A Year In Review

This next chapter is in November. Flashbacks are italicized.

It was a Saturday afternoon in November, and Emma Swan had just finished dropping off Henry at Regina's house. She said goodbye to Henry and the brunette woman and walked down to her car. She got in and drove to the apartment. She unlocked to door to find Mary Margaret and David sitting at the kitchen table.

"Emma! How was your day?" asked the pixie-haired woman.

"Good, Henry and I had a lot of fun," said Emma.

"He's getting so tall," said David.

"Yeah I know, its crazy. I'm glad that I get to spend this time with him though. How did your day go today?" asked Emma.

"Just a regular day at the sheriffs station, I'm not complaining though it's nice to have everything settled down," said David.

"As you know, Thanksgiving is next week, so I was doing some festive activities with my students and had told them to bring in something they were thankful for. One boy brought in a real live turkey." said Mary Margaret as she put her head in her hands. "It was a complete disaster, it was just running around the classroom."

Emma and David laughed.

'You should have kept it for our family thanksgiving" said David.

"We're having Thanksgiving?" asked Emma in a pitiful voice. She suddenly realized what she had said and looked down at her boots. "Sorry"

"Emma, honey, you don't need to apologize. We understand and we are here for you know. And yes we are having a Thanksgiving, which will be the best thanksgiving ever." said Mary Margaret as she placed her hand over Emma's.

"Your mother's right, it will be the best Thanksgiving because we have you here to be thankful for," said David.

"Thanks, I appreciate that," said Emma with a light smile.

"We'll have you and Henry over, and it will be wonderful," said Mary Margaret.

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It was Tuesday afternoon and Emma Swan had just picked up Henry from school and they were on their way to Regina's house.

"Don't forget on Thursday I'm picking you up at 5 so we can go to David and Mary Margaret's for Thanksgiving." said Emma as she turned a corner.

"At 5?" asked Henry

"Yeah, why?"

"I was going to eat with my mom"

"I thought you said it was okay for you to come?"

"It is, but I wanted to spend time with my mom, I can't just leave her alone. Wait, do you think we could invite her to our Thanksgiving?" asked Henry. Emma pulled up to the mayoral mansion and parked the car. "I doubt she would want to come, but it probably wouldn't hurt to ask." said Emma. The pair walked up to the door and walked inside.

"Hi Mom! I'm home!" said Henry. Regina Mills walked down the stairs to greet her son.

"Henry, hello" said Regina as she gave her son a hug. They separated and the brunette turned to Emma.

"Thank you for picking him up Miss Swan."

"No, problem, its my pleasure." said Emma as she shifted from one foot to another. Regina looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "What seems to be the matter Miss Swan?"

"Um, I was wondering, if maybe, you would like to come for Thanksgiving with Henry and I on Thursday?"

Regina looked at Emma for a moment before replying. "I'm assuming that your idiot parents are going to be there, in which case I might actually kill one of them before the dinner is finished. Also I have no interest in having a big fancy Thanksgiving dinner. Henry and I will have a small meal here and then he can go over with you"

"Oh, well okay, I guess I'll be leaving," said Emma as she turned to leave.

"Goodbye Miss Swan"

"Bye Regina" The blonde walked to her car as Regina closed the door and faced her son.

"How was school" she said.

"Mom can you please come for Thanksgiving? I don't want you to be lonely, and plus Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family and to be thankful and giving. You deserve to be happy like everyone else too!"

Regina looked at Henry with tears in her eyes. "Oh Henry, I would go but I don't think I'm ready to sit down and call the Charming's family. " said Regina.

"Me and Emma will be there too so you can talk to either of us if you start to get annoyed"

"Would it really make you happy if I came?" asked Regina.

"Yes, I don't want to leave you alone Mom."

"Very well, I will call Miss Swan and let her know I am coming. I'll also let Miss Blanchard know. "

"Thanks Mom!" said the boy as he went to go hug his mom again.

"You're welcome Henry" Regina watched him go upstairs to his room as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone off the counter. She dialled Emma's number and it rung twice before the blonde picked up.

"Sheriff Swan, how can I help you?"

"There has been a change of plans Miss Swan, I will be attending your Thanksgiving celebration tomorrow."

"Regina, that's great, does Mary Margaret know?"

"She's next on my list to call"

"Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"I would prefer to live, so no, I will be driving my own vehicle"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Its not that bad Regina"

"If you say so. I will meet you there at 6. Goodbye Miss Swan."

"Bye" said Emma as Regina hung up the phone. She picked it up again and dialled the schoolteacher's number. After 5 rings the phone was picked up.

'Hello?"
"Hello Snow. I just wanted to let you know that I will be attending your little Thanksgiving get together for Henry's sake. I assume that will not be a problem?"

"Uh, no Regina, it should be fine. We're happy to have you" Mary Margaret could almost feel Regina's glare through the phone after she said that.

"Do I need to bring anything other than my sanity and well-being?" asked Regina.

"If you wanted to you could"

A smirk came over the older woman's face as she replied "Wonderful! I'll make my famous apple turnovers. I know how much you enjoy them" said Regina as hung up the phone. Mary Margaret let out a sigh before she called her husband.

"David!"

"Yes?"

"Regina's coming"

David walked over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "This should be fun"

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Thanksgiving day arrived and Regina and Henry pulled up to the Charming's apartment at quarter to 6. They walked up to the apartment and Regina knocked on the door, the door was flung open and they found Emma on the other side.

"Emma!" said Henry as he went to go hug her.

"Hey kid! How are you?" she asked.

'Great, it smells awesome and I'm excited" said the boy as he ran past Emma and into the apartment to greet the Charmings.

"Hello Miss Swan" said Regina as she stepped into the apartment with a Tupperware container in her hands.

"Hi Regina, want me to carry that for you" asked Emma as she closed the door behind the brunette.

"I think I can manage fine" said Regina.

"Regina! Glad you could make it" said Mary Margaret.

"Its my pleasure, Snow." said Regina in a clipped tone.

"The turkey is almost ready, why don't we sit down?" said David as he gestured to the table behind them. He walked up to the head of the table and pulled out the chair for Regina. She handed her container to him as she walked over to the chair.

'Thank you" said Regina as she sat down. Emma then proceeded to sit on her right and Henry sat on her left. Mary Margaret beside Emma and David was next to Henry.

"I think we should all say one thing we are thankful for before we start eating" said Mary Margaret. "Ill start, I'm thankful that we have Emma here with us this year"

Emma looked down at her plate, and when looked back up at her mother with a small smile on her face, she also noticed a strange expression on Regina's face.

"I'm thankful for the food and warm homes we have" said David.

"And I'm thankful that there is no curses, or portals, or wraiths, or flying monkeys" said Henry.

'Wait, flying monkeys exist?" asked Emma.

"No they don't, but I'm just thankful that we don't have any," said Henry with a grin. Everyone laughed. Emma looked down at her plate again as she realized that she was next. "I guess that I'm thankful for Henry, and that I'm able to build a relationship with him and that I have some family now" she said as she looked back up at her parents who had tears in their eyes. She turned to look at Regina who gave her a tight-lipped smile. An awkward silence followed before Regina spoke up.

"If you think I'm going make a nice little speech about all the wonderful things in life, then you are surely more delusional than I thought"

"Okay then, how about we start eating," said David.

"The turkey and seasoning is really good," said Emma.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it" said Mary Margaret. "Its an old recipe of mine."

Regina let out a snort before quickly schooling her features back into a neutral expression.

"What?" said Emma.

"Its actually an old recipe of mine, I taught you mother how to cook all the food she makes now"

"Actually Regina, I learned how to make pizza on my own" said Mary Margaret.

Regina rolled her eyes as Henry laughed. After about 15 more minutes of small talk the meal was finished up and Regina stood up to start collecting the plates.

"Regina. Its fine, I can clean this up," said David.

"Thank you for your charming offer, but I'm your guest. It's the least I can do," replied Regina with her best politicians smile. The brunette walked to the kitchen and put away the plates in the dishwasher and then walked back to the table.

"Now, time for dessert, I brought my most popular dish," said Regina with a smirk as she brought the container with the apple turnovers to the table. She set the container beside Snow.

"I hope you like it" said Regina as she served the other woman a piece.

"Really Mom?" said Henry as he rolled his own eyes.

"What? Its not as if its poisoned"

Emma laughed as she took a bite of her piece that she had been served. "It is actually pretty good Regina"

"I'm aware of that Miss Swan." A few minutes later the dessert was finished and Mary Margaret and David were cleaning up in the kitchen. Henry was getting his jacket on at the door as Emma walked over to them. "Thanks for coming, I appreciate it"

"It was great Emma," said Henry as he gave his blonde mother a hug. Regina pulled on her own coat and as she was putting on her boots, the Charming came over to her.

"Thank you for coming Regina." said Mary Margaret.

"Yes, thank you," said David.

"You're welcome. The meal was very well done," said Regina.

"Bye Regina" said Emma.

""Goodbye Miss Swan" said Regina as she and Henry walked out. The door closed behind them and as the pair walked down the stairs, Henry leaned into his mother.

"That wasn't too bad, right Mom?" he asked.

"It wasn't perfect but I wouldn't say it was horrible either," said Regina as she wrapped an arm around her son.

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Regina Mills had just finished her shower and was getting ready to get into bed when the phone rang. Wrapping a robe around herself, she walked into her bedroom to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hi" came the voice of the blonde sheriff.

"Miss Swan, to what to I owe the pleasure of this late call?"

"I just wanted to sincerely let you know that I really did appreciate you coming. I know you came for Henry but I'm glad you were there too, and I was able to talk to you."

Regina paused for a few moments before replying "Its quite alright Emma, I'm just glad Henry was happy"

"I noticed you weren't too happy though"

"I did endure 2 hours with your idiot parents"

"There's something else bothering you," said Emma. She didn't hear anything on the other end of the line for a few minutes, and thought that maybe she had crossed the line and the mayor had hung up on her. A second later the brunette replied. "It's hard to be happy when I've never really had much to be thankful for"

"Yeah, I know the feeling all too well" replied the blonde. "Anyways I'm glad you were there Regina"

"So was I Emma." said the brunette as she hung up the phone.

I am SO SORRY that this took so long, but hey life gets busy sometimes. Leave a comment if there is anything you might like to see in the upcoming chapters, and I will try to see if I can incorporate it into the story. Happy Reading!