A/N: Please remember, this is late season 2 Regina, not the redeeming/redeemed Regina of recent seasons.

Regina was leaning against the fence rail watching as Henry went around the ring on his pony. She had to admit, David hadn't done a horrible job teaching him basic horsemanship, and the mount wasn't compete trash.

"Relax, Henry, let your body move with the horse..."

He nodded, "Okay Mom."

She didn't give much advise, trying to remember her boundaries these days. The more she remembered them, the more he seemed to want her in his life. She heard the sound of tires against gravel behind her, but didn't turn, the stables were a busier place now that everyone remembered they came from a horse culture.

"He looks a lot more relaxed up there than I would be."

Emma. The sound of her voice made her jump, and she forced herself to relax, "I'm sure your father would be more than willing to teach you."

She chuckled, "Probably, but his method seems to start out with a lot of brushing."

"You are lucky. Mine would start out with mucking."

"You mucked stables?"

"My mother wanted a queen, but not a lazy one," Regina retorted. She didn't turn to look at her. It was better that way. She'd know what her feelings for Emma were for a long time now, and knew that they weren't something that could be acted on. It had been one thing to dominate the Savior in bed. A kind of victory. As it turns out the only kind she got. It was an entire other thing to feel...

"Are we going to talk about the other night?" Emma asked quietly, taking up a place besides Regina watching their son.

"Not only are we not going to talk about it, but we're going to forget that it ever happened."

Emma shook her head, "I see. Tell me Regina, were you always such a moody bitch or is it something I bring out?"

Regina closed her eyes. "You don't want anything to happen between us, Emma. You really don't. It's in everyone's best interest. End of subject."

Emma looked like she wanted to argue, but she perpetually looked like she wanted to argue. Thankfully she chose not to this time. "Mary Margaret says you are a really good rider. Why don't you do it here?"

"Mary Margaret exaggerates. She was just a horrible rider."

"Again without the random Snow White hate?"

Regina sighed, "I liked to ride. It was, I think, the only time I was truly happy."

"During your marriage to my grandfather, or when you were younger."

"I would prefer if you didn't refer to him as your grandfather around me. I'd prefer not to think about the King at all." Regina said with a quiet tone. Emma raised a curious eyebrow but said nothing. For once. "But the answer to your question is probably both. On a horse... I was free."

Emma tilted her head to the side. "That doesn't explain why you don't ride here. I'm sure Henry would love to have something to do with you. He's been asking David about jumping... it seems ... dangerous."

"Not especially." Regina shrugged. "I wanted a clean slate. A fresh start. I really haven't done much of anything I enjoyed back in the old country."

"Horses or fancy doilies?"

"Lace, Emma, a lady does lace work. Some day your mother is going to trap you into princess lessons, lace and dancing and talking to birds."

"Yeah, I'm still not talking to birds, I don't care what you people say."

"You could use them for work. They'd be cheaper than a deputy." Regina smiled and it reached her eyes.

"Always an eye on the budget, bird seed?"

"Think we could pay your father in bird seed?"

"My mother might not object." Both women genuinely laughed together for the first time in ... a long time if not forever.

Emma leaned against the fence and watched Henry. "You should ride again, Regina. You didn't get your clean slate you should at least have something you enjoy."

"Why do you care?"

"Maybe I like to imagine you would be less of an asshole?"

"Imagine all you want, Sheriff."

She pushed away from the fence.

"Good day, Your Majesty."

Regina's secretary, a sweet woman named Linda that Emma had a hard time imagining working for the Evil Queen, called over and said that the Mayor would like to discuss a budget request. Emma smiled a little, having some idea what it might be. When she put it in she expect to get a simple "no" by email, or if she was really lucky a long diatribe hand written in the memo's margins in Regina's swoopy beautiful handwriting. A few times, before the curse broke, she used to tease her about it, asking if she had sat up long nights as a teenager practicing.

It became less funny after meeting her mother and deciding that young Regina probably had stayed up long nights practicing... or else. Whatever that or else was, she had long suspected Cora had been free with her hand. Or whatever a powerful sorceress uses. One doesn't get as jumpy as Regina Mills, or as terrified of her own mother, without reason. She kept meaning to ask Mary Margaret about it, but the topic of Regina was still sensitive in the loft. David discouraged such conversations. They always made his wife stay awake at night.

These days Emma sympathized. She rather doubted though, that Mary Margaret and she were having the same thoughts.

"You summoned, Your Mayorness."

Regina rolled her eyes and handed back the memo. "You may not have a tank."

"But the state guard is selling off old ones cheap..."

"Why do you want a tank?"

"To go after bad guys?"

"You think I couldn't stop a tank?"

"Well, hopefully you won't decide to go on another evil bender."

"You can't have a tank."

"Can we at least have the order of bullets."

"Has the Shepherd gone through some kind of gun safety training?"

"We have it scheduled. I'm going to go out of town this weekend to get certified to teach it. Since he can't leave."

"Going back to being David Nolan wouldn't hurt him too much..."

"Regina," but much to her satisfaction the mayor signed the form and handed it to her. "I was wondering if you'd take Henry for the weekend."

"You know I'd take him any time."

"He's excited."

"Don't lie. I know he runs out of my house as fast as he can when you have him stay with me."

"Maybe before. But... not lately." Emma tilted her head to the side. "Do you think you could live with the idea that not everyone is trying to run away from you?"

"It was a bad idea."

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. At least to me."

Regina shook her head. "You don't know me. I ... hold things tight and don't let go. You don't want to be involved with me like that."

"I already was, if you remember," she nodded over towards one wall. "In fact I'm not even sure how many orgasms I had over there."

Regina rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious." Emma countered.

"That wasn't me. You didn't know who you were sleeping with."

"A colossal bitch. Regina... you weren't the only one in that for shallow reasons. And I know who you are now."

She smiled a little and shook her head. "It's for the best Emma."

She handed her both forms, denied for the tank, and approved for the bullets.

"Pick up Henry from school on Friday?"

"I'd like that."

The moment of intimacy was over, and they were back to the safe conversation of their son.