I very much enjoy this chapter and I hope you all will as well! That's all I really have to say at the moment :) please review!

He found her outside standing under a tree and looking up in to its branches. She didn't look at him when he approached her, she didn't so much as bat an eye and instead kept her attention up at the branches, "Regina...what are you doing?"

"Watching a bird."

"Why?"

"Because I want to crush something and I have always hated this magpie. It is so god damn loud in the morning."

"Is that what I've been hearing?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm. Well can you stop the plans of bird slaughter and look at me," he stated and she huffed irritably and pivoted to look at him as she folded her arms across her chest, "what the hell happened this morning?"

"I do not get along with Snow White."

"No shit!" He breathed out with an irritated laugh, "but strangling her at ten o'clock in the morning?"

"Getting a head start to the day," she retorted with a bitter smile.

"Regina!" He hissed furiously.

"She had me pinned first, I was only returning the favour," she snarled back as she leaned forward.

"You are better than that! You are both better than that!"

"What did you expect me to do, Charming?" She asked slowly and smoothly with a dangerous tone.

"I don't know how about act like a civil human being? Not taunt her until she snapped and gave you the opportunity to wrap your hands around her neck? How about that?!"

"Perhaps if she had maintained some civility I would have too!"

"Okay timeout!" He shouted and she glared viciously back at him. He lowered his voice back down to its regular volume but kept a stern edge to it, "you are both in the wrong here. I am not so much angry as I am extremely disappointed! You are both smart, grown women and you cannot maintain enough sense to just speak to one another! You have to push each other until you break! It is unnecessary and asinine, it is a waste of time and energy, not to mention the fact that it gets everyone else around you two all worked up!

"I'm not asking you to go over there and apologize to her because as much as I would appreciate it I know you never will. But the two of you are going to cross paths again and again and I expect that next time you are going to be better. I expect that next time you are not going to act on murderous impulse and instead maintain a little more decorum," he finished firmly and her expression flickered in to fury as she took a step closer to him with a sneer pulling at her mouth.

"You are in no position to tell me what to do," she growled and pushed a finger hard against his chest, hard enough to make him sway backward before she retracted her finger.

"Stop letting your anger get the best of you," he whispered sternly and she practically snarled back at him as her furious dark eyes flicked back and forth between his steady blue. She walked past him and when he tried to take her arm to stop her she simply ripped away and continued back in to the house. So with a tense sigh out his nose and a couple backwards steps, he turned around and followed her. The fact that she hadn't locked the door behind her genuinely surprised him and he walked right back in to the home.

Following the excited voices echoing through her house, Regina walked quietly in to the living room only to find her son pressed right up against Cora on the couch as he cheered her on while she played on the blue gaming device she had gifted him with when his book was temporarily lost. She didn't like the sight. Instantly she felt her anger boil under her skin because of Cora and then it was only amplified by the intense burning jealousy she felt regarding Henry as he all but hung off her mother as she lost herself enthusiastically in the game.

She couldn't decide if she wanted to lose herself in rage or go off on her own to find a quiet place and let herself cry.

"Oh! Get it! Get it! On your left, on your left!" He pointed as he pushed in to her heavier.

"It is being stubborn!"

"Quick, quick! You're gonna-!...die," he paused and then laughed as she groaned in defeat, "you stayed alive longer that time."

"This is madness. How do you defeat it?!"

"Practice!" He laughed and it earned him a quiet laugh from her.

The sound of her mother's laugh felt like a stab to the heart and she bowed her head for a moment to keep her tears at bay. "Henry," she called simply and both he and Cora looked up to meet her eye, "let's go for a drive."

"Sure," he smiled and as he slid off the couch and walked backward toward his mother, he spoke to Cora, "you can keep playing if you like."

"Thank you," she nodded and smiled and then looked up at Regina who gave her a bitter smile as she ran her tongue over her teeth under her top lip and lifted her eyebrows a little as she dropped her eyes, forcing a more genuine smile when Henry turned around. There was more this time on Regina's mind but Cora couldn't say what it was. She was never good with emotions and right now her daughter had so many she didn't even know what to do with them herself. But Cora knew she had done something to upset her.

Regina placed a hand on Henry's shoulder and steered him out the door in to the foyer only to find David watching her with sympathy and understanding. She was still angry at him though. So she looked away and led Henry out the front door.

"Where are we going?" He asked happily as he bounced out the door.

"Not sure yet," she replied with a smile she put in place to force down the uncomfortable sorrow and heartache and rage, "does it matter to you?"

"Nope!"

David watched her close the door behind her and rested a hand on his hip while the other rubbed over his mouth and jaw. A long tired sigh left his body as he shook his head and he only turned his attention away from the door when Cora started speaking.

"I did something...but I do not know what."

"Nothing comes to mind?" He shook his head and she paused for a moment before giving her head a shake as well, "seriously? Nothing?" When he was answered with silence he breathed out an exasperated laugh, "how many times did you play with Regina when she was a child? How many times has she made you laugh?"

Cora furrowed her brow and shook her head just a little, taken slightly aback by his random questions. And then she looked down at the blue technology in her hand and stared at it for a long while in silence after the pieces fell together. She moved her thumb over the device slowly before she placed it carefully on the small table in the hall and walked away with her head bowed.

...

"So you've been having a bad day," Henry looked up at her as they walked side by side, her hand in his as the sand moved under their bare feet.

"Yes I have indeed," she agreed with a nod and half a smile down at him before she looked back ahead of her again.

"That's okay. I'd be having a bad day too if the people I didn't like so much kept walking in the door without telling me," he nodded and then watched the sand for a little bit. He took half a step sideways and leaned against her and looked out at the ocean as he rested his head against her. He smiled when he heard a quiet hum happily leave her mouth as she moved her thumb over the back of his. They were walking right along the shore. If they were to take two steps to their right they would have the cool salty water lapping at their bare toes.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"I'm good. I like it better though when it's just you and me."

"I kind of do too," she smiled and he laughed softly and nuzzled his head a little deeper in to her arm. "I used to bring you here when you were little and restless. You'd run and explore for hours on end but what exactly you were exploring this flat space for, I have no idea. You've always had a brilliant imagination," she smiled and he let go of her hand only to wrap his arms around her waist and she held him around his shoulders, "but for the life of me I could not keep you from eating the grass or the sand."

Henry laughed quietly with her and tilted his head back so his chin rested against the side of her chest. It was wonderful to see her smiling and laughing again, "you were worried about sand and grass in my mouth but not me running head first in to the massive ocean?"

Regina shrugged a little as she laughed and then looked past her son to the water with a shake of her head, "I of course watched you like a hawk when you were at the edge but that is as far as you ever went. Only enough for your feet to get wet. You used to shriek and laugh and laugh and laugh until you couldn't breathe every time the water would crawl up the sand and touch your toes," she laughed to herself at the memory and Henry laughed quietly with her, "I don't know what you found so amusing but I loved watching it. Always made me laugh."

"I remember you throwing me in there when I was older and didn't trust the life jacket."

Regina let out a bit of a louder laugh and nodded, "you were none too pleased until you realized you were floating."

"I was freaking out! And you were just standing there with your feet in the water and your hands on your hips giving me that smile you do when you prove that you are right," he laughed with a shake of his head and she closed her eyes and laughed through her teeth, "I was so mad at you. I remember just sitting there floating and and scowling with my arms crossed but you only started laughing and kicked a little water at me so I would laugh too."

"I couldn't get you back out of there, you were having too much fun riding the rise and fall of the waves on your back. You never went too far. Only far enough for your toes to just be unable to touch the bottom. Had to threaten I was leaving without you."

"And I didn't believe you until you waved goodbye and started walking away with all our stuff!"

"Oh you came just running though," she breathed out a laugh with a shake of her head, "as fast as your little legs could carry you and you didn't let go of my hand until I put you in the car."

Henry chuckled and leaned in to her, nodding his head with the memory, "which birthday was that?"

"Your fifth."

Henry hummed happily as he hugged her a little tighter as they continued walking, "I miss making memories like that with you."

"I miss it too," she whispered and kissed the top of his head as she rubbed her hand up and down his arm just below his shoulder.

"When did they stop for you? The good memories?"

"Oh they never stopped," she shook her head with her quiet voice, "I just had to find them in smaller moments instead."

"...I'm sorry, mum."

"It's alright, Henry," she soothed and kissed the top of his head.

They walked for a little while in comfortable silence listening and watching the calm waves reach the shore only to retreat back in to the ocean. Then Henry started laughing quietly through his closed smile. Regina couldn't help but smile at the sound but it's mischievous undertone did not go unrecognized, "what?" She drew out slowly and suspiciously and it only had him laughing more.

Before she had time to put any defenses up, Henry took off running toward the water with his mother in tow regardless of her consent. She yelped when she was pulled in to the water despite her digging her heels in but he only laughed and ran in a little deeper before turning around to face her with a grin. Where she stood the water was a little above her ankles and he stood further in where it was halfway up his shins.

A low laugh rumbled in her throat as she shook her head slowly with her arms up and out on either side of her. She was the one to start the game however. Her eyes that were down at the water suddenly flashed up to meet his and she kicked a spray of water his direction and it had him laughing loudly as he lifted his hands and turned his face away. He kicked back as he listened to her laugh and bend down to use her hands to send a large spray of salty water at him.

A shriek of laughter met his ears when he threw more water at her and he laughed in victory when he saw her verging on sopping wet. Not that he was in any better condition. With another couple minutes or so worth of splashing water, Henry took off running once more down the shore line and was absolutely thrilled and pushed his head back in free laughter when he heard his mother's splashing footsteps start after him as she laughed too.

...

After jumping out of the car Henry started walking backwards down the sidewalk, "last one there buys lunch?"

"Oh and you can afford lunch?" She teased as she swung the car door closed with a laugh.

"Alright last one there gives Cora a big hug when we get home today," he offered instead and watched as his mother mulled it over for a moment and then took off running without warning, "hey!" He laughed and sprinted after her, "not fair!"

"Absolutely fair!" She called over her shoulder as she grabbed the fence post and swung around through the gate only to slam directly in to Emma. Regina gasped at the collision and Emma yelped as her hands flew up but the coffee that had been in the blonde's hand as she was walking out and looking at her phone was now suspended in mid air. Coffee droplets hung in the air as though they were on strings as was the crushed paper coffee cup and floating plastic lid. Emma stared at it with wide eyes and an open mouth as she held her breath and Regina whispered her name gently and slowly, "Emma," and bright startled green eyes shot up to look at her.

"Whoa! Nice save, mum!" Henry laughed as he studied the seemingly frozen coffee.

"Didn't want to get covered in coffee," Regina replied smoothly and sent a gentle shock of magic through to Emma, only enough to startle her and get her to drop her magic so she herself could catch the coffee and put it back in to the now uncrushed cup. "Here you are, Miss Swan," she held out her coffee for her and carefully the blonde took it. "Best you find a way to get yourself under control," she nodded and while her tone of voice suggested she was talking about walking without colliding in to people, she knew Emma read her uncharacteristically gentle expression as otherwise.

"Thank you," she replied quietly with a nod as she cleared her throat only to look down at her coffee, "I was quite looking forward to drinking this. Would have been a shame to have you wearing it instead."

"Indeed," Regina smiled and Emma smiled back with another silent and relieved thank you before she walked around her.

"Having fun, kid?" She asked happily as she walked past him as well as took a cautious sip of her coffee, anxious to get away to prevent suspicion of her tense and anxious behaviour.

"Lots!"

"Good! Keep at it!"

Both mother and son watched Emma walk away and then their attention moved to one another again and they held it in silence. Slowly there were grins pulling on their mouths and simultaneously they broke in to sprints again and ran up the stairs. As Regina opened the door however, Henry ducked under her arm with wild laugh and stepped foot in to the diner first, "no!"

"Yes!" He cheered as his laughter continued.

"You cheated!"

"Did not!"

"I don't want to!"

"You have to!" He laughed and pointed at her, "you lost the bet!"

She groaned in protest as she laughed and rubbed her hands over her face before dropping them back down to her sides as she followed him to a booth, "can I get out of it?"

"Nope."

"There is nothing you want?" She asked with a smile as she leaned forward across the table, "nothing at all?"

"Mmmm...nope I'm good," he smiled and that smile grew in to a grin and laughter when she let out a halfhearted whimper and sat back in her seat with a displeased frown.

...

"If she's asleep I am not waking her up," she shook her head as she pushed the key in to the lock.

"She wouldn't be asleep if you hadn't stalled all afternoon," he quipped with a laugh and she breathed out a soft laugh of her own.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just like spending time with you."

"That just made the stalling easier and made sure I didn't stop you," he laughed quietly and she shrugged her shoulders with an innocent smile as though she didn't have a clue as to what he was referring to. He walked in the door when she held it open for him and as she closed it behind him he took in a deep breath and opened his mouth to call out through the home, "C-!"

She clapped a hand over his mouth from behind him and he immediately started laughing as she held him against her with her hand still over his mouth, "if you wake her up I will lock you in the closet all night," she whispered a playful warning in to his ear and he only continued to laugh against her hand, "understood?" When he nodded his head she smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the side of his head before letting him go.

The pair of them, laughing quietly with one another, walked upstairs and with whispered 'goodnights' they separated at Henry's door and Regina walked in to her room. She was actually a little startled when she found David inside and she stood and watched him walk out of the closet in his pyjamas and left her hand on the doorknob as she did.

"Hey," he greeted quietly with a smile and paused in the middle of the room to see if she needed anything from him.

"...hi," she returned quietly and his smile grew just a little brighter before he turned and walked in to the bathroom. When he was out of her line of sight she walked in the room with a troubled and thoughtful expression pulling on her mouth and forehead and closed the door quietly behind her. She walked forward to the bed and turned and sat on the edge of it, reaching forward to touch a newly framed picture of herself and him that rested on his bedside table.

She remembered the moment it was taken. He was taking a photo of them and when she looked at him he tried to kiss her but she had lifted a hand and pressed a finger to his lips and it had the both of them laughing as the picture was taken.

"You have a better afternoon?" He called out of the bathroom as he finished brushing his teeth. When he heard no reply he put his toothbrush back in its cup and poked his head out as he wiped his mouth free of any left toothpaste. She was sitting on the edge of the bed looking at the picture he had placed there that afternoon and was tracing her finger slowly around its frame, "Regina?"

"You're staying..." She whispered as she came to the realization.

Furrowing his brow ever so slightly, he walked up to her and kneeled on the floor at her feet as he moved his hands over the sides of her thighs. There were tears glossing her eyes as she kept them focused on the photograph and it had his mouth pulling in to a cross between a frown and a smile. Gently he consumed her hand between both of his and left them on her lap and she pulled her other hand away from the frame as she looked down at him and he whispered tenderly, "I told you I wasn't going to leave."

"I know that," she whispered back with a defeated tilt of her head, "but saying and following through are two different things. And after today..." She shook her head as she dropped her eyes to their hands as she traced around his large knuckles with her fingers, "I didn't expect to find you here when I got home."

She looked back up at him with the saddest of smiles that soon broke and she bowed her head again and he felt her tears drop on to the back of his hand. He stayed silent and listening as she shook her head at herself.

"I was so mean," she whispered slowly in exhaustion as her hand stilled over his.

David smiled a sad smile and rose only high enough to kiss her forehead. She leaned in to him and he moved and rested his forehead against hers and he whispered softly, "I love you, Regina, with all of my heart. I am not scared of you because I know who you are behind the monster; you are my tender Regina who is scared of being lost and alone. I am not going anywhere, I am staying at your side whether you want me to or not," he felt another tear drop on to his hand but he did not acknowledge it and simply stayed put with his forehead against hers and their hands piled on her lap.

Slowly she pulled her hands from his and gently moved them around his head, hugging him close as he obeyed her touch and rested his head in her lap as she wrapped her arms around him and leaned down so she curled over him and held him close.