A/N: Thank you all for the love you are giving this adaptation. As always, I am eternally grateful for all your support. If you've seen the film, you'll know that there is a small moment where a conversation in French takes place. I am not fluent in French, but I decided to create my very own convo exchanged between two women and Regina herself that I shall translate for you all following this note. Happy reading! :)

***Translation***

Cette tenue! - That outfit!

Ca doit etre de l'argent neuf - It must be new money

Novelle petit amie - New Girlfriend

Peut-etre que tu nous rejoindras plus tard dans la chambre - Perhaps later you'll join us in the bedroom.

Pervers - Pervert

Bonne Journee - Good day

Emma kneeled before Henry, pretending to tie his shoe, her face dipped to the ground. She was on the verge of a panic attack. "I can't believe I'm doing this. Oh, I am going to kill Ruby." She muttered under her breath.

"Mom, relax. Regina is very cool." Henry pulls out a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket. "Here, Ruby gave me these to give to you."

Emma takes the huge and possibly expensive black shades. She was already wearing the woman's clothes and practically walking around using her identity, why not finish it off with using her sunglasses and going for a walk with the most important Candidate of New York?

"Just play it cool, okay?" Emma whispers, placing the sunglasses along her face while her son nods in agreement.

"What's this?" Henry reaches for a dry cleaning tag that slipped out the suit's white sleeve.

Emma jerks her hand back and tucks the tag deep inside the sleeve. "If that slips out again, tuck it in for me, okay?" She whispers to Henry, standing to her feet as they walk into the elevator.

Two high class women eyed Emma along with her outfit from underneath their thick and possibly fake lashes.

"Cette tenue!" The woman in a black, too large hat whispers what she thinks is discrete.

"Ca doit etre de l'argent neuf" The woman with a white scarf shares a laugh with the other.

"Nouvelle petite amie."

Regina slightly rolls her eyes before she gathers both women's attention, "Peut-etre que tu nous rejoindras plus tard dans la chambre." She grins after replying back in perfect French.

Both women's eyes grow wide as they gasp in fright. One of them places a hand along her chest in horror as she replies, "Pervers!"

"Bonne Journee!" Regina grins and waves, wiggling her fingers as the two women exit along another floor.

Emma had no idea what was said between Regina and those two old bats, but she knew one thing. Regina speaking French might just be the death of Emma.

"What did you say?" Henry looked up at Regina.

"I told them a horrific story. Gets them every time." Said Regina.

"Cool!" Henry grinned.

Regina's smile grew. As the doors to the elevator parted, she allowed Emma and Henry to step out first before walking behind them. She frowns as she notices the media outside the hotel doors.

"Oh, God, that's a lot of cameras." Emma frowned, frightened that one of the cameras might catch a glimpse of her face and then have someone from her job recognize her.

"Don't worry about them. I'll handle them while you and Henry make a run for it." Regina's hand rests along Emma's lower back and a chill runs up Emma's spine to the sudden contact.

"Candidate Mills! Ms. Mills over here!" Reporters gathered along the door, crowding Regina, Emma and Henry. "Who's the girl?! What's your name?!" They shouted at Emma. Thank God she was wearing sunglasses or the flash to the cameras would have blinded her.

"Sorry, everyone but they're in a hurry." Regina nudges Emma slightly through the crowd, and smiles as they manage to get away from all the paparazzi.

"Who is this mystery woman?" A reporter asks, placing his microphone near Regina's mouth.

"She's just a mom trying to take a walk with her son." Regina smiles.

"Does she have a name?" Another one asks, desperate to know the answer.

"Yeah, 'An old unidentified family friend.' Excuse me." Regina grins trying to pass through the crowd, only to get boxed in a little more.

"Candidate Mills! Give us a name! How old is she?"

"Look, everyone," Regina speaks calmly, but inside she was anxious to get going. "Please. Give me today. Allow me to tend to my friend and her son and I will give you all access to me on Monday night, alright?"

"You're kidding. You're gonna get us all passes into the Met?" A reporter with a baseball cap flipped backward asks in awe.

"I kid you not. There will be free drinks and all the food you can eat, alright? Passes on me." Regina waves as the cameras go crazy snapping picture after picture as she walks away.

The Paparazzi hound scattered away, agreeing to give Regina her space as she caught up with Killian and Pongo.

"Pongo," Regina smiles at him, her hands taking over his leash. "Did you have fun with grumpy Killian, huh?" She scratches his ear.

"Are you happy now? Every one of those photographers probably saw me walking your goddamn dog!" Killian exclaims.

"See, you should get out more. It's good publicity for you." Regina grins.

"What has gotten into you, Regina? Why are you in such a hurry- who is that?" Killian points to Emma and Henry who are farther and farther away from them, on their way to the park. "And why are you smiling like that- you look creepy!"

Regina was sure her cheeks had permanently remained stretched out into a smile. She couldn't stop. "It's called being happy, Killian. You should try it sometime, it'll be good for you." She pulls on Pongo's leash. "Come on, Pongo."

"It'll be good for me," Killian mutters under his breath, shaking his head. "I need a shower, is what I need."

"Good, why don't you take one and I'll take Pongo for a walk." Regina grins.

"Don't forget the luncheon, Regina. I want you there at one-thirty!" Killian shouts.

"I'll be there." Regina waves, happily walking along with Pongo.

"Cool clothes, mom! You look pretty." Henry grins.

"Thanks." Emma smiles, feeling more at liberty to do so, even if inside she was silently panicking. "I just tried them on. But listen, you can't say anything around Regina, okay? So play along."

"Okay."

"Hey," Regina smiles as she catches up with Emma and Henry, walking beside them. "I'm really sorry about that whole camera crew back there. I should have warned you that would happen."

"Oh, that's okay." Emma smiles, "I honestly could never do that. Stand in front of all those cameras. I don't know how you do it."

Regina grins, brushing back a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, well, you can get used to anything if you do it for as long as I have." Her eyes lock onto Emma's sea-green eyes until she feels a tug along Pongo's leash. She looks down, "Here, Henry, would you like to walk him?"

"Yeah!" Henry's eyes beam as they look up to his mother. "Can I, mom?"

"Sure," Emma nods. "But be careful, okay?"

"I will." Henry reached for the leash that Regina handed him.

"Here, he likes to play fetch." She hands him the ball. "Be careful, okay? Pongo is very strong." Regina warns.

"Come on, Pongo." Henry's feet stomp on the ground, trying to keep up with Pongo as he sprints off. "Whoa, Pongo, whoa…" Pongo's bark echoes along the park.

Both Regina and Emma smile as they keep their eyes on Henry.

"Thank you." Emma motions toward her son, her eyes meeting Regina's as they walk along. "Henry really needed this. He had a tough day."

"No thank you necessary. It's my pleasure. Henry's a great kid. You've raised him well." Regina grins.

Emma's cheeks flush a little at the compliment as she averts her eyes away from Regina for a moment. Regina's eyes were so deep, and her smile so charming Emma was awestruck to say the least. She had never met anyone who could make her smile the way she was smiling simply by looking at them. She couldn't even recall feeling this way with Neal, ever.

"You said he had a tough day," Said Regina. "May I ask what happened?"

Emma inhales, "He had this big speech on Nixon at school and he froze. Kids were laughing at him," she rolls her eyes. "And he just felt so horrible. I felt horrible because there was absolutely nothing I could do to cheer him up and now he is terrified to go up to a stage."

"Kids can be cruel." Regina shakes her head.

Emma snorts, "Tell me about it. In the moment, I wanted to be Henry's age so that I could put every one of them in their place." Emma's eyes look at Regina's grin and her cheeks turn crimson. "I'm sorry."

"No," Regina chuckles. "Don't be sorry." What Regina really wanted to say was I think you are adorable or you're the most beautiful woman I have ever met. But it was too soon. The last thing Regina wanted was to scare Emma off and never see her again.

"So, Mayor…" Emma's eyes lock onto Regina's as they walk. "That sounds ambitious. Did you always want to go into politics?" She asks.

"Ever since I graduated college, after my father passed away." Regina nods.

"Oh, I'm- I'm sorry." Emma frowns, feeling stupid for bringing up such a painful memory for Regina.

"It's quite alright," Regina smiles as she motions to a park bench. "Would you like to sit down for a minute?"

Emma looks toward the bench and sees a magazine. "Oh, good, I can use this to sit down, I wouldn't want to get these pants dirty." She says, laying the magazine with both front and back covers spread open. A picture of Regina stares up at her. "Oh!"

"What?" Regina looks at the magazine that Emma holds up.

"It's you!" Emma lets out a nervous laugh, "I almost sat on your face." Her eyes grow wide as she realizes how that sounded.

Regina chuckles, welcoming herself to a seat. Her eyes are trained on Emma as she places the magazine down and sits right on it.

"Mom!" Henry ran up to his mother with excitement flashing in his eyes. "Guess what? I threw the ball so high up and Pongo jumped up and caught it!"

"Really?" Emma smiles.

"Yeah!" Henry nods. "I'm gonna go do that again." He runs off.

Regina watches Henry with Pongo and smiles. "I must say, I've never met a kid who is big on politics."

Emma chuckles as her eyes remain on her son. "Yeah, politics are his thing. He's really been rooting for you to win." She turns to Regina, meeting her eyes.

"And how about you?" Regina's eyes lock onto Emma's. "I hope I have your vote as well."

Emma's eyes locked onto Regina's and felt her heart stop and speed up all at once. "We'll see." They fall onto Regina's pearly white smile and her beautiful plump lips, which Emma couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss them- for just a small moment.

"So, Emilia… How long are you in town for?" Regina asks.

"Um," Emma blinks, for a minute forgetting that she was supposed to be acting as Emilia Clarke and not herself. Because that's who Regina thought she was. "I'm not sure."

"Do you always stay at the Hampton's?" Asked Regina.

"Yeah," Emma nods. The corners of her lips tilt into a tiny smile. "Sometimes I feel like I live there."

Regina smiles, "And what do you do for a living?"

Emma's eyes grow wide at the sight of a man hiding behind a tree with a camera pointed their way. "Oh, my God!" She stands, covering her face with her hand given that she had removed her sunglasses while walking with Henry.

"What is it?" Regina stands.

"Eleven O'clock by the tree!" Emma remains with her back facing the tree's direction.

Regina looks over, seeing a familiar face. "Don't worry about him. That's Leroy. He's paparazzi. He works for Candidate Belfrey. He gets paid good money to take pictures of me every time I'm seen in public in hopes to catch me with…" She pauses, her eyes meeting Emma's.

"Your next supermodel girlfriend?" Emma finishes the brunette's sentence.

Regina grins a little, "Yeah, something like that. Victoria Belfrey gets a kick out of my personal life, she's just waiting for the next scoop of me dumping the next woman that comes into my life."

"Not a woman of commitments, huh?" The corner of Emma's lip tilts into a tiny smirk.

"Well, it's not that. It's just I haven't exactly met the right one yet. You know the kind that makes your heart stop and accelerate all at once, prevents you from breathing or sleeping because they occupy your every thought." Regina's voice is as soft as the look in her eyes. It hypnotizes Emma. It makes her heart accelerate and stop, takes her very breath away.

"Well, sometimes the right person comes along without you realizing it. They could be standing right in front of you." Emma's reply comes out just as low.

Regina's eyes lock onto Emma's for the sixth time today and she can't get enough of looking into them. She wanted to see more of them- more of this woman.

"Mom, look how fast Pongo can run!" Henry exclaims, throwing the ball which Pongo sprints after in high speed. His voice is so sudden that it startles both Emma and Regina.

While Regina smiles, Emma blinks. "That's awesome, kid!"

Regina's eyes travel downward, she frowns as she notices the magazine stuck to Emma's pants.

"What?" Asks Emma.

"You have, uh…" Regina attempts to grab the magazine but Emma is quick to move trying to look behind her.

"What is it?" Emma rotates.

"It's just my face is stuck to your, uh…" Regina chuckles.

"What's that, mom?" Henry asks, pulling the magazine right off of his mother's butt.

"Oh, my God!" Emma dips her head over her shoulder, trying to look at her behind. "How are the pants? Are they okay? Did I get anything on them?" She asks in a state of panic.

Regina's eyes avert to Emma's behind, appreciating the view. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"It's perfect." Said Regina, her eyes locking onto Emma's for a good minute before she takes the magazine from Henry and tosses it in a trash bin nearby. "Don't believe everything you read." She tells Emma.

"Any of it true?" Emma asks. She felt drawn to Regina. Too drawn and that scared her. Especially because unknown to Regina, they both came from entirely different worlds.

Regina smirks, "Well, I was seeing someone, on again, off again but then we saw less of each other so I ended things. She of course told the media that I had proposed to her, but that wasn't true."

Emma continues to walk alongside Regina and Henry, who calls to Pongo and the canine comes running.

"Why don't we get out of here? Shake Leroy off, and I will take you to a favorite spot of mine." Said Regina.

"Yeah! Can we, mom? Can we go?" Henry jumps excitedly.

"I don't know, Henry, we really should be getting back-"

"So soon?" Regina feels a sting of disappointment.

"Please, mom?" Henry holds his mother's hand. "Let's not forget, I'm a kid and I need fresh air. Please, please, please."

Emma smiles. "Alright." her eyes meet with Regina's.

Regina smiles, "Let's go."

Pongo runs up a cliff of huge solid rocks, barking happily while being chased by Henry, while Regina steps up just behind them. "Here," she holds out her hand for Emma to take and helps her up.

"Thank you." Emma smiles, turning to the beautiful view of the city. "Wow."

"This is your spot?" Henry asks, grinning from ear to ear.

"Mhm," Regina nods. "This is my spot. It's calm, it's quiet, and my personal favorite, it's Leroy free." She chuckles, her eyes on Henry.

"It's beautiful. It's like a whole different world." Said Emma.

"I come here to think or when I'm nervous about giving one of my speeches."

"You get nervous?" Henry turns to Regina.

Regina nods.

"Me, too!" Henry smiles.

She kneels down to be at Henry's level, "Do you want to know what I do when I get nervous?"

"What?"

Regina digs into her jacket pocket, "I hold on…" She opens her hand, revealing a paperclip spread into a squiggly line. "To this."

Henry's tiny brow lifts, "A paperclip?" He scrunches his face as the sun strikes his eyes. "Why?"

"Well, it's something my father taught me. You see, when he was Mayor, he used to get nervous. And I know that when I have to go up on stage and deliver a speech, my heart races and my palms start to sweat that I forget what I have to say."

"Yeah, that's the worst." Henry nods.

Regina smiles, "So, what my father used to do, and what I do now is I hold onto the paper clip and channel all of my nerves onto it."

"Like electricity." Henry replies in understanding.

"Exactly. Like electricity. And all that's left to give is…" Regina waits.

"Your speech." Said Henry.

Emma's lips spread into a smile as she watches Regina with Henry. It warmed her heart to see Henry smiling, but also to see Regina smiling. She had to hand it to Regina, the woman was attractive in person.

"You know, my father's name was Henry." Said Regina.

"No way!" Henry's head whips around. "Mom, did you hear that? Regina's dad's name was the same as mine!"

"I heard." Emma smirks.

"Do you want to come to the zoo with us?" Henry asks Regina, quickly turning to his mother. "Mom, can we go see the penguins?"

"Henry," Emma chuckles. "I'm sure Regina's day is pretty busy, and she might have things to do-"

"Actually," Regina stands. "My schedule is wide open for a trip to the zoo."

Two against one. How could Emma say no?

Regina checked her watch as they stood before the zoo. "We'll just wait for Samuel so he can take Pongo back to the hotel, he shouldn't be long."

"Ms. Mills," Samuel appears, reaching out for Pongo's leash as Regina hands it over. "Sorry, traffic."

"It's quite alright, Samuel. Can you please, make sure he gets water and food?" Asks Regina.

"Of course."

"Thank you. I'll see you later, Pongo." Regina scratches behind his ear. A small whimper escapes Pongo.

"Bye, Pongo." Henry wraps his arms around Pongo's neck, giving him a tight hug before he is taken away.

A while later, they find themselves inside the penguin display. Henry's hands and face are pressed against the glass, watching as a penguin jumps right into the water, while the others remain on land.

"Mom, did you see that one jump?" Henry presses his finger along the glass.

"I did." Emma chuckles. "I've always thought penguins looked like little short guys in small tuxedos." She tells Regina.

Regina grins, "They do, don't they?" Her eyes look over to Emma, taking in her beautiful profile. She chews on her bottom lip, "Speaking of little short guys in tuxedos, I have to be at this benefit dinner on Monday night, it's at seven, Candidate Belfrey is hosting it, $2500 a plate."

Emma's eyes widened, "Are you serious? $2500 a plate?"

Regina smirks and nods, "$2500."

"Good Lord… I hope you get to keep the plate."

"Well, you can if you want to." Regina replies.

Emma laughs and it is the most beautiful sound to Regina's ears. "Wait, so the Candidate you're running against is hosting this event and you're going to be there? Why would you want to do that?"

"Well, it's not a matter of wanting to, it's an I have to kind of thing." Said Regina. "So, what do you think?"

"I think this Belfrey Candidate is a little too full of herself for a $2500 a plate dinner event." Emma's eyes lock with Regina's. "If you ask me, I think she could use some of that money and put it to some good use in the public school systems or charity other than getting richer off of it with money that she won't even get to take with her if she dies."

Regina's smirk grows, she loved how open-minded Emma was and that she wasn't afraid to speak it. "Then, why don't you come with me as my date and tell her that yourself?" She asks.

A date with Regina freaking Mills? Emma would love nothing more. Except before any sort of relationship could happen between them, Emma really needed to have some money to her name instead of being the maid to a hotel. That's the only reason why Regina likes her in the first place, because she doesn't know the truth.

"I'm sorry, but I can't." Emma frowns.

"You can't or you won't?" Regina's brow furrows.

"Both, I-" Emma shakes her head. "You don't understand. My life is really complicated."

"Why don't you try me? Help me uncomplicate it. I want to get to know you more, Emilia." Regina smiles.

Emma's frown deepens, her throat bobs as she swallows down a hard lump. "That is the last thing you want to do." She sees a frown take over Regina's lips. "Look, I'm sorry, Regina, but… You have a reputation. The entire weight of the city resting on your shoulders, and I…" She pauses. I have nothing. "I don't want to be just another notch on your belt."

"That's not what this is-" Regina shakes head.

"I'm sorry," Emma interjects. "We really have to get going." She walks up to Henry, taking him by the hand. "Come on, Henry."

"Aw, mom, do we have to?" Henry whines.

Regina stands there, confused and not understanding anything about what just happened. But, she would be damned if she allowed Emma to slip through her fingers. "Emilia!" She catches up with Henry and Emma. "This can't be it for us. Please, just- just think about it."

Emma shakes her head, "I can't. I'm sorry. But believe me when I tell you that today was the best day that Henry and I could have ever had. Thank you for today." Seeing the sadness that takes over Regina's eyes pains Emma. But what could the future Mayor of New York possibly see in a hotel maid like Emma? If Regina knew the truth, she would feel ashamed to know what Emma really did for a living.

"But, mom-"

'Let's go, Henry." Emma drags her son along.

"Wait- Henry, hang on. Here," Regina moves toward Henry, digging through her jacket pocket and dropping a few paperclips into the palm of his hand. "Don't use them all up on just one speech, okay?" She smiles.

Henry grins, throwing himself into Regina's arms. "Bye, Regina."

"Take care, Henry. Take care of your mom." Regina waves.

"I will." Henry waves back.

Regina sighs as she stands alone at the zoo. If there was one thing that got Regina into elections was her perseverance and determination. She did not know when to give up easily. And seeing Emma again wouldn't change that. She would see her again.