A/N:

Hey guys!

Apologies for the late update, I finished exams on Wednesday and went to visit a friend in Germany for the weekend which was awesome but meant that I was without a laptop for 5 days! So I hope you enjoy this chapter, this is where I pretty much start ignoring everything that the idiots have written. There's some cute moments in here that I think ya'll might like. I'll try and update again at the weekend.

Thanks as always for the reads, follows and favs, it means a lot!

Enjoy!

Rosie xx

(I do not own Once or any of its characters, no copyright intended)

"So," Regina drawled in a purposely bored tone, glancing up at Emma whose head was propped up by her hand, "we just sit here and what? Wait?" she asked sarcastically.

Emma looked back at her with eyebrows raised, "Yup, until whoever cast the curse makes a move on your office," she said levelheadedly. The two women were now camped outside the Town Hall in Emma's yellow bug, watching intently for any movement within. They set up a trap for the perpetrator, leaving what looked like memory potion bottles inside so that whoever broke in would think they had sabotaged their mission regain their memories. In reality all the ingredients had been transported to Regina's vault and sealed away behind a blood charm so that no one would be able to get to them.

Regina clearly didn't have the patience for this kind of endeavour. She gazed at Emma who was gazing out of the window. Following Emma's eye line she could see that the blonde appeared to be looking at an extraordinarily interesting shrub. The former Queen attempted to rein in her snarky comments, but boredom brought it out of her.

"So this is really what you do for a living?" she smirked, her face not hidden back behind her mask when Emma looked her way. The Saviour, however, looked at her with that very Emma Swan-ish face of hers and simply agreed.

"Uh-huh, it's called a stake out." She said looking back over at the shrub with a docile grin on her features. It was almost as if she was purposely ignoring Regina's attempts to rile her up.

"And you don't get…bored?" Regina answered, rolling her eyes in her signature fashion.

Emma replied quickly, looking back at Regina and picking up her Granny's takeaway coffee cup, "Well yeah but there's things to do. Eat, talk, watch, which is what we should be doing now…" she said as she reverted her gaze to the building in front of them.

There was silence between the two for a few minutes until Emma noticed that Regina was fidgeting, something that she assumed was from the boredom but was still exceedingly uncharacteristic for the Mayor. She looked at her questioningly.

"Henry, he really was happy in New York?" Regina asked, attempting to hide her feelings by paying attention to the road in front of them.

"Yeah, we both were", Emma answered truthfully. She didn't want to make Regina sad, or mad, or whatever. But they had been; they hadn't known any different at the time.

"He had friends? I mean he told me about a few of them, but I just want to make sure you really did have a good life," The former Queen continued.

Emma laughed then, "Yes Regina, he had friends, lots of friends. No girlfriends yet though, that I know of", she smiled.

For both women the thought of their little boy having a girlfriend was strange and something they didn't think they were quite ready for yet.

"And our life was great, really great. I almost didn't come back because of that. But in the end I had to, and Henry wanted to of course. He may have had friends there but they never would have compared to the family he has here. And that goes for both of us." Emma looked up at Regina then, really looked at her.

The brunette saw the tiny flecks of yellow in Emma otherwise emerald pools, reflected in the streetlamp above. That one look conveyed everything they needed to say to each other for now; that Emma had brought Henry back here for Regina, so that she could have her son back and he could be near his family. That was all Regina needed to know at this moment in time.

After a few moments of staring at each other Emma was the first to break eye contact.

"You know, I really did consider not coming back, but then something Henry said to me immediately changed my mind." Emma's eyes glazed over, and Regina had to prompt her to continue speaking.

"What did he say?" she said, smiling straight ahead.

"He said a hero would come back." Emma answered, returning Regina's smile.

"That certainly sounds like something he would say." The sentiment made Regina happy, which was strange for her. But it made her realise how well she had taught her son. He was every bit as brave, selfless and all-round wonderful as she had hoped he would be.

Emma moved her eyes away from Regina and up to the window of the Town Hall. It took her eyes a second to adjust but when they did she realised that there was a shadow in the window, someone moving.

"Look!" Emma said pointing upwards, "we've got them!"

The two women launched themselves out of the car immediately, Regina somewhat more gracefully than Emma who almost tripped over her own feet in the hurry. They ran towards the Town Hall, Emma in front with her gun aimed and ready, torch shining to lead the way in front of them.

Quietly, they made their way through the maze of corridors and upstairs, to Regina's office. All the time no more than several inches away from each other. Regina pressed close behind Emma in an effort to get to their destination faster.

"So who ever is in there is trapped?" Emma whispered as they walked up to the door, "They can't get out?"

"No, I sealed the room with blood-magic, trust me, I know what I'm doing." The blonde didn't even need to look at her partner's face to know that there was a raised eyebrow pairing that comment.

The brunette waived her leather-gloved hand over the lock and there was a small glimmer of purple across the surface of the metal. Emma raised her hand and motioned for Regina to go in behind her, after all, she was the one with the weapon. The two women stepped carefully into the room their senses heightened and hairs on edge. Regina shone her torch around the room, taking in al the broken equipment, smashed vials and flasks littering the floor.

"Over there!" Emma yelled, aiming her gun at the hooded figure in the corner of Regina's now trashed office. But before either woman could do anything, the intruder disappeared in a sea of green smoke.

"I thought you said…" Emma began to ask as both women lowered their weapons and flashlights. Emma clicked on the office light.

"I know what I said," Regina looked utterly perplexed, "No one can break through blood magic, no matter how powerful. Not even Rumple… Unless…"

"Unless what?" Emma prompted her.

"Unless they are of blood relation," the brunette said solemnly. Emma watched as she walked over to where the sorcerer had disappeared. She stopped, and breathed in deeply two times. It wasn't the time to ask now, but Emma suspected that Regina could smell the magic and therefore the person who cast it…or something like that. She remembered the scent of magic in the mines that night when they had combined their magic to try and stop the trigger. Emma could still feel crackling of the magic in her hands and in the air around her. So she supposed that it made sense for more advanced practitioners of magic to be able to feel a person from their magic. The more Emma got acquainted with magic the more she felt attracted to it, and at some point she planned to ask Regina to teach her, when they had a spare minute that wasn't filled with trying to save everyone, again.

Regina turned around, "I think she's female, the magic is very dark but it isn't from a man. She's powerful."

"But your mother is dead," Emma said, looking up at Regina for definite confirmation. She received a nod in return. "Then who the hell are we dealing with…"

Emma's bug drove along Mifflin Street, the engine of the car the only sound on the silent road. The town was eerily quiet and Emma knew that it was because everyone was too afraid to leave their homes. She slid her hand along the steering wheel to turn the car in towards the pavement, then killed the engine and paused for several seconds. Regina thought that the other woman was going to say something, but instead she turned towards the door and slid out of the car onto the sidewalk. The brunette followed suit and they walked in silence together along the path, the vast white walls of the house looming ahead of them.

Emma noticed that there was a light on in the living room and extended her arm behind her to stop Regina from coming any closer.

"There's someone in the house Regina," Emma loud-whispered.

"I know dear, I can see that. Lets go and find out who it is shall we?", she moved Emma aside and marched towards the house. "Whoever this is is related to me. Now its personal," she snarled.

Emma could see the smirk on Regina's face even though her back was turned. It was the Evil Queen smirk. Terrifying. Secretly though, Emma found it kind of sexy.

Regina breezed up the stone steps and swiftly unlocked the door with Emma now following closely on her heels. The blonde, who then turned around to find the brunette halfway across the lobby, shut the door quietly. She crept quickly across and when her foot caused the floorboard to creak she earned a stern look from her companion. They stood either side of the door, Regina's hand poised to turn the ornate gold handle under her fingers. She looked briefly up at Emma, who nodded that she was ready. The door opened forcefully, and the pair looked frantically around the room, and saw that it was not their enemy they were facing, sitting comfortably on the sofa reading, but their son.

"Kid what are you doing here?" Emma asked her son worriedly. "Are you here on your own?"

The only thing that Regina could think was that he had come here by himself. He had been outside, wandering the streets and anything could have happened to him. If whoever cast this curse had a vendetta against Regina, then she was sure they would do anything to get hold of Henry, and she wasn't letting that happen ever again.

"Ma, Mom, I'm sorry, I just…uhhh… couldn't stay at Grandma and Grandpa's," he sad looking shifty, and slightly embarrassed.

"What happened Henry," Regina asked, her face an unsettling mix of concern and anger. "What in the world prompted you to walk here alone when there's a Witch hiding somewhere in this town. You know better than that," she scolded.

Henry looked up apprehensively. Sometimes he hated having two Moms, because when you did something bad it was double as bad. "I know I do, and I promise, I do, but…" Henry trailed off.

"Henry Mills tell me what is going on this instant," his brunette mother said with finality, moving slightly closer to him to enforce her presence further.

The young boy threw his hands up in the air and looked at Emma, he seemed to embarrassed to say whatever it was he had to say whilst maintaining eye contact with Regina.

"They …were…. uhh… theywerehavingsex," he said, expelling the words out all in one breath.

Emma's hand didn't reach her mouth in time and to Regina's vexation a snort and muffled laughter came from her son's ever so immature mother.

"Emma Swan I will not tolerate laughing at a time like this," her face even more irate than it had been before Henry let out his confession.

"I'm sorry!" Emma said defensively, to gathering herself back together and focusing on the fact that what her son did was really dangerous. "But that is literally the only excuse I would have accepted from him," she said looking at Regina, then turning to Henry. "There could have been an earthquake or a fire or a murder and I would have yelled at you for coming back here alone but you know what Kid, I don't even blame you." She was still having trouble reigning in the smirk on her face, which now matched the one on their son's face.

Regina looked at her in anguish for several seconds before allowing the smallest of smiles to grace her gorgeous features. She looked pointedly at her son.

"I'll be very disappointed if this happens again Henry. And you're taking the trash out for a week." The former Queen had decided to let it go this time. She span on her heels and strutted towards the kitchen. "Anyone want cocoa?" she asked innocently.

"I don't even live here!" Henry said loudly back to her.

"Yes you do!" Regina's sing-song tone drifted in through the open door from the kitchen across the hall.

"What?" Henry asked, staring up at Emma with bright eyes.

"We're gonna stay here for a while Henry, give David and Snow some space," she said, her face breaking out into a cheeky grin again. Henry chuckled along with her and she slapped him playfully on the head. "Lets go kid or we're gonna make your Mom even more mad," she laughed.

Emma ran her hands across the deep purple velvet of the luxurious couch while she sat awkwardly in Regina's study waiting for her to put Henry to bed. They had eaten a beautiful lasagna, made by the Queen herself, with apple pie for dessert. It was Henry's favourite meal, and it was beginning to become Emma's too. The blonde had busied herself with washing up the dishes and when Regina still hadn't returned she went into the study and lit a fire in the huge stone hearth. It wasn't cold, but she lit it anyway. She had never had a fireplace anywhere she had lived as a child and she thought it made the house feel homey.

The blonde rose to her feet, brushed her hands down her legs to smooth out her jeans and wiggled her socked feet against the plush rug underneath them. There was a picture of Henry and Regina on one of the shelves holding Regina's many books that had caught her attention and Emma wandered aimlessly over to get a closer look. They were by Henry's castle; it looked to be the first day it had opened, as Henry could be seen holding a huge blue ribbon. He was much younger and Emma could see the grin stretching across his little face, almost mirrored in size by the one on his mother opposite him. Neither was looking at the camera and it was better that way, Emma could really see the happiness on both their faces even though they didn't know the photograph was being taken.

The blonde, lost in her own world, was oblivious to Regina quietly entering the room.

"Snooping are we Miss Swan?", Emma heard behind her. For the second time in as many hours she could see the smirk on the brunette's face.

"No," Emma replied, turning around quickly, "Sorry, I was just looking at this picture of you and Henry. Its beautiful."

Between the way Emma was smiling at her and the way her eyes were glistening in the low light, Regina struggled to formulate an answer to the simple statement the blonde had aired.

"Thank you," she replied whilst moving further into the room and toward the drinks cabinet. "It was a wonderful day, he was so happy then," the words said nostalgically.

Looking up at Emma she continued, "Would you care for a drink? A glass of Cider?"

"After the day we've had I think I might be in need of something stronger…"

"Will Whiskey suffice?" Regina asked with eyebrows raised.

Emma replied with a laugh, "Yeah, I think so."

The former Queen retrieved the two drinks; both double Whiskeys on the rocks, and brought them over to the sofa where Emma was now sitting comfortably with her feet tucked underneath her. Elegantly as ever, Regina placed the drinks carefully on the table and slipped off her lacquered black stilettos. She then mimicked the blonde's position on the couch but at the opposite end. They took the first few sips of their drinks in silence, both pairs of eyes trained on the fire in front of them.

Emma glanced over at Regina. It was peculiar to see her son's other mother in such a relaxed environment. There was something about seeing the "Evil Queen" barefoot in tights which took the fear out of her name. Emma laughed almost silently to herself at the absurdity of everything in her life right now, but the woman across from her noticed all the same.

"Something funny Miss Swan?" Regina asked brusquely, but underneath Emma could tell that she had to try harder than usual to keep up her façade.

"No, no, nothing," Emma said gaining another look from Regina. "Really, its just… I'm back in Storybrooke and nothing had changed. Only everything has changed. Its been a year, there's another Villain to defeat, Henry's grown up, my parents are having another baby, you've changed, yet it still feels exactly the same."

Regina looked at her, puzzled, "I know…" she paused again, "I'm not explaining this very well…" Emma looked embarrassed.

"No," Regina said looking at Emma sincerely this time. She shuffled her foot underneath her and picked up her glass before continuing, "I understand. Remember, I lived the same day in this town for thirty years. And I understand that you feel like you're stuck here." Regina looked as if she wanted to say something else but she didn't. Emma contemplated asking her but she didn't know if it would just make things awkward. She sipped her drink again, and then took the remaining liquid in one gulp.

There was silence for several minutes. Emma was entirely sure that Regina was a pyromaniac, not only because of her proficiency at fireballs, but also because of the way her eyes locked onto the fire like they were mesmerised. It was like she was watching something happen within the flames.

"I've changed?" Regina asked nervously out of nowhere. Emma still didn't think it was what she had intended to say, but she went along with it anyway.

"Yeah…" Emma hesitated. Had Regina changed? Or was it because the only memory Emma had had of Regina for the last year had been the woman she saw in her dream? She has changed, thought Emma. She has. She's not evil anymore, not that I ever thought she was, really. "You…uhh…", Emma smiled up at Regina while she moved her legs from under her and stretched them out across the couch, resting with her knees up and her back leaning on the arm of the sofa. She was graced with the woman's best 'spit it out' look.

"You're not the Evil Queen anymore. Well for me you never really were. But other people are starting to see it too, ever since Neverland really, but especially since the day where Henry and I left. You're a good person Regina. You sacrificed your happiness for me and Henry, and even though we got back here in the end I'll be thankful for that forever." Emma looked down at her glass, noticing it was empty and grabbed Regina's from the table to go and refill them both. By the time she returned, Regina still hadn't said anything.

Emma returned the tumbler to the coaster in front of Regina and sat back down in her spot. She turned to the other woman and immediately noticed the liquid glistening along with the roaring flames in her eyes.

"Are you okay Regina…" the blonde asked timidly.

The woman jumped at the unexpected voice, as if she had been in another world entirely. Her hand rose to her face to brush away a stray bead of water before it had a chance to trickle down her face. "Yes, I'm fine, I'm sorry," she replied finally, bringing herself back to the room. "I… thank you…" Regina started, but she didn't know how to continue. There were a million things that she wanted to say to Emma, but none of them could be voiced, because they revealed too many things which Regina wasn't ready to talk about yet. Why are you being so nice to me was one of them, No one has said anything this nice to me since Daniel, was another. Other thoughts going through her head considered telling Emma about how she felt the day they'd driven away in the bug, or what she'd seen in the vision and why she had resurfaced with Emma's name on her lips.

"I appreciate you saying so," she said sniffing delicately. "I don't feel like the Evil Queen anymore. I just… may I ask you something?" Her voice was soft but firm, her eyes boring into Emma's earnestly.

"Sure," Emma replied, shifting her legs minutely closer to Regina on the large sofa.

"You said earlier that you feel trapped here…" she started. If Emma hadn't known any better, she would have said that Regina looked shamed by whatever she was about to say.

"…I don't ask people for things very often Miss Swan-"

"Emma. Enough of the Miss Swan crap please Regina," the blonde interrupted mischievously.

"Fine. I don't ask people for things very often Emma," she said, emphasising the name as she raised her eyebrows in the exact same way Emma saw Henry do everyday. "But I would like you to promise. Or…assure me, at least, that you will not be returning to New York with Henry. I cannot be separated from him again."

As much as Emma was enjoying the brunette having to ask her for help, the mask on Regina's face dampened the sense of achievement. It may have looked like she was asking indifferently, but in reality Emma knew that underneath that poised exterior was a woman about to break down. She liked to think she had got pretty good at reading people over the years. By learning how to read people and read how they're feeling Emma had learnt how to save herself from many nasty situations. If you knew how someone felt then you knew how to approach them. Regina was humiliated at even having to ask Emma this and Emma could see that hidden deeply away was a woman who was terrified beyond belief of losing her son again.

"You know what," Emma began, Regina's eyes trained on her apprehensively, "at first I was only planning on coming back here to make sure everyone was okay, and then we were going to go back to New York for good. But I can't do that Regina. This is his home. His home is with you and me. And there is no way that I would do that to you. I would never take him away from you again," her eyes tried to convince the brunette that she was telling the truth, "I promise you. We're not going anywhere."