A/N: Broken into two chapters for your convenience. To guest dc4me44 I used to tumblr a lot earlier but now.. not so much. But I appreciate your heart-felt suggestion (And yes, I've started becoming acutely aware of how many times I use the word heart now).

I usually have a/n's at the end so people can read the chapter first and optionally ignore my rambling afterwards, but I didn't want to break the flow. Thanks for the reads, the follows, the time. Much love x

Next chapter contains references to Regina's rough childhood. Nothing in detail.

"Ruby!"

Granny looked up when the shout mingled with the loud ring of their bell reached her ears, her glasses in turn sliding till the end of her nose. The saviour walked in with purpose, a stride that could put many great rulers to shame. The way she carried herself highlighted the differences between the present Emma and the lifeless woman the diner had been visited by all these days. Closing her notebook she approached the woman with curiosity as to what re-flamed the resident saviour's passion.

"Hey Em, everything ok?"

Emma licked her lips as she thought of her words. She started explaining how Cora was missing and she wanted Red's help in finding her. She was cut short by a loud smack on the counter which made more than a few eyes turn to the older patron.

"That is it. I am sick of your family only calling her when you need a sniff dog."

Granny's voice never went higher than Emma's shallow pants but it managed to make her heart stop.

"What?" Wide-eyed Emma just swivelled her head between the two, "No, no - It's just she is good at tracking, no not tracking, at f-finding people."

Red placed a hand on Granny's arm, "Granny, Regina must be worried sick."

"And you care about the queen's well-being?" Granny riposted.

Red's eyes went from Granny's to Emma, "There are two pies in the oven, you need to turn it off in five minutes."

Emma smiled gratefully at Red; the relief on her face must have been enough reason for Granny to back off and return to her work, even if it was accompanied with slight grumbling. The two women then made way to the yellow bug parked haphazardly in front of the establishment. As they were settling inside, Emma's phone rang.

"Hey Regina, I have Ruby, don't-"

"That won't be necessary Sheriff, we found her and are already home."

It took Emma a moment to process Regina's words. Before she could inquire further about the short-lived yet successful search mission, something in the background caught her attention. Her hand dug into the phone as she asked, "Who's that?"

The spurt of laughter Emma had heard repeated itself. Regina also caught it and casually replied, "Oh, that's Jones."

Emma's scowl seemed to turn permanent as she heard Regina continue, "I called Henry to inform him of the same and he mentioned you'd gone to seek Ruby's assistance. So I thought I'd let you know. I'll", she cleared her throat, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"No, me and Henry, us both will be joining you and Cora for dinner, today. Around 7."

"Oh and when did we decide that?"

"Regina, your son was worried that Cora was missing and all you could do was call him? If you can have Long John Silver in your house I don't think it'll be a problem if we come over too."

She hung up before Regina could get in another word and flung her phone behind. Before the phone hit the leather back-seat, regret had already wormed inside her conscience, chiding her for using Henry like some sort of leeway to Regina's house. But Emma Swan had only so much patience and watching Regina lean on Hook rather than her-her family, now that was ridiculous.

"So?"

Emma jumped. And then cursed. She'd forgotten she was not alone in her car.

"Hey sorry, they found her."

"So I heard."

They both stayed still for a long time, trying to recuperate from their thoughts, their eyes on the road watching people pass by.

"Hey Ruby", Emma said finally breaking the silence.

When Red hummed she asked, "What did Granny mean, inside?"

"Nothing" came the quick reply.

"Me praying that her crossbow is missing is not nothing."

"Nothing seriously, it's just, we don't get to see you guys much unless you know, there's something brewing."

"Hey, what, are you serious?" Emma asked only to realise it did hit a little too close to home. "I mean no! Things have been, you know, messy, plus I've been.."

"Broody."

"Yeah whatever, but seriously, Snow talks about you, all the time, but her new job as Mayor, I think she bit off more than she could chew. She's still trying to adjust."

"I guess."

The awkwardness had started to sink in and Emma cleared her throat loudly to change the topic.

"So, I invited myself to Regina's house tonight, any chances on how that's gonna end up?"

Red let out a small laugh as she shook her head, "But I have to admit, that was pretty bad ass."

"I mean it's all she talks about, Killian-this and Killian-that; and why?" she wrinkled her nose as her voice turned nasal, "because he cares for Cora."

She faced Red as her fingers went through her hair, "I mean others do too you know."

"Who?" Ruby's eyes squinted before understanding shone through, "Oh my god, are you talking about yourself?"

"Of course. I mean she is good right? Now that she has her heart back and all."

Both women just stared at each other before Red snorted.

Emma tried to keep her face serious to stress her point but watching her friend laugh she couldn't help but join in. For the longest time one's laugh managed to trigger a giggling fit in the other.

Finally sobering down, Red wiped her eyes and lowered the rear view mirror to check her mascara.

"You know maybe the dinner will change things. I'm sure Regina will appreciate seeing you trying to be more forthcoming to Cora."

"Yeah", Emma nodded but stopped abruptly to shake her head, "What? No! I'm not doing it for Regina. Well", she considered but shook her head again, "I mean Henry has surprisingly taken a shine to Cora. Maybe he just wants a grandmother who actually looks like a grandmother and not younger than both his moms. But whatever, I don't want to always be in the way keeping him from his family. I guess that's what Cora is, family."

Emma shrugged as she continued, "You know those stupid books never got me anywhere. I guess I'll just have to see for myself what the deal is with Cora Mills."

Red smiled sadly as she asked, "So you're ok with this, this arrangement?"

"Yeah totally. This - us is like", she sighed as she relaxed back to her seat, "totally awesome you know."

"Emma-"

"By the way", a devious grin decorated Emma's lips, "did I tell you about how Henry first met Cora?"

People rushed to enter Granny's past the vibrating beetle parked outside, trying not to stare at the saviour and red riding hood shaking hysterically inside with tears streaming down their face.

"Dear, if you keep opening the door so many times it won't cook properly."

Regina closed the oven door again and straightened up, looking unimpressed with the food on the table, "I should have made a pot roast. I can't believe I chose chicken, why would I go with chicken?"

"Regina, that boy would be happy with whatever you put up. Why are you so nervous?"

Regina's eyes went to her empty glass kept on top of the counter, traces of amber still sticking to the curves. She was nervous but she didn't know how to voice it to her mother because she couldn't pin-point the cause of it herself. Helplessly, her eyes focused on the timer. There was all this anger inside her, that was barely being held in the carefully built dam, a dam which had begun to crack ever since she'd heard her mother's attempt to take out Emma's heart. But she couldn't even address her little outburst from yesterday since she had nearly sobbed in relief as she clinged to Cora. After leaving the docks Regina had hurried home with Jones for her car keys but hadn't been prepared to have Cora open the door the same time she slipped in her key. From reliving her worst memory endlessly over a sleepless night to being bombed with flashes of never finding her mother again, Regina felt like she had permanently lost the happy middle she'd took refuge on. Right now all she wanted to do was retreat to her room, draw the curtains, lock her door and hide inside her duvet for countless days to come. But here she was, stuck with Emma's dinner invitation, because if nothing the sheriff had impeccable timing. She refilled her glass with liquid strength as she thought of her life, there really had to be a better way to navigate.

"I didn't mean to scare you today."

Regina barely removed her eyes from the iron appliance at the sudden declaration, "Can we talk about this later, I'm still not done with dinner and they will be here any second."

If Cora was about to say something Regina would never know because a series of doorbells rang through the house that moment, cutting short their conversation.

"I'll get-" Cora got up but her voice trailed off when she saw Regina rushing out the kitchen, leaving behind her hovering above the chair.

"Miss Swan, good to see you on time."

Henry was practically bouncing besides Emma. This was the first time he was going to be having dinner inside his house since the curse broke. Emma had even coughed out money this time to let Henry get flowers of his choice and not hand-pick daisies from Snow's tiny garden.

Regina's eyes lit up as they went to her son holding up pansies of possibly every colour she had seen. Her hands gently held his face as she kissed Henry on his forehead. The boy promptly wiped it off and the action managed to make Regina smile for the first time since morning.

"Now the dinner is still in the oven, but it should hardly take any time, maybe you'd like to sit in the-" Regina stopped when Emma placed a comforting arm on hers. She looked up and found herself staring into green eyes.

"Relax, it's just us having lunch together, but you know, later."

Regina wondered strangely at the notion. Us? The word sounded... inclusive... comforting. Almost comforting. Taking a deep breath she turned to her son, "Henry, come. Let's meet mother."