Chapter 6

December 18th

When Regina tried to take her new necklace off before she went to bed the previous night, she found she couldn't bring herself to. The presence of the jewelry around her neck gave her comfort and made her skin tingle slightly from love from the mysterious person. She found her dreams were happy and light that night while she wore her new pendant, a stark difference from the heavy and dark dreams she had grown accustomed to having. So when she made her way to the bathroom the following morning to take her half cold shower, her heart was suddenly full of sadness when she was forced to remove the necklace to ensure it didn't get ruined. This is silly. Why am I sad about not wearing a simple necklace? It's just a necklace. I shouldn't feel sad to have to take it off, she thought to herself as she rinsed her hair in the suddenly ice cold water.

She finished her shower quickly, drying off as fast as possible to remove the ice water from her skin. And before she realized what she was doing, she was fastening her necklace back around her slender neck, even before she wrapped the towel around her hair to absorb some of the water. She sighed when she remembered that her car was still parked in the Town Hall parking lot, which meant she would likely end up walking to work, since Storybrooke did not have a reliable cab company. She made it downstairs with just enough time to give Henry a kiss goodbye before he ran out to catch his bus. She realized that, if she was going to make it to work on time, she would have to skip breakfast and her much needed morning coffee. She grumbled at the realization and pulled on her coat; she could tell it was going to be a bad day already. She put in her earbuds to listen to her mix and started walking down the front path that she and Henry had shoveled the night before, when a car honk startled her from her thoughts. She turned to see the Sheriff's cruiser parked in her driveway, with Emma behind the wheel, waving like a crazy person.

This time Regina couldn't help but notice the bright smile on Emma's face as she approached the window. "Miss Swan, what are you doing here so early in the morning?" Regina asked. She could tell Emma was exhausted, and based on the prominent dark circles under her bright green eyes, she clearly didn't get any sleep the night before.

"Giving you a ride to work," Emma smiled, struggling to hold back a yawn.

"That's not necessary. I can walk," Regina said, not wanting to inconvenience the blonde.

"Don't be silly. The sidewalks are probably still icy from the snow, and we can't have the Mayor taking a tumble on her way to work." Regina could tell Emma was trying so hard not to laugh hysterically at her own joke. Instead, a little chuckle escaped her thin lips.

"I can't ask you to do that. I'm sure you would rather get some sleep," Regina said, genuinely not wanting to bother Emma.

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Now stop being stupid and get in the car. It's freezing." Regina didn't have to be asked twice as she rushed over to the other side of the car and climbed inside. "I figured that you would be skipping breakfast to get to work on time, so I stopped and got you something."

Emma handed Regina a small paper bag and a cup of coffee, both clearly from Granny's. "Emma, you didn't have to do that. I would have been fine until lunch."

"It was no problem, I was going there anyway for myself," Emma said, starting the engine.

"Thank you," she said, peering into the bag to find a large croissant, still warm. Regina couldn't help but notice that there were no other bags or coffee cups in the car.

They drove to Town Hall in a comfortable silence as Regina nibbled on her breakfast and sipped her coffee, taking note of each time Emma yawned. The blonde was clearly exhausted.

"Is David at the station?" she asked as Emma pulled up next to her car, now completely covered in snow on all sides. Clearly Leroy took no notice of her car when he plowed the lot, burying her car under over six inches of snow and slush.

"Yeah, he made it in," Emma said, shutting off the car and unbuckling her seatbelt, as if she were going inside as well.

"Why don't you take a half day and go home and get some sleep."

"That's ok. I have some paperwork to catch up on. My boss hates it when my paperwork is late and messy." Emma laughed, and it made Regina smile.

"I'll give you an extension," Regina said, concern in her voice.

"Fine. But there's something I need to do first," she said, jumping out of the car. Regina followed and watched with confusion as Emma opened the trunk and pulled out a snow brush and a shovel. "Emma, what are you…" she started to ask, answering her own question when she saw Emma begin to push the snow off the hood of her car. "Emma, you really don't have to do that. I can dig out my car later."

"It's cool. I'm here. Plus, I have the morning off now," she smiled. Regina was once again convinced that Emma's bright smile would melt all the snow within a ten foot radius of her.

"Emma…"

"You better get inside, Madame Mayor. You're going to be late."

Regina sighed as she took a step closer to the stubborn blonde. "Thank you," she said, gently grazing Emma's jacket-covered arm. "I really appreciate it," she added, before turning and walking towards the town hall.

She took a few steps and promptly turned on her heel, walking back towards the Sheriff, who was diligently cleaning off and digging out her car. "Emma, I was thinking about something. Henry and I have a Christmas tradition. Each year we go and pick out a tree the weekend before Christmas. Then we take it home and decorate it with all the tacky Christmas decorations we can get our hands on while drinking enough hot chocolate to rot our teeth right out of our skulls."

"That sounds like a lot of fun!" Emma said, brushing the snow off her jeans.

"Would you like to join us this year? I can make some lasagna for dinner if you'd like as well."

"You had me at lasagna." Emma lit up at the sound of the popular italian dish. It was no secret that the younger woman loved her cooking. "I'd really like that, thanks Regina."

"It's my pleasure. I'm sure Henry will be excited for you to join us as well. I'll see you Saturday."

"See you then, Regina," Emma said with a bright smile on her face before returning to her task. Regina gave her a quick wave before turning around and making her way inside the building.

The day seemed to fly by, and Emma's kindness that morning had put Regina in an extremely good mood, and not even the frigid temperature could bring her down. She even had an extra spring in her step as she walked out to her car at the end of the day.

The moment she opened her car door, the beautiful scent of roses captured her senses. Sitting on the driver's seat was her daily gift from her Secret Admirer, her newest preserved rose filling the car with its radiant scent. She quickly climbed into the car and started the engine to allow the heat to warm the interior as she opened her gift.

When you told me that your most prized steed was named Rocinante, I knew I had heard that name somewhere. I realized that Rocinante was the name of the horse in Don Quixote, and I knew it couldn't be a coincidence that you chose that name for your horse. I couldn't find a first edition (because I'm pretty sure they cost more than my house) but I found the next best thing. I hope this helps you remember your friend.

Love Always, Your Secret Admirer.

Regina unwrapped the gift with no regard to making sure the paper did not rip and found an old book concealed under the brightly colored paper. She opened the front cover to search for the copyright date, finding the year 1924 printed in the tiny font.

She flipped through the delicate pages until she spotted the word "Rocinante", running her finger over the small word. Whoever her Secret Admirer was, they were correct, she had chosen the name Rocinante after reading that name in an old copy of Don Quixote. Seeing his name on paper made her think of her old friend, crying for a moment when she thought of the circumstances behind his death. He had been used as an instrument to feed her own revenge, and in the end, his death had been in vain. But the sadness quickly passed as she started remembering all the good times she had with her old friend, including when she first met him, just a tiny colt, and the way he perked up when she named him Rocinante, after reading the very story she now held in her hands. She couldn't wait to get home and start reading the old story, hoping it would remind her of a simpler time in her life where she was happy and her heart was devoid of darkness.

Later that night, after Henry had already gone to bed, she settled in bed and opened the old book, beginning to read the story, when she was once again compelled to send a text.

"Thank you again for everything over the last two days, Emma. I appreciate all of it very much," she texted Emma.

"No worries, Regina. It was my pleasure. What are friends for, right?" Emma responded immediately.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. What are friends for, if not to help each other. Have a good night, Emma. And thank you again."

"You're welcome, Regina. I'll see you Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it :D"

"As am I. Good night, Emma."

"Sweet Dreams, Regina."


December 19th

"MOM! WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM!" Henry screamed, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin when she heard her son screaming from down the hall. She barely had enough time to get dressed before her son came bursting into her room without knocking.

"Henry? What is it? Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes quickly scanning her son for any blood or missing appendages.

"I totally forgot we are having a holiday party at school today, and everyone is supposed to bring something. Can you make your apple turnovers and bring them to the school before the afternoon?" Henry asked, his voice sounding desperate.

"Henry, how can I do that? I have to be at work in an hour."

"You're the boss, Mom. Can't you, like, take a half day or something?" he asked, trying to convince her.

"That's not a very honest use of my power."

"Please, Mom! We're supposed to bring our favorite dish from when we lived in the Enchanted Forest. But I'm the only person in the school that has never lived in the Enchanted Forest. And I know your turnovers were something that you used to make with your dad…" Henry was right. Her famous turnover recipe was perfected decades ago by her and Henry's grandfather, when she was very young. They would make them for every holiday celebration, and Regina always thought of him when she made them even though more than thirty years have passed since his death.

"Ok…I'll make them and then drop them off at the front office in a few hours."

"Thanks, Mom! You're the best!" he said, rushing forward to give her a huge hug. "I'm so glad you said yes. Because if not, I would have to ask Ma, and who knows what she would make." Henry laughed.

"I'm too frightened to even think about it." Regina laughed along with Henry. "Okay, give me a few minutes to change out of my work clothes and then I'll give you a ride to school on my way to the store."

"Cool, thanks Mom!" Henry said, rushing out of her room to give her privacy. She quickly changed her clothes for a second time and sent Aurora a text informing her that she would be taking a half day, and would be in after lunch. She knew the woman would likely slack off before she came into work, and she didn't really care. She was in such a good mood, there was no way she could be mad.

As promised, a few minutes later she was ready and they piled into her car. Henry thanked her again when they arrived at Storybrooke High School, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing out of the car and into the large school. She quickly picked up all the ingredients before returning home to get started on the dessert. She nearly dropped the bags of groceries when she walked into the kitchen, completely shocked when she saw a familiar red rose and card sitting on top of a large box, perched in the middle of the kitchen island, which had been empty when she left a little while ago. She started to panic for a minute, reaching for her cell phone to call Emma, remembering the last time her Secret Admirer had broken into her home to deliver a gift.

She was just about to press send, when she felt the familiar tingle of magic, indicating the objects were teleported to the kitchen, not hand delivered. She took a moment to analyze the magical signature surrounding the gift, recognizing it as the same magic that was surrounding the necklace, confirming that they were teleported by the same person, and yet she still couldn't place who it was. Whoever you are, one thing is for certain, you are a fellow magic user, she thought to herself as she approached the island, carefully placing the bags of groceries on the counter.

I noticed that the mirror in the foyer broke a couple years ago, and that you never replaced it, which I assumed means the old mirror had sentimental value to you. So when I saw this in an antique store a while ago, I knew it was fate, and that it belonged in your home. I hope you like it!

Love Always, Your Secret Admirer.

Regina knew exactly what mirror they were talking about. It had fallen off the wall one afternoon while she was in the midst of a rather verbal screaming match with a hormonal pre-teen Henry, and he slammed his bedroom door so hard it made the walls shake. She had been forced to replace the door after that as well. She thanked all the gods that Henry had outgrown that phase of his life quickly, and only a mirror and a bedroom door was broken in the process.

She paused to smell her familiar rose before opening the large box on the counter. Her heart stopped for a second when she saw the most beautiful antique looking glass nestled inside the box. It was just the perfect size and she knew it would fit perfectly right where the old one had once been. But what made her heart skip again was the beautiful filigree patterns around the glass, which reminded her of a mirror in the house she grew up in. It reminded her of a time before Daniel, before she was forced to marry the King, and before she became The Evil Queen. A time when she was still innocent, and her heart was pure. A simpler time when all she had to worry about was making it for afternoon tea, and not getting her dress stained when she played in the fields.

She left the box where it was, unwilling to risk dropping it as she moved it out of the way, as she began to prepare the ingredients for the turnovers, knowing she didn't have time to sit and gaze at her new mirror. First thing tomorrow she would call someone, Marco perhaps, to help her hang the mirror up, to ensure the job was done properly, to avoid it breaking again.

She worked quickly to make her turnovers, putting extra care into each and every one of them as she kept an eye on the mirror a few feet away, as if her mind wasn't convinced it was real. In fact, her mind wasn't convinced any of this was real. That someone would take all that time and effort to meticulously pick out all these wonderful and thoughtful gifts for her. That someone cared enough to go through all this trouble, just for her.

She arrived at work around lunchtime after dropping her turnovers off at Henry's school as promised, stopping on her way in to pick up lunch for both her and Aurora as a special treat for them both. Although she was in the office, she got very little work done while she was there, and left many important emails unread to be dealt with on Monday. Her brain was too preoccupied thinking about her Secret Admirer, working overtime trying to figure out who this person could possibly be, leaving little room to think or anything else.

"Could it be that someone actually has feelings for me, romantic feelings?" she whispered out loud, as her fingers instinctually slid her tree of life pendant across the chain it hung from. The last person to have feelings for her was Robin, and he had left her standing at the town line to follow his long lost wife into the Land Without Magic. He never hesitated to leave her behind under the guise of obligation to the vows he had once taken. Yes, he had come back once it was revealed that Marian was actually Zelena in disguise, but the sheer fact that he so willingly threw her away was always in the back of her mind. What if this person throws me away like Robin did? Or worse, what if I fall for them and they die, just like everyone that I have ever loved? she asked herself, wiping away a stray tear. She pulled herself together long enough to say good night to Aurora when she peeked her head into her office to say goodbye.

She put on a happy face when she went home and spent the rest of the evening with her son, trying everything in her power to push the thoughts to the side to focus on her time with Henry. But no matter how hard she tried, they surfaced once she was alone again, staring up at the ceiling, wishing for sleep to come. The thoughts of not being good enough, and doubting the motivation of her Secret Admirer, convincing herself once more that whoever it was, was playing a long and cruel joke on her.

She didn't get much sleep that night.


December 20th

"MOM! I THINK MA'S HERE!" Henry screamed from downstairs. She really hated it when he did that. But no matter what she did, she couldn't break him of the habit. She put the finishing touches on her makeup before exiting her room, making her way downstairs to greet her son's biological mother, and the woman who had slowly become a very close friend to Regina.

"Hey!" Emma said from the bottom of the stairs when she saw Regina walking towards her. Regina would have had to be completely blind to miss the sparkle in Emma's eyes when she looked up at Regina. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear jeans before. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen you wear anything other than your sensible pants suits," Emma chuckled.

"She wears yoga pants after work sometimes. And fuzzy slippers."

"Henry!" Regina scolded, her face turning bright red from embarrassment.

"Don't worry. I've been known to sport a pair of leggings after work. They are way more comfortable than skinny jeans!" Emma whispered, causing a slight smile to spread across Regina's face.

"Come on guys! All the good trees are going to be gone if we don't hurry," Henry called, trying to hurry his mothers along.

"Oh, before I forget, I found this outside on the doorstep just now," Emma said, producing a rose and card combo, along with a small box.

"Your Secret Admirer gift!" Henry exclaimed, Christmas tree shopping suddenly forgotten.

"I'll open it when we get home," Regina said shyly, moving to place the gift on the table behind her.

"Oh come on. You have to open it now! I want to see what it is!" Emma said. If she didn't know any better, she would swear that Emma was more excited about Regina's Secret Admirer than she and Henry were.

"Alright, if you insist…" she said, carefully opening the card.

I know how much your apple tree means to you. And I also know that trees, even in a magical town, don't live forever. Or if the day comes when you no longer wish to live in Storybrooke, you won't be able to take your beloved tree with you this time. I wanted to give you something that will always connect you to your tree, no matter where you are.

Love Always, Your Secret Admirer.

Regina dropped the card on the table as she swiftly grabbed the small cardboard box, opening the top as fast as she could without ripping it. Inside sat a tall and skinny vial with a tiny cork nestled perfectly in the top.

Inside was a tiny sapling, a sheen of magic coating its bright green color.

"What is it, Mom?" Henry asked after Regina stood rooted in place for a few moments, unknown tears rushing down her face as she stared at the vial.

"I think…" she managed to say as her voice caught in her throat. "I think it's a sapling…from my tree…"

"How do you know it's from your tree?" Emma asked, staring at the tiny tree in Regina's hand.

"I can't explain it. It just…feels like my tree," Regina said, wiping the tears from her face.

"Whoever my Secret Admirer is, has given me the most wonderful gift. They gave me my tree. They gave me the opportunity to carry on my father's memory longer," she said, pausing for a moment. "I wish I knew who they were so I could explain just how much this truly means to me," she whispered, her voice failing her.

"Considering how much effort they have put into your gifts, I have a feeling they already know," Emma whispered.

"I hope so…" Suddenly, Regina looked up and caught Emma's eyes, and she saw the glistening tears welling in her bright green eyes. Their eyes locked for a split second before the moment was interrupted by Henry once more.

"Okay, enough of this lovey-dovey Secret Admirer stuff. We really better get going before all the good trees are gone."

"Yes, you are right, Henry. Why don't you two go outside and warm up the car while I put this in a safe spot and I'll meet you out there."

"Sure, can I drive?"

"Not on your life, Kid," Emma said, pushing him out of the house. Regina ran upstairs to add her new rose to her growing collection and placed her sapling inside her dresser drawer to keep it safe, after taking another moment to admire what she had just been given. She was given a second chance with her beloved tree, and a chance to prolong her father's memory long after her first tree was no longer alive. Her father's memory would live on for generations to come, and that brought a second round of tears to her eyes.

Once again her moment was shattered by Henry, this time in the form of a text message, urging her to hurry up before all the trees were gone. She rushed downstairs and climbed into Emma's car, her amazing mood preventing her from making a comment about Emma's metal coffin on wheels.

Emma maneuvered her car through the field to park with ease, and a second later they were all out of the car, following Henry through the rows and rows of trees, meticulously searching for the PERFECT tree. Two hours later and three dozen trees carefully inspected, Henry found their tree. Emma lifted it with ease and carried it to the car while Regina paid for it. She was always amazed at the woman's strength, both inside and out, and today was no exception. Emma hoisted the tree onto the roof of her car as if she were shaking out a blanket, and secured it with the string provided by the farm with a little help from Henry. Regina suspected that Emma didn't need his help, but wanted him to feel like he was helping. I should have invited Emma to help us years ago! She thought as she watched the woman carry the tree inside her house and directly into the living room where the tree stand was already waiting. Emma maneuvered the tree with ease, securing it into the tree stand until it stood tall.

"Now comes the fun part!" Henry exclaimed, rushing to the cardboard box labeled "Christmas" on the couch, rummaging through its contents. Regina didn't like to decorate her house for the holiday, so she allowed Henry to cover each branch of the tree with ornaments to make up for it. Emma stood off to the side awkwardly, not quite sure what to do next.

"Mom, put some music on!" Henry said, as he started to sort through the contents of the box, making two piles of ornaments on the couch. She connected her speaker and immediately turned on her love mix she had received what felt like a lifetime ago. Regina started to hum as the first song began to play, suddenly realizing that perhaps Emma didn't want to listen to her '90s love mix.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just so used to playing it," she said, turning the song off, searching for more appropriate music.

"No, it's ok. I like '90s music! The ''The '90s had the BEST music! You really missed a great decade for music," Emma laughed. She turned the music back on and tossed her phone on the table before turning her attention back to her son.

"Mom…" Henry whispered, handing Regina a small object wrapped in white tissue paper, gesturing towards Emma.

"Henry and I have a tradition…" Regina started to say, turning towards Emma. "...each year we each get a new ornament for the tree. But we have one rule, we do not get to pick our own ornaments."

"Oh man, I can only imagine the crazy ornaments little Henry picked for you over the years."

"You should see the hot dog I picked out for her one year. It has arms and legs and looks like it's dancing. Mom nearly peed her pants when I showed it to her, she was laughing so hard," Henry said over his shoulder, already fixing his ornaments on the tree.

"Oh my god, I can't wait to see that one!" Emma laughed.

"Since this is your first year celebrating with us…" Regina said once Emma stopped laughing. "...we decided it was only right that you be represented on our tree as well," she said, handing Emma the tissue paper packet.

"Wait…you…you got me an ornament? Like a real ornament?" Emma asked, shock in her voice as she reached for the tiny object.

"Of course," Regina smiled, waiting with bated breath for Emma to open it.

Emma slowly unwrapped the package, revealing a small white Swan with a small ribbon attached to its back. It wasn't fancy, just a small plastic swan, but it meant everything to Emma. Tears of happiness fell from Emma's eyes as she gently held the swan, as if holding it too hard would cause it to turn to ash.

"Emma…are you alright?" Regina asked after a few moments, worried she might have insulted the woman somehow.

"I have never had an ornament before…" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Never?"

"Nope. None of my foster homes ever kept me during the holidays, so they didn't have to get me a present. And the group homes never celebrated. And the few trees I've had in the past have been decorated with tinsel and garland. You have no idea how much this means to me, Regina."

"I'm honored to give you the first of hopefully many more Christmas ornaments," Regina said, holding back her own emotions as she watched her former enemy-turned-friend cry in front of her.

"Ma! You have to put it on the tree! Here, I saved the best spot just for you!" Henry said, breaking the silence.

Emma's hands were shaking slightly as she slipped the ribbon onto the branch that Henry had saved just for her and stepped back to admire her work. "Looks good, Ma." Henry smiled, nudging her slightly before continuing his task of covering the tree with his ornaments.

"Thanks…" she whispered.

Emma and Regina sang along to the music as they continued to decorate, Regina sharing her pile of ornaments with Emma, until the box was empty and the tree looked like Christmas threw up on it.

"Well, if we want to eat dinner tonight, I must start cooking soon," Regina said, standing from the couch to collect the empty mugs.

"Need some help?" Emma asked, grabbing the mugs before Regina could.

"Sure…it's not very exciting though."

"That's ok. Maybe I can learn a thing or two about cooking." Emma laughed as she followed Regina into the kitchen. Henry yelled something about playing video games until dinner was ready as they entered the kitchen.

"Hey, what's this?" Emma asked as she approached the cardboard box that contained the mirror she received yesterday, still sitting on the island for fear of breaking it.

"That is the most amazingly beautiful antique looking glass to replace the one that broke from the foyer."

"Another gift from your Secret Admirer?" Emma asked with a wide smile.

"Indeed." Regina said, moving around the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. "I'm going to call Marco on Monday to see if he can come over and hang it up for me, to make sure it's done right and won't fall off the wall again," Regina explained.

"Hey, you don't have to bother Marco. I can hang it for you, no problem."

"Oh no, Emma. That's alright. I would feel better knowing a professional installed it."

"Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"To hang a picture, yes. To hang an antique mirror that looks like it's older than I am, including the twenty-eight years I didn't age, no."

"I'm only slightly insulted," Emma laughed. "But, in all seriousness, I can do it. One of my foster fathers owned a contracting company and he taught me how to do a lot of home improvement stuff. I can hang and install anything that goes onto a wall!"

"Are you sure? This is incredibly important to me, Emma. I can't bear it if something were to happen to it."

"Don't worry, I got this! I even have my toolbox in my car."

"Alright…let me know if there is anything you need to purchase for the project. I'll reimburse you."

"Most things come with their own mounting equipment taped to the back…" Emma said.

Regina cringed as she watched Emma carefully lift the mirror out of the box and turned it over to reveal a ziplock bag filled with hardware. "See. Told you. I'll grab my tools and get started. I should have it done by the time dinner is ready," Emma said, turning on her heels and rushing out of the door before Regina could protest any farther.

Emma went right to work, preparing the wall and mounting the mirror with ease, spending extra time to make sure it was straight and perfectly aligned on the wall. Every so often Regina would peek out of the kitchen to see how things were going, surprised each time she saw Emma concentrating and didn't see the mirror broken and shattered in a million pieces.

And just as Emma promised, the timer indicating dinner was ready began to go off just as Emma was finished cleaning up and showing Regina the fruit of her labors. "It's perfect. Thank you Emma. I think you have more than earned your dinner tonight. I'll set the table and you can try to pry our son away from the TV for a few minutes."

"Can we switch?" Emma laughed as she made her way to the den to retrieve Henry for dinner.

"Hey Kid, there's something I want to talk to you about…" Emma said after a few minutes of comfortable silence as they all ate. Her voice sounded nervous as she picked at her food.

"Yeah…Ma? Is everything alright? Are you sick?" Henry asked, suddenly panicking. After everything that has happened in his fifteen years of life, his mind always went to the worst case scenario.

"I'm alright, I promise. I'm not sick, no one is sick. But…something did happen about a month ago that I need to tell you about."

"It's about Killian, isn't it?" Henry asked, realizing his mother was struggling.

"Yeah…how did you know?"

"I haven't seen him in a few weeks, not even walking around town or at Granny's. What happened with Killian?"

"Killian he…well…he…" Emma said, struggling to find her words.

"Henry…" Regina said, taking over the conversation. "Killian and your mother have decided to dissolve their marriage, and Killian has decided to leave town."

"Oh…" Henry said, his voice filled with sadness.

"This has nothing to do with you, Kid. Killian really cared for you. He thought of you as a son, and I'm pretty sure he misses you more than he misses me," Emma said, reaching across the table to comfort her son.

"Are you ok, Ma? What happened?" Henry asked, not caring that the question might be a little too personal.

"I'm doing alright, actually. And let's just say that Killian found out something about me that made us no longer compatible as spouses," Emma explained, her face turning a slight shade of pink.

"That's why we stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's last weekend. So I didn't see that Killian wasn't living with you anymore."

"Yeah…I didn't want to lie to you, and I wasn't ready to tell you the truth. I didn't want to disappoint you."

"It's okay, Ma. You don't have to worry about me. As long as you're alright, that's all I care about."

"Thanks, Kid. I'm alright."

"Good. You know what would make you feel even better?" Emma shook her head, shoveling a large forkful of lasagna in her mouth, her appetite returning after telling Henry the truth. "Watching a cheesy Christmas movie with Mom and me after dinner while stuffing our face with Mom's famous apple pie and popcorn and hot chocolate."

"That sounds amazing." Emma smiled and Regina felt her heart skip slightly at the genuine smile on Emma's face, and the way her eyes sparkled when she looked at her.

As Henry promised, after dinner they all settled on the couch with a plate of apple pie each and a large bowl of popcorn waiting for them after they finished their pie. One movie turned into three, and eventually it was after midnight, and Emma was the only one left awake. At some point around the beginning of the third movie, Henry had curled up on the floor giving the two women more room on the couch, and yet they ended up so close to each other that Regina fell asleep with her head on Emma's shoulder. So slowly and so carefully, Emma managed to shift out from under Regina's head and laid her gently down on the couch without waking the brunette. With a wide smile on her face she carefully covered each of them with blankets to keep them warm while they slept, unwilling to wake either of them. But, no matter how hard she tried, Emma couldn't resist brushing the small lock of hair that had fallen over Regina's face as she shifted her onto the couch, revealing her docile face as she slept. Emma paused for a moment to look over at the sleeping mother and son before quietly tip-toeing out of the den and letting herself out of the house, making sure to lock the door behind her.

A/N: Let me know what you think so far.