Here is the next chapter! Hope you all like it! I switch back and force between what Regina is thinking and what had happened in the days before. Hopefully its not to confusing for you. Enjoy!

"Thankyou! Thankyou so much Regina. You really don't understand how much we appreciate this!" Snow thanked me for the millionth time since I had agreed. What had I gotten myself into? This was all Henry's fault. I'm sure they planned it, made him the one to ask because they know I can't resist saying no to him. It doesn't matter now though, it's done, I have agreed. I must be losing my mind to have agreed to such a thing. At the same time though I can't help but feel a little honoured that they trusted with something so important. Maybe they were finally seeing that I was trying to change and am no longer the 'Evil Queen' they once knew. A small part of me though told myself I was fooling myself, and the only reason they asked me was because it was me or the clinic. I tried to brush that thought from my mind.

Emma wasn't making any progress. She refused to read notes, she wasn't paying attention to anything the doctors or her parents were saying. It was like when she lost her hearing she also lost a part of herself. The part of herself that fights back. The Emma I know is a fighter. If she wasn't a fighter we would be in a very different place right now. She fought for Henry, she fought for her family, she fought against me, and ultimately it was her strength and her willingness to not give up that saved the town. Now though, there is no part of that woman left, and that is why I am doing this.

Three days ago, once Henry had managed to calm Emma, and they had both fallen asleep in her bed, Charming and Snow had confronted me.

"Regina, is it true that you know sign language?" Snow had asked me softly.

"Yes, it is." I stated matter-of-factly.

"I didn't know that. When did you learn?" She asked curiously. She seemed anxious and hopeful, yet sad that she didn't know this small fact about me.

"Maria, my maid when I was younger was partially deaf. She taught me." I had responded, shrugging.

"Do you remember it? Because that would be a huge help in teaching Henry how to communicate with her. We are going to take classes, but maybe you could even help outside of class? It would make it a lot faster to learn." She asked me hopefully. That didn't seem like such a big deal. Of course I would teach Henry everything I know, that much was obvious. Technically I wasn't teaching the Charmings, I was just reiterating what they learned in class, and helping them if they made a mistake.

Henry was keen to start learning right away. He wanted to know as much as he could as fast as he could in order to converse with his mother, and try to make things easier for her. He picked up the alphabet fairly easy, as well as numbers and simple greetings such as hello, goodbye, and I love you. We had worked for hours together.

"Ok Henry, last one. Spell your name." I said tiredly, watching carefully as he spelled his name with his hands. "Good, but remember Y is like this." I responded, using my own hands to represent the letter.

"Uh…ok" We both knew that it was time to give up for today, as we stood and made our way to the kitchen. "Are you sure there is nothing you can do?" he asked me as I opened the cupboard and began to prepare our dinner.

"Do with what dear?" I asked over my shoulder as I began cutting up an onion. I heard him sigh quietly and turned to look at him.

"With Emma's hearing. Like, isn't there a spell or potion or something that could help her hear again?" This time it is my turn to sigh. Both myself and Mr Gold had been over this with the doctors and the Charmings. It just wasn't possible.

"Henry," I started, as I leant over the counter to look at him, "We've been over this before dear, it's not possible."

"I know you say that, but I don't understand why? Why is it that magic can heal some things but not Emma's hearing?" I could see sadness in his eyes, confusion. I wish it were that easy.

"Magic can heal things that are able to be healed. A cut or broken bone for example. That damage is reversible, it's not permanent. Emma's hearing, it's… it's not going to get better. It will never come back or heal by itself. Magic can do many things, but it cannot bring back something that is gone." My heart breaks as his lip quivers slightly, but I could see that he is determined not to cry. Slowly he looked up to meet my eyes and then lifted his hand for me to see. He brought his fingers to his thumb and then slowly raised his index and middle finger in a scissor like shape, never breaking eye contact with me. His little face broke my heart, and before I knew it I was embracing him in my arms.

"Ok." He whispered, "Ok."

That memory right there, that look on his face, that was what had made me agree to this. Against my better judgement, I just couldn't see that look on my son's face again. Teaching Henry was fine, I had no problem with that. Helping the Charmings out was fine, as long as I didn't have to spend too much time with them. But taking Emma into my home? That was another thing all together. But I had agreed.

"Emma needs constant supervision. She needs to be somewhere where sign language is going to be used every day. It's the only way she is going to learn." Doctor Whale had informed us, "Snow, David, as good as your intentions are with going to these classes to learn, it's not enough for Emma. She needs someone who knows sign language and can help her learn, not someone who is learning themselves." He tried to reason with them, but it was obvious of their concern and discomfort with leaving Emma in the hands of Doctor Whale and the other specialists. I never liked Whale, there's something about him that's off, but then again what option do they have?

"I don't know." Snow replied, looking up anxiously at Charming.

"Mom? Can't she stay with us?" I heard Henry ask from my side. I could feel everyone staring at me, waiting for my response. I knelt down in front of him, meeting his eye level.

"I don't think that is such a good idea Henry. She needs specialist help, the doctors can provide that here. Besides, Emma and I aren't exactly on the best of terms, I don't think it would really help her." I said. I watched as his shoulders slump forward, and I could feel both Snow and David react the same way; either from relief or disappointment I'm unsure.

I had stood at the door and watched as Snow tried to explain to Emma that she wasn't going home with them, and she had to stay at the hospital.

"No!" She had screamed, crying out and clutching her mother. "No please!"

"You have to!" Snow had cried back. Emma had refused to read anything after they had told her she was staying. There was no use trying to explain why. All Emma knew was that she had to stay in this place even longer, and she hated that. Snow was crying, trying to make Emma understand. Emma was crying at the fact she wasn't allowed to go home yet. Charming was crying at seeing his family so upset. The whole scene made my eyes burn, but I refused to cry. This wasn't my responsibility. She wasn't my responsibility. I owed them nothing.

I felt a tug on my hand and looked down to Henry now clutching it tightly. He looked back up at me, eyes glistening, cheeks wet with tears. I could see in his eyes he is pleading with me. I looked across the room to where David was now leaning against the wall, watching Snow hold a now broken Emma in her arms. As if she could sense my gaze she looked up and met my eye, that same look projected in hers as Henry's. I could feel a lump form in the back of my throat, my chest tightening. I didn't owe them anything. I looked back down at Henry.

"Please." He whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear it. I promised myself I would never see that look on his face again. I wiped away another tear that had fallen down his cheek.

"Ok." I whispered, my voice shaking. He hugged my side tightly, and I wrapped my arms around him. Looking across the room I found Snow's gaze once more and simply nodded at her. A tear fell down her face as she mouths back "thankyou". I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, no longer able to fight the tears that had wanted to escape and were now slowly making their way down my face. "Ok." I whispered again.

Thanks always for reviews! Hope you like it!