As soon as the words came out, Regina placed a light kiss on her cheek with a whispered, "Thank you."

One small gesture, but Emma knew there was no way she could go back now. One tiny kiss on the cheek and the part of her that still wanted to run was silenced. She wrapped Regina into another hug. "No thanks necessary, but you know what is necessary?"

"What would that be?" the brunette smiled up at her.

"The little man," she replied, just as her stomach began to grumble. "Food and the little man," she laughed.

"I'll have to call Daniel," Regina admitted, reaching for her phone.

"He actually has him for once?" Emma asked in a bitter tone. She knew she shouldn't be upset. Henry deserved a relationship with his dad after all, but she couldn't help but feel like Daniel didn't deserve him.

"I know." She let out a sigh. "I was surprised as well. I was even more surprised that Henry actually wanted to go. He's been very angry about all of that lately, but he's also starting to direct that anger at Daniel and not me."

"That's good. I knew he'd come around eventually," she smirked. Hopefully the kid was giving his old man a hard time.

Half an hour later, the two women were sitting at their favorite table at Granny's diner when Henry came in. As soon as he saw the woman sitting across from his mom, he flew across the room and tackled her with a yell. "Emma!"

"Whoa. Hey, kid," she mumbled through a mouthful of fries. She turned to grin at him. "I missed you too."

"What are you doing home?! Is the album finished yet?" He was practically bouncing next to her in the booth from excitement.

"No, it isn't finished yet. I'll have to go back in a few days, but I was needed here," she told him. Honestly, she was trying not to think about having to go back. Things were perfect for the moment, and she wasn't in any rush to get back to Mr. Gold.

"Oh," he frowned for just a moment, but quickly recovered his grin. "Hey. While you're here, I need your help with something."

"Okay, what is it?" She was intrigued.

"Um, I'll have to tell you later," he muttered and sent a pointed look to his mother. Emma gave a small nod indicating that she understood that it would have to be without Regina, and he smiled his crooked smile at her. "So, what were you needed here for?"

"I asked her to come home," Regina replied. She didn't want to lie to him.

"Oh, really," he drawled, looking back and forth between the two of them with a knowing smile.

"Yes, really. You and I need to have a talk by the way, young man." He gulped audibly before she continued. "But that part can wait. What you need to know for right now is that Robin will no longer be a part of our lives."

"Good riddance," he huffed.

Emma grinned and ruffled the boy's hair. "See? Told ya he'd be fine."

"Yes, clearly. Well, is there anything you'd like to know Henry?" his mother asked.

"Hmm. Not really. I knew he wasn't going to work. I see how you - never mind," he cowered under her glare.

"That, young man is precisely the other thing we need to discuss. What exactly makes you think that you know so much about adults and how they look at each other and how they feel?"

"You're kidding, right? I watch TV."

"What are you watching when I'm not around?" she demanded to know.

He let out an exasperated sigh. "The Flash and Arrow, and you two look at each other like Barry Allen looks at Iris or maybe more like Oliver and Felicity since they both look that way."

Emma laughed at that while Regina looked thoroughly confused. "I have no idea who you're talking about. I'm not sure if you'll be allowed to watch those shows anymore."

"Oh, come on Regina. They're super hero shows, and you can see stuff like that on almost any show these days. Let the kid watch his shows."

"Thanks, Emma." He smiled slyly at her before he continued, "So, what's going on with you guys?" he asked.

"Henry," Regina started.

"Listen kid," Emma began at the same time, but they both stopped when they realized that the other was talking too. "Go ahead, you're his mom. You should tell him," the blonde finished.

She gave Emma a smile and turned back to her son. "I don't want you to get your hopes up, Henry. I like Emma, and we're going to see if our friendship turns into something else. But I don't want you to be upset if we only decide to be friends, okay?"

"Okay," he shrugged. "As long as you promise that you'll still be friends."

Emma glanced at Regina then. Their eyes met and a silent understanding passed between them before Regina gave the nod for her to answer. "Kid, I promise you that no matter what happens, I will always, always, be here for you and for your mom."

"That's good enough for me."

Later, when they had returned to the house, Henry dragged Emma up the stairs and into his room. The area was littered with discarded wads of paper. They adorned everything from the desk to the bed.

"Wow, dude. You definitely need to clean your room," she teased, but stopped when she saw the frustration painted across his features.

"I just can't get it right," he huffed, kicking a few of the papers away.

"Can't get what right?"

"You can't tell my mom. It's a surprise." He gave her his best pout.

"I won't tell her. What are you up to? She told me you've been working on some super-secret project and that you stay locked up in here for hours."

"It's a gift for her," he explained. "I'm trying to write her a song for Mother's Day."

"Oh, kid. She'll love it!" She beamed at him. This was exactly the kind of thing that she would have done if she had grown up with parents.

"Not if I don't get it right!"

"Okay, what are you having trouble with," she asked as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Lyrics or music?"

"Both." He picked up the latest sheet and showed it to her. "See this part, here? That's where it keeps sounding off."

They stayed there for hours, until Regina finally went looking for them. She gently tapped on the door, and pushed it open a fraction of an inch when she heard music coming from the other side. She listened to a beautiful melody for just a moment before the two noticed her and immediately stopped playing. "What are you guys up to?" she asked as she opened the door fully. They were so cute when they looked up at her guiltily.

"Uh, nothing," Henry mumbled.

"Can't tell ya," was Emma's reply.

"Oh? Keeping secrets now, are we? Alright. Keep your secret, but the tiny bit that I heard sounded lovely. I just came to see if you wanted some dinner."

"Yes!" they chorused.

"I thought so. I'm going to make some grilled cheese sandwiches. By the way Henry, the next time I open this door, this room better be clean."

"It will be," he called as she closed the door.

"Well," Emma started. "We've made pretty good progress on your song. We'd better stop before she figures out what we're doing in here." She looked around and laughed. "And you should probably clean this up in case she comes back today."

"Okay." She ruffled his hair and had turned to the door when he stopped her with a hug. "Thanks, Emma."

"Any time, kid." As she headed down the stairs, she thought about how, for her at least, life wouldn't get much better than this.