"I want to do you now!"
"Well, ok, but just once. And not too hard! I've only just had lunch and I don't fancy chucking it back up."
Henry beams as he jumps up from the swivel chair which currently centres the blonde's office amidst the no longer needed 'caution- wet floor' signs and waits for Emma to take his recently vacated spot. She offers him an exaggerated look of foreboding as she crosses her legs to sit perched on the threadbare seat; shimmying a little to ease the pull of her jeans.
"You have to close your eyes, ok?"
"Do I?"
"Yes! It's the whole point!"
"Ok, ok! They're closed!"
The Sheriff chuckles as Henry adopts his best patronising tone. She feels a waft of air hit the tip of her nose and imagines the boy is waving his hand in front of her face to test her.
"Okaaaay... Commencing countdown! Three... Two... One... Blast off!"
The blonde lets out a high-pitched yelp as she scrambles desperately for something to cling to as Henry spins the chair with surprising force for his size. She almost accomplishes it, too - fingers digging into the sides of the seat - but with her vision compromised and her head spinning, she overreaches, sending herself flying off the chair to land in a crumpled heap on the floor. Henry cracks up loudly with laughter.
"Your empathy is truly honourable..."
Emma grumbles.
"What's empathy?"
"Something in which you are clearly lacking. Not surprising, given your mo-..."
Trailing off quickly - while inwardly asking herself why she should feel the need - she reaches out a hand from her pathetic position at the boy's feet and raises a brow.
"Care to give me a hand?"
She asks, and Henry eagerly complies; exerting excessive effort and almost pulling the blonde back onto the floor, only this time on top of himself. Staggering, Emma steadies him as he trips over his own feet.
"Wow, truly the world's most coordinated family. Ever consider taking up figure skating, either of you?"
Ruby quips sarcastically from the doorway, beaming at the grinning boy and blushing Sheriff. Making her way further into the room, she folds away the caution signs the blonde has neglected to put aside before turning back to face Emma and handing over a steaming paper cup from the diner, straightening Henry's scarf with her spare hand.
"Emma said she could skate."
Henry pipes up as the blonde sits atop her desk and sips appreciatively at her hot mocha.
"Yeah, skateboard. When I was fifteen. And not well."
"Oh, I'd pay to watch that, though."
Ruby raises her eyebrows teasingly as she perches on the abandoned swivel chair, using the balls of her feet to push herself from side to side.
"Well, it's too bad for you that you don't have the money I'd charge for front-row seats, then."
The blonde snaps.
"She said she'd teach me, you could hide and watch."
Henry suggests.
"Yes, Ruby, come hide and watch..."
Emma agrees, and Ruby smirks as the blonde widens her eyes with false sincerity and mouths silently, 'because that wouldn't be creepy at all...'
Henry smiles - this last part going over his head - as he hops up onto the desk next to the Sheriff and nudges her repetitively with cheeky intent, his grin widening as every now and then she gives him a swift jab back with her elbow.
"So, what can I do for you, Miss Lucas?"
Emma asks, and Ruby rolls her eyes at the Sheriff's formal address, leaning back into the chair and kicking off so that she spins slowly around before coming to a stop when she faces the blonde once more.
"Well, you could always pay me..."
She shrugs, and Emma grins, digging her fingers into her jacket in search of her wallet, but the waitress holds up her hand and shakes her head.
"Oh, forget it, it's on the house. I actually just came by to ask what you and Mary Margaret were doing for dinner? Granny has a tonne of meatloaf left over and no room in the fridges, so we're pretty much having a free for all."
"Can I come?"
Henry asks, and the blonde shoots him a sideways glance before offering him a shrug.
"I guess that's up to Regina... Actually... Shit! Kid, it's ten-to-five, get your butt on the road!"
"Can't I come eat with you and Mary Margaret?"
"Not tonight, Henry. Your mom's probably already cooked something. Maybe tomorrow."
"Yeah, like she's ever going to let me..."
"I'll ask her if it's ok."
"She'll say no, you know she will!"
"Well, maybe she will, but I can always try to persuade her... But, for now, get your ass moving or she's not going to let you do anything!"
Emma gives him an amiable shove from the desk and watches in amusement as he goes about scrambling his books into his rucksack before turning her attention back to Ruby.
"I wish I could, but I'm pretty swamped at the moment. I took some work home yesterday because of the leak, but I-... Well, I didn't get a whole lot done. Give Mary Margaret a call, though. I'm not going to be able to make it back for dinner anyway, so I'm sure she'd like the company."
"Aw, that sucks. I'll call her. Do you want any help?"
"No, it's mainly just going over some claims from the storm still, and a shoplifting report from the pharmacy. It's nothing difficult, just time-consuming, but thanks to you I'll be on a caffeine high, and I happen to have a large bag of M&Ms in the fridge which I'm looking forward to spending some alone time with."
"You're so bad! Do you want me to bring you some meatloaf over to eat here?"
"That's okay, I do also have some sandwiches. I'm just not quite as excited for those."
Turning her attention to Henry as he hurries for the door she offers him a wave and bids him goodnight. Ruby yells at him to wait up and pushes herself from her chair, fluttering her fingers at the blonde before falling in step beside the boy and accompanying him out into the street.
"Henry, please don't chew with your mouth open."
Regina sighs, and Henry glances up at her sullenly before he goes back to pointedly ignoring the brunette.
"How was school today?"
"Fine."
"What did you study?"
"Stuff."
"Henry..."
She frowns at him before staring down at her plate. She moves the food around on the expensive china but doesn't feel much like eating. Stabbing a pea onto her fork, she brings it to her mouth, only to find she's stuck with it resting on her tongue; her throat refusing to swallow. Conquering her body's sudden absurd weakness, she chokes it down, spluttering slightly, before glancing up to find cold eyes studying her indifferently.
See what you've done to him?! How you've turned him against me, you hateful bitch?
"Did you go and see Emma?"
"Uhuh."
"Sorry? What was that?"
Dark eyes burn brightly as the Mayor raises an eyebrow in distaste at her son's rudeness.
"Yes."
"Is she back at the station? Or is she still working from home?"
"Why do you care?"
"Henry! Stop this! I care because I'm the Mayor, and it's my job to make sure town employees are able to perform their jobs as best as possible. If the Sheriff is still having problems with the station's plumbing, I need to know!"
"... She got the leak fixed. She's working late to catch up on some stuff, she said."
"I see."
The brunette sighs as Henry pushes his plate away with the vegetables barely touched. Ordinarily, she would challenge him on it, but tonight she just doesn't have the energy. She's witnessed the crap the blonde puts into her system enough times to know that when the boy is with her, he needn't worry about finishing his greens. It's a battle she's unwilling to fight tonight.
"If you're done, you can wash up your things."
Henry throws her a distrustful glance; his mother allowing him to escape without finishing his plate almost unheard of. Scrambling swiftly from his seat before she can change her mind, he takes his plate and cutlery from the table and into the kitchen.
Regina massages her temples as though warding off a headache as she recognises the quiet screech of metal on china as Henry scrapes his leftovers into the trash. Sighing, and picking up her own half-eaten meal, heads for the kitchen to follow suit.
"Is this for dessert?"
Henry asks curiously, and she glances over and takes in a sharp breath when she catches him peering inside the fridge and poking a finger at the cold apple pie resting on the middle shelf.
"Get away from that!"
She all but shouts at him, before pulling herself together and finishing cooly
"If you can't finish your dinner, then you don't need dessert."
"Emma would let me."
The boy's petulant remark is quiet, almost a hiss beneath his breath, but it's the last straw. Regina feels her cheeks burn as she prepares to yell at him for his insolence, Henry's bad attitude every bit as despicable as the blonde's.
"Henry!..."
She struggles to find words that fit her displeasure, her brow creasing as Henry turns around to face her, because, in that brief moment - with the way his naturally mischievous eyes glint at her and his mouth forms a hard line; sullenly downturned at the corners - everything she sees is so obviously hereditary she can find only air.
So? Genetics mean nothing. A year ago, he had no idea who the hell she was... She is not his mother. If I could do this in a way where he wouldn't have to know - wouldn't have to find out the reality of mortality so young - I would. Not for her sake, nor for mine, but for his... But, I can't.
"... You can have some ice cream. The pie is for a meeting tomorrow."
She finishes in a lower voice. Henry's eyes narrow doubtfully, but when the brunette opens the freezer and pulls out a small tub of chocolate-chip gelato, he realises her offer is genuine and offers her a cautious smile.
"...Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Decanting an amount much more generous than she would ordinarily allow into a small bowl, she hands it to him, before glancing up at the clock. Forcing her lips to form their kindest smile, she places a hand on his shoulder and guides him into the living room to sit in front of the TV.
Another first.
"Henry... I'm sorry if things have been difficult lately... The thing is... Miss Swan... Emma... She's not your mother-"
"-Yes she is!"
"What I mean is that she only sees you for short periods of time, which means she doesn't have to take on any mundane responsibilities. Do you know what that means?... It means, sometimes I tell you to do things or not to do things because, as your mother, it's what I think is best... You may not always agree with my rules or understand them, but it's part of being a parent. It's how family works... I don't do it to be mean, Henry... I do it because I want what's best for you."
Henry frowns as the brunette studies him with tired eyes; not used to seeing this side to his mother. Regina offers him a small smile and turns on the television, flicking through the channels until she finds one of his cartoons.
"I need to pop out for a while. Not long, only half an hour or so... I need you to be good and stay inside, ok? I'll be back soon."
"Ok..."
"Good boy... I love you, Henry."