenly.

Regina sighed as she let her eyes roam over Emma critically. Her clothes hung off her body like they were just one size too big. The paint on her glasses her chipped and her nails were bitten to shreds. Her hair though beautifully blonde looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks. It was then that Regina realized that Emma looked just like she had when she'd been living in the play castle with Henry.

"Okay," she breathed, trying to temper her anger. "What's your story Emma?"

"My story?" responded Emma, arching an eyebrow at her.

"Yes your story," repeated Regina with a touch of irritation. "You sneak around and get lunch from a five year old and you can take down a mugger without getting so much as a scratch. People who do those things always have a story."

Emma rolled her eyes and sighed before answering her. "There's not really much to tell. I was a foster kid in Minnesota. No family, not a lot of friends. Until I turned sixteen and met this guy… Neal."

Regina saw Emma's eyes darken and her hands clench at the man's name. She raised an eyebrow at her. "Was he a good guy or a bad guy?"

"He was the worst guy," replied Emma in a low voice. "Not that I knew it at the time."

"What happened?" asked Regina softly.

Emma gave her a wry smile. "Let's just say he screwed me over then left me behind."

Regina wanted to demand more of an explanation but she knew she wouldn't be getting one. She'd been sitting across from her for about half an hour and she could already Emma had built up massive walls around herself. It was clear she wouldn't be opening up to her anytime soon. It was probably just to move on to a different subject.

"How did you meet my son?"

A small wistful smile grew on Emma's face. "He talked to me. I was sitting on a bench, watching the kids play when he saw me and asked me why I looked so sad. I wouldn't really give him an answer but he kept talking. Then he gave me an apple and said they were his favorite food. He thought they would make me happy. I don't know why but I just kept coming."

Regina scoffed to herself. "Probably dozens of kids on that playground. Of course my son had to bond with the stranger on the bench."

"Well I was the only person who was alone."

Regina knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"Look," sighed Emma. "Henry is new at his school and he might be in kindergarten but I know for a fact that all the other kids moved up from a nearby preschool together."

"And?" said Regina shrugging her shoulders.

"And they all know each other," elaborated Emma, leaning back in her seat. "Take it from someone who's been in dozens of foster homes it's hard to find friends in a place where everybody's already bonded and grouped together."

"They're five year olds. It's not like they have cliques," responded Regina fiercely.

"Oh you'd be surprised," said Emma with a smirk. "From what I've seen your kid's pretty shy and breaking into a group can be intimidating. He might be more confident one on one."

Regina regarded her with a tilted head. "You seem to know a lot about kids."

"No I just know a lot about feeling out of place," Emma replied softly. She sighed before crossing her arms. "So what happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to call the cops for my… stranger danger I guess?"

Regina narrowed her eyes at her. It was a reasonable assumption. After finding out how just how much time this stranger had spent with her son a call to the police would be completely rational. And yet… she knew that she couldn't make that choice. Emma had behaved inappropriately to say the very least but sending her to the cops didn't seem like the right move. If she was honest the girl seemed more troubled than dangerous. And she couldn't silence the voice in her head that said she needed help not punishment.

"Where do you stay Emma?" she asked.

Emma narrowed her eyes at her. "Why are you asking?"

"Because I get the feeling you can't give me an answer," Regina retorted. "Your clothes are too big. You eat like you don't know where your next meal is coming from. And I'm willing to bet that you haven't showered in at least a week because, quite frankly, I can smell you from across this table."

Emma glared at her. "Well what can I say? Public showers are hard to come by."

"I never really had that problem in California," said Regina with a smirk. "I stayed close to the beaches so I could use their showers. Water was cold though."

"You were homeless?"

"We were homeless," corrected Regina. "Henry and I. When he was a baby… I struggled a lot."

She leaned her elbows against the table. "You say that you don't know why you continued to see my son Emma but that's not true. You kept coming to the playground because you knew he'd feed you and that made it worth the risk. It would've been a smart move if it wasn't so damn inappropriate. "

"Look I'm sorry about everything with the kid," muttered Emma. "I promise I won't see him again."

Regina bit her lip before speaking again. "Alright, Emma. I'll agree not to call the cops but you have to do something for me first."

"What do you want from me?" asked Emma, giving her a quizzical look.

"I want you to come back to my apartment for the night. Take a shower, have dinner and then in the morning we will have a conversation about what comes next for you."

Emma widened her eyes at her. "Lady, you are out of your mind if you think I'm coming home with you."

"It's either my town home or a jail cell," replied Regina. "The choice is yours."

It was a low blow, the blackmail. But she knew it would be more than effective.

Emma clenched her jaw before nodding with a false smile. "Fine."

It didn't take long for Regina to second guess her decision to take Emma home. About halfway from the diner to the town house she realized that she had just invited a homeless, child stalking teenager to the home she shared with her five-year-old. On paper it probably wasn't the smartest thing she'd ever done. Emma didn't look particularly comfortable either. Arms crossed and a scowl planted firmly on her face, she marched alongside Regina silently conveying her displeasure about their arrangement. She only chose to smile when Henry talked to her. Henry was more than thrilled that Emma was coming home with them for the night. His voice could probably be heard down the block as he rattled off all the activities he had planned for her visit. Coloring and movies and board games. Regina doubted he'd even have the energy for all of it.

Her doubts about Emma only intensified when they finally reached the townhouse. She'd barely gotten the door open when Henry rushed past her and pulled Emma inside by her arm. In the past few months Regina and Henry had really pulled the town home together. All their boxes were unpacked and all the rooms were set up. Henry's colorful drawings now hung on the refrigerator door and the pictures of their friends in California now graced the walls. Regina had been extra sure to set up a few pictures of Marian, Robin and Roland in the living room where she would see them every day. It took a bit of work but the house finally felt like home.

Emma looked around warily as Henry gave her a detailed tour of his house. It wasn't like this was exactly new territory for her. She'd gone through this routine dozens of times when she'd moved from foster home to foster home. A quick tour of the place she wouldn't last long in.

Regina watched her with cautious eyes as she moved through the rooms. She stood like she was prepared to run at any minute and her fist were clenched like she was ready to fight off any surprise attack. Everything about her was just so damn defensive. She allowed for Henry to excitedly ramble for ten minutes before she finally interrupted. She quickly rustled up some jeans and a t-shirt for Emma before sending her off to the shower. Emma glared at her before taking the clothes but complied with relative ease.

As soon as the she heard the shower running from behind the bathroom door Regina collapsed on the couch and threw her head in her hands while letting out a deep breath. When she'd left the house this morning she'd thought she'd go to work, avoid Snow then come home, have dinner with her son, go to sleep and then wake up and do it all again the next day. Since then she'd avoided her ex-fiance, gotten mugged and brought homeless teenager into her house. What the hell was she thinking?

Regina leaned back against the couch with a moan. She needed to talk about this with someone. Henry was in his room setting up a board game for Emma to play. It was the perfect time to get some advice from a reliable source. She reached into her purse, pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number she'd long since memorized. The phone rang twice before she heard Robin's rich comforting voice flow through the speaker. "Well isn't this a lovely surprise."

Hearing Robin's voice helped bring her back to Earth and make her feel like she wasn't so alone. Despite everything a smile tugged on her lips and a chuckle escaped her throat. "It would be lovelier if I wasn't panicking."

"Why are you panicking?" he asked curiously.

"I brought home a homeless teenager who was maintaining an inappropriate secret relationship with my son," she blurted out in a rush.

For a moment there was silence on the other line of the phone. She could almost hear Robin scrunching his eyebrows in confusion like he always did. Then she heard him take a deep breath, clear his throat and say "Four months."

"Four months?" repeated Regina curiously.

"Four months of you being in New York and this is the first time I've wanted to run up there and drag you back home," he chuckled. "I'll admit I expected this feeling to come much sooner."

"So nice to know you had confidence in me," laughed Regina.

Robin laughed with her for a few moments before sighing. "Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me what happened?"

And she did. Of course she'd left out certain bits, such as Snow and Leopold but she told him about everything else. The imaginary friend, the mugging, the diner. Even the parts she wasn't proud of, like the blackmail.

"You actually blackmailed her?" asked Robin incredulously.

"It seemed like my only option at the time," whispered Regina exasperatedly. She'd migrated into her room for privacy during their conversation. God forbid her new houseguest overhear her talking about this situation. She ran her fingers threw her hair and gave her head a little shake. "I'm insane, aren't I?"

Robin sucked his teeth at her. "I can say with absolute certainty that you are… but I also said the same thing to Marian when she brought you home."

A small smile tugged on Regina's lips. "Did you really?"

"Of course I did. I came home and got punched in the face by a crazy woman hiding in my shower."

"That was only because you were spying on me while I was naked," pointed out Regina.

"I will say this for the last time, I thought you were my wife and that was the only reason I was in there," explained Robin for the umpteenth time. "However, despite my shock over your appearance and your physical assault of me I completely understood why Marian brought you back. It was because she knew you'd be safer in the apartment with us than out on the streets. That's why she brought you home. Now why did you bring this girl home?"

Regina shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I don't know… I guess because she got my purse back."

"Is that really the only reason?"

"Yes but it's deeper than that," said Regina softly. "She had to have seen us on the playground and known who I was and how I'd feel about her but… she still helped. Nineteen years old and she's tough as nails, has walls ten feet high but I think there's good in her."

"Sounds familiar," replied Robin with a smirk. "Do you think you can help her?"

"I don't even know if she'll let me."

"I am almost didn't let you help me but you still found a way."

"That's different," argued Regina. "I knew you and you at least trusted me a little. I've only been around this girl for an hour and she's already blocked me out."

"Well you've got her for the rest of the night, watch her and see if there's any way she'll let you in," answered Robin. "If you think she's worth saving then you've got to give it a try."

Regina sighed. "I know. Marian would've wanted me to."

"Yes she would've," replied Robin softly. Silence between them grew heavy with the memory of the woman who had a place in both their hearts. Regina was pulled out the moment by the realization that the shower was no longer running. Emma would be out of the bathroom any minute now.

"I've gotta go," she said. "Give Roland a kiss for me?"

"Every day," answered Robin with a smile. "Let me know how it goes?"

"Of course. Talk to you soon Robin," she replied before hanging up.

Getting things off her chest with Robin had made her feel better. It always did. Regina still didn't have very many friends in New York and conversations like the ones she just had always had a way of making her feel homesick. Still she couldn't focus on that right now. She had a more present problem to deal with, namely the nineteen year old she'd blackmailed into spending the night.

Regina decided to take Robin's advice and just watch Emma. She stayed out of her way for the night and instead observed her interactions with Henry. Though she remained guarded around Regina there was no doubt that Emma was more than comfortable around her son. She engaged him in all his fantasies and activities. She even taught him how to make paper turtles during their time playing arts and crafts. It was the most Regina had seen her smile all day. Henry, for his part, seemed to come out of his shell with Emma. He talked more and was definitely more social than Regina had seen in the past few weeks. Perhaps Emma was right and he was better off socializing one-on-one.

When they all went to sleep that night Regina was sure of one thing: Emma was no danger to her son. And the knowledge of that possibly gave her an idea of how to help her.

It was early in the morning and silence was all that could be heard in the townhome. The clock read 5:15 and things were as still as could be. In fact, the only thing in motion was one Emma Swan as she tried to make her way out of the town house as stealthily as possible. Her footsteps were as light as possible as she moved from her place on the couch to the bathroom. Her night with Henry and his mother had gone better than she expected. If she was perfectly honest she'd wouldn't have been surprised if she'd woken up in a bathtub full of ice with a kidney missing. Shockingly, things turned out to be quite the opposite. Henry and his mother were… nice. She didn't exactly know what to make of Regina. She hadn't been welcoming exactly but she'd fed her and made sure she was warm and comfortable for the night. And true to her word she hadn't called the cops. But Emma still couldn't be sure her generosity would hold. It was better not to take any chances and just leave before they woke up.

She exited the bathroom dressed in her clothes from the day before. They were clean but she still planned on changing once she got back to the car. She silently sent up a prayer that her yellow VW bug was still where she'd left it the day before. God, if she lost the bug then she'd truly be screwed. That car had been her home for the last two months. It might not be as comfortable as a pullout couch but it was twice as reliable.

She crept her way from the bathroom to the living room. The front door was right there. Ten steps and she'd be free to never return. She made it two steps before she was stopped in her tracks by her growling stomach. Her eyes flickered toward the kitchen. She knew she shouldn't push her luck… but this might be that last chance she had to get food for a while. It's not like she could keep getting lunches from Henry anymore. A bagel or two for the road couldn't hurt.

She made her way into the kitchen and nearly let out a scream when she saw Regina sitting on the kitchen counter, sipping her coffee in the dark. "Leaving so soon?" she said flatly.

Emma repeatedly open and shut her mouth trying to come up with a reply. All that escaped her was, "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Long enough to hear you try and sneak out," replied Regina flipping on the kitchen light. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and she was still dressed in her light blue button up pajamas. There were early morning circles under her eyes but she still looked relatively well-rested. She gestured to the kitchen table. "Have a seat Emma."

"Why should I?" replied the blonde, folding her arms across her chest determined to stand her ground.

"Because you won't get your breakfast if you don't," answered Regina sternly.

Emma wanted so badly to tell her to go to hell but the growl of her stomach forced her into the chair while Regina smiled triumphantly from her spot on the counter. She slid off the kitchen counter and set down her coffee before loading two bagels into the toaster. Once they were steadily cooking she took a seat across from Emma at the kitchen table.

"You've probably realized by now that I'm not going to call the cops on you Emma," she said in a low voice. "Honestly I don't think it'd really do you any good. Or Henry for that matter."

"Thank you," said Emma, softly.

"However, I'm not entirely comfortable with idea of sending you back into the streets," continued Regina.

Emma scoffed at her. "I'm nineteen-years old. You can't call CPS on me."

"I'm aware of that," replied Regina, with a touch of irritation. "And that's not what I wish to do with you at all. In fact… I'd prefer to offer you a job."

Emma raised her eyebrows in shock. "A job?"

"Yes. As my live-in nanny."

A gut busting laugh erupted from Emma. "I'm sorry… you want me to watch your kid?"

Regina groaned as she set down her coffee mug. She was not going to make this easy on her. "Emma, as much as I hate the way this whole situation began I can't deny that Henry has grown fond of you. You're the only person he's bonded with since we've moved here and I don't want my son to lose that. And the only way I think I'm going to be comfortable with you being around is if you work for me so I can supervise you."

Emma tilted her head suspiciously. "And just where I am supposed to stay here?"

"You can have the pullout couch in the living room," replied Regina coolly. "I'm sure it's not the worse place you've slept."

Emma rolled her eyes at her. The statement wasn't untrue but she didn't have to let Regina know that.

"And I would pay of you of course," continued Regina softly. "100 a week during the school year. 200 during the summer and breaks when Henry needs all day care. You are to walk him to and from school and watch him afterward until I return home. You are to stay in the house until I deem you trustworthy enough to go to the park with him alone. After I get home the nights and weekends are yours to do with whatever you want."

"I'm assuming no boys over?" replied Emma, sarcastically.

"Absolutely not," answered Regina sternly, with an unblinking gaze.

Emma searched her face looking for any signs of deception. It was a skill she'd actually gotten quite good at. Which was why it was so shocking when she saw only honesty in the older woman's face. She took a deep breath before replying, "What exactly do you get out of this?"

"You mean besides a clear conscience and criminally cheap childcare?" asked Regina. She took a sip from her coffee before responding. "Truthfully… I'll be getting a chance to do for you what someone did for me."

Emma raised her eyebrows, challenging her to elaborate but Regina only responded with a clench of her jaw. No more information would be coming from her and strangely Emma found that she could respect that.

She bit her lip before speaking. "I have a bug."

"You have a bug?" repeated Regina, arching an eyebrow at her.

"A Volkswagen beetle," clarified Emma. "I'll need a place to park it."

"The town home came with a parking spot in a garage down the block. You can park it there," replied Regina.

"Fine," said Emma. "I guess I'm your new nanny."

At that moment the bagels popped out of the toaster signaling the end of their conversation. They would figure out the logistics later. For now the two women chose to eat their bagels in silence as sun rose over the city skyline. A brand new day welcoming a fresh new friendship. Not that either of them knew it at the time.

NEXT CHAPTER: Snow and Regina attend a ball for work.

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