A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you to all of the reviews, favorites, and follows!

To those who read the original, I combined parts three and four of the 1x01 rewrite. It just seemed to make more sense to me as I was writing. There were some parts that I took out from the original chapters, only because it didn't follow as well with what I did in the previous two chapters to this story.

Happy reading :)


Chapter Three: These New Beginnings

"Pilot" SQ Rewrite – Part 3

Trusty hard disk recovery utility had done the trick. After inspecting the kid's laptop, they had discovered that Henry had apparently found Emma through a website called whosyourmomma, using a credit card from a woman by the name of Mary Margaret Blanchard. Emma could tell immediately that Regina had something against the woman. She looked disgusted as soon as she said her name aloud.

They were pulling up to Storybrooke Elementary in Regina's black Mercedes. Regina told her a little about who Mary Margaret was on their way to the school, but as much as the brunette tried to hide her dissatisfaction with the woman, Emma could still detect it in her expression. She hadn't met the fourth grade teacher yet, but based on what she had seen from Regina so far, she figured there had to be some type of dispute between the two that had gone on for a while now.

The bell rang as soon as they arrived to the classroom. Regina pushed past the students running out into the hallway while Emma waited for the remainder of the class to file out. A few of the kids smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. It was a nice feeling, being acknowledged so kindly by a stranger.

Just like Regina had done last night.

That kindness had most certainly disappeared when she entered the room. She was yelling angrily at the teacher. It was like the Regina she knew had been kidnapped and replaced with a person who looked exactly like her but lacked the real woman's personality.

"You'd think I'd be here if he was? Did you give him your credit card so he can find…?" Regina, who had now noticed her arrival, glanced towards the doorway. Her expression was softening, and her voice became quiet. "Emma…"

Mary Margaret hadn't heard the whisper. "I'm sorry. Who are you?"

She looked up at the woman who Regina was so angered with, taking in her appearance. She had short, close-cropped black hair and piercing green eyes that reminded her of her own. She was petite, wearing a white dress shirt with a light beige button down sweater and a long gray skirt. The woman came across as friendly, but Emma could detect a certain spark about her, like if you pushed her far enough, she wouldn't be afraid to show her teeth. Had Regina evoked this side of her before? And what exactly was this unsettled feud between the mayor and the teacher?

She could only imagine a parent-teacher conference between the two. She might have to take Regina's place and then relay the information back to her. From the brief exchange she had witnessed, Regina would most likely be a lot more willing to hear anything Mary Margaret had to say about Henry's school performance from her over the teacher.

And suddenly, that thought made her feel uncomfortable. Did she really have any place in attending a parent-teacher conference? She was Henry's birth mother, but Regina had been the one to raise him for the ten years of his life. Regina would most certainly let her go, but how would the teacher respond? Would she end up judging her for giving Henry away? She wouldn't say anything aloud, but it would be there in her expression, she bet. That was one of the reasons why she had never told anyone that she had a kid who she had given up for adoption. Of course, Regina hadn't judged her at all and heard her out in her reasons for giving Henry up for adoption. But in that situation, Henry had blatantly announced she was his birth mother during their initial meeting, and she didn't have much of a choice but to face the possible judgment that Regina could have given her.

Emma let out a breath and glanced at Regina, who was waiting expectantly for her to answer the question Mary Margaret had asked. She struggled with her words, her thoughts making her nervous about revealing who she was to the teacher. "I'm… I'm his…" Her eyes connected with Regina's, and the brunette immediately understood. She turned back to Mary Margaret, her tone much calmer with her than it was before.

"She's Henry's birth mother."

Mary Margaret only gave her a small nod and then proceeded to go to her desk, busying herself with searching through her purse. Emma tried to ignore the awkward situation she had created and redirected her focus back to finding Henry. If Mary Margaret was looking through her purse for her credit card, then she had absolutely no idea that Henry had taken it from her. "You don't know anything about this, do you?"

"No, unfortunately not." Mary Margaret opened up her wallet and let out a sigh. "Clever boy. I should have never given him that book."

"The book," Regina said quietly, a quick hint of disapproval flashing across her face. The storybook of fairytales that Henry was so connected to was clearly worrying her, especially since she didn't seem to know about his fascination with the make-believe being real.

Emma took a few steps forward to stand next to Regina. "Must be the same book he was telling me about."

The brunette nodded. "This book, Miss Blanchard? What is it?"

"Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart. So creative. And as you might be aware… Lonely. He needed it."

Emma frowned. She glanced at Regina, who seemed to be fighting back emotions of anger against Mary Margaret but at the same time looking somewhat guilty for possibly causing Henry's loneliness. This was now Emma's turn to save her, like she had done earlier for her when she couldn't get out the words to tell Mary Margaret who she was. She stopped herself from putting her hand on Regina's back to calm her down a bit, knowing that would be a dead giveaway that something was going on between them. "How about I take it from here?"

Regina looked back at her, and her expression suddenly relaxed. "I'll go wait outside in the hall then." She turned to leave, and neither of them spoke until she was out of the room.

"Wow. She actually listened to you."

"Does she not usually give people the time of day?"

Mary Margaret shook her head and then let out a chuckle. "Nope. She would much rather exert her authority over others than take orders from someone else."

That bit of information certainly didn't resonate well with Emma. Did Regina really treat people with disrespect on a normal basis? Did that mean she was pretending to be different around her, pretending to be someone she wasn't? It just didn't add up to her.

Maybe she was actually being her normal self around her. She didn't know how long Regina had been mayor, but maybe she felt that acting authoritative over everyone was the only way to get things done and keep the town in order. She could be afraid of showing her real personality. Maybe the thought of doing this made her feel vulnerable? Emma completely understood. Those walls shot up, protecting them from getting hurt.

"I'm sorry about all of this. I fear this is partially my fault."

"How's a book supposed to help?"

"What do you think these stories are for?"

Emma shrugged. Reading for enjoyment? Pastime for when someone was bored? She didn't know. Stories weren't something she involved herself in. She didn't want to throw herself into the fake lives of the people on the pages. It made her want what she couldn't have. More than she already desired. Reality gave her a focus. She knew what she had, what she didn't have, and how to make it by on her own.

"These stories," Mary Margaret explained, placing her purse back on her desk, "are classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."

A world that doesn't make sense… She knew the feeling too well. "I understand."

"Look, it's more than just her."

He may be lonely, but he doesn't know what it's like to bounce around in the foster system, always being on the run, having no one to go to for help…

Emma was too distracted by her own thoughts to say anything. She must have portrayed confusion because Mary Margaret explained further, making it clear about who she was referring to when she said "her". Emma didn't need the clarification, though. She knew she was talking about Regina. She played along regardless.

"Miss Mills, I mean."

"Oh."

Mary Margaret shrugged. "He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with the most basic question they all inevitably face. Why would anyone give me away?"

Emma's eyes watered, and she bit her lip to stop the tears from escaping. This was exactly what she had feared. She looked down for a moment and quickly composed herself. When she looked up again, Mary Margaret began to apologize. She could tell right away that she hadn't meant to say it that way and that it was a complete accident.

"I am so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."

"It's okay."

"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

Emma put two and two together. The teacher knew the kid well enough. "You know where he is, don't you?"

"You might want to check his castle."

"Thank you, Mary Margaret."

She was about to turn away when the teacher called back to her.

"I didn't catch your name."

"Emma."

Mary Margaret smiled. "You're welcome, Emma. Please, keep in touch."

Emma left the classroom and found Regina standing at the end of the hallway. She could read the worry on her face. So she'd snapped at Mary Margaret because she was merely concerned about Henry. Of course that made sense. Still, the teacher had revealed that it was normal for Regina to not be so friendly with others.

Walls. That was it. Those damn walls were hardening her, making her appear hostile on the outside.

"Hey!"

Regina looked up at her apologetically. "Hey. Look, I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have snapped at her. I'm just…"

"I know. You're worried about him."

"Yeah. Um… So did you find anything else out?"

"Yeah. His castle?"

"I know what you're talking about. Let's go."


Sure enough, Henry had been at his "castle" near the sea, sitting on the wooden playground's upper level and staring glumly at the clock tower. He had been disappointed that the clock was still frozen at eight fifteen, that despite her arrival, nothing in the town had changed, and that a "final battle" had failed to begin. He begged her to stay with him for a week, give him a chance to show her that all the stories he was telling her were true, that Snow White was her mother, that her reason for giving Emma away mirrored her own for giving him away, that she was some type of savior for the people here…

That she was supposed to go up against Regina.

It made sense. She had thought about it on the drive to the playground. Henry saw Regina as some evil villain, and he told her last night it was the Evil Queen who sent all of the fairytale characters from the Enchanted Forest to the small town of Storybrooke, Maine, where none of them, except the Evil Queen herself, remembered who they were. And if anyone dared to leave, something bad would happen. If Emma had to guess, this was the Evil Queen's doing.

Regina Mills was the Evil Queen.

That was what Henry had construed. It was his coping mechanism to deal with the world around him. He insisted she didn't understand how he felt. That his life sucked. She snapped. She couldn't help herself, those feelings of abandonment coming back to her in a flood of emotions.

"Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own kid so they sent me back. Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you."

She was harsh, but it was true. Regina was trying her best, and it broke her heart that Henry wasn't giving her a chance. It was terrible of him to think of his mother as the Evil Queen. The scene of Regina crying the previous night came to mind as she told him those words. She couldn't stop herself from tearing up a bit. Between her memories of her past in the foster system and Regina's misery about Henry's behavior, it was all too much for her.

But of course the kid had to respond in terms of his storybook's language. Her parents hadn't left her on the side of a freeway. She had apparently traveled through space and time in a magical wardrobe and appeared in the street. Her parents wanted to save her from the Evil Queen's curse. It was sad how much he wanted her to believe it was true.

He succumbed to listening to her, though, and they walked back to Regina's house in silence. She knew the kid was in a more dismal mood than he had been before she found him at the playground.

What was worse, she had left Regina upset, too. She had wanted to come with her and talk to Henry, but Emma knew it was probably for the best that she did it alone. She didn't like hearing the sadness in her voice when she told her that.

"Maybe I should go? I'm sorry. He's probably still mad at you…"

"When he is not?"

"He'll come around, Regina."

"I hope so."

She even had to resort to sending her home. The next option Regina had offered was waiting for the two. Again, Emma didn't think that would be a good idea. The minute Henry saw the car, he would shut down. She needed him to talk to her. Fairytale nonsense or not.

"I'll wait for you two."

"You should probably go home… He will see the car eventually. He may not be as open to talk knowing that you're watching us… I'm sorry. I just think this is better. I'll meet you at home?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Hey. Give it some time. He does love you. He's just going through a phase right now."

"Thanks, Emma."

She had allowed herself to use the term "home" so openly. She had let her mind drift again, thinking of the possibility of a home with Regina and her son. She wanted it to be true. But as she had left the car and joined Henry, she realized she was thinking too far ahead again. She hadn't even spent a full day in Storybrooke, and she already wanted it to be her home. What was with this town that made her so attached? So clingy?

Henry.

And Regina.

And Mary Margaret. Despite the slip up she had made, she had been so kind to her. She could see a friendship forming between her and the teacher. It would be nice to have a friend.

And a girlfriend.

And her son.

Emma hadn't missed the pain that flashed in Regina's eyes when she had pulled Henry's storybook out of her bag. She had almost left the car without it. She remembered to retrieve it from her car before heading to the school.

"Can't forget his book."

"Yeah. His book."

Emma knew the book was bothering Regina and that Henry was letting the fairytales go to his head, but she had to remember he was ten. She guessed it was okay to be imaginative. She had been at his age. However, it was pushing far past what she was used to. She had imagined her family coming back for her, them being together, living happily ever after… But she knew reality. She liked to believe the made up stories in times of misery, giving herself some… Hope, as Mary Margaret would call it. By the time she was thirteen, she whisked away all that hope. The stories, the dreams, she forced them away. Make-believe didn't resonate with her anymore. If she wanted to be happy, she needed to make her own path. Do what she felt would make her happy. And that's when the trouble started coming into play. Determined spirit, but still not thinking clearly. It was at seventeen, after she was arrested and thrown in jail, when she found out she was pregnant and truly on her own, that reality finally smacked her in the face.

And it hurt like a bitch.

Maybe the kid needed that reality sooner than she originally thought. To save him from a troubled future. From being alone.

He was already heading in the direction of loneliness.

Emma watched the kid run inside the house, not taking a minute to acknowledge his mother, who was now leaning against the doorframe with that same look of rejection she'd had the night before. It tugged at her heart. She really hated seeing her that way. She hoped that she could try to help Henry see his mother in a different light during her time there.

"Thank you, Emma."

Emma stopped a few feet away from her. "No problem."

"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you."

She gave a small nod and was quiet as she thought for a moment, a sudden realization coming to her. "You know, it seems kind of crazy…"

Regina laughed at her words. "Crazy seems to be our thing lately."

"You're right… As you know, yesterday was my birthday, and… When I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday." She glanced down at the ground. "It was the same birthday wish I've been making every year. Because every year, I've been alone on my birthday." She looked back up at Regina, whose brown eyes portrayed her understanding of that loneliness. Of how much it sucked. "But when I blew out the candle this time, my wish was answered. In more than one way." She took a step closer to Regina, and the brunette smiled in response. "First, Henry showed up." She took hold Regina's hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Then he brought me to you. You two gave me the best birthday I could have ever asked for."

"I'm glad we could make it so special for you."

Emma gazed into Regina's eyes, her looking into her green ones, and she smiled a genuine, happy smile. The brunette broke away from her gaze, looked down at their joined hands, and said her name softly.

"Emma…" She met her green eyes again. "Let all of this be an invitation back into his life."

"Oh?"

"I'm serious. I know that you made a decision ten years ago. And I know that in the last decade, while you've been going about your life, I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You gave birth to him, and I adopted him." Regina squeezed her hands lightly. "You asked for a closed adoption, but that doesn't change the fact that Henry is our son. I want you to get to know him. I want you back in his life."

Our son.

She liked how that sounded.

A big smile appeared on her face. "Really?"

Regina nodded. "Really. I know you've only been here one day, but I think you've taken a shine to him as well."

She hadn't spent that much time with him, but Regina was right. She enjoyed sitting next to Henry in his castle, driving along with him in her Bug as they traveled to Maine, his smile at her door when he said he was her son. And now, she would be able to have more of these moments with him.

"So… Stay in Storybrooke for a while?"

"Did you ever doubt I would?"

Regina grinned and then let go of her hands. "You remember Granny's Bed and Breakfast, up on Main Street?" She pointed to the right of her, in the general direction of the place. "We passed it earlier today."

Emma could picture the B&B. It was right next to the diner. She nodded.

"You can stay there. I'd have you stay with me, but…."

Again, it would be rather awkward for her to suddenly "warm up" to Regina after one day there. She could only imagine Henry's reaction. He was intuitive enough. Regina offering Emma to stay with her would set off alarms in the kid's head. He would probably think it was a trick, all a part of some villainous plot on Regina's end. If the two started acting kind around one another, he may pick up something else entirely.

You like my mom? My mom likes you?

Yep, kid. We like each other.

"I understand." She shoved her hands in her jean pockets, kicked at the ground, and then took a few steps backward. "So… I'll see you around, then?"

"Of course. You know where to find me."

Emma nodded and turned around, beginning her trek down the pathway. It wasn't long before Regina called her back again.

"Emma, wait."

She turned around and walked back to her. Regina was holding Daniel's ring in her hand, close to her lips, and then she reached to undo the clasp of the necklace, holding it out to her. The one item that meant so much to the brunette… She was giving it to her. "I want you to have this. It'll look nice with your swan necklace."

"I couldn't… It means something to you."

"Exactly." Regina took her hand and placed it in her palm. "Happy birthday, Emma."

"Thanks, Regina."

As she put on the necklace and fixed the ring to align with the swan pendant, she saw Regina's smile grow wide. It was a perfect fit. Regina's silver chain was smaller than hers, and the ring hung just above the swan pendant. Puzzle pieces matched. She looked back up at Regina.

"Consider it as my way of saying thanks. For everything you've done for me since coming here."

"I've only been here for a day."

"I know. Sometimes it's the smallest of things that do the greatest of wonders."

Emma played with the ring nervously. "Thanks again."

"No problem, dear. Come by tonight? After you've settled down, of course."

"I'll be here."

"We can celebrate your birthday. Something simple."

"You don't have to do that, Regina."

"I want to."

Emma couldn't argue with that. Spending another night with the brunette was something she wanted to do, regardless of whether or not they celebrated her birthday.

"11:30 sound good?"

Emma nodded. "That'll work."

"I'll see you then."

"See you."

She took a few tentative steps backward, wondering if Regina would say something more. The brunette just stared at her, the smile on her face never faltering. She put her hands back in her jean pockets, nodded, and then turned around, this time making it to the end of the pathway.

Birch Street.

She still remembered where she had parked the VW that morning.

She stopped.

One more glance?


Emma was almost at the end of the pathway when she decided to make her way back to the door, leaning against it one more time to think over the conversation she'd had with the blonde.

She had convinced Emma to stay. Although it didn't seem she had needed much convincing, at least not according to how she had responded after asking her if she would stay for a while.

Did you ever doubt I would?

Emma wanted to stay. And now she was. For the first time in more than twenty eight years, she would get the chance to have something with someone again.

She smiled as she remembered how much Emma's face had lit up when she told her she wanted her back in Henry's life. When she said he was their son.

Their son.

Her smile grew wider.

Emma had been surprised that she had given her the necklace with Daniel's ring, but she had done it purposefully. Daniel had given the ring to her because she meant something to him, and she had held on to it for all of these years because he meant a great deal to her. And now she wanted Emma to know the same. She wasn't sure she could put it all to words about how much she meant to her yet, but giving her that piece of jewelry was the start.

The start of a new path for herself.

Regina heard Henry running through the foyer, and he joined her outside. She placed her hand on his head and gently brushed his hair.

"You've sent her away."

"No, dear. I've told her to stay."

"What? You want her to stay?"

"Well, it wouldn't be very nice of me to demand her to leave, would it?"

"No…" She was surprised when Henry started to wave, and she followed Henry's gaze to see that Emma had stopped at the end of the pathway to steal one last glance of her. Regina smiled. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't stop from being apart. She nodded to her as a subtle goodbye, and Emma instantly beamed. The blonde then raised her hand to wave at Henry before turning to leave for good this time.

11:30 couldn't come soon enough.

"Well, I'm going to go work on my homework now."

Regina chuckled at his randomness. "Okay, Henry." She waited for him to go inside, listening to his footsteps becoming fainter as each second passed. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "See you tonight, Emma."

Tonight.

11:30.

Regina turned on her heel and closed the door behind her, smiling to herself.

And here's to more 11:30s to come.


Why is my mom humming as she washes the dishes? She never does that. Why is she so happy? Shouldn't she be threatened by Emma's presence here? Shouldn't she have told her to leave?

Henry didn't get it. Something didn't seem right about it. The Evil Queen wouldn't be this happy when her number one enemy was staying in town. He peered further into the kitchen, trying to catch the tune, seeing if it sounded recognizable. He couldn't pick it up, though.

Regina made a slight movement as if to turn around, and Henry quickly strode away from the room, making it to the stairs without being caught. He glanced into the study, its door ajar, and read the time. 8:12pm! He had to hurry.

He ran up the stairs and down the hallway to his bedroom. Just as he arrived at the window and cast one glance over his shoulder, he saw it was 8:15. It was almost time. He pulled up the chair from his desk, folded his arms on the window sill and rested his head on them, and gazed out at the clock tower peeking above the many rooftops of Storybrooke.

One minute later.

"Come on."

The minute hand moved.

It was 8:16. Finally! Time was no longer frozen. The final battle was to begin.

Henry smiled.


11:15pm.

This was way earlier than she had intended on showing up. In her defense, she had walked to Regina's house to not give anything away, and she hadn't known how long it would take to get there on foot. She stood by one of the hedges in front of the house, glancing around nervously and playing with the necklace Regina gave her earlier. She figured she should wait another five minutes. She began to pace. She tried to put herself at ease by thinking about her confrontation with the owner of the B&B and her granddaughter, she guessed.

The grandmother and the girl had been arguing as she entered. Something about moving to Boston and how a heart attack stopped the girl—and she was quoting this from the girl's grandmother—from "sleeping her way down the eastern seaboard". What a loving relationship.

It was still more than what she had.

When Emma had asked for a room, the grandmother's eyes lit up. She was overly ecstatic. She was offered a forest view or a square view. An additional upgrade fee for the square, but she said she would wave it. So why not? She was feeling in the mood and went with the square view.

That wasn't the most interesting moment. A very suspicious man had approached the three of them, leaning on his cane for support as he smiled up at Emma and said, "Emma. What a lovely name."

Mr. Gold was his name. The grandmother had given him an envelope filled with money. A ton of it. The rent, maybe? But still… There had been a lot of money there. Something wasn't right. Not only that, but the grandmother's and girl's previous demeanors changed to ones of instant fear as he spoke. Emma immediately knew not to trust the guy. Apparently he held so much power that he owned the entire town of Storybrooke.

Guess that meant he surpassed Regina on the totem pole.

She glanced down at her phone. 11:20pm. Okay. That wasn't too early now. She let out a breath and made her way to the door, looking up to see the light in Henry's room was off. She relaxed a bit.

Just as she stepped in front of the door, it opened.

"Hey…"

Regina smiled. "I figured you might be early." She chuckled. "Or you could say that I've been waiting around anxiously for you since 11."

"So 11:30 really means 11?"

The brunette shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe?"

"You're cute."

She laughed nervously.

"Don't worry. I've been giddy all night, too." Emma put her hands in her jean pockets, looked down at the ground, and rocked on her heels. "I…" She looked back up at Regina. "Couldn't wait to see you."

"Me neither." She laughed again. "Honestly, you don't want to know how many times I peered out the window. I've been pacing the foyer since 11."

Emma was taken back to her room. She had probably driven someone nuts with all of the times she had crossed the length of the room. "I was pacing my room for a good fifteen minutes before I left the B&B. And then I was pacing outside your yard for another five minutes before walking up the pathway."

Regina leaned against the doorframe and folded her arms across her chest. "We're ridiculous."

"We sure are."

"Well, let's stop being ridiculous then." The brunette nodded behind her, and Emma walked inside, hearing her close the door. She took a few steps ahead of her. "Follow me."

Regina guided her back to the study, where they sat down on the couch facing the fireplace. The fireplace was lit, just as it had been the night before. Emma noticed some photo albums laying on the coffee table, along with a bottle of wine, two empty wine glasses, a small cake, two plates, and silverware for the both of them. She looked at Regina, who let out a nervous breath. The brunette then turned to look at her and smiled. They had spent one full day together, had learned so much about each other, and yet it was like they were meeting for the first time.

But Regina didn't need an invitation to sit next to her.

She knew the brunette felt the same way about her.

And she could be a part of Henry's life.

They were in the same room, but so much had changed since arriving at the house on Mifflin Street yesterday night. Emma had taken a chance and so had Regina. She was thankful for that. For once in her life, things seemed to be falling into place. She let her mind wander for a moment to the future. And this time, it was a bright one, where she wasn't afraid of the uncertainty and her heart was no longer broken.


The nerves were finally easing away as she settled down on the couch next to Emma. Seeing that necklace around the blonde's neck, hanging so perfectly with her own, brought upon a calmness to Regina. At dinner, she had been completely fine. Henry had been particularly talkative that night despite the earlier hostility, and she knew it was because she had requested that Emma stay in town. He filled her in about the birdhouse he planned to make when he did go to school tomorrow (to which he promised he would not skip again), and she didn't once let her thoughts wander to the teacher behind the idea. He explained to her about a new comic book he had started to read, claiming it was his new favorite. He even expressed his excitement about getting to know Emma. He was hesitant at first, trying to interpret her feelings about Emma, and when she had smiled without thinking, he continued.

It was silly, really, to be so nervous about the upcoming evening with Emma, especially after spending the previous night and the majority of the day with her. She was acting like it was their first date out together as a couple (and perhaps, it could be considered that, minus being out on a date together in public). It was a good kind of anxious, though, mixed with her excitement to see Emma again. It was nice to have someone who made her feel that way back in her life again.

For the first time in twenty eight years, she had hummed a tune as she washed the dishes after dinner. It was a lullaby, one her and her father would sing together in the middle of the night when she'd had a bad nightmare as a child. It came so easily, so effortlessly, back to her mind. Ever since his death, she hadn't had the courage to sing it, let alone speak the words. That night was different.

Daddy.

I met someone. Someone who is supposed to be my undoing.

Her name is Emma. She's Henry's birth mother.

She's really lovely, Daddy. I know you'd like her.

Regina had to stop for a moment when her mother's face flashed in her mind. The disapproving look she would receive from her whenever she was disappointed with her.

Had her mother been around, she knew she would have made her dissatisfaction clear with her. She may have even done everything in her power to stop her relationship with Emma. She would insist that she knew what was best for her, that she was doing her a favor. But Regina had heard that enough times from her. She wouldn't have let her mother try to control her life once more.

Her father would have reacted differently. He would have been happy for her. Unlike her mother, it wouldn't have mattered to him who Emma was. If Emma truly made her happy, then that was what counted. She knew because he had spoken that message to her when she was a teenager, trying to make sense of growing feelings she had for her closest friend. He had told her to always listen to her heart, as it would tell her the right thing to do.

Well, that was what she was doing now.

"Thought we could have something different tonight." Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma as she said her next words, thinking back to their previous night together and the annoying hangover from earlier. "Not too much, though."

"I'm definitely okay with that."

She looked down at the cake. When Emma and Henry had been together at his "castle", she had taken the opportunity to make a quick stop at the grocery store, picking up the ingredients she needed to make it. Once she knew Henry was in bed and asleep, she had decided to test her luck. She wasn't a terrible cook, but desserts were not exactly her specialty. Henry had made that known to her a few times. It was always the facial expressions that gave it away.

"Mom, this is… Good…"

All the while, he would be contorting his face into a forced look of gratitude as he swallowed with difficulty. She would find herself shaking her head and take the plate away. He always apologized, and she always accepted it sincerely. After he would leave, she'd eat it herself and decide if it was really all that bad. Usually it was fifty-fifty. Anything with apples would be a winner. Henry even liked those recipes. That was until recently, after he had received that damn book.

Mary Margaret…

Regina, no. This isn't the time to get angry with the woman.

If she could forget about her during dinner, she could forget about her now. She smiled at Emma, and the slight anger instantly disappeared.

"I hope the cake turned out okay. I'm not the best cook… Unless it involves apples, of course."

This got a surprised reaction from the blonde. "You have a thing for apples?"

"I suppose so." Regina shrugged. "What can I say? They're delicious."

Emma put out a hand. "Wait. Doesn't the Evil Queen from the Snow White fairytale have a thing for apples, too?"

Sure, the blonde's tone was amused. But the comment penetrated her. She felt her chest tighten. "Yeah…"

"Maybe Henry's fairytale thing isn't so crazy after all."

Shit. Had she really put two and two together that easily? Regina turned away and stared into the flames in the fireplace, unable to avoid the edginess in her tone as she opened her mouth to ask the question. "Whatever do you mean?"

"He's just associating details from his life with those from the stories. Coincidental, sure. But you're not the only one in the world who likes apples."

Regina blinked away from the burning light of the fire and looked back at her, easing up a bit. "Yes. That's right."

Emma glanced down at the cake. "Thank you for the cake, Regina. I'm sure it tastes lovely."

Her muscles relaxed more, and she smiled at the blonde. "You're quite welcome, Emma." She pointed at the three photo albums strewn across the coffee table. "I thought you would like to see some of the pictures I've taken of Henry throughout the years. Make up for lost time?"

Emma nodded briskly. "I'd love to."

Regina reached for an album and opened it. The first couple of photos were of Henry when he was a little over a month old, only weeks after she had adopted him. She heard Emma gasp. She turned to the blonde, seeing her put a hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes as her other hand flipped to the next page, revealing more baby pictures of him. Regina frowned, realizing that this may have been a bad idea, striking a painful cord in Emma's heart. She put her arm around her. "I'm sorry, dear. I should have thought…"

But Emma shook her head. "No. Thank you." She gave her a kiss. "I knew before I had him that I was going to give him up for adoption. I… I chose not to hold him after I'd given birth to him. I didn't even look at him. I just couldn't… Even after the doctor told me I could still change my mind, that I could keep him, I refused."

Regina rubbed her back gently, making comforting circles with her hand as she waited for the blonde to continue.

"I'm glad you showed me this. I spent so many years trying to forget that day so I wouldn't be reminded of how I felt for giving him away."

Regina had wondered about the mother when she first adopted Henry. Was she loving? Did she want the child? Did she give him up because she had to? Because she couldn't take care of him? Because he had no place in her life? She had imagined Emma differently in those first few weeks, believing that the mother of the child simply did not want him. Did not love him. She soon realized that was an absurd thought, that there had to be more to it than that. Even to this day, she had still felt uncertain about the whole situation. Now, she knew. Emma Swan did not want to give her child away. Giving Henry his best chance or not, she would have done everything she could have to take care of him had she had the resources to do so.

"You didn't want to give him away, did you?"

"No. I loved him the minute I knew I was having him. But at the time, I was only seventeen. I wasn't ready to be a mother. I was lucky I could take care of myself…" Emma turned to Regina. "Like I told you before, I wanted to give him his best chance. Despite how much it hurt to give him away. And of course I never wanted to forget him. But I started to… I got buried in my work, just trying to make it by…" She looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm a bail bondsperson, Regina. My life is risky. Always unpredictable. I wouldn't have been able to give Henry a good life on the salary I make. Or even provide him a safe one."

That was a piece of information Regina hadn't known. It made perfect sense, though, since she claimed finding people was her thing.

Emma had mustered the courage to look back at her again. "He told me he understood today, though. Why I gave him up."

"Oh?"

"When we were sitting together in his castle, he told me that he wasn't upset. He knew I wanted to give him his best chance." The blonde giggled. "Back to the fairytales again. Apparently Snow White is my mother, and she gave me up for the same reason. To save me from the curse." She shook her head. "That's why I was found on the side of a freeway as a baby. It's where I went through this wardrobe thing."

Regina shifted her gaze to her hands resting in her lap. Emma was laughing to herself, finding the whole story comedic and nonsensical. Regina wished it wasn't true, but everything Henry had told her had actually happened. No matter what she did, she couldn't change that past. She took a deep breath and composed herself, forcing a smile as she looked back at her. "Well… The boy sure has a clever imagination."

"He really does."

She needed a drink. Something to get the edge off. She turned to the wine bottle and began to pour the liquid into their glasses. "Like to try the cake?"

"Yes, please."

Regina busied herself with cutting two pieces from the cake and placing them on the plates. When she was done, she handed her a plate and a fork. "Enjoy."

Emma smiled and took a bite of the cake. Regina held her breath, hoping for a positive reaction. Please don't pull a Henry. Please. I need some reassurance that I won't kill someone by dessert.

"This is great, Regina!"

It seemed genuine, and there was no face contorting going on. Still, she erred on the side of caution. "Please. You're just saying that."

"No, Regina. Really, it's wonderful."

She felt her cheeks go warm. "Thanks."

Emma pointed her fork at the plate in her lap. "Try it!"

"Okay." So she did and…

"Well?"

"You're right… It's actually not that bad." She laughed. "I surprised myself."

Sixty-fifty? A ten percent boost for making delicious desserts? Why not!

"Not such a bad cook, now are you?"

"I guess not!"

They laughed and went for the wine. They continued to look through the photo album, Regina detailing the stories of each picture and Emma flipping the pages as she listened. Regina knew she was becoming very animated as time passed on. She never remembered talking with her hands so much. She felt like Henry at the dinner table that evening. She had never had anyone to talk to about the photos, someone who would listen so attentively, a person who even cared to hear her speak for more than five minutes. Not since she had come to this world.

Daddy? Daniel?

I don't feel so lonely anymore.

Henry helped bring me back to life.

And Emma? I think she's helping me discover who I was before…

Well, you know.

I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm sorry, Daniel. I hope you two can find it in you to forgive me.

Emma was now laying against her, resting her head on her chest as she rubbed the top of her head. A new photo album was opened in her lap, and they were almost to the end of it. Regina could tell Emma was fighting to keep her eyes open, and even she felt the words coming out of her mouth were less lively. She yawned and glanced at the clock above the fireplace. It was definitely later than she had expected.

"Oh my. It's nearly 2:30."

Emma raised her head a little to see the clock. "I guess it is. No wonder why I'm getting so tired."

Regina closed the photo album. "I think that's enough for tonight."

"Yes. I'm ready for bed." She snuggled up against her, closing her eyes.

Regina smiled. The childish behavior, it was absolutely adorable. She brushed her fingertips along her eyebrows, then her eyelids.

And the blonde acted more childlike. In a whiny voice, she said, "Stop it! You're making me more tired."

"Oh? I thought you would have appreciated it."

"I do, but…" Emma reached up blindly, eventually finding her hands and clutching them. "Let's go to bed, Regina."

"Okay, Emma."

They sat up from the couch, and Regina surveyed the study.

"Let me clean up really quick. Bring the glasses and such to the kitchen at least."

Emma looked around the room as well. "I'll help you."

The photo albums were put back into place on the bookshelf, and the wine bottle, empty glasses, plates, and silverware found their way back to the kitchen. The cake had been so good that the both of them had finished it. Regina was overjoyed by this and acquired some newfound confidence in the baking department. She could make another dessert for Emma, but what?

Apples, she decided. It had to be something with apples.

After turning off all of the lights, Regina and Emma walked hand in hand to the bedroom. They stood for a moment once in the room, gazing into each other's eyes, before separating. Emma fell on to the bed, intent on sleeping right away. Regina laughed to herself as she opened a dresser drawer, pulling out two pairs of pajamas.

As soon as she approached, Emma's eyes flashed open. She held out the clothes to her. "Here. You can wear these tonight. I'm sure we're relatively the same size."

The blonde sat up. "It's okay, Regina. I can just wear what I have on."

Regina gave her a disbelieving look. "You are not going to wear jeans to bed, Emma."

Emma pouted. "But I'm lazy."

Oh, the woman's childlike behavior! Still, it didn't bother her. It was quite amusing. She threw the clothes at her. "Put them on."

"Demanding. I like."

"You're ridiculous."

Cue the sing song voice. "But you like it!"

I do.

The two changed quickly and crawled into bed. They stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, enjoying the silence.

Nearly a day ago, it had only been her and Henry. Now, it was her, Henry, and Emma. She wondered if maybe it had been all wrong, that Emma's arrival on her twenty eighth birthday was never meant to signify her demise. Rather, maybe Emma was as much as a saving grace to her as she was destined to be for everyone else in Storybrooke. She would help her find the good in herself once again, help her realize the person she wanted to be.

"Regina?"

She turned her head to look at her. "Yes?"

"Thanks for all of this."

"You're welcome." Her eyes lingered to the two necklaces Emma was wearing. Ring and swan. Swan and ring. She touched the pendants, Emma smiling a mile a minute. "They do look nice together."

"They do. Thank you."

She pulled her hand away, resting it on the covers between the two, and they resumed to staring at the ceiling. Her mind began to drift, an imaginary pen writing along the bare surface above her.

Once upon a time…

Emma's hand met hers. Regina glanced away from the ceiling and to the blonde, the written words fading into the night. She smiled and squeezed her hand in return.

It doesn't matter that she's the Savior.

It doesn't matter that I'm the Evil Queen.

I can change. I want to change.

And this? Her hand in mine?

It feels right.

With her, everything just feels right.

Emma let go of her hand and moved closer to her, laying on her side. She gave her one last smile before tucking her hands beneath her head and closing her eyes. She looked so peaceful.

Regina leaned towards her and pressed her lips against her forehead.

"Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, Regina."

She fell back to her pillow, turning on her side so she could face Emma. The blonde was out within minutes, and she watched her sleep a little while longer before she closed her eyes.

Regina had made up her mind.

I am going to make things right.

This time, I am going to do the right thing.


That concludes the 1x01 rewrite. Hope you enjoyed! Now onto 1x02…