A/N: Let's skip the apologies. This working from home bussiness is not doing wonders for my writing. Is there such thing as too much time on uoir hands? I will get this done, though. That I can promise.

Chapter 12

Adjusting back to Storybrooke, to Henry and to life was a strange affair made even more difficult by the fact that things were not simply returning to what they had been before. Regina felt inadequate in her own skin, like the size of what was within no longer quite fit. She had nightmares that left her sweat soaked and afraid to fall back to sleep. Everyone treated her like a china doll, which had been dropped to the floor and was barely holding all her pieces together, cracks marring her face and hands and feet.

Truthfully, she didn't quite know what to do with herself. So, she focused on the little things.

Her house had been neglected for long months and sat gathering dust and cobwebs and gods knew what else. Regina threw all she had into restoring it to its former, sparkling clean glory.

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Henry was sure there was something he could do to help his mom. It was only a matter of finding out what that was.

After a very serious and not so calm talk with Emma, Henry had decided to move his main base of operations back to his old room and mom's house. He didn't want to think about the hurt look on her face when he had revealed his decision to her. It seemed impossible to please one person or the other, without hurting even more people in return.

His mom had taken to cleaning the house like a madwoman, putting all the years he had known her to shame. It wasn't just about cleaning, really. It was about scrubbing it all from top to bottom and starting again. And again.

Henry was worried.

Even more so when he realized that she wore nothing by sweats he hadn't even known she had stashed in her wardrobe, her messy hair tied back. She almost didn't look like his mom.

There would be no more running from him, though, so Henry focused on school and salvaging some of his poor grades before the semester was through. He helped her cleaning frenzy by asking for help putting his bedroom back to rights and cleaning out his closet of clothes that no longer fit. He was always home for dinner during the week and checked in with her on the weekends when he spent time with Emma and Snow and David. He pretended not to hear her at night when she woke up screaming.

It wasn't healthy, though, and he was slowly developing a plan to help his mom. He tentatively called it Operation Phoenix and asked only Archie for very secretive and very confidential help.

He refused to lose his mom again.

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"Mom?"

It had been exactly 17 days and the house was not going to get any cleaner. It had been scrubbed and painted. The garden's tended to and prepared for winter. The fridge was full and the cupboards neatly organized. The apple tree in the garden had been harvested and all the apples used for the length process of cider-making, though in years past a part of the apples would have been used for pies and sweets and turnovers. Even the black mercedes had been cleaned spotless, from the leather seats to the inside of the hood.

Henry had been waiting for this very moment, when no more excuses could be had, to put the first stage of Operation Phoenix into motion.

"Yes, sweety?" She was not exactly paying attention, her eyes on the pancakes growing in the pan and spreading their delicious scent about.

"I think I need a haircut. See," he pushed his bangs out of his eyes to demonstrate its length. "it's getting long and soon I'm going to have to wear a tiara."

Regina laughed and Henry was very pleased with himself.

"Could we go today after school?"

There was a moment of pause. Of hesitation. Henry knew it would happen and was holding his breath.

"Ah… sure, Henry." The pancakes found their way to the plate and the oven was turned off. When she met his bright, anticipating eyes at last, Henry saw that she well knew what he was doing with his nonchalance and request. "Maybe I'll get my hair done, too."

Henry smiled widely, happy she hadn't rebuffed him or his attempt to get her back into the world, beyond one short trip to the grocery store. "Great!"

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Henry had made some good, if still few friends since the curse broke and they all noticed how very hyper he seemed that day, sharing smiles and almost bouncing on his feet every few seconds. Gretel saw how much not paying attention he was doing on the last class of the day, checking the clock more than his essay. His happiness was infectious and she found herself smiling as well.

The bell rang and off he went, forgetting his notebook and ignoring the teacher telling him not to run. She picked up the forgotten notebook and placed it with her own things. She was sure he could do without it until tomorrow.

At the school steps at last, Gretel rolled her eyes at her brother as he messed up his own hair in sleep. He was always sleepy these days. In the distance, the girl saw Henry talking with his mom, Regina. Gretel hadn't yet seen the former queen after she had gotten back two weeks prior, but she had heard rumours that the mayor had been holed up at the mansion. She still wasn't sure if she liked the thought of talking with the woman and followed her brother to the other side.

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"Mom!"

Henry had greeted her with a smile and a hug and refrained from commenting on her dark, perfectly pressed pantsuit and silky blue shirt. She was wearing heels! Henry could scarcely contain his joy at seeing his mom again, looking like, well, his mom.

"Ready to tame this wild mane of yours, little prince?", Regina teased him and Henry's joy multiplied and burst into giggles. Slowly, but steadily, his mom was coming back to him. World, beware!

"Yeah!" Falling into step beside her, he gave her a sly look. "Maybe a different cut this time?"

Regina actually threw her head back and laughed at his devious tone. "Oh, I'm almost afraid to ask. What do you have in mind?"

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In the end, Henry got a very short haircut, getting rid of his bangs for good. It looked good on him and Regina told him so. While he had been getting his locks trimmed, Regina had submitted to a trim of her own. Several inches hit the floor, necessary to get rid of split ends and damaged hair. It looked like her old haircut, but longer. Henry finger her bangs and grinned at her, while she rolled her eyes.

They didn't talk about it, but Regina felt like her skin was a little less taut and tight. Almost like small parts of her were slowly falling into place. Throwing her arms around her son, she kissed his forehead and bumped his hip with hers.

God, he really was growing too tall. It still caught her by surprise from time to time.

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Clothes shopping.

He was not so enthusiastic about that, even if his wardrobe was a little empty after they had removed old clothes that didn't fit anymore. It was definitely not part of Operation Phoenix and boring, he thought. So boring. Surely there were things more exciting to be doing on a friday afternoon.

His mom was definitely back.

"Try to look more alive, kid, your mom will think you need more shoes or something."

Henry startled and turned to see his other mom, Emma, smirking at him from a few paces away. "What are you doing here, mom?"

"Regina called me, thought I might come and help you pick some new clothes." Henry looked at her, surprised. "I know! Your mom asking for fashion advice. From me."

They both laughed at that and they both knew Regina would never do that. It was just an excuse. One, Emma was more than happy to grab at.

"Miss Swan, Henry… lets do this in parts. First, pants. You can't go around like a hillbilly with your ankles and colored socks showing."

Henry and Emma shared identical groans and Regina smirked.

It turned out to be a long day. And a very embarrassing one when they get to underwear and Emma makes no move to contain her smirk and her laughing, while Henry tries to get it all over with as fast as possible.

It feels like a family day, though, and Henry doesn't find it so boring after all.

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