I REALIZE THAT THIS UPDATE IS LATE, AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. I GOT ANOTHER COUPLE PLOT BUNNIES… MY NEWEST IS BREAKING THE RULES.

DON'T OWN IT.

Surprising everyone, Emma came down the stairs, hair ruffled and looking considerably worn about, but still beautiful as ever.

"I'll cook." She offered.

"You aren't the best cook." Snow wrinkled her nose as she remembered the last time the blonde had attempted cooking in the small apartment they had once shared.

"You and James are definitely not cooking." Emma said with no room for argument. "Graham can help."

"I can?" The curly haired man looked up from the book he was immersed in.

"Emma, we're-"

"If you say you're fine I'm going to throttle you. That's BS. You just lost your second kid; there's no way you're fine." She said. Snow crossed her arms defiantly, trying to think of a retort. "We're your family. You guys don't have to pretend. No one's going to judge. The kingdom's not going to fall of the face of the Earth if you allow yourselves to be taken care of for one night." James watched as the women stared at each other, challenging the other to argue. He noticed how alike they looked, and for the first time in hours, he smiled.

"You're cute when you're mad at each other." He commented.

"I'm not mad at her, I'm mad at the fact that she refused to accept help." Emma said stubbornly.

"I'm not mad either." Snow said. "But I'm an adult and perfectly capable of making my own decisions." Deciding that now would be the perfect time to leave, Graham went to the kitchen to make dinner. Henry seemed glued to his seat, just happy that his mother and grandparents were acting like a somewhat normal family.

"Okay, okay." James stepped between the two women. "Let's all just take a breath before anybody does something they'll regret."

"You're kinda acting like teenage girls who used to be best friends but are fighting over some guy." With that, Henry went to help Graham with the pasta.

"Did he just… talk back?" Emma asked, staring after her son.

"I'm not sure." Snow replied.

"We've all had a really rough 33 years. We have every right to be angry, but now is not the time or the place." He said, giving them each a pointed look. Snow and Emma sent him a warning glare, but followed Henry nonetheless. "I really hope they're never pregnant at the same time…" He grumbled quietly, shaking his head.

"The macaroni will be done in a couple minutes." Graham said. "I hope you like that."

"It's fine, Graham. Thanks." Snow smiled, but it lacked its usual glow.

"Emma, Honey, you picked a great man to be your true love." James said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Um… thanks." Right on cue, Graham and Henry brought out 5 steaming bowls of macaroni. With no one knowing what to say, they forked the food into their mouths. It started getting awkward. "So, Regina seems to be doing a little better."

"As in she is now fully capable of slaughtering us all, or that she won't?" Snow asked.

"Both. It's actually kinda funny, hearing her blab on and on about how she can't wait for true love to find her. If I didn't know who she is and what she's done, I'd go so far to say that she's kind."

"She was." Snow whispered, her eyes glazing over as she recalled a distant memory. "But anyway, that's good to know." She shook her head, clearing it. Emma wanted to pry; she didn't, though. It's one thing to be friends and roommates. It's a whole other thing entirely to be mother/daughter. To drag whatever it is Snow was trying so hard to keep under the surface would be violating something intensely private; whatever it is, it's between her and Regina. The family finished the meal in silence, the only noise when their chairs scraped as they got up.

"I'm pretty tired." Emma said with a sigh, purposely not glancing at the clock.

"But it's only 7:30." Sometimes, Henry's innocence could be slightly annoying.

"I didn't sleep much last night, Kid. Goodnight." She placed a kiss on his head before walking over to Snow and James. She gave them each a quick squeeze before heading up the stairs. This left her parents grinning, but James could still see the worry in his wife's eyes.

"You should go to bed." Graham said to the boy.

"But-"

"Maybe we can make chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast tomorrow." He offered a small wink.

"Emma's going to kill you." He smiled. "But that doesn't concern me, so I'll listen to you." He ran off to the bathroom.

"Did Regina ever let him have anything unhealthy?" Graham questioned Snow.

"He was allowed once piece of candy a week at Halloween." She answered.

"It's hard to imagine she was so loving to you while growing up." With that, he followed Henry. They stood there for a few minutes before James took Snow's hand.

"I know what you're thinking. Please don't do this alone."

"I have to. It's now or never." She said.

"Snow…" He pleaded.

"We don't know how long this euphoria is going to last for her. I'm vulnerable, and Regina's high as Heaven; there isn't a better time for me and her to lay everything out on the table, to show all our cards, and to make things right." She explained. "I started this, and now I have to finish it." She started to pull away, but he held onto her.

"I can't let you do this." James said firmly.

"Yes you can." Snow said. "And you will." Realizing this was a battle he wasn't going to win, he reluctantly let her go. Snow knew full well what she was getting herself into. She was walking into a small room, alone and unarmed, with a psychopath inside. That wasn't suicidal at all. When she reached her destination, Bashful bowed.

"Hello, you're Majesty."

"Hi. You can leave us alone for a little bit." She said. The dwarf looked at her as if she had two heads.

"With all due respect, I wouldn't advise that." He said.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm in charge and you're not." Obediently, he stepped aside. "Close the door once I'm in, please." She crossed the threshold, and the door slammed shut behind her. The air immediately changed. Somewhere in her mind, Regina knew she hated the brunette, but that feeling was only a small, nagging thing.

"Hello, Snow." Regina smiled, and the princess almost smiled back. Almost. This woman had played her before, and she wasn't willing to take any chances. Instead, she cut right to the chase.

"It's not my fault." She simply stated.

"Whatever are you talking about?" The Queen asked sweetly.

"Daniel." Had Snow known the mere mention of his name would drag back all the memories and anger, she would have opted to skip that little tidbit.

"Don't you dare say his name!" Regina tried to sit up, but the searing pain in her abdomen had other plans.

"I'm not the one who ripped out his heart. Your mother did. I was naïve, Regina. I admit that. I made a mistake, something I do regret. If I had known that telling your mother would have resulted in his death, I wouldn't have done it. I'm sorry for that." Regina's eyes shined with unshed tears, but the brunette continued on. "You can make things right. I don't want to see you like your mother anymore." Snow said sincerely.

"I've lost everything. How can I even begin?" Her voice lost all its fight, and what Snow saw was someone who was truly broken.

"You lost your lover, son, and father." This statement is the one that threw Snow into a fit of anger. "I lost my daughter for 28 years and she's so far gone I don't know if I'll ever get her back. You murdered my father. I loved my mom, and I wouldn't be surprised if you somehow had a hand in her death as well. You made my grandson miserable. You destroyed my kingdom's happy endings, never mind the other kingdoms. You have no right to a pity party."

"Like you do!" Regina roared. Snow was vaguely aware that the dwarves standing guard outside the door could hear the screaming match, but she didn't care.

"I kind of do! All this time I have never allowed myself to wallow in self-pity, because I felt as though I deserved the guilt. I am done with that. Daniel's death was in the making since the moment your mother was born. I was simply the catalyst. You need to let go of your need for revenge, Regina. Daniel wouldn't want that for you." It was harsh and she knew it, but it had to be said. She watched as Regina struggled to keep her stony mask on, and as she broke down, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. She rushed over, enveloping her in a loving hug, much like the older woman had done for her as she grew up. "Can you let go of it for him?" She whispered.

"Yes."

AGAIN, SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET IT UP. I WOULD'VE HAD IT UP LAST NIGHT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU GUYS DESERVED MORE, SO HERE IT IS.