It was a particularly cold mid-November afternoon that saw the two Mills walking together along the docks.

"Oh Regina, you have to try Killian's kale soup. He may be short of a hand but he is an absolute wizard in the kitchen."

Regina restrained rolling her eyes because for the last few days all she had heard was Killian-This and Killian-That and another curse would fall short of time she needed to spell out how uncomfortable it made her, thinking that her mother possessed feelings for the captain. She tried her best not to drag her feet as she saw the enthusiasm in Cora's stride. There was a loud caw to her left which got her attention, her eyes going to the gull perched upon a bench in front. Her mind wandered to the evening when she had passed these carefree birds weeks ago, the day she had met a different Emma Swan from the one she had known before. She turned her head back to the path in front, trying to stop her thoughts from straying any further.

Noticing they'd already reached, she helped her mother up the ship and they walked across the deck and towards the wooden door. On the third knock, the door flew open and their host almost ran into them. Killian's face had a nasty snarl decorating it, resembling a fuse which was expected to blow out any time.

"Uh", Cora took a step back, confounded at the gruffness of his demeanour, making Regina immediately stand in front of her.

"Are we early?" Regina asked eyeing the pirate carefully.

The pirate seemed to finally notice who his visitors were and relief visibly washed over his face, "No my queen, it's just-"

"Oh, hey", a familiar voice came from inside. If Regina's mind hadn't blanked on hearing it she would have registered the surprise in the tone.

"I am sorry ladies, the sheriff is here for-" Killian turned his neck look behind his shoulder, his hook roughly grazing his stubble as his voice dripped of exasperation, "what was it again, love?"

"Oh, police business." Emma said airily, her hands automatically going to her hips, making her jacket ride up and effectively showcasing the badge pinned on her hip.

Killian let out a low grunt looking at Cora who nodded in sympathy and Regina had to take a step back seeing how they were communicating effortlessly without words. She willed her senses to stay sharp because the bigger problem was still standing inside.

Killian stepped back, and like the perfect gentleman bowed, gesturing the ladies to come in. Cora entered the room but Regina stayed rooted to her place next to the door.

Emma stepped up, acknowledging the presence of the new visitors as she outstretched her hand, "Cora."

Suspicion crossed the older lady's face but since manners always came first, she took the hand, just by the fingers and held it briefly, "Yes, is your.. inspection complete?"

Emma started to shake her head but Killian cut in impatiently, "Oh yes it is."

He turned to look at Emma and his face broke into a playful grin, "But if there is something more you'd like to know, I'd be happy to come to your station love.. alone." He winked at her making all three women roll their eyes.

"Whatever, I'll let you know."

"Goodbye Miss Mills", Emma said gratingly but Cora and Killian were already moving downstairs. Emma teetered on the door, her hands digging into her pockets as she awaited the expected outburst.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Regina hissed, stepping closer.

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure-"

"What? That we were not plotting against Storybrooke?"

Emma's eyes widened, "What no! Relax, jeez. I just wanted to make sure he had this ship secure?"

Regina frowned and seemed to deflate as her hands sought the door-frame.

"You never quit do you?" she stated more than asked, regretting mentioning this trip to Henry the day before.

Emma smiled wryly as she shook her head. "You look beautiful by the way. Maybe I should call Hook to our lunches", she said trying to make her tone light as she walked away from the brunette. She jumped from the ship, forgoing the ledge connecting the vessel to Storybrooke. When she turned, Regina had disappeared from her spot on the deck. Emma sighed tugging her shirt when she felt her chest tighten, 'Let it go Swan.'

Regina entered the room which was filled with laughter. Watching her mother so at ease should have made her happy but the smile never found its way to her lips.

"Welcome to my humble ship, my queen; we were just discussing the Swan lady."

A silent 'oh' was all she supplied as she gingerly sat down on the wooden chair which creaked on contact.

"I think she's been finally infected with the Charming virus, after all she works with David doesn't she?"

The younger woman offered a polite smile as Cora laughed, "Oh, Prince Charming works at the sheriff station?"

"Oh yes, you should see how important he feels when he is wearing that ridiculous holster. Bet soon Swan would be sporting one too."

Regina closed her eyes feeling the headache she had suspected earlier flaring up.

Regina and Cora were walking back to the mansion. It was around 7 in the evening and the stars were already out. Regina looked at them and suddenly the image of Emma's badge flashed through her mind, her annoying badge. She thought of her annoying protective nature and her annoying straight hair. Everything about her was infuriating. Cora's hand on her arm rippled the image of the blonde in her mind, "So today was fun, wasn't it?"

Regina caught herself and managed to nod, "We were there till late though."

"Well it's not like we had a busy schedule. And you seemed to enjoy yourself."

Regina hummed, "Yes, Killian can be surprisingly good company. I always thought of pirates as uncouth and he is nothing but."

Cora's smile could have lit the dark path in front as she took in her daughter's hand, squeezing it lightly before letting go.

"It was a perfect day, even with the sour start."

Regina, who had been looking at the loose gravel on the road, lifted her head in attention, "What?"

"That saviour", Cora looked away in disdain making Regina's eyebrows furrow.

"Mother, she was just abiding by her duties."

"But harassing poor Killian, and over boat licenses? How absurd!"

"Someone has to", Regina tugged the new gloves itching her hands, "if not, it will hardly take time before this town crumbles to pieces."

"Isn't it already, since you stopped being Mayor", Cora asked rhetorically.

The two women crossed the street, Cora's hand tightly held inside Regina's. She hated roads and she hated those strange cars, unless Regina was the one behind the controlling wheel.

"Well, not crumbling but, well, I may not have been the most liked Mayor but the town ran smoothly enough."

"Of course my dear. You were born to-", Cora paused mid-stride but seeing Regina walking unhitched made her will strength to carry on, "But that's all in the past, you don't want to run for this suffering town again do you?"

"As Mayor?" Regina slowed down in thought. The idea had been in her mind ever since the curse broke, but she was not naive enough to think anyone would like to see her in power.

"But I can see you are tiring of the monotony of taking care of me every day."

"Never!" Regina exclaimed, "Never mother, how could you say that?"

"You do need a profession, to keep yourself busy. Oh Regina you loved riding my dear, you could get yourself a fine steed", Cora smiled at her as she straightened the dark hair falling on her daughter's face.

"I – I'll think about it." Regina said as she reeled out of her mother's hold, holding her hand instead to resume walking.

"Well, you can ask Killian for help."

Regina scoffed, "Yes, because he learnt all about equestrianism in the Neverland community college."

"I am just saying it'd be good for you to have support."

"Support for what?"

"For pursuing a new direction in life."

When Regina didn't say anything Cora pushed, sure that she had finally come across a good idea, "That way you could ride all day if you wished. You could even own your own stable."

Regina stiffened, not being able to understand how her mother could be inclined to forget something so monumental. Her eyes caught the gate of their house and she thanked the heavens that she would be able to escape this discussion in a few seconds.

"I said I'd think about it, I'd really appreciate if you'd-"

"-we can get you riding clothes -"

"Mother."

"-and you could get a black stallion-"

"Please."

"-like the one you had, Richardo-"

"His name was Rocinante", Regina shouted suddenly but instantly snapped shut her jaw on seeing the look of hurt and shock on her mother's face. She took in a breath so she could continue at a lower volume, "Now I'd really prefer if we drop this subject right now."

The older woman floundered, "You're taking this the wrong way Regina, I just-"

"You just what", Regina's eyes flashed as something inside her broke, "you want me to forget that you murdered Daniel in the stables, or that I had to again let go of him in the stables. I'm supposed to not think about it because finally my mother is going to let me ride a fucking horse and not act like I'm committing a heinous crime." Regina pushed open the door and walked up to her room trying her hardest to not fall in between. She locked the door in time finding herself unable to stop from sliding down against it.

Emma and Henry looked at each other for the fifth time only to sigh in unison. The woman in front of them kept her eyes downcast and even if Henry couldn't, Emma could see the layer of make up around her swollen eyes.

"Henry, I'm just not feeling well today. I think I'll go home now." Regina pushed away her plate with not a grain out of place. She smiled apologetically to the boy as she got out of their regular booth at Granny's.

Henry looked from Regina to Emma and silently urged her to do something, something that Emma would have done even if he hadn't looked at her with those big eyes.

"Wait up, we'll drop you home." Emma said, fishing out her wallet already.

"There's no –"

"Mom please, you don't look well. Please."

Regina saw the worry in his young eyes and found herself accepting his request. The three walked out of the diner, Henry taking his mother's hand and Emma walking next to Regina. If Regina could have noticed she'd have seen how those two tried to form a shield around her, to protect her from the unknown threat they feared was troubling her. Instead she just kept watching her every footstep.

"Did something happen?" Emma whispered to make sure Henry wasn't listening in on the conversation.

Regina shook her head. Emma's hand hovered near Regina's but they were always separated by an inch of air.

"Regina, if there is something bothering you, you can tell us."

But she couldn't, Regina could never say anything about her mother because she knew Emma was waiting for the day she could get anything from her against Cora. Her discomfort must have shown itself on her face because she heard a distant shout born out of concern.

"My queen, is something the matter?"

Regina looked up, surprised to find herself staring at Jones. He was looking at the sheriff with accusing eyes but there was something else that caught on to her, "Killian, what are you doing here?"

Killian tore his eyes off the woman on her left and shrugged, smiling at the brunette, "Just returning to the ship, had to get some supplies from the town."

He chuckled slowly as he saw Henry's eyes following his hook from behind his adoptive mother, not noticing how Regina had paled at the sentence.

"But, but", she asked looking behind him, "mother?"

"Cora? What about her?" he asked, his eyebrows knotting in confusion as he looked behind Regina.

"She left a message saying she was going to meet you", there was an undertone of panic evident in her voice and it made Henry tighten his hold on her hand. Her voice rose steadily in volume as she asked, "She was out before I woke up in the morning, are you saying you haven't seen her?"

When she received no response, her pulse dropped precariously and her head turned to Emma in almost a reflex, her eyes naked with worry. Emma, unused to any form of direct attention from Regina, was caught off-guard. Her heart broke on seeing the woman in such distress, and her lips let out the most clichéd charming line on their own accord.

"I'll find her."

Emma smiled nervously.

Regina's lips slightly parted in surprise.

They stared at each other and before Regina could say something, a dry scoff broke the moment they could have almost had.

Killian looked unamused as he spoke to Regina, "I'm sorry but I'd rather look for Cora alone than with people who look at her like some sort of common criminal. I'll come find you if I get to her first."

His last words were spoken warmly towards Regina and his eyes were already rolling around trying to think of a place to start. In the two seconds Killian took to pull out to start his quest, Regina had come to her own decision, leading to her hand latching on to his wrist.

"I'll, I'll come with you."

Seeing him smile a small part of her felt guilty for disliking the thought of Killian and Cora together, because in that moment she was so eternally grateful on having someone by her side who didn't loathe Cora. The pirate waited patiently as Regina took Henry by the hand and steered him to Emma's side.

"But Regina", Emma didn't hide her wariness of the pirate, "I mean he-"

"Don't worry", she observed Killian who had a faraway look on his face. Smiling softly she told herself more than Emma, "He cares for my mother."

Emma ended up staring numbly at the pair talking in hushed whispers in the distance till she felt a small tug in her hand. She knelt to look properly at Henry and was surprised on seeing genuine worry in his eyes, "She knows we do too, right?"

Kids were so much more credulous than adults, she thought. She looked from Henry to two figures already disappearing in the light mist. Even if she didn't share the same level of concern, Regina should know that she would find Cora. For her, and for Henry as well.

A/N:

In case you're thinking, seriously Cora how did you not know that would upset your baby girl, there is a reason.

Aaaaand.. I A/N'ed last chapter that I had a surprise and it was supposed to be an early update (like super early, blow-your-mind-early) and now I just feel like a major d*ck. All I have for you is a handful of shame tainted virtual confetti.