"Here we are, boys" Granny smiled as she placed a burger and fries in front of both Henry and Roland, chuckling fondly when the younger boy gasped at the sheer size of his food as she teased "it's almost bigger than you, isn't it sweetheart?" whilst Henry tucked straight in.
Roland nodded with wide eyes and an open mouth before he began giggling when she dropped a hand to tickle at his side. His laughter was infectious and had all three adults joining in whilst Henry smiled around a large mouthful of his own food. He looked to his father for a long moment afterwards though, asking silently how he was supposed to eat such a thing having grown up on stews and meats roasted over a spit and picked apart with spoons and his fingers, it was Henry though - after swallowing down his food of course, much to Regina's pride - who explained that the only way to eat this kind of food was with your hands.
"And the fries taste even better when you dip them in ketchup!" Henry exclaimed with an excitement that instantly had the younger boy's eyes lighting up as he mimicked Henry's movements and picked up a fry between his index finger and thumb, swiping it through the red puddle on his plate and biting at half of it before chewing carefully. They all watched with fond smiles as his head tilted in thought when Robin asked "what do you think, my boy?" and when his grin turned toothy, they couldn't help but laugh once more and delight in his exclaimed "yummy!"
Granny ruffled his unruly curls - Roland was much too caught up in learning about burger eating etiquette from Henry to pay her any more attention - before turning to Robin and Regina and telling them "I'll be right out with your food."
Robin smiled and nodded whilst Regina managed a small one of her own before her eyes fell to their hands linked beneath the table. He'd been rubbing his thumb along the length of hers since they'd sat down and even just the warmth of him pressed against her side had her feeling calmer than what she'd believed she could when she'd suggested coming here that morning.
They'd been shocked, Robin and Henry - Roland was still much too young to understand anything more than Regina had been sad for a while - when she'd made the request for the outing but they'd agreed instantly. He'd pulled her aside, Robin, when they'd all moved upstairs to begin getting ready - watching him pull on his rather worn jeans had reminded her that both he and Roland had barely any clothes from this world, only those that had been created with Snow's curse and that she'd need to take them both shopping, Henry too with his growth spurt this past year - and told her that there was absolutely no pressure on her to leave the house if she didn't want to. She'd smiled affectionately and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek that he'd leaned into before telling him that she wanted to go out with her boys.
He leaned in a little heavier against her, swapping the hand that she held with his other in order to drape his arm over her shoulder and pull her closer to him, she went willingly with a deep exhale, a little of the tension she held leaving her body.
Granny reappeared only a handful of minutes later, a hearty beef stew for Robin and a warm chicken salad for Regina in her hands. The brunette frowned as soon as the plate hit the counter before she turned to ask "did your hand slip whilst you were adding the chicken?" for there was a rather larger than usual pile atop her lettuce as well as fried bacon bits that seemed to be laced throughout.
The older woman merely let her eyes follow the length of Regina's body, stopping where the table hid her bottom half before lifting her eyes to meet dark once more and raising her eyebrows pointedly, chiming out an overly nonchalant "enjoy!" and walking away without argument. It unnerved Regina to think that a woman who had - not too long ago - fired an arrow straight at her head was quietly ensuring she was taking care of herself. Unnerved and confused her.
He wouldn't eat until she did, she knew that, had learned it over the past few days and so, without dwelling further on the old woman's apparent change of heart, she began on her own plate of food.
"You're really pretty you know."
She looked up in surprise, her eyes having been on the carpeted floor whilst she let her thoughts take control, to find Henry sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed, socked feet tucked into the creases of his knees with his hands resting together atop the sides of his legs where they met. He wore his flannel pyjama set, the bottoms reaching just shy of his ankles - another reminder that they needed to go shopping, all of them. "Henry," a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips because if nothing else, just the sight of her son in their home, in his pyjamas, waiting for her on her bed could always have a flood of warmth gushing through her, "what are you doing in here, sweetheart?"
He ignored her though, his brow furrowed gently as he continued talking as though she hadn't asked him anything. "And you always smell good," it had her brow furrowing in question because she could think of no reason for him to be saying these things to her all of a sudden, "I think I missed that most," he nodded to himself, "when I left home, when Greg and Tamara took me and…" he breathed a somewhat frustrated sigh as though his own thoughts were tripping him up and she understood why when he continued "even though I couldn't remember you when you broke the curse and all I knew was Emma and New York and the life you'd given us…" his eyes dropped to the fingers fiddling with the hem of his pyjama bottoms, "there was still something missing and I didn't know what it was until you hugged me again."
"Oh sweetheart," her throat was tight with emotion as a tear dripped from Henry's cheek, illuminated by the lamp on her bedside table. She walked towards him, lifted her knees and crawled over to him on the bed. She almost let out a loud sob of her own when he was instantly climbing onto her lap as she came to sit still and burying his face into her chest, inhaling deeply. Her perfume had faded with the day, only lingering traces now on her sweater that were so very subtle they were almost unnoticeable but it was what he was used to, what he remembered from his childhood. Her hugs had always made him feel better. One arm wrapped around his waist, holding him to her whilst the other bent upwards to allow her hand to support his head against her as she bent to press kisses into his hair. "It's okay, my darling," she cooed, rocking them gently back and forth, "I'm not leaving you," she tilted her head to rest her cheek on the crown of his head before whispering "I'll never leave you again."
It had been a long time coming, this moment, for too much had happened since he'd arrived back in town and he'd gotten his blessed memories back - too much had gotten in the way of them.
He nodded against her, holding her even tighter and pressing his face even harder to her chest. The movements soothed him but then again there was no surprise there. She always knew exactly what to do to calm him, to comfort him and to have him feeling better enough to think straight. He always felt safe with her. Even when he'd been given the book, had found out about his adoption and who his mother was (or had been), there had never been any fear for his own safety. He'd never once been afraid to speak his mind with her, never felt the threat of her magic nor her wrath. She loved him unconditionally and it had only been recently that he'd truly been able to appreciate his mother's heart.
They were quiet for a long moment after the rocking and his cries ceased, just content to breathe together, to be together. Mother and son clinging to one another in the midst of a tragedy. It was grounding having him back in her arms fully and though she'd never really forgotten the weight of his body in her arms, it was certainly nice to feel it once more.
His next words were muffled, almost inaudible with his position against her so, somewhat begrudgingly, she leant back and moved both hands to cup his cheeks when he pulled back as well, her thumbs moving softly across either side of his jaw as her eyes traced his handsome face, marvelling at just how much he'd grown. She smiled as she removed one hand to sweep back a lock of hair from his forehead and asked "what did you say, honey?"
He leaned into her touch, her warm palm and her gentle caress before telling her "I won't let him hurt you again Mom," and his tone held no room for argument as he continued "and I know there's Robin and Emma and David" because they'd all noticed his quietness, his unease when Snow had requested Regina meet with her father, "and they're bigger and stronger and everything," she noticed how he carefully omitted Snow's name but made no mention of it, she knew by now just how perceptive her son was and that he was no longer a little boy easily placated by well-meaning white lies, "but I can fight for you too and I can keep you safe too."
"I know my darling," she shushed him gently for she could feel him starting to grow hysterical once more and it only had her heart clenching within her chest as she told him "you have always been my valiant little prince," she shook her head in complete affectionate wonderment, "my bravest knight and my greatest protector and I know that you want to help me Henry, that you're desperate to heal my bruised and battered heart," she cupped both of his cheeks in her hands, pulled his face a little closer to her own and told him "but you started that process almost twelve years ago when you were first placed into my arms." Her own tears began streaking her face though she paid them no mind, "you have saved me in every way possible sweetheart, have no doubt in your mind about that."
He looked at her for a long moment, a frown pulling at his lips before he was nodding and falling into her once more, arms wrapping back around her waist as he cried "I love you Mom."
Her reply came easily and seamlessly from between her lips as she told him "and I love you my sweet Henry," glancing up to find Robin watching them from the doorway with a tender smile on his face, there was also concern there but her own small smile seemed to placate that worry as he nodded at her silent question and moved to take himself to the guest room, happy to allow mother and son this night together.
She maneuvered them both to lie beneath her thick duvet, her head on the pillow and his still on her chest with an arm threaded through the gap between the small of her back and the bed and the other laying over her waist as his hot breaths began deepening whilst she hummed a tender lullaby to ease him into sleep. He'd been tired before this emotional upheaval and with how quickly he fell under she found herself worried that perhaps they should have done this sooner, should have talked about this sooner even if only to allow Henry a peaceful night's sleep but he was here now and calm within her hold and so, with one last kiss pressed to the top of his head, she replaced her lips with her cheek and allowed herself to be dragged into slumber content in the knowledge that she'd be waking up to an unburdened young man in her arms.