A/N: This is it, the last chapter, tying loose ends and wraping it up. Only an epilogue left.

Thank you for sticking around for this ride, despite my terrible updating skills.

One last review for the road?

Chapter 14

Henry was bouncing in his seat, feeling like a little kid again, a wide smile on his face. His mother looked on at him with amused twisted lips and a sparkle in her eyes. Henry had missed that light shining in her warm eyes, his mother's eyes. It was her. It was really her.

His smile widened.

"Really, really, really?!" He leaned forward, ignoring the milkshake his mom sheldon allowed him to order with lunch, much bigger things occupying his mind. "Light magic?"

His grandma, sitting next to him, bumped their shoulders together and confirmed it. "Yep."

Regina rolled her eyes and stole a fry from Henry's mostly ignored plate. Her own salad wasn't getting much attention either. "Eat your food, Henry. Emma will be here soon to pick you up."

"But, mooooom! This is huge!" Again he leaned forward, the sleeve of his sweater coming dangerously close to having intimate conversations with Henry's uneaten burger. "This is like… awesome! You have light magic!"

Even Regina's reticence to discuss this matter could not remain stoic when bombarded with Henry's enthusiasm. His smile was infectious. Lips twitching at the corners, she gazed lovingly at her beloved son.

"I… just don't want you to…" It was unlike her to stutter or be unsure of her own words. She breathed in deeply and straightened up her shoulders. "It could have been a fluke, Henry. I might not be able to do it again."

Henry's wide grin never, not once, lost its shine. "To do it even once, mom, you had to have it in you. This is good!"

"You think so?" Regina shook her head, amazed at her son's acceptance, even after all these months. The love she felt for him had never faltered, never wavered, but it had hurt once, when he had rejected her for Emma. For the Charmings. So much so, that the pain had been physical, clawing at her chest and stealing the air from her lungs.

Now though, gazing at him, having his smile and his acceptance and his love. It made her chest warm and calm. It was the strength within she had so needed to once more get back up on her feet. The push she had relied on to return from that horrible dimension. If Henry believed in her, how could she deny him anything?

"Of course! Light magic is love, mom! You love me, right?" It wasn't a question and Henry barely took a breath before continuing, making it clear that he needed no answer to know it was true. "That's all you need!"

"That's very wise, Henry. Though not very scientific of you." Her lips were twisted in amusement again.

Henry rolled his eyes and pulled the previously forgotten milkshake back within range. "This is magic, mom, not science!"

At that, Regina laughed outright, a happy, light laugh without an ounce of malice. It drew the attention of several patrons, including Emma and David, who had just gotten in from the cold. She narrowed her eyes playfully at him and nodded at the food. "Eat."

Henry laughed too and complied, happiness still radiating from his every pore.

"So, light magic, huh?" Emma spoke up, sliding in beside Regina and stealing a fry from Henry's plate. David detoured to the counter to place his and Emma's order before joining the group.

"Hey! My fries! Get your own." Henry took a big bite out of his burger and had trouble grinning, chewing and getting his mouth to remain relatively closed, which earned him a warning glare from his mom. He swallowed down before continuing. "And yes! Light magic! And she wasn't even trying."

His bragging caused Regina to look down, embarrassed, yet infinitely pleased.

"That is something, Regina. Did it feel different?" Emma asked, once more stealing a fry, and was met with Henry's glare, mouth half full once more.

"Not really." Regina felt the added size to the group more than she wanted or could deal with, specially with her magic being the center of attention. Too many eyes on her. It was moments like this that made her realize she didn't quite feel like the Regina of yore. That she might never feel like that woman again.

"And did the spell to retrieve the memories work? Can we know or is it a matter of wait-and-see?" It was David's turn to join the conversation, pulling a chair to sit by the occupied booth.

"I did feel something…", Snow interjected, a faraway look on her face. "But David is right. Did it work? Do we have to try again?"

Regina gave up the pretence of eating and quietly settled the fork back on the plate. She hated the fact that her hand rose to settle her hair and the sideway bangs she had chosen to get. She hated that it took some effort to meet anyone's gaze that was not Henry's. She hated that she felt overwhelmed by all the eyes focused on her. It might have made her angry in the past. It just made her feel inadequate now.

She fought the urge to sigh and finally forced herself to meet Snow's patient, inquiring eyes. "It did work. I dissipated the memories. You won't be having any more dreams…"

"So, they're gone now…" Regina nodded.

"Okay, no more weird memories and nightmares. Let's get back to the light magic." Emma stopped talking only long enough to smile widely at Ruby when she came to deposit a grilled cheese and a wide pile of fries in front of her. She didn't even bother trying to pretend Ruby couldn't hear them a mile away or that any of this was a secret.

Ruby only smirked and walked away, while Henry took advantage of the moment to reappropriate some of his previously stolen fries. Regina found herself smiling at that.

"Can you do something now? Try a spell or something and try to use light magic?"

Regina rolled her eyes and glanced around. "Here? I've finally stopped fearing people are going to pick up pitchforks and come for my head. Is that really the best idea?"

"Don't worry, mom. Nobody is going to hurt you." She felt a pang at the serious tone in Henry's voice and the steel-eyed look on his face. It was a look much too old on a face too young.

"Course not." Regina smiled at him and felt her smile then turn into a smirk as she face Emma. "Let them try and see what I do to them."

It would have been menacing, once upon a time, but now it sounded merely sarcastic and playful. Emma actually laughed at the comment, while her mom rolled her eyes. David only looked up, eyes temporarily narrowed, before deeming Regina a non threat, and returning his attention to the half eaten burger before him. He liked the family vibe they had going. It felt strangely normal.

"Okay, mom. Give it a try." Henry had finally polished his whole lunch and had both hands on the table, fingers entwined.

Regina swallowed hard and placed her hand on the table, palm up. In a few seconds, light flared and swirled like a little tornado. When the light faded, there was a round clear orb on her palm with a dark swirl within. It was a little constellation shining and moving.

"Cool!" Henry reached forward and took the large marble in his own hand, twisting it around. "It's just like the one from Men in Black!"

Emma leaned forward to look at it too. "It is pretty cool."

Her eyes held a little uncertainty and Regina didn't have to be a genius to know that Emma felt she was losing the cool mom advantage. It didn't make Regina feel superior, as she was sure might have been the case in the past. Seeing that Emma also had insecure issues only made her feel normal.

That was a novel concept, Regina thought to herself. Did that mean she had done some growing up as a human being? Archie would probably be proud. Mother would have been horrified, though. That certainly made her smile a genuine smile.

.

.

.

"So… are you going to tell me what's on your mind, or should I keep pretending that I haven't noticed and try again later?" David's soft voice on her ear, his strong chest cradling her back so gently, made her feel safe and loved. His words, though, made her wince a little. Snow shouldn't have been so surprised that David could read her so well.

"I…" His arm tightened around her, and he kissed her cheek, offering her silent support. "Regina didn't want her memories back. She knew… She had known all along that she had lost some memories. But she didn't want them back. Had never tried to get them back".

"And you don't understand that." She leaned back and smiled. He knew her so well.

"I guess. I guess I do understand. It was a painful time. She knew that, even if she didn't know about the baby. But I-I would have wanted to know."

Embracing, arms around each other, heads close together and eyes closed, they were a unit, gently swaying from side to side.

"Regina has a lot of pain and regret and years of dark magic and who knows what else… When she was the Evil Queen, maybe she didn't care. Now, with what happened with Jefferson, maybe she can't handle more."

"She said that. I respect her decision. It's why I wanted the memories away. I didn't want to know, because I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it from her. And she doesn't need it." She breathed in deeply, then sighed. "I always thought I knew her best, just because I knew her longest. I was wrong."

"We cannot change the past, Snow. Regina knows that better than anyone." He pulled back just enough for Snow to turn in his arms and meet him face to face. "We know that better than most. We lost all those years with Emma… with Henry."

"I know."

"But we can't dwell forever on the past, either. We are living the consequences of all those bad moments and bad decisions, ours and everyone else's. Let's focus on that." He caressed her cheek and leaned his forehead to hers. "On making this work now. On cherishing the family we have now." He pulled back and smirked. "Regina included."

She laughed, a little teary, a little sad and a whole lot grateful to have David in her life. And all the rest of her extended, unconventional family. "You're right."

"See? I'm not as air-headed as Regina thinks I am." They both laughed more freely.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."