A/N: Trigger warning for embarrassing parents in this one. Also: SwanQueen - fair warning. [No, not what you think!] And then I wanted to thank you all again, 'cause you're so great and giving me so much love. I love this story a lot and you're a big reason why. Thanks.

"Mom? What're you doing?" Emma asked as she cut the line at the kissing booth where Snow had just given Bashful a mighty smack on the mouth. He was grinning - and blushing furiously.

"I'm working," Snow said smiling. "Okay, that sounded kind of wrong. It's for charity, Emma. You should sign up, too. All the princesses have," she added with a wink and received an eyeroll.

"Hey, blondie, either kiss her or step back. We've all paid for the priviledge," someone behind Emma called and she turned. It was Hook, not surprisingly. "Hello, luv." He gave her a wink and Emma turned back to her mother.

"I'm certainly not signing up for this when he's around. And I've seen Neal earlier. With my luck they would get into a fight over who first and how long and how much tongue," she said in an annoyed and rather audible tone.

"Mom!" The disgusted voice of her son rose over the noise of the fair and Emma looked over.

Henry stood just a few feet away, Regina behind him. The dark-haired woman had a comical expression on her face.

"Oh, hey, kid," Emma said weakly and exchanged a look with her mom who just barely kept from laughing. "See you later. Save some for dad," she threw back over her shoulder before she joined Henry and Regina.

"Hey, I see you have rescued our son from shooting himself in the foot?" Emma said to Regina who smiled. Henry huffed indignantly.

"And just in time, too," Regina joked.

"Please," Henry waved her away, rolling his eyes.

"He's almost perfected that eyeroll of yours, Regina. You better watch out," Emma said grinning.

"Oh, please," and now Regina rolled her caramel-colored eyes and it was indeed quite a bit more impressive than Henry's.

Emma laughed.

"Where have you left my dad?" She then asked looking around.

"He's going to give a speech," Henry said and both women looked at him questioningly.

"A speech? David?" Regina asked and their son nodded.

"Yeah, he said something about... trying to find a way back to Fairy Tale Land, or something... he was talking to Grumpy about it."

Emma and Regina looked at each other.

"Leave it to Prince Charming to make something as festive as a spring celebration into a reminder how miserable everyone is here," Regina grumbled.

"I'm sure that's not how he'll put it," Emma said but wasn't really sure what David was up to. It was the first time she heard about this, too. But she also hadn't known that her mother had signed up for the kissing booth. She had paid little attention to the preparations of the fair where it didn't touch on her job.

"I hope not. I was kind of getting used to Saturday night's without a mob at my front door," Regina gave back.

And that was the moment a drum roll from the stage was heard all around the carnival ground. Everbody turned toward it and the man rising from the drums - David Nolan. He stepped up to a microphone and Regina gave Emma a look that could only mean 'Your dad is a douche.' Or that was, at least, how Emma interpreted it.

"Let's see if we can get a better look," Emma suggested and pointed at a relatively free space not too far from the stage.

"I'd rather head for the exit, to be honest," Regina gave back but followed Emma and Henry forward.

"Good evening, everyone. I hope everybody is having a great time. I know I am," David said and some people applauded. "It's a great fair and I think we should take a moment to thank everbody involved. Mother Superior, the nuns... or fairies," he said with a wink and some people laughed. "Grumpy, you did a great job on the light, as always. Everybody else who worked tirelessly on building booths and this stage, the dancefloor. You all did an amazing job. And, of course, a special thank you for Madam Mayor who initiated the fair. Come on, give it up to everyone who helped," David called into the mic and started clapping his hands as well. Everybody joined him and Emma was whistling on her fingers, winking at Regina.

The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes again but she was also smiling. She was aware that a year ago nobody would have clapped their hands for her, or even thanked her for this kind of effort.

"You did great," Emma said leaning over.

"Thank you," Regina mouthed with a small smile that was just for the sheriff. Then she lay an arm around Henry's shoulders and he smiled up at her.

"That's right, everyone did a great job. But I know - I know because I feel the same way - that most of us are here today with mixed feelings. Celebrating a season reminds me of the same season I'm missing home. Yeah, I know, we could lay blame again, we could point our fingers at the guilty party but that's not why I'm saying this. We're here now but I think we're all missing home, wherever that may be. And I think today would be the perfect day to start something... a search, a promise to find a way back home - for those of us who want to go back, that is."

There were agreeing murmurs from the crowd, some people clapped, others looked over at Regina with dark looks. David once again seemed to express what most people were thinking, feeling. He was a great motivational speaker - sometimes too good and Emma looked back at the crowd darkly, just in case someone decided to lay blame or point fingers or do something more drastic.

"I think it is an aim we should work toward, whether we want to stay here or go back. Storybrooke is a good place to live. I think we can agree that we got all the amenities and few of the downsides this country has to offer. But it's not home... it is a home and we could probably live here comfortably for generations. But I for one would like to see the Enchanted Forest again. I would like to raise my children there and come visit here whenever we can. I know some, probably most of you, feel the same way. And the rest can certainly sympathize."

Emma felt a tug at her left sleeve and turned her head towars her mother who was just joining them. She smiled proudly at the man on the stage as she pushed her arm through Emma's.

"I know we've already talked about finding a way back but it seems to me that so far we've done nothing but talk. I think we should start looking for a way home. I'm sure you all know Neal Cassidy by now. He's a relatively new part of this community and some may even know him better by the name Baelfire. He's Rumplestiltskin's son and he has agreed to let us look through his late father's shop to maybe find some... device that could help us get home."

There was murmuring all around the fair ground now. Emma felt Regina stir at the news and looked at her but the mayor's eyes were on David.

"I know. All magic comes at a price. Believe me, I know. But we have some people in our midst who can make magic work and I'm not talking dark magic... the fairies have alread agreed to help. I'm pretty sure our daughter Emma will do what she can and I now want to ask - with your permission, of course - Regina Mills, the mayor, also known as... the Evil Queen for her help."

While the fair ground had been abuzz with murmurings and calling outs from people through most of his speech, everyone instantly fell silent at those last words. And after a moment's shock they all turned to where Regina stood with Henry and Emma and Snow. Regina still had her eyes on David, perplexed, blinking rapidly now that his words registered. Then she looked at Emma with something akin to panic.

"It's okay," Emma mouthed and rubbed the arm that lay on their son's shoulder. "We can do this together." She nodded encouragingly at the dark-haired woman and Regina started to mimic the gesture. Then she stopped and closed her eyes for a short moment. When she opened them, she looked up at the stage at David and nodded again.

"I'll help," she mouthed and David smiled at her.

"She said she'll help," David told everyone. The murmuring resumed. "Then I suggest, we mark this day as official Fairy Tale Day in Storybrooke. We will try to find a way back home but should we not succeed for whatever reason... I think we should come back here each year and celebrate, find new strength with each other, talk about home, remember. Happy Fairy Tale Day, Storybrooke." David lifted a mug with beer and saluted the town.

Most of the people in the crowd answered his call with one of their own, but some looked a little displeased and then there were those who looked outright hostile at Regina.

Emma looked at Regina, too, and the mayor found Emma's eyes again as soon as she turned from David.

"Fairy Tale Day?" she asked with a frown.

"It's an awesome idea," Henry exclaimed and Snow nodded.

From Regina's look Emma could easily guess that she didn't think it awesome at all and she smiled at the other woman.

"I guess you could always veto the official notion," she whispered at Regina.

"I just might," Regina gave back at the same volume and they smiled at each other.

There was a noise at the window. Regina lay very still in her bed and listened for it to come again. There it was. What was it? Her heart beat loudly and she couldn't hear very well over it. Was it...?

"Regina," a voice called from outside. "Oh, Madam Mayor." The same voice came again and now Regina knew exactly who it belonged to.

"I can't believe this," Regina exclaimed and swung her legs out of bed. She went to the window and looked outside. There was someone in her backyard, someone very familiar who now waved up at her with a huge smile on her face. Regina opened the window.

"Emma," she called down but tried to keep her voice low at the same time so as not to wake Henry. The name came out as a hiss.

"Hey," Emma's voice came back. "Can I come in?" She asked hopefully and there was a slight slur in her voice. The fact that she was trying very hard to lean leasurly against a tree convinced Regina that the sheriff was drunk.

"It's late, Emma. Go home before you wake Henry," the mayor gave back in another hiss.

"Henry's sleeping at the other side of the house," Emma lectured Regina on the layout of the mansion. "I can't go home. I think I lost my keys... or the way... or something. I don't know where my bug is," she added for good measure, as if that would convince Regina to open the door for her.

Regina rolled her eyes.

"Go to the front door and be quiet," the mayor hissed at the blonde and then closed her window.

"For heaven's sake," she mumbled under her breath as she slipped into her robe and left her bedroom. Her bare feet barely made a sound on the carpet in the hall and she slipped silently downstairs to open the front door.

There stood Emma, again leaning seemingly lazy against one of the pillars in the entrance.

"Hi," she said grinning.

Regina didn't look very pleased, her look was scolding.

"What are you doing here?"

"I told you, I lost my keys and I don't know where I live and... erm..."

"You can't find your bug?" Regina reminded her.

"Yeah, that too," Emma said and nodded eagerly.

"Come in. You can sleep in the guest room. But you have to be very quiet when we walk up the stairs," Regina told the blonde and took her arm. Emma wobbled a little and Regina lay her arm around her own shoulders.

"I'm quiet, very quiet. See... not a sound," Emma was whispering as they walked up the stairs. "Nobody can hear me, I'm so quiet. Don't you think I'm quiet, 'Gina?"

Regina sighed audibly.

"Psst, you must be quiet, too," Emma berated her.

They made it upstairs with only one panicky moment of Regina almost losing hold of Emma. And the blonde was still mumbling her mantra of quietness as they made their way down the hall to the guest bedroom. Regina opened the door and maneuvered them both inside.

"Do I have to sleep here? It's dark," Emma said tightening her hold on Regina's waist. Regina reached out an arm and the light went on. She pushed the door behind her nearly closed.

"Better?" she asked sarcastically as Emma squinted against the sudden light.

"Ow," the blonde said. "It smells funny," she said petulantly.

"It doesn't... I'll open the window."

"But then it'll be cold," Emma pouted.

Regina looked at her for a moment.

"What have you been drinking Emma?" she asked.

Regina hadn't stayed very long after David's little speech. She had left with Henry but had felt the looks of the Storybrookies in the back of her head. She had actually been relieved when Tinkerbell had approached her in the parking lot, telling her that Emma had asked her to follow her home. Regina had wanted to decline the offer but had thought better of it when she looked down at her son. Tink had followed them home in a cruiser and then promised to drive by the house every half hour to make sure everything was okay. Regina had protested weakly but Tink had insisted that the sheriff would have her hide if she let anything happen to Henry or her. And that was the last she had heard of the sheriff - that she was worried. Now she was drunk.

"It's all Ruby's fault. She knows this guy... and he made punch, yummy punch with... fruit," Emma said looking like she should remember what kind of fruit but not quite able to.

"That's great, I will thank Ms. Lucas when I see her at church tomorrow," Regina said as she helped Emma sit down on the bed. "Window open or closed?" She asked looking down at the blonde with a no-nonsense expression.

"Can't I sleep in your room?"

"I'm not going to sleep in the guest room in my own house," Regina gave back.

"I didn't think you would," Emma said with a mischievous grin and Regina couldn't help but laugh. She leaned down and laid both hands on Emma's thighs, their faces so close they were almost touching. Emma looked a little cross-eyed at the other woman but started to lean in when Regina said.

"You can hardly stand without help, I think seduction is a little out of your range of abilities tonight, Ms. Swan," the latina purred and stood.

"I think I can manage," Emma gave back as Regina turned to walk out the door.

"I would barely trust you to keep up with me sober... drunk? I might kill you," the mayor said with a sexy smile on her face.

Emma's eyes went round, her mouth opened.

"Goodnight, sheriff," Regina threw over her shoulder as she left the room and closed the door silently.