First : Hello!

Second : I'm still writing but I have a hard time finding something worth publishing.

Third : part 2 of chapter 3 will come later I hope.

Share your thoughts. Share your ideas. What little scenes do you have in mind for these characters? A reminder though, these one-shots are about Regina, Snow and Emma, about their relationship as parents of and/or kids of. No SnowQueen or SwanQueen story here sorry :)

Crossing the street, Snow wondered for a second why exactly she felt the need to be here. Emma was spending the day with Henry - which made her suspicious when they both refused to share their plans with her – her husband and baby boy were at home enjoying their day off, something she should enjoy with them. But instead she was walking alone in a part of Storybrook she only rarely adventured on. It was the middle of the afternoon, and for a week now, Storybrook was suffering from a heatwave, today was no different. She looked ahead, her eyes hidden by her sunglasses, she stopped taking a minute to watch the woman she was looking for. Wiping the little bit of sweat starting to build on her face, she started walking again toward the cavalier. Regina joined her at the stables but didn't dismount from her horse. Towering over the former Princess, the mayor inquired about the reason of her visit.

Snow was petting the horse, taking her time to answer. "Henry told me you would be here. I thought I could join you for a ride." She said smiling at the older woman.

Regina raised an eyebrow at the proposition. "When's the last time you mounted a horse?"

Snow rolled her eyes at the question and walked toward the stables without answering the former Queen.

After a few minutes, Snow reappeared clenching the reins of a black horse. Regina frowned at the scene.

"Are you seriously expecting me to let you ride Khan?" Khan was a fierce animal, extremely tough to tame. Regina knew she could trust him when she was the one on his back but the idea of leaving someone else ride him seemed too dangerous.

"I told you-" Seeing a hand wave itself before her face, Snow stopped mid-sentence.

"This is not about your skills as a rider – even if I still have my doubts" the Queen said while dismounting. "Khan is not trained enough. Take Jaq, he is much more easy to ride."

"Jaq is old."

"And?" Regina asked dangerously.

Instead of answering, Snow smiled brightly at the older woman. For the Queen, this meant trouble.

Seeing her step-daughter pet the horse, Regina warned, "Do not mount this horse, Snow."

"Or what?" The former princess dared. But she didn't wait to hear the answer, like she said, she still had the skills of a season rider and in a second she was towering over her step-mother, who was not smiling.

"I will not ride with you unless you do as I say and take Jaq instead."

"You have to stop worrying." And with that, Snow and Khan were out of the stables.

The horse was fast, a little bit too fast at time but still, Snow managed the pace and kept control of the reins. Sensing the wind on her face, she relaxed. The air was hot but it was a relief from the heat nonetheless. After a few minutes on her own, she heard the footsteps of a horse.

Since her second pregnancy, her relationship with Regina shifted a bit. The change was welcomed by both women. Regina was genuinely accepting her true role in their weird family, a role Snow personally craved for for many years. They still have their disagreements but now it was resolved fairly quickly and without the use of deaththreats and curses. But having put away her Evil Queen paraphernalia didn't mean the woman was any less impressive though. Snow got back what she remembered of the Queen as a child, a loving figure, comforting arms to seek when needed. But she also remembered the authoritarian woman and she knew it was a part of Regina that was there even before the Evil Queen made her appearance. Even today, Snow knew not to poke the bear – like her daughter would say – if she wanted to keep her limbs from being chewed off.

The footsteps were closing on to her, she thought better to slow down but to her dismay the horse kept his pace. Now, Regina was at her left and Snow could see she looked pissed.

"Slow down!"

"I'm trying." Snow said less and less reassured by her situation.

For now, Regina was able to keep up but given her past experiences with Khan, she was aware it might not be for long. At this speed, if Snow were to fall...

But the thought left her brain as soon as she envisioned a maybe worse ending to their day. Ahead of them, she could distinguish the little warnings put in place by the dwarves to let everyone know to watch for the townline.

"Snow." She called pointing toward the signs. "Get off."

Snow looked at the older woman as if she had lost her mind. "What?"

"Get off. I'll ease your fall." She saw the hesitation in her step-daughter eyes. "Trust me."

Closing her eyes, Snow jumped from the horse but in her fall, her foot got stuck in the stirrup. Now on the ground she felt her surrounding and realized she was safe and sound. Slowly she opened her eyes and sighed, relieved to have survived this whole ordeal without breaking her neck.

From the moment she decided to dare the Mayor and mount the horse despite being told not to, she knew she would be on the receiving end of an earful as soon as her feet touched the ground again. And she wasn't wrong because next to her was Regina, standing a hand on her waist, not hiding how pissed off she was. "Why do you feel the need to be so reckless?"

"Because being too careful all the time is not fun." Now she was just taunting the woman. She saw Regina take a step forward so she quickly got on her feet or tried to because as soon as she put pressure on her right foot, a jolt of pain made her crouched down on the ground. Tears were prickling at her eyes as she forced herself to breathe through the pain. She felt a hand on her back pushing her to a sitting position.

"Your foot?"

"Ankle" Snow rasped.

After a quick look at the damage, Regina didn't hesitate and in a breath Snow found herself on a bed in what seemed to be the town hospital. Without a word, Regina left her side.

"Whale!"

The man turned at his name being called. "Madam Mayor, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Follow me."

The tone of the woman didn't leave him with any other choice but to as she said. They entered a room and Whale looked confused at the woman lying there, a leg hanging on the side of the bed, her arms covering her face. "Snow?"

"Take a look at her ankle." The Mayor ordered him.

Whale looked at the women but refrained from asking any question. The relationship between the former Evil Queen and her former enemy was not what it once was but it was still staggering for him nonetheless to witness the fierce protectiveness the Mayor could sometimes show toward the former Princess. It was like nothing had happened between them and for him it was beyond understanding how Snow White was able to forgive the older woman.

He approached the bed, taking a first look at the ankle he understood why the woman appeared to be in so much pain. "I'll ask for an X-ray." He announced. His words seemed to awake her patient.

"You think it's broken?" Snow asked wiping the tears from her face.

"I'm afraid so."

Without thinking twice, Regina reached for her step-daughter's hand who sighed when she felt the older woman squeeze her hand.

"What are we waiting for then?" The Mayor asked impatient.

In other situations, Regina's attitude would have infuriated her. They were not in the Enchanted Forest anymore, here there was no Queen nor Kingdom, no privileges. Here Snow shouldn't be able to receive special treatment. But frankly right now, she didn't care and was kind of glad to have a menacing former Queen by her side making sure that everything was done to treat her as quickly as possible.

A few tests were done, a cast was put on Snow's ankle and soon it was almost time to leave.

Back at his patient bedside, Whale was checking one last time if everything was in order while the Mayor was sitting on a chair not far filling in the last of the paperworks.

"Like I was saying, you have enough meds to manage the pain, don't hesitate to take them." He said giving Snow a paperbag full of medicine. "The cast will stay on for at least four weeks and it's crucial to keep your foot off the ground. So no moving around, you need rest."

"Oh do not worry about that Doctor, she won't be moving around anytime soon." Regina interjected without looking up from the paperwork. Whale glanced at his patient who didn't seem phased by the remark.

"Anyway," He started "you're free to go."

After Whale's departure, a silence fell on the room. Regina could feel the younger woman stare at her from the other side of the room.

"How long will I have to keep the cast?"

"You heard Whale, for at least four weeks."

"But you can heal my ankle." Snow said beginning to lose patience.

Finally, Regina looked up from the paperworks. Of course she could heal a broken bone and frankly she almost did just that when Whale confirmed what she thought after taking a first look at the bruise. But seeing the younger woman right now she was glad to have fought her first instincts.

"I can but what lesson would you learn if I were to do that."

"I'm not a child, I don't need to be taught a lesson."

"Could have fooled me."

"What does that mean?" Snow asked a little peeved at the accusation.

Regina stood up from her chair and joined the woman at her bedside. The move was not meant to be menacing but seeing Snow move in her bed she guessed it was even if she didn't intend it to be.

"You're taking inconsiderate risks and it's uncalled for." She said frustrated. "Emma and Henry are the same, always ending up finding trouble. The more dangerous it is, the more you're willing to run to it. I shouldn't have to remind you of that, we had this discussion before and I can't believe I have to do it again now." Snow knew to what the former Queen was refering to even if it had happened decades ago now. "This reckless attitude of yours, it may be endearing for some but I know you so I won't stand there and watch you make stupid decisions. This" she said pointing at the cast, "is the result of your own stupidity Snow and you'll have to live with it for the month to come because I certainly won't make it easier for you."

Feeling rebuffed by the woman's little monologue, Snow was at a lost for words to defend herself.

"Get your crutches, we're going home." Regina said curtly to the younger woman. In a second they were on the other side of town, standing before the door of the Charming's home.

Regina knocked and was quickly welcomed by a worried David. They had called to inform him of their whereabouts and insisted there was no need for him to join them at the hospital. Though he trusted the former Queen, he was relieved to see for himself that her wife was okay despite the circumstances.

An hour had passed without a single word exchanged between the women. Regina was waiting for Henry to go back home and knowing her son and his other mother, it could mean waiting here for a few more hours.

The apartment was quiet, David having taken his son with him to the grocery store pretending they were in urgent need of milk. Taking a look, Regina showed the man they had enough to last a week but David went out anyway. The man was brave but there was times – mostly those involving his wife and the former Queen – when he knew it was better for him to leave the premises.

Bored, Regina decided to put her mind into something useful: making dinner. Ingredients were found and soon she was working on a dish sure to please everyone. Out in the corner of her eyes, she could see Snow move in the couch, before standing up with the help of her crutches and join her at the kitchen counter.

Snow watched the older woman move as if she had always belonged here. She could see the enjoyment on her face – a rare sight nowadays – and she felt fortunate to witness it.

"Are you still mad?" Snow asked almost shy.

Regina stopped. "It depends," she said turning to face her "did you get my point?"

The former princess shrugged. "I don't feel like I'm taking risks frankly" Seeing the look the older woman was throwing her, Snow thought better to elaborate. "I know you're here so I don't think as much of the risks I could be taking. I know I'll be safe with you."

This was a revelation to Regina. She knew Snow trusted her but this was different, more deep somewhat. Their relationship must have went up another level without her realizing it.

Lately, if she was being honest, it seemed like Snow was more Snow and less Mary Margaret which – she had to admit – was a relief because Mary Margaret was even more infuriating than the Enchanted Forest's version of Snow. Never will she admit this to the former Princess but she was glad the woman had found her fire back.

"Don't take me as your excuse. You were a brat as a child, you're still one in your adulthood. I don't think you're going to change now I'm afraid so you better start assuming this fact."

"I'm not a brat!"

Regina smiled knowing how the woman disliked being called that. "Yes you are."

"This is not a nice thing to say you know." She said faking offense. A smile came to her face at the jibe knowing that it meant that everything was forgiven.

"Shut up and peel this." Regina answered throwing her a few vegetables.

Dinner was almost ready when Emma and Henry passed the door followed by David and his son.

"Look who I found." David said tentative. He had hoped the worst of the storm had passed while he was away and it seemed that way.

It didn't take long for the newcomers to get a view of Snow's ankle.

"What happened to you?" Emma said walking to her mother alarmed.

"Horseback riding accident." Snow said making her best to reassure her daughter. "I'm okay, don't worry honey."

Henry closed in on her, "But why do you have a cast, can't mom heal you?"

As strange as it seemed, Snow had not anticipated having to explain her situation. To her ever going bad luck today, Regina took pleasure in answering her son.

"I can but I won't." She said effectively getting their attention. "This is a lesson I'm teaching your mother and grandmother, a lesson that goes for you too." Regina said pointing at them. "Next time one of you decide to do something stupid, remember that I am not your own personal healer anymore. You'll have to assume the consequences of your own idiocy."

Emma looked at her mother trying to find an understanding to what was going on. Unfortunately, seeing as her mother was doing her best to hide away from the embarrassment, Emma was at a loss. "What does that mean exactly?"

"It means: no more magic healing spell for you three." Regina answered in a manner that told the Sheriff to not dig the subject any further. "What did you two do today anyway?" She asked changing topic.

The mischievous look shared between Emma and her son was not lost on the rest of the family and it told everyone that whatever they had done of their day, it was better to not share it now if they wanted to spend a peaceful evening.

"What happen outside of Storybrook" Henry started, sharing a smile with Emma, "stays outside of Storybrook." And with that he was off to his bedroom.

Emma looked at him go, chuckling at his antics. Hey eyes found those of the former Queen who looked a little bit too much menacing with a kitchen knife in her hand. "I'll …" She said motioning to the stairs and with that she was out of her chair.

"Dinner is almost ready" Snow informed her fleeing daughter.

"Yes and the table needs to be set so come over here and give us a hand."

Emma stopped at the top of the stairs. Looking at her son she hesitated. "Emma" she heard Regina call from downstairs. Sighing she turned back.

"Almost" she mouthed to her snickering son. Yes, this time she won't get away from the former Evil Queen.