Hey guys, here's the next chapter :)

Emma woke up early the next morning. As she buttoned up her shirt, she looked over to her sleeping lover. The sun was dancing on her face as she breathed in the morning. All four limbs were sprawled out in different directions. Occasionally, she'd bat away at the rays of light trying to get more darkness. Emma smiled and kissed her on the forehead before heading out.

Regina was an early riser too, so she figured the morning would be a perfect time to call. She dialed the familiar number as she walked to the coffee shop down the block.

"Hello?"

"Regina, it's Emma."

Her voice grew more stern. "Emma. I'm surprised to hear your voice this early."

"Yeah, I would have called last night, but I got home kinda late and that's when Kate told me you called."

"Does she live with you now?"

"What?" Emma was taken aback by the inquiry. "No, she just stays over the nights that she doesn't have her morning classes the next day."

There was a pause. Emma was certain that Regina was thinking of some way to call her a predator or display her disgust for their age difference.

"Only if she finishes all her homework, right?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Emma answered as she opened the door to the coffee shop. "So you called last night. What's up?"

Another pause. A long one. "I was hoping that you could take Henry this weekend."

Regina never called to ask her to take Henry. Since she moved to Boston last year, she still saw him once a month, but it was always self-initiated. Regina was willing to share, but not eager.

"Sure, I mean, I'd love to. What's the occasion?"

"What do you mean, Ms. Swan?"

Emma laughed, grabbing her coffee and bear claw from the barista. "It's just that you never ask me to look after Henry."

"Well, Kathryn's busy and I have a meeting out of town." There was a short pause before Regina continued. "So can you be here on Friday at 5?"

"Yeah, Friday at 5."

"Great. I'll see you then."

Before Emma could respond, Regina had hung up. She wasn't sure whether to be happy or confused. But either way, she looked forward to seeing her son.

Regina stood outside of Henry's school as the children burst through the door. She instantly spotted her son as he perched his bag higher on one shoulder. She raised one arm to get his attention and saw his instant delight.

"Mom, what are you doing here? I thought I was taking the bus," he asked.

"I thought we could go to Granny's for some tea," she answered.

"Yeah, sure!" he squealed. His mother never picked him up from school, as she was usually tied up in meetings. The change was a pleasant surprise.

"So dear," she began as they headed over to the diner, "What did Ms. Blanchard teach you today?"

"We started a unit on fairy tales today," he answered. "Everyone has to learn about their family's history and retell their story to the class."

Great. How original of Snow. And better yet, another forum for her story of ripping hearts out to be told. But Henry yammered on about the project as they walked in the door. He only paused briefly to say hi to Ruby as she sat them and handed them menus. Ruby chuckled as Regina rolled her eyes, the both of them finding humor in Henry's exuberance.

"So I take it Ms. Blanchard will want me to tell you the story of how I became the Evil Queen?" Regina asked as she smoothed out her napkin across her lap, "Because she's so much better at telling how she ruined my life."

"No, that's all in my book," Henry answered. "Actually, I kinda want to tell how you and mom saved me from Neverland."

Regina was taken aback by the statement. "But Henry, that's not a fairy tale."

"Mmm," he shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that." He had that devilish grin about him that Regina was certain he'd inherited from Emma. "Anyway, Ruby, I'll have a chocolate milkshake!"

"Ruby, we'll have two teas," Regina corrected. She looked back to Henry. "Well, you can ask your other mother all about that this weekend."

"Emma's coming?!" he lit up instantly.

"Yes, she'll be watching you while I'm away."

Henry frowned for a moment. "But, if you're away, you and Emma can't…"

Regina cut him off. She knew what he was going to say. If she was away, she and Emma couldn't get together, or spend time with each other, or fall in love. Something along those lines.

"Henry, we've been over this dear," she shook her head. "Not going to happen."

"But, you did once before?" he pleaded. "Why not now?"

Regina hated when he brought up the brief affair she'd had with Emma. After being hauled up on a ship and rescuing their son together, it was hard for them not to be together. But given their differences, the love was brief, ending later that year.

"Henry," she sighed, "your mother and I are just not compatible in that way." She looked over to her son who was still frowning. "I know you don't exactly like Kate…"

He cut her off. "It's not that I don't like her." He took a gulp of his tea. "And I know Ma's not that old, but, Kate feels…well…more like a sister than Ma's girlfriend."

Regina couldn't help but smirk at her son's comment. She wanted nothing more than to rag on about the subject of her ex's new lover's youth, but feeling her obligation to be a responsible parent, she restrained herself. "She is…on the younger side…but I'm sure Emma is just going through a phase."

"She keeps most of her stuff at Ma's apartment."

"How do you know that?!" Regina said with a bit of jealousy.

"Emma gave her the spare closet."

Regina choked a bit upon hearing this. She had adjusted to the idea of Emma dating other people. It was the little things that hurt. Those small details of intimacy and signs of growing closer struck a chord that made her cringe inside. Still, she held her own.

"Well, everyone needs a place to keep things," she said, finishing her tea in the following silence. "We had better get you home so you can pack."