Henry's view

I still can't believe that Emma, my birth mom, is finally part of my life. After I brought you to Storybrooke, all my mom's did was fight and Regina wanted to run Emma out of town at all costs. I'm so glad Emma stayed anyway because of me. I know she didn't give me away because she didn't want me, but because she only wanted what was best for me and didn't think she could be a good mother. Because Emma herself had never had parents. Her parents put her in a home after she was born. And she was never adopted. Instead, she was passed around. I can understand why Emma thought she couldn't be a good mother. While I am only thirteen years old, I still remember the time when I thought Regina didn't love me. I felt so incredibly lonely during that time because I didn't have any friends either, because everyone knew I was Regina's son. But she changed, became my mom again, and I love her. Just like I love Emma. Luckily they have become friends and don't fight all the time anymore.

I had hoped that they would become more than friends, but what is not, can still become. Today, for example, I had the impression that at least Emma feels more for Mom, because while she was listening to me talking about my day, she kept looking at Regina and I think I recognized something in the way she looked at Mom.

And also several weeks ago, on a trip to Granny's together, I noticed something. Mom had a coffee and Emma and I treated ourselves to a hot chocolate with cream and cinnamon.

I love this drink and always look forward to it when we drink it because it's something I have in common with my mom. We were talking about all sorts of things. When we got to talking about how things were currently going with me at school and what news there was, I excitedly told her about the upcoming prom. I would love to go with Violet, but I don't dare ask her and I don't have much time left. When Emma asked me if I had already asked a nice girl to accompany me to the ball, I choked on my cocoa and turned all red. I felt caught and embarrassed, because I really didn't want to talk to my mom's about it.

Mom then started laughing heartily, for which I gave her a nasty look that only made her laugh harder. Looking for help, I had looked at Emma, but she hadn't paid attention to me at all, instead looking lovingly at Regina. I had seen this look on Emma many times before, especially when Mom laughed. At that moment we were like a family and I liked that. I wished so much that it would always be like that.

Somehow I have to pair the two of them up...

Hmm... They must be asleep by now, after all, it's been two hours since Emma put me to bed.

I might... Should I really... Can't really go wrong... Okay, yes, I'll do that.

So I get up, sneak into the bathroom, splash some water on my eyes to make it look like I've been crying, and slowly walk into the living room.

As expected, Mom is lying on the couch and sleeping. I carefully walk over to her and gently shake her shoulder. Mom? Mom, are you awake?"

I try to wake her up. She opens her eyes sleepily and looks at me. Immediately she sits up and asks, "Henry, sweetheart, what happened? Are you okay?" I could hear the concern in her voice...

I'm sorry she's so worried, but I can't take that into consideration right now, I have to keep my eye on the target.

"I'm not doing so well, I had a bad nightmare." I reply, faking a sob and letting myself fall into her arms. Gently she strokes my back, murmuring over and over "Shhh... It's okay... It was just a dream."

After a few minutes, I break away from her and look into her eyes.

"Henry, honey, do you want to tell me about your dream?"

Before I answer, I lower my gaze and look fixedly at a spot so tears gather in my eyes. Then I look at her and nod in the negative, faking another sob and blinking so that a tear escapes my eyes and runs down my cheek. Then I ask the question I was after.

"Mom, can... We go to Emma's.. So I can sleep between you guys..."

As I fake beg her, I sob a few extra times and then wait anxiously for her response.

Regina's view

I have to swallow, Henry looks so beat up, he must have had a really bad dream and his request is actually normal. To calm down, he just wants to have his two mothers around him so he doesn't have to be afraid. But how can I stand having Emma so close to me all night? Even if Henry were between us, I could feel her warmth, hear her breathing, and her closeness won't leave me cold. Henry sobbed again, snapping me out of my thoughts. Now it's not about me, but about our son. I will do anything for him, even if it doesn't make me feel good. I exhale deeply and then hear myself say:

"Of course my darling, we will go to her and ask her, okay?"

Henry stands up and offers me his hand, which I take and stand up myself.

"Thanks mom." he says and smiles, though I can tell it's a forced smile.

He must be in a really bad way.

Henry's view

I put on a smile and make it look extra forced. Right now I'm very glad that she doesn't have the same ability as Emma to see through lies. Now comes the harder part, convincing Emma that I'm bad because I had a nightmare wasn't going to be easy.

I just hope mom does the talking because that way there is no lie for Emma to see through.

We've arrived at Emma's door by now and I hear Mom take a deep breath in and out before she knocks on Emma's door.

Emma's view

A knock jolts me out of my fitful sleep. I hear another knock and the door opens. "Emma, are you awake?" Regina asks me softly.

I sit up and wonder what Regina wants from me in the middle of the night, maybe she finally wants to talk to me, I hope.

But then Henry pushes his way through the door, comes towards me and throws himself into my arms. I hear him sobbing softly and hug him tightly while I look questioningly at Regina.

"Henry came to me crying and told me he had a bad nightmare. He asked me to go to your place so he could sleep between us that night. Because he was crying so much, I told him we'd go ask you." she explained to me, speaking ever so softly, as if afraid of my answer.

Oh God, I will feel Regina's closeness all night. Joy and fear are spreading inside me. Joy because I've wanted to sleep next to her for so long, and fear because I don't know how I'll be able to stand her closeness. Will I be able to control myself? Yes, because I have to and Henry will be between us all the time. Nevertheless, I feel my heartbeat accelerate and a scene condenses in my head in which I hold Regina in my arms, kiss her, stroke a strand of hair from her face and then let my hand wander further down her perfect and beautiful body.

Another sob from Henry brings me back to reality. I stroke Henry's back soothingly and murmur:

"Of course, can you stay here so you can sleep between us, if Regina agrees too."

Henry sobs a soft "Thank you" and then looks to his other mom.

Regina nods, closes the door, and slowly walks toward us. Henry breaks free from my embrace and lies down under the covers next to me, while Regina walks around the bed and lies down next to Henry, also under the covers.

I exhale deeply and lay under the covers as well. It's not all that bad, I think. But I didn't count on Henry, who now lies closer to me and pulls Regina closer to him. I hold my breath. She is so close...

I hear her breathing, feel her warmth and the all too familiar tingling in my stomach. I imagine Henry getting up and leaving the room, Regina moving closer to me and me wrapping my arm around her. Imagine putting my hand under her chin and pressing my lips to hers and finally kissing her. I have to control myself from leaning over Henry and doing just that. I check on Regina and see that she has already fallen asleep. I try to focus on my breathing, but it doesn't work. Instead, I focus on Regina's breathing. I listen to her inhale for a while...

Exhales... Inhales... Exhales

and then realize that it seems to work, because I slowly fall asleep.

Henry's view

so far so good. Part one of my plan is now complete. As I slid closer to Emma and pulled Mom with me, I noticed them both tense up.

By then I was afraid that my plan would go wrong and one of them would leave the room. But after a few minutes, I felt them both relax and their breathing went in the same rhythm. All that was missing now was part two. I had to wait a few more minutes to start part two. After making sure they were both really asleep, I carefully crawl out of bed and head towards the door of the room. Before I reach the door, I turn around, go back and carefully take Emma's hand to put it on Regina's arm. I only now realize that I've been holding my breath, due to the fear that one of them will wake up and my plan will fail. But neither of them woke up and so I relax and walk to the door and slip out of the room. I just hope it all works out and they wake up in each other's arms in the morning. With a hopeful grin I go to my room, which Ruby had prepared for me some time ago, lie down in my bed and peacefully fall asleep.

Regina's view

Emma's hand is on my arm, I lie so close to her. She is asleep. Henry has left. We are alone. Henry must have thought I was asleep, which is why I let him think I was. But why did he leave? He wanted to sleep between us. Maybe he just went to the bathroom or went out for a drink. But then why did he put Emma's hand on my arm? My skin tingles under Emma's hand, I get goose bumps and feel warm all over. Should I go now, too? I probably should, but I don't want to. I would much rather lie down even closer to her. I am more relaxed right now than I have been in a long time. Emma's closeness, her warmth and her touch do me good. I wish I could fall asleep next to her every night and wake up in her arms in the morning. Wish her good morning every day with a kiss and be happy with her.

My thoughts are interrupted by a movement of Emma, because, I can hardly believe it, she pulls me into her arms. Of course this means nothing at all, she is asleep, but for the moment I am happy. I snuggle a little closer to her and then fall into a restful, peaceful sleep.