Chapter 4
Emma paced outside the apartment. She didn't know what to say to Snow. She had left Regina's office with a goofy grin on her face. She was happy that she and Regina had talked. She was happier about the kiss that Regina gave her, but she was troubled by it as well.
As she had driven back across town in her bug, she realized that she was moving forward on the dreams and the memories of the dreams. Regina was basing her feelings on what? Emma didn't know. It bothered her. She needed to know what Regina was basing her thoughts and feelings on now.
She knocked on the door, but suddenly felt stupid for doing it. She wanted to talk to Snow alone. She knew that David was out patrolling. That meant that Henry and Snow had been alone. She knew that Regina would like to spend time with Henry. She wondered if now would be a good time while she spent some much needed time with her mother.
Snow opened the door with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't know why Emma had knocked, either. She ushered her in, seeing the look on her face, and bade her to sit at the table. She went to the kitchen to make some tea.
"Henry?"
"Yeah, Ma?"
"You want to go on a tour of the town?"
"Sure," he said, realizing that his mother needed to talk with Mary Margaret alone.
"I'll call the mayor. I am sure that she would love to give you a tour. Who better would give you a personalized tour than the mayor? I hear she knows this town better than anyone," Emma told him.
"Sounds cool," Henry said, going back to his game.
"What was that about?" Snow asked as she sat down at the table, handing Emma a cup of tea.
"Regina wants to spend time with him. He is still her son, even if he doesn't remember it. And, I wanted to talk with you. There are some things that I need to know."
"Alright," Snow replied, taking a sip of her tea.
"Let me call Regina first."
Emma pulled out her cell phone and called the mayor's office from memory. Snow just arched an eyebrow, saying nothing, but taking another sip of tea. Emma just shot her mother a look as she waited for Regina to pick up the phone.
"Mayor's office, how can I help you today, sir or ma'am?" the assistant answered the phone.
"I need to speak with Regina, please," Emma told her.
"May I ask who is calling?"
"Tell her it is Sheriff Swan." Emma replied, out of old habit.
Snow gave her a look. Emma gave her a questioning look back. Snow gestured towards Henry and Emma finally caught on to what her mother was trying to tell her. She shrugged it off as she waited for Regina to pick up the call.
"Already, Miss Swan, you are being insatiable," Regina purred into the phone.
Emma winced, quickly, but answered, "I need a favor."
"This sounds important. I assume that it has nothing to do with us. You have my interest. Please continue. What is your favor?"
"I know that you want to spend time with Henry. I was wondering if you could come get him and take him on a town tour. He said that it would fine with him. I'm sure that he would like to get ice cream with you as well."
"You sound different. Emma. What's wrong? Who is there with you?" Regina asked.
"I am with Mary Margaret and we are going to be making baby plans. I know that Henry doesn't want to be here while we are talking about that. I was trying to get him to meet my old friends here from Storybrooke. He has been questioning me about my time here. I am sure that you would be happy to enlighten him about the 'bounty' that I helped you with all those years ago," Emma explained.
"You're with Snow?"
"Yes."
"Is there something wrong?"
"No."
"You're sure about this, Miss Swan?" Regina asked.
Emma could hear the emotion rising in her voice. There was nothing that she could do about it. She needed to talk to Snow and Henry needed to get to know his other mother. She hoped that Regina wouldn't push the issue now. They would have dinner together later. They could discuss it then.
"Yes, that would be fine. I'll see you in a few minutes. I am sure you know where Mary Margaret's place is," Emma finally replied.
"I'll see you then, but do not think that this conversation is over," Regina warned.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Emma responded, smiling, before she hung up the phone.
"So, Regina is going to take Henry out?" Snow asked her.
"Yes," Emma replied, simply and quickly, before taking another sip of her tea.
"You going to tell me what is going on with you. Something is wrong. I can tell," Snow told her before leaning over the table and whispering to her, "And, that isn't just mother's intuition."
Emma nodded. She was glad that when she met Snow they had become friends before she found out that she was her mother. It made the transition a little easier considering she was older than her own mother by about four years. She also felt like she could talk to her about things that normally a daughter couldn't talk with her mother about.
"I know that, but I want to wait until Henry is gone before I do."
"You better. I don't like seeing you like this. Especially since, I can't really act like your mother."
Emma hung her head. She knew that her mother had a point. She was being vague and not forthcoming with her problems. She also knew that it hurl Snow not to be able to "mother" her, now. She knew that she was used to taking care of herself. She also knew that since Snow and David realized that they were her parents that had done everything that they could to be there for her.
"I know, Snow...I mean Mary Margaret and I am sorry for that. I don't mean to hurt you and David. I just don't want Henry to freak out. He isn't the same boy that you remember. He believes in things, but he doesn't remember growing up here. I don't know what I would do to him to realize that he had."
"I know that. Emma. We all know that. It is why we have all agreed to keep the fairy tale and magic talk to a minimum and almost non-existent when he is around. We are all trying for you, dear."
"I know. Don't think that I'm not grateful. I am. I just don't know what to do."
"You don't know what to do about what?"
"Regina," Emma said quietly.
Snow sat back in her chair. She wasn't sure that she'd heard Emma correctly. She was afraid that if she asked her to repeat herself that she wouldn't. She also didn't get a chance because there was a knock at the door. Snow got up and answered it.
"Regina." Snow said. "Come in. I'll get Emma."
"Thank you," Regina replied.
She followed Snow into the apartment and over to the table where they were sitting, drinking tea. She eyed Emma noting the strain in her eyes, but she didn't question her aloud. Emma saw the look and just stared back down at the table and then her mug of tea.
Snow and Regina both saw the guilt that flooded Emma's eyes. Neither of them said anything as Regina joined them at the table. Snow kicked Emma under the table to bring her back to the conversation. Emma looked up, defeated, but not broken, and smiled at her mother.
"So, I understand that you would like me to take Henry out on a tour?" Regina asked, trying to pry something out of Emma.
"Yes," Emma replied, quickly.
"Care to tell me why?" Regina asked.
"Because I know that you want to spend time with him."
"Is that the only reason?" Snow asked Emma.
"No, I would like to talk to my mother as my mother without lying to my son."
"We wouldn't want that," Regina said, not trying to mask the venom in her statement.
"Regina," Snow stated.
"I know. She needs to talk with you. I don't like the fact that she is lying to our son. I just expect you to be at my house for dinner. I would like to discuss our further plans on defeating Zelena."
"I'll be there." Emma stated with a non-committed air.
Emma set down her mug and left Regina in the dining area with Snow as she went to get Henry. He was still engrossed in his video game. He didn't even look up when she plopped down on the couch beside him. She smiled. She knew that she would miss moments like this with him once he remembered everything. She sighed. He heard her, paused the game and looked up at his mother.
"Ma, what's wrong?"
"The Mayor is here."
"Okay?"
"She wants to give you that tour of town that she promised," Emma told him.
"Ma?"
"Yeah, Henry?"
"Why are you lying to me?"
"I am not. She is over there with Mary Margaret. She is waiting to take you on the tour of town."
"Why is she really taking me?"
"You got me, Kid. I forgot that you inherited my 'lie detector.' I need to talk about my case with Mary Margaret. Things might get a little heated and I don't want you to hear it. Plus, you've gotten to spend time with all my old friends. I figured that you would like to see the town with the Mayor. You might find that you have a lot more in common than you think. I think that you'll have fun with her. She is even taking you for some ice cream," Emma told him.
"Ice cream, huh? This case must be bad, if you are letting me go out for ice cream with her. Fine, but I want you to tell me the truth about this case later. I don't like how it is making you so secretive. We promised each other that there wouldn't be any more secrets after we left Boston, Ma. I am going to hold you to that. Will you do that'?" Henry asked her.
"I'll do my best, Henry. Some things might have to wait until the case is over. But, I promise the things that I am not telling you about right now are for your protection, okay?"
"Okay, Ma. Hey, do you think that later I could hang out with David? He is the sheriff, right."
"If he isn't too busy, and yes, he is the sheriff now," Emma replied with a tinge of pain in her voice.
"Cool."
"Henry, I expect you to be good for the Mayor. Don't be too sarcastic with her. She doesn't like that."
"Me, sarcastic? Never, Ma, never. I'll be good. You solve your case. I am sure that I will learn some more about your time here in Storybrooke that you failed to tell me about before," Henry stated.
"I know, Henry. I am sorry for that. It was a long time ago and after Phoenix. I wasn't exactly in a good place then. I am sure that the Mayor will tell you plenty about me, though. She is a good person, though, so hopefully it won't all be bad," Emma told him.
"I am sure that it won't, Ma. But, if you had me in Phoenix, after you got out. Why did you end up here? Why don't I remember it'?" he asked her.
Snow walked over. Regina was right behind her. They had heard the bulk of their conversation and fell had for Emma. They both knew that she was doing her best for him, since he didn't know about everything with them and the fairy tales. It was one thing that Snow and Regina could agree on.
"You were very little, Henry," Snow offered.
"I was?"
"Yes, Henry, you were a baby when your mother came here to stay with Sn...Mary Margaret. Then, she moved on to Boston with her job. She wasn't here with you very long, but she did leave a lasting impression on the people here." Regina told him.
"But, why don't you talk about it?"
"Because some things happened, and I had to leave."
"Like what?" Henry asked them.
"She got a lead on your father and went to go find him," Snow explained.
"In Boston?"
"Yeah, Kid, it was in Boston. David was trying to help me find him. He got a report from there that he was there. I didn't even think about it. I left the next day. It was kinda sudden. I hurt a lot of people here because I left the way I did. I didn't even really give them the time to explain," Emma lied.
"But, we understood. She was doing it for you, Henry. She wanted to give you the best chance at a life with both your parents. She has always done everything that she can for you as long as she has had you, Henry. Even when it didn't seem like it, she was putting you first," Regina stated.
"She loves you very much, Henry. Never doubt that. She may do things that make you question her, like her leaving Storybrooke and not telling you about it. But, I know that she had her reasons, and she didn't do it to hurt you. Sometimes, it is hard for us to admit that our actions effect more than us."
Emma and Regina looked at Snow. They knew that she was talking about all of them. They all had done things for Henry and for their own lives without thinking about what it would do to everyone else. It was a peace offering and an acknowledgment between them all. Emma watched the silent agreement between Regina and Snow and could only wonder what happened between them in the year that no one could remember.
"So, are you ready to go, Henry?" Regina asked him, breaking their silence.
"Yes, Miss Mayor, I am."
"It is Madam Mayor, Henry," Emma corrected.
"Don't worry about that, Henry. You can call me Miss Mills, if you would like. I don't think you have had too much interaction with many people involved in politics, have you?" Regina asked him.
"You should meet some of my classmates," Henry stated.
"I am sure."
"Let me get my jacket and then I'll be ready," Henry said, putting his hand held video game on the coffee table in front of him as he stood up.
"You've done well with him, Miss Swan," Regina told her and meant it.
"I had a good base to work with, plus plenty of memories to help me."
Emma could see the tears in Regina's eyes. She could only imagine the Hell that Regina was going through with Henry not knowing who she was. She knew what it would do to her if she was in the same position. She also knew that Regina did what she had to do to protect them all and save Henry.
Snow leaned over and told Regina, "He'll remember you. And, when he does, it will be magical. Don't ever forget how much he loved you. He still does. He still will. He understood why you sent them away. He'll understand it, again, when her remembers."
"I know that."
"Do you? Because I didn't. It took me a long time to come to terms with what happened. It wasn't until we were in Neverland, that I finally came to grips with Emma's thoughts about the situation. I did what I did so she would have her best chance. Did it work out the way I hoped that it would? No, it didn't, but she grew into a fine woman, a woman that I proud to call my daughter."
"Mom..."
"Well, it's true." Snow stated.
"I think I understand what you are saying. It will take time, but that still doesn't excuse the entire mess that I created before that. I can't blame anyone but myself for this situation. If I hadn't cast the..."
"Ready?" Henry asked interrupting them.
"Yes, Dear, I am. I'll see you both later. Hopefully, you will find what you are looking for and you'll figure out what needs to be done," Regina told Emma more than Snow, realizing that Emma needing to talk to her mother was about their relationship and nothing more, smiling as she took her son's hand to go out for a tour of Storybrooke and some much needed ice cream together.
