Sorry for the delay for this next update. It's been crazy, and I didn't even know what I wanted to do with this chapter. I hope you're as satisfied as I am! Thanks again for all of the comments and views! Keep 'em coming!

Ruby tenderly rubbed the bruise on the back of her head from where it hit the wall. She knew the mayor was a powerful person, but she had never known her to physically display that command. It terrified her, being tossed around like some ragdoll.

She rubbed her tired eyes, suddenly knowing just how exhausted Regina was after staying up night after night just to see Emma. What was that all about anyway? Out of all of the events that happened the previous night, Regina secretly visiting the sheriff to hold her hand was even more surprising than the brunette losing her cool and chucking Ruby around.

What was Regina playing at? What was her angle? It was no secret that the two women hated each other, and were constantly battling over their son. More often than not, he was caught in the crossfire between the two, and Ruby hated seeing the pain in his eyes.

In fact, that was really the only reason why she decided to play along with Operation Brush. The look of hope shining on his face made it impossible not to indulge him. Since Emma's misfortune, the boy sulked and scowled in a manner not unlike that of his adoptive mother.

But Ruby was a fool. She knew she was setting him up for disappointment. There was no way she could tell him about what she saw last night. There was already too much tension surrounding the troubled trio. This news could destroy him.

The little bell over the door tinkled merrily, breaking her from her swirling thoughts. Of course Henry skipped in, looking more chipper than she had seen him in weeks. He hopped up onto one of the stools at the counter, grinning like crazy.

"Hey Ruby!"

"What's up, Henry? Where's Mary Margaret at?"

"I wanted to walk to school by myself today." The knowing look he gave her made her stomach squirm. She knew exactly what he wanted to discuss without the teacher there.

"How is Operation Brush? Find out anything new?"

"Listen, Kiddo. I know how much this means to you, but I think we're going to have to shut down Operation Brush."

His smile faltered. "What? But it only just started!"

"I know, but... It's complicated. You wouldn't understand, and I don't even understand-"

"You found out something! You have to tell me! Please?"

"Henry..."

"Oh, so you get to know something about my mom, which, in case you didn't notice, is cursed right now!" He was scowling at her, all of his joy completely gone.

"It's not that simple, Henry. I wish it were, but this is way more messed up than-"

"Messed up? What happened, Ruby," Henry practically growled. He fixed her with an unblinking stare, and she felt herself breaking.

"Regina was there last night," she hissed.

"...What?"

"I'm not kidding, Henry."

"Was she trying to hurt her? I know she's the one who cursed her! Was she poisoning her? Messing with her IV or something?"

"Not really. She was..."

"Yeah?"

"She. Well, Regina was holding Emma's hand." Henry's jaw practically hit the floor. "Yeah. And when she did, that's when Emma's heart rate jumped. And then Regina was touching Emma's face! Not in a mean way. It was really...gentle. And then Emma's heart went crazy when Regina touched her lips."

"WHAT?" Ruby jumped at his exclamation.

"I told you it was messed up, Kiddo."

"I gotta see someone. Thanks, Ruby!"

"Hey, don't you have school?"

"Call Ms Blanchard and tell her that I got diarrhea or something!" He dashed out of the diner.

He hurried through the door to the stuffy little pawnshop, the ringing bell sounding much more ominous than the one over Granny's entrance. He peered through the gloom, looking for Gold. He approached the counter at the back quietly, always feeling like he shouldn't make noise, as if he was in a library.

The man he sought stepped out of his back room, looking at Henry with polite surprise. "Hello there, Henry. Can I help you with something?"

"It's about my mom. Emma, I mean."

"Yes. Such a terrible thing. I see she hasn't woken up yet."

"You told me that the only thing that could wake her up is True Love's Kiss."

"Indeed. That hasn't changed."

"I've been looking for her True Love."

"So I've heard. It would seem that Miss Swan has unknowingly kissed every bachelor in town."

Henry flushed at that comment. "Yeah. Not sure how I'm going to explain that to her when she wakes up." They both chuckled. "That's what I wanted to ask you. Emma's True Love isn't a man, is it?"

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out." Gold's eyes sparkled with mischief.

Henry's mouth gaped. "My mom loves a woman?"

"I daresay she does, Henry."

"But... Who?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question as well." His tone was even, pleasant and his knowing smirk never left his thin lips.

"But, they hate each other!"

"Look how often that brings people together. Remember the tale of Beauty and the Beast? Dear Belle had no fondness for Beast in the beginning. Yet, love still blossomed between the two, despite their differences."

"Yeah, but Belle didn't hate Beast. She resented him."

"Even so, Henry. Now, if I am not mistaken, you're very late for school. Off with you."

"Thanks, Mr Gold."

"It was my pleasure."

He left the shop, definitely not heading for the school. He dialed Ms Blanchard's number from one of the hospital phones. Her panicked voice crackled through the receiver.

"Henry? Where are you? Are you okay? Ruby said you got an upset stomach!"

"I'm okay, Ms Blanchard. I swear. I did get a stomachache, and after I really wanted to see Emma." He put as much sorrow into his voice as he could, knowing that the poor woman wouldn't be able to refuse him. "I miss her so much. I needed to be with my mom. Especially when my tummy doesn't feel good..."

A pained sigh came from the phone. "Okay. But you can't make a habit of this. Do you understand, Henry? Will you be able to get back to the apartment okay?"

"I'll be fine. Thanks, Ms Blanchard!" He hung up the phone and walked straight to Emma's room. Leroy was sitting next to the blonde, snoring in his deep sleep. Some watchman he was. The sight made Henry giggle, especially the little strand of saliva slowly making its way down the scruffy man's beard.

"Leroy?" Henry tentatively poked him in the arm.

"Mph!"

"Wake up, Leroy!"

The man opened his bloodshot eyes, looking down at the boy as if he had only just seen him for the first time. "Henry?"

"Hey!"

"Henry? What're you doin' here, kid?"

"I wanted to see my mom. Mind if you give us a little privacy?"

Leroy mumbled a tired consent, getting up and tottering out of the room. He plopped down into one of the chairs in the little waiting area and fell back to sleep immediately. Henry grasped one of Emma's hands, cringing at its coldness. He remembered what Ruby said, and listened to see if there was a change in the tempo of his mother's heart. There wasn't. It stayed constant. He knew what he needed to do.

"Emma? It's Henry. I'm sorry you've been stuck like this for so long. It's my fault. I was looking for your True Love in all the wrong places, and I'm really sorry about making all of those guys kiss you.

"How come you didn't tell me that you liked my mom? Don't you see? It makes sense! You're the Savior! You're supposed to break the Curse and abolish Evil. I just didn't think you'd end up doing it that way.

"I'm gonna make this right for you. For us. For Mom. I'll never stop believing in you, Emma. I'm gonna fix this. I'm not sure how, just yet, but I will. I promise. I love you, Emma." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and set off for his next destination: The City Hall. Regina's office.

The boy burst through the double doors to the mayor's office. He always had a flare for the dramatic, something he definitely got from his adoptive moher. Regina's head snapped up off of the desk, looking startled and trying to identify the intruder.

Her eyes widened when she saw her son standing in the doorway, looking determined. She felt her heart break a little more, knowing that he was going to start yelling at her again. But when she looked at Henry a little closer, she saw a different kind of determination in his hazel eyes.

"Henry? What on earth are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?" She rushed from the desk, kneeling down in front of the boy. She placed her hand on his tousseled hair, and he didn't shove it away.

"You've got to kiss her!"

The little bubble of happiness that had inflated in her chest shrunk a little bit. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I know you're scared! I know why you cursed her, but Gold told me that only True Love's Kiss can wake her up!" Regina's expression soured at the mention of that man.

"You shouldn't be listening to anything that man says."

"It doesn't matter. I was looking for her True Love in all the men. It isn't a man she loves!"

"Henry, what are you talking about?"

"You're her True Love, Mom!" Regina's heart burst, tears pricking her eyes immediately when he called her 'Mom.' "Don't you see? You're the only one who can wake her up! You've got to kiss her!"

"Henry..."

"No excuses! I know you might be the Evil Queen, but don't you see? Why doesn't anyone see what's so obvious? Emma's the Savior. It's her destiny to break the Curse and defeat the Queen." Regina could only mouth wordlessly at all that came tumbling from the boy's mouth. The worst part was that she understood precisely what he was talking about.

"I thought it meant you two were supposed to have some kind of epic battle. But now I see it. She's the product of True Love. She defeats Evil by destroying the Evil in you with love."

"Henry, please."

"No! No more pretending, Mom! Look at me and tell me the truth!"

Regina looked straight into the hardened eyes urging her to come clean about her feelings. She was prepared to deny it until the world ended, but he kept calling her Mom.

"Everything will change with us if you kiss her! Do you realize what we could have?"

"What's that Henry?"

"A family."

Regina's heart leapt to her throat. His expression was still hard and determined, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. That little smirk of his flooded her with a courage she hadn't felt in decades.

She took a deep breath, willing her jangling nerves to steady. "You...you're right, Henry. I do...like Ms Swan. But I wouldn't go so far as to call it love."

"But think of what happens when you hold Emma's hands! I know you know she reacts to you, and only you, Mom."

"That stupid girl couldn't keep her mouth shut, could she," Regina grumbled referring to Ruby's intrusion the night before.

"She didn't want to tell. I made her. Look, when I hold her hand, when anyone else does, she stays the same. Nothing changes. But when you touch her... I know you feel it."

"That doesn't mean love, Henry."

"Will you please try?" They stared at each other, his beseeching look totally disarming the mayor. Then he said the words he knew she wouldn't be able to deny, "For me?"

Regina sighed in defeat. "I will...think about it. No promises."

"Thanks so much, Mom!" He threw his arms around her, and she quickly moved to pull him into a rib-cracking embrace. She wished the hug would never end, but he pulled away.

"I have to go, but thanks again. I know this will work!" He started to walk away.

"Henry?" Regina called after him. He turned to look at her. "I've missed you." Tears splashed down her pale, tired face.

His mouth split into a shy grin. "I missed you too."