Night had fallen and the natural sunlight had been replaced by the lights of the city, the small but blinding car lights, the street lamps, all the lit up store signs... Regina missed that modern world's vibrancy. Magic would always fill a part of herself so she couldn't help but feel a great connection to the magical realms but that hustle and bustle that surrounded her in Hyperion Heights was something unique. She and Henry walking in a quick pace, side by side, each step bringing them closer to a moment she would remember for the rest of her life.

"We're just a block away" Henry noted. Ever since she had been briefed in full detail by her son about the situation, her heart wouldn't stop beating against her ribcage. Her gut was telling her it was him and he probably was in trouble, in need of help, in need of….her… She tried to tame her thoughts at least since everything else was flaring up red, she decided clear-headedness and ice cold thought precision wouldn't abandon her at a time like this. Henry halted and she copied him. "He's right inside the alley, probably behind the big garbage cans stacked in the front" he mumbled near her ear, as if he was afraid the man would hear him and run away. She nodded and walked slowly in the middle of the alley entrance so she could be lit by the almost fluorescent street lamp in the corner. She noticed something like limbs moving and heard a fleeting ruffle. She decided to take a few steps forward with Henry following suit right behind her until… "Whoever you are FUCK RIGHT OFF"

The disheveled bearded man jumped right up, leaning against the can, pointing his knife towards them. His eyes glinted in the darkness, resembling those of a wild beast ready for attack. Henry being stopped at his tracks besides his mom decided to speak up and wave his hand slowly as a sign of good will "Sir, do you remember me from this afternoon? I was accidentally here with a girl?" The glinting eyes squinted for a second and the knife point wasn't directed at their faces anymore –now it was more like their legs but Henry considered that a progress. "Lad, you promised I'd never see you again and now here you are, annoying me. What the hell do you want?" Regina extended her arm pointing towards him, an open palm trying to diffuse any sign of aggression "May I come closer? I mean no harm"

The man couldn't see clearly her face either since the street light was hitting her from a weird angle but he could tell she wasn't the girl the boy was with before. This one was…different. A woman. A woman that gave him the impression she wasn't like anyone else he had encountered since he'd been lying on this concrete ditch. "Who are you?" His voice calmer but still slightly on edge hit her with a familiarity she could never forget. "I'm… I'm Roni. I own a bar a few blocks from here, it's called "Roni's" As she briefly paused to take a breath she heard him mumble "Sounds self-indulgent" And there it was, that sassy tone that always made her tongue spit fire in return and a thin film of desire dropping slowly and coating her eyes. "Sounds catchy" she corrected him and decided politeness wouldn't do her any favors anymore. She walked towards him on a steady and almost forceful manner but that startled the long haired man. He swung the knife and missed her neck by a few inches. Regina wasn't playing anymore so she grabbed his arm mid air and twisted it. His fingers released the grip on the blade with great agony but unfortunately that also made him loose his balance since he was no longer leaning against the can or the wall.

He fell on her. As if he was surrendering his being to her, that's what it felt like to Regina for a split second. Her body quickly took charge over her emotions and she held him tightly in order not to fall on the ground. His rough beard scrubbed her neck; his tangled locks fell on her face. All for a couple of seconds but that's how long it took. For him to regain his balance for the most part and for her to change her demeanor. She was still helping him standing up, seeing his face up close now, an exact copy of her….her…. her Rumple. She noticed he was having trouble standing up on his own and upon further observation she realized something was wrong with his leg. "I need to walk you through the entrance of the alley, I really need to check your leg" She motioned Henry to grab him by the other side and help him get relief from the pressure he was applying to it. Curiously enough he allowed it. It might have been her soothing voice; it might have been his discomfort, who knew. "So are you a nurse as well miss bar owner?" he said as she was squatting to take a closer look at his injury. "No but I've tended lots of wounds in my life. Can't trust drunks to remain peaceful" she said absentmindedly while the cogs in her brain were working. She recognized his old wound. The exact same wound he had from shattering his leg. Although this time around seemed that the problem was a cut on it, a deep cut which was infected and -as she would imagine- made the pain almost unbearable.

Resuming her position she looked him in the eyes "You really want to know why the "lad" and I are here?" It was mostly a rhetorical question but he nodded nevertheless, never unlocking his gaze. "We know you. I mean, we believe you are a friend of ours even if you don't remember it now. Your name is Weaver. We think you've been in some sort of accident but it's all right. We want to help you" He narrowed his eyes ready to jerk his hands away from their shoulders but she continued. "I have two big comfy couches at the bar, hot water for you to clean up, food and drinks and the luxury to not ask you for rent. I can also take a look at your wound, what do you have to lose? Although I'm pretty sure the scraps you get from the fast food trucks and restaurants they dump around here and the cold that pierces your bones at night is amazing, don't wanna deprive you of such a privilege" she squinted letting her voice trail full of sarcasm, smirking. His gaze slithered towards her lips as he huffed. The brunette with the nice hair was sassing him too much for her own good but she also had a point.

"If you let me take my knife with, I'll come" he stated. She raised her eyebrow and agreed. Left Henry holding him for a while as she picked it up from the ground a few steps behind. Flipped it quickly as she approached him, made it so she was holding the blade end and offered him the handle. He splayed his fingers open and wrapped them loosely around the blade. Inadvertently he grazed her own, observing her reactions. She didn't even flinch. Sliding them slowly towards the handle he took it and put it at its usual place, tucked secure between his leather belt and his worn out jeans. Impressive that cheeky one.