Archie was really the one who came up with the idea. After Henry's therapy session, he'd chattered about confronting fears head-on, August had overheard him, and the next thing Emma knew, she was meeting Regina at eleven o'clock sharp in Granny's diner to discuss Henry.

She wasn't ready; August knew next to nothing about adoption and custody laws, Archie could only offer support by testifying in court, and no matter how many times Emma tried to sway him, Mr. Gold refused to help her.

So she sat in the diner, thirty minutes early, silently going over everything, anything, she could say that would make Regina give up Henry.

By the time the Mayor walked in, Emma's mind was blank.

"Sheriff Swan," Regina said, icy cool despite the sudden heat outside.

"Madame Mayor." She gestured to the booth seat across from her, and Regina grudgingly sat.

"So I heard that you're leaving Storybrooke?" she began.

Emma frowned. "Who told you that?"

"Dr. Whale. He was passing by your neighborhood and saw you packing your car with suitcases."

"He did?" Emma shook her head, unable to hold back her laughter.

"I fail to see how this is humerous."

"I'm not leaving Storybrooke," she explained. "I'm looking for an apartment."

Regina's eyes widened; for a split second, Emma thought she saw fear battle anger behind the façade, but whatever happened, Regina quickly composed herself and smiled.

"Sheriff Swan, would you like a drink?" she offered. "Apple cider? Knowing you, you'll want something stronger."

"No, um…cocoa's fine. Ruby knows how I like it."

Regina went up to the bar to get the drinks; Emma was already suspicious, but when there was a slight pause from when Ruby put the drinks on the counter and when Regina turned around with the cups in hand, Emma knew something was up.

"This one is yours," Regina said, pushing the cup across the table. "Ruby was sure to point it out since it's…special."

Emma looked down at it then at Regina's. "You got the same thing?"

Regina nodded. Suddenly, Jefferson's words echoed inside Emma's brain. How do you know this isn't poisoned?

She slowly raised the cup to her lips, but hesitated. She could smell the cinnamon, but what if that was masking something else? Something deadly?

She looked at Regina, who stared back, then moved her eyes somewhere over Regina's shoulder. Regina fell for it and turned to follow Emma's gaze, giving Emma just enough time to switch the cups without Regina noticing.

The mayor turned back around and smirked at Emma before picking up her cup and taking a sip. Emma did the same, but just as the cocoa passed her lips, Regina smiled too brightly.

She wanted me to switch the cups.

Emma spit the cocoa back into the cup and slammed down on the table, but before she could say anything, Regina froze in horror, then began gasping for air.

"What the hell?" Emma jumped up; Regina was white as a sheet and struggling to breathe. "Ruby, call 911!" she yelled just as the mayor passed out on the table.

The paramedics arrived and whisked her to the hospital. After all the commotion had died down, and the two mugs of cocoa had been tested, the truth was discovered: there was poison in one of the cups, but Regina didn't drink from that one. It was her severe allergy to cinnamon that had almost killed her.