108 Mifflin Street

Her beloved, reassuring house was right in front of them. Henry and Rapunzel were following her steps, and she'd probably never felt this tensed before. She didn't know why she had said it. It had been stupid, but she had felt compelled to do it. She owed something to Rapunzel, after everything she did for her. A bed was the least.

She took the key she'd hidden under the doormat and opened the door. She turned to let pass Henry and the warrior. Henry ran inside, but Rapunzel stayed still out of the porch, a hand laid on the hilt of her sword and her eyes critically set on the house. She glanced at her, then back at the building. She was slightly smiling. " It's so... white." she said.

Regina's eyebrows twitched up a second before she understood. She hid a smile.

" Yes. You should like it." she said with fake resentment. Rapunzel laughed hard, and she had to force herself not to do it in turn.

The warrior entered the house, and Regina followed her, shutting the door behind her. She looked at the warrior, who was obviously taking a look around. Regina patiently waited for her questions.

She knew she had many.

" Weird furniture."

Regina innerly smiled. " Do you like it?"

Rapunzel thought about it. " Uhm, I guess... I don't know. I mean, perhaps I have to get used to this... style. I mean, the one of this world. Everything is so different." she walked towards the right wall, and stopped in front of the reflecting surface. " But mirrors. They're always the same. "

Regina smiled this time. " I agree."

" I liked your castle more." the blonde added, turning to look at her. Regina took off her jacket, looked at it ( it was... it wasn't a jacket anymore) and let it fall on the floor.

" It was so dark..." she murmured absentmindedly.

" Aye! I liked it."

Regina gazed at her with an arched eyebrow. The more she knew her, the less she understood her.

And the less she understood why her heart was shining so bright.

" You like creepy places?"

Rapunzel sneered. " So you still can't see who I am, don't you?"

Regina gave a start. How did she know...? " Or your lying skills have abandoned you, or you're not putting a great effort in hiding what's in your mind, my Queen, because it is written all over your face. So don't be surprised, I'm not using magic. Just my eyes. " She winked at her, smiling. Regina was still impressed, but something moved inside her at that wink. And at that smile. She felt really confused.

" I'm... Maybe I'm just tired." she said, more answering to her own wondering than to Rapunzel's words. " I'm having a shower, it won't take long. Then you can have one, if you like. About your clothes..." She looked at her bloody leather armor. " I don't think mine can fit you. But I can ask...

Dr. Hopper if he can lend you a shirt."

She began climbing the stairs, but she stopped half way, as she heard Rapunzel wasn't moving a step. She turned, and so she saw that the woman was standing still in front of the staircase, blushed. She wondered why, without finding an answer.

" Follow me. I'll show you your room."

" A-aye." Rapunzel muttered, glancing down but obeying.

They passed her room, Henry's and the bathroom, where the rumor of water falling witnessed the kid's presence. Regina opened the guest room door, beckoning to Rapunzel to enter. Rapunzel did, then turned. She had a serious face.

" Thank you. No, really. You weren't obliged to host me."

" I was. You saved Henry. This is the least I can do for you."

Rapunzel's expression darkened a little. " Don't... you owe me nothing. I did everything because I wanted to do it."

Exactly. " However, I want to repay you. Let me do it."

Rapunzel sighed and glanced down. She weakly nodded, then looked back at her and smiled with the same weakness. Regina felt a painful sensation push inside her chest. What the hell...?

The bathroom's door opened, and Henry appeared in the hallway with his Spiderman bathrobe. He waved to them, then walked into his room. He left a big puddle of water where he stayed still, and several tracks. Regina sighed loudly: she would have to wipe it.

" My turn." she tiredly said, running a hand through her hair.

" Regina..."

She turned: Rapunzel seemed embarrassed." Sorry, but... what is a shower?" the warrior awkwardly asked.

Regina realized that she effectively couldn't know it, then laughed for not having thought about it.

" It's a... Better if I show you."

Rapunzel followed her in the hot-moist bathroom. Regina pointed out the shower. " Here it is. It's like a bath, but from above." Rapunzel was confused. Obviously. Regina cleared everything opening the shower. The warrior jumped aside as if she saw a snake, even though she probably wouldn't jump aside in front of a snake.

" Is it... magic?"

Regina smiled. " No. It's technology. "

Rapunzel put a hand under the falling water. Falling hot water. She immediately withdrew it. "

But it's warm!"

" Technology again."

" But, Regina, this is like the Rain Spell and the Warming Spell together!"

Regina laughed, and she saw Rapunzel slightly shiver.

" True. I've never thought about it. " she said, watching closely the warrior in amused surprise. " You know magic very well. Even more than me, probably. " she said while shutting off the water.

" I studied. I had time to." Shaya smiled. There was no trace of resentment in her eyes.

" How did you get the books in Neverland? "

Rapunzel smirked. " I stole them. Neverland has its towns, you know. It's a huge island. "

" Then why didn't you live there? Why the jungle?"

Rapunzel's face radically changed. Regina saw sadness in it, and... resignation. Shit. " Uh, I don't really like people. " She was lying, again. " I'm not used to deal with them." That was a half lie. " I preferred to stay alone. It's safer." Another half lie. Regina sighed, but didn't insist. She wasn't ready for that conversation yet. She probably would never be.

" Oh, right. Well, now I..." she nodded towards the shower. Rapunzel blushed.

" Oh, aye, sorry."

" Oh, no problem. " Regina blushed a little, too, she felt it. She hoped that her darker skin would hide it. " It will take just five minutes. Which is short time." she added, remembering that she didn't knew that time measure.

Rapunzel nodded, mumbled something and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Regina locked it from the inside, with no actual reason. She knew that the warrior would have never opened that door without her permission, but she had felt the need to lock it the same. She felt stupid, though something impeded her to unlock it. She sighed, shook her head and quickly undressed.

Rapunzel went in her chamber, closed the door and heavily sat on the bed. The sword jingled hitting the floor. She unbuckled the belt and set the sword against the wall. Her eyes fixed on the weapon, but her mind flew away, thing that she absolutely didn't want to happen. She shook her head, blushing. " Hell, stop it, stupid..." she whispered to herself. But she couldn't help but think about it, for how vulgar and inappropriate it could be. But when she was climbing that staircase... she had never seen her wearing trousers. Especially so tight ones. So she couldn't help but watch.

And, oh, what a sight! She was disgusted by herself for thinking it but... It was just too physical. She hated it. She wanted her, obviously she did, but she rarely thought only about that. But, under those stairs, she did. And even in that weird bathroom, with that voice of hers, when she actioned that strange mechanism that made rain fall in that fogged glass-walled little room... Damn! She had tried, she had really tried to stop the sequence of images running through her head, but with her so close... And now she had that problem again. Because, damn, Regina was there, a few steps away from her, under the spray of water... No! She had to stop thinking! She grabbed the sword, unsheathed it and began cleaning it with her shirt, though it was already clean. After a few minutes it was so shiny that she could mirror on the blade, even though all of its scratches. She watched herself for the time of a breath before suddenly sheathing the sword and beginning to unleash her complex tress, unable to stay still. Someone knocked at her door while she was about to finish.

" It's open." she said, unraveling the last knot. She stood up when she saw Regina on the door.

Habit.

Regina stayed silent for a few moments, then swallowed and said: " Your turn. Enjoy it, it's very better then our world's baths. Trust me." she smiled, then turned and walked away. Not even a second had passed when she came back. " Oh, I put some clean towels in the bathroom. Use them, they're the white ones." She disappeared again.

Fuck. She had a strange towel around her, like the one Henry had, but hers was all of a deep, intense red. And her hair... it was still wet and pulled back, and its weird but cute haircut let it touch lightly her neck and her shoulders. And she, damn, she saw her legs... shit! Stop thinking.

Stop thinking, she repeated to herself while walking towards the bathroom. Stop. Thinking.

She'd never really seen her hair before. It was gorgeous! It shined like the sun itself, as if it was magic, and fell down in slight waves, caused by the tresses probably, to her ankles. It was absurdly long and silky. She had never seen hair like hers. It was like a river of light gold running through all of her figure. She had stopped breathing at that sight. She had never really thought about Rapunzel as a woman. She was a warrior to her. But, lately... with her hair unraveled, she showed herself for what she really was, although the clothes: a Queen. More than she'd ever been.

" You're not so bad with that on." Henry said looking Rapunzel up and down. She wore Archie's grey shirt, long to mid-thigh and really too large on her waist. Only thanks to her shoulders and breasts it fitted. She also wore her boots. Henry really thought she was cute, but she wasn't convinced.

" Henry, I don't wear any trousers..."

" Yes! Like the girls in the movies! They all dress that way when they go to a party."

" I think they wear dresses, not shirts."

" They do." Regina intervened, walking in the guest room where Rapunzel was trying to get dressed. The former Queen looked at her. " And, even if you look good this way, I think these will fit better." She threw some clothes on the bed.

Rapunzel took them, and a sigh of relief flew from her mouth. " Aye, thank you! Whose are these? " she asked. She looked like a puppy, Henry thought.

" August. From when he was an adult. Geppetto has just kindly brought them to us. " his mom answered with a smile. Rapunzel cocked an eyebrow, making her laugh. " I know, weird thing, he was a man before being a kid. Neither I had never seen something like that before."

She nodded at the woman, who, meanwhile, had turned, took off Archie's skirt and worn August's old clothes. They fitted." Perfect. Let's go now, or we'll be late." she added, addressing a last gaze to the blonde. She hesitated, picked up her hair and began to braid it.

" Gimme a second." she mumbled. Regina turned to watch her.

" No!" she exclaimed, a little too loud, surprising them both. Henry saw her blush a little. " Don't plait it."

" Plait?" Henry asked. He had never heard that term before.

" Braid. It's a synonym." his mother explained to him.

" Oh." he just said.

He eyed Rapunzel. She had stayed still, her hand behind her nape, holding her hair.

" Why?" she asked to Regina. The blonde was creepy motionless.

" Well, because it's a pity to not show such beautiful hair, Rapunzel! I didn't even noticed it before! Why do you hide it?"

Rapunzel dropped her hair and seemed to relax. " I don't. It's just uncomfortable for fighting to let it loose."

Regina smiled. " We're going to a party, not a battle."

Rapunzel smirked. " As long as I remember, it's almost the same thing. "

That made Regina laugh. Henry had no idea of the reason. " Those were our world's parties. Here it's better, trust me. Unless you're the Evil Queen." Her smile faded away, and she glanced down.

Henry jumped standing from the bed and hugged her.

" But you're not evil anymore. You're a hero! Everybody knows." he said, and he could feel her smile, even if he wasn't looking at her face. One warm hand caressed his head, the other hugged him.

" The only one that I care whether he knows it it's you, sweetheart."

He looked at her now. Her eyes were wet. She surely wasn't evil anymore. " I know, mom. But it doesn't matter, because they all know. "

They smiled at each other.

" Let's go." she said after a while. He was reluctant to break the hug. He wanted to see Emma, but he wanted to stay with her too. He had loved that moment. He hadn't had many like it except for the ones in the last weeks. Not so sincere ones, at least.

They left the room and he turned to check that Rapunzel was following them. She was, but she was also drying her eyes. She smiled at him, and put her index on her lips. He nodded and turned, her secret safe, although he was confused. Why was she crying?

" Welcome back, Henry!" was what they all screamed when the kid entered Granny's. An enthusiastic applause followed. Emma, after the longest shower she had ever had, had helped Ruby, Granny, the Mother Superior and Archie to arrange the party. She just put festoons, ornaments and balloons around the dining because "she was a guest of honor, too, so she actually didn't even had to be there". The truth was that she had to do something. She could just sit on the bed and began thinking while waiting, and it would destroy her, so she had to do something, and, as Henry was with Regina, the preparation of the party was the only thing she could do.

Immediately after the first chorus there was a lower " Welcome back, Regina!" and an even lower " Welcome, Rapunzel!".

The two woman however smiled widely, and Emma could swear that she saw the brunette's eyes

get a little wet.

Henry almost crashed against her trying to hug her. " Hey, kid! All right?"

He had become a hug-dispenser boy lately. She was a little worried for him. Because of Neal, obviously.

" Yup!" he exclaimed, and she knew it was true. She ruffled his hair.

" Good! So kid, there are sandwiches, pizza, chips, coke... whatever you may need! Help yourself! "

He smiled, ran to the counter, full of food and drinks, and climbed a stool to take some chips. A second later August joined him. They were good friend, she thought. Yet she still couldn't believe that that little kid was the same August she knew. It totally blew her mind.

" See? Thing are not so bad..." her mother's voice startled her. She pointed at Regina with a nod. She was staring at Rapunzel, who was standing with her back towards her, talking with Belle. Regina was looking at the warrior as if she had something very weird and very important hidden under the fall of golden hair. God, that hair... Emma took a strand of hers, looking critically at it.

Snow laughed beside her.

" None can compete with her when it's about swords and hair."

Emma had to agree. " Yeah, I noticed." Regina was still staring at her. It seemed that the Mayor's mind was elsewhere. " Do you think she's...?"

Snow gazed at her." What?" She really didn't understand.

" I mean... you know her since like... forever. Regina, I mean."

The other shrugged. " I know some sides of her, yes."

" Aaand..." Emma glanced at the woman in question, then at Rapunzel.

Mary Margaret seemed confused. " Emma, speak! I can't read your mind!"

" I know. " she replied in a sigh. " Do you think Regina's bi?" she asked in a whisper, pressing the words together.

" Oh!" Her mother stifled a giggle. " This you meant!" she tried again not to laugh. " Well, Emma, I don't know. I never saw her with a woman but... who knows? She was pretty concerned in revenge, you know, I don't think she... but maybe, while I was in the forest..." Snow shrugged again.

" I hope she does." Emma commented, looking back at Regina, then again at Rapunzel. The blonde looked back at her, and smiled slightly. Belle too turned to watch her, then said something to Rapunzel. She nodded once before that they both joined them.

" Hey, hero! How are you?" Emma heard her mother ask. She felt her smile in her voice. The Savior looked in Rapunzel's eyes while she was answering and saw her lie. Shit.

" You are, stop saying you're not!" Mary Margaret exclaimed at her objection. " And, Rapunzel, you hair is..."

" Fucking gorgeous." Emma finished for her, making them laugh.

" You're not the first ones to say it." she said smiling. A sincere smile, this time. So... Regina told her she had beautiful hair? Emma innerly exulted.

" Because it's true! Everyone envies you for it! It's written in every book!" Belle said just a second before that Marco stepped in.

" Rapunzel! Glad to see that August's clothes well fit you!"

" Oh, aye, thank you very much, Geppetto! You saved me!" she replied, slightly bowing then.

August's clothes! How didn't she notice?

" Why? Which was the alternative?" Emma asked, immediately curious.

" Jiminy's skirt, and my boots. And nothing else. " the warrior answered frowning.

" You'd be cute!" Ruby cried from almost the opposite side of the diner. Emma swallowed.

Sometimes she forgot that she was a werewolf.

Rapunzel skeptically watched her. Ruby wore her usual kind of clothes: they covered the least they could. " Thought wolves liked the warmth of their furs..." she murmured, but Ruby grimaced at her, making her laugh.

" Miss Lucas is an evident exception." Regina's deep voice commented. Emma turned to see her, behind Rapunzel. The warrior moved to make her enter the little circle they had involuntarily created.

" I can tell... " Rapunzel said, smiling at her.

" I guess Henry likes her outfits. He wanted you to dress like her..."

Rapunzel shrugged. " He's a male. It's normal."

" I heard that!" Killian exclaimed resentfully. He was leaning on the counter just a few steps away from them. The women laughed at him, so he raised the four pints of beer he was holding with his hand and hook. How could he hold the two mugs with the hook without dropping the beer was a complete mystery to Emma. " Oh, you're laughing at me, uh? Therefore I'll drink your beers too!" " No!" Emma screamed, and then laughed with the others.

Hook handed the pints to the women. Regina hesitated a little, but in the end she took it. Hook grabbed two other pints, for him and Rapunzel who, chivalrously, had left hers to Mary Margaret. David joined them, hugging her mother from behind. Emma looked at them, and she couldn't help but smile. They were happy, she was sure about it.

They felt her gaze, smiled at her and invited her to join the hug. She did enthusiastically. She had been waiting for that moment for so many years... Something hit her mind. Emma gazed at Regina. She was actually watching them, but there wasn't hate in her eyes. A hint of irritation maybe, but no hate. She met her eyes. The "Evil Queen" and the Savior looked at each other for an infinite moment. Then the "Evil Queen" smiled slightly, and the Savior smiled back at her. The war had ended.

Killian couldn't stop staring at her. She was simply beautiful in that red dress, more than Milah had ever been. Emma Swan. Her name danced in his mind since the day they first met. Swan. He liked that sound. It was perfect with her figure. He sipped from the pint. Beer, ah, he missed it!

Blonde beer. Blonde. Swan, get out of my silly head!, he innerly cried out.

" So you're the Blue Fairy." Rapunzel said, half drunk, skeptically looking at the woman in front of her.

" Yes. And the Mother Superior."

" Which means..."

" I'm a nun. "

" Which means..."

" I'm..." Blue took another sip of beer, then snorted. " ... I'm a fucking fairy. Content yourself." she barked.

Rapunzel laughed in the ninth pint, risking to spit the beer. " This isn't fair, fairy!"

" It's fairer than your hair!" she growled back. Rapunzel laughed again.

" Impossible!"

" I'm by her side. She's fair!" Grumpy smiled. Sort of. " The fairest of them all!"

A chorus of "Oooooooh" raised from the table. Victor exploded in a laugh and fell down on the linoleum surface. Red laughed at him, softly patting on his shoulder.

" That's not fair, Dr. Whale!" Blue cried out, causing an overwhelming laughter attack in the group.

He suddenly raised his head up and, with his most serious face, said: " I do apologize, Blue

Nooot-So-Fair-Fairy-GoodMooother Shuperiorr..." before beginning to laugh again.

Blue narrowed her eyes, crossed her arms and pouted.

" This is not funny."

A general laughter made her eyes open wide.

" If you say so! " Grumpy said, but he immediately stopped laughing at her burning glare. "

Sorry." he whispered, smiling.

" Rapunzel..." Regina was calling her. The Golden Death, squeezed between Victor and Grumpy, narrowed her eyes to focus on her figure. She was standing beside the table, the hint of a smile around her lips.

" Tell me, my Queen..."

Some of them laughed at her words. Regina swallowed.

" I'm not a queen anymore, stop calling me that way!" she angrily exclaimed. Rapunzel gave a start. A wave of regret immediately invaded her face.

" Sorry." she murmured. Now Regina's face was full of regret, too. Se passed a hand over it.

" No, I apologize to you. Guess I'm just tired."

" Or maybe just an ass." Red growled. Her eyes were dangerously shining.

Regina opened her mouth to reply, but Rapunzel was faster.

" Red! What the hell...?" she said standing up.

" Face it, Rapunzel. She treats you like a pet. You're still her slave to her."

Rapunzel faltered. Those words had simply, unexpectedly broke her. It was like if her chest had suddenly become empty.

" This is absolutely false, Miss Lucas. Beware of what you say."

Regina was beautiful when she was angry, she couldn't help but think it. Her voice lowered, her eyes darkened, and she always became cornered by an aura of danger and power that made her become... it made her heart stop! She couldn't describe it in another way. But now... Red's words had stabbed her. She knew that she was nothing more than a servant to her. Maybe Regina felt like she owed her something, but, as she said, only because she saved her son. She could stand it.

It was enough, for her, to have the possibility to protect her. She knew it. But hearing it, said loud... that hurt.

" Ain't it? So show us! Show..."

" Ruby!" Emma ran to the table. She was outside, chatting with Killian, when she probably heard the screams. " Stop it with this shit!"

The girl stood up. " No, Emma! It's the truth!"

" You're drunk, Rubes..."

Rapunzel wasn't really listening. The even surface of the table had caught her gaze. She couldn't move her eyes from it. She felt the tears on the corner of her eyes, but she would never let them fall. She slowly put a hand on the table, and leaned on her fingers. She wasn't sure she could still trust her legs. Grumpy, beside her, stood up to let her pass, but she didn't make a move. She could still hear Emma and Red's voices on the background. Grumpy was looking at her, she knew. He put a hand on her shoulder.

" Hey, sister..."

She shrugged, making him falter. " I'm none's sister." she snarled.

Everyone silenced.

She harshly moved him to pass. She left the table, but Regina's hand grabbed her arm before she could run away.

" Rapunzel, look at me."

It was an order, she recognized it. She eyed her.

Regina swallowed hard, but her gaze stayed firm. " I don't consider you my slave. Can you see

it?"

Rapunzel looked deep inside her eyes, digging through her words. There was something else she wasn't saying. Apart from this...

" Yes." she had to admit. Regina nodded, but didn't left her arm.

" Good." she said and then paused, as to highlight the concept. " Now, I'm going home. I was trying to tell you this, before Miss Lucas' untrue statements. You can either come home with me, or I can give you the spare keys. The choice is yours." She was serious, but her tone was soft. She let go her arm. Rapunzel stayed silent for a while, staring at her.

" I'm coming with you." she finally said, and everybody knew that it wasn't simply an answer to a question.

"Come home". Those two words were digging inside her brain. Two words she had never heard together before. Let alone said by her.

She was now walking behind the brunette towards the car, that weird machinery Hook had told her about, and she noticed just in time that Regina had stopped walking and had turned to watch her.

Rapunzel blinked and tried to focus.

" Rapunzel, did you hear me?"

" Ehm, no. Sorry." she smiled. Regina froze for a second, making her eyebrows almost collide. " Are you okay?" the former Queen asked. Rapunzel smiled again, and, again, Regina had the same reaction.

" Aye. Why? I was just distracted, thinking 'bout... stuff."

Regina kept staring at her. Rapunzel narrowed her eyes. " Are you okay?"

The brunette slightly smiled. " Yes, just... a little tired."

Rapunzel nodded and glanced down. " Aye, me too."

None of them moved. After a while Rapunzel eyed the other woman. Regina was still watching her, and seemed to be about to say something. But then the former Queen slightly shook her head and swallowed.

" Better if we go, then." she said before almost running to the other side of the car. Rapunzel's eyebrows lifted in confusion. Then she opened the door and sighed: " As my Queen orders."