Authors note: Chapter forty already! Hope you'll enjoy, I put some cute Regina / Baby Henry in there to make up for the short chapter. ;)

...

Regina barged into the small appartment that once had been the one place she always avoided. After all, her arch nemisis lived here. She was followed on her heels by Daniel, who had - after she had told him about the situat - demanded he come with her.

"Mom!" Henry almost yelled as he ran towards his mother and wrapped his arms her waist.

"Henry." She breathed out and wrapped her arms around him also. "Where's Emma?" She asked once she noticed the blonde wasn't in the room.

"She's in her room, packing." Snow was the one to answer and she left her place next to her husband and instead leaned on the counter.

Regina nodded and then glanced into the direction Emma's bedroom would be. "Do you mind if I-"

"Not at all." Snow said with a shrug but the worry was still visible through the lines on her forehead and next to her eyes.

Regina slowly walked towards the bedroom. The door was halfopen en Regina could see the blonde walking back and forth from her closet to the suitcase that laid on the bed. She knocked, opening the door even further and Emma turned around.

"What's going on Emma?" Regina asked softly as she stepped inside the small room and sat down on the end of the bed.

Emma fidgeted with her fingers and looked down. "Nothing, it's just- you never know why might happen when you're on a roadtrip with Rumplestiltskin, you know." Emma smiled a watery smile when she looked up again. "And I'll miss Henry."

Regina nodded in understanding. "What does he want from you Emma."

Emma dropped down next to her on the bed and sighed. "Apparently, he wants me to go with him to New York, to find his son."

Regina eyebrows rose in surprise. "Gold has a son."

Emma grinned. "Yeah, I was surprised too." She then stood up again to grab another one of her infamous white tank tops and threw it in the suitcase. "Maybe he just needs me because I'm street smart."

"Maybe dear." Regina frowned slightly. "Just be careful Emma."

"I know, I promise. And I know there's probably no need to tell you this, but please make sure Henry stays safe."

Regina smiled softly. "Of course, dear. I'll protect him with my life. Just like I've always done."

"Thank you."

...

Cora practically ran into the foyer once she heard the faint sound of the lock opening. She had been worried sick, and seeing Regina's scared expression after she had gotten that call hadn't helped. She was already standing next to the staircase when the front door opened. Henry stepped in first followed by Regina and Daniel.

"What happened?" Cora asked to no one in particular.

"I'm just going to put Henry to bed." Regina said softly, exhaustion evident in her voice. She put her hand on his shoulder and together they made their way upstairs.

Daniel sighed as he pulled his jacket off and hung it up. "Rumplestiltskin cashed in his favor so now Emma has to accompany him to New York to find his son."

Cora's reaction was almost identical to the one Regina had given. "He has a son?"

"Regina didn't know it either." He smiled.

...

Henry was asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow. It caused Regina to smile as she brushed a lock of dark hair out of his eyes. He was growing up so quickly. She still remembered his first word and his first steps. He used to be so chubby as a baby and toddler, now he was loosing all his baby fat.

Her little boy was starting to become a man.

...

"Hello there, my little prince." Regina lovely cooed as she got on her knees. Henry was rolling on his stomach, he was wearing a blue onesie, matching the color of the rug he was lying on.

Henry looked up the moment he heard his mother's voice, his little fists grabbing as the rug as he started to wiggle his little body. Soft murmurs escaped his mouth as Regina melodic laugh filled the living room.

She got on her stomach so she was face to face with the almost one year old. She grabbed the rattler and laid it in front of Henry. His big brown eyes stared at the object for a moment before reaching for it and shaking the multicolored toy. He giggled when the rattling sounds filled the room.

But even thought Henry was enarmoured by the toy, it still lasted only seconds before the boy list interest. He wiggled his legs, crawling a little closer to his mother's face.

His chubby hand reached forwards and his fingers grabbed Regina's bottom lip. He started to pull at it, while he was shrieking in joy. Regina smiled as she took his little hand from her lip and placed a kiss on it.

"So you think that's funny Henry?" She grinned as she sat up and pulled the baby in her arms. His arms were flailing as Regina lifted him up so they were face to face. She placed him on her lap as she stroked his back.

Henry looked up at her with a toothless grin. His pointed his chubby finger at he as he started to murmur. "Ma mwa."

Regina was shocked to the core as she thought about her son had just said. "What did you just say Henry?" She asked sweetly.

"Mamwa!" He shrieked his fingers tangled in her short dark hair.

"Did you just call me mama?" Regina asked again as tears filled her eyes. She had never understood how much power that simple word actually now that she'd heard it from her son's mouth, she knew. The amount of love that was filling her heart was simple overwhelming as she hugged her little boy.

"Mamwa!"

Regina chuckled as Henry kept repeating the word. "Yes that's right, Henry. Mama."

...

Regina got downstairs again and she noticed Daniel and her mother sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea. She sat down on the chair next to her fiancé and shot him a tired smile. "He's asleep."

Daniel smiled back. "Good. I was just telling Cora about one of our secret dates we had back then."

Regina swallowed nervously as she looked at her mother, but was soothed the moment the older brunette smiled at her.

"You were quite good at hiding it, Regina. I never noticed."

"Well thank you mother." Regina smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes.

Cora chuckled when she saw Regina's cheeky smile. "I don't even want to know how you did it."

Regina laughed aloud as she stroked her stomach. "You mean you don't want to know what we were doing. I can assure you mother, nothing extremely inappropriate."

"Oh, Regina." Cora groaned. "Stop it. I do not need an image."

This time it was Daniel's turn to laugh.

They were so alike.

...

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